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spartaca

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About spartaca

  • Birthday April 4

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  • Gender
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  • Location
    Oregon
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    Already Attending
  • Program
    English Literature

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  1. I currently attend UO, and I would say that 11,500 is tight-but-livable in Eugene. It really depends on the expenses you'll bring with you. Unfortunately, the state of grad funding is such that most humanities students end up incurring additional debt. I do know a few people who don't/won't take out loans, and they do make it work. There's affordable housing, multiple free and accessible transit options, and even a handful of grad co-ops if you're amenable to sharing space with others. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.
  2. Yes, absolutely PM me if you'd like to know more! (I'm heading east for spring break in a few days, though, so my reply might not be prompt--just a heads-up)
  3. I did my MA at Buffalo a few years ago. While there, I also worked in the English dept's grad admissions. Based on numbers while I was there, which could be out-dated because of funding cuts, they had 16 lines of funding for PhD admits. MA cohorts were in the 25-35 range. Buffalo is a school that has a "cash-cow" Masters reputation, but it should be said that rejected PhD applicants without MAs are not automatically offered admission into the MA program. Despite the MA's lack of funding (if you're super lucky, and I mean super, you might have a chance at teaching comp your second year--express interest to the current comp director to increase the odds), I'd encourage anyone who receives an admission offer to seriously consider it. If you're willing to take out loans, Buffalo's a very cheap place to live, and I was able to work part-time and still get my reading, research, and writing done. It's a rigorous department, and those who choose to go on for PhD-level study generally have luck. In my MA cohort alone, two stayed at UB, one went to CUNY, another to Duke, another to Berkeley.
  4. When I was applying, I encountered this problem with URI as well. Since by mid-March, theirs was the only admissions offer with funding I'd received, I accepted. I subsequently received a better-for-me offer and ended up rescinding my acceptance of URI's. Since I'd dealt mainly with the grad secretary there and considering it was only a few days after I had accepted, I simply emailed the grad secretary and explained the situation. She responded with understanding. This seems to be their style, which is unfortunate; I know it caused me unnecessary extra stress. And if you're seriously considering their offer, I don't want to sway your feelings about the department in any way. That said, I'd attempted emailing the DGS a few times with questions re: the program, grad student life, housing contacts, and, most importantly, wondering if I could have more time before making a decision. She didn't respond to any of these emails, which was disheartening. The lack of an answer about the "deadline" is what impelled me to accept but, ironically, also made me feel a lot less bad about rescinding. If I were you, I'd wait until a few days before the 15th (this Friday, perhaps?), and call or email with a request for more time if you still need it. Since it's against accepted protocol to require a decision before April 15, I wouldn't worry too much. Just try to cover your ass & communicate your needs.
  5. While I'm not into digital or textual studies, I would like to comment on what your professor views as your major weakness... I consider one of my main weaknesses to be that I'm not as well read as some of my cohort, but in a recent discussion with my advisor, she made the point that that's why I'm in grad school. Even if you'd been in English for your entire undergrad, you'd still not be as conversant in the major works of your field as you'll eventually need to be. That's why there are orals exams & qualifying exams, & why most programs have distribution requirements. The whole point of graduate studies is to read, think, learn, and write MORE. Who cares if you're not as well read as your colleagues? The fact that you recognize it and have the drive to change it is one thing that makes for a quality applicant. And, seriously, admissions committees won't be able to gauge your level of familiarity with canonical works from your application unless they rely heavily on the GRE subject test, a test that many departments aren't requiring anymore because it isn't actually representative of one's ability to engage in graduate level work. I hope that your professor was also encouraging while pointing out this "weakness." Everyone is academia is insecure and comes with weaknesses... No one ever thinks she's read enough of what she should have read. And I'd say that this applies for both theoretical and literary works. Here are just a few of my "OMG, how have you gotten this far without reading that?!" works: Moby Dick, Jane Eyre, Beloved. Bottom line: graduate school is for learning--it's where you'll become well read.
  6. When I was applying last season, I had yet to write my MA thesis, so I wasn't faced with this specific issue. I did, however, have two seminar papers that I could've potentially used & that fit with the broader field in my SoP. However, I was taking a seminar that was the best fit for my specific interests during this time and decided instead to use the paper I would be writing for that class as my application sample. Of course, the end of the semester rolled around and the intended "polished final draft" seminar paper ended up being a not-so-polished work-in-progress that I eventually used as the basis for my thesis. But I only had a week with which to revise and edit the WIP seminar paper before I needed to send out apps. I decided to use it anyway and had a fair level of success. (Though, unlike many on this board, I didn't apply to any Ivies and only one top-20, so this could be inappropriate advice for those programs). Ultimately, I took a huge risk submitting this paper, but it was most representative of a) my general field, the specific types of questions and issues I'm interested in, and c) the level of complexity and nuance I am capable of in my writing. Similarly, it fit almost exactly within a paragraph of research questions I posed in my SoP. So, while I took a leap of faith by submitting something a little less cohesive and polished than the original two papers I'd been considering, it paid off because it gave my application more focus and continuity as a whole.
  7. I can certainly understand everyone's irritation, but chances are that his admission didn't prevent anyone else's. Most likely he was not offered a funded spot, but will either go for free (like others have mentioned--publicity) or pay his tuition out of pocket. I seriously doubt he went through the same application process as everyone else, will structure his program(s) the way most of us would, or even complete the degree. I don't want to make groundless assumptions, so I'd be very interested to hear what he has to say about it. What are his motivations? What does he plan to do with the degree? Will he write a dissertation or is he satisfied with going ABD? Does he want a job in academia or does he see an English PhD as helpful in other ways, like if he wants to break into directing and/or screen writing? Was there something he read in his MFA that inspired him to want to study literature and theory more deeply? But you know what they say about the Ivies... for the average Jane, the hardest part is getting in. Oh, and for anyone else attending Yale: if he decides to go, I expect to hear some stories
  8. While I was an MA student, I assisted in the department's grad admissions office during application season doing mainly clerical/organizational work. I learned quite a bit about how this particular program conducts its admissions. And yes, lady_coffee, to a certain extent, test scores are more important to the Dean of Arts & Sciences and/or TPTB at the Graduate School than to the department. Basically, if an applicant has acceptable-to-exceptional test scores, securing the approval for funding from higher-ups is easy. The Dean/GS doesn't read the applicant's file, nor would they necessarily be able to decide if a particular applicant should be admitted if they did, but rather receives a letter from the adcomm requesting approval to offer the applicant a line of funding along with copies of a few select documents from his/her application. If there happens to be an applicant whom the department wants but whose test scores fall below what is generally considered acceptable, the adcomm's task of justifying their decision in the letter to the Dean/GS is just a little harder, since TPTB really want to be able to publish reports about how great their graduate students are, and will use quantifiable evidence, like test scores, to support this. (One former prof told me that they just want to be able to say, "X% of our graduate students in the College of Arts & Sciences fall above Y percentile on the GRE Verbal and above Z percentile on the GRE Quantitative, with A% having a combined score of B or higher.") Sometimes the Dean or Graduate School will set a minimum GRE score for funding, which is why certain programs will publish a minimum on their websites. It's not that the department necessarily thinks that test scores are important--in fact, in my experience, most departments really don't--but rather that they know what scores the higher-ups like to see, and thus want to make the process of obtaining funding approval as smooth as possible. So yeah... test scores are important, but not always in the ways we think they are. This particular program made sure to read every single file--they didn't weed out a first round of rejections based on low test scores, though I will say that if an applicant was iffy based on SoP, LoRs, and/or writing sample, lower test scores were used to take the "maybe" to a rejection. Moral of the story: always, always, always do all that you can to ensure your SoP and writing sample are as strong as possible because a department will go to bat for you if they think you show promise that isn't accurately reflected in your test scores.
  9. In my experience, English departments tend to welcome individuals with diverse backgrounds. Like the previous poster noted, it's not a bad idea to have a few lit courses on your transcript if you don't already, but I don't think it's necessary to get a second BA in English in order to apply to an English MA program. In my MA cohort, there were people who came in with Bachelor's Degrees in African American Studies, Spanish, Biochemistry, PoliSci, Dance, and Anthropology. And those are just the ones I can remember off the top of my head. Because most MA programs can't/don't offer funding, it's not as difficult to get an acceptance when coming from a different undergrad field. I'd think the most important thing is to have a writing sample that exhibits your capacities for both complex critical inquiry and thoughtful analysis of literature--my MA app writing sample had no theory in it whatsoever. And if you approach your SoP as an opportunity to explain why you're interested in switching fields (what does lit offer that IR can't?) and how your non-English degree makes you a unique applicant (what will your background in IR enable you to do in lit?), then I don't think your degree in IR will be perceived as a setback. I can understand your anxiety in regard to this situation. But I think some of the most desirable applicants are the ones who will bring diversity to a program. I'm a non-traditional student who failed out of her first undergrad college, did a couple crappy years at a community college, and took some time off before finally finishing her Bachelor's. This was a huge source of anxiety for me when I was applying for both my MA and my PhD. But I tried to use it to my advantage by mentioning my less-than-stellar academic past in my SoP in order to juxtapose with my undergrad/MA success, which enabled me to say something like my successes were both a result and reaffirmation of my desire to study English, etc, etc. It's all about how you frame it. Oh, and unless a department explicitly states on its website or elsewhere that a BA in English is required for MA applicants, then your application will definitely be considered. (I worked in an English grad admissions office a few years back and every single file was read by the committee, even those with relatively bad GRE scores.)
  10. I'm currently working on my PhD in English at the UofO. I don't know much about the Comp Lit program here, but the people I know who are in the program are great! Generally, it is true that you can expect to get a job at a university that is similarly-ranked to your PhD-granting one. That said, it really matters what kind of work you plan on doing. Ideally, I'd like to get a job a small liberal arts college, so the UofO is perfect for me. There is a heavy focus on teaching and as a CL person, you'll have the opportunity to go through the Composition Program's year-long teacher-training sequence of courses. If teaching is important to you, it's something to consider--you'll leave Oregon with the ability to talk confidently about your teaching philosophy, which is great for the job search. Again, not sure about CL, but I know the English department boasts a pretty decent placement rate. However, if you're aiming to get a job at a huge research institution or an ivy, then you might consider the Dartmouth MA. It could provide you with the skills you need to get into a PhD program at one of those kinds of universities. (Though I'll second the above poster who mentioned how much it BLOWS to go through apps while working on your MA--my thesis certainly suffered for it.) Is Dartmouth's program 1 or 2 years? I only ask because 1 year programs don't really give you the opportunity to get your feet wet or form strong relationships with profs before it's time to apply to PhD programs, thus it makes it more difficult to get great LoRs. If you'd like any more info about Oregon, I'd be happy to answer any questions--feel free to PM me. And good luck making your decision!!
  11. I think the appropriate number of programs is really dependent on individual circumstances. I really only applied to 4 (technically 5, but I knew my MA-granting institution generally only admits 1-2 of their own, so v. low chances there). That said, I made the decision to cut my intended apps in half after re-taking the GRE and not seeing that much improvement. I was pretty convinced I wouldn't get in anywhere. But instead of ditching the entire plan, I made some strategic choices based on fit, geographic location, and ranking (even applying to one unranked program), and included a disclaimer about test scores at the end of my SOP. I was accepted to 2 programs with offers of full funding from both. There are so many factors that go into the entire application process that unless you're planning on applying to more than, say, 20 programs, I wouldn't worry. Everyone's experiences are different and it's impossible to anticipate or gauge what adcoms are thinking. One problem I could see coming out of applying to a lot of programs is the "safety school" mentality. Do not apply to any program that you consider a safety. Because no one wants to be in the position of having only one offer, but it's from a program you really didn't want to attend. So trust yourself--if you'd be ecstatic/happy to attend every program you apply to, then you're on the right track.
  12. While I'm not familiar with Notre Dame, you can always play with your language and term your interest in both as transatlantic poetry. If you plan to look at a specific time period, you can throw that in, too. While I only listed one specialty - 19th C American Lit - I expressed an interest in multiple theoretical frameworks and a desire to gain more knowledge in women's and ethnic literatures. I don't think it's frowned upon to have more than one interest as long as you're explicit about your main interest and the kinds of questions you plan on asking. Hope this helps!
  13. Not sure if you've checked them out yet, but University of Oregon has an Ethnic Literatures structured emphasis. I'd say they're particularly strong, as compared to most other programs, in Latino/a, Chicano/a, and Native American.
  14. I'll be entering the English PhD program, moving from the east coast... Anyone else going to UO?
  15. I did my undergrad at SUNY Brockport. Ever heard of it? Probably not. Not that I'm going to an Ivy or anything (the program I'll be entering is ranked in the 50s and I'm pleased), but don't discredit your education based on the size/name of your school. I loved my undergrad institution and still have great relationships with a few profs most likely because it's a small state college where the focus is on teaching as opposed to research. While I've gained contacts and networking connections from my MA institution (a larger research university), I'm not leaving with plans to get drinks or have dinner with any of my profs. There's a difference, and it's felt. My UGI helped me gain a level of comfort engaging with professors on a one-on-one basis, smaller classroom size, greater ease when setting up meetings, asking for extra help, etc. I'm coming out of my MA U with a higher level of professionalism, a better understanding of how an academic department works, and an ability to ask more complex and nuanced questions. I've only profited from both degrees, but they've given me different skill sets. My point was, though, plenty of people are able to get into great grad programs coming from small schools. If your writing sample and SOP are awesome, coupled with solid letters of rec, then it really doesn't matter all that much where you're coming from. And sometimes coming from a smaller school is seen positively - you bring diversity to their program, a different POV from the students they accept out of the big research universities - this is something you could use to your advantage in your SOP. Obviously, I did do an MA before applying to PhDs, but I'm undecided on the debate that surrounds this issue. I did an MA more for personal reasons, like, the idea of a PhD straight outta undergrad scared the crap out of me AND I tend to be indecisive, so I wanted grad experience before committing to the 5-6 year PhD. But like spritely mentioned, this could be different for comp lit programs... But yes, do tons of research - I wish I had done more for both MA and PhD apps. Figure out what schools/programs are in line with your interests, send emails/make phone calls, and write/revise a damn good paper to use as your sample. And keep coming to the grad cafe because, seriously, I wish I had known about this place BEFORE I applied... You'll get great support and advice here.
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