kikalique87

I just wanted to clarify this point I made in a previous post. It's not like there's a rivalry between those on fellowships and those with TA funding (definitely not the Jets and the Sharks by any means). It's just more difficult for students on fellowships to meet other people in the department since we're not part of the two week pre-semester teaching workshop and taking 4 classes means a different schedule. Everyone is very nice in the department; it just takes more effort for people on fellowships to develop relationships because there's not the immediate bonding experience that the teaching workshop provides.

They are hiring a new technical communication professor. The interviews just finished this week, so hopefully we'll hear something in the next few weeks. I went to some of the job talks, and the content from the four candidates included producing culturally relevant construction site safety material to examining computer user manuals/programming code for value systems, and the rhetoric/communication of cancer treatments. All very exciting. I think more coursers will be offered based on some administrative changes (OSU has just switched from quarters to semesters this year, and there has been positive restructuring in the graduate program, so they are figuring these things out).

I love the rhet/comp and digital media programs here. It's very close knit, smaller community in the huge department. Because of this, I feel like I really have gotten to know most of the professors pretty well in the one semester I've been here. There are tons of opportunities for students to be involved in professional activities outside of classes (right now I'm working as part of a team to create one of the first writing MOOCs). The professors are at the top of their fields, but their classes feel more like informal conversations (yet still demanding), and they really treat graduate students more like colleagues than students. It's a very exciting atmosphere to be in because all of the professors and grad students have such a variety of interests, and it's a very collaborative, supporting environment. To be fair, I wish they had more rhet/comp courses offered every semester (there are always at least 2-3), but I think in the future they are going to try to offer more. Ultimately, I'm very happy with the grad school decision I made.

Check out the Versatile PhD website. It was created by a rhet/comp OSU PhD alum, and there are suggestions for alternative careers, career advice, and even job listings. Unfortunately your university needs to subscribe to the service, but if you have access it is definitely worth looking around.

At OSU it's monthly. It starts in September (this is for TA funding as well) and runs through the following August. The only downside is that OSU doesn't take taxes out of the paycheck, so at some point you end up paying the IRS some money.

I was told this year there were 18 admits and fellowship nominees. They may admit more students, but it's really contingent on who accepts the offer. I believe most of the people in my cohort were on fellowship this year. There are different types of fellowships available through the university, but most of us have one year fellowships. This means that we don't teach or TA our first year, but instead we take an extra class (4 classes total, 1 of those classes is pass/fail). This provides extra time to focus on research, coursework (as a 1st PhD student I finished my coursework in 1 year on fellowship), etc. The fellowship is also useful because it basically guarantees you extra time in the program (I believe you are guaranteed 3 years of funding as an incoming PhD student and 5 as a MA/PhD student, but because you were on fellowship your first year you are very likely to receive an additional year if you are making good progress on your degree). After your fellowship, you'll become a TA and have funding through that. Two things to note about the fellowship that I wish I knew last year: you can't hold any other jobs or appointments while on fellowship (fellowships last 12 months, they pay you through the summer as well), and because you are taking additional classes and not teaching (therefore not in the pre-semester teaching workshop and various other professional development things) it can be difficult to meet people or feel connected to the department. This definitely varies from person to person, but I've personally experienced this, and so have many people I know. Regardless, a fellowship is a wonderful opportunity, and OSU is an amazing program. Every day I'm in awe of the brilliant professors and graduate students. I hope that's helpful. Let me know if you have more questions about the program or moving to/living in Columbus!

Hi everyone, First of all, congrats to everyone who has been nominated for a fellowship. For those of you who are still waiting to hear back, I also wish you the best of luck. I just wanted to offer myself as a resource for those of you who are trying to decide on OSU. I'm a first year PhD student on fellowship in the rhet/comp/digital media program. I'm happy to provide my perspective on the department (basically: it's an amazing and huge!), OSU as a whole, Columbus, etc. etc. Feel free to message me.

First I would check with the department or other grad students to see if there is a department required text (my dept has a required department written book and we can then use a text from an approved list to supplement). I was forced to use John Trimbur's The Call to Write my first semester, and I did not have much success with it. It's big, expensive, and the students don't respond to it. I've used my own course pack every semester since then, but I love Everything's an Argument (Andrea Lunsford), Convergences (Robert Atwan), and They Say/I Say (Graff and Birkenstein). It really depends though on what your course theme is. Are you planning on going a pop culture route, or do you want to teach strictly writing (Writing About Writing is a new text for that)? Be sure to check out the publisher websites. Bedford-St. Martin's, McGraw-Hill, Pearson, and W.W. Norton publish some great readers and textbooks. You can find your campus rep and order review copies for free from them.

Bring coffee or baked goods. Not even kidding. I've brought homemade treats to all thesis committee meetings so far because I'm a stress baker. The director of a friend's project last year told her not to bother coming if she didn't bring coffee and bagels. As a more serious tip, I would say to relax. You've spent untold hours and 50+ pages writing about your project. You can respond to questions about your thesis in your sleep.

I'm not too sure how it compares to Chicago, but Chapel Hill and Durham are nationally recognized as bike friendly communities.

Although the odds are good, are the goods odd? That's been my problem at my current university.

As it turns out, I'll be sadly declining my offer tomorrow. Hope it will help you out!

Note to self: don't send emails past 9pm. A professor from a program sent me a recruitment email, and I addressed him as "Dr. Lewis" when Lewis is actually his first name. Note to self: don't send apologetic emails immediately after the fact as he is probably used to this and may not have even noticed it. DOH.

The UPenn English website has a fantastic CFP component here. I also like H-net.org You can join different listservs based on your area of interest, and there are also calls for publications as well. Professional listservs are also a great way to hear about upcoming conferences or networking opportunities, so I would ask some professors if they have any suggestions. I follow the WPA listserv for rhet/comp, and I'm sure there are other lists with more literature focus.

Don't forget the Bedford party! It's going to be at the City Museum this year.

I'm a current graduate student at VT. I would say to stay away from the University City Boulevard and Tom's Creek area, this is the main undergrad off campus housing strip. I used to live down South Main off Ellett Road and I loved it! There are some great townhouses down there, and it's more suitable for grad students/young professionals. Townside is the rental company I used, and I find most of its listings are geared toward that population. Looking in Christianbsurg is also an option. It's the next town over where all of the retail stores are (Walmart, Target, etc). Housing tends to be cheaper there, but then you also will have to drive to campus. As for restaurants, my favorite places are Gillie's (vegetarian) and the Celler (the "grad student bar" but also separate good restaurant). There's also a wine bar 622 that is a little pricey but probably the nicest place in town. I will warn you, Blacksburg right now is a pretty small college town that caters mostly to undergrads. It's hard to find places to eat/study/drink or things to do for people who are above the age of 21. Feel free to PM me with any specific questions.

A colleague pronounces thesaurus "theo-saurus." I like to imagine a dinosaur (Theosaurus rex) roaming the halls of the building giving suggestions for alternative words before chowing down.

Are you going to be in the English PhD program at OSU? I'm about 99.9% sure I'll be ending up there as well. The library is gorgeous, so at least it won't be the worst prison hell hole to rot away in. Also, Columbus is seriously 20 times bigger than my current town (town is a generous noun, village is more appropriate), and I'm going to try to not be the country bumpkin in the "big city."

What are your research interests? With graduate programs, it's pretty impossible to name the top 10 programs due to the different strengths of each program (how do you compare a rhetoric and composition program to a strong medieval program?). Also as you go through the forums, you'll notice that fit is probably the most important (and most ambiguous) factor for any program. The top 10 programs for me will more than likely be a very different top 10 list than yours.

Gah! Best of luck with that!

Has anyone else started freaking out about the logistics of moving? Apparently now that the anxiety due to waiting is over I must now suffer from the stress of finding housing and planning the move without having the time or the funds to really make it happen.

After many passive aggressive comments made by my thesis director (he compared my thesis to the Loch Ness monster, some people believe it exists and there is "proof," but until he saw it with his own eyes he wouldn't believe it), I just submitted my hot mess of a rough draft. I feel better knowing that his punishment is now to read it and respond.

Much obliged!

Is it online? Any chance you could send it along?

The director of the PhD program at my school put together a pretty comprehensive list of questions to ask, here's the link. He also suggested asking a current graduate student what the worst thing that ever happened to him/her in the program was (did a professor steal a student's research, etc.).