ryanweb

Hey dogfishing, I've been thinking through some similar scheduling/moving constraints (not quite as tight for me, but still!). As long as you had a solid place arranged ahead of time, maybe you could just show up for orientation—stay in a hotel the night or two before, if necessary—and then unpack and try(!) to settle in a bit over Labor Day weekend? I'll probably be doing something similar, although my orientation isn't until Monday. Anyone else have advice on managing and, with any luck, surviving what I assume is the pure chaos of the city-wide student move-in weekend?

For those of us who weren't as familiar with BU until applying, what do you think of the institution as a whole? Or at least, what about your department in the context of the whole school? I've been reading up a little bit (online) about the history of the school, controversies and academic culture, notable people and events, etc. I went to a small liberal arts college for undergrad, so I'm wondering if the whole research U atmosphere will be a bit of a shock—not to mention the rest of the Boston experience. Any one else doing similar research? Any thoughts, either excitement or reservation? Anyone pondering what the adjustment will mean for them?

Hey, fall-11! I'm headed there for English, too. I wonder if we met during their open house back in March. These prices on Craigslist are a bit intimidating, but I guess that's too be expected. Do you think you will find a roommate or roommates, or just bite the bullet and get a studio or something for yourself?

Just saw a PhD admit on the Results page. Congratulations! If only my flat-out rejection from them hadn't come nearly two months ago...

Just removed myself from the waitlist at Loyola—Chicago. Last week, declined an offer from UNC-Greensboro. Just turned down a fully funded decision at the University of Oregon, including the Krohn's fellowship in Literature and the Environment. (Seriously, one of the most excruciating decisions of my life.) Boston University, here I come. Wait, did I make the wrong decision? I wonder if I'll sleep at all tonight...

I'm certainly no expert on this subject, but it does seem that a lot of the (better, or at least higher-ranked) programs out there don't even have you do a lot of heavy teaching until after a year or two of coursework, rhet/comp training, tutoring and grading and writing center experience, etc. Then maybe they start you off with a section or two of Freshman Comp or English 101, Eventually, you work up to some literature or upper-level classes and maybe even design some courses of your own. I imagine that sort of training would get you ready for teaching at the post-MA/PhD level, and the more gradual pace certainly seems ideal to me. But I'm sure others are ready to dig in right away and get a head start on teaching. And perhaps PhD programs would have less of a hang-up trusting a transfer student with teaching responsibilities if they had some course evaluations to look at. Anyone else have better or different insights?

Buffalo is fantastic! (I had to resist the temptation to bust out the all-caps to make my point.) I'm actually living in Buffalo now, though I didn't get accepted to either the PhD or MA program. I'll be headed elsewhere this fall, but I just wanted to take a brief moment to dispel any doubts or preempt any potential naysayers. After a little over six months now, I really love it here. Maybe compared to some college towns or big cities, it has a little more grit or is on a strange borderland between the East coast and the midwest. But it's really a fantastic place to live: it's excitingly diverse with a strange small-town/blue-collar sort of candor; it's close to some wonderful natural scenery and places to visit (not just Niagara Falls!); and, for literary/artistic purposes, it's pretty unbeatable. Perhaps it would be a let-down if you're coming from NYC or or Chicago or some such place, but if you take a look at the events listed on the Just Buffalo literary calendar or find some of the arts and music listings, you might be surprised how much gets packed into a month or even a week. I've heard people from places like Baltimore or Philly compare one month of Buffalo events to an annual listing of events in their home town. And it seems that the University has been doing a pretty good job of engaging local organizations and cultural groups with their resources and events, in spite of the quasi-modernist campus being isolated out in the inner-ring suburbs. All in all, I'm rather bummed to have to move away! I hope those who are headed to UB this fall or still considering it will engage this place and the wonderful people living here. I think you will find it a good place to be.

Although there are of course many exceptions, a pretty common split amongst programs in the US is whether they are located in an urban vs. non-urban setting. Of course, this latter category could any range of rural, small-town, college-town, small-city sorts of places, but in my mind, at least, these all have a lot of differences when compared with the typical big-city campus, whether in Boston or Chicago, LA or Atlanta, Toronto or Philly. Cost of living, nearby museums and archives, travel accessibility, diversity, etc. etc. etc. For those who are facing tough geographic choices in their final grad school decisions, how will location play into your considerations? * I'll admit, I have--or hope that I might have--just this sort of decision on my hands. Since high school, I always had my heart set on living in a big city (preferably Chicago), and after attending college in a smallish city, I turned my attention back to programs in major urban/cultural centers. Excitingly enough, I have a pretty decent chance of getting accepted to a program either in Boston or Chicago. Perfect, right? However, my back-up plan, usually reemerging in the middle of winter when I'm angsty from the snow and sick of busy traffic and sidewalk congestion, is to move out west or down south and find a place in the woods/mountains/lakes/etc. Slow things down... have a sense of space... not kill myself trying to pay rent... Walden Pond, anyone? So when I recently received a great admission offer from the University of Oregon (not exactly "country," I know), I find myself weighing what feels like a stark set of options. Do I go build an eco-cottage in the mountains outside of Eugene or find a cramped but hopefully cozy apartment in the big city? What would you do?

Oh, Chicago... if only I were already working a really cushy job there in the Windy City and could just take a break from work to do the MAPH. I mean, you could just let me sit in on the classes, quietly taking notes in a corner. I promise I won't disturb anyone... Well, good thing I have better options than $60,000 of more debt!

Do you/Will you have your MA, shewoolf? I'm forgetting now if Fordham required an MA for PhD candidates or if they accepted some undergrads directly to the PhD-track.

shewoolf: was this waitlist for the MA or the PhD? I got an email today about the MA, too, but it doesn't sound like they have funding available... so I don't know if that would be worth waiting for, depending on whether or not you have a plan B. (my focus is on modernism and poetry, for what it's worth.) well, good luck on the list!

Hey, I'm in a somewhat similar quandry, stillthisappeal! I've had my heart set for years on living in a big city during grad school (preferably Chicago), but now have what is perhaps my best offer is from a school in a less-than-metropolis northwestern city. The past few days I've been reflecting and trying to prioritize: am I willing to give up the diversity and mobility and cultural riches of a city for perhaps a quieter existence? After all, maybe grad school isn't the best time to try to take in a city, anyways. What kind of a life do I want to live for the next 6 years? But besides my story, I know everyone always emphasizes FIT, FIT, FIT, as both the key for getting into a program and for deciding where to go. And it seems to me that the vague things like "culture," personality," and "atmosphere" may be just as important for measuring "fit" as the typical criteria such as course offerings or POIs. I know, stillthisappeal, that you said you're trying to look at this objectively, but my train of thought recently has been more towards the OPPOSITE side of things: realizing that my relationships and lifestyle goals and finances are totally mixed up in my consideration of a department's ranking or assistantship program or potential advisers. Will you have the chance to visit both or either of these programs? Of course, the "objective" factors matter, but if you can't engage and thrive in the program, it's strengths will do you little good. Having to teach more than you're able to handle might not be worth whatever extra stipend you receive, or on the other hand, not having teaching opportunities could be even worse for your personal and professional growth. Having to choose between a program and a significant other can likewise set you off on a bad foot, whether Chicago or anywhere else! Just my two cents...

The email finally came (yesterday), and wow: I wasn't expecting such a generous first-year offer! I hope others are having luck, too. But now this means deciding between Eugene and the large urban centers that I THOUGHT were my likely destinations. A bit of a study in contrasts, but one that will determine my lifestyle for the next 6 or so years! Though it is of course nice to feel wanted after the seemingly endless stream of rejections...

Yes, I stil have the same online status, "Pending Manual Review" or whatever. Nothing via email or mail yet, so I'm guessing either a late/latent rejection or another one of those secret, internal waitlist situations.

Agh. I finally broke down and emailed this Mike guy about everything. Same response as others have gotten, of course: they're trying to get the emails out today. I've been refreshing my inbox, but no sign yet. Hope that's not a bad sign for funding! But congrats, Waiting... and Wanderlust and others. Eugene and environs are sounding pretty nice about now (more freezing rain today in my neck of New York state).