asleepawake

You aren't as likely to run into random possibilities through networking, but there are a ton of calls of papers here, and a number are for publications: http://call-for-papers.sas.upenn.edu/

I believe I'll be visiting in March but I have no details yet. I'd be willing to do this for you (assuming I'll have access to the special collections as a non-student/without an ID and such) if you send me the details and I end up going, but it won't be until next month.

LOL now you've quoted me in your signature Keep those spirits up

Of course, this kind of discrimination can go on behind closed doors, and I'm not saying it is impossible, even in a supposedly liberal and multicultural place like an English department. It just seems that you are jumping too much on a hunch and knocking an entire department which you have so long praised and which is incredibly difficult for anyone to get into. Breathe, and enjoy the holiday. I hope you hear something good sound.

I have to agree. If you have legitimate evidence to prove that this has happened to you, you might contact the University or department and present that evidence. But it sounds like you are basing this off of an assumed-rejection and an iffy comment by a stranger on the internet that they were unaware of of any current students from Asia. Berkeley is ranked #1in English and gets close to 500 applications for 10-20 spots. There is NO ONE who is a shoe-in for that program, no matter how good their work is or how productive their contact with a POI has been. I hope that you get good news very soon but your signature in the face of no real substantive evidence is definitely unprofessional and potentially libelous.

Go update that signature, dazedandbemused!

Congratulations dazedandbemused! It's dead silent from Pittsburgh for me, and it looks like waitlists even went out. Congrats to the lurkers, too.

Congrats to all the recent acceptances!

Gold! How did I miss this post before?

Ok, well, it they don't officially waitlist it is still likely they keep a secret alternate list or something. If they haven't sent official rejections, there's a reason. You might be able to assume rejection with some confidence (that is how I feel about mine), but I don't think it should be on the results board.

Yes, PLEASE. Assumed results are not results; they're emotional responses to seeing other people get acceptances. Wailists haven't even gone out for Chicago!

Well, this is absolutely true.

I know you don't mean just me specifically, but in case, I definitely never meant to express "concern" over anyone's lack of an MA. In fact, I've seen discussions elsewhere (including on this forum) that have suggested that in some cases an MA can make you a less desirable candidate. As we know, some schools admit almost entirely BAs while others require the MA. They're different paths. I just meant that it might be an option for some (not all). I have no idea why this discussion has become so intense, but I apologize if any of it was the fault of careless comments I made that made it sound like the MA is necessary or feasible for everyone--but, just as the MA may not be feasible for everyone, neither are a lot of things we suggest all the time: taking a year off, applying to more schools, etc. My advice isn't gospel, and it's probably wrong a lot of the time. All I know is that the MA has helped me a lot, and that I personally was not ready for a Phd when I finished my BA. A lot of people get more out of their BA than I did--I wasn't even an English major, so that is part of it.

Many MAs are funded. I would not have attended mine if it had not been. I don't advocate going into debt for the MA in most cases. That said, a lot of MAs are not funded, so privileging of the degree in and of itself is certainly problematic. The usefulness of the MA may not apply to those of you who have very successful focused undergraduate records in English. Mine was more of a hodgepodge, so the MA has really, really helped me to figure out what I want to do and how to do it.

Oh, I agree with most of this. There are not enough PhD spots for all the MAs and there are not enough jobs for all the PhDs. There are other paths to take from the MA besides the PhD. I guess I meant that for the really devoted who do not have an MA but who get locked out from PhDs this year, the MA might be worthwhile. It is not a guarantee and I hope I didn't represent it as one. Spending too much money on one can have some bad consequences, so don't do it on a whim. But funded time to read and write is worth it, in my opinion, even if it doesn't lead to the exact outcome you want..

I don't think anybody ever said anything even remotely close to "an MA will guarantee admission to a PhD"...

CV building by itself won't get you in anywhere. The reason I am so big on the idea of getting an MA before the PhD is because it will make you a better writer, a better academic, a better thinker, and better-prepared to write a focused statement of purpose. Simply going to get your MA means nothing if you don't learn these things. I don't mean this to suggest this is what you've done, but rather to clarify that none of this is why I suggested the MA (although building up a CV and getting good grades is a good idea and will help, it does nothing on its own). One rejection from one school, no matter the school. If you were under the impression that getting an MA with good grades and a bunch of CV lines would make you a shoe-in for any school, you've misunderstood the process. You sound like a very good candidate, but this process involves a lot of things that are out of your control. Also, an MA qualifies you for alternate-route certification to teach high school English in some states. This may not be your career goal, but it isn't a totally hopeless endeavor to get an MA even if you never go for a PhD.

Congrats ImWantHazPhD and Gwendolyn!! Glad to hear some good news today.

Yes, everyone: please don't discount the possibility of an MA if you don't already have one and you don't get in this year. Mine has been wonderful and is certainly responsible for my success so far this application season. There are great faculty members everywhere, and a lot of MA programs offer some funding. Your PhD applications will be much stronger after an MA because you will be that much more focused and educated. You'll know your stuff better, even if you know it quite well now. An MA can lead to a teaching job, as others have said, or it can lead you back to another applications. Independent scholarship for a year or for forever isn't a bad option, either.

Nonsense. You applied to 4 schools. First, you have only heard back from 1 of them. Second, it's easy to be rejected from 4 schools even if you are a perfect applicant. It just is. Watch those of us who applied to more than 10 schools. Just about all of us will get at least 4 rejections. Celebrate and have fun! It won't change the results. Hang in there. It's not over until it's over, and even then it's not over because schools will be taking applications again next year.

Way to go!

Congratulations!!!!! I am so happy for you guys and I want you to both go there and send me Nashville postcards.

That's MORE than something. Vanderbilt is amazing. Congratulations and I hope it materializes for you!!

Any new thoughts on Buffalo? I grew up in another of the rustbelt cities so I'm pretty familiar with the weather and the general economic climate. How good is the city and/or campus at dealing with all of the snow? If I end up in Buffalo, I'd like to be pretty close to campus if possible, but also somewhere that is affordable and offers a nice, vibrant community. I don't mind a bit of a commute, but despite where I grew up, I'm not really used to driving in intense snow conditions. Any other information? Where do most of the grad students live?