gloryous

Hi all! Despite what I think may be an encroaching shutout for me, I'm trying to get excited about other things happening in my life. That said, I'm presenting at NeMLA this Friday (it's virtual)! If anyone else is presenting there and would like a friend in their audience, feel free to let me know because I would love to meet some of you and see your neat research in action! I have the day off so besides my panel (5-6:30), I'll have plenty of time to check out people's amazing work. 

I got an acceptance today, y’all!!

I miss lil uzi vert

...anybody know what is going on with Penn State and/or U Rochester? I see that there is only one acceptance for each program, and I know I have to take into consideration all of the people who are not on Grad Cafe, but it's so unnerving to see one acceptance for an entire program, ya know?
I was supposed to be so productive today. Now I'm ordering Shake Shack and staring unblinkingly at my laptop. Will I shower? Will I leave the couch before midnight? TBD.

Hi everyone! Bit of a long-time listener, first time caller. Obviously this forum has many more English PhD applicants over rhet./comp. applicants, so I wanted to create a thread for this cycle for people to chat/commiserate about this weird application cycle in our tiny field, and to see where people are thinking and what their broad research interests are!
I'm interested largely in the intersection of rhetorical/critical theory, as well as applying a philosophy lens to rhetoric of law (mainly Derrida, Heidegger, Kant). So far, applying to Penn State, UT Austin, UMD, and Berkeley, but still trying to expand that list as I know it's small... I'm kind of pessimistically assuming that I'm going to get shut out this round, and then hoping secretly to be pleasantly surprised. Good advice from one of my professors was "you can't win if you don't play," so I'm trying to keep that mindset that at least it's worth it to throw my name into the hat.
Best of luck to you all this cycle ?

I'm thinking of a pretty capacious definition. Access to resources is one way to think about it. For me that means anything from spheres of knowledge, opportunities, guidance. Take admissions for example: Many people have mentors helping to shape their application. Some people have been guided on this path since high school. 

Is anyone else still waiting to hear back from Notre Dame? I'd assume they won't send waitlists out until after their event if we look historically. That's the last school I'm waiting on now. Since I've only been waitlisted at places, I think I'm going to try to log off from gradcafe until I actually hear concrete news back. I do have notifications on, so if anyone has any questions about UConn or anything just send me a dm. Good luck everyone and congrats to those who are having success this cycle!

I can see why it is a bit rude. There’s very little consideration for the applicant and their materials. And the entire focus is instead on the committee themselves and thier rather defensive and distant perspective. This letter talks way more about themselves than they do the applicant in particular and yet (!) I don’t even know if this if from the english department?
Not to say that a self centered approach is *wrong,* but in a rejection letter, it’s probably not the best time. This letter also seems incredibly generic and its 2021?! This is one of the first application cycles of its kind and if this is the only part of the letter, the lack of awareness for social circumstances and covid is pretty sus. And I really only say this because I applied to Vandy 3 years ago & this was the exact same letter! You’d think they’d update it a bit given *gestures at everything.*
But anyway, this letter says way more about how “busy and sad” Vanderbilt is and almost nothing about the quality of applicants.
- WE recieve so many applications 
- WE reviewed all materials (even though there were sooo many!)
- WE made a decision 
- YOU are disappointed, but back to ME, because WE do wish you luck. (No seriously we do!) 
And to exemplify: here is cornell’s rejection letter to contrast.
Your application for admission to the Graduate School at Cornell University has been given careful consideration by the Department of Literatures in English.
 
I'm very sorry to say that we are unable to offer you admission to our PhD graduate program for Fall 2021.  This was a very difficult decision.  We received hundreds of applications for very few places in the program, and we've had to turn down an enormous number of talented people with very impressive records, many of whom no doubt will go on to distinguished careers.      
 
This email will serve as your only notification of your application results.  We appreciate your interest in Cornell's Department of Literatures in English and wish you success in your graduate studies.  Thank you for sharing your work with us. We also wish you good health and much support during the ongoing pandemic.
 
It expresses gratitude and then condolences. It also acknowledges the talent of all applicants and seems to genuinely believe in the future success in their careers. I’m not saying you HAVE to do something like this. But this is a rejection letter and the fact that forums like this even exist says a lot about how stressful the process is. A little kindness goes a very long way. 
But idk, it’s not that rude. I just think it leaves a lot to be desired. 

I don't mean to be histrionic but Vanderbilt rejecting me is the biggest mistake Nashville has made since its country music industry rejected Lil Nas X.

Congratulations!! It really feels wonderful to see/hear hard work paying off! 

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.

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. 

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! ?

Oh yeah it wasn't on the part of the department! In my experience, the department there has been very lovely towards me and I've met many kind professors who actually encouraged me to appeal to apply (and I'd be willing to talk with anyone accepted to UConn about my experience there, btw!) It is a sort of unwritten rule by the graduate school that the department can't extend offers to people who have already received two degrees from there. Basically I just had to write a short statement explaining why I still wanted to attend UConn and what personal reasons I had that would make it viable for me to get my third degree from there. They unanimously decided that they would accept my application though, so it worked out  

Very true. I have just one thing to say to these unbelievably cruel criminals who flagrantly violate international law, thus dragging the whole human project further down into barbarism: could you pretty pretty please accept me into your profession?

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!!!!!!!

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 ✨

Hey guys, I have been keeping up with this thread for the past few days. It seems like you all have been in this together for a long time and are super supportive. I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this, but I was wondering if any people here with their master's degree could help me out? 
I don't have any friends in the same field of me and no one else in my family has gotten their master's. I was just acceptedi into a program, but kind of feel lost. I have no idea how grad school actually works. Haha, I don't know if I sound dumb or not, but I would genuinely appreciate any advice/guidance anyone could give!

Hey guys, I have been keeping up with this thread for the past few days. It seems like you all have been in this together for a long time and are super supportive. I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this, but I was wondering if any people here with their master's degree could help me out? 
I don't have any friends in the same field of me and no one else in my family has gotten their master's. I was just acceptedi into a program, but kind of feel lost. I have no idea how grad school actually works. Haha, I don't know if I sound dumb or not, but I would genuinely appreciate any advice/guidance anyone could give!

You can feel free to DM me as well! I am in a similar situation where no one in my family had gone to college and I didn't have any friends in the same field. Congrats on your acceptance!!

Probably a good guess, though you have to consider the possibility that we are about to receive an after-hours delivery via pigeon of a sonnet admitting us to the school and extolling our virtues!!! at least imho

Well first, CONGRATS! That's such exciting news! Second, that is not a dumb question at all!! I think that the answer to your question will vary depending on who you ask. For example, my MA experience was pretty much a "choose your own adventure" where I set research goals early on and then completely changed my mind by the time I got to writing my thesis. Assuming you applied for an MA in English, graduate school is an opportunity to stretch your knowledge, enhance your research abilities, and, if available, teach! Happy to answer any questions you have if you want to DM me

Send me a DM if you'd like! I went back for my MA after being out of school for 5 years, so my perspective might be a bit different from what you'd like, but I can offer any insight from my (rather specific) perspective, how I managed, etc.