voxanonyma

Well, friends, the last of my own applications are away. Fifteen in total. An exhausting process --- but hopefully one that bears sweet fruit in just a little while. It's incredible that we could start hearing back in less than month! Until then, I hope everyone gets a welcome break. Take some time for yourself, if you can, and rest.

Good luck!! Waiting is either the hardest or easiest part for applicants. It's out of your hands now either way - unless you get interviews, that is!

I'm applying to US-based ancient history and classical lit/phil programs. This is my last time going around through the cycle as I need to either settle into a PhD program or move on from the field for my own sanity and financial security. Right now I've got around sixteen programs in mind but that could well shrink significantly depending on what my advisor suggests is reasonable. I'm hopeful about my chances but you never know with this field. Looking forward to riding out the storm with you all!

Where do grad students with families live? The rents in Ithaca seem extortionate.

Hey all, how long typically do interviews run?

Congratulations on making that decision! For my part, I really, really want to commit to Michigan. I loved my visit there, and the support they are offering is truly incredible. I'm waiting to see what Cornell does, and I hope they tell people this week. NB that these are for their bridge MA programs, not PhDs (though Michigan carries that as part of the offer, not sure about Cornell anymore...). I know Michigan is a stronger program, but I have a few reasons I'd want to seriously think about Cornell too.

Heu! Misere(te) me. Waiting alone is bad enough, but it's so much worse when you know all the work you have to do and can only do after choosing a program... I really wish these departments would pick up the pace.

Yes, very true. Classics is such a small field that this happens often. There's obviously no guarantee ever that the waitlist moves, but the chances are far better than the waitlist for undergraduate admissions.

Has anyone on here heard anything about the RSI at Harvard? It's been radio silence from them. Not sure if they do interviews either.

That's really helpful to know about Cornell! I hope to hear from them in the next few weeks 😄 I think your initiative is a good one. If you haven't already seen these, they're what I referenced in previous cycles: https://livyarrow.org/2020/11/17/funded-mas-bridge-programs-and-pre-doctoral-fellowships-classics-and-related/ https://classicalstudies.org/awards-and-fellowships/awards-scholarships-and-fellowships-offered-us-classics-associations About Michigan, I was also confused by this at first. It's actually up to a a twelve-month program, but their semesters are not three full-length semesters. Their semesters within twelve months are: Fall (August - December), "Winter" (January - May), "Spring" (May - June), and "Summer" (July - August), and the program covers tuition for all four of those semesters as needed, but it seems their average is three of them (Fall - "Spring") to fulfill the degree requirements, which end with language exams in June, which you spend May studying for typically. The stipend is disbursed across those four semesters but it isn't fixed, meaning if you only need ten months to finish the program and receive your degree in June, you won't be eligible for summer funding, so most students opt to extend the degree even just formally through the summer (taking a modern language course, going abroad, etc.) to remain eligible for funding until August the next year, when they matriculate into the PhD program and become eligible for that stipend. Financially, right now it's a few thousand dollars below their PhD stipend, at about $34,000 annually, disbursed per my letter roughly: Fall $12,000, "Winter" $12,000, "Spring" $4,000, "Summer" $4,000. And there is also individual (non-competitive) travel funding for use during the year, and it sounds like there exist further sources of aid as needed. So it is quite substantial support, and I'm extremely thankful this has come through. I did hear from Princeton earlier today and unfortunately they did not admit me, but on the other hand this makes me feel a lot more like Michigan is where I'll go next year!

Interesting. I remember seeing that on Cornell's page, but they removed it last cycle, so I wonder if that's changed. Yes, Michigan carries a transfer to the PhD the following year assuming adequate progress. I'm stoked from this honestly; I never expected to get in and it was the first program I heard from.

I haven't yet heard, no. I applied to the pre-doctoral program, and wrote to their director yesterday asking for an update, just for some peace of mind. Princeton's is the only program that would probably exceed Michigan's offer overall, so I'd like to know how I've done there. I was not invited to an interview, but equally I'm not sure how relevant that is. I don't think there was a track for the program as I applied to it. And I was admitted to Michigan without an interview, so I think there is always hope for it!

Sadly I don't expect to be able to make a final decision until at least mid-March, but I think I'm an outlier in that regard given I also applied for the funded MA programs. There are only a couple programs that could overmatch Michigan's offer, and all those are also very competitive slots, so right now I think I expect to decide on Michigan. But still, some time to go!

@confusedmedievalist Let's go!!! I'm incredibly happy for you. Hoping we all hear good things this week. But it'd also just be nice to know either way from them for people who have other competitive offers too. @JMAurelius Agreed. I'd also argue against ever doing an unfunded MA personally. I just don't know that the debt would be worth it. If anything, as I hinted at earlier, PB programs provide more flexibility arguably, though there is also at least one fully funded one-year MA program (Cornell).

With regard to PBs, at least in my experience, my recommendation from my PB institution was quite good, and they followed a system where, recognizing the brevity of time between starting the program and submitting applications, they provided a personalized departmental LoR with inputs from all involved advisors and instructors, rather than from a single faculty member. This seems to be a good way of handling it. However if your main weakness is lack of research experience / writing sample rather than language training, an MA may be better, but again, that's an extra year. So I would think carefully.