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rems

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Everything posted by rems

  1. Just to shake things up (forgive me for not reading a lot of the stuff in the middle), I don't give a fuck about the Oxford comma.
  2. It does smell like microwave pasta!
  3. I also agree with most of the above. However, I wouldn't say that I really "learned" anything in course work more than what I got out of undergrad classes. The classes are smaller, and much more intimate and you get to know you profs really well. I even had one Whitman class with 7 people in it, and occasionally just meet at the bar across the street for class time. So there's stuff like that that makes graduate school cool. But as far as academic caliber goes, you don't get pounded with info or learning or whatever you wanna call it. However, what you do learn, and what I found to be most valuable, is you learn how to be an academic. You're suddenly a "member" of the academy and not some undergrad waiting in line at Starbucks. You're included in boards, elections, search committees, research projects, etc. So, I would say it's worth it just for that. You get your first taste of the "professional" side of things. I've heard that being PhD candidate really stresses this because there's much more to being a "scholar" than writing articles and teaching, but you certainly get a lot of it as a grad student. If you get accepted to a funded MA program, I would totally do it. And you do form really great relationships with profs, and I think that that is pretty much the best part. You get to see profs as people, and they take you seriously -- you're no longer just some number in the back. And you get to work one-on-one with them, which is great. It's no longer a 10 minute conference with a prof over your Mrs. Dalloway paper. You now get to spend hours with them and they take your work seriously as well. Getting my MA was a great two years, and I do feel as though I learned a lot. Oh, and you're writing skills will improve because you'll write, like, a million seminar papers.
  4. I would definitely go for an MA if your PhD's don't work out -- I think it's a good option. You can always apply again when you're finished, or you can do something else and have an easier time finding a job because you'll have a Masters -- doesn't matter what field it's in. I by no means want to suggest that one should not get an MA if they would like -- I'm really glad I did. But, I do think it's worth knowing that MA's don't typically lead to jobs in academics, even teaching at community colleges, and going in thinking that can be dangerous.
  5. If I can jump here, what I think thatjewishgirl (that makes me feel weird like we're on the playground and I'm pointing at her, saying "Now what that Jewish girl over there meant was...") ORIGINALLY meant is that after all this time and effort spent in academia, it feels like a waste at this point to be rejected from so many places. Honestly, I feel the exact same way. I'm already an adjunct, and I don't want to keep doing this so after these applications, I'm finished with academia. I think that's what she was originally bemoaning -- not having an MA (that's what we're arguing about that this point right?). Having an MA can't hurt your chances of getting PhD, but I have an MA in literature, not teaching or tech writing or creative writing or whatever -- literature. What the fuck am I supposed to do with that? I can work in insurance and I can work in an office somewhere pushing paper. I could apply to a professional program. Honestly, I might just get certified to teach high school and go down that route. Or I might go into administration. So I have options. But I've been working towards this goal for, say, 5 years now and I've shelled out thousands of dollars to attend conferences all over the world, I was a grad student, a GTA, and I had a side job just to make ends meet (my program was fully funded, but that doesn't mean much) so I came out with no friends anymore because I literally worked seven days a week 365 a year for this. And now, after all this time, all this effort, I get shut out. I've already been rejected from two places -- two places I thought were a good fit -- and I don't see an acceptance coming from the other four anytime soon. Do I have any reason to assume these rejections? No, but I am. Do I "regret" getting an MA? No. Do I "regret" all that time I got to spend in Europe getting drunk at conferences with other scholars in my field? Not even close. But as I sit in my cold, basement adjunct office right now mad that I wasn't informed my 8am class was cancelled due to snow until 7:30 and I was already here, I begin to wonder if it was all worth it. And, not to sound like a dick, I don't want to hear a bunch of people try to make me feel better about it and myself. It just feels kinda shitty, and I think that thatjewishgirl was trying to express a frustration with the process and the shittyness of having to admit that I'm not going to do this for a living. I will continue reading and writing, but I'm not shelling out cash to fly to conferences anymore and I'm never writing another goddamn seminar paper again. And that feeling is pretty shitty. I'm sorry if you don't want to hear it for whatever reason, but it sucks. Sad face Friday. The point of forums like this is for us to be happy together and celebrate acceptances but it's also for us to sad together, and admit defeat and sorrow over said defeat. And, hell, even anger over it. And, as a final note, what's this about CV "pumping"? No conference and no pub is too small -- it won't keep you out of a program for listing it on your CV. Honestly, an adcom will read your CV in 2.3 seconds -- I doubt they're going to sit and scrutinize and laugh that you got in published in Purple Monkey Weekly two years ago. They probably skim that section, might be excited to see a few good national presentations, but I highly doubt that if everything else on in profile is good, they would not admit you because your CV lists "small" conferences or whatever. Yes, the WS and SOP are most important, and just attending conferences is not going to change that, but I doubt an adcom would "tricked" by a candidate listing less-than-desirable pubs on a CV.
  6. If anyone outside of this circle read this thread they would think we're all batshit.
  7. Please don't judge me for noticing this/being batshit crazy. I only noticed it because it used to be just two gray lines. I only noticed these two gray lines because they looked like a mistake in the code for the page, and figuring as how we're all marked for not having "letters of recommendation," I was thinking about how sloppy their admissions software is. So, yes, the line is new. And, yes, this line is absolutely significant. And, yes, I'm going to have to turn off my computer for the rest of the evening before I have an aneurysm. And, yes, I had to look up the spelling of "aneurysm."
  8. Has anyone else noticed subtle differences in your Buffalo status page? Like, there's suddenly a solid blue in the middle of the heading. That wasn't there this morning. Officially crazy at this point.
  9. For those of us who teach: http://redlipsandacademics.com/2012/09/10/teaching-freshmen-composition-presented-to-you-in-gifs/
  10. I hadn't thought about it that way, but they might subdivide into smaller committees from literary studies. I don't have anything in common with bluecheese, and based on Two Espressos picture, me and him do have something in common. But for all I know, Two Espressos is a medievalist. Either way, I think I'm gonna have to stop refreshing my email soon and admit defeat.
  11. This is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me. sniffsniff, thx guys! Can we make Leslie Knope the official spirit animal of English Lit/Comp/Compar PhD apps for Fall 2013? I think this is a beautiful moment... So beautiful.
  12. I'm not applying again next year. I've already been in academia for eight years now, and I don't really wanna do for another just waiting to break through. I think I may start looking for, gasp, real jobs or something like that. After the Ohio rejection, I have almost no confidence for other admits. I can confidently say that I think my application profile is the best it's going to be. I'm not trying to brag, and I don't want tomatoes thrown at me for suggesting that my writing sample is pretty tight, it's in my field of expertise, and it's new scholarship. My SOP's are also pretty tight at this point. Or, I should rather say, they aren't going to get any better at this point. So, where's my downfall? My undergrad GPA is awful and my GRE scores are awful. The thing is, these aren't going to get any better. So if I can't make it past a first round of apps because of my numbers, then it's a waste of money to keep trying. I suppose I could study for the GRE more, but I'm probably not going to get any better at it and there's literally nothing I can do to bring up my undergrad GPA short of doing it again. Is there anyone else in this situation? Anyone else with a looming, unsavory undergrad GPA that no matter how hard they try just can't overcome those first few years of drunken ignorance?
  13. Bad news: OSU is a no go. The nerve of those people! First rejection. It stings, but I'm glad to get it out of the way. Good news: I finally have a chili pepper on ratemyprofessor.
  14. After panicking, mine also says "Letters of Recommendation" as not received at the bottom. I'm fairly positive that's new. At this point though, I can't imagine that would mean anything -- they might be messing with the application software or something, and that just popped up for whatever reason. All my other letters are marked as received, so, who knows? Mine also still says "Not Reviewed." Ek. And I also sent my GRE scores to Buffalo College on exam day, and only realized my mistake when checking on scores sent to another school. I caught it in time, but I also had to pay $25 for it. So, that's fun. Thanks again ETS!
  15. How do you tell someone is researching for you?
  16. @Two Espressos: Can you define "empirical evidence" within the humanities? I have an issue with this word because even (and it's been mentioned already) bloodletting had "empirical" evidence as to why it was effective during the time. I also think you're giving the scientific methodology (and all that junk) too much credit. "Science" is not a science. Can you give me an example of an "empirically" determined truth in literature (that's not a date or fact)? What exactly are you referring to, and how are you comparing it to Freudian studies? If you've already answered these questions, and I missed it while reading through this tread, my apologizes! I've been away from the cafe for a bit, and it was a lot to go through, but very interesting convo!
  17. Sounds like socialist talk to me. Me, my daddy, my daddy's daddy, my daddy's daddy's daddy, and my daddy's daddy's daddy's daddy don't take too kindly to socialists.
  18. Woopsies! Totally. Everyone I went to grad school with was super nice (except for a few people who were not the "nicest" but they certainly weren't jerks), and it was a very supportive environment. (none of what I say is directed at TripWillis, btw. I like TripWillis )
  19. Yah, um, I definitely didn't mean to insight any of this when I made a comment about MY therapist. This has been blown WAY out of proportion. I'm sorry that what MY therapist said upset you -- I certainly didn't mean to cause this level of unrest in your life.
  20. OMG that's awesome! I totally missed that reference -- sorry bout that! But thanks, that has seriously made my morning.
  21. I find it very interesting how much we all differ on what is "embarrassing" and what is not. Says a lot about us, really.
  22. Haha! I shall take this as a compliment!
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