t. m.

Wow, you all have such thoughtful advice! I definitely will take your comments into consideration, especially when it comes to creating an SOP and writing sample that shows I can engage with literature on a critical level. I am now thinking of taking only one class to work on a fresher writing sample. I can get in-state tuition at UMass Amherst, so I if I took a class there it wouldn't be too expensive. Otherwise, I have a portion of my thesis that showcases my interdisciplinary interests, but it feels a bit outdated and at the very least needs a good rewrite. Thanks again for the words of wisdom!

Thanks, woolfie. I understand the competition, but I wanted to make sure I was qualified/didn't necessarily need further study. Financing the applications is going to be the limiting factor in how wide a net I cast, unfortunately. I will definitely look into funded MA programs, though!

First of all, this is a great forum. I am completely unfamiliar with the graduate application process as few of my family or friends have ever gone beyond undergrad for their education. This forum is reassuring and useful. I am worried that eclectic background might hurt my chances of getting into a good English PhD program. I graduated with a BA in Film and English Literature from NYU and have been working as a freelance media designer and copywriter since then. I am worried that my relative lack of English courses (it was a secondary major) and relationships with English professors will limit me. My current credentials: I graduated with honors in both my majors, with a 3.89 GPA overall and a 4.0 GPA in my English major.I took the bare minimum number of English classes because the film departments production classes were so demanding.I was admitted into the honors program in the English department and received high marks on the required thesisI only have one professor, my thesis advisor, within the English department who would know me enough to write a good recommendation letterIn the film department I have several highly respected professors who know my work very wellFor the past year and a half, I have interned and worked in the film/tv/media industry. I teach tech classes to children in the summer.I haven't taken the General or Literature GREs yet, but I have scored very high on practice testsI have no awards for past essays, but received some recognition of my film workSome of my freelance writing work has been published in small consumer magazinesI'm looking at programs that feature a dual PhD in English and Film Studies or an option for a Film Studies concentration I have two main questions: Do I stand a chance at a high-ranking English PhD program despite my previous concentration on film? And what can I do between now and this year's admissions period to strengthen my application? I'm considering taking a few master classes at UMass or another local state school in MA, but I'm not sure it's worth it. Thanks in advance for any advice!