MichaelK
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Any news on Penn?
MichaelK replied to CoffeeInBed's topic in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition
Congrats to the accepted. I'm bummed not to get the call, but not throw myself off a cliff bummed. It is amazing how much better rejection tastes when you've been accepted elsewhere. -
Any news on Penn?
MichaelK replied to CoffeeInBed's topic in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition
I sent an e-mail this morning and heard back from the DGS. She says that letters will go out sometime next week but has not been given an exact date. Which is unfortunate, because, like you, it's the last program on my list. She also shared that the visitation schedule is the 13-15 (which is, of course, what every program's schedule seemingly is). Sigh. -
Any word from UPenn?
MichaelK replied to the international's topic in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition
The odds are so low on this one that I'm trying (unsuccessfully) not to think about it at all. It would help if it wasn't my dream school. I feel greedy just thinking about Penn after getting in elsewhere. -
Any Chapel Hill-ers?
MichaelK replied to 0000000000AAA's topic in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition
Congrats, Bdon! You've got three options now and I've got two in a single day. God, this whole process is draining and wonderful at the same time, isn't it? Edit: As a formerly despairing applicant (until about 1:00 today), the part about this being wonderful is just for the lucky ones. Too many applicants are going to end up thinking this process is just draining and terrible. Edit 2: I write this with far too much liquor in my system. Celebration drinking, however, is infinitely better than despair drinking. I wonder if the hangover will be more pleasant as well? -
Thanks everybody for the congratulations. As evidenced by my post today in the 0% thread, I was in no way expecting good news. I wish I'd asked some questions so I could offer you all some insights into whether they admitted all today or not (though I would have had to phrase that sort of question cleverly). For Yank: my focus is modern and postcolonial literature with a dash of posthumanist philsophy thrown in for good measure.
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I am one of the acceptances, yes. Didn't get much over the phone: was too excited to ask pertinent questions.
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0% Confidence of Acceptance
MichaelK replied to TripWillis's topic in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition
HOLY SHIT. At my lowest point (see above), I get a call from UVA. I'm in. Goddamn! Time for a beer or three. Idealists can win! I'm rooting for all of you. -
0% Confidence of Acceptance
MichaelK replied to TripWillis's topic in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition
I'm in the same boat, Adam. From everything I can tell I'm a strong applicant. The numbers are all there, the sample was edited, read and reread by myself and others; I won awards, earned recs, etc. But none of that seems to matter. If, at the end of the process this spring I haven't gotten in anywhere (looking distinctly possible with the schools I have left), I sense that this will be the reason why. I think it's a shame that the topic of writing samples composed in our junior or senior years when we're 22 or 23 plays such an important role in this process. As a part-time marketing employee, I sometimes wonder if I wouldn't have been better off approaching the process of applications from a sales perspective. Rather than write the thesis my professor wanted, or that I felt aligned most with my views, I should have composed something specifically for the audience I wanted to reach. I should have researched professors' approach to texts first and written a thesis that was derivative of that work. A somewhat sickening thought. Of course, from my outside perspective, I sense that the system doesn't get any different from here on out. Sexy wins. It wins now, when we're 23. It wins with publishers. It wins with departments that are hiring. It probably wins with tenure decisions. So it goes. -
0% Confidence of Acceptance
MichaelK replied to TripWillis's topic in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition
I feel like I've already gone 0/11. But the pain has just begun I suppose. -
0% Confidence of Acceptance
MichaelK replied to TripWillis's topic in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition
That's just about the best acceptance clip possible. As for the anxious, repeatedly checking e-mail clip... -
0% Confidence of Acceptance
MichaelK replied to TripWillis's topic in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition
Based on my post before yours, I'm right there with ya. I'm feeling deliciously cynical about the entire process. I probably need to lock myself in a room for a couple months, make sure nothing comes across in the way of accepts/waitlists, and then just move on (because otherwise my cynicism will generate unhappy blog material that is better left unsaid). -
0% Confidence of Acceptance
MichaelK replied to TripWillis's topic in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition
Congratulations to those of you with acceptances (and double acceptances!). Best of luck as you're selecting your program. Since this is, after all, the 0% Confidence thread, despair has set in with a vengeance for me. My remaining applications (following some poor advice from my thesis adviser) are largely to the bigs: the Penn's and UVA's of the world. And I'm feeling awful about my chances. I'm already writing the obituary for my application season. -
Thank you for sharing your research, Katy85. Nice to have some firm(er) ideas on when we can expect news.
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Where my Duke applicants at?!
MichaelK replied to cquin's topic in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition
Same page for my application. -
Would it kill the schools to reject us?
MichaelK replied to 0000000000AAA's topic in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition
Thanks for the insight, rising_star and ComeBackZinc. Nice to have the inside perspective on this. -
Would it kill the schools to reject us?
MichaelK replied to 0000000000AAA's topic in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition
Of course, our anxiety and perception of unprofessionalism is due to this website, which allows information that departments think is staying private (acceptances/waitlists) to go public. So I can't really blame them. Dammit. -
Would it kill the schools to reject us?
MichaelK replied to 0000000000AAA's topic in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition
I don't get the logic behind sending notifications first and rejections weeks later. If these schools had tons of applicants turning their offers down immediately, I'd understand: they need to keep the reject list unofficial in case they have to go back to it. But out of 20-25 total waitlist/accept notifications, how many students immediately say, "No thanks"? It just seems like the schools need to be more patient and professional...wait till you're ready to send every notification. Then blast 'em. -
Faust: Graduate School Edition
MichaelK replied to MichaelK's topic in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition
For my sacrifice, I'm going to go with my entire first edition VHS collection (including some gems like Star Wars and Lion King), along with my Colts Peyton Manning jersey (won't be needing that anymore). I'd also give the devil any liquor from my cupboard...if I had any left. And, just for kicks, I'll make the devil and his associate a batch of my best barbacoa. Because no one can resist that shit. -
Faust: Graduate School Edition
MichaelK replied to MichaelK's topic in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition
Immortal soul is historically correct, of course, but Satan gets that all the time. Now, if you had a 1967 Ford Mustang with original paint, that might get his attention. Derek Jeter rookie card? Your favorite rabbit's foot? Your collection of vintage mint condition GI Joes? -
So the Devil drives up to your grungy, unkempt apartment in his burnt umber Sierra. He tells Luca Brasi to keep the engine running and climbs out of the back seat. He steps up to your front door and rings the bell. Before getting out of bed, you close your eyes and check that e-mail one last time. No news, of course. Then you roll into some sweatpants and open the door. "Are you XX?" the Devil asks politely, checking his list. "Yep." "I hear you'd like to get into an English graduate program." Your eyes bug out. "Yeah, how'd you know?" "Never mind that," says the Devil. "Now listen up. You're going to make me an offer. First you pick which school you want me to get you in to. Then you tell me what you're willing to give up in order to get in. I'll confer with my associate" (he gestures towards Luca), "and we'll decide if your sacrifice is worthy. Sound good?" Rules: 1. You can't give up a person 2. Most creative sacrifice wins the prize Go.
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If you haven't heard from them yet with good news, you can scratch Duke off your list. I just called Kathy Psomiades, DGS. She says all acceptances and waitlist notifications are out and rejections are being prepared. 312 applications, 15 spots. She did offer a bit of commentary on my application over the phone, but nothing too specific. My area of study (postcolonialism, posthumanism) apparently had a strong applicant pool. Kathy was pleasant over the phone and regretful about having to inform me of bad news. I don't envy her this job. One school down. Ten to go.
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Where my Duke applicants at?!
MichaelK replied to cquin's topic in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition
What she said. -
How are you coping with waiting?
MichaelK replied to bdon19's topic in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition
TripWillis is right on with the "stay active" advice. Best I've felt in weeks is when I'm on a run with no chance to check e-mail. Cooking helps too. -
Where my Duke applicants at?!
MichaelK replied to cquin's topic in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition
Just got another one of those damn status update e-mails...heart rate spike! -
Where my Duke applicants at?!
MichaelK replied to cquin's topic in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition
My condolences to the lit folks who didn't receive an interview request. For those of us in the English pool, there's only been one acceptance (that we know of) thus far, correct? So I suppose in theory we're not dead in the water just yet.