Reputation from meghan_sparkle - Page 21

meghan_sparkle got a reaction from dilby in 2020 Acceptances February 8, 2020

In at Yale with the kindest email I've ever read from the DGS oh my god

meghan_sparkle got a reaction from spikeseagulls in 2020 Acceptances February 8, 2020

In at Yale with the kindest email I've ever read from the DGS oh my god

meghan_sparkle got a reaction from MichelleObama in 2020 Acceptances February 8, 2020

In at Yale with the kindest email I've ever read from the DGS oh my god

meghan_sparkle got a reaction from Indecisive Poet in 2020 Acceptances February 8, 2020

In at Yale with the kindest email I've ever read from the DGS oh my god

meghan_sparkle got a reaction from tansy, rue, root, & seed in 2020 Acceptances February 8, 2020

In at Yale with the kindest email I've ever read from the DGS oh my god

meghan_sparkle got a reaction from MichelleObama in 2020 Applicants February 8, 2020

Just to qualify my earlier reply re: Berkeley: it might be the case that like most schools they extend more offers than they want to enroll, knowing a few will decline, so they might not actually pull from the waitlist every year if the no's hovers around the same number—but still I think that grad coordinator's framing, if true as conveyed, is kinda disingenuous.
I have a question, though unless current students are lurking maybe it won't get answered. When is a good idea for international applicants to book flights to visit dates? I'm an American living & working in the UK, and still have 6/8 schools to hear from (expecting nothing, though; even if I get rejected everywhere else I'll consider this cycle a success) so not 100% sure what days in March I should plan to be in the US. Right now it's Berkeley (weekend around the 13th) and Chicago (6th). I don't want to book a round trip flight just for the two I've heard from assuming I'll fly back after Berkeley's because these tickets will be nonrefundable (I know you can book flexible tickets, but they're way more expensive and probably outside of the travel allowance).
But then again, I guess most other schools I haven't heard from—even if by some miracle/poor choice on their part I get into any—would have visit dates much later in March, so the choice is already between two trips (one early March one later March) or one long trip (staying with family in between visits). I work from home so could do this. Just not sure what is the best idea ... organizationally. Anyway, this is silly, maybe I should just book now assuming I won't get in anywhere else? Tickets will only get more expensive the longer I wait, and judging by past years, I will have some news next week, and then the rest the week after.

meghan_sparkle reacted to Ramus in Literature PhD options February 7, 2020

If by better or lesser "known" you mean more or less prestigious, go with option 1. As I've said elsewhere, prestige is the name of the game if you're looking for work in higher ed. That should be your priority over the other things you mentioned (including the money).
I'll also add that "vibes" are usually a bad way to gauge a program, especially given that whatever vibes you can discern at this point in the application cycle are going to be superficial markers of faculty and program quality. If you go to an acceptance day at a program and the faculty members are total dicks to you and blow you off, that's one thing. But if you're just talking about the few sentence emails from faculty that you may or may not have received, then don't read too much into those one way or the other.

meghan_sparkle got a reaction from NatyC in 2020 Applicants February 7, 2020

Just to qualify my earlier reply re: Berkeley: it might be the case that like most schools they extend more offers than they want to enroll, knowing a few will decline, so they might not actually pull from the waitlist every year if the no's hovers around the same number—but still I think that grad coordinator's framing, if true as conveyed, is kinda disingenuous.
I have a question, though unless current students are lurking maybe it won't get answered. When is a good idea for international applicants to book flights to visit dates? I'm an American living & working in the UK, and still have 6/8 schools to hear from (expecting nothing, though; even if I get rejected everywhere else I'll consider this cycle a success) so not 100% sure what days in March I should plan to be in the US. Right now it's Berkeley (weekend around the 13th) and Chicago (6th). I don't want to book a round trip flight just for the two I've heard from assuming I'll fly back after Berkeley's because these tickets will be nonrefundable (I know you can book flexible tickets, but they're way more expensive and probably outside of the travel allowance).
But then again, I guess most other schools I haven't heard from—even if by some miracle/poor choice on their part I get into any—would have visit dates much later in March, so the choice is already between two trips (one early March one later March) or one long trip (staying with family in between visits). I work from home so could do this. Just not sure what is the best idea ... organizationally. Anyway, this is silly, maybe I should just book now assuming I won't get in anywhere else? Tickets will only get more expensive the longer I wait, and judging by past years, I will have some news next week, and then the rest the week after.

meghan_sparkle got a reaction from Cryss in 2020 Applicants February 7, 2020

Really? Man, if so, this is just crazy and so inappropriate of him to say. I know multiple people from my university who've turned down Berkeley English or Comp Lit just in the last few years. There are people every year who get accepted to multiple top programs, and, faced with an impossible choice, turn down places for all kinds of reasons. It isn't a rare thing and no program is above it.

meghan_sparkle got a reaction from spikeseagulls in 2020 Applicants February 7, 2020

Really? Man, if so, this is just crazy and so inappropriate of him to say. I know multiple people from my university who've turned down Berkeley English or Comp Lit just in the last few years. There are people every year who get accepted to multiple top programs, and, faced with an impossible choice, turn down places for all kinds of reasons. It isn't a rare thing and no program is above it.

meghan_sparkle reacted to caffeinated applicant in Literature PhD options February 7, 2020

On the other side--obviously I only know as much as you've posted, but I was thinking Option 1 would be better, if it's that much better funding. Vibe from faculty is extremely hard to gauge before you're in it, so unless there were very obvious turn-offs/problems with #1 (for example, if it were notorious for not supporting graduate students adequately, or there was only one faculty member you'd have to work with based on your interests and you've learned that this professor is Not someone you want to work with on a personality basis)... I'd go with it for the chance at better financial stability, both through the stipend period and in a future career. This is assuming that the relative stipend amounts hold after considering cost of living.
But also, maybe I'm biased because I assumed that your Option 1 is Duke Lit, which I applied to and expect to receive a rejection from very soon! And I'm a very risk-averse person by nature.
Either way, it's great that you're in a position to weigh options--wishing you the best of luck wherever you choose!

meghan_sparkle reacted to northwestnative in 2020 Acceptances February 6, 2020

Congrats to the Berkeley admits! I’m happy to answer any questions about the department: don’t hesitate to reach out.

meghan_sparkle got a reaction from Beanie in 2020 Acceptances February 7, 2020