jprmacdonald

Excellent, though bummer about Berkeley if that was your top choice. You should add your Stanford acceptance to the results page. Who is your person of interest at Stanford?

Well I hope you are one of the acceptees! Are you philology or history or arch? Also, do you know whether Penn has sent out responses?

Out of curiosity, when did they send out acceptances? Email or phone?

splendora - Mommsen was apparently never without a book, got up at 5am and worked diligently all the livelong day...same way as most experts! You've got to have the ability to day so...like Semper, I teach high school. 5 classes + grading + planning as a new teacher = minimal time, especially when you factor in 2 hours of commuting. That's why we apply to grad school, I suppose...this way I can get up at 6am and read theory in the morning, Greek in the afternoon, and Latin at night!

Hi! I've been accepted w/ funding to the Classics and Theory program...I've decided to accept for a couple reasons. First, I am on the waitlist for funding at a couple other institutions (Chicago and Cincinnati), and I don't want to risk waiting and hoping. However, I've realized since my interests in Classics swerve toward using theory in criticism but also how classics underpins alot of our theory, I think UCSB is a better place for me to be regardless of funding. My question for you all is...is it really necessary to visit? They'll help me pay for it, but I have terrible paranoia regarding planes AND my job (teacher) won't give me the time off, so the only time I have is Easter. I know Santa Barbara is beautiful but expensive. I'm 22 and single, so I would hopefully be able to get a room in the San Clemente villa. Further, the reviews and anecdotes I have heard about the Classics department are all incredibly positive, and the program is certainly the right fit. AHhhhhh! Anyway I appreciate any input, and hopefully I will meet some of you in the coming year!

Urbs - I'm interested in this too. I've talked to some grad students I met while interviewing at Chicago, and they spoke pretty highly of Cincinnati's philology department. One of the Chi professors mentioned their strength in Republican and Augustant lit in particular, and I know that Holt Parker does some great work in ancient lit/gender and so forth. I applied there this year for two reasons: I lean towards comp-lit and try to incorporate a lot of theory in my writing, and I thought Prof. Parker could be a great mentor in that area. However, I think the hallmark of Classics is its textual and philological rigor; Dr. Gotoff seems like a good person from whom I could become a better textual and philological critic. And in fact, since what I really want to focus on is the development of the concept of a "literary text" through the metaliterary metaphors of voice and loom in Augustan poetry, I think it could be a good place to study...now i just have to get accepted!

I figured I can't be the only one going nuts this month, and we need a place to rant, to rave, to celebrate ups and downs. On a positive note, congrats to everyone who has received offers of admission so far. For those of you who haven't...I feel you. My big rant right now is...how did I get into Chicago (but waitlisted for funding) yet waitlisted also by UCSB and, worse (since this was my top choice), outright rejected by WashU? Here's how I see myself. I have a B.A. in Classical Literature, with 8 semesters of Latin and 4 semesters of Greek. I went to a decent liberal arts college (one of the "7 sisters"), graduated with a 3.95 GPA. My GRE was 1490, 770V/720Q. According to my writers, my recs were all very positive; one of them was from a pretty well-known ancient philosophy prof at Oxford, where I did my JYA, the other two were from my UG advisor and a woman with whom I took Lit-Theory courses (I'm applying to programs that specialize in Classics and Theory) My research proposal aimed to study the development of the idea of "a text" in the Augustan poets by analyzing the interplay of images of speech and weaving (hence textum). I think that there is a strong metaliterary/self-referential element to the Aeneid which stresses its own textuality, and as we know, Vergil clearly assumes a deep knowledge of previous epic poetry (as well as lyric and Alexandrian poetry). I suppose I put Vergil in the position of James Joyce - someone who writes not in order to be read but in order to be studied. Anyway...that's my rant. It's hard not to take rejections personally; I realize it is useless to invest one's sense of self-worth in this process, but how can you not take a rejection as "sorry, you're not good enough." As a final question...how many of us applied to graduate programs to escape the economy? I have a decent job, which I could have next year and the year after no problem. Quite a few of my friends who've lost jobs in the private sector are now looking to get into PhD programs, as if "I can't get a job in finance; I guess I'll do a History Phd" is their thought. Thoughts? rants? concerns?

Not me, congrats to whomever did receive admission...I'm certainly jealous (but also kinda hoping that the mail from Seattle to Boston takes a bit longer than usual)

Elizabeth - good to hear; I emailed the department and they said its all set, the grad dept didnt update the file or something.

Semper congrats, those are fantastic results either way. Has anybody heard from U Washington? That's my top choice and I recently discovered that on the website it lists my transcripts as "not yet received..." A little bit disturbing, especially since it seems Brown already sent out its first round, and I have heard nothing either way from them. Oh well...good luck!

Anyone heard any news? I'll volunteer first: I've been waitlisted for funding at U Chicago..due to the current economic crisis. It's good to be acknowledged to sort-of merit something...and honestly, I really hope this means U-Washington will make me an offer, since that is the program I want to study in the most. I hope things are going well for everyone who checks this forum; I have no one besides you all to share the ups and downs of this process with.

Nike - Good to hear that. I've already been invited for 3rd round interviews at one of the universities to which I applied, and now that I am waiting to hear the final word, I am starting to freak out about the other schools. best of luck to everyone

I know this sounds foolish...but what exactly does it mean to be on a "short shortlist"? I heard from Chicago today that I was shortlisted and invited out there next week, but my family and I (first-generation college grad) have no idea what that means. Anyone been through this process before? Thanks!

Hi all - I have a problem which is probably not unique but here goes: One of my recommender's forgot to send in her letters. To all but my safety schools. Has anyone else applied before and been in such a situation? I only ever hear about how harsh graduate schools are when it comes to these deadlines, no matter how good the applicant. Should I pretty much accept that at best I will be attending my safeties? (Nothing wrong with that, but they were not my first choices).

Dudgeonmaster - What college did you take your degree from? I did my JYA at Worcester in 06-07, just wondering.