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012345

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    What we learned from this Application Season

    in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition

    Posted

    Hey all- 

    I have been reading all the posts and grateful for all of your insight. I am not always one to jump in, but I feel totally baffled by this year’s outcome for me and am reaching out into the ether to see if anyone can relate or has any thoughts or advice. 

    I was shutout last year, after getting waitlisted at my top choice (UPenn) and only applying to 6 top 20 PhD programs. I’m a non traditional student w an interdisciplinary BA, early 30s, pretty good stats (4.0 gpa, tuition scholarship at my undergrad, 164 V 6.0 W but like 140 Q after studying for 9 mo lol). 

    This year I applied to 4 top English programs & 2 small interdisciplinary phds plus 2 funded MAs. I asked my POI at penn for feedback and listened to him on everything: wrote a brand new writing sample, sop that was much more focused on a proposed project, edited for months, had 5 strong LORs (including 3 well know/respected scholars)... and I was very lucky to get into a fully funded MA, but other than that, nothing. No waitlists. Nothing from penn. Rejected from a reasonably easy to get into MA (I know nothing is guaranteed, but still!).
     

    The project I discussed is pretty interdisciplinary and transhistoric, which may be a factor for the English programs—but, I applied to all interdisciplinary programs (save penn) last year with similar results... so I don’t know what to think.

    I am daunted thinking about applying again, but also committed to go attend a PhD program. I know the MA might help (and at least will offer community—applying while working in non profits with very little academic support is harrowing on its own).

    Has anyone applied 3 times? Any sage wisdom from your journeys? I am super excited to start the MA in the fall but as of right now, just feel confused about what I have learned from this process... 

    congrats on your good news (if you have it) and your persistence (if you have to try again) and I hope you are all taking care during this time—

    Shutout ... ideas for next round?

    in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition

    Posted

    wow, thanks so much for the helpful suggestions! I am really appreciative.

    I think I am going to try for a new WS... a professor who wrote a LOR last cycle suggested sitting in on some grad classes in a nearby school so I might try that to get some feedback on writing, although same as you @fortschritt22 it definitely gives me heart palpitations! 

    I did reach out to some profs last year but this is good advice, especially because I was too nervous to ask any questions. It's also nice to hear there are others in a similar boat!

    Shutout ... ideas for next round?

    in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition

    Posted

    Hey all - 

    I have been a ceaseless lurker on this site. I thought it would end soon, but alas! I just found out that I was SO CLOSE to acceptance at UPenn... but, unfortunately, it didn't work out this year. I am a non traditional applicant.. graduated with a BA in my late twenties and I'm in my early thirties now... feeling really far away from academia and having a hard time getting perspective on my competitiveness/ where to go from here.  I do critical theory-- mostly feminist/queer theory, critical race studies and psychoanalysis but I also like poetics and have a creative writing practice outside of my academic interests (poetry and playwriting). 

     I am reaching out to see if: 

    1. anyone who got into their top choices might feel up for private messaging me / maybe sharing some of your app materials / where you think you went right! 

    2. any ideas for increasing competitiveness in a year? I am currently freelancing for work as I didn't want to commit to anything long-term. So, I am pretty flexible in what I do next but am very broke from this whole endeavor so need to do something! 

    3. I applied to ivys and ivy -adjacents this year due to funding and job prospects (plus livability as my partner and our many pets are coming with me when I relocate!)-- I think I have program research overwhelm and it would be great to hear what programs were/are on your radar if you have similar interests and need similar funding! I'm open to funded MFAs and MAs at this point, but am ultimately hoping for acceptance into a PhD program... currently on my list: (English:) UPenn, Johns Hopkins, Rutgers, Princeton, maybe NYU, Penn State, & WGS: University of Arizona. 

    4. ALSO! Any folks write a new writing sample when you were out of school? How did you access academic texts? Did professors you know help you? I think writing a new one would behove me (especially in the second time around applications) but feel like without the structure of an academic environment, I am afraid I am going to write something weird and not academic. Thoughts?

    Thanks so much for reading and congrats to all those going to your dream programs this fall! 

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