wildsurmise

Congrats @Cassidyaxx! 
I've just reluctantly turned down WUSTL, hopefully someone here gets some good news!

Is this like Mary-Kate and Ashley throwing a dart at a map to decide what movie they're doing next? Does anyone know what I'm talking about? 

Anyone else getting this weird message on their pending applications or is it just me? Guessing this is a hint from the adcoms that I should refresh a few more times

Reached out to Notre Dame just to see if there was an estimated date they might send out more decisions. I received a nice email back from the grad coordinator stating that I was within the top 10 applicants of 20th c British and Irish literature! She said she expects she'll have more concrete news by "the middle of next week." I'm hoping for another waitlist, at least! 

Thanks for the reply. Yeah, somehow I knew this and shouldn't really have pursued UCs. When I saw that five-year statistic of the whole arts and humanities across all UCs having only one graduate student from my country after I applied, I knew I had no chance. 
Anyhoo, I will keep optimistic and hope for a better chance elsewhere. Wishing everyone some good news this week! Let's manifest/law of attraction (lol) those acceptance letters! ?

I mean, according to these stats (https://www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/documents/stats/ENGL_Grad_Profile_Final.pdf) it seems it's even twice as difficult to get into UC Santa Barbara English if you're simply not a Californian? Which I found pretty odd, and is one of the reasons I decided at the last minute not to apply. I should note these statistics are from 2013, but I'm assuming their in-state practices haven't drastically changed.

Yeah, it’s disappointing, but also sort of reassuring to know it’s just an extra difficult year. 

How large are the biggest English PhD cohorts, and which programs? I was reading that UVA has ten people per cohort but self-describes the PhD program as “small”—so how big is big? I’ve heard cohorts will be smaller at many places this year, but I’m curious about a general reference point.

Not an answer to your question, but I know from someone at UVA that they’re only taking 6 PhDs this year. 
 
 

Not an answer to your question, but I know from someone at UVA that they’re only taking 6 PhDs this year. 
 
 

What are your interests? I think your application is competitive but it's likely that universities might have felt that they did not think they had someone free who could currently advise you. It's possible that they might have someone free next year and it's also possible that they won't. Unless you're applying in specific subfields, most universities won't require you to have a working knowledge of foreign languages from the start. It is likely that they'll request you to either take a course or test out of a language at some point during the program. I don't think you need to spend time on more publications.

@wildsurmise- I've heard the same things about several California schools as well as some other state universities. I think state schools generally tend to be harder for international students because of how much tuition waivers are for public schools. There is no cost difference in tuition waivers for international student at private schools.

You seem competitive to me! I wouldn’t give up hope—this seems to have been an unusually intense cycle with schools getting far more applications than usual. From my quite limited experience, international students don’t seem to be at a significant disadvantage, besides a lack of familiarity with the US system (though I’ve heard it may be trickier for international students to get into UC California schools, but don’t quote me on this).  I’d suggest perhaps trading SOPs with someone on here next cycle for feedback (I could probably look at yours) and reading some US examples—in particular I’d recommend making sure you make a pretty specific case for why the department faculty/ resources are a great fit for you. And if you wanted to beef up your CV a bit you could also consider applying to some (virtual) conferences—seems to be less work than publication. Feel free to dm me with any questions! I almost applied to some British programs this year, and was quite overwhelmed by the differences.

Perhaps some are, but I think part of the problem is that it seems many of these rejection letters (like Vandy's) aren't even from the English department, but from the "vice provost for graduate education," and just talk about the graduate school in general recieving many apps. So distant... especially when we put our hearts and souls (and paychecks) into these applications! 

I just got accepted to UC San Diego. I can't really explain how relieved and proud I feel. Last year was a nightmare and I got shut out of every single program, but this year, I published articles, gave more presentations and workshopped the living hell out of my SOP and it really paid off. I'm just beside myself with happiness.

Hahah exactly. Would be so happy to about-face on this very point. Please give me the chance to abandon wholly my previous stance, ye grad schools. I would lunge at the chance to end up as TheGradCafe.com’s most infamous hypocrite

I got into my first MA program!!! I know most of y'all are PhD applicants, but this is so huge for me!! I got offered a teaching assistantship for two years!!!! This means I can move out of my parents house in August!!!!!!!

I'm graduating this May, currently in my second year (planning on starting phd in the fall). I'm teaching one class of first year composition each semester for my university, but not teaching middle/ hs during the program. My current professors were really helpful in giving feedback for my SOP, and my writing sample comes from an MA seminar paper. It can also be nice to have solidarity/ venting sessions with classmates who are also applying.  

I'm not exactly in this group, but adjacent--I taught middle and high school before pursuing an MA, now a PhD. I personally felt so out of the loop with the discipline of English that crafting a "relevant" SOP and writing sample that engages in current discourse for PhD apps felt very out of reach (when I was still teaching), and my MA has been so informative, enjoyable, and edifying. Though I also wasn't an English major in undergrad, which is probably relevant.

I'm not exactly in this group, but adjacent--I taught middle and high school before pursuing an MA, now a PhD. I personally felt so out of the loop with the discipline of English that crafting a "relevant" SOP and writing sample that engages in current discourse for PhD apps felt very out of reach (when I was still teaching), and my MA has been so informative, enjoyable, and edifying. Though I also wasn't an English major in undergrad, which is probably relevant.

In at Davis!!! My first English acceptance of this cycle. Really exciting and particularly validating since I was rejected from their program in my last app cycle. I'm so happy! Funding details to come, but it feels amazing to have multiple good offers on the table.

you know that moment where you know the dishes in your cupboard are all going to crash and fall, but you shut the door anyway and tell yourself you'll deal with it at a future time? that's my mental state atm lol 

I've started rewriting the lyrics to Ariana Grande's thank u, next, which I think goes along quite well with grad admissions:
"thought I'd end up at Duke... but it wasn't a match" ?
(to be continued pending further rejections haha)

I've started rewriting the lyrics to Ariana Grande's thank u, next, which I think goes along quite well with grad admissions:
"thought I'd end up at Duke... but it wasn't a match" ?
(to be continued pending further rejections haha)

I've started rewriting the lyrics to Ariana Grande's thank u, next, which I think goes along quite well with grad admissions:
"thought I'd end up at Duke... but it wasn't a match" ?
(to be continued pending further rejections haha)

I've started rewriting the lyrics to Ariana Grande's thank u, next, which I think goes along quite well with grad admissions:
"thought I'd end up at Duke... but it wasn't a match" ?
(to be continued pending further rejections haha)