antecedent

Biiiig hugs all around! You guys have been so kind, supportive, and informative, and it fills me with relief to know that there are such wonderful people who will be entering PhD programs across the world in the next few years. Hopefully I'll be PhD-ing it up with y'all two years from now!

Yeah I'm L, so the alphabet theory may be correct, but I'm also not rhet/comp, so who knows!

Oh man, you guys are so rad! Thanks so much for your thoughts and suggestions. The CSE sounds perfect for my needs, and your neighborhood suggestions have been super helpful. I noticed that pretty much everyone described the city in terms of how long it takes to walk places. Is it more common in Edinburgh to walk than bike or take transit? I'm guessing a transit pass isn't included in the student fees. Also, I've heard it rains a lot in Edinburgh, and while I'm used to the Pacific Coast Rainforest and damp weather generally, I'm curious about how rainy and wet it ends up being. Biking and walking to school in the rain kind of suck, but if it's raining ALL THE TIME maybe people just get used to it? I will be looking for private housing I think, because that looks to be much more reasonable financially than university housing. I have always had roommates/flatmates, so that's the kind of situation I would be looking for - either a multi person tenement flat or renting out a house with a bunch of students. At the top of this thread in 2009 someone mentioned that fully furnished flats are pretty common in Edinburgh - does any one have any experience with those? It's very uncommon here, so I'm a bit wary of the idea. It would be super convenient, as I'm coming from Canada, I just have to get used to the idea. Finally, are flats normally rented out the month before (lease signed August 1st for September 1st type thing) or is it wise to start looking two to three months before (like, June 1st for September 1st)? Also, I've heard good things about postgraduate student culture in British unis - does Edinburgh fit this bill? Is there much camaraderie within departments, and between students and professors? I'm also so very relieved to hear Edinburgh doesn't have a bad reputation for bugs - Vancouver is one of the worst cities in Canada for them, and even though I've never had them personally, I've been scarred for life. Thanks once again everyone

I'm really really hoping you and HaruNoKaze get in! My fingers are still crossed for all y'all. <3

Thanks guys! I'm definitely bummed, but also relieved that at least I have a decision. That part of the waiting is over. I've really appreciated your support and encouragement. I didn't apply to rhet/comp, so there may still be a chance for you all. I have MA options now (and I suspect Illinois has forgotten about me...) so at least I've got something academic to do next year.

Most recent rejection up on the board is me. Feels like a kick in the guts, even though I kind of expected it. It's been one of those Mondays...

Rejections are trickling out today...

I know, seriously. I'm trying to just let it go, cause at this point there doesn't appear to be much in the way of logic here. Has anyone contacted the program coordinator/DGS about this? Someone other than Prof. Lesser?

Have you received your official offer from the university yet? I'm still "recommended by the department" but I haven't heard anything since...

I love how hands on the program at SFSU looks! I'm a bit worried about the prestige question, but I've been assured that it doesn't really matter where you do your MA. I hadn't heard that about a year abroad, but it makes sense when you think about how much you may have to move around as an academic. And I'm sure the experience with a variety of programs would present a pretty well rounded candidate too. Sigh. Good luck to you on all your apps! Looks like you have a lot of schools left to hear back from.

I'm sorry that you got waitlisted (and not accepted right off the bat), but I'm so glad to hear they're still sending out waitlist notifications. Here that, andsoitgoes? It ain't over 'til it's over, baby!

Yeah my boyfriend isn't into academia either (thank goodness - he's a meteorologist), so there is the hope that in a few years he'll have enough experience in his field to come join me wherever a PhD has lead me. I'm very lucky that he'd be willing to make that sacrifice. I will also definitely be taking his location into consideration in my next round of applications - so Canadian schools and American towns with international airports We also have the added struggle of not sharing a nationality - he's Canadian and I'm American. Fun! I don't want to have to leave him behind, but I don't really have a choice at this time - we've only been together for two years, the top programs for my interest few and far between, and he can't afford to not work wherever we are. I know we can do one year of long distance, and luckily any more than that is too far in the future to be relevant at the moment (unless a PhD acceptance falls out of the sky and into my lap, which seems unlikely at this point). I'm glad to hear, Timshel, that you made it work. It gives me hope for the rest of us! I'd take Edinburgh over Madison right now, because the department coordinator at UW-Madison basically told me there was no chance for funding and only a tiny, remote chance of teaching for my MA there, and I can't swing 25k in tuition + living expenses for two years. One year in Edinburgh would be more expensive (slightly), but it would also only be one year, and they have way more scholarships available to me, so I think I could make it without a loan...I think. The only thing that could really change my mind would be if by some miracle I got into UT Austin, or if I got in SFSU (because they'd at least give me teaching experience which I don't think I can get at Edinburgh, and I've heard that can make a difference in PhD apps).

Oh man I seriously love Middlemarch. I don't know about writing a thesis sized paper on it, but I wrote a final paper on it and really enjoyed it. At one point I wanted to get a MM themed tattoo Haha I'm more concerned about learning to love football. I've spent the last 5 1/2 years in hockey land, which has been great because I actually enjoy hockey. Football though...I dunno. I never enjoyed it even when I lived in the States. I'm sure with enough beer I could be convinced though...

Jeez our stories sound similar. I'm West Coast (raised in California, did my undergrad in Vancouver B.C.), looking at a one year Masters in the UK (Scotland), leaving behind The World's Best Boyfriend cause we can't afford for him to come and not work, affording to live in Big Cities in the UK... I'm actually working on Edinburgh scholarships right now to take my mind off of NOT getting any PhD admits this time around. Sigh.

Yeah man, for my job I basically write perfunctory emails all day long to barely literate hobbyists and irate parents, and it has made me reconsider my ability to string more that a paragraph together at a time. I'm glad that no matter the program I end up in I will have a few years of coursework to kick my ass into shape! Though I've been thinking maybe I should take a summer course as a bit of a warm up... I agree, applying to grad school would be easy if it was just about book learnin', but it isn't that simple! Figuring out how I'm going to afford it, and how I'm going to maintain a long distance relationship, and how I'm going to afford to maintain a long distance relationship, has all been gnawing away at me too! Not to mention the occasional bout of imposter syndrome (only really present when I think about PhD programs but still).

Right? Someone in another forum said just go ahead and rip the band aid off. Come on, UT Austin!

US Graduate admissions application semester Fall 2012 status In review major English degree Doctorate Excuse the wacky formatting. I never knew being "In review" could drive me so crazy for so long! Grr...

I really lucked out with my undergrad English department. I chose my undergrad institution based on it's foreign language programs (I originally wanted to major in French/linguistics - some things come full circle I guess!) but I was seduced by our honours program and it worked out really well. It ended up being a bit too lit heavy for my tastes (with almost no emphasis on language at all outside of a few rhetoric classes) but I loved it nonetheless. One of my favorite profs (and LOR writers) was a Victorianist and I tried to take as many classes with her as possible, so I read TONS of Regency, Victorian, and Edwardian/pre-modern literature, and very much share your view about it. Have you read The Heavenly Twins? Sara Grand is a little late for Victorian but that novel absolutely blew my mind - it was a bit of a slog, but a beautiful, beautiful slog. Much like Middlemarch, which we also had to read for that class. Also, you had me so pumped with your rationale from earlier, but I'm starting to lose steam and sink into worry again. I really hope this works out for me/you/us all!

I took a Victorian adaptation seminar in undergrad, and we read various drafts of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and then watched a bunch of film adaptations, it was awesome. To be honest, if I didn't go the ling/lang route, I think I would have been a Victorianist. Or the only Orwell scholar since George Woodcock died

I agree, and it really pisses me off. It's like a test - look, you can formulate a research interest! Isn't that cute?

YUP, Same here.

It's kind of like Wonderland over here in Grad Cafe; we're all mad here!

Makes sense to me! If we both get in we are SO going out and getting shmammered together once we're in Austin. I can see several bottles of wine with andsoitgoes and antecedant written aaaaaall over them.

Yeah mine is too. WTF Texas? You say "by the 24th" and then leave us all hanging! I'll try and remain optimistic you guys, but I'm really struggling :/

Well, I haven't heard anything and they're nearing the end of the day, so I'm guessing it's over. Sigh. On the bright side, I'm listening to a really good break up mix on grooveshark - I feel like I was dumped by Austin :s