Ategenos

Thanks, Josh. I was emailed... looks like, from Proflorax's forum post, about the same time as her. I'm probably going to accept... for one thing, my fiancee already goes to UMass... added to that it's great for American Lit and Cultural Studies (which, albeit with a little more analytic as opposed to continental philosophy, and modern science as opposed to antiquated pseudoscience like Freud, is what I want to do). My other top choices... UConn... I really like the person who would be my supervisor there, and the money is a little better, but overall (and even the potential supervisor thinks so) UMass would be better for what I want to do. Boston would be awesome (the stipend is ridiculous, the additional funding for conferences and stuff is also just wow, and the Boston Area Consortium gives you resources and course options that the Gods themselves would envy, and the department has some killer faculty that I'd love to work with), but I am just wait-listed there, it would be one hell of a commute, and I still think UMass would be a slightly better fit... ... so all in all, I am thinking UMass, but still haven't made my final decision.

Same here. High five, Proflorax!

I got my acceptance to the PhD program and info regarding my TAship last week... but am attending elsewhere (so let them know on Monday). Were you just for the MA?

None of mine are even close to being that high, unless you count the S-ratings from the NRC (in which case UConn is in the top 20 ;P).

UCL. London is more expensive than Edinburgh, but not as much as one might think - especially if you look for shared accommodation in the suburbs (and commute in), or get university accommodation... they're both capital cities, after all. Of course, the more important thing is which one will prepare you better for your PhD applications. They are both very well respected universities (although UCL does have the edge in that regard), but it depends what direction you're wanting to take your studies in. Take a look at the professors at each, and the courses you'll be doing, and make your decision based on that.

Some people are just arseholes. Unfortunately, I don't think this had anything to do with his acceptances/rejections. Such arseholes will be getting into programs ranked both highly and lowly... this one just happened to be rejected. For instance, I was told about someone else who accepted an offer at a top 40 program, because that's the best one they got into... but they were obviously just doing it to pass time until the next application season, because they are dropping out of their current program to go to Berkeley now.

When I was interviewed, I was told that they wouldn't start notifying until the middle of March (and that it might take until April). I still think this is a bit weird, considering the fact that the interviews took place over that one week... but I'd imagine they are also making decisions about the other teaching staff, and they probably just do it all in one go. Admittedly, it would be nice to know sooner rather than later!

I know how this is. I also have the problem that different ranking systems rank my schools at different levels... and one of the wait-lists is really great, but I'd have a two hour commute to that uni each day I had classes, and wouldn't be able to take advantage of living in a very cool city (both academically and socially) as I'd always be having to head back.

Far as I know, Boston has sent out all of its acceptances and wait-lists... I spoke to the graduate director after being wait-listed. Their wait-list isn't ranked, but instead is done via area of interest... so I guess there's a small chance that they have some people on a secondary wait-list, in case the acceptees and wait-listees in that area all turn them down...

My fiancee was scared of flying. Those programmes actually did the opposite for her, because they highlighted just how rare these disasters were, that and years of other people reminding her that you're more likely to die driving in a car than you are flying in a plane.

Don't I know that sting. I tried last year, and still went for one tiptop program this year, but... eh... as long as you go somewhere with a good fit, a supervisor who pushes you, and a reasonable reputation, it'll all be good.

I see a troll Who's out to lol Just leave it be And you'll soon see He'll go elsewhere Out of our hair

African American Studies and DH aren't exactly that uncommon... admittedly, I don't know so much about Print Culture. There's a bunch of other schools you could be applying for, either for a PhD in the English, American Studies or, in some cases, African American Studies departments. As for specific unis you chose: NYU, Yale, Rutgers: so competitive that it is sometimes easier just not to apply to them (my supervisor at my current university, for example, said that my work might be good enough, but my record would exclude me). BU, meanwhile, lets in very small cohorts (5 this year!) in order to give them a ridiculously good package (3 years no-duty fellowship and then a light teaching load, 24000 dollars a year, yes please!). Toronto, like most Canadian universities, apparently has a preference towards Canadians. In other words, 5/10 of your choices were already tough nuts to crack (and I can't talk for the others, as I don't know too much about them) in a process that is difficult enough already. If you apply again, maybe try including more mid-high and mid-range schools. Then unfortunately there's just all the hackneyed old suggestions: make contact with POIs, try and visit departments, and try and target your SoP to really show an understanding and appreciation of each individual department - to this end, I always thought it looked good to find something a bit more obscure about the department to show that you have really researched them. Of course, also show an understanding of your POI's research (and make sure that they are active in the department when it comes to supervision, publication, etc). Obviously get as many people as possible to read the SoP and Writing Sample, especially if you can find a couple of faculty members who are willing to tear it to pieces and tell you how to put it back together. I can't really talk about it in detail without seeing your SoP, but also try not to be -too- specific in what you want to do. Remember that the majority of these places want to mould you, and you have more coursework to do. You want to have a solid direction, but you don't want to imply that you already have a thesis in mind... although I'm sure others might disagree with me here. If you've already done all of this, then I have less to offer... one other thing, though... it can also be useful to email graduate directors once you've got your first list of potential programs (before you begin cutting it down to your final choice) and ask them whether the department is actually looking for students in certain fields. Very often they're looking to fit particular holes in the department, after all... for example, one of my universities (I was told by the assistant graduate director) was not looking for ANY budding Victorianists this year, so anyone who applied to them with this in mind was shit out of luck. I got absolutely nowhere last year, but made sure to do all the above - and this year, despite being confined geographically by the location of my fiancee, things have gone much better.

1) As far as I've been told, it depends on your focus... although obviously, more languages will never hurt you when applying for a comp lit program... although personally I'd go for Hindi or Mandarin (though it really depends on what sort of work you are wanting to do again). 2) Attend conferences, email POIs and graduate directors, see if it's possible to go and visit the department. In terms of POIs, the best thing I found was just showing that you know about their work, the field they're working in, and in general can somewhat engage them. On the other hand, I got wait-listed at a department I never even went to or had any contact with (then again... I bet you that if I had managed to visit and made good contact with people, it would have been more likely to be an acceptance). 3) Don't base the schools you choose on whether or not they require the subject test. If the school fits you, and they require the subject test, then you should be taking it. Just prepare as much as possible (read the Norton Anthology of British Literature, the Norton Anthology of American Literature, and the preparation books for the test, and you'll be fine - luckily, you have plenty of time to prepare!) 4) You should work to death on your writing sample. Remember, alongside your SoP, this is pretty much the main thing you are going to be judged on. It has to be excellent and, in my opinion, it should also tie into the work that you want to do - it doesn't have to represent it exactly, but they should be able to see the connection. 5) Eh... it can't hurt, but it means nothing. Apparently undergraduate and postgraduate conferences are sort of 'eh' to admission committees, and so is mere attendance at conferences. If you've attended and presented at a professional conference or two, however, THAT can look good.

Oh, that's simple. Once you get to a high enough position in academia, you turn into a vampire. You drink blood to survive, of course, but to walk in the day you need to drink in people's despair. Most of the year, the stress of one's own students is enough to get them through the day... but once a year, as winter turns into spring, as the days grow longer and life once again blooms, an extra infusion is required! Cunning and intelligent as academics tend to be, they soon came up with the graduate application process. Think about it: doesn't that explain it a lot better than any so-called rational explanation? ;P