Silent_Bobina

I don't believe sucking up is a good tactic in any situation but especially one with a professor that I haven't gotten off to a good foot with. We are not allowed to teach or even hold a minimum wage job while we're in school and waiting to get that experience after school will mean a few years of really struggling. They don't pay you enough to live on at Junior Colleges, they barely pay adjuncts subsistence pay... You are talking about Chemistry according to your profile. Humanities is much the opposite. Research positions after school are not common in my field, only teaching positions. Therefore, teaching experience is more highly valued. This is especially true for me because I want to go to a teaching, not research, institution. I have expressed this all over the department. To the head, my professors, and the secretary. I know for a fact (since she and the secretary said outright that they do the assignments themselves) that the department head has ultimate control over the assignments. Granted there are a limited number of spots each semester for both RA and TA ships but she can put us however she wants and she actively chose to exclude me. So far at least one other student has a TA-ship in my cohort even though it was a scheduling issue that supposedly affected us all. The conflict occurred with a class that we are all required to take so it wasn't something I could have avoided by planning ahead! I don't know if the other 4 students in my cohort are teaching yet but either way, I put in a specific request to teach and this girl told me she doesn't even want to teach. At my MA, it was first come first serve and if you expressed a strong preference and no one else did you would get your preference. That is really the only way it isn't favoritism...

So I was told that my program alternates research/teaching positions each semester so everyone gets a balanced amount of experience at both. I thought this was great, except it seems favoritism is being paid in the actual shakedown. The first semester I have had two very successful research assistantships with two very nice professors and I have been assigned to research with them both again next semester. Before these decisions were made I turned in my resume (which has a significant amount of teaching experience) and expressed my desire to teach this upcoming semester. Yet I am still stuck researching for another semester. I heard from an older graduate student (who worked with the very professors I have been assigned to for a full academic year now) that she was trapped in the research track and never got the promised opportunities to teach. I called our wonderful secretary to ask her why I wasn't chosen to teach. She said it was a matter of scheduling difficulties. I will believe this as long as the others in my cohort are in the same boat (the scheduling conflict was supposedly with a class required for all of us). However, one student was given preferential treatment to teach this past semester. Her and another student have become very close to the head of our department (who has a small problem with me as far as I can tell). I'm not sure where anyone else is in the Spring yet but I am frustrated because most people (including the girl who taught this fall) complain incessantly about teaching and would rather research. I feel exactly the opposite yet I'm the one not teaching. Some questions: How do I deal with potential favoritism in this process without coming right out and accusing the department head of favoritism? How important IS teaching experience in graduate school for finding a faculty position (Media Studies/Comm)? Would the year and a half of experience with three different classes from my Masters be enough? How long should I wait to see if this is truly a scheduling problem that will correct itself? Essentially, should I be looking to transfer programs next year over this? Thanks!

I am visiting Boulder next week, but I can only afford to be in town one night. As a result, I won't be able to spend a lot of timing scoping out apartments. I currently live in Boston which seems to be much more expensive than Boulder housing-wise but I am hoping for a studio that allows pets (and multiple tenants if there are limitations on that) that is between 700-1000 a month. What are some good places to try and arrange an appointment? It would be nice but not essential for the selection of apartments for rent to be within walking distance of campus and off of the Hill (although I would look there if it's my only option). I would ideally like to put a hold down or at least apply for an apartment while I am there. I was wondering if you have to see an apartment in person to rent it (that is the law in Boston)? Also, someone on here called Boulder Property Management "slum lords" but didn't really explain why. From what I can tell from their website, most of their apartments allow pets and are reasonably priced. They also seem like they are flexible with long-distance movers. Was this person referring to their quality? If so, would it be a waste of my time to make an appointment with them? I looked up another place that was recommended on here "rentbouldernow" but I couldn't tell where the apartments were in relationship to campus. Where is Table Mesa in reference to campus by foot? I also am not sure where the mass transit lines cover and what streets are good to live on if you want to be close to the bus. If you guys can give me any details at all on any of these things I would really appreciate it. I am very nervous about spending my time in Boulder poorly and having a difficult time securing an apartment.

I am crossing my fingers for you! Did they mention if all of their acceptances were through e-mail or postal? I'm sorry Pietrosan! I'm also disappointed that after waiting to hear from them it seems like bad news. I was rejected from UNC-Chapel Hill but it was the Communication Studies program which is different than Mass Comm.

Good luck CHagen! As someone with a short target list I can sympathize but if it's the right fit you will get it!

It seems that USC Annenberg has finally sent out an acceptance, not sure how much longer I will wait.

You have heard from Annenberg? USC or Penn? I haven't heard from USC still and if I hear nothing before my trip to University of Colorado Boulder in March than I plan to withdraw my app and commit to Boulder, it will probably end up being my final choice anyway but I admire too many people at USC not to wait a while for a response.

I want to contact the program that I'm waiting on but I'm not sure what to say or how to actually get someone who matters to listen to me. I have called them about an application error (missing transcript, all on their side not processed properly) a half a dozen times and the problem is still not really solved, so I doubt the people I would get on the phone would care or give me any relevant info. It doesn't help that the school I'm waiting on refuses to say where they are in the process or give and admissions info over the phone. They also have a fairly inconsistent admissions pattern where they'll e-mail a few top choices in mid-February (Mostly International students because that's their overwhelming preference) then release some more admits and the first round of rejections mid-march! About the March 15th deadline, It's not the official deadline which is April 15th like most American schools. Responding by March 15th is just a suggestion so you are courteous to those on the wait-list. I don't want to be an acceptance hoarder. I get so angry because of the ego of some people on this website. Especially when they hold 3 or 4 acceptances and just wait on them, even if they're only seriously considering one or two. I also will have visited by then so I will have the experience that you are saying is so important (and I agree it is). However, I visited both of my MA choices before deciding where to go and I am still miserable in the location that I chose (I may have been more miserable at my other choice though). I am definitely not in this boat but the school I'm waiting on is a very close second choice. See this is how I felt upon receiving the admission and it really should be that simple but everyone, my MA adviser, my friends, this website have said you should really wait until you hear from any option that might sway you and if I visited both schools I'm not sure I would still choose the offer I currently have.

I have been accepted to a school with funding for 4 years and everything I could want. This school is my top choice and I am only waiting to hear from one other program which is notoriously late about notifying even their acceptances. I see everyone on here saying to wait and think about offers but how long is too long? If you have a cushy offer at a school you like and they want a courteous response before March 15th, but the other school may not even notify you either way before then is it even worth waiting? How long would you wait if you already had a solid offer?

Does anyone know what's going on with USC Annenberg? They are so notorious for taking forever and I got accepted to my top choice with funding, moving reimbursement and paid visit. Getting accepted to USC would give me a lot to consider because I also really admire and fit well with their department but I don't want to wait till March or April just to get a rejection. How long should you wait with an offer from your top choice? How do you nudge other departments to tell you where they are in their process?

I'm so relieved! I was accepted at CU Boulder for Media Studies PhD!

I'm nervous because I already received one rejection from my very short list of targets. I am now waiting on two programs, USC and UC Boulder. Boulder is my top choice and is a perfect fit and they received all of my application materials with no problems so it's just a matter of waiting. As for the USC situation, I called back the general graduate admissions office and they told me two more different things... they said that no one ever sent my transcript through the process to integrate it with my file (which makes very little sense because my GRE scores went through in a couple of days with no problem) and they also said that their process does not effect whether your application is reviewed in w/e department you applied to. Although I hope this means the problem is now fixed and this woman is correct about the review process, I will be pretty upset if I get a quick turn around rejection.

Hey guys, thanks for the advice! Krissada, I considered doing just that, getting on the phone with them and staying on the line while they contact someone from the general admissions office. Maybe it will help. Thanks! Pietrosan, no they never confirmed receiving my transcript, only my GRE scores at Annenberg. Only the General admissions office confirmed having both. I understand that they have a lot to go through but all the more reason for them to listen the first time I contact them so it could all be cleared up. I've been going back and forth with them over this for two weeks, they're wasting their own time for something that isn't even really a problem, all the materials are right there. I have sent them an unofficial transcript and the woman on the phone said that would put my application into the review pile while the general admissions office is processing the official copy but when I e-mailed them the transcript to get it in writing that that was what was going on they only responded that my unofficial transcript would be added to my file, not that my file was now entering the review process. I suppose my only real option is to call them again. Thanks for the help!

Anyone had any difficulty with the USC admissions office? They sent me an e-mail saying my gre and transcripts were missing but it was just a mis-communication between the general office of admission and Annenberg. I have called and e-mailed, trying to get the department to confirm that they are receiving my paperwork and that my application is in the pile to be reviewed. I do not want to be rejected due to their paperwork error but no one will be straight with me about the confusion. Should I call the general admissions office again? Does anyone know how to get them to listen to me? Because most of their responses show that they don't comprehend my problem and I've been painfully direct and clear with them. Usually I feel like they did not read my e-mail or consider what I said to them when I hear their responses which do not answer my questions. How do they expect us to clear up application confusion like this if they don't listen?

I agree with Krissada I have applied to USC Annenberg, University of North Carolina Chapell hill (Communication Studies), and University of Colorado Boulder (Media Studies) and I'm in the final stages of my application for American University (Communication). Anyone heard anything yet? Where did people apply?

Sounds like a good idea! Thanks!

So I have a good paper that is 17 full pages and related to my research topic. This is an appropriate length for all but one of my applications. However, the application that it's not appropriate for asks for an 18-20 page paper. Is submitting a 17 page paper (18 with citations) going to hurt my chances of being accepted?

I have a section for Presentations on my CV

I'm applying for PhD programs in Communication/Media Studies and I'm currently in an M.A. program for Film Studies. I have two professors who have already offered to write LORs when the time comes but I am not really close to any other professors in my school's tiny department. I have several other professors whom I don't know as well that I could ask for a letter but they may not be as detailed or strong as the letters from my other professors. I was wondering if it is a good or bad thing to contact a professor from my undergraduate institution for an LOR. My BA was in English Literature so the content would still be relevant to the PhD programs I'm applying for and I had a very close and long-term (5 years) relationship with several of my undergrad profs. I haven't talked to any of my profs since graduation but I know that at least one of my professors will be easy to reconnect with. This professor wrote me an amazing letter for my M.A. applications. He read the letter to me even though I waived my right to see the letters and he said some amazingly complimentary things. He also knows that I have maintained my research interest since my time in undergraduate and was the advisor for my thesis on the topic. Is it better to have an amazing letter from an undergrad professor or a mediocre letter from my graduate program?

That's the problem... my MA program was not the best fit and didn't give me as many opportunities to develop my interests. I am writing my M.A, thesis on a similar topic to that of my Undergraduate honors thesis and my undergraduate honors project was also tied to the same topic. Most of my presentation credits are related to my undergraduate work, even those that occurred during my time as a masters student. I have been lucky to adapt many of my class research projects to my interests, even creating an independent study, but ultimately besides my own adaptations and my teaching experience I've had little opportunity to expand on my research interest.

From what I've read on the advice forum, it seems as though the best idea is to only mention things that have a direct line to your current interests. A lot of my undergraduate work has connections to my current work, as well as my graduate teaching... are these good things to mention?

So I'm preparing my sop for applications to doctorate programs. I've completed my B.A. and and in the process of getting my M.A. Should I include experiences from both my undergraduate and graduate experience to show how I've developed? Or should I only include graduate experience?

So I was recently invited to write for the student magazine at my graduate school. Unfortunately it is not the type of writing I thought it would be, a.k.a. academic. Instead, a lot of it is creative non-fiction articles and creative articles about cultural happenings around the school. I have written creative non-fiction undergraduate and am interested in continuing to write it in graduate school. I also feel it would be a nice break from writing for my other classes. However there are two things that make me unsure, the first being that I do not have as strong a writing sample for this type of writing although I do have one and also I am unsure of whether this will actually be helpful in my career (Film and Television Studies) if I cannot write about film. Also I may be able to write about film since the invitation indicated that they were looking for writers from a variety of programs including Film and Television although none of the sample articles I've read have reflected this sort of topic or variety. What should I do? Is it worth the time to apply? Should I use my strongest writing sample even though it is not the style of writing prominent in the magazine or should I submit my writing that is more similar to the magazine even if it is not as good?

I'm going to BU for film studies in the fall. It's a tiny department max 12 students but I'm pretty excited about the city. I went to visit for the open house and found an apartment that is cute and within 30 minutes walking distance of campus just across the street from the green line. all in all very excited!

I actually am working on a blog as we speak. I don't mean to be naive, it's simply a goal. In my experience the bigger goals you set the more you will accomplish. Perhaps that's just how I work but my idealism has served me well so far. I do not believe I will achieve this goal but I will do everything I can to try and change what I believe is the fault of the academic community to be content with merely reaching each other. Whether or not this ever happens I do not know but I know it never will if people don't try.