Alette

On the language side of your question: That's a worry I'm going to deal with if and when I get in. As you said, language requirements vary widely from program to program, so I wouldn't worry about it until the spring. You generally have 2-3 years to get the languages under your belt, and, while that's on top of your other requirements, that's what you do in PhD programs. As far as the MFA/PhD transition: It is quite common. In fact, it's all but required if you want to teach creative writing. But if your letter writers can only speak to your creative writing ability and not your academic ability, that could be problematic.

This is just too strange! Well, I am retaking both the GRE general and subject tests, so I'm not banking on my "new" percentile rankings. I feel the entire scoring process is simply too vague and mysterious - and is one (of many) good reasons why the ETS should not have a monopoly on graduate entrance exams! 3 of my 7 schools require it and two or three strongly recommend it. It's not an option to rely on my past score. Additionally, I have an MA, and I know that adcomms will expect more out of my application, scores included, because of that (as they should). I think the main reason why schools still require the lit test might be to see how many hoops you're able and willing to jump through, and how well you handle it. Because that, of course, is part of grad school life. Plus, I want to do it for me. Like I said, I only had a year and a half of college English at the time I first took it (due to a transfer and other odd events). Now I have a Master's. I want to see how much I've progressed. And taking the test itself wasn't awful (even if the score was!). Hear hear!

Thanks, guys. That was my feeling. I've only started writing the last "fit" paragraphs in my head, and it seemed slightly possible that mentioning my reapplication fits with the larger trajectory of my SOP. But you're right - there's plenty to write about and not much space to do it in - and there is simply no need (plus, why remind them?!).

Several years ago, I applied to a limited number of schools. One of these, a PhD program, offered me an MA position. I turned it down in favor of another MA position. Now that I'm applying to PhDs again, and to this same school again, do I mention the MA offer in my SOP to this school? They'll know about it anyway, of course, but I wanted to see what others have done/recommend in this reapplication situation.

I believe the same thing happened with my analytic score as well (I took the GRE 3 years ago). I remember not being too enthused when I received my score, but now my 5.0 doesn't seem too shabby. I guess the influx of test takers (and thus competition for funding) is actually a good thing. (Although I'm still aiming for a higher score!) As for the subject test, I'm not an early lit person, or anything of the sort - what I study is not on the exam. But I'm now very glad I took that Literary Theory class in undergrad! Do they ask about feminist theory, or anything of the like? Or is it just the "greats" - Freud, Lacan, Derrida, Barthes, etc.? And it's good this goes for the subject test, too! I hope I'll do better anyway, considering that those scores were from 3 years ago, with barely a year and a half of college English under my belt, but I'll take a rush of people lowering the average any day

This has the potential to be a very dumb question - humor me. As I'm gearing up for the application season rush, I've been browsing the archives here and I noticed something. A lot of people have expressed worry over GRE subject scores of about 540-550 (or thereabouts). I took the GRE subject test 3 years ago. My score was 520; the website says that I'm in the 39% percentile. My question is: is this still accurate? Does your percentile change/is the report on the ETS old and inaccurate? It seems like a big jump from a 520/39% to a 540/48% (for instance) because it's only a 20 point difference. Or is it simply that many people end up somewhere in the low to mid 500s? Although I'm also forgetting how it's scored. The person who got a 540 answered (perhaps) 20 more questions correctly than I, correct? I'm looking for a way out of taking this test again, although I know I'll end up sitting it anyway. Gah!

I absolutely agree with this. Beyond the nuances of publication in your field, it is probably a good idea to discuss publishing in general with your professors. You may have found after writing a seminar paper (which was probably assigned to be the length of a journal submission) that your professor suggested it has publication potential. If s/he offers to help you, take it! Also keep in mind that the publication process can and does take a long, long time. It could easily be six months or more before you even hear back from the publisher. About two years is the average length of time between submission and publication. You will also want to consider the pros and cons of peer-reviewed journals. These take longer to process your submission but are what counts on your cv. At least in my field, if you don't have at least one of these by the time you enter the job market, you're toast. Even if you do not get an acceptance letter, you will receive helpful notes from the top people in your field to help you improve the essay. I would not recommend not publishing; there is no way that will look good. The life of an academic is difficult with classes, committees, and research/writing all demanding time, but get used to the pace now while you still have a relatively flexible schedule. To me, publication in peer-reviewed journals is the icing on the cake for the work I love to do. The pressures of publish or perish are there, but my motivation for reworking past seminar papers and discussing their development at much length with professors is simply that this is what I love. There is nothing more exciting than finding and exploring a new angle on a work. EDIT: Please, please, please make sure whatever you submit is relevant to that journal! Check out what they've published recently, in the past 2-3 volumes at least. Do your homework. Also, do not commit the sin of double submission - take it one essay, one journal at a time. There's no faster way to get on an editor's blacklist. (Well, unless you fall through with your peer-review duties!)

I don't think the analogy that AP courses is to high school as grad level classes are to undergrad is correct. AP classes are meant for high schoolers. I'm sure you noticed when you got to your undergrad that there is little relationship between your AP classes and your college classes. I'm a big supporter of AP - it did give me an opportunity to push myself in the limited course environment that is the high school curriculum l in the areas I was most interested in, and I did skip a semester of college thanks to my scores, but the analogy does not stand. Undergrad classes and the entire experience are nothing like grad school. The benefits of AP are obvious - a chance to transfer credits if you score high enough on the exams. Additionally, in high school your options and freedoms for coursework are very limited. I assume you selected an undergrad institution that has ample opportunity for you to delve into a myriad of courses in your field, and I wouldn't move on until you've explored the field fully. In other words, there is little to no benefit of taking grad classes now. I would focus on taking advanced level courses for undergrads. Your school may have combined undergrad/grad courses, and that might be something worth checking out. Another thing to keep in mind is that graduate level course work anticipates a certain lifestyle and level of preparation which are incompatible with the undergrad experience. ENJOY your undergrad while you can! There is an enormous difference between grad work and undergrad work; graduate school is not a continuation of your undergrad. I'll echo the others and say your research is the most important thing you can focus on. If you have the opportunity to do so, write a senior thesis. Become involved with related activities on campus - maybe a good one for you would be to work as a math tutor.

I agree with the above: include ONLY what is relevant. You can probably write at least three good resumes for various positions - grad school, waitressing, etc. - but when you apply to a position, you want to tailor your information so that it fits the job. Spend much more time on your past coursework, internships, conferences, etc. to highlight the accomplishments that suggest strong potential for an equally accomplished graduate career. That said, you mentioned that you waitressed in Montreal. If you waitressed in French, that would be something to put down, under languages.

My advice might be worthless, as I know only US schools and rankings, and I'm in English, not CS, but here it is anyway. My professors recommended I choose schools that are in the same bracket as the school I just graduated from. First, I generalized my school (large public state school) as a way of generating a list of likely schools. Another way to do this is to look at the US News and World Report of rankings in your field and select schools that are at the level of your previous institution or below. I would also discuss your search with your professors - they know the field, the schools, and the job market. They will know which schools have a history of accepting students from your program. These will be your "likely" or "safe" schools - although only if you're of the same academic standing as your predecessors. Another way to select "safe" schools is to apply to one or two MA programs, where the competition is less fierce. Later on, you can reapply to PhD programs, but this time with more credentials. Again, advice from my perspective (which may not be applicable to your situation): The job market is so brutal that even if you have a degree from an Ivy, you'll still struggle to get a job. Let me stress again that this is in the humanities, where most of us enter a PhD to be a professor. (At least, that is the only job our degree qualifies us for.) Instead, it is more important to study with someone renowned. In the end, if you have several offers to choose from, I would make my selection based on what sort of award package they offer and what facilities/opportunities will be available to you. I would also investigate each department's page, where they often list job placements of recent graduates. (Be wary if there is no such list!) Another hint is to contact current students. Your professors can help you with this, too, by giving you the names of their former students. Hope this helps!

Good luck back at you I am concerned about 5 - I haven't gotten the go ahead from my opinionated team of professors so that could change . It's insane how prohibitively expensive the entire process is! But I certainly don't want to be penny wise and pound foolish. There are certain factors working in my favor that might solidify a spot in at least one of my desired programs, but that's a big "might" after all. In the end, I trust my professors' advice - they know people and thus the environments in these programs, as well as me and my work, and have guided others through this process many times - and that's what I'll follow.

That article was was the first I had read that spun tenure as being bad for academics. However, it did not mention adjuncts - who are the focus of most of the other articles I have read on this topic - which is a gross oversight. The gap between tenure track and adjunct positions is widening. That, combined with the fact that many universities are getting rid of tenure track positions, is the problem. Universities are making their money off the backs of adjuncts, some of whom are paid as little as $1,500 a course. (Yes, that would be me; this was also cited in a Chronicle of Higher Education article that I will not link because you need a subscription to read it.) Tenure, in this situation, is the aspiring academic's best friend. While I agree with the article in that something has to change, I do not think tenure should disappear without adjuncts' rights being increased (livable wage, health benefits, etc.) - a point, again, that was missing. Frankly I couldn't believe this statement. When I entered my MA program, I realized suddenly, forcefully, how much academics must do - either those who are tenured, on the tenure track, or adjuncts. Beyond continual research and writing, they develop new classes, sit on many committees, are advisers for both undergraduates and graduate students (and in a school with a PhD program, this requires a large investment of time and energy), run programs (in English, for instance, a reading series or publication). And then they teach. An appreciation of the full spectrum of responsibilities for a professor is key to this debate. I don't think that tenure does students a disservice; their tenured professors have the energy and security to fulfill the task of teaching to the best of their ability. A student in a large class taught by an overworked, underpaid, unappreciated adjunct will most likely not have the same experience. An increase from my adjunct salary? No, absolutely not. I can make more money filling burgers in either case. However, a redefined system that replaces adjuncts (or the majority of these positions) with a 7-10 year contract that has a respectful wage and benefits is completely reasonable. Only after the adjunct problem is solved would I advocate for the end of tenure.

I second this! That said, I worked with professors from my MA program to determine a list of schools that suit my research interests and have a history of accepting students from our program. I have 5 schools on this list (narrowed down from 12-13). Estimated cost (including GRE/Lit exams, transcripts, etc.) is approaching $700. 5 schools is enough!

I think that would depend on where you attend. Some schools have more lenient practices than others. I've even seen it advised that students should take the department's exam rather than one offered through the university, as their standards of proficiency are less than the university's and thus their test is easier to pass. Some schools require graduate level work in a language, others simply ask you to pass a translation with a dictionary. (And some have no requirement!) No matter what the situation, I would suggest reviewing any/all of your languages prior to the test, just to be on the safe side. And I would suggest testing yourself (maybe ask if you can look at examples of previous exams) just to make sure that yes, you do remember past language classes!

Hi there: I've found a few sites that are helpful. First, of course, is the Perdue OWL site. Another is the CAPS PDF. This one is geared to recent PhD grads entering the job market, but it's still helpful. It has examples from a number of fields, including English. I would also look through your professors' c.v.s, and go to your career center for advice. I think you can add more information to what you posted: for example, under teaching experience, write a little about your responsibilities in the classroom. Did you design the course? Were you solely responsible for the class and all evaluation? That sort of thing. Another thing you can do is ask former professors if you can't guest lecture in one of their classrooms this coming semester. That would be a good way to add a presentation to the c.v. I hope that helps!

I'm having moments of panic when I realize that summer's almost over, and I have so much more to do before I start teaching in the fall. On the applications side of my to do list, things I've begun: 1. Study for GREs, especially the quantitative section. A professor revealed that that is important, because your application is seen by the administration, not the department, first. I'm studying vocabulary, of course, but when I took the exam three years ago the analytic and verbal sections came out just fine; the quant, on the other hand, was simply dismal. 2. Assemble a list and meet with professors to discuss courses of action. I have charts and charts of research with potential advisers, publications, due dates and all the rest. 3. Study for the GRE Lit exam - which is actually fun and useful in filling the many holes in my knowledge. My field is contemporary American poetry, which is not represented in the Nortons (not at least the people I study), so I have no "safety" bank of questions. 4. Approach professors to write letters of recommendation. I've worked with them closely for the past two years, and I know how far behind they can get in their work. 5. Start drafting a statement of purpose, which is more difficult than I thought it would be. I am very glad to have a year "off" to teach after finishing my Master's. I couldn't imagine doing all this while attending classes!

Yes, Cornell has such a program - and they let in one or two people a year! That's nuts even by our already generous standards! I guess I would just do some research (maybe there's no one at Cornell you're very excited about working with anyway). Often, programs will allow PhD candidates to take one creative writing course for credit, which isn't a lot but does give the flavor of the thing. There are also Master's programs that offer a creative writing concentration, where you are expected to take workshop and complete a thesis. That might be a happy medium. EDIT: Just now, in my own research, I see that the University of Wisconsin has a PhD Minor, where you have a "minor" in creative writing while earning a PhD in literature. That's something to look into. You will also, however, want to examine the job placements of people who choose non-normative options like this, and what classes they can teach, to see if the program is worthwhile in the long run for your particular goals.

I saw this topic in the History forum, and I've decided to steal the idea. What is your plan of attack for this application season?

No problem! If you're up for it, I think getting an MFA and a PhD is an amazing idea. Good luck!

First, an MFA program does lead to a terminal degree - that's an important distinction you should fully consider. Second, because it is a terminal degree, credits will not transfer. One can transfer credits from a MA program because one earns an MA while in a PhD program - therefore, someone applying for a PhD program with a MA has in a sense (though the university may not honor it) already achieved the level of study demanded of first year PhD candidates. A Master's in English is a step on the path to a PhD in English; an MFA in Creative Writing is a separate path. I would recommend against attending an MFA program without funding. Going into debt for it just does not make sense. Plus, a TA position is invaluable when you enter the job market, and will help you when you apply to PhD programs. I would also caution against planning on attending the same school for both the MFA and the PhD. First, the MFA takes about 3 years - do you think you'll want to stay on that campus for another 5-7 (if you are accepted to the PhD program, that is)? Second, how likely is it that the school that has the strongest, most interesting creative writing department will also be the one that has the strongest, most interesting PhD program? Not very. I might consider researching the nuances of these two programs a little more - and looking into how the schools you're interested in fit with your goal of earning both degrees. Also: there is a new PhD in Creative Writing degree that might help (or complicate!) your decision.