grifter

Both valid concerns (the undergrad-y vibe and the job market). The fact that you will be attending with a partner will make quite the difference, from my way of thinking. Although my spouse and I are both drawn to the small town experience, it did help to have someone with whom we could always leave town. Having said that, I think Oxford is far better than many people describe it. Sure, it is insular, and the undergrad Greek system looms very large, but there are a decent number of places to eat/drink, plenty of gorgeous parks and wildlife areas, and access to Cincinnati is maybe 30-40 minutes away on average. In fact, many PhD students and Professors live in Gaslight district and make the commute everyday--some even live further away. Although Oxford is small and somewhat limited, this does something for the cohort--people really draw together, throw parties, get involved in each others lives--It presents an opportunity for social intimacy that I haven't experienced at other places. And what to say about the beauty of the area? I mean, campus and its environs (especially Western Campus, to me) are just fantastically gorgeous. The seasons are all distinct. Then again, you are likely aware of this, living just up the road. It certainly isn't Columbus by any stretch of the imagination, but a Columbus or Cincinnati experience is only a short drive away. To put it delicately, the job market in Oxford plain sucks. It is not good, keeping par with Ohio employment trends. My spouse had a job at the University, actually, when the bottom fell out of the economy. As the most recent hire in her area, she was one of the first they let go. She subsequently got a job at a small farmer's market/greenhouse that helped us out and provided some unique experiences--she also found a job babysitting one day a week. Hamilton isn't too far away (10-15 minutes) and there are quite a few more job opportunities there, but they are still coveted. From my understanding, it is still a rough time to secure a good job in Southwest Ohio. I hope this helps. I also want to confirm your good reports about the cohort/faculty at Miami. It is a complete family atmosphere, even if that involves occasional throw-downs. I felt like those people would flop on a live grenade for me, and I felt the same for them. This is part of the reason we're so eager to head back, barring some fantastic offer from say a Stanford or Carnegie Mellon. I'd be happy to answer anything else via PM--apologies to anyone annoyed by my usurping this thread space. Best--

Snappy/Woolfie--I should clarify. I earned my MA at Miami and applied for the PhD program in fall of 2009, was subsequently accepted, and chose to defer enrollment until fall 2011 (in the interim taking a one-year lectureship to help pay off some bills). SO, as it stands, I have an existing offer from Miami that is sort of a holding spot for me while I see what else I can net. This might seem indelicate to some (sort of territorial and 'squatting'), but I spent lots of time talking to the grad chair to make sure this wasn't a serious breach of application etiquette. She reassured me that this happens commonly. On that note, I'd be very happy to answer any questions either of you have about Miami. When I applied there the first time, I had about 7 other funded or partially-funded offers from schools that have far better name recognition than Miami (Carnegie Mellon, UCBoulder, Oregon, Purdue to name a few), but there was this intuitive sense that Miami was right. I don't regret it, at all. It is an outstanding place that truly takes care of and values its students. I wish you both the best of luck in all your applications.

Foremost: best of wishes to everyone. I can empathize with the anxieties, but feel that this round has been alleviated for me by knowing that I have a good "in" at a program I love, in a place I miss...Keep it on the upside. Things will work out for each of us, despite what the figures might say or NCTE would have us believe. my stats~ Berkeley Rhetoric Stanford MTL U Wisconsin-Madison (Comp/Rhet) U Mass-Amherst (Comp/Rhet) Miami University (Accepted, defering enrollment to weigh all options) U Arizona (Comp/Rhet) U Washington (Comp/Rhet) U Oregon (Comp/Rhet) Carnegie Mellon (Comp/Rhet) I ride a Honda XL350, and I play a Fender Baritone Jaguar. Much love.

This level of obsession isn't very healthy, but it would be hypocritical for me to seem like I don't share this impulse. I guess if it helps you in the interim to assess your chances, then I have to say that you seem reasonably qualified. However, this is a Berkeley application, and they will have to choose from plenty of applications, all with compelling claims for acceptance. Your extracurricular work seems (from my thinking) to play well for you, and I wish you the best. This is a rough time--hold on, and something good will drop.

i think we should be a little more forgiving of these. it's only a matter of time before you too don the misspelling ass-hat, and potentially to a wide audience. [subtext: i guess i am just publicly hoping that people will be forgiving, because i am a horrid speller]

don't over-think this. they need a little more detailed info from candidates because (for one) Miami doesn't see the GRE as indicative of ability at the graduate level, so they rely more on narrative accounts than quantitative assessments. they are incredibly easy going yet professional folks @MU, and if you get your application onto the second page (single spaced), then you will have given them what they need. i guess the lesson is to have various prototype letters ready that fit the 500, 1000 or 1500 word ceiling.

Off the top of my head--perhaps look more closely at the programs of NC State, Arizona State (who just picked up James Paul Gee), U Wisconsin, Michigan and Michigan State, Carnegie Mellon....WashU? If I find the resolve to post a more fitting and helpful reply, I may jump back in here. Maybe the above will serve as decent leads in the meantime.

The above simply isn't true--at least not all of it. I am working on my MA in Rhet/Comp at MU, and although I have heard of some of the hardships, they haven't indicated anything as grave as what was mentioned. The entering cohort for 2008 was around 25 people, and they will not drop to a mere 2 or 3 total. They are having difficulties, like most schools, but as far as graduate programs within the Miami system are concerned, the English program was recently evaluated as the healthiest grad program in many factors. Having said that, however, each concentration has lost a line or two; for example, Lit PhD can admit one less person, Rhet Comp PhD one less, Rhet Comp MA 2 less [not sure of the exact numbers, but I hear the general idea is sound--a few less lines]. Not only have their admission lines gone down slightly, but overall applications have risen even from last year (which saw a significant jump), and the department is struggling with admitting in-house applicants (who all assume they are shoe-ins). It is slowly coming together. Most PhD candidates I know (who got their MA here) are taking offers elsewhere, freeing up lines and making the decisions easier. Hold on for a few more days, and best of luck!

I just turned down Carnegie Mellon for a lesser program, mainly for monetary reasons (even though CMU was offering a full-tuition remission, but no TAship or stipend). The second I hit "send" I felt like I was making a huge mistake. My sincere condolences to all in the same situation.

99.9% sure I am turning down University of Oregon (MA Lit), Carnegie Mellon (MA Rhetoric), Purdue (MA Comp/Rhet)

Can anyone recommend a good place for graduate student living?

What would you like to know? So much to say...in my opinion, SLC is stellar. I would suggest looking for housing in either the Sugarhouse area or the Aves. Depending on what you want, you will be able to find it these areas. There is a whole range of options to choose from. If you are in to live music, SLC has a very good scene and some great clubs whose names change so frequently that I can't keep up. I highly recommend Kilby Court (basically a garage...but it can be surprising what acts come through), In the Venue (formerly Bricks) and Saltair. There are plenty of good places to eat in the city and near campus...no shortage of that. I guess that SLC's main draw, for me, is that it is a gorgeous place--right on the Wasatch Front. The mountains are right there, and they offer plenty to do by way of outdoor activity. SLC gets all 4 seasons, and they are gorgeous. Autumn on 13th street / campus area is just stunning. The winters are far more tolerable than they are in neighboring Idaho or Wyoming, with the lake serving as a moderator of the extremes...producing really rich, powdery snow that north Utah is famous for. One thing about SLC that some people struggle with is its unique smell. Sometimes you get a strong scent that blows in off the lake that has a sort of alkaline-brine-shrimp tinge...closely oceanic, but a little different. It takes some getting used to, but it becomes pleasant, and I personally find it wonderful...it isn't horrid, just very singular. Utah is a dynamic state altogether, geographically speaking, with vast redrock tracts and geological anomalies to the south to high alpine forests and rugged mountains to the north. And SLC isn't nearly as homogeneous as people make it out to be. It has diversified incredibly within the last decade. A lot of this info is vague. I could respond with more detail to a specified request. Cheers..

This is a very good question...they are a remaining wild card in my choices. Over 2 weeks ago, I got this email, if it is any help: "This is Pat Sullivan, chair of the R/C Admissions. Thomas asked me to answer your query, and I am happy to do so. We do not have aid at this time for you, and so we have not acted on your application. The committee has read and discussed it, and we have put it on a waiting list for aid. But, we do not admit students unless we have aid for them, and so there is no answer at this time. I understand this process is long and frustrating, but we have found that the ultimate class is happiest if everyone has a ta-ship. My best guess about when you will hear is in April before the 15th. Thank you for your patience. Pat Sullivan" Your partner's app might be in the same situation. I might add that I am a Master's applicant in Rhetoric and Composition, for what it's worth.

You're probably right from an admissions standpoint. I do however tell myself (correctly or not) that the practical benefits associated with earning the MA (advanced writing, shedding some of my generalist tendencies) will make me a better applicant. Thanks everyone for your candid advice.

Not entirely related to the original query, but I found this place: http://www.ashr.org/DoctoralPrograms.html to be helpful in researching several comp/rhet programs that I might not have known about otherwise. For what it's worth.

Talk to me. I am curious how you have fared/are faring through this year's application season. I ask because I am opting to pursue the terminal-MA--separate-PhD track and I want to have some skewed stastical basis about acceptance post-MA to calm my nerves.

I thought Robert Bly was already all over that.

I'm comp/rhet too. But I wouldn't say I'm a nerd. I'm actually very, very cool.

I got the MAPH offer two years ago. I went out and bought my first and only Powerball Ticket. I didn't win. I had to tell MAPH sorry. But seriously--if I remember correctly, one of the MAPH directors, Jay (assuming that I am not forgetting his name, and assuming that he is still a director) told me that in 2005, MAPH reviewed about 650 applications, from people who both applied directly to the program and from graduate committees who forward "promising candidates." Again, if I am not contriving the numbers, I believe they make about 100 offers for admission to MAPH, most of which are entirely unfunded, as was mine. So, no, it isn't "insanely" competitive, per se. The issue, at least for most, is what Minnesotan alluded to. I was working as a jackhammer operator at the time of my acceptance, and MAPH carried a price tag that I couldn't justify. I also heard firsthand accounts about how some of the instructors / full-time PhD candidates looked at MAPHers as intellectual pariahs. Whether or not that is true, I am not sure.

They fuck you up, Virginia Profs They may not mean to, but they do.. but seriously...my sympathy, coming from someone with 3 rejections and a hatful of worry.

Don't sweat this... related story, similar to the one above: a friend of mine applied to Law programs last year, and after sending his SOP to Cornell, he read through it, and found that in one portion, he referred to Duke as the school to which he was applying. He was still admitted.

Rising Star, I am the one who is sorry. Not only did I let myself down, but I failed you also. And that stings.

Rejected at Syracuse. Have to work on President's Day. Ready to climb a clock tower, pantyhose over my head, brandishing a long rifle... In reality I am not too bothered and I don't post this to whine, but to inform anyone who might have applied to Syracuse English that it seems as though the decisions are flying.

Russian Roulette would be more fitting today....one empty chamber, please.