byronlover

Hi everyone! I'm sitting in the airport en route back from Iowa right now--so I'm updating as soon as I could. I will be accepting my offer. Everyone I met during my visit was exceedingly kind: grad students, faculty, and administration alike. I also found out about funding while I was there. They have 13-15 spots total, and all will be funded. I was disappointed to learn that the tuition waiver does not include fees, so I will owe the school ~$1,300/year. That said, I was told many times how excellent the health insurance was, and that makes up for it, in my mind. It looks like people get ~$15,000-16,000 the first year for a 45% appointment, which will move up to a 50% appointment for years 2-5 (for entering students with MAs) or 2-6 (for BAs) and an increased stipend (in the $16,900-18,800 range). The DGS and chair were both optimistic about Iowa's placement record, and confirmed what I had seen online: that the department tries to place its own PhDs in VAP positions if they are unable to get jobs. They also told me that almost all MA-entering students complete the degree within 5 years, 6 at most. In other words, there aren't a lot of students lingering. If I can answer any questions, please let me know. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for those of you who are waitlisted!

I got in tonight, but I'm not meeting with students until tomorrow night or with faculty until Monday (when I'm meeting with the DGS [Claire Fox], chair [Claire Sponsler], Florence Boos, and Eric Gidal). I'll let you know anything useful I find out!

I'm leaving tonight for a visit. I'll let you all know if I hear anything! Still no word on funding for me..

I am a current UVa MA. My class of MA students has done exceedingly well getting into PhD programs this year, having been accepted to Cornell, Columbia, UT--Austin, UNC--Chapel Hill, Indiana, Rutgers, Wisconsin--Madison, Iowa, Ohio State, Penn State, Northwestern, Michigan, CUNY, Vanderbilt, and WashU (to name just programs usually considered to be in the top 30 or so). Many of these institutions have accepted, or at least waitlisted, multiple people in my class this round. Yes, we paid for our MAs. I know there's been a lot of hostility about that on this board. I'd do it again, though. Not paying meant I had four semesters to work closely with unparalleled faculty without the distractions of teaching. All I can say is DO NOT come here for an MA if you ultimately want a PhD from UVa. It will not happen, and it's heartbreaking to leave.

Hey all! I, too, will be moving to Iowa City at the end of the summer. Anyone know of a nicer apartment complex that allows medium-sized dogs in the below-$800/mo range? By "nicer," I'm implying newer fixtures, washer and dryer included, a large bedroom, and hardwood floors (maybe). Maybe it's too much to ask? Any advice on housing would be appreciated, though.

I finally got a letter! Thank goodness. Funding info TBA. But still.. formal acknowledgment! Congrats to those waitlisted.

Thanks--I hope you're right! Was it Claire Fox you spoke to? She hasn't answered my emails. And I wonder if the waitlisted person was notified by the department. They'd be the first to hear anything from them..

Must be.. 5.5 weeks later I'm still awaiting a formal acceptance from the department. I emailed about funding a few days ago and was told not only do they have no idea what kind of funding they'll offer me, they also don't know when they'll know. Getting fed up, but scheduled a visit anyway (that I have to pay for).

I sent a sample with no comments whatsoever and got in.. so clearly it doesn't matter!

Hey guys, I talked to the secretary on the phone on Friday and it sounds like things are kind of a mess. I've still not heard back from the DGS. I was notified early because I was nominated for a fellowship (which I didn't get). There's no visiting weekend and they won't be reimbursing any visit-related expenses. Funding also appears to be up in the air still. I'll let you know if/when I hear anything further. Good luck to all!

Anyone else still standing?

There is a thread below just called "Indiana." Yesterday two people posted admits on the results board. Congrats for being on the waitlist!

Someone was notified about being on the waitlist via snail mail yesterday. But I'm holding my breath.

Thanks again, guys! If it makes anyone feel better, I still have heard nothing from the department. The letter telling me of my acceptance came from the graduate school. I'm actually in the process of emailing the DGS now, since it's been three weeks since I got the good news and I would like to know something! If I come up with anything useful, I'll share. Good luck!

Not that this is helpful, but when I emailed to change my address, I was told we'd be notified in "the coming weeks." That was last Monday. I'm dying with you.

I got a rejection tonight. It's strange that no one else did; why didn't I get mine yesterday? Anyway, good luck to those still waiting.

Anyone else still not heard anything? They have 15 minutes left..

I emailed the grad coordinator today to update my address, and she said decisions would be made "this week." I take that to mean by the end of the day tomorrow, unless they're going to contact people on Saturday (stranger things have happened). Good luck to everybody still waiting!

That I don't know. Sorry Kurt.

I got a Facebook message (yes, I found out about my acceptance through Facebook!) congratulating me on my acceptance to Texas A&M from a friend who is currently a graduate student there. I hadn't heard anything from them, so I wrote my friend back asking for details. She said she'd seen the DGS a few minutes before and that the DGS asked her if she knew me, since we'd completed our MAs at the same institution. I called the graduate office, and the person to whom I spoke said that letters conveying decisions to all applicants would be sent Thursday or Friday via snail mail. Good luck to everyone!

The cohort is 12 every year.

I'm another current UVa MA, and our graduate coordinator just sent out an email saying two prospective students will be visiting our department social hour this Thursday. Just wanted to let everyone know.. But there should be another (final?) committee meeting on Friday. Don't give up yet. Everyone I know here got off the waitlist.. there's hope.

You guys are making me nervous! I double-checked the page again this morning to make sure I hadn't dreamed up my acceptance.. luckily, I hadn't. I graduated summa cum laude from Washington University in 2009 and am completing my MA now at the University of Virginia (~3.9 GPA). My GREs were 730 verbal, 600 quantitative, and 6.0 writing. I work on the long nineteenth century, but specifically the Victorian novel and animal studies. I want to work with Teresa Mangum, whose publications on pet culture (and dogs especially) align perfectly with my thesis on dogs in Eliot and Dickens, and possibly with Florence Boos, since I've just started researching on Victorian domestic spaces. Good luck to the both of you!

For some reason, after I log in as byronlover, my account shows up as bryonlover (misspelled). Trying to log in the misspelled way fails. I am mystified. Just wanted to clarify that I know how to spell Byron's name.

crae, thank you! I just randomly checked the site and saw the acceptance. I have not received emails of any kind. Good luck to you!!