t1racyjacks

actually, that doesn't unnerve me one bit. Well, I'm much older for one. But I know so many incredibly talented people with rejections -- and sorry honestly (some not-so-talented) people with acceptances -- that I've decided it has nothing to do with your ability really. It probably has more to do with one's field and fit........ and magic. remember the role of market forces in this and no one should feel bad.

emory interviews, but cornell and USC don't [/intelligence from my friends who have got in] -- for comp lit of course.

I think so. comp lit usually comes quite late. my friend is in cornell comp lit and she will notify me if they send out flyers for campus visits etc. but it's no indication --sometimes the committee decides faster -- sometimes slower -- so last yr's results aren't really an accurate reflection of when they'll notify

yes, this scared me too. some of the rejections have such incredible stats.... and they got rejected :S

I am a cat. specifically, according to an online cat breed test, I am a maine coon. and congrats to the duke admit! awesome program

am now stonily wondering what it means that I'm so popular in the UK, but probably won't get any US admits :huh: it's a mix of curiosity and deflatedness. I feel like studying it, because that's me

I just called Emory Comp Lit. There's good and bad news. The bad news is that every one of the 'first tier' applicants has been sent an email for interviews, including the international students. So if you're an Emory Comp Lit applicant, it means that you didn't make the 'first round'. However, there's a 'waiting list' apparently, and a 'second tier' bunch of applicants or something, so I don't know. Regarding my status, the admin said she'll email DGS and check

appplication: will do and I feel your pain. I play Bejeweled... and actually I find that for some reason played on repeat numbs one... so eh I have it on for hours :ph34r:

that's precisely why I want to call them. even more puzzlingly, when the interview notices were posted they just told me a letter of rec was missing, since they were reviewing apps and noticed. wtf??? is it because I'm not american?

not too relevant, but the problem of the canon is gaining popularity (kinda) as a research area. I'm working in a field that's extremely closely related (to the point that I have to read the work on the history of canonisation too). So hopefully we can get somewhere with this and help out

I should call Emory comp lit. Who supports this idea?

I see that you got into Cambridge.... did you apply for funding? at least it's an admission -- but as far as I know funding might have to be applied for separately. The good thing about UK is that you don't have to do all the drudge work that comes with the US system (cheap labour) so there might be that to consider. Congrats and good luck!

actually, this sounds like an excellent idea

that makes total sense, but after my UK experiences, I wish the system were more humane. When there's some delay in response the DGS actually got back to me, explaining why and with a sweet note that he knew it was hard and students are anxious. The first email I got, I was like 'omg! they recognise I'm a person' (and in honour of this I have switched to British spelling. Unless they don't offer me a fellowship and America does then.... well).

congrats!!

thanks.... that kinda makes sense, in a bureaucratic and odious way. but at least it makes a little more sense to me now

I'm not... I'm just trying to understand the inefficiency. I can't even see any explanation for it

Here's the thing I don't understand about the unis. The way they notify students who got accepted first and rejections MUCH later (up till 2 months). Now I can understand if the late rejection is on a waitlist. But that doesn't explain the usual gap (relatively huge) between acceptances and rejections or even emails telling the students that they are waitlisted. I'm thinking that once the committee makes its decisions they can just tell us the statuses regardless of whether we've been accepted, rejected or waitlisted. This slow roasting does nothing but turn us into particularly unsavory pieces of charred meat (I don't suppose we'll be edible once we're done, as the stress hormones would've ruined any chance of that). Given the acceptance rates of many departments (I'm english/comp lit) there will be a huge number of applicants rejected immediately once their applications have been evaluated. Won't it be more humane to just tell these applicants that they've been rejected at the same time as those who are told they are accepted? (same with waitlist even). I don't get this, at all. I'm so sick of feeling horrible and thinking about the way the system works makes it seem particularly inhumane. I can't find any rational explanation for the 'lag', unless they read applications in batches. But this doesn't work, because if indeed they do we should be seeing more of a spread regarding acceptance and rejection dates. Just what the hell is going on and what is the use of this system? How does it even work? Are they just sadistic? Because if they didn't care (and most likely I suspect indifference) I don't understand how this system helps the uni be more efficient in any way.

insect bite

lassitude is my middle name. trauma has sunk in to the point where numbness is at one with anxiety. I don't know if alcohol would cure this. or some other drug. no alcohol today. relying on other sedatives

I'm in an emerging field I think. Um, I'm working on how market trends in academia affect the theorisation of aesthetics. Where would that put me? 'critical theory'? It's a weird mix between the history of literary criticism, the process of canonisation, disciplinary studies and philosophy (by which I mean texts theorising about aesthetics from Plato on). Thing is I don't wanna work on anything else. But wondering if there are students working on this. I don't know any grad students who are interested in this and it seems to be like a very marginal thing in departments........ my faculty just tell me 'aaahhhhh anyone who is trained in critical theory can be interested in this'. but I'm not even sure. I think it has to be done though. The corportisation of academia has got to the point where we cannot ignore the way structural strain affects the ways in which we deal with literature. of course, if I didn't think this way I wouldn't be doing it