BrianHey

I wouldn't give up all hope. UMN does send out customized acceptance emails (I know because a friend of mine is already in the program), so I'm hoping that it just takes a little time for them to email people. I emailed the DGS and he said I would hear something "early" this week—since folks have historically been rejected later in the year, I'm hoping for good news or at least being waitlisted. Hoping for today...such a nervous wreck, I really like this program. And apologies for my solipsism earlier: congratulations to whomever was admitted!

So grateful to whoever posted—thanks for the details. This makes me so nervous as mine still says "Awaiting Program Decision"; still holding out hope, though.

Thanks to all three of you for your replies. I've been mulling over your responses the past few days, which is why I'm replying a tad late. The three graduate courses I have taken thus far have all been within Women's Studies, in which I am pursuing a graduate certificate in addition to my undergrad degrees. Second, next semester, I will be taking a graduate English class, and it will be the first graduate course I will have taken in English.. I'm minoring in English, so I will have taken about four or five English classes total by the time I send in my applications next fall. And I completely agree with all of you that there is a value in taking time off. I just lose my sanity a bit when I'm not actively researching/sharing in a structured environment-- deadlines and pressure make me feel pretty alive, I guess. I also understand these programs are ridiculously competitive; I really wish I had known things I know now (duh, as we all do) when I started my undergrad-- I would've focused more on languages and majored in comparative literature and wmst. I am worried that people with entire BAs in English will be a lot more appealing; I'm also hoping, on the other hand, that committees look for diversity in undergraduate studies but a demonstrated ability to conduct literary research. And to answer you Chumlee, yes. I am seeking to draw on my background in wmst and philosophy. Luckily, because I have been taken graduate seminars, I feel pretty confident in my "direction." It has forced me to critically examine my work and ask myself: "Why academia at all?" I have passing moments of crisis, "fraud syndrome," etc., but I feel that taking graduate courses has definitely instilled a level of reality that most undergrads don't have in terms of what "going to grad school" even means. I love that you mentioned geography, papillon. This is extremely important to me. I would absolutely love living in a big city-- it seems coextensive, for me, with the "big move" that is graduate school. I've lived in small cities and and metro Atlanta (not a real city, at all) for far too long!

Oh, and I know that the SoP, sample, LoRs are important. I'm basically curious about the degree of impact the two concerns listed above may have on my applications.

So, I am a junior at The University of Georgia, I am double majoring in Philosophy and Women's Studies, I participate in the honors program, I have taken three graduate courses and received As in all three (I plan on taking at least three more before the application season next fall), and I am working on an undergraduate thesis within queer theory. I expect to apply to graduate school with an overall GPA of 3.8. I haven't taken the GRE yet. I have two concerns, or areas of inquiry, rather: 1) I spent my first year of college at a small joke of a school; although I left with a 4.0, I am wondering if this will hurt me? 2) Do you believe that taking graduate courses would bolster my chances significantly? That is what I'm hoping for in taking them, obviously, hah! (Of course the experience is great, too). I really want to shoot high-- Columbia (English PhD), Berkeley (PhD) Rhetoric, U Chicago (English Phd), NYU (Comp Lit or English PhD), or The New School (Philosophy PhD). I feel like I'm dying as an undergrad right now with my load of classes. Am I being unrealistic or am I right on track? PS: Writing this at 3 AM rather than working on a seminar paper...so just excuse run-ons, incoherency, etc.