Indecisive Poet
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Posts posted by Indecisive Poet
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I could see it being helpful if you are planning to go into the digital humanities, but even then it is very far from necessary. I would not spend your time doing that. If you feel you have major gaps in your coursework record somewhere in the major fields of English literature (medieval, early modern, C18, C19, C20/contemporary, a general literary theory course) then you might audit a graduate course in that field to boost your CV/educational background. But as long as you have taken a range of classes in English already, I don't think that even that's necessary.
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On 10/15/2020 at 3:27 PM, riverbender said:
It's something I heard *once* somewhere and has stayed in my mind but I have no idea where it came from. I think that person simply meant it was better to have customized letters but again, I don't remember where I heard it. Thanks for sharing your success story using it, it definitely is encouraging to hear!!
Ah, I see what you mean. My recommenders only wrote one generic letter anyway – I don't think writing a customised letter for each program was ever in the cards, and my understanding is that that is not something recommenders generally do, Interfolio or no Interfolio (though I could be wrong about that!). In any case, it didn't seem to hurt me.
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9 hours ago, riverbender said:
I was talking to my advisor about the uncertainty of this year's cycle and the possibility of being shut out being more likely if cohorts are smaller, etc. He recommended having my letters of rec submitted on interfolio so I would have them ready to go this year and next. I was a bit shocked by this because I thought interfolio was a big red flag in academia. So out of curiosity, is it something people use and I am completely missing out or is it a big hurdle to one's application?
(I'm aware some schools allow it and some don't. Mostly interested if anyone has used it or has any insight on the matter)
I think most people choose not to use it but I don't see why it would be a 'red flag'. I used it last year because one of my recommenders hinted very strongly that it would be easier on her if I did. I applied to 14 total programs last year – looking back at my notes now, I can see that 8 of those programs accepted letters via Interfolio and 6 did not. This meant 7 total uploads for my recommenders instead of 14. I was admitted to 4 of the 8 Interfolio-compatible programs and 4 of the 6 programs that did not allow uploads via Interfolio.
It costs about $40, I think, to subscribe to Interfolio for a year, and you get something like 50 letter uploads included in that subscription. I'm not sure it's something I would have done if my recommender hadn't pushed me to do it, but it can help your recommenders cut down on uploading time if you plan to apply to more than the usual 10 or so programs. Just double-check which programs do and don't take it first and make sure your letter-writers know they will have to do some uploads separately.
Can I ask (out of curiosity) why you think interfolio is a red flag in academia?
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Just want to say that this spreadsheet is a very big help – to many people, I think! It's a great comfort to know that many programs are planning to neither cut nor curtail admissions this year. Thanks for your hard work, @jadeisokay ?
- Lighthouse Lana and Bopie5
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Hey all,
A friend of mine is applying to programs this year with interests in British modernism, the 20th-century novel, ecocriticism/ecofeminism, and new materialisms. I think he intends to apply primarily for the C20 novel + ecocriticism. Can anyone recommend programs strong in these areas? I know ... nothing about them ? I believe he is targeting primarily top-20 programs (US News rankings) but is open to programs in the top 30–50 if they have a placement record in his field.
Your knowledge much appreciated!
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3 minutes ago, schlum said:
2. What does "GRE Not Required" exactly mean? That one can send the scores should they so choose, or that they don't accept the scores and/or not take them into account in admission process? Some of the programs to which I apply do not seem to specify whether it means "Optional" or "Not Accepted/Considered." Not that I reject the possibility that I am not quite catching up with things apparent to most native speakers of English...
I can't speak to your first question as it's not my field. But "GRE not required" means "GRE scores not accepted or taken into consideration" unless the website says "GRE optional but not required" or "GRE recommended/strongly recommended but not required." If it's optional or recommended, I would go ahead and submit your scores if you have a strong score. If it just says "not required," that means they won't look at any scores you send in, so don't waste your money.
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On 8/21/2020 at 1:40 AM, Bopie5 said:
UC Davis is taking applications for this fall season.
Northwestern has not yet decided whether they will accept applications, but they anticipate having that decision public on their website by early-mid September.
Northwestern has updated their web page to say they are admitting as usual this year ?
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On 8/30/2020 at 8:07 PM, mayhemily said:
Columbia isn't taking anyone (https://english.columbia.edu/content/guidelines-prospective-applicants). Absolutely sucks. I applied there last year but got rejected and I decided to take a year off to reapply.
Oof. I'm still kicking myself every other day for turning them down...
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12 hours ago, Glasperlenspieler said:
I'd be surprised if any UChicago humanities program take students. I think the change to their funding structure worked on the assumption that some students would actually be graduating this year, but given the fact that nobody is hiring, it's likely most students will stay on for another year of funding. Hard to pay for that and let in a new crop of students.
Several students defended their dissertations this summer (I'm not sure if that equates to graduating/leaving...?)
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On 8/3/2020 at 1:29 PM, Port in a Storm said:
Just FYI, I emailed a POI at UChicago for some clarity on this statement and was told that they are cutting admissions significantly this year and will only be admitting a handful of students, all of whom will be in Black studies. I can't speak for other institutions but I imagine others may be making similar decisions.
Can confirm. Exact number they are admitting is 5 (for comparison, last year they admitted 19) and they are not accepting anyone applying for a subfield other than Black studies. (There really should be an announcement on the admissions page saying that they are only accepting applications for Black studies this year but I suppose they have made this information so suggestive and difficult to find because people's wasted application fees will earn them tens of thousands of $$. Oh, the irony!).
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1 hour ago, Quickening said:
Same for their Department of Comparative Literature.
At the risk of being inflammatory, it is a bit disillusioning to see NYU embark on such an austere course when you consider the extortionate price of their MA programs. Perhaps someone on the inside could led some insight to the decision.
Lol, note the "We continue to accept fall 2021 applications for the MA program in English" in bolded letters below the announcement. I think all the "insight" there is to be had here is that the MA program earns them money while the PhD program costs them money. I imagine that at NYU as elsewhere, the graduate student union is asking that the department use the money they would normally offer to new students to fund them for extra years instead.
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13 hours ago, zcat429 said:
Hi everyone! I'm currently still deciding between two programs for my PhD in rhet/comp, and I could use a little perspective. One of the programs has a 1:2 teaching load for the entirety of the program, and the other program doesn't have any teaching requirement for the first year. Is this something that should be weighed heavily, or is a 1:2 load manageable?
I was also just admitted from the waitlist for the program that doesn't have a teaching requirement in the first year, and because of that, I've had little interaction with the faculty and students. When I've reached out, they've been slower to respond (some haven't even responded yet and it's been four days), than the first program. Is this a significant red flag or have other people experienced slower responses from programs they are choosing to attend? I'm not sure if this is reflective of how the communication will be in the future or if this is a result of the pandemic. Regardless, that program seems more hands off, but it also has a higher stipend, there's no teaching requirement in the first year so I can pursue other opportunities/focus on coursework, etc., the stipend accounts for all of summer (program 1 only offers a small stipend for summer), and a 1:1 teaching load after the first year. I suppose the main question is this: Do all of those factors just listed outweigh the slow/impersonal communication I've experienced from program 2? I want to be supported and mentored and I know program 1 can offer that, whereas I'm just not sure yet if program 2 can. Program 1 has been nothing short of phenomenal with making me feel like a part of their community and the current grad students have been accessible and so friendly.
Thanks for anyone's advice!
I'd be really, really wary of turning down a program with a higher stipend and a better teaching load for one that seems friendlier at the outset – especially because we're in the middle of a pandemic that has meant that academics have very little time to devote to anything but 6,000 Zoom meetings a day and all of the troubleshooting that comes with doing online what really shouldn't be done online. I know that your experience with this friendlier program has probably made them feel like more of a known entity, but so much of this is marketing/recruiting and the fact that the other program has been less responsive really doesn't say anything substantial about that program (if you think it does, fair enough, but what does it say that this program asks its students to do more work for less money? Surely that reflects on its supportiveness and whether or not the program is welcoming, too?). Once you're at a program, living there, what will matter is what your daily life is like and how that impacts the work you will do. 6 months in or 3 years in, you probably won't remember how nice the faculty was over email when you were accepted.
Is there a significant difference in ranking between the two programs? How strong are the departments in rhet/comp? Are the faculty members you'd be working with well known in your field? Which location do you prefer? Maybe you haven't mentioned these things because they're about equal at both programs, but all of those factors, + stipend and teaching load, would weigh much more heavily on my decision than initial emails would.
That said, it sounds like you want the friendlier program to be the right choice, and there's absolutely something to be said for going with your instincts/feelings. You'll choose the program that's right for you! ?
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15 hours ago, slouching said:
When I was living in HP, I was paying $700/month to live in a two-bedroom apartment with one other person in a great area close to campus. When it gets closer to the summer or the start of the school year, I would browse Craigslist to get a sense of what's available.
Thanks for this! I was browsing some places a few days ago just out of curiosity and I couldn't find anything decent under $800 for a studio and about $1,200 for a 1-BD. Ideally, it'd be great for me to get a cheaper 1-BD right away, but it seems like I may only be able to afford a studio the first year and then scale up when my partner moves.
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Thinking about heading to UChicago in the autumn (if moving is possible by that point). If I do go, I'd love to rent a studio or 1-bd in Hyde Park, but I'm not sure that's possible on a $31k stipend (which ends up being closer to $26k when you subtract fees and taxes, although health insurance is covered). Any tips on what kind of price range I should be looking at, locations w/in Hyde Park, and how to approach finding places? I would be covering rent on my own the first year and then my partner would be joining me starting the second year so we can split rent.
I'll also be moving from abroad and I'm not sure how to approach that yet. Autumn quarter starts September 29 and I was thinking about flying to Chicago about a month before that and staying... somewhere(?)... while I spend a few weeks touring flats.
Edit: I've also seen on this thread that it's a bad idea to have a car in Chicago. Can anyone corroborate/refute?
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58 minutes ago, tinymica said:
Sorry if this is too personal, I just want to vent quickly... I'm feeling very conflicted. At the moment, I'm in a 1a/1r/1w/4p situation. Honestly, I'm not upset about it. I'm pleased with the offer I did receive and I wasn't very attached to the school that rejected me or the school that waitlisted me. Like everyone else I've been in a state of constant anxiety, swinging between fear and excitement. I can't stop thinking about Brown (my top choice), but I don't know how to process my feelings about it. It would be amazing if I did get an offer from them, which I absolutely don't expect because they're so prestigious and I'm really not up to that caliber, but I almost....don't want to go? And that's crazy, right? Because it's Brown. Part of me gets so excited about the opportunities waiting there. But another part of me is stuck on the massive change to my personal life that that would bring: I would have to end my relationship, which I really don't want to do. And actually, that would be the case if I chose to go to any of the 4 schools I'm waiting for. All those programs would objectively be better than the one I was accepted into; I feel that if I got a really good offer from any of them I wouldn't be able to refuse. So that makes me feel like I almost don't want any more offers. And that's even crazier.
Of course, I don't know anything yet and I'm just stuck in this spiral of speculation. Anyway, time to go for a walk and not think about this for a while.
Seconding others who have asked if your partner can move with you (either now or in the near future). I think the biggest factor here is how serious your relationship is (and whether or not they're willing to move is potentially a part of that). It's really easy to tell young 20-somethings not to choose love over a career and it's usually good advice. But the situation changes when that person is your life partner (or if you think they might be and have discussed this with them). At that point, it's a situation unlike anything else, really – families remain families even when they only see each other a couple times a year, but relationships don't work that way. A lot of younger people who are applying to programs right now with or without girlfriends/boyfriends will tell you to choose your career over your S/O, but this dynamic becomes much more like asking someone to never see their child again when your S/O is your partner, a part of your family. It becomes a non-option.
I say all of this because I'm totally here with you: the application cycle didn't go well for my partner and I, and the most likely scenario for us now is one of us giving up academia indefinitely unless I manage to get a hold of the uber-competitive funding offered by the two British PhD programs we've been accepted to (spoiler: it's unlikely). And it's been frustrating having certain people on this forum who are rolling in the Best Luck of All Time with their admissions offers give me unsolicited advice based on where they are in their own lives.
I suppose what I want to say is: this is a decision only you can make. What kind of future would you be giving up with your S/O? What is this person to you, and you to them? And, secondarily, how big of a dip in rankings are we talking? There's a big difference between 13 v. 20 and 13 v. 65. We live in a hypercapitalist and careerist country/global society that cons us into believing independence and entrepreneurship at the expense of all else are actually intrinsic human values – but they aren't. If going to a lower-ranked program would open up every other section of your life for you, it sounds like that's right for you. If you think ending this relationship would mean you being sad for a time and then getting on with things, you might need to make the tougher decision. The question really is: what will matter more in the long term?
FWIW, I would kill for my decision to be as simple as choosing a program lower down the rungs. Being faced with no other option but re-applying or giving up the career has really put into perspective what I would have been willing to do if it had been that simple (although a very different decision may be what's right for you). Even still, the decision is a non-decision for me because giving up my family is not an option, but it's such a rough spot to be in.
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Wrote a long thing but I don't want to sign up for more discussion on this, so I will just say, OP: if you are concerned that where you did your undergraduate work will weigh negatively on your application, I suggest that you take all of this advice with a swimming pool of salt and do your own research. Look through every single graduate student profile at every program you are interested in and see where they got their previous degrees. Never count yourself out as a top applicant preemptively. You will regret punching below your weight.
- coffeelyf, Rrandle101, Starbuck420 and 4 others
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58 minutes ago, caffeinated applicant said:
Worst that could happen is they reject you (which... would be weird and petty, but that's academia for you!), but you already know you have a better option for you, so even if your email somehow gets you bumped from waitlist to reject pile, all that's really happened is that the next person on the list finds out sooner than if they waited until April for you to turn them down/to turn you down.
I know you're just throwing out a "worst case scenario," but I don't think this would ever happen. They've already made their decisions and they aren't going to reverse a decision because an applicant asked about the status of their application. I think your advice about how to word the email is great, and I encourage @jm6394 to reach out! ?
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22 minutes ago, Starbuck420 said:
I recently got into a funded MA program at a school ranked in the 60's overall and in the 70's for English. There are faculty at this school whose interests are very similar to mine, and the stipend is actually quite livable. I would like to go on to do a PhD somewhere else, but am also prepared for the very likely possibility that I won’t get into a top program, and will instead be forced to leave school with just an MA. This is fine with me. I have no desire to go through a PhD program at a lower tier school, and would prefer to leave with just an MA (and no debt, bc funded).
My reason for applying to the terminal MA out of undergrad—vs a straight-up PhD or an MA/PhD—is basically that I didn't think I would get into a top program. My GPA is low enough that I didn't really stand a chance at the places I'd like to go (UC Irvine, Duke are my inspirational targets), but high enough that I knew I would stand a chance at some terminal MA programs at good or so-so schools. I really chunked my first two semesters of undergrad and left with a low B+ average (upward trend, higher in English but not high enough to compensate for low overall), so my basic thought is that the MA will give me a chance to up my GPA, gain some teaching experience, do a few conferences, and bump my whole application up to the point where I’m competitive at somewhere like UC Irvine. I’m basically a strong applicant aside from my very low GPA, in that I have a strong writing sample, good GRE scores, and solid letters of rec, one of which is from a know scholar in my field.
Anyway, I’d basically like to know, before I decide, whether or not you all think this is a viable plan? Can I go from a middling-ish MA program to an upper level PhD given my circumstances? What should I focus on while I’m doing the MA? What’s most important? I also don't want to bash on this program. Everyone has been very nice to me and I would be very happy to attend, but am still grappling with the crude reality of the US News rankings
Thanks in advance for any replies. I am a longtime lurker. My writing sample and all of my research are in critical theory and 19th century American lit. Starbuck420 = Starbuck of Nantucket =/= Starbucks, Starbucks of Nantucket
This worked for me. I had a good GPA coming out of undergrad but had absolutely no idea what I wanted to study, had taken very few literature courses (despite being an English major), knew nothing about literary theory or what people were working on in the field, and had only formed one meaningful relationship with a professor. I did a terminal MA and left with a solid GPA, but more importantly, strong relationships with faculty members, a strong sense of what I want to study, a solid writing sample, and a good working knowledge of what's going on in the field. I've had a fair few rejections this round but also a couple of solid acceptances, and I do not believe there is any chance whatsoever that I would have been accepted to the programs that have accepted me if I had applied straight out of undergrad.
I do not think admissions committees care where you did your previous work (BA or MA) – only what you did with your time there. A distinguished professor at a top-15 English program (my undergrad) told me as much. (But I will counter this by saying a POI at UChicago knew 2 of my MA letter-writers and explicitly said that this influenced his decision. My understanding is that this is not common). PhD program rankings matter a lot when it comes to getting a job, but it's an entirely different system for accepting students into PhD programs.
Do try to do as well in your classes as possible, try to form strong relationships with professors (ideally associate prof. or higher) in your subfield, work on a solid writing sample, and get a strong sense of what you want to study. If you devote yourself to your work at your MA and try to make the most of resources there (faculty and otherwise), you should be in a good position for your cycle.
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8 hours ago, nideaqui said:
Hi all, long time lurker, first time poster! I was wondering if anyone had any insight into the climate at Cornell? Or just general comments on what it’s like to live in Ithaca?
Ithaca is so, so cool. I can't tell you anything about the English program there, unfortunately, but a good friend of mine attended the university for undergrad and I've spent some time there. It's an absolutely stunning location nestled away in the country, with loads of hiking, walking, swimming, etc. within reach of campus. But the town itself is also really nice – everything you need re grocery stores, etc., and great restaurants. The culture there is interesting – the town's population seems to be made up half of students and half of older "hippies" who were active in counter-culture circles in the 1960s? Really cool. I think the area is affordable and the buildings you would likely be renting in are old and leafy.
One thing to consider, though, is that you will need a car if you plan on ever leaving Ithaca. The campus and surrounding residential areas are walkable, but if you want to get anywhere else, there isn't much public transport to be had – although perhaps that's self-explanatory. I think this tradeoff generally comes with the rural idyll. (I think there is bus you can take to/from NYC, but it's quite long, as one would expect).
Edit: Oh, and you probably know this, but COLD. The summers are really hot and great for spending time outdoors, but during the winter there are usually feet of snow on the ground at all times, and the campus/town are very, very hilly.
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On 1/7/2020 at 6:11 PM, Warelin said:
The University provides free transportation passes which gives you unlimited use of the buses and city trains which also give you access to other parts of the county.
So nice!
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9 hours ago, meghan_sparkle said:
For work , I had to call one of my POIs at an institution I still haven't heard from on Friday (not going to say which for obvious reasons but didn't have anything to do w/admissions obvs) and at the end of the call she said "I have a feeling we're going to be speaking again very soon" and sorta laughed. I was so flustered and confused I ended up saying "Oh, alright, um, bye" and hung up on her and then I screamed "OH NO...OH GOD....FUCK". Tact, grace, gratitude. Love that for me.
Oh deary me. Well, the good news is it sounds like this program has already made its decisions and you'll be hearing from them despite this incident. If it's the same professor who contacts you with an offer, you'll have a chance to bring it up again and hopefully make light of it/jokingly apologize! But I think admissions comittees/POIs are, as a general rule, understanding of awkward verbal nervousness like this. There was this huge, painful awkward silence on the phone when Notre Dame contacted me with my offer because it seemed like maybe I was supposed to be saying something more, but I didn't...have anything to say? (had already run through my thanks and excitement, etc., plus asked loads of questions at my interview weeks earlier). I also said something very stupid at the end of a phone interview for a different program a few days ago, and I still maintain that my UChicago interview was an utter cringe-fest. Blegh, but, here we are.
8 hours ago, dorabot said:Hi! I'm on the waitlist at CUNY for English and was wondering if it's worth it to go to the open house? Does anyone know if these things actually increase your chances of getting off of the waitlist? I'm interested in getting to meet current students and observing a class, but it's a big trek for me to get out to NYC. Thanks for any insight.
Is CUNY offering to reimburse your journey? If so, I would attend. If it's a program you'd seriously consider attending were you accepted off the waitlist, it would be great for you to get an idea of what it would be like to go there. If you'd be paying for the trip out of pocket, it's up to you, but I would probably give it a pass myself.
In other news, NYU is still sending out waitlists? Brown has yet to send out anything but 2 acceptances, and Colorado sent out its waitlists but nothing else. Seems like a handful of programs are taking their time with this...
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Just now, Rrandle101 said:
I have not but that sounds fascinating (to me at least lol). I'll see if I can get it from my library and do some reading over Spring Break
Highly recommend!!
2021 Applicants
in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition
Posted
Good luck, everyone!!!! It's been a tough year and I hope that there is good news waiting for you all on the other side of it. I hope everyone has a restful holiday period in the meantime ❤️ ☃️