Julianne Pigoon

I was just over by Berklee yesterday. No WalMarts to speak of. :]

I second this. One of my plan B considerations for this year is Americorps. I worked at a charter school for years in their afterschool program and was under the impression for a long time that Americorps is entirely direct‒service work. An English BA friend of mine just got hired to to grant‒write for them, however, in New Orleans. There are positions all over the country for different aspects of the entity, and gaining writing experience is one of the things for which it can be personally valuable. There is also poverty, hunger, educational deficiency and need everywhere in the United States. It's a great service for those of us who are talented and capable, who have the skills to earn relatively high wages and work in abstract fields, to do whatever it is we can to help ameliorate domestic suffering.

I applied to UOregon for English PhD Fall 2012, and wherever I go I'll be moving with my partner, two children and two cats. I come from New England, so I pay RIDICULOUS money for rent. In comparison, Eugene looks more than affordable to me. Being from Providence, also, has inculcated an aversion to developments and new housing, and there are some absolutely gorgeous turn‒of‒the‒century and mid‒century homes that are architecturally interesting with beautiful yards. Three bedrooms are around 875‒1300 from what I've been seeing, most of them falling in the 900s range. Oregon is my last hold‒out for PhD, and if I get in, I'm going to cry. I think I'd love it there.

I sent out a copy of my writing sample with two (cite)s in it to Vanderbilt as last‒minute reminders to myself. I realized about two minutes after I sent it, and I'm STILL facepalming. I don't know what it means, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't bode well. As least most typos aren't in red x_x. You're probably fine.

I feel your pain, my dear. I was geared up to apply to about ten PhD programs that are, at the moment, probably out of my reach. I sobered up and applied to three PhDs that were either in range and fit well, or free (hahaha. I'm poor), and three MAs. I'm in this strange sort of limbo between being overqualified for an MA and underqualified for a funded PhD. Even though I went the "realistic" route with my applications, I still feel bloated and in agony over all the money I spent and all the rejections I expect. This process of applying and waiting has robbed me of my self‒worth, my optimism, and my attentiveness toward finishing school. I really wish I had just given it another year. Plan Bs are hard to even entertain, and currently mine is, ironically, to reproduce more. Brilliant, totally brilliant.

Also, this comparison is funny. There's like a whole list of reasons there might be a false positive in the instructions, so it's kind of the same as really hoping you haven't been rejected. I know because I've been there, too.

I hope good news comes late, but I know as far as Vanderbilt is concerned, I feel like no news is bad news. I think many schools eventually get back to their applicants, but this one, apparently not. There have been both acceptances and wait‒lists on the survey and board, but no rejections. I would be elated if they got back to me, honestly, with a message that said OH YEAH, YOU. THANKS BUT NO THANKS.

Yeah, I'm not going to hear back until mid‒March, early April or so for most of my MA programs, and one PhD that seems to take a long time for no reason. April seems far too long to wait x_x

I'm coming into this very late, but man, it is exciting to see people getting in. My first thought is always "that school? Awesome!" *cyber‒fives everywhere* Then, however, I am unsure of why I am so inadequate, and I hang my head in resignation. I nearly did not apply this year because I knew last semester that it would be an insane push. And it was, I wish I had waited. Now instead of focusing on what's really important (honors thesis, 2 1/2‒year‒old, relationship), I'm just here all the time, being neurotic about admissions despite my having been made into an automaton and my 0% confidence. There truly is something deeply masochistic about graduate applicants in the humanities.

Baha. My day today and every day. http://mycatisadick.com/

Yes, I definitely checked my spam folder. While there were no decisions, there was a notification of payment from one of my schools. It's enough to keep me checking!

I'm all about piercing and tattoo acceptance in the workplace. That feeling might change someday when I have to take a teaching position in Backwardsville and I won't be allowed to have a uterus never mind a visible tattoo. But for now I'm going to keep on with my addiction, thankyouverymuch. I have an inordinately large back piece already, and I have more modestly‒sized chest piece planned. I would like to give that to myself as a graduation gift, and a going‒away present (my artist is based in NYC), but I know I'm going to need the money to move. Perhaps I will allow myself to get a smaller thing that is literature‒related if I get in anywhere. My lip is also pierced and I wear a tiny gem that I can very repulsively hide in its own hole. Ha!

Congratulations, TripWillis! Jealous! Even if I did get accepted to the MA, I doubt I would go. For many reasons. But for all of you who are going, best of luck! :]!

As I wrote before, I'm being considered for the Master's. I just checked my application, and under the box in the bottom right where it says "Acceptance Confirmed," there is "NA." Not applicable? Not accepted? Nice ass? Nifty aeroplane? Hope that helps at least as far as the online application is concerned. I haven't gotten anything in the mail, however. My partner is a second‒round PhD applicant for philosophy and if there's anything I know about departmental similarity it is that there is none. I'm not entirely sure how much you'll learn from the history department in regard to the English department's own recherché behaviors. I hope you do make some sense out of this madness, however. I really do.

TheLadyT: Naw bro, I don't mind. myriadways: Congratulations to you, too, and thanks for inspiring hope in others. By others I don't include myself, however. My insides are filled with rubber tubes and copper wire.

I just saw on the results survey that someone was accepted via email to Vand for English PhD. I have absolutely no confidence that I will get in, but congrats to whoever it was that did! I will now sit in front of my inbox all day.

I, too, have been rejected but am being considered for MA. Do they have to spout platitudes like "your application was very impressive, but . . ." BUT it's obviously not impressive enough for your PhD program! Do they think it somehow softens the blow? I was more offended by that line than the rejection. hrumph.

I was just rejected yesterday for PhD by U Buff, and it stung surprisingly little. I wish they'd do away with the "your application was very impressive, BUT" business; that got to me more than the rejection. They're considering me for their terminal MA, which I assume they are doing for all rejected PhD applicants. I had a very sobering conversation with one of my professors a few weeks ago, and ever since then I've had a 100% pessimistic attitude. Assuming that I will get in nowhere has made the waiting process one of ambient dullness, and my disappointment over Buffalo was a similar feeling. No high–flying emotions here. This process has turned me into an automaton.