dimanche0829

It really just depends on the school. Finding one that truly fits your interests is, IMO, the hardest part of the application process (and one of the biggest reasons applicants are rejected). Some schools specialize in British literature, whereas other schools offer few to no British lit courses. For psychoanalysis, you might want to start looking up schools that are more research-based and known for their sciences. You might find a larger pool of psychoanalytic theorists. Unfortunately, I don't know enough about that area to know where the best schools are, but a quick google search can probably get you on a starting path. I'm finishing up my undergrad at Rutgers and know that we have several professors who specialize in psychoanalysis.

Also, regarding the "you will be in debt!" part, DO NOT enter into an English program that does not offer full funding. You absolutely should not be paying for a PhD in English Lit.

First, don't panic! Your concerns are very real and very much a part of the application process. Have you thought about dabbling in some psychoanalytic theory in Literature to combine your psych and literature majors; or, are you pretty much over the psych aspect? Also, don't be put off by the future of literary studies. Sure, it's not looking too good, but you can do A LOT with an English degree in the non-academia realm. My best advice is to just read up on the areas that interest you and invest some time in researching potential schools. Look into the faculty, see what they're working on, contact programs and ask about their research/funding. Most importantly, keep reading this forum! I felt very lost in the application process when one of my TAs suggested I join here. This forum has seriously helped me keep sane in the application process and has offered some incredibly useful information. Good luck!

From what my profs told me, Comp Lit has a better outlook because it lends well to teach more courses that won't require a specialization. Many schools (Rutgers, my undergrad, being one) are looking to teach more courses that stray away from all the classics in an effort to gain popularity among students - both to recruit and to keep non-majors interested in participating. This semester, for example, they've added a course on comic books, which is a pretty big jump from their normal offerings.

I've heard the same thing. In fact, several of the programs I'm applying to have encouraged listing extracurricular activities. Perhaps the social sciences are different. When in doubt, OP, you can always send a quick e-mail to the program and find out whether this is something they have a particular preference on.

I was talking to my professors about grad school recently, and several had mentioned the obvious negative outlook for traditional lit programs and overall competitiveness. They also mentioned, however, that comparative lit is a little less competitive and a job after graduation is more likely. What are your thoughts on comparative lit. vs. traditional lit programs? Any of you torn between the two? I'm still in the process of figuring out where I'd like to end up, but am pretty dead set on the traditional route, despite its grim outlook.

whale wars

That's what I thought I was doing...until I realized that she really wasn't going for it (when everyone else in the class talks about how perfect it is, it's tough to take the one person who disagrees seriously). My downfall was that instead of just shutting up, I kept talking to try and fix the damage, which only made things worse. On the plus side, a lesson was learned.

Here here!

Not feeling attacked at all! I only brought up that particular instance to illustrate how I can get carried away sometimes and wind up with my foot in my mouth. I never had any intention of being downright insulting to her - I would never tell someone that an idea or thought is stupid, for example - but the more that I tried to "help" her with suggestions on improvement, the more I realized I was coming off like a jerk - in part because everyone else was so nice and complimentary. Thankfully, that incident happened a while ago and I have since made a more conscientious effort to keep more of a balance, but I don't think I'll ever stop being the first one to raise my hand or initiate debate I will, say, though, that structure, word choice, and use of quotes is crucial to the success of any paper - abuse/misuse of any of these can dramatically alter the message of the paper - and students at the university level should know their function and use. I currently take grad courses as an undergrad and am happy that my classmates have all been aggressive and big on debate. Every class has been incredibly lively and informative, and it's great to see everyone's interests come to light. I cannot wait to be on their level.

I just have a giant handbag that I use since most of my classes require regular novels instead of full-size textbooks. It only gets tough when I'm forced to bring in my Norton Anthologies.

Just a random and curious Sunday Morning question: what's your style in class? Are you the type who's really agressive and outspoken in class, or are you more the silent type who saves your best thoughts for papers? I tend to be on the aggressive side in classes that I enjoy, and have been known to insult classmates from time to time because I get carried away. One time, a professor had my class read aloud passages from our paper assignment and the rest of the class had to analyze it. I completely roasted this one girl about her poor structure, word choice, and abuse/misuse of quotes, and tried to give suggestions on how to make it better, not realizing the extent to which I came off as a pretentious jerk. Not my proudest moment, but I hated that everyone just kept telling everyone else how amazing their paper was, when their work clearly needed help. So yeah, I am pretty intense in class and take it a little too seriously - I especially have little tolerance for those who haven't read assignments. I tend to be much more detailed, and nicer, in my writing.

If I remember correctly, the new scoring system will be functioning on a 2-3 week turnaround by mid-October/early November, so you shouldn't have to wait three months like those who are taking the test this month. Hope this helps, and good luck!

Well, when you cancel your GRE scores it's pretty much like you never took it; meaning, you don't get to see what you would have scored, nor do any of your schools. The schools you're applying to will, however, see that your scores were cancelled. Of course, you will have to retake in order to apply and the good news is that most schools will base their decision on the highest scores received - which, in your case, is good since the cancel essentially places you back at square one. Then again, some schools may want to know why the first round was cancelled (but doubtful).

I went through this, mostly because I knew in my head that the practice test was just that: practice. Once I actually sat down for the real test, though, my brain switched into high gear and I was able to concentrate better. I kept to the time constraints during the practice tests, which helped keep the pressure to focus up. I'd also try to set reward goals for myself, such as: If I reach X on the practice test, then I will reward myself with Z. Also, just to a little bit everyday so that you don't burn out by the test. You'll be surprised at how much more you can retain. Hope this helps, and good luck!

NONONONONO Your SOP is supposed to be a "personal" statement about yourself. A stranger knows nothing about you or your circumstances and will be completely unable to guide you on this aspect of the application, regardless of how professional they seem and how much or little they charge. IMO, you should only have the SOP reviewed by people who know you and your situation, and those who know how to best tailor the SOP (i.e. a professor, or grad school friend).

I am graduating from Rutgers after this semester and will be living on the Newark campus again. I recommend living on campus whenever possible because you'd be neighbors with other universities (UMDNJ, NJIT, etc) and you'd have the added comfort of campus police - who are always happy to escort you where you need to go. Oh, and the shuttles are right there, which will take you to the other Rutgers' campuses and to Penn Station. At to no point in time have I ever felt that I was in any kind of dangerous or threatning situation. The Ironbound is a fun place to be and is a big hit with students and corporate employees. You'd be close to a lot of shops and great restaurants/bars. End of July would be a good time to move, but housing demands tend to pick up around that time. Unfortunately, Rutgers-Newark is experiencing a student-housing shortage again. They are planning to build more residence halls, but that will take years. In the meantime, students enter a point-based lottery for a room and those who luck out have to find their own housing around town. This shouldn't affect you too much if you're looking at the Ironbound, but it is something to consider when picking a time to move. You don't want to be stuck with the worst that Newark apartments have to offer. Hope this helps, let me know if you have any other questions about the area, etc.

Well, the good news is that you meet the 1000 combined minimum that many schools require. The bad news is that you're a small fish in a very large sea of applicants and adcoms will reject people over GRE scores if they are trying to decide between applicants. If you had a number of "distractions" preventing you from studying for the test, I think you should really consider how you will be able to handle grad school. I don't know your specific situation, or the nature of your distractions, but if you took the test three times already, it seems to me that the issue is ongoing. Grad school requires so much more effort and dedication than undergrad and there is simply no way you will be able to keep up in your classes if you couldn't even find time to study for one test. I'm not trying to be rude or harsh, so I hope you don't take the above the wrong way; rather, I'm just trying to help you consider your options before making the life-altering decision to apply for grad school.

I can't stand reading electronic texts. I always end up with a massive headache after half only an hour or so of reading; not to mention, I just love the nostalgia of a real text.

Just remember that you're hanging out together to talk shop, not to get wasted. In my experience of hanging out with the grad school crowd (I don't drink either), the students were mature enough to respect my choice of soda over alcohol (usually I'd treat myself to some grenadine syrup for some added flavor). It's easy to build up the worst-case scenario in your mind, but I think you'll find that the experience will be easy-breezy and drama free. Hope this helps!

For us English/lit majors, the AW score doesn't really mean much aside from showing that you were able to follow the standard (might I add generic and boring) 5-paragraph essay structure. The adcom is really more interested in your writing sample and SOP. This is where you really have the chance to step out of the "typical" to show who you are as an applicant - much easier said than done! Anyway, despite the fact that the GRE as a whole isn't weighted as heavily as the rest of your application package, adcoms have certainly been known to use GRE scores to choose between similar applicants. One of my instructors gave me a couple of questions to ponder, which I will now share with you: If you do a retake, what do you think you can do differently to get a better score? More importantly, with only a few months left before app deadlines, will you be too burned out to handle the retake?

As important as your grades and GRE scores are, nothing is as important as finding a school that matches your interests, and you're really the only person who can determine which universities pique your interests. My suggestion is to start digging into your list of desired schools to investigate faculty projects, talk to current students in the program, etc. Unfortunately, schools turn away many applicants due to mis-matched interests.

I love the ridiculousness of Pamela (and love even more that Richardson just kept updating it over and over again to appease his critics - without success, of course). I haven't yet made my way through Clarissa. One day I'll climb that mountain, but right now I just don't have the time to spare on such a large piece of work.

I love, love, love Tristram Shandy! I may have to revisit again, soon. Right now I'm reading Jack Lynch's The Lexicographer's Dilemma, which explores the development of the English language.

That's awesome, congrats!