JayJay329

How do you guys take notes on an entire book that you need to summarize? People tell me to skim, which I can't bring myself to do. Lately I have been trying to summarize each page in a separate notebook and write down important quotes, but this is so time consuming. I can't being myself to quit w/ the excessive summarizing, but know my reading would go by so much more quickly if I just read the damn book and tried to go find quotes and summarize the main arguments later.

Diddo. I got an email from the person sending waitlist letters that there is no chance of funding, nor are they disclosing what rank the people are on the waitlist. Of course, I have already considered how I will make it work if I do get admitted, e.g. selling one of my kidneys on the black market, investing my measly savings in the stock market, and so on. And now I can feel my sanity slipping. Glad to know I am not the only one (not saying you have had this extreme of a reaction)

And the waitlisters weren't invited Is it sad that I am still ecstatic about my place on the waitlist? lol

I just got waitlisted as well. I am super-psyched, even though it's just a waitlist. I emailed the lady who sent the email to see if there is a possibility waitlisters will get funding. Their website says that some people get tuition wavers/ no assistanship... even if I got that I would accept the offer. Georgetown is my top choice.

Thanks for the perspective. Fortunately I got wait listed for funding yesterday, so am feeling slightly more hopefully. The adjunct statistic is frightening, especially since I make more money than that working part time at the job I have now. But hey, follow your passion right? I am positive I would have a mental break down if faced with the prospect of working a monotonous corporate job for the rest of my life and no longer able to continue my studies. I know reading/ research/ writing is something that can technically be done solo, but doing it in a university seems much more exciting. The school I am considering this for is NC State, so probably the same tuition in-state? Sadly they don't offer partial funding though, and are offering only 6 TA-Ships out of 40 applicants (for lit MAs). I haven't even looked into UNC Charlotte - maybe next go around if that ends up happening

I am so glad that someone else is posting about this topic and actually considering go through with the unfunded MA. I have been obsessively looking at posts about unfunded MAs, as I have one unfunded offer and one offer with pending funding (which is even more upsetting, b/c the DGS emailed me to go apply for a scholarship in case I don't get funding, which I don't qualify for thanks to my crap GPA). So now I am in depressing limbo debating on whether it is worth it to go in between $30,000 - $50,000 in debt for an unfunded MA at a state school ranked somewhere at 100 by the oh so lovely US College News foundation. From everything I have read, most people recommend against it highly; although, I really really just want to go to grad school. I am afraid if I don't go this year I won't have the balls to apply again next year. Yet, I am concerned that if I do attend, I will be looked down upon when it comes time to do PhD apps and have no teaching experience to brag of, not to mention ending up with almost $100K of debt by the time I finish and potentially have no future job prospects - hence being stuck in a nightmare of embarrassingly having failed at this intellectual dream crap. Sorry if this sounds dramatic. So those of you grappling over the same decision, what are your thoughts? Also, any unfunded MA success stories are wonderful [thank you TripWillis]

Here is a new, unrelated question. In pursuit of the stepping stone/ inferior MA degree, I have yet to obtain funding. I have one offer w/o funding, which turns out to be from a school that I would really like to attend. While I am waiting to hear back on my remaining applications, I am wondering if anyone has any advice on soliciting a nonfunded offer for funding. Has anyone ever successfully finagled funding from an institution in the past? If so, how did you do it?

Sorry to pry, but how bad was your undergraduate GPA and your GRE scores? I have a 2.8 GPA (thanks to a rocky freshman and sophomore year), 540 Verbal, 5.5 ANW and wonder if I should just give up on pursuing life as an academic. I got into my super safety school for an MA in English, but doubt I will get in anywhere decent. With the knowledge that getting a job after a PHD requires attending a respectable university, I feel doomed. Did you get into a decent school w/ an awful GPA, or am I screwed?

Kudos for all of you getting paid to read this forum. Ever since I found it this last weekend I haven't been able to tear myself away (hence have not done any school work or work-work). I got into my safety safety school and have yet to hear from any others. Is going to a school for an English M.A. ranked 212 out of desperation a horrible thing to do? It gives me comfort to know I got in somewhere at least...