Yellow#5

This year was particularly icy with unusually heavy snow fall. Every year is different and the one saving grace of New England winter is that sometimes you get a 50 degree day in the middle of a miserable month. It breaks things up. That, and a spring break trip somewhere South or West makes it bearable. I've been here 9 years. The first year was hard, because I didn't have the proper shoes and coats, but I tell ya, I've got plenty of great boots now

Heart wrenching.

Hey Girl, I kind of think a lack of enthusiasm shows on those apps, if you expose them to ultra violet light. I see alot of people on these boards reporting not getting into safety schools, then posting, "hey, how'd I get into top 10 school #X if safety #Y rejected me?" And don't forget, getting passed up in this year of budget hardship means you can sit out the crisis doing something crazy, like teach english in Greece!

1. Charlie, I think I'm happy, for the first time since my accident, 2. but I wish I had all that money, we used to spend on dope. 3. I'd buy me a used car lot and I wouldn't sell any of 'em, 4. just drive a new car everyday, dependin' on how I feel. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12qBoy2rhVw

Hi Cookie and Michelle, It seems like many people are waitlisted, and many of us are STILL waiting. I think it is dangerous to assume we are waitlisted, because it feels like there haven't been that many rejections posted, considering the program size. I've called the Department and if they get back to me, of course I'll post here, since this is the only place I seem to be these days. I've moved out of my apartment, and put all my stuff in storage at the gradcafe!

Haven't been myself since leaving school. Allow me to improve on a great one: Lover of mankind, just not individually.

Still pending with no word either way I saw an additional post or two on the results page about receiving waitlist notifications by mail, but, alas, my city just got a foot of snow. Now, I know the post office says rain, snow, sleet, etc., but they never promised to walk up the stoop of every brownstone in the south end before they are shoveled and salted. Any other souls in UVA limbo left out there?

Miratrix, Good point. I meant walking above ground, LOL! Yes, actually taking the red line one stop can take alot longer than just walking to Porter. (But then, I lived a few blocks toward Porter, though closer to Davis, so Davis was the better choice for me on a snowy day) And then the commute from Porter to Brandeis is an additional 20 minutes. sdklos, Should you live near Porter? Idealy, it sounds like it, but you might find a nicer apartment or a better deal closer to Davis, you never know. I would not avoid living near Davis, it's still fairly convenient to get to Brandeis and/or Harvard. Beacon street in Cambridge (not to be confused with Beacon street in Alston or Back Bay) has a lot of pretty spacious triple decker houses that serve as student rentals and it's quite convenient to Porter. There are also a couple of apartment buildings on Mass ave across from Shaw's market and a few rental houses on nearby Beach or Elm street. There's a bunch of other side streets around there too, but those might be good key word searches for the Craigslist Miratrix might be able to list a few more streets or nearby apartment complexes for your search.

Phoenix, I doubt a prof who's cool enough to offer you a ride is not going to be a hypercritical type. If you're too freaked out or uncomfortable, don't go, but I'm sure it will be fine.

Yes, that is a much better idea!

Curious, I think at the heart of studying "english" is really just a human beings attempt to tell a story, and a story can be told in many ways. Homer didn't write his stories down, initially, right, and neither did the Beowulf author, but no one would suggest that discussions of those stories don't belong in the english department. My particular interest is focused on written literature, primarily, but I wouldn't mind if there was a pure media based english Phd student in my classes. I would probably find the different perspective quite interesting. Plus, there's literary theory -- a whole area unto itself and it can apply in very interesting ways to film or other types of new media.

I don't think it's necessary to mention it, because admission committees do look closely at the person recommending you. They'll notice your recommender without you pointing it out. They may not know he's a friend of the university president, but that doesn't matter as much as how well know he is in his field.

. Well, that's true. To put it in terms of numbers though, and this is just one tiny thing I read, he is planning on cutting loan subsidies, but increasing direct pell grants. I have to think that this will make a difference in the long run, in encouraging college kids to finish, thus making more work for grad students/TAs and professors. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid= ... refer=home

LOL vecr! You're waiting on every school!

It seems like they made acceptances for English Lit last week, but no rejections have gone out yet.

Davis and Porter are very close to each other. Depending on where you live (Highland or Elm Street, for example) you might be equidistant between the two stops. The largest grocery market in the area is at Porter Square, that might make a difference to you too, since 10 minutes is a long way to walk with 20 pounds of spaghetti sauce and laundry detergent.

The commuter rail to Brandeis leaves from Porter Square, which is about a 10 minute walk or less from Davis, or 1 T stop. From Porter, I think it is a 3 or 4 stop ride on the Commuter Rail. Very easy commute (approx 20 minutes). Here's a copy of the Weekday commuter rail schedule between Porter and Brandeis from http://www.mbta.com FITCHBURG/ SO. ACTON LINE TO NORTH STATION : Weekday Effective 10/29/07 OUTBOUND (Porter Square ---> Brandeis) North Station 07:27 08:17 08:55 09:40 11:20 01:20 03:00 04:00 04:40 04:50 05:20 05:40 06:20 07:35 08:45 10:40 12:10 Porter Square 07:37 08:27 09:05 09:50 11:30 01:30 03:10 04:10 04:50 05:00 05:30 05:50 06:30 07:45 08:55 10:50 12:20 Belmont 07:42F 08:32F 09:55F 01:35F 03:15F 04:15 05:05 05:55 06:35 07:50F 08:59F 10:55F 12:25F Waverley 07:44F 08:34F 09:57F 03:17F 04:17 05:07 05:57 06:37 07:52F 09:02F 10:57F 12:27F Waltham 07:50 08:40 09:15 10:03 11:40 01:42 03:23 04:23 05:13 05:41 06:03 06:43 07:58 09:07 11:03 12:33 Brandeis/ Roberts 07:54F 08:44 09:19 10:07 11:44 01:46 03:27 04:27 05:17 06:08 06:48 08:03 09:11 11:07 12:37 INBOUND (Brandeis ---> Porter Square) Brandeis/ Roberts 06:47 07:16 08:26 09:05 09:51 11:28 12:24 02:08 04:08 04:43 05:38 07:36 08:26 09:23 11:25 Waltham 06:52 07:20 08:05 08:30 09:09 09:55 11:32 12:29 02:12 04:12 04:47 05:42 07:40 08:30 09:27 11:28 Waverley 06:57 07:25 08:35 09:14 10:00F 11:37F 04:51F 05:46F 09:32F Belmont 07:00 07:27 08:37 09:16 10:02F 11:39F 12:34F 02:17F 04:16F 04:54F 05:49F 07:46 09:34F Porter Square 07:06 07:33 07:50 08:14 08:43 09:21 10:07 11:44 12:39 02:22 04:22 04:59 05:54 07:51 08:39 09:39 11:37 North Station 07:17 07:44 08:00 08:25 08:54 09:32 10:18 11:55 12:50 02:33 04:33 05:10 06:05 08:02 08:50 09:50 11:48 *Note that North Station is close to downtown Boston, right near the TD BankNorth Garden Concert/Sports arena.

I agree that Obama's magic dust is probably going to take some time to get to us. I think it can't get any worse, though, and one of his goals is to get everyone in America a college education. His initiatives for loan forgiveness and universal health care will make the struggle a little easier, but dream jobs will always be scarce in any area, no matter what.

I planned a vacation for March 18, being so sure all this would be settled one way or the other. I can just see it now, me in London at the Old Vic, refreshing my blackberry every three minutes and sheilding the light-up screen so it doesn't distract Dame Helen Mirren. Hurry up schools! I don't want to me reprimanded by "the Queen!"

Oh, and I notice someone posted this in the results section, so I thought I'd move it here. (promise, it wasn't me!) ...and someone answered...

I didn't mean to say that Lyones has "dreams" because the schools were high ranking, just for wanting to go to grad school at all. Having dreams means sometimes they are frustrated by bad advice, shoulda woulda coulda scenarios, but being frustrated as we all are beats showing up at the bar every day at 5:01 and sending emails to all your old friends twice a year that read, "what's going on with you? Nothing new here, as usual." (Just got one of those emails yesterday. It made me greatful to have something I really want, even if I don't get it.)

There's a lot of good advice on this thread. The only word of caution I have is for NORTHEASTERN (NEU) students. You may find cheap housing near your school near the Longwood Medical center, on River drive or on the E line (green line). You should avoid this area, and anything on the E line past Northeastern, as it is quite dodgy. You are better off with a cramped shared apartment in Back Bay (the cheaper, run down student housing can be found just west of Mass. Ave around Hemenway street/ Westland Ave, Huntington Ave near the Boston Symphony, which is also on the good end of the E line.

Raytheon used to be a big employer there say, 10 years ago. UCSB itself is also a pretty big employer. Otherwise, the job market in SB is pretty tight for everything except waiting tables. The town is a bit like mayberry, and many people "consult" in IT, in otherwords, go around to small local offices(small law firms, small acounting firms, restaurants, hotels and country clubs) and pick up piecemeal work. Since SB is pretty close to Venture and even 1/2 away (on a good day) from LA, your BF might consider looking there if he is used to the corporate IT lifestyle and perhaps you could living somewhere in between.

Let it out, bro. That's what the gradcafe is for. :wink: If it helps at all, I haven't heard one positive thing either, but I count myself lucky just to have dreams.

Hey, Thanks for posting guys, especially those of you who had to relive a bad experience. Someone posted on the results page that they were robbed by a guy with a knife the same day they were rejected from UVA, and the rejection was worse. (Sorry dude!) I just hope they are not working through rejections alphabetically, as your friend and humble narrator, Yellow, is probably still at the bottom of the pile. Immersion, it takes a big man to admit when he's wrong. There's hope for you yet. :wink: