OctaviaButlerfan

This is really exciting news! Thanks for sharing. I have some similar interests. Perhaps we'll end up working together.

I'm not sure where to start. I guess my first question would be.. do you have any tips for someone whose focus is on African American literature and literature from the African diaspora? If not, would you be willing to share the name of anyone in the African Studies department you think is a particularly good person to speak with regarding admissions, fellowships, etc.? PM if you want. Also, do you have/do you plan to have any experience with the Sankofa graduate student association? I'm still waiting to hear on my admission decision (from the other program). Thanks!

I'm taking a graduate level section of Multicultural Women's Literature, and that is all.. I am a poor, humble, mostly unfunded M.A. student.

No. I was planning on applying for it anyway.. given that it's simultaneously the first and last time I am eligible to apply, and it is quite relevant to my current work and my aspirations. My only regret is that it's pretty much the same paper as the one I submitted for my writing sample, and it's not as strong as I would have liked. I have no idea whether or not they're the same people, Don'tHate. It's certainly possible. Thanks!

Hello again, everyone.. I don't mean to "hijack" the thread, but I have a question. I am considering submitting a paper to a department that also has my graduate admissions application. I attend one of their "branch campuses," as an M.A. student, and I'm also applying to a PhD program on the main campus. The paper is for a contest, and I would only be representing myself as an M.A. student. However, I figure my paper submission (should anyone notice AT ALL) will either 1) make me seem more ambitious, or 2) make me seem like I'm grasping at straws. Honestly; I don't know why I'm asking. I figure that my chances are probably the same either way, and that if someone is irritated at reading my essay twice, oh, well.. Still, I'm not sure. Since there are a lot of things I'm not sure about, it's nice to be able to ask once in a while and get some feedback.

Hi, everyone. I have been lurking too, and posting to other sections of gradcafe. I have applied to three programs, and would have applied to more if I had more money. One of my biggest supporters told me about a week ago that her department would monetarily support my applications, but it was too late to be bothering people for LORs for the later deadlines. I know what you mean.. I'm sure we both CAN do tell a committee knowing nothing about our work the essentials in 500 words, but it is certainly a challenge.. and it is somewhat painful. Anyway.. to continue with my introduction, I am nowhere near as witty or wise as most of you (which is why I will probably not be getting into any of my programs and will be reapplying to more next year).

Hi everyone.. I would love to hear from the person who was nominated for a fellowship in the African Studies program at MSU. I researched the African Studies program at IU, but they were not accepting applications. MSU's African Studies program is of interest to me, as is one of their graduate student associations related to African Studies, but I ultimately applied to another program that was more closely aligned with my interests (and I can do research related to African and African American Studies). Anyway, I would be interested in hearing about your experiences!

Wow. I don't have any experience in a PhD program, but I do empathize with the idea that you want to make a difference, and you feel that you cannot do that by teaching or writing. Yet you don't want to leave the program because you have so much invested in it, and you enjoy so much of it. So why not investigate the possibility of doing a project that WOULD allow you to reach the people you want to reach? If that's not an option, I would recommend finishing your program and then getting a job that merges your interests in working with people and your experience in teaching and research. Consider public policy groups or groups involved in social activism. Alternatively, teaching at a small college that focuses on teaching rather than research may actually allow you to reach people. For instance, the college that I currently attend is highlighting the work of many professors, including some who are working in the community. For what it's worth, I think that you could probably make your PhD work out.

I don't know that I would agree that it's not that expensive. When I accounted for the time I had to take off of work, the gas money it took to drive almost an hour away from my home, the cost of the test (even WITH a fee waiver), and the extra money sending scores.. it cost me at least $150. This would have been quite a bit more if I had applied to more schools. I do think that we do what we have to do in order to achieve the goals that we want. That said, there is something to be said for "changing the system."

More or less.. same here. I have been thinking about applying for a Fulbright, though.

Those autocorrects made me laugh so hard I cried. Ok, so maybe the crying had more to do with my uncertainty over graduate school applications.. who knows? They were hilarious, though. The autocorrects.. not my grad school applications, hopefully.

My partner (who is averse to change) agreed today that if I get a full funding package, we will strongly consider moving. Meanwhile, while waiting for the news, I am navigating the job market, working part-time, and going to school for my M.A. part time. A job I've wanted for some time may open up soon.. but that's in May or June.. so I guess I'll be going for my PhD if I get accepted somewhere.

Currently I am in an M.A. program. Recently I qualified for numerous scholarships (based on credits earned). I will also be applying for at least one outside scholarship. If I don't get accepted anywhere this year, I will be continuing with my M.A. (I will probably only have a class or two left to go anyway). Then I'll most likely reapply next year. Alternatively, I am a certified teacher, and I've applied for some temporary positions, as well as to a visiting social activist program.

Any thoughts on trying to get published without a degree higher than a B.A./M.A. and/or while not attending grad school? I get the impression that this is rare, for some reason, but I will admit I do not know much about it. I know it is a long shot, but I have discovered a bit of a gap in the analysis of one of my interests.. and I think that, if not admitted to a PhD program this next year, having a publication could help. I am not talking about student journals. Or should I wait and try to publish this when I am in grad school?

Thanks, everyone! I just have one more question. There are fellowships for which external students must be nominated.. without having contacted a POI, I don't really know what my chances are. The deadline for the nominations is BEFORE I will probably hear whether or not I was accepted. I am considering contacting the grad secretary and thanking her for confirming receipt of my materials, and also asking her about the nominations- if there is anything I can do to improve my chances. Any thoughts?

Any thoughts (anyone) on the feasibility of programs in which a minor or certificate in gender studies is a goal, and the main program is American Studies, English, or African American Studies? I would really prefer a joint program, and I hear more opportunities are opening up for PhDs in Gender Studies.. but I have to think about my chances for next year if I don't get in.. does a certificate or minor carry much weight?

There is one in interdisciplinary studies. I applied to two wgs PhD programs.

I am also applying to U of M, for the joint WGS/English PhD; in addition, I am applying to one PhD program in Gender Studies, and an MA in English that leads to a PhD in English with a concentration in gender studies.

DeWitt Douglas Kilgore at Indiana University is one, and Samuel Delany at Temple University is another. I know of a few more, but they are at universities that only offer an M.A. in English.

G.P.A. 8.33 Undergraduate: 4.0 GRE Verbal: 167 Quantitative: 148 AW: 5.5 I applied two years ago, with lower GRE scores, and having taken only one class towards my M.A. I got rejected by both. Now, I am applying to the same two programs.. I don't know much about their rankings, but one was in the top 50 and the other was in the top 100, on the U.S. News Best Colleges list of 2012. I am also applying to one other, which got a national rank of 50 on the Academic Ranking of World Universities in 2010.

Hi everyone, I am a second time grad school applicant. I improved my GRE scores and my research skills significantly since applying the first time. Currently I am in an M.A. program, and while it is a great program for my needs as a secondary ed teacher completing CE's, it lacks some of the features I desire (such as the ability to be a graduate student instructor). I applied to two PhD programs, one in English & Women's Studies (joint) and one in Gender Studies, and one M.A. in English that leads to a PhD in English. I got an e-mail from the grad secretary at the last one saying that all of my materials had arrived safely, and thank you for following the instructions so closely. I don't know if this e-mail is a good or bad thing.. some of my materials might have come in late, because for that school, I got a fee waiver. Also, I had no POI at any of the three schools. Is this a very bad thing? Should I contact someone now? I have done reading on some of these professors' works to make sure the school was a good fit. I have one more question. If I received a rejection in early February before, is it likely that early February is about the time they send out acceptances as well? Thanks in advance for any replies! Mainly I am just looking for a community.. I will be back.. I know ONE other person who is serious about applying to graduate school, and she is not in the same field.

I'm still in the process of applying for graduate school. It is my impression that every school is different, but there is usually some sort of financial aid available in graduate school. Sometimes there are grants that will cover the entire cost of tuition and even other expenses. You will not get a Pell grant, and I don't believe graduate students are eligible for work study, either. However, you have to fill out a FAFSA to get most of the grants that the college offers, unless they are based only on merit and not on financial need at all. <br /><br /><br />

Hi everyone, I am planning on applying for the Ford Fellowship later this year. I am also in the process of applying to several Masters and PhD programs. I'm hoping to get people to share their essays with me. I know how to write one, in general, but writing one for the Ford Fellowship seems a bit different. I'm particularly looking for people who are or will be pursuing a PhD in English or Literature. Thanks!