Fiona Thunderpaws

Congrats Transcendental, and welcome to our dubious corner of TGC! I'll be pulling for you now too.

On a totally unrelated note... I bought some nail polish the other day and realized it's called "Exceptionally Gifted." This has to be an omen that my waitlist school feels the same way about me, right? My offer's just a day or two away?

Oh god, I hope our most recent nail polish purchase doesn't reflect how we are perceived. I bought a new bottle last week called "lubu heels" lol. I don't know if that will make a great impression - except for the fact that I am CLASSY!

Can I just say thank you to everyone for your kind and inspiring words? I've been in a bad place all weekend, and reading everyone's responses to the usual 'going to grad school will RUIN YOUR LIFE FOREVER' arguments has helped me feel a little bit better about the whole situation. This semester has been the first on in 17 years where I haven't been in school, and not having my academic support network while trudging through the nightmarish application season is really starting to get to me the closer to we move towards the 15th... But I have all of you lovely strangers here on TGC to keep me sane when I start drifting. So, thanks everyone!

That's amazing news, congratulations! I think if you like UTA more, you might as well bind your time on the waitlist still and see where things go. Unless someone has some sort of exceptional circumstance, I'm sure they except their first round admits to let them know by the 15th, and I imagine April 15th is the deadline at San Antonio as well. Things might be a little crazy and stressful the closer it gets to the 15th, but it sounds like you've got a solid offer even if UTA doesn't work out, so you win either way!

My letter is probably being mailed to my dad's house, so I won't get to see it in person for a bit.

I told him we should frame it.

I think we're all mutant perfectionists here--goes with the territory.

I got waitlisted. Although I know this is not an admission, it is the best news I have had in 2 years!

I just got an email from Banana Republic with "An appointment you won't want to miss" in the subject line. Warning: don't read the subject lines of your emails first. I saw the word "appointment" and almost died on the spot.

I have had many shameful moments of despair, frustration, and failure these pasts few months, but I think I'm mostly in the "resigned boredom/anxiety" stage of waitlisting... I just want to know one way or the other at this point so I can move on.

I want to say something about the "cruelest month," but the last few months have been pretty brutal, so I don't want to tempt fate/overuse Eliot.

MrBrooklyn, I like your style.

As we've learned from another thread, when in doubt, follow the CIBs/CIGs.

Where did you get the subfield ranking from? Is that also USNW? If so, your real question is not "how important is USNW rank?", but actually "What's more important, overall ranking or subfield ranking?"


....not that I have answers to either of those questions......

My instinct would be to go with the school that is stronger in your subfield (especially if the $$ is better) IF you are very, very confident that your subfield won't change (from what I hear, drastic changes in interest/subfield are endemic to most PhD programs). However, if you are open to the possibility that you may at some point over the next few years spontaneously transform from an Early Modernist into a Victorianist (heaven forbid! ), you might want to go with the school that has a better overall ranking/stronger overall faculty.

But, as we have all constantly been told, rankings mean nothing......except for when they mean something.



I've almost given up on trying to be logical about this process. There are simply too many unknowns, and too many factors that won't become clear until well into the program (i.e. how well do you "click" with profs/your cohort, etc? Faculty migration/retirement/etc) that I've given up on making a "smart" decision. Instead, I'm using time-tested randomization strategies (coin-flip, rock/paper/scissors, drawing names from a hat, etc) to develop a sense of what Fate wants me to do.
I am only half joking.



This was not a helpful post.
Sorry.

I am so sorry for derailing it! But wasn't it so much fun?!

That seems too good to be true! Is Austin a real place, or is it some sort of fairyland? I think I'm in love... I have to make another offering to the waitlist Gods later today.

Zinc--you're right, of course. We WERE talking about serious decision criteria... but then the thread was massively derailed.

This thread has turned very encouraging for this cute indie Brooklyn boy.

Or balding.

Julianne-- congrats, that's super exciting! For you and anyone else considering UB, feel free to PM with any questions about the area itself. I've got 22+ years of experience at this point, and I'd be happy to help anyone out!

Is it weird that I want my Harvard rejection just so I can see something with Harvard letterhead that's addressed to me?

Perhaps Courtier? Castiglione gave me the impression they were mostly the same thing. But how would that job add look?

Wanted: Articulate and intelligent persons sought for to fulfill Courtier positions. Duties include engaging otherwise uninterested citizens in lengthy discussions about literature, art, music, and philosophy, while simultaneously spreading seeds of doubt concerning deep seated prejudices. Impressive neck ruffs and many layered petticoats to be provided by employer.

Perhaps Courtier? Castiglione gave me the impression they were mostly the same thing. But how would that job add look?

Wanted: Articulate and intelligent persons sought for to fulfill Courtier positions. Duties include engaging otherwise uninterested citizens in lengthy discussions about literature, art, music, and philosophy, while simultaneously spreading seeds of doubt concerning deep seated prejudices. Impressive neck ruffs and many layered petticoats to be provided by employer.

Well done, Thunderpaws. I'd answer that add in a heartbeat.

Last semester, I tried to get my Brit Lit class (mostly high school seniors) into the idea of having an Orlando party (the last text we read). Said party is one for which each guest chooses a time period / gender, and together, we all portray the multiplicity of Orlandoes, cross-dressing clearly encouraged. I might have nailed the coffin on the idea when I said, "AS LONG AS I GET TO WEAR THE RUFF. I'll make one out of newspaper if I have to!"

Needless to say, there was no Orlando party. I made them tea, though. Rule Britannia!

Just think: if our wait lists work out in our favor, we'll be around others who would be equally excited about elaborate, literature-themed parties for the next 5-7 years. (At least, I would hope.)

Every time this thread is bumped to the top of the list I get really excited cause I think one of you waitlisters gets in. I have my fingers crossed for all of you!

Presidents, really? Too many suits for a "costume" party.

I hereby formally propose that we form an association, provisionally called United Literature-Themed Party Enthusiasts, though that's a cumbersome name.

Back to the wait-list stress conversation, though: I found my second gray hair today. And by gray, I mean white. This is a product of stress and anxiety, right? I'm too young for this!