bdon19

Yes, we hear all this talk about finding a good fit and everything, and I'll be the last one to deny that fit is important. I could rant all day about the best decision I've ever made to choose a small, lesser-known LAC for undergrad than one of two prestigious institutions, one of which gave me a hugely generous merit aid package at the eleventh hour. But here I am looking at grad programs, and I'm finding that what some of my professors are saying is, unfortunately, the sad truth. Prestige matters. My dream job would be to teach at an LAC like the one where I'm currently finishing my undergrad. And all of my profs went to top-25 schools. So did all the ones at similar schools. I'm trying to be realistic, but I also realize that the job market is a scary place. At this point, most of the programs I'm looking at fall within the top-25 or so. I know there's a chance I won't get in anywhere, and I may have to go through this whole process again. I may apply to one or two funded MAs just in case, but I may just wait it out if need be. I'm just not sure if I'm comfortable with getting a degree from a lesser institution when the job market is as bleak as it is. And most of the top programs are the ones that seem to be the best fits for my particular interests, anyway. I know this is a controversial topic. Discuss.

Timshel, I wish we could pool our knowledge for this test. Grrr. I know virtually nothing about American lit, with the exception of American Modernist fiction. Let's find a Medievalist, combine our three brains, and be set!

Hahaha I know I always kick myself because I feel like I should be able to tell the difference between the two, but put their names together and I blank out. I wish we could take subject tests in our areas of interest. But, alas, the canon is still important to some people. I'm only kind of kidding.

Yeah, I have the REA book, which isn't great. A lot of the questions do what the GRE often doesn't even require you to do, like identifying the speaker of a line or passage but giving answer choices all for the same work. And these are typically Restoration comedies. Blehhhhhh. I mean, I'm an 18th-centuryist...I love Restoration comedies... *eye roll*

aljksdkjf;laksj;lkdjf;lkajs;ldkjf;lkajs;lkdj;fkja;slkdjfl;asjdf THIS was my least favorite question ever. Along with the question (on one of my practice tests, I'm not sure which one) that had me identify which poem referred to Venice, London, and Jerusalem. Oh, and when they make me identify the difference between William Carlos Williams and Wallace Stevens. That makes me want to...I'm not sure. But something terrible.

Yes, this is something I've been wondering, too. I recently e-mailed a student at a school I was interested in, and she proved EXTREMELY helpful. She copied the professor in my area of interest on the e-mail, and, while he hasn't yet responded, I got some invaluable advice from the student, even though the program itself ended up not being a very good fit. I think, based on the feedback I got from her, I'm going to start off by contacting current students at various programs I'm interested in. It's a little less intimidating than contacting professors directly, and they can really give you a feel for what you're getting into. For instance, I contacted this student because there were only 2 profs in my field at the school. She informed me that, actually, one of them now has taken on a strictly administrative role, and as there are currently 4 students in the field working with only 1 faculty member, they may not even be taking on new students in the area for this year. That saved me $65 right there, and a struggle with trying to tailor my SoP to a specific prof. I think I'm going to contact as many students as I can for the time being and, as the school year comes a bit closer, maybe try to get over my fears of professors and e-mail them. ...Though I'm not sure how easy that might be. I only just sent an e-mail to a prof. I'm really close to, because the more I like/respect someone the more afraid I am of them. I hesitated for the longest time because I wasn't positive if I was on a first-name basis with her (I was), and her response was basically, "Don't freak out. When you get back on campus I'll buy you a drink, give you the nerdy literary gift I bought you, and then we'll talk grad school." So, maybe my fears are a bit unwarranted.

I did this last summer, when I was at least 5 or 6 English classes less well-read. Now, unfortunately, I can't find any more practice tests that I don't have basically memorized. I bought the Princeton Review book, which I've been holding onto for dear life. I haven't even opened it yet, because I want to take it like a week before the actual test, to gauge (however approximately) how much cramming I'll need to do. Unfortunately, the only practice tests I've been able to find online I basically have memorized. I even have names for them: the "tilting at windmills" test and the "white whale" test, which come from the first questions of each. I'm such a nerd. But now I'm not sure if re-taking these will even accurately predict anything for me. I won't really know if I'm getting things right because my studying is paying off or because I have answers pretty much memorized! The only good thing is it seems like certain questions pop up nearly every test (such as identifying the speaker of a passage from Moby Dick as Ahab...I've seen that one multiple times). I did find one other one once, which I sketchily downloaded from a site that probably gave me some sort of virus, but I was willing to take that risk. I know this point has been discussed all over the internet (to little avail), but does anyone on here know where I might find some other practice tests? I doubt it, but figure it's worth a try, anyway!

Hahaha clairecate, I feel you! I've been working as a temp all summer, and while a number of my jobs don't let me read at my desk, so I can't bring the Nortons with me, I have a massive study guide I just keep editing and then e-mailing to myself once my assignments are over. Ahh the joys of trying to prep for this process while having to work all day just to pay for it!

I know this has been addressed previously, but I haven't seen much discussion of it recently, and I was wondering what opinions others might have. I feel like opinions regarding the SoP branch in two different directions: 1) You have to be super specific--as in, outlining a research project, complete with works to study, theorists to use, approaches to take, etc. combined with your "fit" paragraph. Example: "I plan to study the ways in which [insert theorist here] influences [insert author here]'s work [insert canonical text here] by reading [author]'s letters to [insert other author here] and the ways in which [insert approach here] helps confirm this reading of the text. [insert professor here]'s scholarship on [author] and [insert professor #2 here]'s work with [theorist] in [insert period] will be a significant asset to helping me bring this project to fruition." OR 2) You outline your interests as specifically as possible, giving some indication of what you're planning on studying and your area of interest (along with some specific texts/authors/theorists) but without the same level of specificity. Example: "Throughout my undergraduate career I've found myself drawn towards novels from two seemingly disparate periods--the 18th-century and the early Modernist era. The novels and novelists I've chosen to study for the past few years may not seem like they have much in common, but I have found that my scholarship has led me to similar lines of inquiry in all of these texts. [Etc, etc, etc.]" Now I could have gone on with that second example, but I didn't, because that is (in its very, very, very rough, off-the-top-of-my-head version) essentially what I plan to do in my SoP. However, I've seen a lot of #1 in postings on this forum. Now, I know we're not adcoms, but I wanted to get a feel for general opinion. Personally, I'd think adcoms would rather see someone who's focused but not too focused. Wouldn't it be more difficult to find a "fit" for someone who insists on studying Malory-cum-Derrida or something than someone who tailors their "fit" paragraph to a few professors spread out across their interests? That's my take, but I'd like to see what others have to say.

In addition to my previous comment, Nussbaum is basically my hero. My entire 18th-century lit class laughed at me one day when I suddenly shouted, "She's my favorite critic!" in the middle of a presentation. This is why I'm here.

Well, there's this, for one: http://nymag.com/nymetro/news/features/n_9932/ And this one: http://www.viceland.com/int/v15n12/htdocs/harold-bloom-431.php I just think he's an insufferable jerk, mainly. And I don't agree with him on many, many things, particularly w/r/t the canon.

Souslespaves, I've done the exact same thing with the Excel spreadsheet. It's really helpful! I've found it useful even just for comparing schools. It's so easy to just cross them off the list when you have all that info compiled. What I've found especially helpful is to put professors of interest and special collections of interest on the list. When certain schools have like 5 lines filled up with that information as opposed to one, it's so easy to eliminate programs one by one. Timshel, I don't necessarily think you're super behind. I think it's up to you to gauge how busy you are this summer as opposed to this fall. Personally, I've so far narrowed down my list of schools to about 15 (I'm aiming for 10), studied like crazy for the subject test (which I'm taking in October), started revising my writing sample (and I'm taking a sadistic pleasure in ripping it apart), and started "thinking" about my SOP. I've already tentatively asked my 3 profs for LoRs, and so I'm not going to bug them about it yet. I have, however, started e-mailing the profs in my department to ask questions/prep them for my craziness come this fall. (I'm especially worried about my advisor. She was on sabbatical last year, so I had another prof who loves me advising me. I haven't had a class with my real advisor since freshman year, and I was scared to death and never spoke. Grrrrr.) Where I'm behind is the regular GRE. I haven't yet taken it, but I'm planning to I think Sept. 3. I haven't even registered, though!! Fail. I think you're fine! I keep forgetting that I still have nearly 4 months before I have to actually apply. I kind of wish it was sooner, to be honest! Less time I have to stress out! Though I've never before fully appreciated my school's super-long break. (I go back in September because we're on a trimester system.)

That's good to hear! I mean, I feel so lucky to have gone with my gut instinct and chosen the LAC rather than a prestigious university for undergrad, though many people were disappointed with my decision. I couldn't have been happier with my decision, and I can only hope that I have a grad school experience that comes close to my fabulous undergrad experience.

I'm sure most of you have seen this, but still. "I want to go to Yale. They have Harold Bloom." It kills me every time.

Primrose, I'm not an expert on English PhD admissions and so won't pretend to be. However, as I am currently looking very seriously into PhD programs in English lit, I think I have enough expertise to, at the very least, guide you. I'll start out with the big question. What do you think you're going to do with your PhD if not teach? It's all very well to say that you don't like teaching but love "researching," but how practical is that? Let's look at the facts. I don't think I've seen a single PhD program that doesn't have some sort of stipulation as to how many classes you're expected to teach as part of your fellowship. Some schools only offer funding in the form of teaching assistantships. Right there, you're facing two options: either teach (however begrudgingly) or pay your way through the PhD. Furthermore, once you get that degree, have you ever heard of an institution hiring someone who never teaches and just does research? I surely haven't. Maybe if you're Harold Bloom (and don't get me started on Harold Bloom). It just doesn't seem practical. Here's my suggestion (and obviously I know little about you, so take it with a grain of salt): Don't go straight for your PhD. Maybe consider doing an MA program that will help you solidify your interests and confirm the extent to which research is really something you love as opposed to something you're used to. An MA is going to be a lot more practical a degree in the long run than a PhD. Suppose you go through a PhD program doing the minimum amounts of teaching you possibly can, get through the program, realize you don't really love research all that much or teaching, and find yourself with a hardly marketable degree. It's hard enough to find jobs in the real world lately. Add a PhD in English to that? Bad news bears. Have you looked into other areas of study/occupation that might work better for you? Think about what you truly love. The "life of the mind" and "intellectual camaraderie and stimulation" are fabulous things, but if you're not TRULY enthused by the prospect of the life that the PhD in English lit offers you, then you should probably reconsider. Those are my two cents. Harsh words, but (to the best of my knowledge) true.

Runonsentence, I know what you mean about liberal arts schools. They love to brag about us! I'm like 90% sure I'll go whether or not they offer me any money for the conference, anyway. It's only about 5-6 hours away, and since my parents are at around the halfway point, I'm sure they'd be willing to drive me. At this point, my goal is just to find a faculty member who'll go with me! And with my department, I'm fairly certain I may be able to find one! No matter what anyone says about name recognition, I love my LAC more than anything in the world.

I'm with a few people on this thread who know what they know about the MAPH program only through hearsay. However, here's the advice I got from a trusted professor: Don't even bother applying to Chicago. For me that doesn't matter, because it's not particularly strong in any of my major areas of interest, so I wasn't planning on applying anyway, though Chicago's my hometown. A friend of mine got accepted to the MAPH program this past year, after getting rejected from 10+ schools. She seriously considered doing it, but wasn't about to get herself in serious debt if there was no guarantee she could even get into a PhD program later. She was also warned by a different prof in our English dept. who got his PhD at Chicago and whose wife did the MAPH, as it's been relatively useless for her. My friend ultimately declined the MAPH offer, even as her heart broke for giving up her chance at academia. A few weeks later she got a call that someone turned down their spot at another school, and she got in with an awesome fellowship! I now have hope for my own future.

I was wondering what you guys know/think about connections between current professors and the departments you're applying to. I go to a small LAC, and a number of my professors got their degrees from the programs I'm considering--coincidentally, in most cases. Actually, somewhat ironically, the professors in my two primary areas of interest attended the same program, one which a friend of mine just got into and I'm quite seriously looking into. Is this common? And should I pursue any and all connections I might be able to find? I know I have a few that would make the effort if I asked them, but I've always been part of the "don't be annoying" crowd, and throwing my name out there makes me a bit uncomfortable. But if I have the option, I might as well try, right? Sorry for the rambling, overly-anecdotal post! This is what happens when I have free time at the temp jobs that give me the money to pay my application fees and daily solidify my desire not to venture out into the business world.

I haven't really looked much into NYU. It was on my big list of programs to look into once upon a time, but for some reason or another I took it off the list. Maybe I should take another look, though. So far I have the following for my list: Definitely: Indiana Penn State Rutgers U Texas-Austin Probably: Brown U Michigan-Ann Arbor Yale Possibly: Duke U Virginia U Maryland-College Park U Massachusetts-Amherst Does anyone have any suggestions of what I might consider looking at and/or taking off my list? I'm a little concerned that I have too many "reach" schools, but a lot of professors have warned me not to apply to too many "lesser" programs. I know that rankings definitely aren't everything, and I've been tailoring my list with the intention of fitting programs to what I'm looking for, but I keep concerning myself with not going down too "low." If anyone has any ideas of schools that might not be as high-ranked or have quite the same name recognition but have strong programs nonetheless, could you recommend any to me? I'd really appreciate it! Thanks!

Wow, thanks for all the help, everyone! You're making me feel so much better about being all over the place. Souslespaves, you make a good point. I don't think it's a coincidence why I'm so interested in these various areas. I think it's really the novel that ties them all together, particularly the use of various "genres"--for lack of a better word--within the form (Menippean satire, myth, etc.). I think this definitely explains why I'm so interested in the rise of the novel in particular but also in a number of later novelists as well. Dimanche0829, I have definitely considered doing 18th-century lit and women's studies, though I'm not positive if that's necessarily where my interests lie. However, in my exploration of various programs, I've been trying to find programs that have strong faculty that focus on either the novel or gender in 18th-century and Modernist lit. I've actually been pretty successful in narrowing down my list to a few programs that seem like good fits. I guess what I was most worried about was getting myself a little more centered. But, of course, no matter what I was warned, I had a feeling I would just submit my paper on Lawrence anyway. It's definitely the strongest paper I've ever written, and I love it too much not to use it.

Yep, that's how I feel, too! I don't buy into the whole "name game." I think any experience is good experience! Maybe that's just my liberal arts background talking? I guess my only qualms about going to the conference are that I may have to go on my own expense, as our department doesn't typically fund students participating in things like that. But maybe it's just that nobody takes the initiative! I've already sent an e-mail to the department head--who's also the prof. I wrote the paper for (and who gave me an A+!). (Literally, she wrote an exclamation after the +. I hadn't known profs were allowed to give A+s in college. I'm not complaining, though!

I'm planning on making flashcards of the Vade Mecum stuff (as well as some stuff not on the Vade Mecum that's on the Hapax Legomena site). I've already turned my compilation of both into an epic study guide (typing things out has always been my preferred method of memorization), and I plan to either write out or type out flash cards to review, now that I've given myself a basic overview. I also plan on reading/skimming over some of the works that are commonly featured on the exam (esp. Milton and Chaucer), because I think that's really the best (only?) way to get their style firmly grounded in my head. (Firmly grounded? Does that even make sense? ). I'm starting to kick myself for not taking the Milton class I was registered for last year. I just didn't want to take Milton AND Shakespeare the same term!!

I've spent the past few weeks narrowing down my list, and I've gotten it to around 13 or so (I'm planning on applying to ~10). For the most part, I've narrowed it down based on programs that fit my interests in some way. The only problem is, my interests are all over the place! I'm primarily looking towards programs that have strong faculty in gender/18th century studies (especially, and perhaps primarily focusing on the novel). However, I have a few other random interests that I'd really like to focus on as well, spanning different periods, and I don't want to commit myself to the 18th-cent necessarily. Almost every paper I've written in the past year and a half or so has tackled novel theory in some form, and so I'd like to say that's what I'm looking for. Let me put it this way, if I had to choose what I'd want to study for the next 5,6,10 whatever years of my life, it'd look something like this: Richardson/Defoe/Fielding (rise of the novel, etc), 18th-cent/early 19th-century women novelists (Brooke, Burney, Lennox, etc.), the Brontes, and D.H. Lawrence. I've recently developed a fondness for Lawrence and would really like to use a paper on him for my writing sample, but he's so incongruent with my other interests! How might you suggest I go about selecting programs, figuring out what to use as my writing sample, and deciding what my concentration should be? Thanks in advance for the help!

DEFINITELY use the Vade Mecum! I haven't taken the test yet, but I found this little gem of a website last summer, and had a ton of fun just going through each author page by page. I find it a lot less overwhelming than the Nortons, if only because you don't have three or four gigantic books with thin pages that don't like pen sitting in front of you!

In terms of 18th-century lit I'd second UCLA. It was one of my top options (especially if you're interested in gender intersections with c.18), but alas, one too many fights with my mother over going so far away from home forced me to cross it off my list.