marlowe

Right, I've got that bit. The TA load here is smaller than at other schools I visited. Do we have any required cohort classes in the first year, though?

Anyone have an idea of how many courses we take in the first year?

ah, too many acronyms, I guess.

And Judith Butler's paper will be followed by a paper by...Two Espressos!

I'm with you. I am a medievalist, and I walked out of the test pretty frustrated that the medieval questions were SUPER easy. Then I realized that the questions I missed on Victorian essayists were probably no problem for a Victorianist. I mean, there was a question about Seamus Heaney's Beowulf, an Old English line to 'translate', and a question from Margery Kempe -- I was especially pleased about the latter because she was the subject of my MA paper.

Oh, just that they came today and that there were two of them. Nothing out of the ordinary, I suppose.

Haha, I got two LOL rejections from CUNY today.

I'm glad you chose Austin, as well -- your decision most definitely helped me make my own. I look forward to many awesome years.

Congrats to Guate and Fiona. I think I'll accept my offer right this moment. See y'all in Austin.

The drink or the Feist?

Congrats, Fiona is next! Just declined a school -- one of the hardest (series of) letters that I have ever had to write.

Unfortunately, I don't have much time to comment because I have to return to work, but I thought the visit was great -- different, but more encouraging than other visits that I have been on. I am still struggling with my decision, but I hope to decide before Saturday. Good luck all you waitlisters -- can't wait to hear your success stories soon.

Man, this is so much worse than waiting for decisions to be released. I think part of it is that I feel so incredibly guilty turning down schools that have been so friendly in their communication and generous with their time and money.

I'll see you this weekend. So many decisions. One of my other offers keeps sending me emails with mad incentives; they must be getting lots of declines.

Sounds like LOLO time.

Any idea where you are heading next year, cquin?

Mustaches are whats up.

My accepted/waitlisted schools are 1-1, my reject schools are 0-1 so far. COME ON YOU ACCEPTANCE SCHOOLS!

Anybody else making their decision based on the results of the NCAA basketball tournament? All three of my possible schools play in the next two days -- I will be watching attentively.

LOL, no, you just got into schools that EVERYBODY wishes they had gotten in to. Therefore, people remember better. Oh, please don't feel that way. It has nothing to do with being nosy. Also, if I accept the non-top twenty, you could take my spot!

Well, two have excellent CIG reputations, and the third has quite the opposite, if you can imagine that.

I am trying not to be too obvious about which school is which, but if you've paid attention it should be pretty clear. I actually have a very good idea about what is going on in the department; the not-top 20 is hiring two more senior people in my subfield (one of which in my area). It looks like a really good deal. Well, like all of you, I am totally stumped.

I appreciate this. The appeal of the top twenty (and really, both the top twenties - there is a second one in the mix) are that they are close-ish to my family and extended family. I also absolutely love both of the towns, the vibe, the lifestyle, whereas the second school (lower general, higher subfield) is in a pretty blah town.

Cheers, no it was helpful. Yes, the subfield rank was from USNW, as well. To answer your question, there is absolutely no way I am changing my subfield -- it is just not happening. To add another twist, I probably won't be able to visit the second school (with the lower general, higher subfield rank). I will chat with the professors, but not be able to visit the campus, meet the cohort, et cetera.

Ok, I need y'alls opinion: What do you all think about turning down a top twenty school for a school outside the top 40 (according to USNW)? However, the latter has better funding, is much more prestigious in my subfield (ie. top ten), and strangely, has a better 'reputation' because it is a top twenty undergraduate university. I guess the (perpetual) question is, how important is USNW 'rank'?