Multicolormagic

Hi all! I'm another 2020 Spanish PhD applicant. This is a random question, and it's not a very important one, but I've got two campus visits coming up soon and I'm wondering about everything I possibly could be, so-- Does anyone know what language to use during the campus visit? I don't know if I should go up to people and speak to them in Spanish or in English, or if it's different for professors vs. grad students. When I had phone calls with professors at these universities, some of them very conspicuously used Spanish, like they started out in English and then kind of cleared their throat and started speaking Spanish, and some used just English. It doesn't matter either way, but I'm curious!

Hey there, thanks for replying. Okay, about "fit," maybe I can explain this better...I have research interests based on my undergrad work, but I see can see those probably changing in grad school. I've ruled out certain programs because I'm not interested in any of their professors' interests, but usually I've just been looking for programs whose professors cover a wide distribution of interests, so that if I went there I could get a good grounding in each of the core areas of study in the field and have room to explore different options. In terms of department character, I think it's so hard to tell that from a website alone (need some insider info--how hands on are the advisors? etc.), and even when I do know certain things about various departments--like one is very large, and another is small--since I haven't been a grad student yet I don't know which my preference might be, and I can see positives to both. There are aspects of each program that I'm interested in, but it's not like I have one thing I'm interested in and then I'm looking only at schools that have that one thing. There are programs that have various things that fit better with my undergrad profile, so I feel like I may be a better candidate in the application process for them, but like I said, I think I'll probably change my focus in grad school from what I did as an undergrad, and so I'm not personally committed to only going to a school that specializes in that thing. So I'm applying to schools whose programs may be very different from each other, and there would be things I would like about any of them. I guess I'll just be truthful about where I'm applying and hope for the best!

Yes, I found the official ETS practice tests more indicative. I did all the hundreds of Magoosh practice problems, and you know how Magoosh calculates an estimated score for what you'll get on the actual test based on how you do in practice; on the actual test, I wound up getting 5 points higher than the highest score Magoosh thought I would get. When I took the PowerPrep tests, the "voice" of the writer of the Verbal questions felt a little different from the Magoosh Verbal voice I was used to--it wasn't disorienting or anything, but it was different. It felt to me in general that there were more difficult problems on Magoosh than on the actual test, and particularly with the Verbal, I found some of the questions on the actual test more definite, whereas on the hardest Magoosh Verbal questions there would be times when I felt like they had two answer choices that could both be justified. But still, Magoosh was excellent prep for me and I credit them for my score. If you do plan on taking the GRE more than once, I'd recommend going through the two free PowerPrep official practice tests. If nothing else, taking more practice tests helps with timing and stamina Good luck!

Hey there, All of the schools I'm applying to for Humanities Ph.D. programs ask me to list what other schools I'm applying to. Am I required to tell them, and do schools actually care about this? I can see that the school might want to know how it compares to other places I'm applying--i.e., is it a safety, a reach, etc. Honestly, I'm applying to top programs because they are top programs--I figure it's impossible from the applicant side of things to know all the details of how the program actually feels in terms of approach and style, and anyway I'm open to adjusting myself to any kinds of methodologies favored by particular departments if the caliber is high; so I'm applying to very different kinds of programs, and the ranking is the only common denominator. But I think when schools see this, they'll judge me for applying based on caliber, not on departmental approach. Related question, are there any conventions I should know about, for instance, when applying to one UC school, should I list that I'm applying to other UC schools too, or instead list East Coast schools and make it seem like I'm only applying to that one UC school? Should I list schools that are at the same ranking with each other, or try for a little bit of a mix? Thanks for the help!

I'm sorry for replying so late to this, but I want to say thank you so much for the very thoughtful reply and helpful information! It really helped clarify my thinking. I decided to apply to national language departments for the European language and accepted that that means I can't do further studies with the Asian language. I managed in my SoP to connect my experiences in Asia with my plans for studying the European language, though, so there's that. Thanks again.

Hi there. I'm currently deciding between a single European language department and CompLit for Ph.D programs and have a few questions I've been turning over in my head incessantly. Suggestions on any or all of these is much appreciated! 1. I am near-native fluent in two foreign languages, a European and an Asian one (and have intermediate level proficiency in a third, random obscure language that I don't plan on doing anything with). I majored in the European language, and the Asian language I studied intensively for nearly 2.5 years while living in that country. I have also read a lot of its literature, both in translation and the original. Some schools I am interested in for CompLit say as an admissions requirement that applicants must be proficient in "two literatures"--would I be able to claim proficiency in this literature? Even if I could, would I be seriously disadvantaged in the admissions process because I have no formal literature training in this language? How poorly would I compare to, say, someone who double-majored in two languages? 2. Should I not bother applying to a CompLit department at a school that doesn't offer one of the languages I am fluent in and wish to conduct studies in? It's a top school that has other unique program features that I am well suited for and am interested in. (I've thought about simply emailing the department to ask, but I wonder if this is just a no-brainer I'm expected to already know.) 3. There is no overlap, historically or currently, between the two foreign languages I am fluent in. I'm interested in applying one particular theory to each, and comparing in that way. Is this undesirable in the field of CompLit, as the two are not actually connected in and of themselves, or possible? 4. Considering the other side of things: If I just applied to the European language department, how could I frame my interest in the Asian language? There is the option of omitting any mention of it in my SoP (it shows up on my resume, anyway) and focusing only on my undergraduate career as a major in that European language; but while I was a very strong student in that department, I'm competing against thousands of very strong students identical to me. I think the Asian language makes me a much more unique and interesting candidate. But I don't know how to discuss it in a way that is relevant to my future as an academic solely in the European language department. Personally, I would really like to do some project comparing or drawing from both the European and the Asian languages; I have a fairly detailed idea of what this project would be. But I don't see how to talk about this in my SoP for a single language department without having adcomm members say to themselves, "This person should be applying to a CompLit department; we don't do this in our department." 5. Lastly, just for curiosity's sake: I've heard people say that CompLit as a department is much harder to get into than single-language departments. Is there truth to this? Thanks for your help!

I don't think her being unable to meet with you necessarily means she wouldn't be willing to write a rec for you. Personally, I had a professor who was unable to meet with me when I visited campus who was still happy to write me a recommendation; in your prof's case, it really may just be a scheduling issue for her. The only way you can know for sure is to ask! How many recommendation letters do you need? If you need three, and it winds up that this professor is unable to help you, here's what I would say: have one from the other sociology professor; one from your job (two recs from the same place seems like they'd just be saying the same thing, unless you have two supervisors who know you in very different capacities there); and one from your French professor. A rec from a professor who knows you well and has a good sense of your academic work sounds like it would be a complementary part of your portfolio, even if s/he isn't a sociology professor. (But to be fair, I'm a literature person, I can't speak to social studies for sure.) Good luck!

I don't think this will be an issue. It might be a little confusing that your family name was listed as AAA BBB EEE for the GRE when your passport only lists your surname as AAA BBB, but I think schools will be able to figure it out easily. If you do worry later on that the school hasn't been able to match your score to you, you can reach out to the school directly and ask them if they have received your scores, and if not, explain about the names. Good luck!

Hi there. I'm currently applying to doctoral programs in the humanities. I have heard that one unofficial step of the application process is sending emails to professors at schools whose research interests most closely align with mine. But here's the thing--I don't know what I should be saying in these emails when I reach out. People have told me to say something along the lines of "My research interests are X and Y, I've read from your bio that your research interests are also X and Y..." --But why should a professor want to get an email like this, what's the interest from their end? Is the purpose of reaching out to get a professor to basically agree to sponsor me in the application field? Is it just to get my name out there, so that when the professors have stacks of apps in front of them, they might recall my name and note that I expressed an interest in the program ahead of time? I guess understanding the reason behind this formality would also help clarify to me what I should be saying. I would really appreciate any help with this, thank you! I'm currently mystified.