meghan_sparkle

After a few further conversations I want to modulate my earlier panic a bit. Universities won't know for certain before our commitment date how the fall is going to proceed, simply because no one knows how exactly this is going to play out. Will the worst of it, the part requiring total lockdown, be 6 weeks? 2 months? 6 months? Impossible to say right now.
That said, many places are planning to be live, in person, in fall, and a dean at one of my schools (sorry to be vague; trying to be informative while also not making private conversations public) said she would be surprised if things were still online in fall. One thing she stressed that I hadn't fully thought about before is really how devastating remaining online would be to so many departments in the arts (and even sciences) where education and classes are 100% built around active, live in-person education. I think everyone is done a disservice in the switch to online but for a lot of departments there really is no replacement the way there kinda is with, say, a literature graduate seminar of 8 people. It would really devastate the university to proceed like that, and (this dean said) she can't see it happening without clear, concrete, firm government directives to continue quarantining based in hard data and health advice.
She said most likely, places will be aiming to go live with extensive contingency plans about what to do in the event of another outbreak—say, a resurgence in fall. It may well be the case that fall starts as normal and there's another outbreak and we have to go back online for two weeks, and so on. Again, all of this is speculation (even faculty, DGS's, and that one dean I've talked to are really only speculating based on whispers or conversations that higher-ups are only just beginning to have). I don't think we'll get a clearer indication for weeks or even months, but fwiw, things aren't looking completely, inalterably bleak. 

Have ... people seen this?
Not English but I just about burst into tears at the prospect !! 
Have decided the last few days that unless programs begin on campus and in person in the fall that I'm deferring -- and am asking the DGS's of all programs whose offers I'm very seriously considering whether they would allow me to defer in that circumstance. It sucks because it's the last conversation in the world I want to be having, I'm ready to start my PhD tomorrow, but ... I've worked from home for a year and know it is really not great for my mental health and the richness of my intellectual life, and the last thing I'd want to do is waste 1/6 funded years that way. 

Got an email from BU's graduate school telling me they're moving visits online (duh) and to contact individual programs if they haven't reached out already. Um, I did that. It sort of annoys me that I'm being asked to reach out to them when the ball is in their court. I'm trying very hard to be understanding about the difficulties of the current situation, but it's...hard not to contrast this with UW's total 180 (in-person visit to zoom visit) in the span of literally 2 days.

Have ... people seen this?
Not English but I just about burst into tears at the prospect !! 
Have decided the last few days that unless programs begin on campus and in person in the fall that I'm deferring -- and am asking the DGS's of all programs whose offers I'm very seriously considering whether they would allow me to defer in that circumstance. It sucks because it's the last conversation in the world I want to be having, I'm ready to start my PhD tomorrow, but ... I've worked from home for a year and know it is really not great for my mental health and the richness of my intellectual life, and the last thing I'd want to do is waste 1/6 funded years that way. 

not sure if this affects anyone, but I have just accepted duke english's offer of admission ?

You can probably get an on-course transcript from your institution that shows the names of the courses/exams and "pending"? I know when I applied for my masters and I only had grades for my 1st year exams (it was January and I wasn't going to sit final exams til June and get marks in July) and the transcript just had "--" for the pending ones, but I still had to submit that and then send the completed one later, annoyingly!

As someone currently in a program, I don't think it's inappropriate at all to ask - I would just say that it's unlikely they'll have any kind of real answer, both because they're not the ones making the decision, and also because everyone, at least in my dept., is essentially taking things week by week, or even day by day, right now just to keep up with changes to normal business -- it's really been basically all hands on deck to respond to the immediate chaos of moving (or choosing not to move) classes online, managing reimbursements & cancelled events, phasing down research, moving all work to remote as campus buildings are closed, figuring out ways to continue grad recruitment amidst all that while many grad students are either leaving campus or helping their students figure out how to do the same, etc., etc. Maybe in the next week or so, when the first wave of disruption is past, profs, DGS's, and dept. admins, will be able to give you a better sense of what the fall semester looks like, but until then, I think a lot of programs are just as in the dark as anyone else, unfortunately.

If you purchased with a credit card, can you dispute the charge? That's what my husband and I have been doing for hotel and airline costs that the travel companies are being difficult about refunding. It's a public health crisis, a national emergency, these companies need to refund people, and my bank (hopefully) has more sway and can get the job done.

I would imagine that, since there are so few jobs, there may not even be enough data to determine the success of some schools over others. I'm not sure that being strategic about where you go is super effective in this climate because it's a total crapshoot and the economy isn't getting any better. We're holding out hope that Harvard's name recognition and elite status will help him get a job in Europe, since I'm an EU citizen and we want to live over there when he's done. It's probably likely that, if EU university hiring committees know any US institutions, likely they know (and hopefully respect) Harvard. Otherwise, I think you should go where you want to go.

do the mfa and reapply to phds afterward/in your final year of the program. and congrats on madison—a great mfa.

You would think! I had two current Chicago 2nd years tell me a couple weeks ago that aspects of their funding package have changed twice since they arrived, neither change benefitting the students and in both cases detrimental to them, and the administration has been very reluctant to explain the reason for the changes (I should have asked specifically what they were but the room was hot and I was two beers in, sry)—so it definitely does happen, even in times of institutional bounty. (Chicago for instance is rolling in dough right now through Mellon grant $$$, so like, why is the administration being obstinate about stuff like that? Not cute). Stipend amounts adjusting for inflation is also not always guaranteed, and funding plummeting past year five can be a question mark even at top 10 programs (my Berkeley stipend goes down by ~7k if not more from year 5 onward, for instance; Harvard's stipend goes down 5k from year 5 (no more summer stipend); have heard a recent Penn grad say there was always anxiety in her cohort about funding in the 6th year (though not sure if that's still the case). I think the fact of 5-6 funding packages are guaranteed, but the devil is in the details...
It's also the case that other than stipend, the funding offered by the department I mentioned (conferences, travel, etc) can absolutely change, at the discretion of either the dept or GSAS more widely; it's not like it's a part of our offer letters. I've heard from students at Brown and Harvard who are having enormous difficulty getting their expenses for conferences that cancelled due to coronavirus reimbursed (not all airlines are offering refunds; many hotels are not, and students have to pay in advance and make applications for reimbursement after the fact—the stickler being that for some universities the conference funds are only released if the conference actually took place! So they're having to take financial hits of anywhere from a few hundred to a couple thousand dollars. Insanity.) 

To be clear, I don't mean to suggest that more “approachable” schools are automatically better at placing students at state schools. From what I can tell, that's not quite the case. My sense is that one is a strong candidate for any job if one comes from a program considered to be strong (or maybe even the “best,” whatever that means) in one’s field, and if one is backed (advised, recommended) by scholars who are well known and respected in said field (as well as in the academy at large). I just meant to say that the “best” is not always a matter of the big three, in fact the big three (in some fields) have a reputation for being intellectual wastelands (not my words). Obviously, there's no hard and fast rule about this and one’s work is what matters in the end. We're all just reading the tea leaves here. I just think it's not enough to choose a school based on prestige vs approachability when there is strength/reputation in one's field to consider. And, not to forget, the financial resources that a program can offer.

whomp you were right 

Yesterday, I also got laid off from my job due to the 'Rona effing up profits. Guess now is as good a time as any to heavily dive into binge-reading science fiction novels, binge-watching shows, and sprinkle some academic reading in there.

I can explain Chicago. Stipends have been standardized across the humanities. Every PhD student is now guaranteed a set amount for the duration of their enrollment in the program. This change may prove to be wonderful should we need longer than 6 years to finish our dissertation. By year,I think it amounts to about 500 dollars more a year for me, but a decrease for second years, who had a higher stipend last year). For my cohort, this seems to be a net gain. And it certainly is for students in other departments. Before, from what I understand, other departments had significantly smaller stipends. However, this adjustment came with the caveat that the humanities can only take in a set amount of students per year, so many departments have had to downsize enrollment a ton. This is the scariest bit of it, English seems pretty safe so far. The stipend has seemed to always vary by year, which sucks for my cohort when I consider that last year's had a substantial research grant to buy computers and the like, on top of a higher base amount. But all things considered, I'm living pretty comfortably here, so I haven't felt any immediate outrage. It's unsettling to know that our financial contracts aren't binding on their end, though, but that just seems to be the case for every program. 

I was so looking forward to the feeling of relief and alleviated stress come April...........................................................................AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA *inhale* AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH.
As a non-traditional, I've experienced a hell of a ride to just get to this place, but good gravy boats ya'll, this is a lot. 

I'm told (by friends who are young professors, but also some senior scholars) that there are many times when a degree from the "big three" will actually count against you. This is true for academic jobs at less fancy institutions and also at state schools (including R1s), who are reluctant to hire from these schools because of a perception of  eliteness, lack of teaching experience, and also the knowledge that these candidates will likely leave the moment a fancier/better job shows up (something that is arguably true for PhDs from any institution: a good job is a good job). There's also the fact that these big threes can often be really old guard (depending on your field), and so are really lagging behind when it comes to fields beyond your standard Anglo-Euro-American canons. Of course, there will be exceptions to this. But in my research (and I'm facing a similar choice between one of the big three and another school that is best known for cutting edge work in my field) it does seem to hold up to a great extent.

I mean, having spoken to several DGS's and professors at a few of the programs I'm looking at in the last few days, most of them are not treating a return to in-person, on-campus classes as a likelihood, though it's far from an impossibility. The next two months or so will tell, and I think everyone's preference would be physical classes for so many reasons (everything from 'zoom sucks' to 'residential life is so important to the university community and we were all genuinely heartbroken to have to send students home'). 
I post way too much on these forums lately for my own good, but I'll end with one last big picture ominous thing (and maybe someone much smarter than me can offer opinions and/or reassurance). If the economic impact of the virus on the US economy is as bad or worse than the 2008 crash, then that's bad for . . . well, not just the job market, but also universities as a whole, whose endowments are often comprised of substantial investment. Princeton lost 25% of its endowment in the 2008 crash; Harvard lost 27%, or 8 billion.
Does something like that touch graduate students, or does it amount more or less to mowing the lawns every other week instead of every week? Who knows. It's probably the case that state schools already under pressure (like the UCs) will be the hardest hit by budget cuts. And maybe it's way too early to speculate, possibly counterproductive. But I think it's worth thinking about, as we contemplate devoting ourselves to an institution and making it our home for 5-6 years. The ability to access funding through the department for all kinds of things (travel, conferences, research, emergencies, fellowship opportunities, other projects), to count on funding packages staying the same and properly adjusting each year for inflation . . . all of that is really important and sorta dependent on how well the institution as a whole is doing. Anyway. Something to consider. (Disclaimer: this all comes second to the general economic devastation on so many Americans right now and the inevitable loss of life we'll be seeing, ofc. Compared to that, so much of this seems miniscule. Hoping you all are safe, well or recuperating, and self-isolating.)

I mean, having spoken to several DGS's and professors at a few of the programs I'm looking at in the last few days, most of them are not treating a return to in-person, on-campus classes as a likelihood, though it's far from an impossibility. The next two months or so will tell, and I think everyone's preference would be physical classes for so many reasons (everything from 'zoom sucks' to 'residential life is so important to the university community and we were all genuinely heartbroken to have to send students home'). 
I post way too much on these forums lately for my own good, but I'll end with one last big picture ominous thing (and maybe someone much smarter than me can offer opinions and/or reassurance). If the economic impact of the virus on the US economy is as bad or worse than the 2008 crash, then that's bad for . . . well, not just the job market, but also universities as a whole, whose endowments are often comprised of substantial investment. Princeton lost 25% of its endowment in the 2008 crash; Harvard lost 27%, or 8 billion.
Does something like that touch graduate students, or does it amount more or less to mowing the lawns every other week instead of every week? Who knows. It's probably the case that state schools already under pressure (like the UCs) will be the hardest hit by budget cuts. And maybe it's way too early to speculate, possibly counterproductive. But I think it's worth thinking about, as we contemplate devoting ourselves to an institution and making it our home for 5-6 years. The ability to access funding through the department for all kinds of things (travel, conferences, research, emergencies, fellowship opportunities, other projects), to count on funding packages staying the same and properly adjusting each year for inflation . . . all of that is really important and sorta dependent on how well the institution as a whole is doing. Anyway. Something to consider. (Disclaimer: this all comes second to the general economic devastation on so many Americans right now and the inevitable loss of life we'll be seeing, ofc. Compared to that, so much of this seems miniscule. Hoping you all are safe, well or recuperating, and self-isolating.)

never been sadder to have correctly anticipated something...
everyone--STAY inside, order delivery frm ur favorite local restaurant (they r rly struggling atm but are likely still open for delivery and/or curbside takeout), tip 20%, and wash your hands
sending love!!

I’m glad you posted this. I’m experiencing somewhat similar losses and have no real place to grieve them. I’m at home with my family during this pandemic but, none of them are particularly supportive of my educational pursuits or understand how great a loss I’m at with cancelled conferences, commencement, recognition ceremonies, and more. I’m devastated. And I know it’s all first world problems and it really doesn’t matter if I walk across a stage, but it just... feels so sad and unfinished, for all the reasons so many of you have listed and more. One of the Master’s I’m finishing (I did two concurrently) was in creative writing, and I’ve been working for years on this novel. I was supposed to present/perform some sections of it in a reading soon, and now I won’t be able to do that either. I’m so bummed.  

i am completing undergrad right now and am concerned that i will have a lot of trouble completing my thesis, in light of these new stressors. the library at my university is closed, i am likely being forced to move, and i was already behind. 

I'm with @WildeThing here. Do what's best for you, of course, but my thought is that an English PhD doesn't nearly so often lead to a job that will pay off those loans the way an MD or JD does. Would you be okay with paying off loans when you're 40 or 50 or even beyond? Some people are, some aren't. 
If it were me, I would study up, take whatever job I could that would give me the most time to study in off-hours (temping is often full-time and reliable hours, and I know a few people who prefer restaurant work because then they can write during the day and work at night), and apply again this fall.
I remember from a couple months back that you're interested in teaching; I had a reasonably good experience in college working for a private tutoring company--some of them are really good money. Private schools also have different requirements for teaching certification, so there might be something there--I've got a friend, for instance, who taught for two years at a private school between college and applying for PhDs, with no prior teaching experience that I'm aware of whatsoever, including no certification. I was recruited for teaching, too, from a private school placement company that advertised new teachers not needing certification. 

Honestly, this is misery and I regret ever complaining about my empty inbox lol. Getting over 10 emails a day now—everything from current students making themselves available for a chat, replies from DGS's, professors reaching out, admins reaching out, admins requesting additional documentation (for the THIRD TIME) for reimbursement for a nonrefundable flight for a cancelled visit (which I'm starting to think I'm unlikely to ever see, which means I'm out $400). And I spent like 2 and a half hours over the weekend on the phone with the DGS and then a POI for one of my programs. And instead of feeling more informed, it honestly just created another list of things to research and people to contact. At a time when the last thing I feel is on top of my inbox, productive, or motivated. Also, despite the deluge there are still a lot of important POIs who just ... still never responded to my email, and I feel like it would be really impolite to follow up again in the middle of a world health crisis.
This is just so much time to invest, on so many different fronts, and I constantly feel 10 steps behind. I said in a previous post I wasn't sure going through all the motions for virtual visits/phone calls (for the 4 schools that had to cancel visits) would lead to me feeling like I could make an informed decision compared to the two I got to visit ... but at this point I'm not even sure I can keep doing this for even another couple weeks, let alone til April 15th.

Honestly, this is misery and I regret ever complaining about my empty inbox lol. Getting over 10 emails a day now—everything from current students making themselves available for a chat, replies from DGS's, professors reaching out, admins reaching out, admins requesting additional documentation (for the THIRD TIME) for reimbursement for a nonrefundable flight for a cancelled visit (which I'm starting to think I'm unlikely to ever see, which means I'm out $400). And I spent like 2 and a half hours over the weekend on the phone with the DGS and then a POI for one of my programs. And instead of feeling more informed, it honestly just created another list of things to research and people to contact. At a time when the last thing I feel is on top of my inbox, productive, or motivated. Also, despite the deluge there are still a lot of important POIs who just ... still never responded to my email, and I feel like it would be really impolite to follow up again in the middle of a world health crisis.
This is just so much time to invest, on so many different fronts, and I constantly feel 10 steps behind. I said in a previous post I wasn't sure going through all the motions for virtual visits/phone calls (for the 4 schools that had to cancel visits) would lead to me feeling like I could make an informed decision compared to the two I got to visit ... but at this point I'm not even sure I can keep doing this for even another couple weeks, let alone til April 15th.