Magic Lantern

yes! the one in the results board is me actually ?  got the (informal for now) email late last night and have been buzzing since. i don't know if they've sent out all of them or what their status is otherwise. good luck to you both!

I just want to say that I love your username! 

PhD in Email Checking

I really hope they do not reinstate the GRE! It's a classist barrier and a waste of a ton of money. Not to mention that studying for it is boring and utterly unstimulating.

To add onto @mashatheicebear,

There are several "top" programs that don't have certain subfields. It would be rather difficult to pursue a subfield if it isn't something the university currently has. If accepted, you'll be able to do your own research on it but not having someone to guide you through that process is going to make you not feel as supported by the department. It'll also likely make the job application process more difficult.

I don't think there is any wrong answer to this. I think one of the best things you can do is figure out what your goals are. If your ultimate goal is strictly to teach at an R1 school, your chances are significantly higher if you attend a top 10 school. Though there have been cases where people not attending a top 10 school have gotten tenure-track jobs at an R1 school. Likewise if your goal is to teach at a small liberal arts college, certain schools might decrease your chances because they might not think you have a good understanding of what their culture is.

Years ago, a job applicant got their job offer rescinded from a school because the applicant was making requests that would be more commonplace at an R1 school. A school is making significant investments when they make offers so they really want to make sure you understand the culture of the school and would be happy there. There are things that you can do to make you seem like you understand the culture more but it be nearly impossible to do for every type of school. This is often also the reason why a lot of schools also tend to place better in their geographical location. While nobody is guaranteed a tenure-track job, it might be worthwhile to consider whether there are any locations you be content to be living in and apply to schools within that region.

It might also be worthwhile to consider how many students are a part of a typical cohort and comparing that with how many students get placed. There's a big difference between 2 students (of a cohort of 3) being placed per year and 4 students (of a cohort of 18) being placed per year. Think of you'd be happy being placed at the types of schools they're placing at.

Consider if their stipend is enough for you to live on. If you prefer to live alone, is it enough to get by without roommates? If the city is expensive, how far would you need to be from campus in order to afford rent? Do students need to work additionally in order to live there?

What's the college like? While sports might not impact you, it might also be considering how undergrads deeply involved with D1 sports might impact the way you teach or interact with the town at large. Would you feel okay with living to a town that revolves around the university (a college town) or would you prefer to live in a city? What about the weather? Do you prefer cold weather? Do you prefer hot weather?

In my, admittedly, limited experience (I already did my MA but have not yet embarked on my PhD), school rank/prestige is important in the post-grad job market, but your enjoyment of the program and your success therein directly correlates to how good a fit the program is for you and you, for it. 
If you are in a program where you feel supported and you have excellent faculty to work with, you will end up being more productive and much happier, which may end up making you a better candidate in the long run (better/more research and writing, more teaching experience, better support when you hit burnout, etc).
I would trust your instincts. Getting into excellent programs is flattering and exciting, but there may be a happy medium for you. Think over your communications with the departments, your interviews and everything you have gleaned thus far. Every program will be rigorous, but a program that is truly invested in you will make getting through it enjoyable as well as viable.  
 

To add to this, I think it's important to realize that school prestige is different between different departments and even between subfields and can change significantly in the years. I think Davis and Indiana are both new to the USNew's top 20 (2017?) list. Likewise, there have been schools which have jumped in rankings and others who have slid in rankings. I'd like to stress that professors leaving a program might also impact that program's overall rankings as well as their placement. Paying attention to new hires (whether they're at the assistant or associate or full professor level) might indicate the direction in which a program is heading.

This article from the WSJ shows just how far rankings can jump depending on "information ranging from test scores to surveys of alumni satisfaction with education and job prospects." By contrast, I think it's important to note that current USNews rankings don't consider placement when they're doing rank. But rather the USNEWS process is outlined below:
(Source is here)
 
Programs in the social sciences and humanities are based solely on the results of peer assessment surveys sent to academics in each discipline by IPSOS Public Affair For the surveys conducted in fall 2016, Ipsos sent each school offering a doctoral program two surveys per discipline. Questionnaires were sent to department heads and directors of graduate studies in economics, English, history, political science, psychology and sociology – or, alternatively, a senior faculty member who teaches graduate students – at schools that had granted a total of five or more doctorates in each discipline during the five-year period from 2011 through 2015, as indicated by the National Center for Education Statistics' Completions survey. The questionnaires asked respondents to rate the academic quality of the programs at other institutions on a 5-point scale: outstanding (5), strong (4), good (3), adequate (2) or marginal (1). Individuals who were unfamiliar with a particular school's programs were asked to select "don't know." Scores for each school were determined by computing a trimmed mean – eliminating the two highest and two lowest responses – of the ratings of all respondents who rated that school; average scores were then sorted in descending order. 138 programs in English were evaluated. The response rate for English was 14%. This means that 276 surveys were sent and only 38/39 responses were sent back

It's improbable that all 138 programs are paying attention to all other programs so the data can be impacted significantly from who's paying attention to which program. It's more likely that schools are paying attention to only schools that share overlapping traits with them or are within the same city.  It's also unlikely that schools are not as aware with programs who are strong in certain areas if they are not strong in the same subfield.

Looks like we're in for another rough week. Wishing all the best for y'all, and many congrats to the amazing acceptances I've been seeing!

Anybody else waiting for a San Diego rejection? Saw some last Friday and wondering why I haven't gotten mine yet. Could they be doing it alphabetically?
Meanwhile, I know Irvine has sent out acceptances and I saw a Riverside one on the results page, so not holding my breath for them, too. That leaves Santa Barbara before I get a second-year shutout from UC schools.
(Also, this is to anecdotally confirm how hard it is for internationals to get into UCs but then again, maybe I'm just not brilliant enough or didn't come from a prominent school, etc etc ?‍♀️)

I have to wonder if English grad program admissions committees are more sensitive to the hermeneutics of their rejection letters than committees in other subjects, since they know their recipients will put their letters under the analytical microscope...

I just got accepted to UC San Diego. I can't really explain how relieved and proud I feel. Last year was a nightmare and I got shut out of every single program, but this year, I published articles, gave more presentations and workshopped the living hell out of my SOP and it really paid off. I'm just beside myself with happiness.

I believe the 2 figure was for comp lit, not English, hence the confusion. 
You can see on the results page for comp lit that someone was apparently told this by their POI who they contacted.

I have really loved following and being apart of this thread and you guys have been very great and supportive. I was really heartbroken because I was rejected from Duke Lit after an interview, but the next day (while in tears and being absolutely SURE I was going to be shut out) I got an email I was accepted to Emory's Philosophy program! I know this isn't a philosophy thread (I applied to both Phil and Comp Lit), but I thought I would share to encourage everyone not to count themselves out and keep your head up! (i feel really silly for letting the stress get to me before I had heard back from almost half of my programs). It ain't over until it's over ❤

I just got accepted to KU! Received a call just now from DGS. This was the first call I've received from any school! ?

Emailed my current program to check my status and got waitlisted! (this isn't a surprise as since I did my undergrad there as well, I had to appeal to apply and figured I'd be waitlisted). I feel at least a little better knowing at least my own program would waitlist me, LOL. 

Process is utterly cruel. Clearly in violation of multiple protocols established by the Geneva Conventions
 
Hhggggghhhh plzzzzzzz

I got into my first MA program!!! I know most of y'all are PhD applicants, but this is so huge for me!! I got offered a teaching assistantship for two years!!!! This means I can move out of my parents house in August!!!!!!!

Hey could I trouble you all to check around for a response from a PhD program? Just looking for a single response. Probably has the words CONGRATULATIONS. It may have fallen between the couch cushions. Have looked evvverrryyyywhere. Even checked my coat pockets. Nothing.

exactly my feelings! I think at this point I've also accepted my slim chances, but I'd rather just get the waiting over with one way or another so I can focus again and have a more concrete plan for what I'll be doing for the next year or so. 

the waiting is just so! damn! excruciating! at this point. Anyone else kind of losing their general concentration? I feel like I'm usually pretty good at avoiding procrastination but it feels 10x more difficult to work at the moment. I have a backup plan, I know my chances are slim as heck and I'm not even really scared of what will happen if I don't get in anywhere, but the overwhelming uncertainty is getting to me big time. 

Just got a letter from DGS in an email about being waitlisted. 
"Due to an especially strong pool of applicants this year, we have only been able to offer acceptance to a small number of the many outstanding candidates who applied. However, the Graduate Executive Committee was very impressed with your record and has placed your name on a very selective waiting list to which we may return later in the admissions process."
Not totally bad news!

Definitely think people took less people across the board (not just Lit; other humanities, social sciences, STEM, everything) but there are some schools with bigger numbers too. Ohio State is planning on taking 18 (9 MA/PhD and 9 PhD) so even though it's hard, I'm trying to keep my hopes up that some schools will fund as many people as they are able without a detriment to their current students. Which is hopefully more than a handful.
I'm also worried and making contingency plans (which sucks) but it's only early February, a lot of school's timelines are behind, and there's a lot of season left. Hang in there everybody ❤️

According to the results page, Yale only takes 3 applicants this year, and Stanford only takes 2. I'm starting to think that this might be the case for most literature programs this year, unfortunately. Spent my day thinking about other (nonexistent) career paths and potentially reapplying next year. ?

Wow, can I just say, coming out of my weekly therapy appointment to this message...overwhelming. Apparently I can't react to any more posts today, but I wish I could heart react this multiple times. 
You are so kind for saying this, and for taking the time to write this message. I am so glad that you feel a sense of restored faith/hope/inspiration. Grad school can be so frustrating/confusing/demoralizing (honestly, just being alive can be all of those things). But it can also be so generative and fulfilling and exciting! I am wishing you all the best as well, wherever you end up in the future. If going to grad school is what you really want, I think it is worth it to try again (obviously, I certainly feel that way for myself). Also, I hope that you come to think more of your scholarly potential! It's hard to shut down imposter syndrome, but I really do believe we all have something to offer and something meaningful to say. We are here, after all. 
I am rooting for you. I hope that Fall 2022 goes wonderfully for you--I'm sure that cycle will be strange and unruly like this one, but if there's anything I can do to help, please just let me know. Happy to answer questions, read SoPs, etc. We're in this together. Academia can often create pressure to view everyone else as a competitor. But we are actually each other's collaborators and supporters, I really do believe that. We all stand to gain from each other's work and success. I look forward to celebrating yours in the future ✨

In at UConn!! I'm genuinely so excited and especially after getting back to back rejections from Yale and Cornell, it's amazing to know I'll have somewhere to go!! Thank you to all of you for providing such a welcoming and thoughtful place on the internet!