yank in the M20

Crystalleem, teaching's my Plan B, actually. I want to go private because of the obsession with state tests scores at public schools, though. As well as my perception that interest in subject matter is very much secondary to interest in education rubrics and working with kids. What are your thoughts based on your experience? And look, we're both Pitt rejectees--not so many of them on here. Kindred spirits.

Okay, glad to hear it's not just me, though not glad you all are in this horrific limbo, of course. GodzillaGrad, that would be the way to go out on a third application round. I thought picking a range of schools was the smarter choice this year and thinking more about fit, but now I bemoan the fact that I only applied to 3/4 in the top 20/30 and only two were really top. So if i get into my last choice school, will I actually be excited? I don't know. I think it's great you'll give it another go, but I just can't. I'm living in England because I did my MA here and working yet another shitty office job. My visa will be up at the end of the year. And the only thing worse than remaining in my shitty office job would be finding a new one back home because at least here office culture is quite fun and banter-y and I really love my coworkers. Not to mention the fact that 5 weeks of vacation a year is pretty standard. Katelynanne, funny we're in the same boat waiting and worrying about translations. Cokohlik, I'd suggest doing the MA if you don't get into a PhD, funding or not. I did my in the UK unfunded and it was an amazing opportunity. Yes, that means loans galore, but you only live once. If you don't get into a PhD, an MA is a great chance at experiencing grad school and seeing what the culture is like and if you'd even really like doing a PhD. I know several of my MA cohort decided they weren't interested in doing a PhD, or at least not for a few years.

Thanks for the examples, Stately. I'm going to use them as practice--my German teacher will be thrilled, ha ha!

Three paragraphs in two hours? Okay, I'm not worried. Thanks for that. At least I can tell myself that I'll pass the translation test no problem if I can just get in somewhere...

I had a flatmate doing her PhD at Princeton a few years ago and she said that the translation was mostly a joke. She had to do two languages, as a lot of schools now require, and she said she couldn't speak French or Spanish (her chosen languages). But of course you'd have to understand the grammar to get if something was written in the past tense and obviously the more you understand and don't have to use a language dictionary, the easier it would be. But I wouldn't worry that much--maybe take an intro class in one this summer or something. I also heard from a PhD student at UVa that she was funded to study French one summer in France to pass her language test. So perhaps that's what some people do--take a crash course to at least get the basics down.

I'm glad I posted this already because I hadn't even thought about that. But if it's likely to be a known author, then reading their English translations beforehand would really help with the language choices. If it's a choice of text strictly to judge reading comprehension, that's totally different. I have to say I'd take Goethe over one of the theorists any day. Those damn train-car constructed words in academic-speak. Again, if it's Marx or Benjamin, you'd have to know their work in English so that you translate their popular terms the way they've already been translated.

So I've heard from only one of my seven schools, a rejection of course. What's driving me crazy is that so many on this board have heard from nearly all of their schools and I have six with decisions still pending. UVa is debatable, might be an implicit rejection, but the other five just haven't decided yet. I applied last year, only two three schools all in top 20, and like many others on here really worked to make my new application that much stronger, but I want to know if it's paid off because I'm not doing this a third time. The way I look at it, great for anyone that chooses to, that shows real dedication, but I'm older, have been out of undergrad for ten years, already did an MA, and just can't spend yet another year working a shit job while I do applications. If I don't get in this time, it's on to Plan B. I've consciously decided not to prematurely investigate Plan B in depth because the job market is so bad that I don't want to be further depressed and because I think the best way to get through this limbo period is just to ride it out, but it's been a far, far long enough ride. Of course I know that it's still limbo for those waiting on one or two schools or waiting on funding... Who else is going through this? What's your Plan B or what are your doing differently in your applications next year?

It's a bit early for me to be worrying about this, I guess, since I haven't gotten in anywhere yet, only heard from one of my seven schools, in fact, but I am taking a German class as a refresher and would like to practice doing the sort of translations that will be required to pass the language requirements for PhDs. It's a good way to distract myself from my decisions to come, at least. I know that language dictionaries are allowed, but what I'm curious about is what a typical translation piece might be--literature or theory? And what's a typical length and time limit? I know every school is different, of course. Also, can you take the translation test anytime or do you have to wait for set periods during your PhD? I'd like to get mine out of the way at the beginning of my PhD while my German's at it's strongest, of course.

Congratulations MichaelK! My heart jumped and not in a good way when I saw this topic, but I've been really philosophic about (implicit) rejections of late. I love hearing about people getting acceptances when they're feeling the most hopeless, gives us all hope. And so cool to get a phone call acceptance. Seems somehow more serious, like they want you more, even though I know it's just how certain schools do things. Out of curiosity, what's your focus? And was UVa your top choice or are you still waiting on others?

I loved Wives and Daughters.

I feel the same--I know my application was strong, but did I get anyone excited about me, am I doing anything really different? Probably not.

Sorry, that sucks. I did my MA in England and I too feel a bit shut out of the whole process and when people talk about how having a recommender with personal relationships with people at the unis you're applying to sometimes make a difference, I feel even more frustrated and more isolated because I don't have any such contacts. Ugh. We can only wait and see...feels like neverending limbo.

I too adore Confederacy of Dunces--seems to be quite the divisive book, who knew? And Jane Austen's appearance in this thread was a surprise. Just out of curiosity, you didn't apply to UT-Austin, I see, though they're big in pop culture. Just wondered why. Totally not my area, just curious.

I wasn't really into Lawrence even though one of my fave professors specializes in him, but his short stories changed my mind--especially the collection England, My England. Anyone on the fence about him should give them a read. As for Zadie Smith, my theory is that she's popular more for her looks than for her talent. I didn't like White Teeth, and On Beauty was repulsive!

Good topic. Never Let Me Go was a pretty poor adaptation of a fabulous book--the two leads were great, but the script changes and the casting of Kiera Knightley as the third lead negated their performances. Everyone talks about the BBC miniseries of Pride and Prejudice so I'll leave that one be, but I'd like to put in a vote for the 90s version of Persuasion--captured the humor and the pathos of the book exactly. And what about adaptations you can't wait to come out? I'm eagerly anticipating the BBC Parade's End later this year with Benedict Cumberbatch.

Interesting. I can imagine it feels a bit isolating, the distance and all. I think it also depends on what you're studying. I'm interested in British literature and living in England so I'm going to come across fewer academics from outside the UK writing on this whereas the Americanists I know here get more of their scholarship from the States and have stronger ties to conferences and the like there. Of course being from or living in the country whose literature you are studying doesn't matter much, especially if it's anything but contemporary, yet it still seems the norm. What's your focus, btw? And where have you applied? That's great you have a lot of contacts that are aware of the strengths of the various universities you're applying to. My university has a lot of professors that have studied in the American system, but it was either years ago or they are not in my time period--the professor whose work most closely matches my own interests is definitely very much focused on the British academic scene, so my choices are 100% the result of checking out professors' interest areas and publication history and trying to imagine a possible match. Now I'm starting to worry that lack of match is what's going to leave me out in the cold with seven rejections but, I researched the schools extensively online and I don't know what more I could have done. Oh, well...

Was it Pittsburgh? I'm expecting the rejection letter myself--I live abroad so it'll just take a few days longer to get here. We have a few of the same schools--what's your time period/focus?

Where are all of you guys from/living now, out of curiosity. I'm American, but did my MA in the UK and still living over here. Am I the only one that gets confused by all of these acronyms--POI, DSG, etc. etc. And then, though I've been to several conferences, they were all in England with very few Americans so I haven't met and talked with people going to or working at the institutions I applied to. Also, is it just me or do your profs here talk more about other English scholars than American, meaning that even the scholarship you read is in the majority on this side of the pond? Makes me feel really out of the loop--wondered if you guys are in the same boat. Not to mention the fact that those with MAs from over here aren't teaching so I'm missing that whole experience. I always thought scholarship was universal, but actually living abroad shows how much connections are still based to a large extent on locality--except the really big names in any given field, of course. Even what seems to be popular scholarship differs. And god knows what that means for Australia, New Zealand, or English-speaking programs in Asia or Europe...

If you're just finishing your undergrad, why are you so keen to establish a career? I'd suggest travel, living abroad, or just moving to a cool city you've always wanted to live in and get a job, any job. You'll have a better idea of what you really want to do with yourself after having some time out of school to think about what you miss most, etc. Just a suggestion...

Hey guys, congrats on getting on the waitlist and I'll keep my fingers crossed for you that a few of the acceptances drop out so you can have their spots. Do you guys know if they've contacted everyone that they are accepting or waitlisting or are perhaps contacting people by specialty and haven't gotten to everyone yet? Since you guys are in a similar period, I'm going to hope for the latter...

Congrats to everyone that got in. You worked hard and deserve all the success you get. As to the rest of us, I'm in the same boat as people saying they don't want to have to show their faces at their old university for shame if they get in nowhere. I am avoiding my old English department like the plague. I thought I needed a distraction so I signed up for a German class to get back into it and, guess what, it's not only in the same building, but on the same hallway as all of my old professor's offices and the MA/PhD study room. Christ! Luckily it's late on a Monday and I've managed to avoid seeing anyone I know so far... And as for plans for the future, why do the responsible thing? Go to Europe if you'd rather. As long as you don't go into debt, I say why not take a few years to do that rather than going to a country just because they pay you more? You'll always wonder what it would have been like to live in Portugal or Spain or Turkey. At least something like that will be a reward if, worst case scenario, you don't get in anywhere. My plan B? I'm going to move back to California and look for a teaching job in a private school there or in a nearby state--I miss the mild winters and being near my family (I'd add friends but the bad thing about living in different places is that I have friends all over the place--good for visits but hard. I wish I could move a few of my east coast friends and a few of my English friends to California with me) and the food. It is not ideal as I'd rather research and teach at a higher level, but I think I can take the hit. What I'm worried about is that even high school teaching jobs in English are hard to come by...Ugh.

And checking this site is not helping the anxiety--you see someone has heard from one of your schools and you're checking your email every five minutes and assuming that if you haven't heard in a few days that you are rejected. I'm thinking about going cold turkey and not coming on here again until/if I've had my first acceptance--except to post my rejections on the results board so I can feel really truly sorry for myself--ha ha...Then again, it's nice to be able to be in touch with others in the same boat when family and friends might sympathize, but just don't understand what's you're dealing with.

Anyone know anyone that got waitlisted, accepted or rejected from Pittsburgh? Can you enlighten us? Like the above, I too saw the waitlists and acceptance and someone mentioned in their signature that they'd been rejected. Anyone hearing any other way besides email? Any info would be hugely helpful as we wait wait wait. Thanks!

And I'm still in the wait camp, though Pittsburgh has accepted, rejected and waitlisted others. What about me, damn it! I know it's a reject, I just want it done and over with. I'm feeling very negative and so quite sure that I won't be getting in anywhere and already forming my Plan B--my first rejection will sort of be a tidal wave for the rest to follow...just like last year.

It's hard because we did/actually still do edit each other's work, but it's not a long time off until I'm too far behind to actually be helpful. I mean, I will be writing seminar papers and conference papers and maybe even getting published while they're writing disseration/book chapters--a totally different kettle of fish that I have heard, and believe, is hard to understand until you've done it--I mean, the level of sustained, interconnected arguments you are pursuing is nothing like an essay with a central argument or a master's thesis with, essentially, the same thing, just segmented. Let's just tell ourselves that we'll have some good friends hopefully nicely settled at good universities before we go on the market which has got to be somewhat beneficial.