kaithewriter

I accepted UW Madison's Rhetoric, Politics, & Culture PhD. It's a huge leap of faith, what with leaving California and all, but I think it's going to be worth it! The program looks perfect and the people are awesome so...here goes nothin'.

Oh wow, @KyleC...That is REALLY helpful. And worth way more than two cents. I'm really excited about Madison and all of the professors I've spoken with, so the decision is only hard because London feels like such a fun opportunity and I'm just worried about my fiancé finding work he likes. (He is way more excited about London than Madison, and he's also in the middle of a career change, so there's a lot of decision-making going on in our household this month.) We're going to go and visit next month, so he can get a feel for it. One of the things that drew me to Madison in the first place was the work that the Rhetoric profs are doing, and I like the idea of being able to draw on different areas of expertise as I work toward my doctorate...I think I just needed to hear that my impulse was the not wrong. Thank you so much!

Ha -- yes, it is Sarah Banet-Weiser. I interviewed her for my podcast a couple of times, and she -- and so many of the women in London -- are doing exactly the work I want to be doing. It's such a tough decision, because Madison is also SUCH a good school...And the work that I want to do is pretty "American" at its core (interrogating neoliberal feminism through the lens of fitness entrepreneurship online), so staying here seems like a good choice...sigh. A lot of things to consider. And I'm so sad I won't get to meet you at the visit day! I'm actually going a week later. I'm currently the lead in a play at a local theatre here, and visit day coincides with our closing weekend. I don't have an understudy or else I'd be there in a heartbeat...

Did anyone in here apply to NYU MCC and get an interview? I saw someone posted about it on the results page, but I haven't heard a word from NYU myself...not that I'm expecting to get in, but I'm curious now.

Alright friends...I need advice: The TL;DR: I've been out of school for 10 years, and I was accepted to one US PhD program and one UK MSc program, and I need help figuring out the pros and cons. (I live in the US -- California to be exact.) The programs: I got into my first choice PhD: UW-Madison Rhetoric I got into LSE's Gender, Media, and Culture program The dilemma: I've been out of school for 10 years working in a "career" I hate. I've been doing "armchair research" for the past two years, and I started writing a podcast documentary that's turned into an audio ethnography and the basis of my proposed research. All of the profs at Madison are doing work that is, in some way, related to my project: gender/performance, religious rhetoric, health comm, neoliberalism, etc. HOWEVER. The head of the dept of comm at LSE is doing work that is DIRECTLY related to my project, and she wants to work with me. Why I'm conflicted: I got into a PhD program, and it's funded. I am still in debt from school 10 years ago. Getting a PhD should be the no brainer, especially since getting a masters doesn't guarantee that I'm going to get into a school later However. It's LSE. And I could be studying in London, which is the central hub of work being done on neoliberal feminism. And I could then apply for a PhD in London after I have a masters. (I didn't apply for the PhD program there because I had to already have a masters in hand to apply.) But. I love the professors at Madison and I'm really excited about working with them too. And I want to get started on my doctoral research asap...I'm going to be in my late 30s by the time I finish, and I don't want to keep dragging it out. But...London. Complicating factors: I'm getting married this summer, so this isn't a sole decision to make. My partner is finishing school and changing careers, and he's worried about finding work in either Madison (because he doesn't want to have to commute for half the week to Milwaukee or Chicago) or London (because...visas). We have pets (so London's gonna be hard) I know the conservative move is UW, but he's not excited about it. We're visiting next month, so maybe things will change by then. And I'm really excited about potentially working with the prof in London, so that makes it really hard to say no... What say you, internetland? Your advice and input is very much appreciated. Thank you in advance!!

Seriously! Holy cats, that is an...interesting back and forth they have going there. Also...who wants a clinical psychologist who can’t keep their sh** together and acts like that? Thank you all for being so lovely and encouraging and lifting one another up even if you didn’t get what you wanted this application season.

Thank you for your insights -- that's what I was thinking, re: becoming a better student. I'm just worried about giving up the opportunity to go straight into a PhD program without taking on extra debt...since I have the option, it seems like a silly thing to give up. (On the other hand, if I can work with some of the top profs in gender and comm in London, where they're actually doing the exact work I want to be doing, it seems like getting my foot in the door with an MSc might be a good option...) My partner wants to go into consulting (he's just finishing business school now), but most of the firms he's looking at are outside of Madison. He doesn't want to commute...but I can imagine that finding a job in the midwest will be a lot easier than trying to find a job in London (especially since there's the whole issue of us not being UK residents). Sigh. Time to go make some pro and con lists... (Also...got rejected from the USC PhD this morning, which was expected. So, now I'm just waiting on NYU MCC, but I have a feeling that I'm going to get similar news...and I also don't know if moving back to NY is really a good idea even if I did get in so...)

Thank you! I'm in a weird place today...I really love Madison (the only PhD I got into), but it will be hard for my partner to find a job there, and if we went to LSE, I'd get to work with a professor who I adore and would be honored to get to work with...but it's only a masters, and I'd still have to apply for a PhD the following year. Penn would have been a nice way to split the difference in terms of doing a phd and also going somewhere my partner is excited about, but...I'm grateful that I even HAVE options! I'm coming from outside of academia -- 10 years since the last time I was in school -- so I knew I was a long shot for most programs.

UPenn decisions just went out. I did not get in... BUT. I got into the LSE MSc in Gender, Media, and Culture this morning...

Wait where are you all seeing Wednesday? I searched the results postings and it looks like they've done Feb 15 for the last two years?

You got your financial award letter already? I’ve been checking my mailbox obsessively for anything from Madison...no dice yet. It might have ended up at our neighbor’s house though. Our mail people are not good at delivering mail where it’s supposed to go...

I'm not sure, but probably? I got a notification this morning saying I'd gotten into the MS in Journalism (I applied to both the MS and the PhD, because I felt like my odds were pretty long on the PhD), but no notification either way on the PhD. So...who knows at this point.

Time cannot go any slower, waiting to hear from Penn. It was my "tied for #1" choice. (I got into the other one -- UW-Madison). Based on the profs at both madison and penn, they're both perfect fits. Penn is just more convenient in terms of moving and having my partner find a job once we get there, so I'm hoping to be able to have the problem of making a choice where to go. I'd assumed feb 15, though, so I'm trying not to get too worked up about it until then...

Thanks for the update @sluggerotoole!

Along the lines of "I saw decisions but didn't see mine...": does anyone know what's going on with USC Annenberg? I saw acceptances last friday and wait lists today. Wondering if I should start making assumptions about rejection since I haven't gotten any notifications at all...