muffinlit

Last year, I wrote a thank you card and gave them a little magnetic puppet online from the unemployed philosophers guild-- they have a ton of cute theorists and literary figures. They are $5 each, but it's a nice thoughtful gesture. Plus they get really excited about them and proudly display them somewhere in their office.

No news from Georgia State-- anyone in the same boat. I emailed a week ago. No answer. I keep checking the website. No change.

I was in the same boat, and sent an email on Friday. The DGS said that letters went out three weeks ago... and that although I made it to the final cut, I wasn't chosen. It was a really nice email though-- one of the better ones I've gotten from department's.

I emailed last Friday-- still no response. I keep checking the website-- no change.

Just want to add this little gem to the mix... I emailed asking about my status and this was the response: Good Day Danielle, Your application has completed the review process. You should be receiving your letter shortly. Thank You Wow. At least I got a good day? I guess they value brevity and tight writing at Temple.

I was accepted to Kent's phd program without funding. I talked to the chair, and he told me that my chances of getting an assistantship were not that great (not sure if MAs compete for the same ones). I have teaching experience and he said that if I do choose to accept, then I might be able to pick up a few classes and then apply for one next year. Not sure yet what I'm going to do, since I'm still waiting to hear from 4 schools.

Congrats! Must feel good to be done.

Where did you decide to go HopefulJ?

Haven't heard from them either. I finally emailed them two days ago, but from the sounds of it I shouldn't hold my breath. BUT know you aren't alone.. I actually haven't heard a peep from a handful of schools, and I finally emailed them all out of sheer aggravation.

Yeah. I need to do that. You're right. I just need to also muster up the courage to. There is something about emailing people and getting rejected that hurts even worse. It's like I'm curious whoo-hoo. And I furiously check my email for the response. And then it's like boo. Maybe Monday I will. I mean tomorrow's Friday, no point in getting bad news on a Friday right?

Ugh-- that probably means I'm rejected, since I'm already blessed with an MA and did not get the waitlist email. Well, c'est la vie. And what does that even mean-- please apply for the MA, does that mean you're a shoe-in? These people are so frustrating! And I still haven't heard from Temple yet, which is absolutely annoying-- did they give you any info. in their acceptance letter?

Anyone NOT get the waitlist email that is still waiting to hear from northeaster? or perhaps may have heard? I keep checking the website but nothing.

Ok first-- is he funded? Because that would really piss me off. Second... can I audit is first year comp class? That would be interesting...

Check and see when they're on spring break-- not that that excuses leaving people on pins and needles. They like you a lot obviously, they don't want to piss you off. You never want to piss off your backup plan.

Perhaps that means if we didn't get that email then we're rejected? I'm on the verge of sending an email... oh but I don't want to... maybe tomorrow.

Hopeful J did you get an email about being waitlisted? Arg. I didn't and now I'm sort of nervous.

You will love Latin-- just don't get discouraged if the 18 year olds are better than you while they smell like a bar and look like they haven't changed their clothes in a day... perhaps I'm projecting.

This makes me want to cry... as someone who wouldn't even imagine wasting my money on a top 20 school. You must educate her for fear she makes a fool of herself in the fall.

This is quite weird because I too was in this situation 4 years ago. (oh goodness it has been that long!) I loved being an English major and really wanted to take the next step in analyzing and interpreting literature, and I thought well, a Masters would give me some more time to really just FOCUS on my passion. I also worked at the library on campus in the archiving and manuscripts department, and loved every minute of it-- UNC has the biggest collection of southern authors and it was an amazing experience. I was encouraged by my boss to stay and get my MA in Library Science. In addition, I had a crazy last two years of undergraduate, I interned at UNC Press, and learned that academic publishing is pretty awesome and was enthralled by the entire process. I had these three things going through my mind and everyone was sort of telling me different things. Bottom line. I went and got my Masters with an open mind. My boss at UNC Press had a masters in English... the head of the manuscripts department had a masters in English, and everyone said it couldn't hurt only help. I too had no interest in teaching--- NONE. I got a graduate assistantship, which consisted of 2 semesters of tutoring and 2 semesters of teaching those "soul sucking" comp classes. Needless to say I fell in love with teaching on the college level. Somewhere in the last half of my first semester working on a seminar paper, I fell in love with researching and putting complete focus on my own interests, and trying to make sense of my ideas on paper. And here I am in my second round of applications, hoping for some sort of good news, and already contemplating round three. So, moral of the story is you never know where your experiences will take you, but all your interests would only benefit from a MA, if that's what you want to do. I wasn't a super competitive candidate either, I want to make friends, not fear people. And that's all in program choice-- if you are applying to super crazy cut-throat programs-- you might run into that. I went to a small terminal program and made some really good friends, who were all very supportive. Hope this helps!

Ok, so as I begin to think what could possibly be my problem, besides the obvious that perhaps I'm not awesome, and the writing sample is such a major part, that I'm second guessing my choice in sample. The past two rounds I've used a chapter from my thesis, which obviously is my best piece of writing, but I'm thinking that maybe it's disjointed or random (I'm not using the introduction, which lays out the theory, I'm just doing a lot of textual analysis). Is just a straight up 20 page paper that has an obvious beginning, middle, and end better? I'm curious what other people have chosen for writing samples and what they might think of thesis excerpts.

I'm wondering how exactly you got *better* letters? I've been thinking that maybe changing it up a bit would be a good idea, but I already have my masters, I'm not taking any classes... what could possibly change?

I'm wondering too if more schools this year are accepting students without being able to fund them. Just from reading around on this website it seems like an awfully lot more people are accepted without funding than last year. I also wonder if your chances are good to get funding for the second year of the program, if you decide to go. I mean, I'm curious what do people do if they don't get an assistantship? I mean can you still adjunct in the English department? What are other options (or are there none)?

Another thing that helped me out, sort of, because I mean where am I really at now, is to ask schools that rejected you what you could strengthen. I know I did that and got some good feedback as to what I need to work on. Granted, some schools have a don't bother asking, but if in the letter it says feel free to contact us with questions, by all means do it.

I didn't mean anything by my comment, I just was thinking of something really specialized and not so popular. I'm overly sensitive these days and I don't want to offend anyone.