salmonroe

I'm doing something similar with the writing sample I used this time around. I've workshopped it for so long that I don't think there's much room left to make a noteworthy change without simply writing a follow-up paper, but it's clearly not working as a writing sample at the places I've applied to. It's on tap for one more workshop (so long as it isn't cancelled), after which I'm going to start sending it out to journals. The plan now is that I'll keep reviewing broadly successful writing samples and try to reverse engineer what's working in those. Then I'll write a chapter of my MA thesis in the style found in successful samples.
Much as I am sad about being shutout, taking a year to work and have actual income is very exciting. I worked for a year between my BA and MA (mostly at or just above minimum wage) and saved a ton of money (used as a stop gap because of poor funding at my current school, and a dedicated "PhD Apps" fund). Your advice about re-evaluating one's commitment to pursuing the PhD is also well taken.
 
This. I enrolled in a terminal MA specifically because of this fear. Sounds like you're making the right decision!

Called. If you haven't heard before the closure, 'likely' you are not on the list.

Go ahead and ask. I would just email the DGS and be straightforward about the decision you're making. They might not give you very precise info if the funding packages vary widely, but there's not reason you should feel back about asking. 

So I'm not officially shutout yet (waiting to hear from McGill and I'm waitlisted for funding at Memphis), but its looking more and more likely. I went to one of the higher-prestige Masters programs (I finished last spring), and most people I know have done pretty well with placement. There's no getting around the fact that getting shutout sucks--I feel for you. Right now I'm trying to proceed as if I would apply out again. So I'm trying to work my writing sample into a publishable article and continuing to read books relevant to my area of study. But its hard to maintain motivation after the long list of rejections.