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Their website says they have offered funding to about one-third of first year MAs in the past (and a smaller number of second-years...which I find kind of alarming, but oh well). It's also interesting that they post their admissions stats on their website - last year they admitted 51% of applicants.

Not necessarily. Today I got an email acceptance from another MA program, and they offered me funding in the email.

Good to know, thank you!

Just wondering if anyone's been in contact with Georgetown's MA about when/how (email? mail?) we can expect to hear from them. I see from the results board that last year they let people know around the end of the month.

Thanks, I've been wondering about this too (MA applicant). Just FYI, I emailed with current students before I applied and they told me there is NO departmental funding for first-year MA students--at least, there wasn't last year--though 2nd year funding (12k last year) is pretty much guaranteed through teaching freshman comp. I guess I just applied hoping that I might magically get some funding, though, because their faculty looks really great for my interests.

You may be right! I don't know much about the school, so I was just making a wild guess. It was a voice mail.

I got the exact same call, and I assumed it was going to everyone -- it just sounded like she was reciting a script. I thought it was a little odd though--why send info like this now, when we haven't gotten in yet? Maybe they aren't that selective. I dunno.

Thanks! I think you are right. I didn't know that many/most schools have recruitment events...that's good to hear.

A grad program that admitted me is flying me up to visit in a few weeks. Because I live far away and will likely not be in the area again, it seems logical to extend the trip and visit other nearby schools to which I've applied. But I haven't heard back from those schools yet, and according to the results board from last year, I won't know until quite a bit later. So my question is: Is it in bad taste to visit a school before I've been admitted? I was under the impression that visiting before you apply is OK, as is visiting after you're admitted...but not now. If it is OK to visit, what's the protocol for this? Lurk around on my own, or can I email the grad director or a current student and meet with somebody? Or maybe those schools have their own recruitment events later on and would pay for me to attend if I got in....I have no idea. so hard to plan! Can anyone share their own experience with this?

Aren't there some schools that favor their own MA graduates for admission into the PhD? I wonder if Delaware might be one of those, and maybe that could explain the lack of PhD acceptances posted on the board.

Has anyone who was accepted received more info on the recruitment weekend next month? Dr. Larkin mentioned it on the phone, but my acceptance letter did not offer any details. I'd like to make travel plans soon.

That is crazy! I'm glad I didn't apply there. I had considered professional writing programs, but I couldn't find any that fully funded.

oh, a little of everything, haha. Modernism, contemporary US fiction, ecocrit, and literature about immigration (especially Latin American/border issues) are things that sparked my interest in undergrad, but I could see it totally changing. That's sort of the whole reason I applied to MAs rather than PhDs--because I'm still interested in everything : )

I was the other Delaware acceptance yesterday. I assumed they were calling to say something was missing from my application, so it was a very pleasant surprise! I probably sounded like an idiot on the phone, I was so shocked. Looking forward to the recruitment weekend in March.

I am certainly not qualified to dispense much advice here, as I'm just an MA lit applicant myself, but here are two ideas I found helpful in my search: 1. Do informational interviews. They're really great! Reach out to current Rhet/Comp PhD students, writing center directors, professors, etc., and ask if they wouldn't mind sharing their experiences. Phone or in-person interviews are best, but email works too. Ask thoughtful questions about the issues you are struggling with and seek their insight. 2. If you think you might regret not applying, and you can bear the financial and personal cost of working on applications, then apply! Last year (my senior year in college), I struggled with whether or not to apply, and decided to wait a year. This year, I still felt conflicted and lacking in confidence, but when I asked myself "If I don't apply this fall, will I regret it come spring?" the answer was definitely yes. I don't know where I will end up going or if this is a good decision for my long-term future...but I'm glad that I at least threw my hat into the ring, because if I hadn't I would have always wondered "what if." You can always apply and not go. The only losses are financial (applying is expensive...probably around $400 total cost for me, with expensive GRE stuff and application fees) and the time spent working on your application. And don't read the Chronicle of Higher Education TOO much. It gets a bit depressing (articles with headlines like "MA in English, Will Mow Lawns," etc). Also, this is kind of random, but I work at UT-Austin currently (though not in the English department) so if you have any general questions about the school I might be able to help with those.

I tested at a Prometric center and though they were very strict (searched my pockets, etc), they allowed me to access my locker during my break to eat a granola bar and drink water. Just politely tell them you feel sick and it's absolutely necessary and maybe they will take pity on you.

I really have no idea (which is a big part of why I did not feel ready for PhD programs!), but my writing sample was on 20th century fiction and my personal statement somehow tied together Latin American lit, foodways studies, gender studies and contemporary poetry. I've also done a lot of teaching/tutoring and am really interested in experiential writing pedagogies. I have no idea if I will get in anywhere...haha.

I'm applying only to MA programs: Oregon, Delaware, Vermont, Portland State University, UMass-Boston, Villanova, Georgetown, University of Houston. Had I realized earlier on how bad the funding situation was, I might have applied to PhDs with the intention of leaving after the MA...oh well. I really didn't feel ready to apply to PhDs. I'm guessing those programs do have lots of applicants, but they just aren't lurking on this forum as much.

One of my best literature profs in college earned a master's in Chemistry before switching to English. An unusual path to be sure, but he made it work for him (and got his Phd from a top program). I actually kind of noticed it in his teaching--he had a very meticulous, evidence-based approach to literary analysis.

Thanks, good to know! I just submitted my Georgetown application five minutes ago...haha. It's my first choice, but probably a long shot for me. I hope we both get in with funding : )

Does anyone know how likely MA programs in English are to allow admitted students to defer for a year? I won't have to worry about this until the spring, obviously (if I get in at all), but I'm already wondering about it. The main reason I would consider deferring would be to work another year and save more money, especially if I don't get a good funding package (which seems likely...of the 8 schools I've applied to, only one offers full funding to all MA students - the rest fund only a portion). A friend of mine has deferred his admittance to Harvard law for two years for this same reason, and they were very accommodating about it. But would it be a totally different story with MA programs? I really don't want to go into debt.

Thanks, I just called and got a machine--apparently their office closes at 2:30pm. What kind of big flagship university English department isn't open until 5pm? Oh well. I sent another email to Mr. Unresponsive grad secretary. This is just frustrating because I'm trying to do all I can to make sure my materials are in on time, but they aren't making it easy for me to find that out.

So my first application is due December 15th, and I submitted it online the day before yesterday (the 6th). Although the program should have received my GRE scores, official transcript, and rec letters by now (all were mailed in a few weeks ago), the "check your application status" website says they haven't received any of those yet, so I'm a little concerned. I don't know though...my GRE scores were sent to the department (I think so at least - when I sent them online at the ETS website it made me specify the department), not the graduate admissions office, so maybe that's why they're not showing up. Is it OK for me to call and ask at this point? I guess I feel especially nervous because the graduate secretary, when I talked to him on the phone once before, was really rude and brusque with me, like he didn't want to be bothered. He didn't answer my email with a question a few weeks ago, so I'm guessing I shouldn't try that again. What is the etiquette for this?

thank you! this is great.