asleepawake

It doesn't seem that there have been any Buffalo waitlists or MA offers, so I imagine they are still going though the process of making decisions about applications in those regards. My status finally updated this week. It now says "Yes, on 02/20/2013" under "Application Reviewed" and "Accept/Admit - 02/20/2013" under "Application Status." I think that these things have more to do with the Graduate College than the English department, since 2/20 is also the day I got an official e-mail from the Graduate College.

It's both.

That's a good way to think of it. I just think of how often I will get salt marks on my clothes. I can do winter, I guess. I've just gotten really, really spoiled by living in a place where I can do swimming outdoors most days in any month of the year for the past few years.

Wait, so snow increases your fondness? I think I might freeze to death in a snowdrift in Buffalo. I like snow for about 6 days a year, not 150. Nashville has the perfect climate. Get that Vanderbilt admit!

Yeah, I'm not disagreeing with you. This same advice has been repeated many times on this forum, and I'm on with you on it. But it isn't accurate to say "your SoP and writing sample . . . determine your fate." This is untrue for anybody who gets cut for their scores. For them, GRE scores do precisely determine their fate, and to a an even greater degree than the writing sample helped the final admits get in (since a numbers cut implies the rest of your application isn't ever legitimately considered). Likewise, surviving a GRE cut means you have far fewer writing samples and SOPs to compete with.

Well, no. If GRE can get you in the door, it can also keep you out of the door. If this is true, your SOP and writing sample do not wholly determine your fate.

I don't think it's a coincidence that thus far I have been accepted to 2 strong-fit but lower-ranked programs with smaller applicant pools, and to Buffalo, the school that specifically says they DGAF where you you went to undergrad. That doesn't mean, of course, that I could get into any program I wanted to if only I had brand recognition and the GPA for it (don't worry, I'm not that arrogant). I do think, though, I'd have a better chance. If most schools really are literally just trashing apps based on numbers, it's really their loss. I know that it would be hard to read 400-600 applications really closely, but I do think most adcoms at least glance at the SOP and see if they find your application interesting. I imagine a crappy SOP gets you cut pretty early. I imagine a lot of things, though, and so often they aren't accurate...

Flip a coin?

I guess so, but I think most people know that UChicao is a really fantastic school, and Brown is an Ivy. Most of my childhood Ivy dreams didn't focus on Harvard or Yale, though. It was all about Princeton. This is why:

Of course it is all relative, but in what universe are Brown and University of Chicago not "big names" regardless of field? Isn't Chicago like #3 or #4 in general University rankings?

I still don't have enough information. Is this your cat?

As much as your cat knows about fashion, or as much as you know about your cat?

Haha, it is true that YesStyle clothes can be kinda weird, but I've had some luck with them. They deal with so many different companies that I've found a few good ones. The measurements I've seen have usually been pretty close, but I shop in their "plus and larger size" area, where more things come in at least a few different sizes. I do have one dress that came and it's almost too short to be a SHIRT.

Haha, I have run into students in the following places: the movie theater, a bar or two, and best of all... a Ke$ha concert. I won't even explain that one, because your imagination can probably do great things with it. I'm in my mid-20s, and I definitely feel like people who are 21-22 are a lot younger than I am, but I think that's probably just me imaging myself to be more mature than I am.

Shirts have been coming in really weird cuts like that lately. It's devastating!

Bleh, unfortunately I haven't done a very good job of actually updating that link. I should either update it or take it out of my signature. The results board is the best place to look for actual information. ETA: I've started to do some updating.

Here: http://www.yesstyle.com/en/kiwi-shop-cat-pattern-long-sleeve-knit-top-light-orange-one-size/info.html/pid.1032083578

It just happens that with 95 pages of chit chat, discussions go in a million directions, and it wouldn't make sense to respond to those anywhere but the thread they were first broached in. Nonetheless, I don't see the problem with trying to keep this thread clean of acceptance talk.

Well, I guess I do feel better if I'm not the ONLY imposter. That's certainly true about faculty opinions. I didn't mean to suggest you should yield to every piece of feedback from every reader, but you need to be ready to hear things other than "you're brilliant." This sounds obvious, but I don't think it always is. I've seen too many people just decide that a faculty member hates them than be willing to accept that their work isn't perfect (not that the former cannot happen, of course).

Yup. No joke. I know a number of perfectly capable people who struggle in part because they cannot or will not listen to criticism. They prefer to be given endless praise, and when that doesn't happen they really struggle. Don't do this. You've been let into grad school to learn. Do that and you'll be fine. It can't be possible that we're all impostors. Right...?

Oh hell yes you are!!! Congratulations! What awesome news. The program sounds like a good fit for you.

Awesome! Congrats on making a decision! We should start a final decision thread soon.

I don't have an extensive undergrad record in English, but it was required for my MA. The dreaded requirement turned out to be a fantastic experience. Do take one if the program you end up in offers one and you have room for it. It's certainly helpful no matter what your focus. I had a really great professor, though. The used textbook I bought was filled with notes that he repeated word for word, but he gave fantastic lectures regardless. Normally old-school lectures seem out-of-touch, but his were great.

Yay congrats! I "guess" Cary Wolfe, obviously. I'M JEALLY even though I didn't apply (and I cannot remember why - was it Texas?). It seems like such a great program! Rock it.

Congrats! I hope it works out for you!