havemybloodchild

Of course!

From last year I really focused on fine tuning my SoP and WS (including readying an additional WS so I could better target schools’ particular interests). But I think the key for me (not that I’ve had the most wonderful cycle, but better than last year) was rethinking the way I selected the schools I applied to. I think reading new research on your interests and looking at where those folks graduated from (recent grads of course) is a good strategy. Also looking at publications from a potential school’s recent grads is really helpful, because if they have been supporting a grad the last five or six years with your interests, chances are they can support you and will have an interest in doing so. Also I applied to A LOT more schools. I got 80% of my app fees waived, so that helped (if you want more info about that feel free to pm me). I also requested SoP from really successful applicants this time in case I need to reapply and everyone I asked was super generous with providing them, so I sugges you do that too. Keep your head up and good luck!

I’ve asked at all my waitlist schools, I just asked whoever let me know I was waitlisted and I’ve been connected to grad students within a few days every time.

Haha! The most legit of rivalries us millennials ever know.

??? thank you! Also pound sign *NSYNC for life!!!

Received some really warm and upbeat emails today from SMU, and from Loyola about the likelihood of movement on the waitlist in the next couple of months. It’s really a nice feeling to hear positive things at all during this process!

Well said! I did wonder about my age being a factor in the admissions process. I think if it did that really sucks because if programs want diversity of experience, experience working in the real world and supporting yourself while juggling school and other priorities should have value (not saying younger folks don’t have this experience too, a lot of them do, but likely not with the same industries, etc.) Plus, I know for a fact my age has been helpful to me in my lit classes. A nice mix of experiences, including ages, should always be desirable, IMO.

I would just ask if you can attend visit days and if there is funding for it. I’ve heard of this being done at some programs for waitlisted folks. If you’re waitlisted then they would like to have you, and I’d think they’d want to give you the info you need to be able to make a decision in their favor if you end up getting in. Either way, good luck and congrats! @The Wordsworthiancongrats to you too! I haven’t heard anything from UConn but I thought their program was great. Hope an acceptance comes through for you soon!

Lol I laugh at my pain too, don’t worry about it

“Weathered” ???? I cried on the phone the other day with an anthem blue cross rep because the company kept calling me with some health insurance offer, every single day, from various area codes, including ones in Pennsylvania and Texas. It was torturous.

Thank you! I’m really passionate about the program and its unique opportunities

How much are institutional and mentor support necessary for students’ publications? Should I be asking departments how they support/incentivize/expect publications during the PhD years? I am very committed to publishing as much as possible. In fact, one of the things that draws me to SMU is their summer writing program in NM focused on polishing work for publication.

I’m wondering for my in-person interview at SMU Thank you so much for the feedback, it’s very much appreciated!

Wondering if @emprof could give this thread a look and provide any insight regarding rankings and their impact on ac and non ac jobs. Thanks in advance!

Thanks for the advice y’all. I have sort of a follow up- do you think the rankings matter at all for non academic jobs post PhD?

Wondering if you think it’s even worth bothering to go to a program that isn’t top 40s? Or would going through another cycle with an eye toward acceptance at a higher ranking program be a wiser decision, in your opinion? Thanks!

Just reading this thread gives me so much anxiety for my interview next month. But good ideas, too, so it’s worth it, haha!

Congrats @kef5!!! I’m so excited for you!

I'm so ready, honestly. I want to get the rest of these decisions out for everyone so I can maybe see some movement on waitlists! Since I have some good news, or at least promising news, now, I'm not dreading hearing back from the rest.

Thanks for this. My undergrad institution was one I found by googling “easiest colleges to get into” and picking the one that wasn’t in the south. I got into Mills, my dream school, but I couldn’t afford to attend and needed a back up ASAP. When I think of how much I grew in undergrad, and the amazing support I continue to have from faculty there, I can’t regret going where I went. But I did worry that a regional state school degree might have messed with my chances at graduate study.

This makes me feel a lot better honesty. Although it’s nothing to celebrate.

They’d be damn lucky to have you!

I feel like booties are polished and cute. We don't have to look like the traditional professor, I think. That being said I have a tweed and velvet blazer I'm taking to Dallas that screams caricature of an English prof and I'm going to wear the hell out of it, haha. Probably paired with booties!

That's what I did. Damn, some of these results make me really happy to be in the English forum, where people are nice, lol.

Love the nbn critical theory series as well as their gender studies series!