gatz

Yeah I have mismatched decision deadlines and I'm not sure whether I should find a way to decide before March 15th, because I'd like to go to the uva visiting days and decide after. It sounded like the March deadline was somewhat negociable when I talked to the adcomm person but I guess I should make sure

Take the year off! Then scour the country for really cool funded MA programs (there are tons!) and apply to those + the unfunded ones you're considering. Just my random internet stranger two cents but academia will still be here next year and technical writing is a pretty cool prospect actually (I tried but couldn't find work in the area)

This is maybe going to sound arrogant but...I'm having an awesome time since turning in my apps. A bunch more free time for the hobbies and friends I've been neglecting. I don't understand the angst. What's done is done, and besides, you can't gett your 'grieving' or whatever out of the way until you've actually been rejected. Then again I'm here posting on gradcafe so that probably says something about my level of 'detachment'

Seconding this, I wouldn't be worrying whether or not I get into an unfunded masters, I'd be thinking hard about the value of that investment instead. There are lots of places that will pay you to get a masters. Some of their deadlines are still open too!

I'm curious about this too since I have a long commute to work. Is it productive to try and learn languages aurally when you really are more interested in writing/reading?

All the gre web site says is whether scores have been sent. A lot of my applications say incomplete because of no test scores but I guess that's normal? I also didn't realizes some of the schools that wanted a scanned unofficial transcript also want me to send them a legit one as well. I thought I was done spending money on this nooooo!

I personally would not report them because I think that verbal score is going to be below average for English/Comp lit applicants

Anyone else applying to UT? Does your status checker thing say that the gre scores are received? I sent mine forever ago but it that part is still incomplete. Trying to gauge if this is a 'normal' incomplete or I need to try and get it fixed.

I guess I just wanted to hear that the departments themselves get the money at least. Then I can feel like a wealthy donor supporting the field instead of paying for university advertising during football games or something. Oh well.

Speaking of Stanford...I'm really curious about something. The application fee was $120 dollars. If you multiply that by 300ish that's almost 40 grand. That's a whole lot left over even after flying out admitted students and everything...I wonder how much these departments make off of applications after all of the associated expenses. Why are the fees so high, and where does that money go anyway?

I...cannot seem to bring myself to finish these applications. So tired of it, ugh

There are schools that want real transcripts? Seems like a pain all of mine just want unofficial ones It's probably not a big deal in the context of the rest of your application

The job market for medievalists is particularly abysmal, correct? If you're gunning for an academic career, you might want to aim higher as well. I do recognize some of those names as being good places for the field, I'm just pointing out that this game is not all about your research.

Yeah it's so strange finally being at the final stages. Feels like I've been working towards this forever, albeit verrrrry gradually until now. I'm actually happy I have one deadline coming up a week or two before the rest so I have no choice but to put the final touches on the writing sample and general bits of the SoP at least. I don't think I've worked this hard in years. It is indeed possible to run one's literary-critical faculties on adrenaline (at least until an inevitable mid-december crash!)

also, to (not) answer your first question, I refer you to the beautifully noncommittal UCLA FAQ: What are the department's minimum scores for the GRE general and subject test in Literature? There are no minimum scores required, but a combined score of 1300 (GRE verbal and subject test in literature) or individual scores of 650 can be used to gauge performance.

I think you have to weigh it against the way that your transcript and stated interests come across. I placed more emphasis than I probably should have on studying for the lit GRE, but I wanted to prove that I had been doing a lot of outside reading beyond the somewhat narrow breadth of what shows up in my transcript and writing sample. I included it a bunch of places that didn't require it (but not the ones who asked specifically not to send it!) even though it was not a phenomenal score. Also I spent $150 on it so there was mostly likely some sunken-cost reasoning going into it to...If you feel confident that you can show breadth without it, no need to send it in my opinion.

Part of evaluating an application holistically is taking test scores into account, regardless of whether they are your personal strength. But of course it seems to get a little ridiculous at the high end of schools. The lowest median verbal for accepted students at UVA, over the past four years, was 98 percent. (http://gsas.virginia.edu/sites/gsas.virginia.edu/files/Profile-English.pdf) I didn't post this to start a dumb standardized test debate or commiseration group hug, but just to say that no matter what your application looks like you're never going to feel sure about anything. I'm dealing with the uncertainty by applying to funded masters programs. The admissions committees know exactly what to look for and, you know what? If they tell me I'm not top-20 phd material right now then I will believe them and the process that they follow every single year (which clearly works in general if not in every case). And if I don't get into any of my masters programs? I'll be able to let go because screw clinging to academic life or going into debt for the sake of my precious Ideas About Literature. If the people who really know what it takes don't see it in me, they're helping me out by letting me know!

I think that's a good score, especially if you are applying with a bachelors against the probably 20-30% of applicants that have a masters already

Good on you, I love the feeling of being reminded that I really do love this stuff! Remember you have plenty of time to iron stuff out as long as you stay on task and work towards completion rather than perfection. The writing sample has been the most difficult part for me so far, and I can't imagine feeling totally pleased with what I come up with, but I suppose that's the nature of academic work.

I genuinely have no idea how I'm gonna deal with this question on my applications. I've never faced any significant adversity (poor me). I hope my interests and perspective are interesting and add diversity to the department...but they decide that based on my application materials, no?

That particular issue has been pretty much discussed to death on here, I think. If you search around I'm sure you can read people rehashing the same arguments over and over again though... All of the schools you listed will be difficult to get into, is my gut feeling. Apply if you feel like you have a real good reason to be there in order to build your career

So is it possible to get fully funded as an MA student from the first semester? I called them and it sounded like that wasn't the case, but I would probably apply if you know of anyone that got a 2 year package from the start

Thank you so much! I've been looking for extras for a while

I'm looking forward to reading less plays/short stories and more long ass novels after this is over. I'm learning a lot of little tidbits, which I find pretty fun if not real useful.

Good, fully funded masters degree programs are harder to find than phd programs, no doubt. But for my (different) subfield I found two that I am thrilled about. It took some calling to figure out the funding situation and a lot of browsing the internet, but keep searching! Both of mine are in states I'm not exactly thrilled to live in for two years, but it's worth it for the peace of mind. It also frees me up to only apply to the phd programs that I really really want to go to, because I have a strong suspicion these masters programs would be excited to take me even if I turn out not to be phd material yet.