Yellow#5

And yet, the humanities are often just as transformative to our quality of life as the sciences are. Does anyone think that there would be widespread tolerance of gay partnerships, even marriage in some states, tough domestic abuse, child sexual abuse, harassment in the workplace laws and cultural advancement regarding these issues if gender, trauma, power relationships weren't discussed so frequently and openly in the university, while the working stiffs of the world trudge out the door in the morning with blinders on? We didn't get from 1950 to now just by waiting. It happened because, after the war, suddenly everyone went to school and in turn, encouraged their kids to do so too.

How many here think immersion is waitlisted for this program at Harvard and is therefore insisting it sucks in order to discourage others from accepting? *raises hand*

I did my FREE Fafsa very quickly at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/ . It is not an intimidating form at all. I'm not sure why anyone would voluntarily pay more for this process, or why they would give their social security number to a company that charges you to file free government paperwork.

Hey guys, thanks for sticking up for me, but you know what they say, if you can't take the criticism, show biz ain't for you.

That's true FSIA, good eye. Just to reiterate, for foreign students, stressed out and haggard first time appliers or just anyone who might be somewhat distracted today and off their guard for the extensive tenticles of internet thievery, I'd like to quote my own post:

FafsaUSA charges you money. The FREE Fafsa website is http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/ Please ignore the spammer.

How many of you are still in limbo with UVA? Are you dreading the Monday morning status change to "rejection" like I am? What gives? Are they just working through the pile slowly or are they gearing up to offer a bunch of unfunded Master invites? Thoughts?

I have a 12 hour work day now. Anywhere you go, you will eventually work your way up to the 12 hour work day. It's better to do it in an area you love, than one you just fall into paying your rent.

I really wish people with that attitude would leave the field, so it could stop being true, even to the slightest degree, that all English departments do is vent their own self-loathing. Sadly, few other professions readily except self-loathers. Neo-con punditry is the only other profession that comes to mind.

I think it's so common to consider humanities as "non-serious" that many people, even aspiring PhDs in the area, can't believe that anyone at all serious would ever apply to "their" program. That is the reaction I got from many friends and collegues when I mentioned I was quitting my 'good job' to get a PhD in literature. The surprising thing is MANY people seem to want to give their heart and soul to this area. Can't figure out why we can't all get together and elevate the prestige of the discipline a little bit in the scholarly world.

By a nude man in the process of dusting my mini-blinds.

Not really. All they're going to say is what they said to you. They're probably covering up the fact that their finances are uncertain.

I think this year in particular, schools are waiting to hear the size of their budget before they extend offers they can't fund.

BU is always super snippy, super unfriendly and super unhelpful on the phone. That's just how they roll. Administrators there think they're running a military school or something. There is a woman who answers the phones in the English department who always effects this highly elite intellectual attitude and I'm always tempted to remind her that her paycheck says SECRETARY, not nobel prize laureate.

It's easy to focus on the negative in any profession. I think it's important to stay focused on what it is you're striving for, what you want to achieve and when you clearly see that you are not achieving it in your chosen discipline/profession, work on achieving it elsewhere. Grad school might be exactly like that, but you can't know until you try. You can always switch course again, but avoiding going for the PhD because of what you might encounter is not a good strategy, I think.

Many people are posting about panick attacks, difficulty working, stress in general during the waiting period. In light of this, I thought I'd start a thread so everyone can share their ideas for coping. I'm no lover of the gym, but I have to say, I've been going 3 or 4 times a week and doing some yoga, and I feel like it helps. Also, I bought new "stress" formula vitamins. I also like to plan "fantasy" vacations (not real bookings, just browsing). Looking at fancy hotels in Athens, for example, seems to relax me. All those big, white, fluffy, down beds

Yes, and also please remember that your health and hapiness is more important than any job, school or anything else for that matter. I understand you've put in a great deal of effort, you really want your first choice, etc., but take a quick objective look at what worrying is doing to you, and realize that nothing is worth doing that to yourself over.

Three, I hear ya, and I did go out to seattle and visit UW, a very nice campus. Professors were very open and friendly. Many of the programs I'm interested in specifically say on their web site that they do not meet with potential grad students until they are accepted.

Is there anyone out there who was in the position last year of getting no Phd admits, but where offered a spot in the Master's program? Is there anyone who did the MA and is glad or regrets it? I've heard that having an MA may help your application for a PhD (in English Lit.) but can also hurt your chances at some programs. Thoughts?

I hear you. What really raises these same doubts in me is how anonymous the process is. Sure, some people may be lucky enough to have some contact with one or two of their schools, and of course we can read faculty profiles on the web sites or faculty works, but why not have some kind of pre-application open house, that's what I don't get. It takes ad coms so long to make decisions, then it takes applicants so long to accept, because no one has anything to go on except a vague notion of what kind of work they'll be encouraged/allowed to do.

"Pending" is just as annoying.

Amen! If profs or admissions committees don't like accepted students taking their time until their April 15 deadline, maybe ad coms should get it together and add some structure to the process; make an honest to goodness wave one and wave two so that EVERYONE doesn't have to wait around indefinitely. I too haven't heard anything definite from 7 schools. Many rejections have gone out from these schools and I haven't got one. I don't have an acceptance either. (I sort of fear I'll get offered alot of unfunded MAs around April 15). . But even in my condition of total limbo and my desire to hear some news, I can't put any blame on students who have turned in strong applications and are trying to figure out the mess of different offers, different faculties, personal concerns, etc. or feel sorry for ad coms that perpetuate this chaotic system. They are the ones who post no information on the positions they want to fill, make everyone take a very costly shot in the dark on 10 or more programs and finally, have extended offers to candidates on some supposedly unique criteria which they claim can't really be defined (though it somehow causes 10 independant committees to pick the exact same person) and now, because they've all chosen the same traditionally strong candidate who they claim doesn't really exist, 9 of them will have to wait around for a month to be turned down. Sucks to be you ad com professor...but not as much as it sucks to be us