Tweedledumb2

Received an offer from Purdue this morning (ugh). Would have loved to go there, but yesterday I committed to another program that I'm really happy with. Will be declining momentarily.

I agree! And I probably should have been more careful about how I replied. The faculty I've been responding well to aren't people who I want to be buddies with or who I feel are just flattering me--they have clear ideas about where I might take my research from here (as much as it will change over time). I also was given a clear idea of who I might begin working with, whereas in the other program, I got the sense (mostly from the current grad students) that I would constantly be competing for resources and attention. Feeling loved isn't important, but having a certain level of support is. You're right, though. Throughout this process, I've had to keep reminding myself that the way people are presenting themselves now aren't necessarily who they'll be once I join the program. Remembering that is good advice for everyone. My campus visit was eye-opening, and even while meeting faculty as "real, full-fledged human beings," I I had to remember I was still in the recruitment phrase. Probably more revealing than what anyone said to me was watching how the faculty interacted with each other and the current grad students.

That's been a HUGE consideration for me. Really, the deciding factor. To be fair, both of the programs I was seriously considering were equal in most other aspects (reputation, funding, etc.), but one program showed excitement over my research and talked about how they can help me develop it further, while the other program didn't reach out in nearly the same way. I need to know I'll be in a supportive environment.

I'll be there presenting with Tweedledumb.

It's a lie!!! That's not her name!!!

Except it doesn't.

But we'll only be slightly intoxicated during our presentation.

Wine. So much wine.

I was terrified to talk to anyone, but what helped me is the realization that, once you've been accepted, programs enter a kind of "recruitment mode." They're trying to ensure they get their top choices. So, in my limited experience so far, everyone is extremely friendly and understanding. I think they're just as interested in making good first impressions as we are. Just relax (easier said than done, I know) and ask what you're genuinely curious about--not what you think will impress anyone. Read over the department/program websites one more time, and I'm sure you'll come up with something. Also, a good thing to ask is how you should contact them with the follow-up questions you weren't able to think of during the phone call.

That makes sense. Thanks! We don't plan to bring it up to anyone or mention it in any of our application materials. We're much more concerned with getting into good programs. Being together would just be ideal. Fingers crossed.

Thank you!! We'll look into these.

We were making fun of the bro-culture slang--didn't mean anything by it. This is a genuine question. What is the likelihood of two applicants from the same MA program getting into the same doctoral program? Has this worked out for anyone else? We have some similar research interests (we took most of the same courses), but we each have a fundamentally different focus within rhet./comp. Ideally, we could be seen as "fits" within the same program without seeming like carbon copies. Also, what are some decent rhet./comp. programs that are within a reasonable driving distance from each other?

Ditto.