Jbarks

I second this recommendation. We used this anthology in my literary theory MA class. It's hefty, but a great investment.

I've been playing mah jong all day.

Everyone was really supportive. I got a lot of "Congratulations!" and "I told you so." When I told my boss, he looked at me and said, "So, what I'm I going to do here?" He's quite a narcissist anyway. Guess what? Not. My. Problem.

I'm pretty sure we work in the same office. I told my boss two weeks ago that I would be leaving mid-June to get my PhD. Of course his major concern was how my leaving would affect him. Dude, that's so not my problem. Good luck with that one. It was the response I expected. 26 more days! (Yes, I have a countdown.)

I like the Peter Gibbons reference; I totally feel that way right now. My last day will be June 15th, as well. I'm putting in my notice tomorrow. I work at terribly boring (and just plain terrible) office job. However, since I accepted my PhD offer, I haven't given two shits about anything here. It is rather liberating. There's a lot of chauvinism in my office, and, unfortunately, before now, it was difficult to combat for the fear of losing my job. Now, who cares? If you give me crap, I'm giving it right back. I love it!

Good luck! My spot opened up, as well. I turned them down at the beginning of last week.

I'm assuming you've visited both programs. If so, where did you feel more comfortable? That was a big thing in my decision process. I think personality fit is just as important as academic fit. Also, if you have any more detailed questions about NYU, feel free to PM me. I did my MA there. I wasn't a Victorianist, though, but I can answer any questions about the program itself.

I agree with others who have mentioned the money factor. In NYC, $25,000 will not go a super long way, but it will make your life easier than $18,000 will. Another thing to consider is the teaching load. I’m assuming CUNY is a 2-2, right? Fordham is definitely cutting you a better deal; they’re paying you more to teach less. However, CUNY is stronger in terms of theory. On the other hand, Fordham does have an incredibly strong group of medievalists. You’ll receive great training there. Even though it’s not (arbitrarily) ranked as high as CUNY, Fordham has a great reputation. A few other things to consider are placement rates, professional support, and the happiness of the current grad students. Beaten down grad students are a sign of not good times within the program. If you had (or have) a chance to hang out with the grad students, which group seemed happier and more productive? I know CUNY is a better academic fit for you, but is it a good personality fit, as well? I know academic fit is more important, but what program jives more with your personality? It may seem like a silly thought, but it can make a huge difference in long term happiness and productivity. Speaking of long term, which program has a faster completion time and higher completion rate? You have an incredibly difficult decision ahead of you, but, in a way, it’s a good thing, because you’ve been accepted to two competitive and fantastic programs. I wish you the best of luck!! Let us know what you decide!

I just decided this week. It will be Purdue in the fall. I went on a two day visit, and it is such an amazing and congenial department!!!

Thanks, Wherewoolf! I thought Rochester would be the best fit for me, but, as I talk to students and faculty in the programs to which I've been accepted, I see that may not necessarily be the case. I'm happy and grateful for the acceptance I have.

Congrats, lascosmo. I was rejected. Even though Rochester was my top choice, I'm surprisingly okay with it. Now I can move on and start making some important decisions about where to go next year!

Thanks, mresene. I just emailed Mary, as well. I haven't heard anything from them, and I am trying to make my final decisions, so I would like to have some closure soon! Congrats also!

I would assume that means rejection letters or, if you applied to the PhD without an MA, MA acceptance letters. Rochester is usually an email-the-acceptance school. I mean I could be wrong. I also don't mean to be the killer of dreams. Edit: Could also be wait lists. A little more positive.

I've never taught before either, so I am a little nervous. I've narrowed it down to three schools-- two with a 1-1 load and one with a 2-2. However, the primary reason I'm getting a PhD is to teach, so I'm pretty excited.

Academic awards, scholarships, academic organizations and memberships. I also included my work history-- current job (unrelated to English and academics) and past tutoring jobs. I didn't have any formal classroom teaching experience.