Jump to content

DeNovo

Members
  • Posts

    26
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by DeNovo

  1. Has anyone made any decisions?? Excited to hear your plans
  2. fwiw - I have absolutely no idea if it's the same process at Oxford!
  3. Hiya! Like @ronronpatachon I contacted a potential faculty supervisor at Cambridge fairly early in the application process and then about 2-3 weeks or so after I submitted my application, I was contacted by the Cam equivalent of the DGS for French to set up an interview. The interview was scheduled for 20-30 minutes and it was myself, the DGS, and my potential supervisor. The interview was in English, and they asked a lot of thoughtful questions about my proposed research, past research, and future plans. I'd say the interview was about 75% focused on the prospective research though. Basically they are trying to gauge the feasibility of your research (i.e., is it reasonable that you might be able to complete a dissertation on the subject within 3 years) and how they will rank your application for funding purposes. Hope this helps!
  4. Glad your visit went well! I think in many cases they are waiting to see which students will be offered a department fellowship of some kind (one that would, for example, limit teaching requirements in the first year) or a small 'top up' from various sources. These funding sources can be university-wide funds, which means it can take a bit longer to get it sorted. Once they decide how they will allocate funds, then individual funding information can go out. I would wait to email the DGS until about a week after your virtual visit (I know it will seem like forever!!), thank the DGS for setting up the visit, reiterate your interest in the program as your top choice, and ask about funding. Just my two cents
  5. Hi all! I have a virtual campus visit coming up, and I will be chatting with a few current grad students and then 3-4 professors. I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions for the kinds of questions I should be asking? I'm confident in what I'll ask/discuss related to my research and all that, but I don't want to miss an opportunity to get as much info as possible about the program simply because I didn't think to ask! Thanks in advance
  6. Okay I went back and looked - if you scroll through the Fall 2018 French topic, there is a discussion about different programs having classes in French. Sometime around March 2018 is when they started talking about it. I didn't reread the whole thing, but looks like they talked about some classes at Michigan, IU, and others being in English at least some of the time.
  7. I thiiiink this was a discussion in one of the threads from a few years ago (as I out myself as a longtime GC lurker lol), but I can't remember for sure. For whatever reason I feel like some people discussed it and mentioned some schools specifically. I'll have a look and see what I find. Hopefully someone with more experience in state-side schools can also weigh in. I do think that asking around during virtual visits, etc. is a good idea (per @Castor)
  8. FWIW, in the French lit classes at Cambridge, English is spoken as well. Texts/materials are in French, passages and references in French, etc. I thought it was odd at first, but everyone spoke and read confidently in French as needed. I guess the thought is that they are not there to teach you to speak French - it's assumed you will come into the program at the appropriate level speaking-wise. But if you're looking for more opportunities to improve or use spoken French, then it's definitely something to keep in mind about a prospective program.
  9. I think the timeline of everything confuses me with so many different sources of funding at work at once. Suppose you are put forward for Trust funding but also the college to which you've received admission wants to offer a scholarship/studentship, etc. Do you (or anyone) know how that process works?
  10. Just two random thoughts/questions while we're here... 1. Does anyone else think it was strange that they did not interview via zoom/skype, etc. in lieu of in-person interviews? It seems like if people were ever prepared to do interviews online it would be this year ? I feel like the interview is a great opportunity that some may have benefited from in a normal year. But who knows - one could easily tank in an interview as well lol. 2. If you are a Gates finalist, should you assume that you were ranked well by your department for the other funding opportunities?
  11. Anyone else out there braving the admissions cycle this year?
  12. I'm also a finalist! Oddly though I have still not received the official admission from Cambridge. Still sitting on GAO...
  13. Generally, it means that your application is now before your second choice college. Should that college decline to give you a place, then you will be entered into the pool. There is a randomized process/algorithm that then selects 3 random colleges to review your application package. These are supposedly reviewed "in sequence," which I take to mean that Random 1 reviews and if it declines than Random 2, etc. One of those 3 will offer a place. Out of curiosity, did you apply to one of the older colleges or very popular ones, e.g. King's or Trinity?
  14. For those already attending who might be lurking on forum, is it common in the US to contact a potential dissertation supervisor before applying? I'm more familiar with the UK system where you dive straight into the dissertation, so having a supervisor on board is essentially a prerequisite.
  15. @frenchphd Yeah... I'm expecting rough seas ahead, but still here to see what happens (for now). I believe UChicago is also not accepting applicants for Fall 2021. I'm applying to a few UK programs as well, though of course funding is always a snag. To all - those applying for masters or both masters and PhD programs should also feel free to post! I'm trying to figure out if there is a way to change the name of the thread (so far haven't figured it out), so if anyone knows, please tell me
  16. Salut! I know it's pretty early, but I thought I would get the thread started for the next application cycle. I haven't narrowed down my list of schools, but I study eighteenth-century literature, culture, and political thought with emphasis on trade and commerce. Excited to see who else is applying and what you want to research! ?
  17. Anyone know if Penn has an official waitlist/if they only admit those they have interviewed?
  18. I’m pretty sure that Penn typically interviews. Several interviews mentioned at Penn, Yale, and Berkeley, possible also Notre Dame, from around this time last year on the result thread.
  19. Maybe less bizarre with more context - it’s not a thesis developed in a history department. In any case, I appreciate the feedback.
  20. Hi all - I'm editing my writing sample atm, and I am trying to decide whether or not to translate the passages and quotes in my thesis to English. The paper itself is in English, but per my department instructions, all quotes were kept in the original language. Any thoughts?
  21. I'm a bit late to this but... Start with people rather than places. Look for faculty who use critical theory in their research, and then you will probably find some programs from there. It's all about matching up your research interests to the right advisor/supervisor.
  22. DeNovo

    Bloomington, IN

    I did my undergrad at IU, and I really enjoyed living in Bloomington. Most of what's going on is on/throughout/near the campus, but I don't think you'll be disappointed. One of the things I enjoyed was the easy access to some excellent opera, theater, ballet, and music because of the Jacob's School of Music. The talent there is amazing. There's a lot of outdoorsy things you can do nearby as well (e.g. a state forest, Lake Monroe, etc.). There's always something going on in downtown Bloomington, which makes it nice. Bloomington actually has quite a few interesting restaurants - certainly more than chains, and they're fun to check out. Also some great little coffee shops, etc. Anyway, I wouldn't worry too much about not having something to do. That said, if you find yourself wanting to get out of the Bloomington bubble, Indianapolis is super close and easy to get to. As for the snow... No such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing Bloomington in the spring/fall makes up for the winter I think. Cost of living is fairly low in Bloomington, certainly compared to LA. You can definitely get a 1BR for well under 1,000/mo., and if you have a few roommates you can get your costs down even more. Utilities and all that, if they're not included in your rent, are usually pretty low as well. Good luck and hope you enjoy your campus visit
  23. Thinking of applying, but more likely will wait until Fall 2020 application season. I'm about to start a 9 month masters program in October at Cambridge in the UK, so I'm pretty sure I will have a stronger application if I wait until after I've written papers for this program and gotten to know my prospective recommenders. At the moment, my top choices would be Duke, Yale, and UConn (though I'm still looking) because of my research interests. I'm interested in the concepts of inventing history and representations of culture (primarily in travel literature) and law and literature in the early modern period. I will probably also apply to IU because I did my undergrad there and I know from experience that the French department is really great and the faculty are very supportive and excellent in their respective areas. Where are you thinking of applying? FYI - I went to U Chicago, so if you have any questions about the campus or French there I'd be happy to help!
  24. Great! Thanks all for the quick and helpful responses @Glasperlenspieler In terms of 'why' Comp Lit, it was just a consideration to broaden the number of potential programs. I obviously failed to actually explain what the comparative aspect would be in my initial blurb. My preferred research would not be comparative (i.e., only the two French texts), but I know how I would evolve it if I were to do a Comp Lit program (it would be the French texts against similar Spanish texts from the period). Thanks though for the crux of what I was looking for as to whether a Comp Lit degree would help/hurt/have little impact on a PhD in francophone studies! @Carly Rae Jepsen Thanks for the feedback! I do have a BA in French from IU Bloomington, so I think that will help me, coupled with the masters program, moving forward. Thanks for your input! Much appreciated and best of luck at WashU!
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use