ahembree

Yikes! I hope I didn't come off as offensive to people applying solely to MA programs. That was not at all my intention. What I neglected to mention was that I had no idea that funded MA programs even existed (as opposed to unfunded ones) until well into the application process. I in no way mean that an MA is an inferior degree. In fact, I should have found more funded MA's to begin with, as I would love the chance to refine my interests further. I guess the phrase "last resort" is really the issue. The fault lies with me for waiting though, not with MA programs being MA programs.

Update: I noticed an acceptance for Villanova's Master's in English just went up. The deadline for funded apps is tomorrow, as far as I can tell, so I'm really curious to know if there is a rolling admissions policy. In the past, the program seems to have notified in late March. If the post was in error, totally cool. If not, awesome! Feel free to PM me if you like, as I'd love to know if there has been some kind of change in how the department evaluates apps. In the wake Ph.D-ejection, a funded M.A. is starting to look like a great port in the storm...

Would you mind relaying the news, eoyarbidem? I actually just applied to Villanova, but would still be interested in any info you find about other departments. Thanks!

I keep getting calls from some Tacoma, Washington number. Something about redeeming a cruise giveaway blahblah. At least I didn't apply to any schools near there. If it isn't that it's my alma mater asking for donations, which I find hilarious. Still, every time I wonder, "What if one of my POI's used to live in this area code and it's his/her cell? And, "like an Alzheimer's patient," I pick up the phone... http://www.myspace.com/video/dan/lewis-black-candy-corn/7264713

I'm getting way too invested in this thread:

My friend butt-dialed me while I was driving this morning at approximately 9:15 AM EST...

The Emphasis in Critical Theory is basically my grad plan in a nutshell. Waiting anxiously as well!

I just got that email...whomp whomp... Also, WUSTL is making me very nervous. I would love to avoid a double dose day (crosses fingers for a wait-listing...).

Ditto!

So begins the President's Day Massacre...

I LOVE Anthony Hopkins. He was perfect for the role. I also remember enjoying Colin Firth's Iago in Othello, but that was ages ago.

I remember being very disappointed by the Jim Caviezel (sp?) version of The Count of Monte Cristo. It may well have been an entertaining movie on its own, but it essentially butchered a very intricately orchestrated revenge tragedy. I love the BBC Sherlock (why aren't there more episodes?!) as well. For some reason I couldn't finish Everything is Illuminated. I may have actually misplaced it. After seeing the film I wish I had, as I really enjoyed it. Also I thought Tom Hanks was spot on for Thomas Schell in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. I recently saw Ian McKellan's Richard III on Netflix, which I thought was a pretty cool character study on his part.

Congrats, MK! Talk about a dream school. Is there an emotion word for happy/jealous? (like catharsis for fear/pity?) Let's conjure one up from Greco/Roman roots.

I'd give him a fish wrapped in Luca Brasi's bulletproof vest.

If anyone here is into contemporary musicals, Lin-Manuel Miranda put together an incredible book for In The Heights.

Is it just me or are many schools notifying earlier this year? Not a trend I'm complaining about, obviously. Congrats!

heh...lay...

On the bright side, it does not appear that wait list notifications have trickled out yet. Hope springs infernal. Also interesting to note that (based on admissions page estimates), Forum users seem to make up around 2/3 of the incoming class.

I'm excited to see someone else interested in Performance Studies! Check out David Bevington's Murder Most Foul, which I am enjoying right now. Also, David Kastan's Shakespeare After Theory is an interesting read so far. Obviously I'm a little bent toward the bard, but I would really like to read more about contemporary works as well. I'm particularly interested in identity creation, i.e. how a writer, director and actor create in different ways with the same text. Anyone have good recommendations?

University of Chicago, Cornell, Brown, NYU, UVA, UC Irvine, Northwestern, WashU, Vanderbilt, Rice and possibly the University of Tulsa. Now for the wonderful process of tailoring SOP's to each one...

I just found this thread because I was looking for more info on WashU. They seem to have a great presence of 20th/21st Century Americanists and Women and Gender Studies. Both of which interest me.

I just finished Tom Robbins' The Jitterbug Perfume, and would highly recommend it.

Sometime around my Sophomore or Junior year, I decided that Critical Theory was a realm reserved for brilliant people who didn't know how to write. I can chalk this up primarily to a lack of exposure, but also to the fact that I had (and still have) the opinion that a reader stands more to gain from great fiction, poetry or media than from a densely articulated theory. That being said, the primary reason I want a Ph.D. is to teach. One need not read the Norton Anthology of Criticism to write the next great American novel, but teaching occupies a different set of goals. My favorite professors presented each lecture/seminar as an argument to attack or defend. They were able to do that because they had spent years/decades teaching themselves new ways to think, read and write about literature, language, film, etc. Theory provides a lens, changeable, it is true, but nevertheless a new way of understanding. I wouldn't want to appear before any audience, of students or peers, without that capability. Thus, Critical Theory will be a major focus for me.

I was once encouraged by a grad student to go the comparative route rather than traditional, and I have to admit that I am still toying with the idea. Nevertheless, I am afraid that my language preparation is not quite adequate. I double-majored in English/Italian, but it will have been two years since my last Italian class when I enter a program. I feel confident that I can get back into form fairly quickly, but I feel much less confident about any second foreign language. Most comp lit programs I have seen require two foreign languages, and the only other experience I have is with Latin in high school. As most of my interests are Renaissance forward, that wouldn't really lend itself to a dissertation. I would be all about delving into French or German, as both would be very useful for philosophy/critical theory, but I'm not sure applying with little/no expertise in a second language is advisable. In summation, I guess I'm aiming for more of an English Ph.D. with a comparative focus. Some departments play very nicely with each other, so I'm not sure if I need to take the comparative plunge to meet my needs. If anyone has thoughts about the language requirement, though, I would love to hear them. I was also unaware that comp lit's prospects were much better job-wise.