Jbarks

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!

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've been playing mah jong all day.

Dear Mississippi,

The GradCafe lolopixie/datatape Appreciation Club REJECTS YOU.

Worst Regards,

Trip

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!

Sometimes I want to go hang out on Columbia's campus and pretend I'm gonna run into the Ghostbusters.

Congrats to everyone, glad this thread is getting some use as we're about three weeks from the deadline. I kind of took for granted that you could edit your initial post, but can't seem to find a way to do so? Any ideas?

As of now, I'll add the list into this post:

University of Arizona (Bandreac, Ph.D)
Arizona State University (eriksmegs)
University of Edinburgh (antecedant, Linguistics)
University of Miami, Ohio (perrykm2)
Purdue University (Jbarks)
University of West Virginia (jywayne, Ph.D)

Sadly, I feel some of this too. While I am truly excited about my top 25 destination, I still feel a little sore when I read people talking about some of my dream programs. I feel pretty guilty about it when I do, but I've always had this petty prestige envy. I think it stems from the fact that a lot of my cousins and family members left the southeast to go to really top-tier schools, while I stayed at my state university. I should just feel lucky that I got in anywhere and extremely gracious that I got into a school so highly ranked, yet I still feel envious when I see people discussing tip-top programs. I hate it.

I think if you get off the wait list school you should go with the school that feels right in your gut. Where do you see yourself as being the happiest, most productive, and successful student? It could be at the top 20 or the #35. I also feel that rankings are super arbitrary. It really matters what you do as a student-- how much you publish, your teaching experience, conferences, extracurriculars, etc.

I'm not waiting either. Pretty much at this point if I haven't heard from a school, then I'm not factoring them into my decision making process. There's only a month left!!!

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.

Hello!

So, I know (at least according the results board) that Rochester typically doesn't notify until late February early March. However, since it's my top-top choice, I'm curious as to whether anyone has any information on their stats. How many people typically apply? How many do they accept? I can't find any information anywhere.

Also, I'm curious about Auburn...just as a sidenote.

Thanks!

Ha! For one of my apps, I put 1997 as my year of birth instead of 1987. Yep, I'm a 14 year old genius / 24 year old moron.

Ha! For one of my apps, I put 1997 as my year of birth instead of 1987. Yep, I'm a 14 year old genius / 24 year old moron.

I think if you get off the wait list school you should go with the school that feels right in your gut. Where do you see yourself as being the happiest, most productive, and successful student? It could be at the top 20 or the #35. I also feel that rankings are super arbitrary. It really matters what you do as a student-- how much you publish, your teaching experience, conferences, extracurriculars, etc.

I think if you get off the wait list school you should go with the school that feels right in your gut. Where do you see yourself as being the happiest, most productive, and successful student? It could be at the top 20 or the #35. I also feel that rankings are super arbitrary. It really matters what you do as a student-- how much you publish, your teaching experience, conferences, extracurriculars, etc.

I think if you get off the wait list school you should go with the school that feels right in your gut. Where do you see yourself as being the happiest, most productive, and successful student? It could be at the top 20 or the #35. I also feel that rankings are super arbitrary. It really matters what you do as a student-- how much you publish, your teaching experience, conferences, extracurriculars, etc.

Graduate assistantship stipends vary by academic program and institution. In my experience, most stipends fall are between $12,000 and $25,000. It's probably fair to say that financial packages in the mid teens represent the norm outside of professional schools. You should evaluate stipends in the context of the city's living costs with a special emphasis on the real estate market. If you can't make ends meet with your stipends, consider supplementing your income with private tutoring on standardized test taking (you aced the GRE, right?), writing/editing, and specific subjects in which you possess expertise. You can also explore the fragmented world of scholarships and fellowships. With luck and perseverance, you may identify a handful of opportunities suitable for your background and research interests. Finally, if all else fails, you can apply for government and private-lender student loans. To learn more about paying for graduate school, visit GradSchoolHeaven.com.

I'm starting to think all of the acceptances might be out. The latest decision posted on the results board claims that the "Acceptance letter says the admissions rate was about 9% for the department." How could they calculate this figure if there were acceptances still to be made?

And at the risk of offending the person who made that post, how could Purdue's MA program be the first choice of someone in the 99th percentile on the GRE with a 4.0 undergrad GPA?

I am still "under review" as an MA applicant, BTW.

My stats: 4.0 cumulative, 700V/abysmal math, 710 subject,

Um, okay

multiple TA positions,

irrelevant--no one cares about your ability to "TA," especially not as an undergrad

multiple poetry publications,

For PhD in English programs, no one cares

three articles under review for publication,

But not accepted? Ouch.

and I won every writing award at my undergraduate university.

No one will look closely at your CV to even know.

I've also already presented at a conference,

Whoopee. So has everyone else.

where my paper was selected as Best Critical Paper out of two dozen universities presenting.

Oh, was this an undergrad conference? Then it didn't matter.

I'm fluent in French and speak passable Hellenic.

???

Yet, I am still unsure that I'll be accepted anywhere. Looking at the acceptances coming in on this website is terrifying.

I'm sure you'll get in somewhere.

I want that five minutes of my life back.

I have the most respect for people in all fields and think no less of one or the other. However, the "respect' is lower simply because of the applications of English pale in comparison to many other fields which have far larger impacts and address more pressing needs in the world. To most people, this is why English and many other Liberal Arts seem less "important".

So encouraging, ComeBack.

One of my favorites, especially in terms of literary studies:

"That would be a glorious life, to addict oneself to perfection; to follow the curve of the sentence wherever it might lead, into deserts, under drifts of sand, regardless of lures, of seductions; to be poor always and unkempt; to be ridiculous in Piccadilly."
--Neville from Virginia Woolf's The Waves

i wonder if i can renegotiate a rejection into an acceptance?

I'm getting way too invested in this thread: