caffeinated librarian

I just wanted to add to what others have said and state that it is absolutely not your fault. This guy is an ass and has no business in academia. He should be invested in you as a student because it's his job and it's the right thing to do. If you end up making a name for yourself in your field, that is a boost for his reputation. What. An. Ass.

I think most schools tell you how you can track your application materials. Two of my schools allowed applicants to track materials online, while the other two sent e-mail updates. Of course, one school that sends e-mail updates notified me three days before the deadline that my undergrad transcript never arrived. They did allow me to send in an unofficial transcript until the official one arrives. I also have had other schools notify me that my application was incomplete, while at others I would just be SOL. I think it depends on the school, the size of the staff, and the number of applications. At places where they get 400 applications, I don't think it would be possible to notify every applicant when something was missing.

You suggested that I was mocking posters who were worried about their scores. I was simply pointing out that I was asking the same question that many other posters ask. Different people have different goals for the GRE. No big deal. I just don't like being accused of something that is absolutely false. blueellie, thanks for the reassurance. Although I have been through the application process before, it seems like this year has been filled with frustration. As soon as I stop panicking needlessly over the GRE, I find out someone lost my transcripts. As soon as I resolve the transcript mess, one of my recommenders asks me when the letters are due. (Tomorrow.) At several points this week I've almost just given up and decided that it wasn't meant to be this year.

There was nothing in my post to indicate insincerity or mocking. In a five minute span, I found out my AWA score and found out that my transcripts were missing. My deadlines are on the 15th. Who wouldn't panic? There are hundreds if not thousands of "evaluate my stats posts" or "Oh my God, I got a X on the GRE when I expected Y." Everyone's situation is different, and everyone - including myself - is hoping that someone here can offer some hope or, at the very least, a more objective eye. How many people complain that they were in the 98th percentile instead of the 99th? Everyone has different goals for the GRE. There is nothing wrong with that. I'm amazed at the engineers on here who fret over getting a 760Q, but I don't say anything because it's not my field and I don't know what the expectations are. Just because a 760Q would be my dream score doesn't mean that it isn't someone else's nightmare. KirotBeiti, thanks for the encouraging words. Your verbal score is awesome, and I don't think any adcomm can see the 4 as anything but a fluke. (And thanks for the advice on the transcripts. I checked, and two of my schools say that everything has to be postmarked by the 15th. The other two say that everything has to be received by the 15th.) I think that's it. I definitely went for quality over quantity. My issue essay had the required number of paragraphs, but they were a little shorter. The argument essay was longer (and the stronger of the two.) I figured five good sentences that supported the points were better than eight mediocre sentences. Maybe the key is to do the opposite of everything I learned in college about writing a good paper. Anyway, I'm going to stop worrying about it. There isn't anything I can do. Hopefully, the rest of the application will balance it all out.

No, I'm not. I'm applying for an MA in English, so I should be able to write a 5 or a 6 essay. It looks odd that I didn't. I didn't prepare as much for the AWA as I did for the other sections, but I did prepare. The Argument Essay was even on a subject that I knew something about. I wish I knew the breakdown of the scores. There isn't much I can do now anyway. The applications are due on the 15th, so a retake isn't an option. I also found out that my undergraduate transcripts never arrived, so all but one of my applications will be incomplete. My undergrad institution refuses to overnight them (at my expense) and standard mail won't get them there fast enough. So, yeah, I'm screwed.

I took the GRE on the 23rd. I got a 650V, which I was okay with, and I got a 4.5 on the writing. I could cry. I thought I wrote two very strong essays, and I thought I would get a 6 on the argument essay. I was expecting a 5.5 or 5 total - not a 4.5. I'm applying for an MA in English. I have a 3.94 undergraduate GPA, and a master's in another field (Library Science.) My graduate GPA was 3.98. I also have a major conference presentation under my belt. Will the 4.5 kill my chances? Should I pay the money to have the essays rescored? Has anyone ever had their scores go up after requesting a rescore? Thanks in advance!

Thank you for the advice! Unfortunately, my English professors from undergrad aren't much help, and my master's degree is in another field. I went to school on the West Coast, and no one could tell me anything specific about Duquesne. As for your second suggestion, I think I'm going to just apply for the PhD and have another backup plan. Oddly enough, there are some TAships available for MA students at Duquesne. Realistically, I couldn't attend without funding anyway, so I should get another backup plan in place. I didn't think to contact TAs. That's a great suggestion, so thank you!

Hi everyone, Does anyone know anything about Duquesne's English department? I want to apply to their Ph.D program, and I'm wondering if they automatically consider applicants for the MA program. I don't have an MA in English, so I'd like to have that option if I don't get any acceptances this year. I e-mailed the department secretary, and I heard nothing back. I was hoping for an acknowledgement or a response telling me who to ask, but they never responded. I really like Duquesne, and I think I'd be really happy there. I just need some definite information before I check off "Ph.D" or "MA" on the application. Does anyone know anything about the department? Thanks!

I'd be happy to take a look!

I wouldn't care, but other people may feel differently. All graduate programs are different. Depending on the people in your program, you may have problems or you may not. If your program is very competitive, then your peers may believe your relationship is what got you into the program, not your work. I think it helps that your S.O. is not a professor at that university. I would recommend keeping your personal life and your student life separate. For example, if there is an event that is for students and faculty in the department, don't bring your S.O. even though he is in the same field. If you do, it may look like you are flaunting the relationship or using it to increase your status in the department. Conversely, if there is a casual event where students are welcome to bring family members and friends from outside the department, then bring him. I think the key is to remember that you are the graduate student here, and there is a teacher-student, faculty-mentor hierarchy that exists in graduate programs. By dating a faculty member from another university, you are straddling a fine line, and it may make your fellow students uncomfortable. If they want to complain about someone or something, they may hesitate to open up in your presence out of fear that it will travel back to the faculty in the department. Finally, I would discuss this issue with your boyfriend, since this also has implications for his reputation and career.

Thank you all for the very kind replies. I was expecting a response along the lines of "Are you nuts?" or "Who do you think you are to apply for a degree in this field?" So thank you. stormydown, I agree that I have some legwork to do. I do have a few things on my side. I took graduate level English courses in undergrad. When I graduated, I had a 3.98 GPA in my English courses and a 3.94 overall. I hope that counts for something. I think I have some relevant experience that would make me a good candidate for a Rhetoric and Comp program. I presented a paper at the 2006 NCTE national convention. The paper focused on censorship and literature, an area very important in librarianship. In my recent research, I've realized that there is some overlap in the research interests of librarians and rhetcomp folks. I do have experience teaching at the college level. I teach a three credit hour course on information literacy, which is focused heavily on writing. I spend about half of the semester teaching students to write papers. If I were to enter a Rhetoric and Composition program, I'd like to focus on the effects of plagiarism education on the writing process of students in first-year composition courses. If I were to go the literature route (which, honestly, is my first love,) my interests lie more in trauma theory/feminist theory in contemporary women's writing. Can I connect that to librarianship? I don't know if I can make a case for that. There may be too many people interested in feminist theory. It seems like almost everyone I graduated with in undergrad was in love with feminist theory. Thank you very much for your input!

I really feel for you, Medievalmaniac. When I was in undergrad, most of my professors told me not to go to grad school in the humanities unless I had funding. I listened (I thought) but when I actually was admitted into a program with no funding, I was so excited to get the acceptance that I couldnt' turn it down. It ended up being a huge, costly mistake. When I got in to program A, I ran into problems very similar to what you have been dealing with. I didn't connect with many of the students or the faculty. I really tried to make it work. Three semesters and approximately $30,000 in loans later, I gave up. I couldn't justify racking up more debt in a program where the faculty didn't seem to care if I was there or not. When it started to affect my marriage, I pulled the plug. Now, I still have to eventually pay back the loans for a program I didn't finish, and while some of the hours transferred, not all of them did, so that time is wasted. While I can appreciate robot hamster's suggestions for turning things around in a positive way, I do think you need to be practical, too. I would suggest sticking it out for the semester. Give yourself that one semester to adjust, and have a backup plan ready in case things don't change. You can leave after a semester and still have a shot at transferring those credit hours to another program. If you go beyond the 6 or 9 hours that most programs accept, you'll lose time and money. You don't have to start paying your loans back the day you leave the program. You should have at least six months to defer. Even if you wait beyond that and have to start paying back loans, that is better than racking up more debt for a program that you don't love. Yes, graduate school is challenging and stressful, but you need support - from your fellow students, your professors, and your family. If you don't have all three, then it may not be the right program or the right time. Don't compromise just because you think you have to get your degree right now. A better opportunity may be around the corner if you wait. I really wish that someone had told me in my first semester that it was okay to leave, that I didn't have to finish just because I started. I would have saved a lot of time and heartache. FWIW, I ended up in another program in a different field. I loved it. I got full-funding and connected with some great people - students and faculty - that to this day have been a great asset. Good luck, and keep us posted.

I wanted to get some opinions from everyone here on my situation. I have a B.A. in English from a good (but not Ivy) university and a Master of Library and Information Science. I am applying for doctoral programs in library science for Fall 2011. My problem is that while I like library science and librarianship, I feel pulled back to English. While I was getting my MLIS, a part of me wished I was getting an MA in English. I regret not going the English route, and I fear that I will end up in a doctoral program in library science still carrying that regret. My question for the board is: Is it possible to get into a Ph.D program in English (preferably literature, but I would consider some rhetoric and comp programs) with a masters in a field other than English? The programs I am considering are BA-to-Ph.D programs. None require an MA in English, but I am concerned that my MLIS will seem odd. There are ways to connect my MLIS to what I want to study as a doctoral student in English. I'm just wondering if adcoms will bother to consider me. Yes, I know the job market is flooded with English Ph.Ds. Yes, I know that my chances of getting anything more than an NTT position at Poduck State University are slim. However, I don't want to totally ignore where my heart is pulling me. Thanks in advance!

Does anyone know what job prospects are like for Ph.Ds in Library and Information Science? (As opposed to, say, English?)