heterotopia

Hey folks -- Old Bill here, reporting in for the first time in several years. Now that I've finished my Ph.D., I figured I would weigh in on a few things I learned throughout the process in the hopes that it will help your decision about applying to graduate programs, or what to do if you actually get accepted to one.

First, a brief update on my experience. In a nutshell, I very much enjoyed the process of obtaining the Ph.D. I managed to do it in five years, though fair warning: I'm one of only two people in my cohort (which had around a dozen Ph.D. admits and several M.A. / Ph.D.'s) who got through it in that time. I think it's starting to become more common to take as much time as you have funding for, though my own personal circumstances (including a touch of "vaulting ambition," as Macbeth would say) caused me to want to finish in five years, no matter what. As of right now, I'm still not entirely sure what the next academic year holds, though I have secured adjuncting locally, which I'm fine with. I've had several interviews over the past six weeks, and that's apparently unusual -- it's more typical to not receive interviews until you actually have the degree in hand. But I think that may have more to do with a shift in employment expectations than anything unique about me personally.

Anyhow, thinking about the job market is something comfortably down the road for many of you, though I'm guessing you've already had a great many people tell you about how awful the academic job market is. They're all correct, of course. If you have a fairly limited idea of what kind of institution you want to work at (i.e. an R1 institution, a SLAC etc.), and are adamant you need to teach your special subfield (i.e. 18th century, literature and medicine etc.), you're likely going to face a lot of disappointment. I applied quite broadly -- to generalist positions at institutions of all kinds, ranging from R1s and R2s to community colleges to SLACs to HBCUs and others. Most of those were tenure track jobs, but some one-year positions and a few seemingly permanent full-time gigs were sprinkled in there too. To be clear, I was never indiscriminate about where I applied, but was instead open to a lot of options and adapting as needed. Out of forty-four applications, I've had four interviews (thus far), which has a yield of one interview out of eleven applications. And that's considered good! I say all this relatively personal stuff simply to highlight that you ought to be aware of what the situation is like before you even decide to draft those Ph.D. program application materials (assuming an academic job is your initial hope, that is). As for myself, I was quite aware of the state of the market when I started down this path, and nothing I've experienced has surprised me too much. Many of the folks I know who have burned out, disappeared, or otherwise turned against the very idea of an academic career have done so out of disillusionment -- not having a realistic sense of how the hard work of a Ph.D. (and it's very, very hard at times) doesn't pave a clear road to the seemingly glorious tenure-track position. So don't be deluded. You can spend five, six, seven years of doing this and be faced with poverty and no secure job prospects. That's simply true. The question is whether or not you are mentally prepared to do that, and whether the payoff is worth it (to you personally) in the long run. It certainly was for me, but in this I do have to admit I'm something of an exception.

Assuming you still want to go down this path ("no power in the 'verse can stop me," I hear you cry...), I just have a few tips that I didn't quite glean from GradCafe's heyday. First, program fit is important, but advisor fit is equally so, if not more. If you're in the enviable position of having multiple offers once your applications are out there, make a point of talking to as many of your potential advisors as possible. And here's a very, very, very important point: don't default to the person with the best publication record or reputation. That only matters in some rare circumstances. It is far more important to find an advisor who you vibe with -- someone who has the same kind of working style as you, or has the kinds of expectations of you that you want. And here's another related very, very, very important point. Hell, I'll even put it in all caps: YOU CAN ALWAYS CHANGE YOUR ADVISOR. This process inevitably feels terrifying when you're early in the program, but there are almost never any hard feelings on the part of the advisor, and it's exceedingly rare for them to be at all vindictive. I changed my advisor after my comprehensive exams -- part of it was due to fit over field (I'm a poetry person, my first advisor was not), but the other part of it was working style. My first advisor was a very top-down taskmaster sort, which worked great for a lot of his other students. But I realized that that style doesn't work well for me. I like more of a hands-off approach, and to feel that I can work on my own for a month or two with self-imposed deadlines rather than advisor-imposed ones. I switched to an advisor that was more this way, and I can honestly say that I enjoyed the dissertation process as a result. I did my own thing, reached out as needed, received a boatload of constructive criticism when I was ready for it, and never felt pressured or coerced. The moral of the story here is that your choice of advisor may be the single most important choice you make in a Ph.D. program. I put that in bold, because it's something I really never expected once admitted.

One other tip is something that I'd heard, but never really internalized: think about publication options early and often in your graduate career. You're going to start out green, of course...but literally everyone does. Once you've made it through a year of the program, you'll likely have a good sense of A.) whether you want to keep doing it, and B.) what, specifically, you want to focus on. Yes, I know that you'll enter the program thinking you already know your focus, but more often than not students switch it up. And that's to be expected. But publications are a key metric on the job market for most positions. I did manage to get a nice publication during the writing of my dissertation, but I do wish that I had been thinking more seriously about it beforehand. The jury's out on whether having a single academic publication will hurt me on the market, but whether it does or not, the simple truth is that more can only be helpful (and ignore people who tell you it's too early -- editors and reviewers will screen out substandard work; let them be the ones to do it).

This post is getting long, so I'll just end with this little suggestion that I'm sure is going to sound impossibly twee: approach the academic path (from applying to Ph.D. programs to your scholarship in one and beyond) from a standpoint of joy. I'm not trying to Marie Kondo you here, or spout toxic positivity, but my observation is that a large portion of success and well-being in academia is attitudinal. There are many bitter academics out there who don't seem to love what they do. Resist that. It doesn't have to be the norm. Moreover, most of the academics I have gravitated toward do love their work and their students. Approaching this from a standpoint of joy simply seems to work far better than from a standpoint of "struggling through" or "grinding away." Find what you love about the process, and embrace it.

Hopefully this is helpful to some of you! I know GradCafe isn't as populous as it used to be, but I'm guessing there are still enough lurkers to make a post like this worthwhile. Be well, folks, and good luck in your academic journeys!

I've accepted my offer at Illinois State University!

Declined my spots at UVA (English), UMich (English), and UPenn (Complit). Good luck and hopefully there will be movements in the upcoming days 

Friends! I got off the waitlist at CUNY. I’m so happy!!

Held off on posting this since Wednesday because it feels too surreal and I’m still waiting for them to email again saying “Whoops, wrong person!” But I got into UIUC with 7 years of very good funding ? 
I’ve turned down my offers from 4 out of 5 programs now. Waiting for UIUC to send the official documents before I turn down my last one.
Thank you to everyone on this forum who offered advice and helped me keep a shred of my sanity during this crazy season.

This is a difficult time, everyone. It's very complicated. Just sending out all of my best vibes :) 

Declined my spots at UVA (English), UMich (English), and UPenn (Complit). Good luck and hopefully there will be movements in the upcoming days 

Does anybody have advice on how to try and negotiate up offers? Specifically-- I have only seen advice about how to ask a university to match a higher offer elsewhere, whereas my offers are all around the same (probably average, but of course it'd be better if they were higher). I still want to give it a go to negotiate, though, since I figure I might as well try, even if I expect a no. My questions are 1. Is it still normal to try and negotiate if you're in my situation (no higher offers)? and 2. if so, does anybody have wise words on how to do so/phrase my 'ask'?

Just accepted my offer at UC Irvine!

I just did! 

Hey there! I wanted to start a thread where 2022 applicants could list their final decisions for where they will enroll in the fall! 
 
I will kick it off by saying that I've just accepted my offer at University of California - Davis !!!

This is quite the dilemma! Sorry that you’re going through this. There are many variables in place to give you a more definitive answer. Both stipends seem a bit low, but a 10k stipend is very low—is this an MA or a PhD? Can you add to this by tutoring at a campus writing center? Would you be on your own, or do you have a support system in place? Is one of your friends willing to come with you and be a roommate?
 
My biggest advice would be not to do anything that will financially burden you. You say “pretty low” when discussing rankings of the 10k program. If the program is going to financially burden you AND make it difficult for you to get a job after, I think that makes your process a little easier.
 
I was in a similar situation last year. My only acceptance offered me 13k with no insurance; the state had a VERY high cost of living, and the ranking was also pretty low. All of my friends were also telling me to take it, and I was seriously considering it. Before doing so, though, I spoke with a former professor on the phone, and she expressed concerns that the combination of a financial burden and an even more bleak job prospect after graduation (competing with those who went to high-end programs) made the offer quite bad. I sat down and did the math and realized that I just wouldn’t be able to do it. I would’ve needed to adjunct in addition to performing my teaching duties with the program just to barely get by. It wasn’t worth it given the program’s ranking. Was it disheartening? Yes—very much so! I had to hold off for yet another year. I felt so lost; I was going to be three years removed from an MA and haven’t yet started my PhD. However, I made my application stronger. Now, I have a great offer with insurance and a pretty high stipend with an additional fellowship on top of it. The program is also pretty good in terms of ranking. I’m also on a waitlist for another top 20 program, and no matter what, I’ll have an offer that I can live on. Please just know your worth and do not do anything that will burden you. 
 
If you can make the dream program work, you should, of course, follow your dreams. But nobody should financially burden themselves to go to grad school. 

Thank you so much for this vote of confidence! I do think I need to chill out about things a bit, and maybe not compare myself to others. 
That being said, I'm similarly worried about a competitive/toxic atmosphere. I totally agree that being the one granted extra funding presents its own pressures. I doubt students will resent you (at least not intentionally), but I do think they might grow an early resentment for the department, which is never good. You might want to ask for the email of a grad student to get a sense of how competitive the environment is.
As someone who has both been on the "offered more" and "offered less" side of things, I really wish these departments would just offer money out equitably. It just doesn't feel good to get paid less or more when every grad student is diligent, intelligent, and likely financially struggling. 
All this being said, congratulations on your fellowship and your acceptance! I hope you truly enjoy growing and learning in whichever program you choose

Hello again, friend! Three offers! Wow! Remember when I said you would be on this forum posting multiple acceptances? I’m glad that came into existence!
 
I’ll offer my two cents, but I’m no expert. Some people will tell you that rankings are arbitrary, and while that is true to an extent, at the end of the day, there are certain programs that are more valued than others. This is a sad reality for all PhDs. I had one professor tell me that if the program wasn’t top 20, it wasn’t my worth my time. I had another professor say to worry more about the program’s post-graduate placement results. She said don’t dip too low in ranking, but don’t be afraid to give number 40, for example, a chance if they’re finding their graduates a job. 
 
It seems that your issue is that the school offering you more money is ranked much lower than your top acceptance. Here’s my advice: Consider how big that gap is, and see if the gap is countered by the placement results (and also the quality of the placement results). For example, let’s just hypothetically say your acceptances are ranked 50 and 35. 35 is certainly more enticing—15 spots! However, let’s also say that number 35 reports 10 tenure-track jobs secured for graduates in the last few years. Number 50 reports 20 in that same time frame (I know TT jobs are not at all common for this to happen, but just hypothetically), it wouldn’t be completely crazy to go with number 50, as they’re lower ranked, but they’re still providing better training for faculty positions. You know? Do the programs to which you were accepted have an “alumni success stories” page or something similar? Assuming that you want to work in academia, count the number of tenure-track jobs reported by alumni. This will allow you to compare ranking AND job prospects. That will help you make the choice that is best for your future. But also be sure that you’re picking a program at which you’ll be happy! 

Upvoting this. I am not sure about unequal packages taking into account fellowships and all that. But funding is becoming a central concern for me as well: do i select a uni that pays me more or one that is more highly-ranked (like significantly higher, though not in the same research area)? I know this question has been asked to death but am still stuck... would be glad to hear some informed opinions. Also, all my potential PoIs are quite well-known in their respective fields and I have three offers... many thanks in advance!

Hey all! I am here, once again, asking for your emotional and intellectual support ?
I've recently noticed that pretty much every program I've been accepted to has been handing out unequal funding packages. As far as I know, everyone is getting some sort of base stipend, but there are definitely individuals getting extra  fellowships, summer funding, etc. I was wondering if anyone else was experiencing this? Should I be worried about the programs where I'm on the lower end of funding (even if the funding itself is liveable)? I'm a little worried about being valued less than my peers before I even enter a program, but I'm not sure if that's reason or anxiety talking. 
**Also, I second the above post by WildeThing. Don't let those unfunded MA punks exploit you; you're worth more than that 

Hi, postcolonialist here. Turned down Rutgers two days ago. 

Accepted off the waitlist at UBC!

What's the etiquette on declining offers? Are you expected to say why you are declining, where you are going... And should you inform faculty who have taken the time to speak to you? 

Hope all are doing well. I've not been accepted anywhere and have four schools to hear back from. I hope that good news still awaits. I tried my hardest this cycle (my second cycle of applying) and am still waiting it out. I'm glad that some other folks have been accepted and have the chance to continue to a doctoral program. Wishing the best for all!

I emailed Professor Siraj Ahmed (who quickly replied) and I also turned down my offer via the portal. Not sure about their turnaround time but I hope you finally get in! 

I just want to say that I was on this forum last year, and many (many!) talented people were shutout. This year, the positivity has been overwhelming, and it’s been great seeing so many active people on here get good news! You’re all clearly very talented, and I’m sure that you’ll produce stellar work and go on to distinguished careers!
 
And, for those who are receiving (or have already received) the unfortunate shutout: I’ve been there before; this is my third cycle. My first year, I was completely shutout. My second year was the first pandemic cycle, where offers were scarce and hard to come by. I had an offer, but I turned it down because I knew it wasn’t right for me. This year, I’ve so far received one acceptance, and I’m on the waitlist for my top choice. I’m also still waiting on two decisions. I suppose what I’m saying is that good things will come to you—I’m sure of it! Don’t look at this cycle as failure; look at it as a means of bettering yourself and coming back stronger than ever!

I would not listen to this advice. Once you’re in there is no difference between being a direct admit or an off-the-waitlist person. There’s a lot of reasons why you might be waitlisted one place and accepted another and it’s not necessarily a matter of fit. Do not take yourself off a waitlist unless you are sure you would not take their offer anyway. 
To the original question, you can and should email them to say that you are still interested but that you have another offer and ask if they can give you any more information (e.g. is the waitlist ranked or by area? where do you stand on it? are they waiting on many responses or have most people accepted already? do they expect to hear back or respond to you by a certain date (e.g. after visit days), etc.). None of these answers will actually help you get in (nor will having another offer) but at least you’ll have some info.
If you have a strong sense that you might take the waitlist offer if it is made, I would just hold on until the deadline (and follow up with the waitlist). The other school knows this is a thing and will respect it. There is still more than a month to go and often waitlist movement happens at the very end.

Thank you, that's very kind of you. Congrats again--I hope you're enjoying your victory lap!

Very early morning email of an acceptance with funding and insurance! Still waiting on my first choice to let me know about the waitlist. The email said that I should let them know if I have questions in the meantime—any suggestions?