beardedlady

Just dropping in to share this, in case anyone could use a pick-me-up via humorous, eccentric, and historical feline portraiture. Eulalie Osgood Grover, writer of children's books and the original cat memer (c. 1911): 

(enjoy further perusal: https://archive.org/details/kittenscatsbooko00grov)

Just dropping in to share this, in case anyone could use a pick-me-up via humorous, eccentric, and historical feline portraiture. Eulalie Osgood Grover, writer of children's books and the original cat memer (c. 1911): 

(enjoy further perusal: https://archive.org/details/kittenscatsbooko00grov)

Just dropping in to share this, in case anyone could use a pick-me-up via humorous, eccentric, and historical feline portraiture. Eulalie Osgood Grover, writer of children's books and the original cat memer (c. 1911): 

(enjoy further perusal: https://archive.org/details/kittenscatsbooko00grov)

I'm a fourth-year PhD at Ohio State.
Has your PhD so far been what you expected it to be?
The first two years were about what I was expecting and looking for. The seminars I took were, with a couple exceptions, fabulous and interesting. Reading for comps was even better -- I felt like I could finally do what I'd come to do, namely, sit and read wonderfully intricate, complex literature. The last couple of years, after I reached ABD, have been more difficult. I had a major "fuck this pointless shit" moment after my comps, and didn't do anything for a solid six weeks afterward. Morale has improved somewhat since then, and I've enjoyed working on my dissertation when I give myself the time to sit down and work on it. But the isolation and lack of motivation can be difficult. When you're in coursework or studying for comps, those things come from outside: you are around other smart people, and in order to keep pace, you push yourself to keep up with or exceed others. When ABD, in the absence of those things, you just have to train yourself to work regardless of motivation and the nagging suspicion that what you're doing doesn't matter. Overcoming that anxiety is half of the battle. And, to be frank, I wasn't prepared for the shift toward a structureless work life. It took me the better part of a year to write my first chapter, and far more time was spent on those process issues than the actual ideas of my chapter. 
What are you impressions of your program?
It's okay, though not fantastic. The size of the program makes it very easy for a painfully introverted person like me to be more or less anonymous. The department is so large that you will know a fraction of the people in it. If you come in with an MA, there's a good chance that you might get lost in the mire, because you're out of coursework so quickly that you don't have the time to build connections with faculty and other grad students. 
Has anything about your program surprised you?
The general lack of active interest people have in you or your project. They're willing to help you if you seek it out, but no one is concerned enough about you to "touch base." It can be easy to fall through the cracks. 

How are you feeling in general about your experience?
Not great, though I think that has less to do with my experience at OSU than my general sense that graduate education in the humanities is kind of a shit show. It's unconscionable how many admits programs make, knowing full well that a small fraction of them will get the jobs that they're all working toward. That's not right, and the pollyanna-ism that supports it ("You have got what it takes to make it! Your project is especially great!") is both pervasive and unbelievable, given how otherwise intelligent and aware of structural/systematic problems faculty are. 

Have you found your research interests changing?
Yes, of course. Your interests should change, because when you enter grad school, you really don't know much about what professional literary study involves. Personally, I found myself moving from the study of rhetoric and logic to premodern ecocriticism, the subject of my dissertation.  

Are there any hardships you've faced that you want to share?
I've already mentioned the isolation and motivation issues above, and to that I'll add crappy interactions with others. Don't get me wrong, there are a number of great, super cool people in grad school—other grad students, faculty, and staff. But there are also a lot of assholes in grad school, especially professors, who can be aloof, callous, and simply rude. Because I had such personable professors in undergrad, I wasn't quite prepared for the lack of "humanness" coming from some faculty. And, of course, this isn't meant to be an absolute statement. But the bad interactions seem to stick out more memorably than the good ones, unfortunately. 
How about any successes you'd like to celebrate?
Institutional fellowships, well-paid internships, well-received papers delivered at national conferences. It's not all bad! 
I think my big question for current students is: what do you wish you had asked about or known when making your decision? Anything undergrads wouldn’t have the foresight to consider about PhD life when applying? 
I would have asked more pointed questions about money and the longer arc of the program and how it imagines its advisors to operate. For the first, I would ask more about the actual conditions enabled by the funding you receive. Does it allow you to do the things you enjoy outside of school? (To stay sane, you must have a life apart from school, some thing or things that have nothing to do with textual criticism or departmental politics or the eccentricities of this or that professor.) Are vacations out of the question with the money you earn? (Probably, but still worth asking.) What kind of apartment can you get with the stipend? Can you go out and do things socially with the money? Etc. etc. etc. In short, you just need to think about your priorities beyond your education, and try to get a sense of how the material realities of grad school will allow you to stick to those priorities. 
Regarding the second, I would ask current students about how things have changed over the course of their tenure. How is life different in the coursework period from the exam reading period or the dissertation period? How has your dissertation advisor's role changed in that time? Has s/he continued to offer the same level of commitment or guidance, or has their interest in you or your project waned over time? If you already have a solid sense of the literary period you're going to be working in, you might start asking about how individual advisors work with their mentees. Which are the people who can never find time to meet with you? Which are the kind who will go out of their way to oversee and develop your work? Who will be honest with you about your shortcomings? (This is really important -- you ideally want to find someone who is both kind and honest. Many can be brutally honest, and many—most, even—will be too chickenshit to tell you when something sucks and why.) 
---

I'm in the second year of an MA/PhD program.
Has your PhD so far been what you expected it to be?
The first and most important difference is that the universe is much smaller than it was during undergrad -- I don't interact much with anyone outside my concentration, much less the English department. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but the weird, freewheeling years of knowing everybody on campus are definitely behind me. 
Other than this, honestly, I don't remember what I thought grad school would be like. 
What are you impressions of your program?
Uh
I think that everyone in my program is a genuinely good person who is doing the work that we do because they think the world is better for it. 
I also think that they care deeply about the success of other people in the program. I don't know if I answered this question right.
Has anything about your program surprised you?
The amount of free time that I've had to schedule myself has been pretty massive. I know this is to be expected, but when you look at it and you're only on campus ten hours a week, after having a real person job and sitting at a desk for four times that long... well, it's strange.
The other thing is that, even though everyone in my program is really smart, nobody's, like, quoting Foucault at each other. We complain about overly opaque writing and heavy reading loads. There's no real need to present yourself as incredibly smart. We're all already here so we might as well be real with each other. At least, this is the vibe at my school.
How are you feeling in general about your experience?
pretty good.
Have you found your research interests changing?
Radically. Basically, when I came to grad school, I knew what I liked. Now, I know what the field needs and what I can do to help.
Are there any hardships you've faced that you want to share?
uhhhhh
it is sometimes harder than you'd think to find classes where you can write about the stuff you want to write about. this is probably because I'm still pretty early in the program. but because my concentration is small, there aren't a lot of classes. which sometimes means ending up in places you wouldn't expect. this is a good time to try new things, and new things can be good, but it can be a bummer when you don't have the chance to, you know, do the stuff you're trying to build a career around.
also (I keep editing this response as I think of new stuff, sorry). It is necessary, not just ok, but necessary, to build a life outside of your program. This doesn't necessarily mean a community if that's not your thing. But interests. Don't spend all your free time listening to podcasts about your area, or doing extra research. Do something else. Be a person in the world. You'll be much happier. 
How about any successes you'd like to celebrate?
going to my first conference in a few weeks!
I think my big question for current students is: what do you wish you had asked about or known when making your decision? Anything undergrads wouldn’t have the foresight to consider about PhD life when applying? 
When you visit, you want to know how people treat each other. There are SO MANY horror stories in grad school of students who double-cross each other, or advisors who give up, and stuff like that. I'd pay attention to how people treat each other, not just how they treat you. They know they're supposed to be nice to you. But if you pick up on really good communal vibes, that makes it seem like these people really care about each other, then maybe it won't be so bad spending seven years with them.
All of the stuff for finding faculty you vibe with and all that stuff... that stuff obviously matters. But in the day-to-day, you need your people. 
---
I'm writing here because I remember how I felt two years ago when I got that first offer. There was a snow storm and my workplace was shut down, so I was just sitting at home, refreshing my email. When the notification came in, I cried so much. I went straight to my friends' apartment and we ordered pizza and celebrated. It was such a great day. 
The thing about that day that I'm starting to realize was that it was exciting because I was going on a new adventure, and new adventures are exciting. And the validation of getting a yes meant so much. But now I look at that moment and think about how excited I was and, knowing what I know now, I think that I was justified in feeling that way.

Just wanted to say thank you to everyone here. It seems like a lot of other boards are distinctly unsupportive and sometimes downright hostile. I’m proud of all of us for creating a supportive as hell community in a very trying time. Y’all rock!

Waitlisted at Loyola!!!! Admitted to MA but waitlisted to PhD!!!! This is the dream school!   ahhhhhh! Email says they only had four funded spots this year!

I got into UConn PhD (not on the board yet). I received the email about 6-7 hours ago. I don’t even know what I’m feeling. I’d completely accepted another shut-out and was talking myself into alternative plans that now it doesn’t seem real and I don’t think it has even hit me yet. 
For future reference, it is a 5 year offer to TA from Y1. Specific duties will be sent in the future. I’m an African-Americanist. If anyone wants info PM me. Also if anyone has info on UConn (like CoL, campus, etc.), please PM me, too.
Thank you to everyone who was supportive through this process. Other than my wife you’re the first people I’ve told.

Also waitlisted at WashU. I was feeling ghosted by academia, so it was good to hear something finally!

Congratulations!

Hey y'all! First thing this morning I checked my inbox and was surprised to find an acceptance from U of Michigan! I posted the result. For those who applied be on the lookout as I guess acceptances are going out today. 

Geez—I just got into Berkeley. Did not think that would happen. What even.

Hello! This is the Ghost of Waitlists Past! As someone who was waitlisted and ultimately admitted, I wanted to share a few reflections from my experience. Being waitlisted is the worst. Your application cycle has been dragged out even further. You feel a weird mix of joy and defeat. My inner saboteur kept telling me, "I was good, but not good enough." At the end of the day, you may not get admitted despite all this added anxiety. These steps, though, made me feel like I had done everything I could do. 
1. If you want to be on the waitlist, re-affirm your interest. I do not just mean replying to the DGS's waitlist email saying, "Yes! Keep me on it!" (Though you should do that ASAP.) A week or two later, I also sent a formal letter to the DGS, i.e. 2 short paragraphs in an email with a Dear XXX and Sincerely XXX, re-affirming that the program was one of my top choices. Keep it concise and do not repeat anything from your SOP. This might only be one short paragraph. However, here are a few other things you might want to mention:
1a. If this program is your first choice, say it. When I submitted my PhD applications, I was fairly confident this program was my first choice, but after having a few more months to reflect, I was now certain. In my letter, I said that and stated that I could confirm my attendance if admitted before the April 15th national deadline. This is a big commitment, so only say this if you are going to commit to that. When April 15th barrels down on the adcom, they want to offer admission to students on the waitlist that will accept their offer. Some adcoms will have a ranked list of waitlisted students, and this gesture may not do much. However, if your program's adcom does not have a ranked list, this may help.
1b. Tell them about any admissions you have received. Some DGSs will ask for this, but either way, be sure to mention which programs admitted you! This makes you a more attractive candidate, and if those acceptances are from impressive programs, it could spur them to review your file to see what they might have missed. Plus, it also alerts them that you will need to know before April 15th since you have an offer on the table.
1c. Any updates to your CV since you applied? After submitting my application, I had a few CV additions. I had a paper accepted for a conference, I was awarded a competitive grant, and I had another line of employment to add. I included those in my letter since those, like admissions to other programs, could spur some review of my application. Even if you do not have updates like that, you can still tell them about other things. Still in school and finished your fall semester with a 4.0? Tell them. Was that conference paper or publication listed as "forthcoming" on your last CV now given/published? Tell them. Did you finish a project at your job that seems relevant to the program? Tell them. The point here is not to brag, but to affirm that you are a hardworking candidate that could bring something special to the cohort.
2. Ask the DGS what the waitlist procedure is. Some will tell you up front and in detail how they select students and how frequently they will update you about your progress. Some will be more opaque. Either way, you have the right to ask questions like, "How does the committee select students for admission from the waitlist?" and "Are waitlisted students able to visit the department, either at the open house or individually?"
3. After you send the letter of interest, keep in contact with the DGS, but do not overwhelm them. This is where it is hard to be prescriptive. You will have to judge what is too much or too little contact. My suggestion is to err on the side of too little contact since you do not want to overstep. I would especially refrain from asking for updates. Instead, restrict yourself to major CV additions, i.e. other admissions, publications, professional conference presentations, or awards. I received my waitlist notice in late February/early March, and after I sent my letter of interest, I sent a total of two other emails: the first informing the DGS about two awards I had won, and the second – two weeks before that big April 15th deadline – asking for an update/re-affirming my interest.
4. Update your LOR writers about your waitlist status. You should be keeping them in the loop about your application cycle anyway, but if not, tell them about your waitlist status. When I told them, one of my letter writers was very generous and offered to write to a faculty member on my behalf. Not everyone is going to have that reaction, nor should you ask it or even expect it. (I didn't!) However, informing them gives them the opportunity to take more action if they can. You can also ask them if there are any steps they think you should take. During the application cycle, I ran the suggestions in this list by my letter writers, and they approved of them, giving me more confidence to do them.
5. If you have been admitted to other programs, evaluate those offers. Go ahead and start narrowing down any admittances you have. For now, treat the waitlist as an admittance. As you evaluate your options, you might decide the waitlisted program is not your first choice. If, however, you feel like the waitlisted program is your first choice, then hold on to it and decide which of your current offers is your first choice. Once you have selected your top admitted program, decline your other offers. Then inform the DGS at the top admitted program that you have been waitlisted at another, especially if you plan to wait until the April 15th deadline. When contacting the DGS, I affirmed that I was impressed by their program and would be excited to attend, but that I was waitlisted for a program that was a better fit for me and intended to wait. The DGS appreciated my transparency and that she could prepare for potentially notifying people on their waitlist. Remember, you are not the only one on a waitlist!
6. Be patient. The hardest thing to do on this list! In order to offer admission to students on the waitlist, the program has to wait for enough admitted students to decline their offers. Programs often admit more students than they expect to take, so even if one or two students decline their offers, the program may already have a fully realized cohort. Programs usually see major movement in late March/early April when students admitted to multiple programs have attended their open houses and have reflected on their experiences. Then, the DGS will begin sending out other acceptances. You could receive an offer of admission before then! You could also receive your acceptance after April 15th. I did not receive my acceptance until the day before the April 15th deadline. In the moment, it was nerve-wracking. However, because I had not officially accepted another offer, things went more smoothly for me and the two DGSs. If push comes to shove on April 15th and you still have not heard from the waitlisted program, you have to make a choice. It is your choice, but if you are seeking advice, I would strongly recommend taking the admission you already have. You truly do not know if you will be admitted until you get an official letter.
7. In short, always be passionate, courteous, and brief. Each email you send matters and reflects what it would be like to work with you. Now that I am on the other side, I know at least one reason I was admitted was because I was determined and respectful. Proofread everything you send. Keep your emails short. Sound enthusiastic and professional.
Good luck, my fellow waitlist survivors!

In the wake of Northwestern rejections, please post pictures of your pets and/or plants.

Congrats to all the acceptees these last few days! 
And a very very sympathetic if socially-awkward nod of commiseration to those rejected and those still waiting.

Delighted to say that UCSD just warmed this cold MN boy’s heart with an acceptance :‘)

Uncloaking to say one of those is mine. Thanks! It was my only solidly Literature program this round, and a long shot - I came to it via a pretty nontraditional path. But it's a good place for me and I'll likely say Yes.

uh i had pretty much accepted that i'd be shut-out, but i'm admitted at UCSD too...

Another UT acceptee here! I hope to make it to the visit, but the flight will run at about 1500$ and will take over 20 hours, so I'm not sure yet if it'll be feasible. 
My focus in 20th/21st c women's writing, aesthetics, formations of time, feminist and queer theory, with a pinch of critical race and disability studies. 
@dreid I also think contacting them couldn't hurt, especially since it's already been a few days since the acceptances came out.

Congrats, that's really awesome! I'm still impatiently waiting to hear from them, and it seems to me that  they're not following their previous notification pattern (yes, I'm now researching patterns). I mean, I assume it's a no, but hoping for a maybe? Anyway, the department looks super cool, I'm crossing my fingers for you ?

Waitlisted at Rice!!!
edit: lol and I also swapped my GRE verbal and quantitative scores

I'd like to add to this a bit more. If you had the perfect responses, you wouldn't need the degree because you'd be publishing in top-tier journals through your original contributions. I think the important question you need to ask yourself is whether you'd thrive somewhere where things may or may not be cut-throat or whether you need a more collaborative community. There is no right or wrong answer. Some people do really well and compete better and write better when the community actively supports them and they can push themselves to publish. Others need a more "competitive" community in order to feel motivated to do their work. We all respond to things differently. When you're making your choices, think carefully about the work environment, the location, funding (Do you want roommates? Can you afford rent without roommates?), the atmosphere, class sizes and so on. Think if that's a place that you'll be happy at because if you aren't, your work will suffer. Depression is a really real thing in Academia and the best way to combat it is by choosing a place which you feel would make you happiest. What that happy thing doesn't depend on rankings or professors, it depends on you. As such, only you can decide what things are needed to make you happy.

Posting from the afterlife bc I’m literally dead rn. 
Accepted to UT Austin!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Email popped up while in a meeting with my advisor who happened to be emailing my primary POI all day. 
After, got a call from Alabama but couldn’t answer bc i was dead. 

UT Austin!!! Can't breathe!!!
 
Edit: that is, I GOT IN!