123student

Am I misreading tutorspoint's post, or is it a foul joke?

I'm definitely ready to get started again, too, and am remedying this edginess by plunging as much as possible into my projected studies. I'll take some intensive language courses this summer at a nearby U, and keep covering all that reading I just couldn't get to as an undergrad. Visiting my school last week has ramped up my eagerness, but also focused my intended studies: I've asked future profs. for suggested reading, and have started dreaming up independent study courses for those terms when I can't find courses pertinent to my areas. These are the days!

That's a very unpleasant situation to be in, but fortunately a temporary one. Don't quit as long as you love your work. This may be stating the obvious, but I wonder to what extent your marital situation has cast a pall over your academic situation. If your husband manipulated you into choosing your current program, you might reasonably say that your current program isn't the most exciting option for you. If it isn't, then this may be showing to those around you, who in turn are working with/reacting to the degree of interest they see in you. Negative cycles, like positive ones, tend to perpetuate themselves, but if one can get a handle on the negative momentum, then one can turn it in a positive direction. If you feel like this in your current program, and if your husband was part of your choice of this program, then getting out from under his influence as soon as you can could bring great results, especially with your relationships with your faculty & colleagues, by giving you more space & energy to build better relationships with them, and thus a more rewarding program. An MA in your current program could be worth much more than just transfer credits from it, so finishing where you are in the time you have might be the wisest choice. What would make this program exciting for you, and how could you achieve those things? Drawing up a plan for this, and then presenting your advisors with a set of clear goals, would both give you a clear roadmap and show your advisors your commitment & motivation, which could improve relations with your faculty & colleagues as well as your perspective. With this semester about halfway over, you have several weeks to accomplish academic goals, and then the summer months to organize personal ones (your divorce & move). Then in the fall, a new academic year begins on track with your goals, both the short-term ones that would complete your current program, as well as the longer-term goals (languages & other background) that would set you up for a good PhD program. Lasik bill: $450

I signed it earlier; others have posted the link too, which looks like a good start.

Eigen, We pay a substantial amount of fees and other miscellaneous expenses which non graduate students don't pay, such as books and conference fees. Our work is also double that of the regular work world: we study, research, write, conference, network, as well as perform our job duties. Add to this burdensome employment the fact that in many situations we "pay to work" when you consider the non-optional fees paid from our meager stipends. When was the last time you looked at your tax rate? Rates above 15% are for single filers making about $35k/year. Is your stipend that large? If so, heres what you have to look forward to next year: http://www.forbes.com/sites/moneybuilder/2011/09/30/2012-federal-income-tax-brackets-irs-tax-rates/ Factoring in all expenses, our net income is much lower than that of those who aren't in grad school, and with no special benefits. We do the work because it thrills us, not because we're more special than non grad students. But add a demanding job to our demanding studies, and I think most will agree that we deserve a break.

le-ciel, below are two excellent resources I used together and raised my Eng. lit. score and knowledge of this area a good bit. Others have posted them on this forum. There is also a Princeton Review book that serves more as a primer which contains a practice test. I took the subj. in Eng. lit. last October and would give you this advice: 1) train yourself to work fast & accurately on the exam: there are 240-something questions on the test and a limited time in which to read and answer them. 2) study systematically over time; don't cram in the 2 weeks before the test. Give yourself 2 months at least. 3) study broadly, then deeply: survey and master all the major periods & authors, then deepen your knowledge of each. 4) study the basic forms & mechanics of literature: what's a curtal sonnet? what's a Petrarchan sonnet? a Shakespearean sonnet? a Spenserian stanza? a villanelle? a sestina? what's tetrameter, pentamenter, hexameter, etc.? what's a quatrain? a sestet? an octave? what's a heroic couplet? what are some major works in heroic couplets? what's rhyme royal? some major works in rhyme royal? other rhyme schemes? who invented these/is most associated with these? It's as important for English majors to know the parts of English lit. as it is for science majors to know the Periodic Table of Elements. 5) study lit. theory. Terry Eagleton's Literary Theory is a good place to start with the major movements, critics, and works, but also read the major works themselves. I remember the test having several direct quotes from critics with specific questions. The study guides below should help with the rest. Vade Mecum: http://www.duke.edu/~tmw15/ Hapax Legomena: http://lasr.cs.ucla.edu/alison/hapaxlegomena/index.html

I once signed a lease the day of move-in from another state, with the Uhaul full of furniture waiting outside. (I knew the area from having lived in the city a few years before.) I can't remember what I had paid ahead of time, such as deposits/first month rent, but I think that in general apts. want to lease their places and will work with tenants, especially in college towns. But as new_to_kin implies, it's probably the best idea to scope out the area and consider all options. Once you're admitted and have decided on the school, you could even email current grad students for their advice. If you go to visiting weekend, allot time to check out the neighborhoods.

If he/she has already done applications this season and is concerned about getting into none of his/her target schools, then this person should stay connected to the academic environment as much as possible by reading as much as they can--both contemporary and historical issues--attending lectures and conferences, sitting in on classes, and other such things to make their next season's applications sound as informed and professionally academic as possible. If he/she is beginning to put together applications for next season, the best strategy would be to consider a range of schools, from "dreams" to "safeties," so that he/she goes to grad school somewhere. If this person doesn't get into their ideal PhD program, then they will retain the option of earning an MA at a good school, then applying to better PhD programs from there.

imapret, ETS has a concordance table on the GRE section of its website under "scores." Just hunt a little and you'll find the official conversion.

I stick to ethical perspectives on this one, and say you should either own up about your 2 previous withdrawals to the program that admitted you, telling them everything and seeing what they tell you back, or decline admission altogether. You basically lied to them by presenting yourself as someone you are not 100%; this is true even if you are now an awesome student perfectly suited to their program. Trying to rationalize it or shift the blame onto someone else or onto some system--such as the National Student Clearinghouse or the adcomm's possible failure to check you out any more than they felt they needed to in the spirit of good faith in which many human affairs operate--is just a cop-out to sugar-coat the situation. All this may sound harsh, but what you did is bump out a qualified, honest candidate for whom this program is also a DREAM program and is also the ONLY one he/she applied to this year. For you to accept the offer of admission under the false pretext you presented disgraces the academic integrity that all the rest of us bust our tails for.

I would think that since you're only applying there's not much unethical in it. To accept an offer and then bail at the last minute would be terrible, as you would have bumped a more determined candidate out of his/her rightful spot. Schools design waitlists for scenarios like this, and while no one likes the waitlist, it is better than a flat rejection. Also, schools admit more applicants than they expect to enroll, knowing that the best applicants have more than one offer on their plates. Keep in mind though that grad school is notoriously difficult, and that those who go into it half-heartedly frequently drop out with little to show for their time.

Schools have been known to make mistakes in admitting students by accident, i.e., sending the acceptance letter to the wrong applicant, so the emotional roller coaster works both ways. Forgive yourself!

I don't have experience nor have I heard similar stories, but I think you can relax as long as you have honest intentions. Is there any statement in the acceptance letter to the effect that paying a deposit is a binding agreement to attend the school? If not, you might be off the (legal) hook; if so, you might have a problem if you attend elsewhere. But I really think they understand that people make mistakes, and that you're off the ethical hook as well as long as you operated under honest motives, and if you explain these when/if it comes time to. The worst you may face is the loss of your deposit, though if people at both schools know each other, then this could stick to your reputation if you "double-dip." Good luck.

Your sensei sounds like he could provide a valuable and interesting angle to your application, but I think another academic reference would benefit you more whatever field you're intending to enter. That said, many schools say they will consider 4 or more letters, and you might include one from your sensei for those that do. But I remember the caveat from most schools I looked into: "Letters from non-academic referees are generally less helpful than those from academic referees." Kind of a drag, because so much of a person's character is a factor in his/her success in school and life, and academic perspectives are only one angle.

I agree with MediaMom that your best choice might be to focus on the definite offers you already have, if any. Unfortunately, UMass doesn't seem to have given you your # in line--are you fourth or twelfth? Also, I love your pun, though it may just be a typo; "wailing list" is a perfect description:

My instinct would be to go into the PhD program, but my situation differs from yours. I have much less debt and even some savings, as well as my funding options stated up front. Perhaps most important is that I can't see myself postponing my studies any longer than this year I've taken off, which feeds my drive to get back in. (I've heard that PhD completion rates are about 50%, so having this drive gives me more than average hope, hopefully.) If working for a year or so doesn't sound so bad to you, and if you'd benefit by paying the loans down, then that could be the more profitable route to go in the long run unless you're itching to get started in the program you've been offered. Consider, too, your job prospects after earning your PhD. I understand the academic job market to be in general quite bad (and worsening) for most disciplines, and earning a PhD in no way guarantees a subsequent paying job. (Nonetheless, I'm aiming for an academic career in the humanitites, too; gods help us.) Those loan payments are, however, guaranteed to be there. It doesn't seem to me exactly fair that your school wants you to commit to their program while stating no funding up front. I wonder if there might be better programs for you out there, this season or a later, which would state funding up front, as well as give you the best job prospects possible later on. Hope this advice is worth factoring into the rest. Good luck.

I sent thank-you cards to my recommenders with a terse summary of my best updates. It's something I would appreciate if I were in their position.

That's awesome, thanks!

Your two phil. profs. look like good choices, since you've had academic relationships with them over time and have made good grades with them. I couldn't say more about your choice of your art history prof. without knowing more about your specific interests and whether or not he/she shaped your intellectual developments in any way. I wonder if the shaping/relationship factor would give your third letter more weight than one based solely on a well-known name? That's just a thought. When I chose my recommenders, I considered a few main factors: 1) how well they knew my academic abilities and interests; 2) the weight their letters would carry, which I defined partly as: a) the depth of the academic relationships I had with them, and b ) their experience in assessing students (i.e., how long they had been teaching); 3) how authoritative they were about my work as I presented and projected it in my SOP, which included them being specialists in one or more areas in which I intended grad. study. Generally, throughout the process I felt that substance mattered more than sheen. Though I didn't do this, you might ask 4 or 5 profs. to recommend you, then for each application choose the one you think will best support your interests in that program. Though every school is different, I found Duke's FAQ page for English applicants helpful in the early phases of assembling my app. (I've applied to Comp. Lit. programs): http://english.duke....pplication-faqs #16 covers LoRs. Some of your schools may have similar guidance on their grad. app. pages.

Yes, but I would explain how circumstances have changed and give each recommender a specific new date. You are asking them to change their schedules by 3 weeks, and they may now have to shift around the rest of their work. Surely they understand this kind of thing happens, but they may still appreciate an apologetic explanation. In my experience, some recommenders don't write their letters until close to the deadline, so changing the deadline on them is a bigger shift in their schedules than one might realize. They have plenty of work to do, too. Plus, rushing them could reduce the quality of your recommendation letter, since they now have less time to consider and compose it.

eoyarbidem, What fascinates me with Dante and Milton is that both blend the Greek poetic-prophetic tradition with the Judeo-Christian prophetic tradition in their epics. The epic tradition (with its roots in Homer), combined with the religious themes of these Christian poets (with the Jewish roots of Christianity), arouses nearly endless consideration. I'd be interested to hear your background in Greek philosophy (an area in which I'm quite weak, although strong in religious studies) if we both end up in South Carolina's Comp. Lit. Anyone going to SC's visiting weekend over March 22-24?

The posters above are right about "fit," but a list that gives more detailed info. than US News gives is Phds.org. See the following link for English programs, and explore more detailed settings than the general ones I set: http://graduate-school.phds.org/rankings/english/rank/__MM_____M________M_____________________M_______________________U Keep in mind that the "top ten" programs are also the hardest to get into, because everyone wants to go there. The adcoms will consider your fit into their programs more than your gpa & gre (though I think those numbers can strengthen or weaken your app.). There are many routes to and reasons for choosing your best grad school, and rankings might me a factor you consider last (i.e., once you've applied and have some offers to decide between). Deciding on your (specific) interests, then finding scholars who work in those areas, then applying to the schools where those scholars work, might be a good route to go. If you can't get that specific yet, then you might look for schools that have a wide variety of departments or committees, offer various languages, host conferences, whose grad students are actively publishing/presenting, etc. . . . Everyone wants something different out of grad school, but the possibility of developing one's interests is probably a common denominator, as well as having the chance to apply one's talents after earning the degree (i.e., getting a job). Rankings may be a factor in job prospects, but you will get a better idea of this from the schools' placement stats once you choose some and ask them for those numbers.

If I had put on my application, CV, and mentioned in interviews that I was completing a thesis on such-and-such a topic, I would feel morally obligated to complete the thesis in question by the deadline. It's basically a lie otherwise, and I would expect the school to expel me when they found out. If I found myself unable to complete the thesis, I would seriously question my ability to do anything in grad school.

I may be moving to Columbia too this fall. I've lived in central Texas all my life except for 2 years in central Florida, and the heat isn't terrible if you stay inside with the A/C on and the fans on high. Just watch your power bill; you can stay comfortable with the A/C at a moderate temp. and a couple of fans going. Study in air-conditioned campus buildings all day, then sleep with fans aimed at your bed at night. Avoid living around lots of heat-emanating concrete and asphalt, and try to live in shady residential areas (shady as in "tree-shaded" ) or on the lower floors of apartment or dorms (the top floors can be like ovens). I don't know about SC, but in Texas it can stay 80-90 degrees until late October. Springs are early and really nice here.

Right, and also stymie learning by perpetuating unconscious patterns: social, behavioral, etc. Interestingly (for my line of work, at least), the Greeks also give us the two most important cultural and literary traditions we possess: (1) the Christian New Testament--the earliest Christian writings come from Greek churches decades and centuries after Jesus lived; google a few Bart Ehrman lectures or read Forged--and (2) the polytheistic "pagan" religion that so enriched classical literature. Plato doesn't think too highly of poets to say the least, in the Ion or elsewhere. Ironically, the Greek tradition from Homer places literary poets as high as prophets: in invoking the Muses, the poet or "singer" speaks with divine authority on his subject. Their conception of divine means more "superpowerful" or "superhuman" than it means "holy"--an important distinction to make when studying literary composition. The "holy" prophet in the Western tradition comes first from Jewish religious literature (primarily the Old Testament), then from Christian religious lit (the NT).