Jump to content

papillon

Members
  • Posts

    31
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by papillon

  1. I still have not heard a peep from UVA, and my status on the website is not updated. I have an acceptance from another program that I am very excited about, but the funding is not great, so I would like to know all of my options before committing. Do you think it would be reasonable to contact UVA to inquire about my status? If I am rejected, I would like to know so that I can figure out housing and what not for next year. Then again, it seems like my status would be updated on the website if they had made a decision.
  2. Yes, same. I also got an email yesterday, with an attachment with all the program information.
  3. And public high schools! A nice bonus for us high school teachers. Also, I don't mean to make anyone nervous, but it looks like they notified on a Friday evening last year, so it seems possible that those accepted might hear something tonight.
  4. Never mind, just got the email about the visiting weekend!
  5. Hm, I still do not have an update about visiting days...and I also did not get the previously discussed email about when decisions would be out. Did those of you who got info about visiting actually receive an email, or just check the MyWisc site? Seems like I might not be on a mailing list or something.
  6. Marginalia - does that mean that you got some info about a visiting weekend? And just in general, have any of the other admits heard anything from the school besides the congratulations message on the MyWisc site? I'm thrilled to have been admitted, but a little anxious to get some more info. It seems strange that the department has not been in contact with the exception of the website message.
  7. Yep, mine too! Yay! Can't wait to get some more information about visiting, funding, etc.
  8. Yeah, sure. (This wasn't my post that you replied to, but I figured you meant anyone who got that same message.) I applied for the literary studies track planning to specialize in modern to contemporary American lit with a focus on gender studies. As for stats, my GREs were 720 V, 800 Q, 5.0 Analytical Writing, and 720 Literature Subject. Undergrad GPA 3.97, no graduate work. No publications for English (I have one in a Chemistry journal, but I don't think that helped at all.) Highest honors on my undergrad thesis, and several awards in the department. My writing sample was an excerpt from my undergrad thesis, and my recommendations were all from professors I knew very well and had worked with closely. I finished my BA last year and have been teaching full time since then. Hope this is helpful and/or informative. Best of luck, murkyama, with this whole process!
  9. Thank you for the congratulations, and same to you!! I couldn't believe my eyes either. I saw it while I was at work, and I definitely didn't get anything else done for the rest of the day! Thanks, intextrovert, for your insight. That quells any remaining doubts, and I can now celebrate wholeheartedly! Good luck to anyone who is still waiting to hear!
  10. Yes, I have the exact same message. It still says pending as my status, but I did take that message to mean that I had been or would soon be admitted. I believe that once the program makes their decisions, they have to send that list to the director of graduate studies of something for approval (make sure everyone meets GRE minimums or something). I don't think you have to worry--I can't imagine they would put "recommended for admission" and then NOT admit you. At least, that is what I'm thinking/hoping. I'm already counting my chickens. Maybe that's not a great idea, but I can't help it. I'm already ecstatic.
  11. I think that I'm just going to wait it out until the 14th, and then if I haven't heard anything, I'll contact them. I know that a bureaucratic reason is more rational, but it is making me think that those of us who didn't get an email might be on some kind of unspoken waitlist or something. It seems like the only reason why we wouldn't be finding out at the same time as everyone else. But actually I have no idea.
  12. Yep, same here. It brings up the screen with all of my application materials with check marks next to them, and at the bottom there is the inbox with the one email from the 29th, but just the one email.
  13. Yeah, the email about the 14th is not in MyWisc either, just the previous one from December 29th. Trust me, I've checked that website about a million times!
  14. I also applied for lit, and did not get that email about the 14th, but I did get the email back in December that once and future grad mentioned. That's strange. You would think we would all get the same emails. Hm. Hope it's nothing. And that we all find out soon, and I can stop worrying that it's not nothing.
  15. I think that they give low-end requirements for language study/undergrad major in their FAQ section in order to avoid discouraging exceptional but nontraditional applicants from applying. Those application requirements do not mean that they are likely to accept people with little language study or a non-English background; it just means that they theoretically could accept someone who showed great potential but lacked some of the standard preparation. As for the Literature GRE, if that is the test you are referring to, many schools are beginning to question its value as an indicator of graduate success. The fact that they do not require it does not mean they are not selective, but rather that they do not think of it as a useful tool. Many top programs do not require the test--Vanderbilt, Brown, Wisconsin, etc. If you are trying to decide when to apply, however, I would not recommend making that decision based on whether you think you will get in. Instead, I would recommend making that decision based on whether or not you feel ready to commit to a PhD program at this point in your academic and personal life. In other words, do you have a clear idea of what you want to specialize in? Which scholars you would like to work with? Are you ready to live in one city for 5 to 7 years, supporting yourself with a graduate stipend? Are you willing to commit yourself to very serious and time-consuming study for 5-7 years, knowing that it is very difficult to get a job in academia even after successfully completing your PhD? If not, then go for the MA and use that as a time to develop your interests, better understand your own goals, and improve your application. If you do feel ready for the PhD, then do your research, find programs that are truly good fits, and don't let the possibility of not getting in stop you. Best of luck with the whole application process!
  16. A 720 is a fantastic score, in any field. Even if you were able to score higher on a retake, I doubt it would make any difference to the adcomms. You are already in the top 2% of test takers. You should definitely not spend a second worrying about that score, for admissions or for fellowships.
  17. Hey everyone, I looked at some example CVs, and several included an "extracurriculars" category. Does this mean only extracurricular activities that are directly related to your field of study? That is what I assumed, but I have a lot of experience with volunteer tutoring, teaching English in Honduras, etc, and I just wanted to check before leaving that off. Thanks for your help!
  18. This is just my humble opinion, but I am currently applying after taking a year off and I am so, so glad I decided to wait. I am seriously considered applying last year but couldn't handle the enormous amount of time required for the applications while trying to write a thesis and do well in my classes and enjoy my senior year. Obviously, do what you feel, but I just wanted to throw in my two cents, which is that it is so much easier and less stressful to apply the year after you graduate. I have been able to save some money, I am using my very thoroughly edited thesis as my writing sample so I don't have worry about that, I had time to study for and do well on the GREs, I had the summer to research schools and faculty members I wanted to work with, etc. Plus, I've just had some time to think about what it is I really want to study and where I really see myself living for the next several years. Last year I felt overwhelmed and underprepared, and this year I feel excited and certain that this is what I want to do. That is, of course, just my personal experience, but don't count out the possibility of taking a year away from school. It can be really helpful! Good luck with this process and with your senior year!
  19. You can write all over the test, and definitely should! Just make sure to be careful with bubbling your answer if you do skip questions. I also answered almost all questions on the first time through, and then had about 20 minutes at the end to work on the 30 or so questions I left blank. I did skip a few passages that I took one look at and didn't feel like dealing with (i.e. middle English...) and all of those questions, and then went back to them at the end. I don't think it would be a good idea to skip some of the questions on a passage though. The main thing that takes up time is reading the passage, so once you have read one, it's a good idea to answer all the questions, even if you aren't sure. You don't want to have to go back and read the passage again. Most of all, don't stress! It's a marathon of a test, but if you stay focused and use all of the time available, you will be fine. Good luck tomorrow!
  20. Thank you all for your advice. None of the programs I am applying to states specifically that they do not accept subject test scores, so I think I'm just going to send them, and it can't hurt. Thanks again, and good luck everyone in this crazy process!
  21. Hello all! I am applying to several English PhD programs, and a few of them do not require the Subject GRE. I was not planning on sending my Subject test scores to those schools, but I got my scores back and did better than I expected (720). Should I send that score even though it is not required by the schools? I don't want to send information the adcomms don't want/care about, but I also don't want to leave out something that might strengthen my applications. Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks very much for your help!
  22. Hey everyone! Would anyone be willing to read and critique my SOP? I am applying to English PhD programs, hoping to specialize in 20th Century American women's writing and Feminist Theory. I am on my second draft of the statement now, but I'm having a tough time critiquing my own writing. Any help/criticism/suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks!
  23. I am also applying to English PhDs for the first time, so although I am no expert, I would be happy to help. Would you mind looking over my SOP as well? It's also in the rough draft stage, but I've gotten to the point where I can't figure out what would make it better and what would make it worse. I would love a second opinion!
  24. I'm applying to 11 English PhD programs, and I would say they are all basically "fit" schools, not really dream schools or safety. I feel like it is almost impossible to qualify PhD programs as such, since the numbers (GRE scores, GPA) carry so little weight in the admission decision. If it was just based on numbers, I guess I would have one school that might be considered a safety, and the rest good fits, but it really depends on how they feel about my SOP and writing sample. It is a lot of money, but I graduated last year and am teaching full time now, so I don't have to try to do it on a college student's budget. As for LORs, I would recommend just asking the three professors who you think will write the best letter. The majority of their time is spent writing the letter itself, and it is not too much more work for them to send that letter to 10 or 11 schools. Therefore, you actually create more total work by asking four professors to write letters for you if you only need three. Plus, it's complicated to figure out which profs will write for which schools. I would recommend just asking the three you feel most strongly about; if you have done research with a professor or an honors thesis or something, definitely ask that professor to write for you. Otherwise, just pick the ones you think will write the most glowing praise of you.
  25. It was actually more than 3 years ago, because graduated from college in the spring. I appreciate the advice from both of you!
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use