HappyCat

My general rule of thumb is something I gained from my business-oriented husband:

If you were on an elevator with the CEO of the company, what are the most important things you could tell him in that 30 second ride down?

Likewise, what are the most important things you can say about yourself in 30 seconds? I don't like jumping into the research right away, so I break the ice with explaining why my name rhymes (seriously, my first and last name rhyme): "It's my married name, and it was a choice." Always fun :-D Little background info, and then how I got to where I am academically and professionally.

I have a few methods (bear in mind, I'm an English lit. person):

Hard copies of journal articles etc. go into a three ring binder sorted by content of article (about a particular author, about a particular book, about a particular theme), then date. Oldest goes towards the back, newest in front.
Notes I write from library books/books I cannot write in go into a Moleskine with colored post-its indicating how it's useful (pink = ch 1 of my thesis, etc). Moleskine goes in the binder.
C:/Documents--Folder for classwork. Inside classwork is a folder for each semester. Inside each semester is a folder for each class. Inside those folders are my docs for that course.
C:/Documents--Folder for classes I'm teaching. Folder for each course (e.g. Eng 110), then semesters inside that folder.
C:/Documents--Folder for research. Folder for Thesis inside, divided by readings, chapters, etc. Also folders for misc. research and articles I'm working on for publication.

Also, I LIVE on dropbox.com. I can super easily access and back up my stuff on it!

You know, I never thought I was freakishly organized until I started writing all of this!

I get irritated at people who think I don't take my career seriously because I have limited my choices a bit more. I understand how women (and men!) judge women who choose careers over family (I live in NYC and see pleeeeeeeenty of women who choose career and are perfectly happy with that choice), but I think the inverse happens as well. People like me need to be concerned about how a school will view me if I want to start a family, or how other women will think I simply "caved" to my man. For me, the best balance was for my husband and I to really sit down and say "What are the most viable options that we BOTH can be successful and happy in our careers and with our family?" And to be honest, I don't think its me giving in to him OR sacrificing my career.

To the original poster: It sounds like--I am filling in some vague holes in your narrative--you didn't necessarily have the type of conversation to see the best options for both of you (even if you both sacrifice a bit). Did you? It seems a bit more like "Well, he's happy with his job so I'm going to go around him" instead of "We're both willing to make whatever changes necessary to balance our personal and career goals." Also, is it possible to get your work visa extended? I know people who have been working more than a year on a work visa at my husband's company.

If your interests are interdisciplinary, that's probably the right reason to do MALS. However, the Grad Center's faculty teach at the various other schools (I have had the pleasure of working with many of them at my CUNY school), so don't feel like you won't obtain that experience at other CUNY schools--a lot of the grad classes are taught by these faculty. Also, as far as funding: realistically, funding at CUNY is a difficult situation and I truly feel that you shouldn't get your hopes up for an added likelihood of funding because you are coming from CUNY. Many wonderful students who have been through CUNY don't receive funding. That said, teaching opportunities are pretty bountiful and help you pay off your degree, but it's a lot (LOT) of hard work.

The way I see it, if they tell me the problem and I can fix it, then it was a hugely worthwhile question to ask. If they tell me that it is a problem that I cannot fix, it will be difficult to hear, but no actual harm will be done. Either way, I think knowing is almost always better than not knowing. I also had a potentially huge problem with a LOR, and I'm curious to see whether that actually impacted my application. If it did, I can know that I have a better chance with the schools for which she was not one of my LOR writers.

And your substantial rebuttal is...

Ugh, this. I'm only 22 but I'm feeling a lot of pressure from my family to look for a "real" job. The fact that I've received so many rejections thus far is only adding fuel to the fire. They're convinced I'm making the wrong choice, and that really takes a toll on a person.

To mattyd05: I wish I had words of inspiration for you, but all I can really offer is sympathy. I'm feeling just as discouraged. At least you're not alone there!

You're right--spelling it 'pitty' is ridiculous.
If you haven't got the "juice" to apply a second time (I for one will certainly do this again if i need to), odds are you're simply not keen enough. Applying to programmes you have no real interest in is ridiculous.

I understand how you feel. I remember when I turned 24 - I was stuck in the business world at an entry-level job and hating it. It was supposed to be the start of the rest of my life and I truly knew I was in the wrong place. It took a lot of courage for me to quit my job and re-enter academia.

I also remember what it was like to be 24 - nearing the mid-20s mark - and feeling all this pressure to be doing something with yourself. So I wasn't offended by your "I'm 24 already I should just give up" comment at all. My parents were completely disappointed when I announced I was leaving my job and going back to school because they thought I was too old to be a student. I don't know if you're getting pressure from the outside, but usually that's the cause of so much mental anxiety.

Now I'm 28 and in the middle of a Master's program. It took over a year for my family to come to grips with the fact that this is what I want to do with my life (be an academic). I think they still are holding out hope that Ill "do something with myself" though. And you know, it took me a long time to come to terms with the fact that it's okay to be in academia, and not only is it ok, it's awesome. And if I'm not accepted to a Ph.D program this year I'll most likely apply for a second Master's in a different but related field, which means Ill be 31 or older when I finally enter a Ph.D program.

You just have to remember that a Ph.D is the top, the climax. Why rush into it at 24? It'll be awesome if you're accepted this year, but if not, don't think it's the end. Being in academia is an experience; it's about learning, researching, teaching, discovering. Enjoy it while you're in it, and don't rush it. It took me a while to realize this, but now that I have, I'm appreciating it that much more. Everything has its time.

My knee-jerk reaction is to not sympathize with someone who bemoans the fact that they will be, gasp, thirty by the time they finish their graduate degree.

Perhaps it is time for you to "move on" with your life. If you think that not hitting a certain goal by a certain age is the only way to succeed, then I agree that you lack the pragmatism, flexibility, and adaptability to succeed as an academic. Best of luck.

My beautiful boy Gambit! Adorable, right?



Except that now he's old and fat

This question is not meant to be rude. It's an honest question from someone who has never done literature work . . .

Why are so many lit folk adverse to teaching? Many I talk to are up-front about not enjoying teaching. I understand this attitude from chemical engineering students who just want to get back to their patent-potential research. But I thought we in the humanities receive most of our passion from human interaction . . . The best part of academia, in my opinion, is teaching.

I have an MA. I haven't TAed--I'm actually an instructor who created, organized, structured and taught (and am teaching) classes. I've done multiple conferences, have been invited to talks, and have great professional experience. I've been rejected from two schools already and know many, many people who are currently in my position. Stressed, afraid, and incredibly volatile.

That being said, it's probably not the best idea to bring up such a topic, but since you have I will answer your concerns with my honest opinion.

If you are concerned about the load of teaching and doing a PhD, I truly believe that is a legitimate concern. However, you can easily ask about what the teaching load (perhaps it is only one class?) and gauge the situation from there. TAing one class wouldn't be too bad. Being afraid of that balance is totally normal.

IF your concern is that you're not "good enough" or that you're not the best of the best because you didn't get free money, then--really?--you ARE just being petty, like your subtitle suggests. The most brilliant people in the country (and the world) are applying to all of these programs. Hundreds of smart, talented, wonderful people put their hearts and souls into this process and get rejected time after time after time. Some people need to go through the process more than once. To get through this process at ALL is a test of wits and endurance. You have already come out of the race successful in MULTIPLE schools. Now you're going to feel bad for yourself for getting a 24k-health-benefits-included-stipend? Many of us may only get accepted to one school (if that) with NO funding.

I would KILL to have the option to teach while going to school. Why? I LOVE it. I love my students, I love my classes, and I love how my class and research can tie together and how 18 yr old freshman can inspire me. Perhaps you should think about what you really want to do--including ending up becoming a professor fighting for tenure and needing to balance publications, committees, and teaching many classes.

EDIT: I used the word "now" like 3 times and it sounded ridiculous.

That's an understandable fear. But given the high stipend they're paying, I'm guessing this is a well-funded private school, so their teaching load will probably be 1 course per semester, which should be pretty manageable. Also remember that they will probably have a fairly thorough TA orientation/training before the semester starts, where they will likely also provide a lot of the materials you will use in class, plus there will be support available throughout the semester as well. Everybody going into this for the first time will be just as scared as you are, so don't just hide away somewhere -- if you're having trouble with teaching or with time-management, talk to others in your cohort, talk to older grad students, etc. It'll help to get advice from the seniors, as well as share the burden of fear/anxiety with others in your cohort. You'll make it -- everyone does.

I have an MA. I haven't TAed--I'm actually an instructor who created, organized, structured and taught (and am teaching) classes. I've done multiple conferences, have been invited to talks, and have great professional experience. I've been rejected from two schools already and know many, many people who are currently in my position. Stressed, afraid, and incredibly volatile.

That being said, it's probably not the best idea to bring up such a topic, but since you have I will answer your concerns with my honest opinion.

If you are concerned about the load of teaching and doing a PhD, I truly believe that is a legitimate concern. However, you can easily ask about what the teaching load (perhaps it is only one class?) and gauge the situation from there. TAing one class wouldn't be too bad. Being afraid of that balance is totally normal.

IF your concern is that you're not "good enough" or that you're not the best of the best because you didn't get free money, then--really?--you ARE just being petty, like your subtitle suggests. The most brilliant people in the country (and the world) are applying to all of these programs. Hundreds of smart, talented, wonderful people put their hearts and souls into this process and get rejected time after time after time. Some people need to go through the process more than once. To get through this process at ALL is a test of wits and endurance. You have already come out of the race successful in MULTIPLE schools. Now you're going to feel bad for yourself for getting a 24k-health-benefits-included-stipend? Many of us may only get accepted to one school (if that) with NO funding.

I would KILL to have the option to teach while going to school. Why? I LOVE it. I love my students, I love my classes, and I love how my class and research can tie together and how 18 yr old freshman can inspire me. Perhaps you should think about what you really want to do--including ending up becoming a professor fighting for tenure and needing to balance publications, committees, and teaching many classes.

EDIT: I used the word "now" like 3 times and it sounded ridiculous.

I have an MA. I haven't TAed--I'm actually an instructor who created, organized, structured and taught (and am teaching) classes. I've done multiple conferences, have been invited to talks, and have great professional experience. I've been rejected from two schools already and know many, many people who are currently in my position. Stressed, afraid, and incredibly volatile.

That being said, it's probably not the best idea to bring up such a topic, but since you have I will answer your concerns with my honest opinion.

If you are concerned about the load of teaching and doing a PhD, I truly believe that is a legitimate concern. However, you can easily ask about what the teaching load (perhaps it is only one class?) and gauge the situation from there. TAing one class wouldn't be too bad. Being afraid of that balance is totally normal.

IF your concern is that you're not "good enough" or that you're not the best of the best because you didn't get free money, then--really?--you ARE just being petty, like your subtitle suggests. The most brilliant people in the country (and the world) are applying to all of these programs. Hundreds of smart, talented, wonderful people put their hearts and souls into this process and get rejected time after time after time. Some people need to go through the process more than once. To get through this process at ALL is a test of wits and endurance. You have already come out of the race successful in MULTIPLE schools. Now you're going to feel bad for yourself for getting a 24k-health-benefits-included-stipend? Many of us may only get accepted to one school (if that) with NO funding.

I would KILL to have the option to teach while going to school. Why? I LOVE it. I love my students, I love my classes, and I love how my class and research can tie together and how 18 yr old freshman can inspire me. Perhaps you should think about what you really want to do--including ending up becoming a professor fighting for tenure and needing to balance publications, committees, and teaching many classes.

EDIT: I used the word "now" like 3 times and it sounded ridiculous.

I'm closing this because I truly thought I would get advice.

IT'S SO FLUFFY!!

My general rule of thumb is something I gained from my business-oriented husband:

If you were on an elevator with the CEO of the company, what are the most important things you could tell him in that 30 second ride down?

Likewise, what are the most important things you can say about yourself in 30 seconds? I don't like jumping into the research right away, so I break the ice with explaining why my name rhymes (seriously, my first and last name rhyme): "It's my married name, and it was a choice." Always fun :-D Little background info, and then how I got to where I am academically and professionally.

Another thing to keep in mind is the department in which the program is housed. You can get a comp/rhet degree in a communications department, an English department, an education department, etc. Depending on the department, the focus of the degree will be different and thus a lack of an English (usually English literature) degree won't be as problematic. Explore different schools to see how they approach the subject.

I don't know about Tech Com degrees and the job market, but the comp/rhet market is pretty good right now. The only thing I've been concerned about, however, is that everyone currently thinks comp/rhet is the way to go, thus flooding the market in the next 5-7 years.

Some schools will accept you to the MA program without the English background, but most Phd programs are going to require a background in the field first. You may want to consider going the MA route so you can get that background. You can always directly contact schools that you are interested in to gain a more specific perspective. My one concern is that if you are planning on applying directly to phd programs, most deadlines have already passed for fall 2011. I know some schools accept MA applications longer, but not necessarily. Definitely look into when those deadlines are for the schools you are interested in.

Another thing to keep in mind is the department in which the program is housed. You can get a comp/rhet degree in a communications department, an English department, an education department, etc. Depending on the department, the focus of the degree will be different and thus a lack of an English (usually English literature) degree won't be as problematic. Explore different schools to see how they approach the subject.

I don't know about Tech Com degrees and the job market, but the comp/rhet market is pretty good right now. The only thing I've been concerned about, however, is that everyone currently thinks comp/rhet is the way to go, thus flooding the market in the next 5-7 years.

I wrote up an exhaustive--and exhausting--list of questions before my visit last year and am pasting it below. Keep in mind that encoded within these questions are assumptions and preferences that are likely specific to me and what I was looking for. Also, though I asked many of these questions during my visits, I also found that, in the scheme of things, most of these questions--or, I should say, most of the answers--didn't really matter in my decision-making process. In much the same way that stats tell you something, but not necessarily something useful, about what programs are looking for and what your fellow applicants are like, these questions often tell you structural things about a department but not what it actually feels like to be there. Everyone's mileage will vary, of course, but I found myself not caring if, say, prelims were written or oral (though I had a preference) if everything else about the program was appealing. In the end, if it's a program you love, you'll jump through whatever hoops it presents. I highly recommend visiting schools, as there were programs at which my instinctive reaction told me everything I needed to know after about 5 minutes of being there. Additionally, visiting schools lets you make contact with people who will be important to your work regardless if you end up working with them directly. Good luck! It's an exciting, if unnerving time, and as difficult as it was last year to weigh the options, I found myself missing the sense of possibility after I had made a decision that I was (and am) very happy with.


-PLACES TO STUDY AND WORK
-Where do most people do their writing and reading?
-What study spaces are available? Do students get a carrel? Do those who teach get or share an office?

-LIBRARY
-What is the library system like? Are the stacks open or closed?
-What are the library hours?
-Are there specialized archives/primary sources that would be useful to my research?
-Are there specialist librarians who can help me with my research?

-FACULTY
-Are the faculty members I want to work with accepting new students? Are any of those faculty members due for a sabbatical any time soon?
-Are professors willing to engage you on a personal level rather than just talking about your work?
-Are there any new professors the department is hiring in areas that align with my interests?
-Students’ relationships with their professors – are they primarily professional, or are they social as well?

-FUNDING
-Is funding competitive? If so, do students feel a distinction between those who have received more generous funding and those who haven’t?
-How does funding break down among the cohort? i.e., how many people receive fellowships?
-How, if you don’t have much savings, do you make enough money to live comfortably?
-Are there external fellowships one can apply to? If so, what is available? Does the program help you apply for these fellowships? How does receiving an external fellowship affect internal funding?
-If people need more than five/six years to finish, what funding resources are available? (For instance, Columbia can give you an additional 2-year teaching appointment.)
-Do you provide funding for conferences or research trips?
-How often is funding disbursed? (i.e., do you get paid monthly or do you have to stretch a sum over a longer period of time?)

-COHORT
-Do students get along with each other? Is the feeling of the program more collaborative than competitive?
-Do students in different years of the program collaborate with each other, or are individual cohorts cliquey?
-How many offers are given out, and what is the target number of members for an entering class?
-Ages/marital status of people in the cohort – do most people tend to be married with families? Are there younger people? Single people? What sense do you have of how the graduate students interact with each other socially?
-Do people seem happy? If they’re stressed, is it because they’re busy or is it because they’re anxious/depressed/cynical/disillusioned?
-Is the grad secretary/program administrator nice?
-What is the typical time to completion? What are the factors that slow down or speed up that time?
-I’ve read that there are two kinds of attrition: “good” attrition, in which people realize that the program, or graduate study, isn’t right for them and leave early on, and “bad” attrition, in which people don’t finish the dissertation. What can you tell me about the rates of each, and of the reasons why people have chosen to leave the program?

-JOB MARKET/PROFESSIONALIZATION
-What is the placement rate? How many of those jobs are tenure-track?
-What are examples of institutions in which people in my field have been placed?
-How does the department prepare you for the job search? Are there mock interviews and mock job talks?
-Are the people helping you navigate the job search people who have recently gone through the process themselves?
-If you don’t get placed, is there anything the department can do for you? (e.g., can you stay an extra year?)
-How does the department prepare you for and help you attain conference presentations and publications?

-SUMMER WORK
-What is encouraged/required?
-If there separate funding/is the year-round funding enough to live on during the summer?
-Do people find themselves needing to get outside work during the summer in order to have enough money?
-Am I expected to stay in town in the summer, and what happens if I don’t?

-LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT
-What is done to help people who don’t have language proficiency attain it? Does the university provide funding?
-What is the requirement, and by when do you have to meet it?
-Given my research interests, what languages should I study?
-When do you recommend doing the work necessary to fulfill the language requirement? (i.e., summer before first year, summer after first year, while taking classes, etc.)

-LOCATION REQUIREMENTS
-How long are students required to be in residence?
-How many students stay in the location for the duration of the program? (i.e., how many dissertate in residence?)
-How is funding affected if you don’t stay?

-Incompletes on papers at the end of the term: What is the policy, how many students take them, and how does this affect progress through the program?

-TEACHING
-What sort of training is provided?
-What types of courses do people teach?
-Does teaching entail serving as a grader? Serving as a TA? Developing and teaching a section of comp?
-How are students placed as TAs? Is there choice about what classes you teach and which professors you work with? Do classes correspond to your field?
-How many courses do you teach per semester/year?
-How many students are in your classes?
-How does the school see teaching as fitting in with the other responsibilities/requirements of graduate study?
-How do students balance teaching with their own work?
-Is the department more concerned with training you as a teacher/professor or with having cheap labor to teach their classes?
-How, if at all, does the economic downturn affect teaching load/class sizes?
-What are the students like? Can I sit in on a course a TA teaches to get a sense of them?

-METHODOLOGY
-Is a theory course required?
-What methodology do most people use?
-Where, methodologically, do you see the department – and the discipline – heading?
-Is interdisciplinarity encouraged, and what sorts of collaboration have students undertaken?

-Typical graduate class and seminar sizes

-What should I do to prepare over the summer?

-Ask people I know: What are the questions – both about the program itself and about the location – I should ask that will most help me get a feel for whether this is the right program for me?

-Ask people I know: What do you wish you knew or wish you had asked before choosing a program?

-Is the school on the semester or the quarter system, and how does that affect classes/teaching/requirements?

-What is the course load for each semester, and how many courses are required?

-What kind of support is provided while writing the dissertation? I worry about the isolation and anxiety of writing such a big project. What does the program do to help you break the dissertation down into manageable pieces, and to make the experience less isolating?

-What do writing assignments look like in classes? Do they differ based on the type/level of class and/or based on whether you intend to specialize in the field?

-Ask professors: what have you been working on lately?

-Ask professors: What is your approach to mentoring and advising graduate students?

-How long are class meetings?

-How often do professors teach graduate courses?

-Are course schedules available for future semesters (10-11, etc.)?

-Can I see the grad student handbook? Are there any other departmental documents – such as reports on the program prepared for accreditation – that I can see?


-QUALITY OF LIFE
-Prices – how does the cost of gas, milk, cereal, etc. compare to other places I've lived in?
-Cost and quality of typical one-bedroom apartment.
-What does the university do to provide you with or help you find housing?
-When (i.e., what month) do people start looking for an apartment for the fall, and where do they look?
-Is it easy to find a summer subletter?
-How close to campus can—and should—one live?
-What grocery stores are there in town?
-How late are cafes, bookstores, malls, restaurants typically open?
-What do people do to make extra money?
-Does the town have more of a driving or a walking culture? What is parking like near campus (availability, ease, cost)?
-Where do most English grad students live? Most other grad students? Most professors? Where is the student ghetto? Do most students live near each other, or are they spread out far and wide?
-How far does the stipend go in this location?

Adcom 1: "Looks promising...but kind of on the line. How are we going to resolve this?"
Adcom 2: "I believe the flashcards are in order."
Adcom 1: "Oh right. Of course."
[phone call]
Me: "Ye-yes?"
Adcom 1: "We've decided to let you in."
Me: "WHOOOOHOOO-"
Adcom 2: "IF! ...... IF."
Me: Wait, what?
Adcom 2: "If you can...let me just shuffle these...ah yes. Whittle us a replica of...La Pieta, from...your own tibia."
Me: I....I....
Adcom 2: "This is a multi-disciplinary program, Mr. Smithwick. Your talents must reflect that. Are you backing out?"
Me: No, I suppose not....tibia......
Adcom 2: "Have it on our desk tomorrow. If it looks good, we'll let you know what's required for financial aid."

The problem is usefulness has diminished greatly. Back in the day I agree it was important, but the importance of science and engineering as of today far exceeds that of the fine arts. My significant other and my mother are both artists and one is majoring in comparative literature. They are probably just as smart as I am and work just as hard, BUT the applications of what they are doing I will not admit are greater than the ones I am working on. Literacy is very important, and although in the past it has brought us to where we are, we have plenty of teachers to teach us how to read and write and at least interpret important papers or readings. If you want to do research about a certain writer's style or a certain time period, that's fantastic. But that does not mean that it will somehow make everyone later in the world better off even if you succeed and become famous.

My argument was speaking about the general public because their respect stems from application of study. I look at the individual and that is why I fully respect the field, but many people just want results and product. If any big revolutions are going to occur NOW (yes the past there were many in literature but also MASSIVE ones in science and engineering like the industrial revolution which pretty much changed the world flat out).

If you look to the future science and engineering have larger chances of changing out world and helping people who are sick or in need of food and water. That is why most people put money into these fields. Your argument about flourishing in the past is true, but now we have overcome that hump it is time for us to take over. You guys got us out of the stone age, now we will take you to the space age.



I completely agree, without language we would be screwed over. However, now that we have it it's not like we need millions of English Ph.D. students to help teach people to read and write. We need English teachers to teach elementary school and high school. You can do that without a Ph.D. Like I said we are now in the age of science like it or not, and that is how the world is and represents it self as. So I thank all of you for your contributions in the past. But now that we got enough knowledge to communicate decently, let us take over. You guys got us out of the stone age, now we will take you to the space age. Just because you were the king once does not make you the king now. Just because no one gave a shit about us many centuries ago doesn't make us the paupers now. Things are not equal, and it has always been this way. Just learn to accept it.

Think of it this way, if 90% of the world's English students decided to be lazy and stop doing their studies, it would be sad but the world would still be alright for awhile. If 90% of scientists and engineers just gave up and stopped working, we would be in some... deep... you know.
Note: Once again RESPECT the people who work so hard, but money goes where it needs to go, not where respect needs to go.