runonsentence

I'd say it's definitely appropriate to mention you have another offer. If School B is another well-regarded school, or especially if it's one that seeks out applicants similar to those sought out at School A, then it could make you look more desireable. Here's an example of an email I sent a few DGS at silent schools: "I'm writing to let you know that I've had a recent publication accepted at X journal. I've been offered an acceptance by Y, but I'm still really interested in hearing from Z." However, as to when to send it, that I'm not sure since they said they wouldn't start sending out decisions until the 15th. I sent out my emails because the schools I was emailing had said they'd send out notifications in early March, and many had December or early January deadlines. I know that waiting sucks, but you may want to give it another week.

I've been waitlisted by four schools, but the ones who think it is likely I'll actually move up high enough so that they can extend me an offer have said as much. If the school is really keen on keeping you as an option and thinks you have a good chance of getting a spot, in my experience they'll tell you so. When I was applying for my MA (F09), I was only accepted to my current institution, but without funding, so I turned down the offer on the basis of not wanting to put myself in debt. About 2-3 weeks later, they suddenly had a funded spot open up and immediately called me to see if I'd be interested in taking it. This, I think, is indicative of the kind of practice you'd see if the school is pretty serious about you (i.e., if you're at the top of the waiting list). They'll keep you in the know because they really want to see you accept their offer. If the school is really vague about the waiting list and you have other options, at this point I would consider those other options. (At least, that's what I'm planning to do.) Some schools keep long waiting lists to give themselves options and to ensure they bring in as many students as they can, and sometimes it's done in a way that's rather unfair to the applicants.

Wow, they told you you'd get into ALL of your schools? That was kind of an irresponsible thing for them to say to you. Even in good years—even when state budgets aren't in the toilet, when the economy isn't bringing in more applicants than before, yadda yadda yadda—that's just a silly thing to promise you. The PhD process is just full of so many arbitrary decisions and unknowns...applications can get lost, maybe one reviewer's had a bad day, maybe you're a kicka$$ applicant but you aren't as good a fit as the next applicant, even though your GPA was higher.... Basically, if I was an adviser, I'd never tell a student that! (This is also a really long way of saying that although it's really hard to take rejections personally, try to remember that there are so many weird variables involved with the process and that it may not be the strength of your application involved, here, especially if you applied to really competitive programs. Chin up!)

oh I would just CRY if that were me. lol

It could possibly open more doors, and give more flexibility if relocating or looking to move to another institution down the road...but then again, the TT position is the actual goal of the PhD, and like other said, they're not hard to come by, especially in the humanities, and more especially in English. If you like the institution, and it sounds like you could work toward the PhD on sybbatical, maybe go for the job.

Hey all. Glad to find a supportive community on this topic. Sorry to hear some of you have had a tough time, though glad to see others are working through it. (Nothing teaches you the true meaning of "compromise" than stuff like your future and career, eh?) My SO and I met each other a little over a year ago, when I moved to my current institution (Cincy) to pursue a master's degree. My boyfriend is halfway through an MD/PhD, which will probably take him about 8 years, total. I like the department I'm in now, and they have accepted (and recruited) me for the PhD. But back when I was doing applications, we decided that since we'd been together for barely a year at that point, the most sensible thing to do would be to apply where it was best for my career, and then weigh options once decisions came in. This way no one would feel pressure in case our relationship changed. Fast forward a few months, and we're still going strong, but now I'm stuck in the position of deciding whether or not he's a reason to stay here for the PhD instead of moving 7 hours north to pursue a tantalizing offer at a more established program. I LOVE my mentor/advisor down here—she's challenging, supportive, concerned about me as a person, and known in the field, to boot—but this program is much smaller in my subfield and only in its first year as an official track. It's not an option for my SO to move, since he's only halfway through his program, and long distance seems really tough/impossible for 4-5 years. Wish there was a magic bullet for this decisions. It's a lot of pressure on both of us to assess our level of commitment, as I try to make my decision. We've been together only 14 months, but I can't really imagine moving on somewhere else without him.

Yes, I think it could possibly be risky to go with a brand-spanin'-new program. My mentor steered me away from applying to one or two when I was forming my application list. Then again, if the new program has something really strong going for it, still consider it. If you had a really supportive and somewhat well-known POI, s/he may still have plenty of success in helping to place you in a job after the PhD.

I'm sure they're just curious or like to make a record of that kind of information is all. Shouldn't be a big deal to just write that you're deciding between offers or leave it blank.

It would be possible with an MFA, as that's often seen as a terminal degree in creative writing. Could also be possible with an MA at a community college? I know that I'm eligible for full-time instructor positions at the community college near me once I have an MA (and they might be tenured, but I'm not sure).

To answer my own question (even though it appears it helps no one else, unless there are lurkers about!): I hear that decisions have been made and that notices will be sent out next week.

Well I think we're just going to confuse you, because I have a different perspective. As to your original question, "concentration in" vs. rhet/comp degree, I think that the main difference has to do with how many courses you actually take in your area. For instance, my current institution is a mixed department, and if I stay I'd be asked to make one exam area a lit area, and then choose rhet/comp areas for the other two (that is, choose between reading lists for rhet theory, disciplinarity, or comp history, pedagogy, and/or theory, etc.). Personally I like the idea of still maintaining an area in lit. I enjoy looking at texts with a rhetorical lens, and I want to be well-rounded enough to possibly teach lit courses in addition to comp/rhet (which would definitely happen if I were to teach at a small school). I'm kind of the opposite—I actually don't want to attend a free-standing department as much as a mixed department. A free-standing department certainly has the benefits of support and helping you to develop a strong sense of disciplinarity, but I personally think that it's valuable to study in a place where you're always learning to translate what you do for the creative writers, literary scholars, and others that we rub elbows with in a mixed department. In a free-standing department (or so my advisor told me), one learns to think and speak in a slightly different way, and builds a strong sense of disciplinary identity. There's nothing wrong with that, but as I find it highly unlikely I'd end up in a teaching position in a free-standing department, I like the idea of getting mixed perspectives from classmates while doing my coursework.

I don't, unfortunately. I only found out about my waitlist status because I emailed the DGS, and she didn't say anything in the email to indicate if/when I would have been notified about my status if I hadn't sent an email. The silly thing is that I was waitlisted so far down the list that she told me it was almost entirely unlikely I'd get the chance to be made an offer and closed the email with, "I wish you the best as you pursue other options." (No hope of getting in = rejection, in my mind, not waitlisted.) Luckily, I do have other options!

It is definitely a really small program. I think you're right; I vaguely recall reading that cohort sizes were 6-8 students, which I think meant across all subfields.

Thanks! It is, and it's also going to mean I have to really deliberate over the next few weeks! Sorry you weren't offered funding, but at least you'll have an easier time making your decision, it sounds like.

Sorry to hear that!

I applied to the program as well, but for rhet/comp. I emailed this morning (and then was embarrassed to find my letter in my mailbox four hours later) and got the same news, that I was waitlisted: The Graduate Admissions Committee of the Ohio University English Department has been extremely impressed with your application materials. We cannot make you an offer of admission yet: the small size of our program constrains us at this stage from immediately making offers to all whom we would like to admit. You are, however, high on our waiting list, and there is a good likelihood that we will be able to make you an offer in the coming weeks, one including a stipend. The DGS told me they only make offers to candidates they can fully fund.

Also, I'm a master's student—it's not possible to apply for many fellowships unless you're a doctoral student. Most people in my department depend on external (or competitive internal) fellowships as a back-up plan for fifth year funding, since we're only guaranteed four years now.

It was a mistake, I agree. Nothing equals the look of horror on my face when I see a house centipede. My boyfriend thought "someone was dying" when he saw my house-centipede face for the first time. Thank you for a kitten in a bowl.

I can't tell you how many programs didn't tell me I was on their waitlist until I emailed them. Just finished a busy morning of emailing, and found out that I'm waitlisted at Miami (but little/no hope of an offer, so pretty much a rejection), UNC-CH, Louisville, and Ohio University. Penn State and Georgia State have seemed fairly quiet so far. One of my mentors has a contact at GSU, he's going to ask when they expect to make decisions, in case this helps anyone else. Got into Milwaukee, though! Now I have two to decide between!

Welp, it's now one year later than the OP, but thought I'd bump. Anyone else waiting on GSU? Any news? I saw a couple creative writing offers up on the results board, but that's it.

I just received an acceptance in the mail (dated March 9th), and a letter of offer for a teaching assistantship and the Chancellor's Grad Student Award was included (along with a thick packet of tax forms and the like). So it looks like current offers of funding are included with acceptances; but maybe more will open up as time marches onward and prospies deliver their yays and nays?

Update: when I wrote the grad admissions contact, she wrote, "We have in fact just made our final decisions regarding admissions." Unless she was referring to my application in particular, it sounds like the rest of their decisions will be sent out in coming days. Offered to place me on waitlist. Hmm. I'm just dying to make a decision and find some closure.

Just posted my Miami results, and in case they help anyone I'll reiterate here: they apparently only have enough funding for 3 lines and received 53 applications. I was told I was waitlisted, but not high enough up on the waitlist that I could count on getting an offer.

I went from an albeit low-paying but "secure" full-time-with-benefits job to graduate school two years ago. And even though I was only out in the working world for two years, I was also terrified. If it makes you feel any better, I think that staring into the plunge is worse than actually living day-to-day in the plunge. I was terrified at the idea of living on a graduate stipend while I was still working, but apart from worries before big purchases and a frugal mindset, it hasn't been hugely detrimental to my quality of life. If you manage things sensibly as previously described (I definitely practice the "Is this $3 purchase worth it?" mindset), and have that cushion to fall back on for worst-case scenarios, I think you're going to be just fine. I live on $11k a year with a car payment, and while my parents help out with my insurance and phone, I'm able to make it just fine.

Yes, Rittenhouse is an awesome area. There are also neighborhoods within a 5-10 minute walk of that area that are just as neat and might have a slightly better proliferation of affordable housing.