andromeda
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Posts posted by andromeda
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How did you find that? I'm blind, I think I've been staring at screens way too long every day.
I couldn't find the GWU one, though.
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That makes me feel a bit better!
You can't really go by overall prestige; you'll need to do some homework on departmental and subfield reputations. I'm not familiar with English departments or your subfield, but for what it's worth, here are the rankings for African-American Lit.:
http://grad-schools....rature-rankings
Rutgers clocks in at 15, tied with Emory and U Michigan, which is pretty damn good. GWU seems to be 71st for English overall, but that'll surely be different for African-American Lit.
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Your points are very... on point.
Do you know where I can find job placements for Rutgers English? I searched to no avail. I did see the U of T ones, and it seems as though most grads remain in Canada/
I'd suggest looking at the placement records. I don't know anything about English, specifically, but a quick glance tells me that Rutgers' placement is probably better than, or at least equal to, U of T's in terms of US institutions (I couldn't find GWU's).
Toronto is definitely more prestigious in that it's in the highest echelon of Canadian universities (usually with UBC and McGill), whereas Rutgers and GWU are comparatively lower ranked, but there's definitely something working against Canadian PhDs on average in terms of US placement. It's a topic which has come up many times on these forums, and I'm still not sure in my own mind of the causes, but it's obvious that, in most fields, it seems uncommon for Canadian PhDs to obtain tenure-track positions at 'comparable' universities. It's pretty evident if you look at U of T's English placement: http://www.english.u...d/placement.htm . Perhaps the record shows that most of the PhDs are Canadian and thus choose to work in Canada, or that US perceptions of Toronto's (and other Canadian schools') 'actual' rank is much lower, i.e., that were it a US school, it would only be mid-ranked, say, top 50.
That's not to say that a Toronto PhD will be an 'obstacle' to job prospects in the US; the placement record shows that it probably isn't. But it seems to be the case that, if you're looking at 'prestige', U of T's prestige and reputation within Canada don't translate favorably (depending on your expectations) to the US context.
EDIT: Sorry, my original post mistakenly thought the OP and andromeda were different people. Stupid me. If I could add one more thing: would it be unusual or seen as odd to study American literature in Canada? I'm not in your field, so I don't know, but it seems like it might be an issue.
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My interests are in American/African-American lit, as well as critical race studies.
I have a forerunner in Critical Race Studies who has expressed interest in my ideas, which is nice; but U of T has also expressed the interest of a few faculty members.
I'm not sure why I am worried. I want to try and visit all three, but in case I can't, want to know that I'm making a viable decision.
For some reason, I feel like down the road, having an American PhD will benefit me more. Problem is, most American friends I have think automatically GWU and Rutgers are better; while my Canadian folks tell me U of T is the most prestigious of the three. Should I worry about prestige? Ugh, I shouldn't. I appreciate further insight from you....
It would be really helpful if you could give us an idea of your interests and subfields. I can tell you that Toronto should not in any way be an obstacle to your getting hired in the US—far from it! It's an excellent school, with a great reputation in the US and a degree from there should certainly be an asset on the job market.
That being said, Rutgers is also great, and don't stress to much about New Brunswick if that's what's really holding you back about it. It's not DC or Toronto, but it's relatively close to New York.
I personally don't know anything about GWU's english grad program, so I can't way in on it.
I would suggest though that you try and visit all three of the schools so that you get a better idea of the ever elusive "fit."
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Hello lovely folks,
I'm hoping to get American and Canadian perspectives on this one. I've been accepted into three schools thus far: GWU, Rutgers, and U of T. All have a funding package, but I am wondering how these schools' English PhD programs might be ranked. My confusion stems from the following:
GWU = private, a somewhat more elite feel, but known for public policy, not necessarily English; might be fun living in the capital
Rutgers = excellent funding package, but where do they rank?; not so keen on living in New Brunswick, NJ
U of T = excellent school, and it's where I call home right now, but I want to open my future job prospects to the US (I am a Canadian); figured attending an American university might up the ante on my scholarly profile
HELP!! How would you rank these schools? What might I want to consider? Thx!
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Would that bus be the Coach USA bus? I checked the website but that route no longer seems to exist....
There's also a bus that runs from New Brunswick to Port Authority. I forget what the normal price is, but Rutgers students get discounts, which makes round trip tickets $15 (a lot cheaper than the train!). It is, on the other hand, a bit slower than the train, depending on the traffic. NJ Transit (train) is, as you've posted, $26 round trip.
People in my department do tend to live in NB/Highland Park during coursework, and after that many move to the city (or Jersey City). Beyond the expense, commuting several days a week is very time-consuming! Plus, the good thing about sticking around in the NB area the first year or so is that you really bond with your cohort - living farther away can make it harder to see people outside of class. For me at least, feeling connected to my cohort first year really helped to deal with the stress caused by transitioning into a PhD program!
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I know rents are ridiculous, I lived there... but this time around, I might have a friend to help me out.
$13?? You mean one way, I guess.... right?
Rents in Manhattan are ridiculous. It's probably a bit more practical to live in Jersey and take trips to Manhattan for recreation. The NJTransit trains go from New Brunswick to Penn Station for $13 though.
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I am considering moving to New Brunswick to attend Rutgers, it sounds like a great/amazing place to study. The problem is, I want to live in New York City. NYC was my home once upon a time for a short while, and I miss it terribly. I know it's completely inconvenient to live there and travel to New Brunswick, but I wanted to know if it were at all possible.
I have heard a few different things, most recently that it is $26 from NYC Penn Station to New Brunswick on the Amtrak (that's impossible for me to afford). The other option I'm aware of is taking the PATH train to Newark station, and taking either a bus or train (not sure which, or how much the trips are) to New Brunswick station. Has anyone traveled either of these ways? Does anybody reading make this commute on a semi-regular basis? I am guessing that I will have to be at the Rutgers campus at least 4 times a week. If there's a will there's a way..........
Thx!
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Would you happen to know or ask how they travel from NYC to the campus?? I am seriously considering attending Rutgers and have a potential apartment lined up in NYC. This would be the dream.
From what I know, from New Brunswick's train station, it takes just over an hour to arrive at Penn Station in NYC, but it's $16 -- way too much, if I have to commute 4-5 days a week. Can you consult your grad student friend?! I would love to know. Many thanks...
To the best of my knowledge, grad students aren't required to live on campus. Sure. they have on-campus options (I'm not sure if they're mandatory first year - highly doubt it), but off-campus options are also abundant. One grad student I know lives in New York City and commutes to class, but that's not typical.
Studying American Lit at a Canadian School: Mistake?
in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition
Posted
To my fellow (and possibly future) colleagues,
I'm in a crux. I'm a Canadian specializing in American (African-American especially) literature, and am caught between going to school in the US vs. going to school in Canada (University of Toronto). The two schools I am contending between are Rutgers and University of Toronto.
Rutgers has a better funding package as of now, since I am still waiting to hear back from SSHRC -- if I get the CGS, I'll be in the clear for U of T, but without it, I have to plan to survive on the minimum funding package. BUT... It's not the money I'm most concerned with right now... it's choosing between the two.
Does University of Toronto have a good reputation in the US? If I get my PhD there, will I have the competitive edge necessary to, say, compete for English Lit teaching positions in both the US and Canada? It seems to me, given what I've seen from placement records for both schools, that generally speaking, Canadian PhDs remain in Canada but American PhDs have a ticket to ride in both countries. I'm not sure why this is, other than what seems to be a very logical connection between the fact that since I want to study American Lit, I should study at an American school. Yet... is it that simple? U of T is one of Canada's best schools, if not the best, and Americans have "heard of it." Do I go with them because they're great in Canada, or do I go with Rutgers because they pretty great in the US, and my potential advisors at Rutgers have more cache in the academic arena (i.e. are more well-known, especially given the field of American lit). Rutgers does have a great African-American lit program, as the rankings say... Still, it means relocating to a place I've only visited once.
THE QUESTION IS THIS: I want to open my future job prospects to the US. Does it matter if I go to Rutgers University in New Jersey, or University of Toronto? If I wanted to either take a post-doc at an American University, does it matter if I remain in Canada or not? I know the job market is limited as it is, and from what I've heard from colleagues, I'm not necessarily doing myself a favour by studying American literature at a Canadian school which isn't well known for that field, anyway. And yet, making a name for myself as an Americanist in Canada might not be a bad idea, since I'll be doing something more rare.
Thoughts!? Without this forum, I'm lost.
Thank you so much.