bfat

Okay, I've got a real one... "For some reason my major is listed as science. I'm not studying science, I'm studying film." Saw that degree being saught was "Bachelor of Science." True story.

I helped out in the grad admissions office of the university where I work last year, and I know that Peoplesoft (which many schools use) has a field for "reason for rejection" that is mandatory--anyone in admissions should be able to view this field and tell you that info over the phone if they're using Peoplesoft. However, the categories are really generic: "Insufficient GPA," "Insufficient test scores," "Space limitations," etc., which probably isn't helpful, since all the really competetive programs usually just default to "space limitations." But most ad coms probably do list a "reason," even if it's very generic.

Here are Yale's unbelievably depressing statistics: http://www.yale.edu/graduateschool/admissions/departments.html And the bulletin for English, specificaly: http://www.yale.edu/graduateschool/academics/profiles/englishlanguagelit.pdf

Can I just say that I love this?

For many people--those who have both a BA and an MA in English--these may be an "extra" 2 years. But for me, they are essentially the only 2 years, since my (cough) 5 years of undergrad were in a different area of study. Instead, I feel like I'm at a double disadvantage--not having the 4 years of undergrad study in English AND being held to a higher standard. A blanket statement/philosophy like "all MA holders should be held to higher standards" seems a bit unfair, since everyone's backgrounds are different.

Okay, this is the most goddamned depressing thing I've ever read in my life. I think maybe I should just give up now... My BA is in a different field, so I did very little--okay make that no work in literature as an undergrad. I tested out of all the writing and English requirements, based on HS classes and AP scores. The whole reason I came back for an MA was to build a background in English because I don't have one (it's in film--related, but certainly not the same thing). But instead of 4 years worth of reading, I will have 1.5, and a lot of it will be required courses in adjacent fields like history and philosophy that won't help these numbers for me at all. I'll be applying to study film/literature and theory in English departments, but I know for a fact that my Lit GRE score will be scraping the bottom of the barrel next year. The only thing I can think of that might help me is that I won't actually have earned the MA when I'm applying--I'll be midway through my thesis, so my "highest degree" will still be a BA. Also, my MA is in "Humanities," not English (the university where I work doesn't offer an MA in English, and I'm just working through the program to help with my application). UGH. I feel like every day I learn something more discouraging. I was doing this program to HELP my chances, not to make the process more difficult... Head, meet wall.

I second the recommendation for a simple math workbook. All of the math concepts are things that are standard in a middle school (or, at the latest, freshman or sophomore year in h.s.) curriculum, so there's a good chance it's hiding in the back of your brain somewhere. The workbooks are good at reminding you how to do that stuff and pointing out the little tricks. I got the Kaplan one, and it's very thorough, but not as good at teaching the mnemonics and tricks--Princeton Review is better for that. Good luck!

I'll be applying next year to Yale in the Film program, which can be combined with American Studies--I was debating combining it with either Am. St. or English, but after looking at some of the student profiles for American Studies (and also the course offerings), I'm doing English instead... soooo intimidating.

I'm not applying until next fall, so I hope it's okay if I still participate... But I am kind of obsessed with Cornell. Went on "vacation" to Ithaca last summer (i.e. secretly to stalk the campus and the English department) and I love everything about it. I have a friend in the program there, so I plan to go back this semester to hang out with her and hopefully stalk meet some more of the faculty. She's actually suggested applying to work at Cornell if I don't get in (since I work at a university now), and then reapplying... I know I should keep my options open and try to get more excited about the other programs I'll be applying to (which are all still really good, and I'd be lucky to attend), but I'm afraid this is becoming a fixation.

LOL I know this is just a pronunciation thing, but saying words this way does sound pretentious as hell. And while I realize that ending a sentence with a preposition is no longer considered grammatically incorrect, it can still be wrong. Every time I hear "Where's it at?" I die a little inside. Same with seeing your in place of you're.

Since it sounds like you have tastes similar to mine, I'm gonna suggest Veronica Mars, Fringe, Supernatural, Dollhouse, or The Dead Zone (and of course Firefly and Angel, but I'm sure you've seen those already). I also just finished watching Buffy all the way through for the third time.

Thanks, that's good to know--I'm not really a fan of round pencils, and it sucks that the paper is blue (is it regular 8.5x11 at least?), but at least I'll be a little more prepared about what to expect. Ugh. Test anxiety.

I know this thread is old, but I thought I'd post here instead of opening a new one. I'm actually curious about the types of pencils that they give you for the GRE--I'm weridly picky about my pencils and I usually only like mechanical ones. For non-mechanical, I freak out if the point isn't super sharp (lol, OCD I know). So what's the pencil sitch? Is anyone else weird like me?

I would think it would depend on how the quote was used in the SOP. For example, if it's an introductory paragraph where you're explaining your general philosophy toward academics or education, it could be useful. But if you're getting into nitty gritty over-specificity in what you want to study, quoting an author may weigh down your paper as overly-academic (that's what your writing sample is for), rather than a personal statement--I'd stick to "I'd like to explore the ideas of Zizek as they apply to _____" rather than a direct quote. But that's just my opinion.

Butt clenches at your desk? Seriously, though, it's hard to find the time. I have a full-time desk job while working on my MA, and I keep telling myself I'll get up earlier and exercise... then I realize that it's still dark at 6 a.m. and my willpower just isn't that strong. Having dogs actually helps though--they need a walk at least twice a day, so I get one too.

Uh... is this a joke? No wonder Charlie was too intimidated to post. O_o

I can definitely understand your frustration. The ladder up the tower is slippery, and the rungs are far apart, and there are many many flaming hoops to jump through on the way up, and there's a troll asking riddles who will shove you off if you hesitate before answering, and hundreds of highly qualified folks behind you waiting for you to fall. And even if you make it, you'll still end up making less money than a used-car salesman. It sucks a big fat hairy one. The system is really broken, and I blame a lot of it on our flailing educational system. Everyone needs to go to college these days, and they all need to take English classes, so we clearly need good professors and good scholars. It seems like a noble and reasonable goal for someone who loves school and studying and their field of interest to want to continue on and bring that love to the next generation, or even use that knowledge in a different way. And yet it requires Herculean mental efforts and no small amount of luck to even earn the possibility of reaching that point. While public education systems are desperate for teachers, colleges get a hundred applications for 1 job... I don't fully understand how or why the system is broken, but it just feels wrong. So I feel your pain... now back to the rat race.

Thanks for the encouragement--I know that there's still hope, it's just hard not to get upset when I know it would be easier if I had a more "prestigious" degree, that admissions committees would look at my application differently. With all the social changes of the last 50 years, you'd think that a little more of this elitism would have been alleviated by now. It's ironic that academia, one of the most "liberal" aspects of our society, clings to its old conservative ways so tightly. Boo.

Either way, I'm screwed. I think this will be my biggest hurdle--overcoming the "prestige" factor--when applying for a PhD next year. And it's really unfair. I did wonderfully in high school, had a 3.98 GPA, 1750 SATs, got into my dream school (a top-tier, large, private university)... and had to leave after 1 semester because I simply couldn't afford it, despite the nice financial aid package I got. My parents are blue-collar workers with 6 children, and banking institutions wouldn't even allow them to cosign, had I wanted to take out the more than $100 grand it would have cost for 4 years at the school I was attending. So my degree is from a crappy state school that I attended while living at home. I guess, technically, it's my fault for thinking I could afford to go to that dream school, but I was 18 and everyone told me to "follow my dreams." I probably could have gotten a better award or a full ride from another "good" school, but I was hell-bent on the one that I wanted and I took that acceptance and ran... until I hit a financial brick wall. It was humbling, and I grew a lot as a person because of it, but still... it seems like it might come back to kick me in the ass next year.

The whole point of the GRE is that it's "standardizing"--across all fields--and it's a test of "reasoning" not math or verbal skills. It's not asking "how good are you at math and English?" it's asking "how good are you at figuring out how to take this test?" Which is why it requires (at least some) preparation, no matter how good you are at either math or verbal. Theoretically, everyone should have the "skills" required of the math section (since we all learned them in middle school or high school), but it's testing our ability to remember them and plug them into the tricky, obnoxious questions thrown at you by the test. I think the whole thing is BS, not to mention cruel, since it doesn't really give any indication whatsoever of how someone will do in graduate school, but it does measure how willing/able most people are to learn/relearn pointless skills that are required of them (like good little lemmings), which may be an idicator of... something? Maybe our desire and drive for grad school based on our willingness to do this crap? That's my theory anyway.

Minnesota has the same requirement for the American Studies program. They say they're looking for "A statement of distinctive qualities, characteristics, and life experiences you would bring to the ______ graduate program and to the education of fellow students." As oppposed to the statement of purpose, which should contain "relevant goals and experiences and how these would be served by a PhD..." blah blah blah. So to me, it seems like the "Personal Statement," for this program at least, is the "selling yourself" essay, talking about how you're awesome and different from all the other candidates.

I won't be applying until next fall (since I won't finish my MA until next December), but if all goes well, I plan to study 20th C American literature and film, with an emphasis on cultural studies and theory (bridging between film and literature--especially postmodernism, psychoanalysis, and feminist theory).

Yeah, that whole "list all post-secondary schools" thing is bugging me too--I technically went to 4 different schools, but all of that coursework (including class names and grades) is on my final transcript from the school where I got my degree. And one of the schools was a study abroad--I have no clue how to go about requesting a transcript from that school. Would these schools expect them anyway? Grrr...

There is no point! It's just EEEEVIIILLLL! Seriously, especially considering the fact that most schools (at least the ones I'm looking into) say that they "welcome students with diverse academic backgrounds," and offer an interdisciplinary approach to studying English. But all us poor schlubs who didn't major in literature have to cram all this stuff into our heads for ONE DAY of testing. Lit GRE= the most stressful exam ever created by man. Guh.

Hi Wondercat, You said you'd like to teach--and if you want to be a professor, you would definitely need a PhD, which would take many years and jobs are not guaranteed, especially in the social sciences. If you have a family to consider, I would definitely think about doing a teaching degree, something like an MAT maybe, with a specialization in secondary ed, social sciences. Many of these programs can be done in a single (intensive) year, and there is certainly a need for good high school teachers out there. This would open up the job market for you, and you could then consider continuing on for higher degrees, but you'd have good teaching experience under your belt. The life of a high school teacher isn't for everyone, and maybe isn't as "prestigious" as being a professor, but there are more jobs and many people find it rewarding. Also, being able to complete the degree in a shorter time, you could get loans that would be easier to pay off. Just $.02, from someone who works at a university with strong focus on education programs. -b