ILikeCatsALot45

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How are you planning on getting there? I live in downtown San Francisco. I don't have a car, but I do have a Zipcar account...I think it's pricier than a regular daily rental by about $30, but gas is included in the price, so I thought I'd see if anyone living here/near wants to split it with me. Is that weird? I don't know, I'm just all about saving dollars. I can only go on Friday because of work, so I'm leaving Thursday night. I'm not sure when I'm coming back yet because I may or may not stay to bum around and see what there is to see. If you, or anyone else, wants a ride there/back/both, let me know.

Does anyone who is going to the orientation live in/near San Francisco? I'm thinking...rideshare. Just throwing it out there.

I just got that "personal" form email containing that thoughtful paragraph about my future. The part about how much he "loved my writing sample about [copy and paste the topic]" made me feel almost as awesome as that time my sister called me to tell me I got a big envelope from Chicago, only to reveal seconds later that it was just a ruse. Again, I think it's an accomplishment to be accepted to this program because it is selective, but--someone used the word manipulated--I do feel like I'm being manipulated just a wee bit. And the feedback I got from one of my professors is that although it's selective, it's a "huge program that leads nowhere."

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This is what the website says: "On entry, students are assigned an academic advisor suitable to their proposed interests. By the spring quarter of their first year, students choose an advisor in their area of concentration. Students may change advisors at any time, as they define their interests and get to know the faculty." I'm not sure if this means the person who called is our "assigned advisor," especially since we haven't actually accepted yet, but I do think they arranged the calls according to our interests. My call was from Tyrus Miller, who I would as of this moment pick to be my advisor and who is one of the main reasons I applied there, so that was pretty cool. But as I'm really awkward at conversing on the phone, meaning I can't even talk to my best friend on it, I probably said something stupid, and he was probably left wondering why they admitted someone who has only finished eighth grade.

I may just randomly meow, before, after, and/or in the middle of sentences.

Well, that's reassuring...kind of. I'm still wary too. I'll be there the 3rd...we should all wear name tags with our gradcafe names on them, you know, because it won't be awkward enough already.

No more info yet. Here is my dilemma. As far as my theoretical and comparative interests, this program is pretty much perfect, and some classes that I would have access to (I assume) in the History of Consciousness program make Santa Cruz an even perfect-er choice. But it's not like you can teach theory alone, and coming from an pretty standard English program, I do have really strong interests in American literature after 1865, which I'm not sure the class offerings would support--at least, that's the impression I get. I think I can fanangle them in somehow, but I don't want to be "unmarketable" because the program is so theory-centric. Any thoughts/opinions?

I decided to start a new thread since that other one is getting kind of cumbersome to go through. For anyone who has expressed interest in knowing more about Santa Cruz's job placements, I contacted Hollie and asked again if she had more detailed information about 2005-present. She replied: "I'll have something put together for the orientation. The website is being updated as well." I also emailed some professors who were listed on the site to ask if they encountered any particular difficulties due to the nature of the program; no one has responded.

Lyonness--I'm not knocking the program, I just have a problem with that one sentence--not sure if it was in my letter, since my mom read it to me and paraphrased it, but I think she mentioned something of equal tone. Anyways, don't be offended if us MAPH people are a little miffed. I know you were in it, and it's obviously a great program, but it's not cool that after someone tells you don't have funding, they insinuate that there's no hope of a future!

It was an unnecessary paragraph to write. Everyone knows how hard it is to get a job in this field, and such smugness is uncalled for. But it was moreover elitist and even senseless. If I were to write back, I would say: '"No reasonable hope for a future?" Is my life only eligible for a future if I get my PhD at a top university, go on to teach at a top university within "two years?" Is two years the time frame I have to prove that I'm worthy of a future? And is the only future that means something working at an ivy-league university? What about teaching in a private school, or even a public one, or even overseas--what if one of these AND getting my PhD from a good school completes my dream?--even if these aren't my dreams but end up being my only options, and I take them, does my future just not count? Does my life just simply end if I have to settle for a lucrative position in--GASP--PUBLISHING when I come out of the PhD, until I can find a job, or even until I never do? I don't understand! What are you telling me?!--that one of the fates will declare me "futureless," and therein zap me from the planet if I get my PhD at a school ranked 30-, 40-, or 50- something and end up teaching at State U or even a small 4-year college in east bumblefuck? Pick your words with more care, woman!" But I really wouldn't write anything at all. Obviously the current academic climate doesn't call for diplomacy if this woman throws words around like that and doesn't even stop to think that YOU might one day kick ass, at which time you might conveniently remember her extremely elitist phrasing and decide to attribute it to her in print somehow.

I was accepted to this program too, after being rejected from the English PhD, and I'm definitely going to take a fully-funded spot somewhere else. I'm curious--what do you think you'll decide? Do you mind me asking what your others options are? I had a struggle because Chicago ranks higher than my other options, but I decided I don't feel like borrowing $45k more next year. I didn't get a personalized e-mail, and I didn't read the letter from Chicago, since it went to my mom's house in Buffalo and I live in San Francisco right now, but I think she mentioned it said something to a similar depressing effect about jobs. I think it's a kind of backhanded way of saying we won't get into a good enough PhD program if we don't do this MAPH program (?), or maybe I'm just too cynical.

This is the placement data they offer: http://literature.ucsc.edu/graduate/alumni.php. There are a lot of people listed who have gone on to work in English and Literature programs, but because it's a "sample" listing (supposedly, and God, I hope so), it leaves me wondering where MOST people have ended up. Do you think it would be weird (well, I guess it would be, but would it be acceptable) to e-mail one of the professors listed and ask if they encountered any difficulties trying to get a job?

Oh, and another question...what did you plan on doing if you weren't accepted into another program? Would you have stayed in the same program?

Sierra--Thanks for answering that question. Do you mean that you are in a PhD program, but knew you were only going to stay there through your MA, or that you are in an MA program and are now moving into a PhD program? I'm assuming the former...How did you convince them to look at your app, transfer your credits, etc.? What program are you in/transferring into (if you feel like sharing). I assume I won't want to transfer out of either program, but I'm just curious in case it does turn out that I'm unhappy. The other thing is that I really regret not applying to some programs, which I'm sure I'll get over, but right now...I'm not over it yet. As far as Santa Cruz vs. Davis, the only thing I'm worried about is that employers will look at Santa Cruz's program as not having adequately prepared me to teach standard courses.

Minnie--You mention something I've been trying to figure out for a while now... Is it acceptable to "transfer" between programs? Did you tell Temple you're applying elsewhere, does Maryland know you're at Temple, and has it been looked down upon in either case?

Thanks. I e-mailed the person who originally contacted me, and she said it means nothing. Why do they have to do that? Don't they know we try to see the secret motives behind every piece of correspondence? Or maybe I'm the only crazy one. Are you accepting?

I'm confused because the woman who initially e-mailed me about the waitlist was from the Department, and she said I was number one or two on it and would have a spot as soon as someone declined, but now my application is under review by the graduate admissions office...so I'm having trouble understanding the path of decision-making... To me, it seems like they would say no right away; I hope they're probably just considering a couple people off the waitlist...one of my professors said it may just be a question of determining whether there's any funding left...but maybe I'm just being optimistic.

Did anyone waitlisted for Davis just receive this e-mail?: We are in the process of making a decision on your application for admission. You may review the decision after 8:00 a.m. PST on March 23, 2009, by accessing your UC Davis application on the online admission web site. Please contact the English program if you have any questions regarding this decision. Best regards, Office of Graduate Admissions and Academic Services University of California, Davis Does anyone have the special powers necessary to decode it? Why must I wait another six days? I feel like I'm trying to do the cryptoquip.

I couldn't say, since I don't know that much about their others programs. Sorry.

From what I've heard, albeit from a professor at BU where I went undergrad (and yes, joey, BU is pretty steadfast about it), it's substantially more difficult to get into a PhD internally or externally at most universities if you already have an MA. The reasoning I've been given for applying externally is that most PhD programs aren't formulated to absorb people half-way through--they're constructed a certain way, so it's easier to either take someone who doesn't have to try to have credits transferred or take someone who will have to do some back-work and will accordingly take longer and require more funding. PhD programs' required or "core" classes can also be vastly different from one another, and the program would prefer that you'd taken their own core requirements. Third, I guess it's harder because the professors don't know you, so even though you have an MA, you're basically at the same level of competition as everyone else who doesn't have an MA. As far as applying internally, they usually don't like to take their own MA students for the same reason most universities don't take their own BA students for grad--because they want fresh blood, it's how they build their demographics, reputations, etc. Even if they are neutral about taking their own MA students, it's harder because you still have to compete against the million-strong pool of highly qualified BAs; for instance, you may not have been accepted to a PhD program right away, but there are plenty of BAs who are ready for the PhD right off, making them, I guess, more qualified, or a better bet, or whatever. I'm not saying that any of that makes any sense, it's just what I've been told. I'm also not saying it's impossible, since I'm sure there are schools that will gladly accept their own MAs, or MAs who have blown people away in an external prestigious program. I guess if you do an MA first, you just have to work that much harder to prove yourself.

Thanks, irishcoffee, for the congrats. Unfortunately, that arbitrary and stupid list is actually the reality of the judgments of the people from whom one day I will be begging a job; it's compiled based on the opinions and ratings of programs by professors of other programs, so it's hard not to be concerned about it. But I have decided to ditch the MAPH program at Chicago. I will, however, face another dilemma if I get into Davis off of the waitlist, on which I'm one or two, because that's also full funding... So to come back to that question....anybody have thoughts/opinions/knowledge on Davis?