sarahpc2020
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Posts posted by sarahpc2020
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Fingers crossed, y'all! We are so close to being done with all the waiting and unknowns lol @fongduee@coucoufan@confusinggrace
- confusinggrace and leguinian22
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19 hours ago, thea said:
Thanks for the tip! I was waitlisted mid-January, so I think I'll send a follow-up email by end of next week.
I sent an email of continued interest + an updated CV to the Director of Graduate Studies immediately after being waitlisted at my top choice. She forwarded it to the Director of Admissions for the program. I also contacted the POIs I had previously spoken with to let them know. But the waitlist letter I had said "feel free" to contact your program. Fingers crossed!
- bluemojav and leguinian22
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23 hours ago, sarahpc2020 said:
Yeah, rejections are so tough. I was rejected from the UMich Comp Lit PhD program and that hit hard. That's the only Comp Lit program I've heard from though! I've been accepted to one French PhD and two French MA programs so far, but nothing from the other Comp Lits. And I mainly applied to Comp Lits, so here's hoping . . .
Got the UChicago and Brown rejections last night! Scared to hope for the others!
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On 1/31/2024 at 2:03 PM, confusinggrace said:
I hope so. I just received my first decision of the cycle this morning, a rejection from Dartmouth's comp lit MA. I figured it would be a nice backup in case I don't get accepted into a PhD program. Guess I was wrong, but I have two other masters programs to apply to as well.
Anyway, how are your applications going? Any news yet?
Yeah, rejections are so tough. I was rejected from the UMich Comp Lit PhD program and that hit hard. That's the only Comp Lit program I've heard from though! I've been accepted to one French PhD and two French MA programs so far, but nothing from the other Comp Lits. And I mainly applied to Comp Lits, so here's hoping . . .
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On 1/29/2024 at 7:21 PM, confusinggrace said:
Thanks! I really don't know what to think of the interview. I was let into the zoom meeting like 10 minutes late and I felt like we were in a rush to still finish on time. We went over by a few minutes, so I still got about 15 min of my 20 min interview slot, but it was a struggle to try to answer their questions in such a short time period. I felt I didn't have the time to explain much of anything outside of what was already on my application. I had read that Duke's interviews could be pretty brutal, but the adcoms all seemed pretty cordial with me. One of them (I think it was Antonio Viego) said he really enjoyed my writing sample. Although, another one hinted that my research interests may be too broad for doctoral research... I suppose I won't really know how it went until I hear back.
15 minutes does not seem like a lot of time to delve into things! I would think it would be more about putting a face to a name. Fingers crossed that you'll hear some good news soon!
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Congrats, @confusinggrace! How did it go?
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Hello, all! I have just been offered an interview for a French PhD program. I was told it will be about 30 min., partly conducted in English, partly conducted in French. I'm very nervous! Does anyone have any advice? What should I anticipate? Merci beaucoup x
- Jim VK, ladydobz and JMAurelius
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Hello, all! I wanted to start a thread for those of us applying in this application season. We're in the midst of app deadlines now! How is everyone feeling?
- ©har1ie and confusinggrace
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12 hours ago, WomanOfLetters said:
If I am lucky enough to be offered a place this round, I'll share with you what I know ?
Thank you, I'd appreciate that! And best of luck!
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Hello, y'all! I'm not planning to apply in this cycle, but I'm trying to prepare for my future applications. Is anyone else here applying to Comparative Literature PhDs? If so, I'd love to hear about your backgrounds, especially when it comes to languages! That's my primary concern.
My top choice -- and biggest reach -- program is Harvard. I'm primarily interested in World Literature and folk tales, which Harvard has a strong background in. It's also the only university that offers instruction/courses in both the minor languages I'm hoping to focus my work on. What have people heard about the kind of applications they're looking for?
Thanks! And best of luck to everybody this year!
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On 1/9/2021 at 1:51 AM, EM51413 said:
Hi! Current comp lit phd student here. It sounds like you have some specific idea about what you'd like to do once you acquire those languages, which I think is more important than language skills per se. If you acquire B2 proficiency in Malagasy and French by the time you apply, you will be a decent applicant (language-wise!) for many programs...provided that you have a more heuristic/theoretical vision of what you want to do with those languages (think period, critical perspective, kind of archive, how it fits into current debates, etc). As for your Scottish Gaelic, comparative literature programs tend to understand the need to study languages, and won't fault you for having to learn a new language or two during your time in the program. Virtually all programs I know have language study built into the coursework requirements and encourage language study during summer.
I think it is also important to point out that, while it is indeed helpful that your university offers the languages you would like to study, it should not be a limiting or deciding factor in your choice of universities. A number of people in my program are studying languages (Native American languages and smaller Dravidian languages, for example) that aren't offered locally, and they take courses over summer or study remotely at other universities for those languages. Online courses are also becoming increasingly viable and legitimate ways to acquire languages for academic purposes. Again, comparative literature departments are used to students working in less commonly taught languages and are generally willing to give you the funding and flexibility to learn the languages you need. Since a comparative literature phd at places like Harvard ultimately require much more than language skills, I would suggest that you also look for literature professors whose research expertise (especially regarding critical methods, periods, and regions) align with yours, even if they don't work in your specific languages.
Hey, sorry, I've been locked out of my account! I really appreciate this detailed response, and I'm definitely keeping it in mind as I continue to look into programs. World literature is really my main theoritcal interest, which I've heard Harvard and UChicago are good for, but I know both of those programs are pretty competitive, so I'm hoping to find more safety-esque schools. There's a professor at CUNY I would love to work with, but I've read that their program isn't phenomenal.
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Hello! I've just completed an undergraduate degree in Comparative Literature and English, graduating with a First Class (UK). I wrote an undergraduate dissertation in Comp Lit in the specific subject area I'd like to pursue a PhD in, and I know multiple professors, including my dissertation supervisor, who have offered to write recs for me in the future. I intend to apply for a PhD in Comp Lit, but my difficulty is my language background.
I have been a casual student of French for over six years now, having taken the language in high school and taken non-degree evening courses at university. I also spent a month working in France. My French is probably currently at an A2 -- maybe B1 -- level. I plan to wait to apply for a PhD until after I finish a two-year stint with the Peace Corps in Madagascar, after which time I hope to have achieved the B2 level in Malagasy and French.
Harvard is currently my top choice because it is the only university that offers the two minority languages I hope to pursure in addition to French: Malagasy and Scottish Gaelic. I have only ever taken beginner's lessons in Scottish Gaelic, so I would be starting from scratch in the PhD.
I'm looking for brutal honesty here -- Would I be a competitive applicant? Is it likely I'll need to complete an MA first? Lack of funding and the nearly three years I'll be in the Peace Corps are why I want to enter directly into a PhD.
Thank you!
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Hi! I'm currently an undergraduate studying in the U.K. fulltime. Just had to respond after I saw @dogsplayingpoker's post. They're right about it being very difficult to secure a scholarship for an MA. It's not impossible though! If you're interested in studying in Scotland, I would check out the Saltire Scholarships to see if you qualify! They offer £8000 awards for postgraduate funding. You would likely have better chances of securing funding in the U.S. though. But I disagree with the comment on Glasgow! It is definitely not a 'rubbish' or unfriendly city! While crime is certainly high in some areas, the university is fantastic and the people there are very nice!
Comparative Literature 2024
in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition
Posted
Wow, congratulations! What a fantastic program as well! And sunny California