illcounsel

I just received my TA assignment and........ it's in my field!!!! YAY

My school is in a pretty small college town with a tough rental market, so I looked as soon as I committed. If it was a bigger city, I am sure I would have been more relaxed on the timeline!

Just secured housing!! It is all starting to feel so real in the best way. My DGS has been out on parental leave so there has been mostly silence from my program, but having a cute little house is making things feel much better.

In terms of academic preparation, I am reading as much as possible! I am rereading most of Shakespeare's comedies and tragedies. I've been in contact with the professor I would be working closely with for recommendations on what she is currently reading and have purchased a few of those books. I also have been trying to catch up on current scholarship by emailing various people asking for articles that I have seen get recently published. Being out of school for a few years, I don't have access to journals and publications, but this approach seems to be working. In preparing to move, I am spending as much time as I can outdoors. I live in the Southwest currently and the weather has been so beautiful recently. My partner and I have also created a 'bucket' list of things to do before we leave and have been having lots of fun checking those things off!

Is this something we have to have a subscription to view? Would like to check it out!

I've accepted my offer for the MA!

Just a heads up that the post you quoted is still visible after the original poster deleted it. You may want to edit your post to protect the original poster!

I emailed the dgs saying, "I wanted to update you on the status of my decisions. I have decided to go to another institution for my MA/PhD. I truly appreciate all the time and resources that has been put behind my acceptances to ____. Let me know if there are any more steps to make this decision official. All the best___". I kept it short and simple and each program responded with well wishes. A few did ask which school I went with and I told them! You may wish to follow-up with your POI's. I did this for one school and they were very understanding and asked me to keep in contact throughout my schooling!.

Hey there! This is a thread specifically for English Lit students. There may be another thread on gradcafe that is more aligned to your program!

Would love to hear more about this if you don't mind elaborating a bit.

I heard they will be sliding into instagram dms !!!! (For real though, I hope they choose you!! Their early modern faculty is wonderful and a definite strength in the department)

Just returned from the visit to a school I had booked before I was accepted to my top choice MA. It ended up being a really wonderful experience! I was nervous having conversations with POI's knowing that I would probably not accept the offer. However, I reframed these conversations to be less about asking specific program questions and more about their current research interests and what is exciting them at the moment. This led to fun and informative talks, a lowkey kind of networking. I post this just in case anyone is a similar situation to me.

Declined Saint Louis University MA (funded). I know they mentioned that there should be some pretty immediate waitlist movement (I assume the beginning of the week).

Turning down funded MA's at Saint Louis University and the University of Alabama (Strode Renaissance Studies Program).

Just sent an email to accept the offer from the University of Mississippi's MA program!

From graduating to when I start my MA program, I will have almost 4 years. It seems like it was no hindrance to me. No one at my accepted schools mentioned anything about it. I guess it could have been a negative at some of the schools I was rejected from, but there were probably more important factors than that. I think you will be totally fine!!!

Exactly, I graduated in winter of 2015 and applied this year for programs. I did not mention it at all in my SOP. Each professor that I talked to about whether to mention it said that it is totally not necessary and would take up space where you could be selling your research and fit (I work at a non-profit, which I put on my cv, that isn't expressly related to English literature).

Does anyone have apartments they would recommend for 2 people and a dog? We would be shooting for a one bedroom that allows dogs (ours will be around 45 pounds). Thanks!!

You could always email the programs and ask for an extension. I do think if you let them know on the 15th that it would be ok.

If you intend to continue onto a PhD program, I would suggest the two year program. It will be really hard to make enough meaningful connections for letters of recommendations with a one year program (like only a few weeks). You could always take a gap year which might negate that difference though!

I think that is a great way to look at it, as reassurance of your top pick. Of course, if I end up going and absolutely loving the alternate program, I won't just discount it. I am glad I have a few options that all seem good.

I feel a little weird because I am pretty sure I know my final decision, but I still have a visit scheduled with a different school next week. I want to be open minded of course, but am worried that I will have to put on a fake face for a few days.

I will be doing the same for the MA today (also fully funded w/ fellowship).

I am not familiar with the creative writing side of this, but if you would like top schools that are strong in ecocriticism, this list is super helpful! https://www.asle.org/join-our-community/students/graduate-students/where-to-study/

You can ship by using media mail through USPS, which is cheaper than $1 a pound after you hit 5 pounds!