mcs717

Is it possible to find places near Boston College with an August 1 move in date? It sounds like they are all arranged for May 1 or Sept. 1 move-ins...

Trip, every time I see you post on this thread I get so excited that you've made a final decision (only to learn you indeed haven't)! I don't even know you but your waitlist at Rutgers seems to have me on the edge of my seat just as much as my own waitlists. Here is one more person rooting for you on these boards! And congrats to everyone who has their decision made---very excited for you all!

Cread, I feel for you, this is a really tough spot to be in! As a married person myself with a partner also pursuing the world of academia/medicine, it is so incredibly difficult to navigate your higher degrees together and to align yourselves geographically. Here's one more person hoping the wait-list pulls through for you---but if not, perhaps you two could live together somewhere in the middle and both commute about an hour or so to your programs? I know that doesn't sound like much fun commute-wise, but at least you'll be coming home to one another at the end of the day....

Wreckofthehope: I'd also be interested in some info on Boston College's MA if you're able to offer any. I'm also unfunded and its an option among other MAs that I'm considering. Thanks so much!

Stately Plump and Doctor Cleveland: Thanks so much for your responses regarding Georgetown. I am definitely thrilled to have been accepted for the very reasons you've listed, but its also really nice to get some reaffirmation that its a respected program from you both. I am going to the open house on Friday and hope to be further reaffirmed on how stellar of a program it seems like---but for the time-being, I am currently unfunded which complicates my end decision. Like I stated earlier, I am new to posting on this board but have been lurking for a while now, and I am so appreciative of what an honest and helpful community this is---what a great resource you all are. Thanks for weighing in, I hadn't been able to find too many posts on Georgetown here, so its great to hear your perspectives!

Thanks for your response, Doctor Cleveland. I'm wondering---is Georgetown's program usually considered as one of these "generalist" programs?

Chanel L--no problem, I'm new to posting on these boards too! Answering your question: I believe so---its likely that I would been able to get into their Ph.D. program from the start, but I chose to apply only to their MA as I am hoping to end up somewhere else for my Ph.D. I hope that doesn't sound pretentious as I know getting into any English Ph.D. program is an honor in this highly competitive field---I am just hoping to elevate to a more respected program after my MA, and I'm afraid "going with the funding" in this particular case may limit my options...does anyone have evidence of going to your undergrad department for a higher degree being detrimental, or is that somewhat of a rumor? Further, does it look bad to top-tier Ph.D. programs to go to an unfunded MA? Is that something that could disqualify you? It seems like there is a lot of talk about how these "cash-cows" are looked down upon, but Georgetown (and perhaps Chicago?, to bring it back to Chanel's initial question) seems to really boast a great placement record with their graduates. Does anyone know how their program is regarded among top Ph.D. programs? And if going unfunded is a real "no-no" to admissions committees?

I'm in a similar boat. I was offered funding, but it is from my undergraduate institution (where I also majored in English, so it would be two degrees from the same department). I was also admitted to the state school where I currently live (U of Georgia) but without funding, and then to Georgetown (most likely without funding). "Follow the funding" seems a little tricky for me as it would mean going back to my undergrad which I've heard can be unappealing to doctoral programs. I'm definitely at a loss as to what would be the best for me knowing that I want to go to the best Ph.D. program I can after my MA. Any thoughts?

I'm with you on this. Washington is one of two schools left I'm waiting to hear from that I'd be thrilled to go to. Its frustrating to see them trickle out responses at such a slow rate---especially as we get closer to April. The way they seem to conduct their entire application and admissions process seems inefficient at best, so I'm hoping that isn't a sign of how their department runs in general (as threads from previous years have made their department sound incredibly personable and invested in their students). Maybe I'm just getting crankier with each day that passes, but I'm ready to know what my options are so I can make an informed decision about what my life might look like this fall.

Hugh10--thank you for such a thorough and sincere response, you gave me some much needed perspective tonight and it is great to hear from someone who went the MA path with no regrets. Your points regarding a lack of publications in undergrad and paying attention to cohesion between stand-alone MA programs and PhD programs you are interested in down the road make a lot of sense and are truthfully things that didn't come to my mind. Thanks for taking the time to respond!

I'm terribly sorry if this has already been discussed in another thread, if so, would someone mind pointing me to it? I've had anxiety over whether or not an MA is a smart move only to have my anxiety increase when I saw the many comments about Boston University not looking favorably upon applicants with an MA in hand. This is my first year applying to graduate English programs, and while I applied to a couple PhDs (that are mostly out of reach and whom I haven't heard back from yet), I mainly focused my applications towards a variety of MA programs. My eventual goal is to get a PhD, but the reality that a lot of PhD programs frown upon MAs really makes me question whether it is a good idea to pursue an MA first. I think a lot of you who comment on here have MAs and are applying to (or are now in) PhD programs, and I would love to hear your take on whether you think it helps or hurts you in the PhD admissions process. What made you decide to get an MA? Would you advise others to do the same? Do you feel like it helped or hurt you in the eventual goal of obtaining a competitive PhD? Is it common for PhD programs to look down on external MAs? Internal MAs? Thanks so much for your input/help!