Tails

Thank you for the advice, ExponentialDecay. Rising_star, I am restricted to the NYC metropolitan area. If I were to apply now, I would only consider Fordham and Seton Hall. Funding is not important, although I'm aware that NYU funds half of the tuition costs for all admitted MA students. Because Peterson's lists NYU's MA acceptance rate at ~25%, I feel that I would be burning $100 on the application, plus the $150 I would spend on the subject test in literature. I worry that the admissions officers would not overlook average recs and a low GPA just because of high GRE scores and a strong statement of purpose and writing sample when there are probably more well-rounded candidates applying. I am interested in literature with a focus in 20th century British literature.

Major: English Undergrad: Elite Public GPA: 3.034, In-Major GPA: 3.0 GRE Practice Test Averages (Five tests): Verbal- 168, Quantitative- 166 I also enrolled for a year in an unrelated professional school after undergrad and withdrew with bad grades due to lack of interest. Is my GPA too much of a killer for me to apply to top English MA programs and expect to have a reasonable chance of admission? I have no significant research or work experience, and, because I went to a large school, my letters of recommendation will likely be generic. Even if I duplicate my practice GRE performances on the actual test in September, am I in serious trouble in terms of getting into a top program? I wanted to apply to Rutgers and NYU, but, since they're top 20 programs, I believe that they won't consider me competitive because of that GPA; therefore, I was only going to apply to Fordham and Seton Hall (90+% acceptance rate). Fordham's most recent admitted MA class had an average GPA of 3.59. My practice GRE scores are above the class's 75th percentiles, but I fear that my in-major GPA will make me look unappealing as an MA candidate. Am I better off not even applying to Fordham? I fear that if I go to Seton Hall, I won't get as strong of an MA education and it'll hinder my chances of getting into a high-end PhD program. I'm ready to devote my time and effort to doing exceptionally well in graduate school, just as I've done during my GRE prep.

Hey everyone. I'm a first time user on these message boards and I want to know if I have a good chance to get into a top PhD program in English Literature. I'm currently a junior at UNC-Chapel Hill. I have a 3.85 GPA and I'm looking to apply to Berkeley, Stanford, Yale, Princeton and Duke. I have not taken the GRE yet, but I'm planning to take it before next fall. Do applicants who have M.A.'s in English stand a better chance of being accepted? Will my ethnicity help me in the admissions process? (Puerto Rican American) Does it help to get letters of recommendation from professors who went to one of those 5 schools for their PhD?