anxious_aspirant

For a particular reason? (i.e. similar to the posted article, or something else?)

This housing search process is turning into, like, the biggest pain in the ass. Not only do I have haul myself over from an hour away to look at places and meet prospective roommates, but I'll end up having to do so several times, it looks like...and I'm REALLY trying to avoid those apartment complexes. They sound pretty hellish. If anyone finds any tricks / good advice / other ways to find housing in Amherst, do share!!

For what it's worth, I did have a professor warn against taking the test over again. On a perhaps brighter / more encouraging note, I certainly left the test center feeling like I'd bombed the Lit GRE, and I ended up in the 89th percentile. Then again - I went 1/5 for PhD acceptances. Take what you will from that!

This is the sentence that gets me, in addition to overall tone (which is totally as marbles describes it): "In this rat race, the ivory tower morphs from a reassuring backup plan into a source of social and existential terror via its mysterious admissions policies." As if a) the "ivory tower" isn't a pejorative term in the first place, dismissing us "scholars" as detached from the real world, and there is any way programs such as ours, accepting 10% of applicants or less, aren't going to be a "rat race." I mean, really. Who spends the time and money to apply to such a program "for fun"? Our author is clearly bitter that her reasons for grad studies don't match up with reality. Also kind of an insult to our intelligence that we don't fully recognize that our speculations stem from anxiety and/or are totally inaccurate. Anyway, every school has its own quirky process. I came to this forum knowing blanket statements about admissions wouldn't be too reliable; but then again, isn't it somewhat nice to lament with people in the same situations? Make some connections before starting in the fall? (Also, we sometimes talk about things other than admissions.) By the way, it's apparently impossible to type a b with a parenthesis after it without ending up with sunglassface there.

I never officially added this here, but I'll me at UMass Amherst! (As proclaimed in a bunch of other threads.) (To whomever kindly added me to the Google doc - thanks!)

I LOVE HER. I wish I lived in New York. I made my (high school) students read excerpts from "Three Women's Texts..." and I almost had a revolt on my hands. (Edited because I apparently can't spell "her." So embarrassing that I have to admit it.)

I agree, Galoup. At least in my experience, prolepsis is more of a sustained, flash-forward scene, not just a passing reference of something that will be explained later. (Best example I can think of is The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie - the flash-forward scenes of Sandy as a nun later in life.) Or I have totally misunderstood this lit term (a distinct possibility).

Anyone else want to go for *ahem* fun? I'd go for the "swag" alone. Sounds like a nerd's dream (Isidore, we should confer as the date gets closer, since we'd be going from the same area.) Anyone else know what kind of perks MLA membership gets us as students? Out of curiosity - I've been out of the English/academia game for a few. (Glad to be back, of course.)

Hey, Isidore - I'll be doing the TA training as well. Noho is a GREAT town, but a bit of a commute (I'll be trying to cut down on driving expenses), and the bus ride between the two towns is even longer...Some of those College Writing classes are at 8am (with an hour commute, eek!). I've been using the umoch site to look around Amherst. I'm terribly directionally challenged and figure that being close by won't be a bad thing, at least for year one. I had some professors and classmates in college who lived in Amherst, and they always had good things to say about being there. Yayy! Our classes might not overlap so much if you're a medievalist, but we'll probably run into each other in Bartlett pretty often.

Is the brief period of "Oh my god, I'm leaving my decently-paying, real-person job to potentially never have another of the sort again" a normal step in this process? (Speaking as one who's only had about 24 hours to process her acceptance, during which I've been ill to boot. Blah!) All of which then fights with, "I WILL follow my dreams [arms outstretched]!" It's also amazing how quickly my every thought went from, "If I only get in, everything will be perfect" to "Ughhh...I have a lot of books and clothes to move..." Conflicts I am willing to have, though

Anyone here definitely attending UMass this fall, and if so, do you want to be my friend? Also wondering what resources people have used with any degree of success to find decent apartments near campus. I previously attended grad school at my underground institution, so I never really had to make the big move. Is the department usually willing to put you in touch with other admitted students who are in the same boat, possible roomies, etc? So glad to return to this thread in better spirits!!

I'm so sorry, Trip! We've all been rooting for you...though CUNY will be awesome, I'm sure!

I'M IN AT UMASS!!!!!!! Meaning I just got a Writing Program offer via e-mail saying that "I should be hearing good news" from the DGS soon. Since it's not direct from Dr. Clingman, I am harboring this horrible fear that it's not true. BUT IT IS. I THINK. This can only be the start of a positive trend for the next 48 hours...I hope! Keep 'em coming, GC!

Living in this thread is simultaneously hope-inspiring and gut-wrenching. Really excited for all of you Thunderpaws, your name fits your noble accomplishments. My phone has yet to ring Knowing UMass had already heard back from most of their acceptees earlier this week makes it a tad unlikely...Does anyone know if it's normal for schools to notify on weekends? At least it's school vacation, so I can drink my sorrows away Monday night without having to wake up for work. I have to be careful, though. Don't want to start too early and then get that call...

OH MY GOD, I left my phone at home today. This is so totally unacceptable. SHAME ON ME. (P.S. I remember actually thinking Stansbury = Stanford when I was a kid.)