toasterazzi

I just read Sanctuary for the first time...

I took a speed reading class in high school, and while I don't remember all the details of the techniques they taught us, the main thing I'd say I still do is skip a lot of the inconsequential words and rely a lot on context clues. Granted, that doesn't always work as well for complex journal articles and theory, but novels usually go by fairly quickly. I've also found that I read faster on my Kindle than I read actual hard copies.

Ya know what they say about great minds...

Oh I guess I should also mention that my main focus is pop culture, especially television studies w/ healthy growing interests in film and social media thrown in for good measure.

My people! Honestly, I can rock with most American except I'm not really into Early American Lit. I do tend to gravitate toward more mid-to-late 20th Century and 21st Century stuff though. I have particular preferences for Ethnic American Lit. and Young Adult Lit. My thesis that will hopefully be done within the next month or so is focused on YA. Honestly, YA is like my lifeforce right now. It's almost all of what I'm reading outside of class these days.

This reminds me that I should start updating my blog again...*sigh*...

The lack of seasoning would make me so unhappy. I mean, I still want to go there one day, but that'd be a sad food experience. I love flavors and seasonings. And not just salt and pepper either. Garlic, onion, chili powder, cumin, allspice, oregano, basil, curry, various peppers, thyme... See now I'm hungry...

This is a really good point. My current program caps our classes at 25, but I know people in other places have to contend which much larger classes.

I've seen a lot of variety in programs, so I'm not sure there's any one standard. I've seen 2-2, 2-1, 1-2, and 1-1. Personally, I currently have two acceptances, but only one has been able to offer me an assistantship at this point, and it's 1-1. Traditionally, my MA program has been 2-2, but they switched for the group that started the year after me so now it's 1-1 BUT they also have to complete tutoring hours every week. I will say that I adjusted to the 2-2 situation fairly easily. I'm a teacher by trade, and I was coming off a year of teaching roughly 75 middle schoolers on a daily basis when I started my MA. Some of the other people in my program who either hadn't ever taught before, or who hadn't ever been solely responsible for classes on their own, had more trouble adjusting.

Yeah I don't have any personal experience with the program, but I did meet some people from it at a conference I attended in November, and they all seemed like really great and knowledgeable people. Also, San Diego is gorgeous, and I LOVED the food there.

I haven't done it myself, but from what others have posted, it seems like most schools don't respond especially negatively. Some don't respond at all, but some others have given people really useful feedback. I think it's the Internet and some people will always take the opportunity to lie and mess with people online. But I feel like the great majority of people on here are probably being truthful.

I teach 2:2 in my MA program. Some people in the program have had a hard time with the load, but it hasn't been especially difficult for me. I think that mostly has to do with the fact that the year before I started the program, I was teach approximately 80 middle schoolers on a daily basis. Comparatively, 50 college freshmen is a cakewalk. I wouldn't mind having less papers to grade though

Just got an acceptance from Bowling Green (American Culture Studies)

*pops in. looks around.* Uh...so...how about that curling?

Yeah. I mean, I only applied to six schools, and I've got one acceptance and one clear rejection. But there's another school that started contacting people last week that I haven't heard anything from yet, so I'm thinking that'll probably be another rejection. I also saw one post up today from one other school that I applied to, but there's only been that one post, so I don't know what's going on there. The last two schools I applied to had later application dates, so I imagine it might still be a while before I hear from them.

Just got my rejection email from Michigan State. Ouch.

I continue to be extremely grateful for the fact that I received an acceptance early on. I haven't heard anything from any of the other schools I've applied to (including Pitt, which probably doesn't bode well for that one) thus far and I think I'd probably be running my head into a wall right now if I didn't already have that one acceptance. Sending good vibes to everybody who's still waiting for any type of response

Actually, I have heard of some profs doing in this here in the US, but I don't think it's the norm. Apparently. One of my letter writers told me early on in the application process to just waive the right if given the opportunity to do so. He didn't go into detail about why, and I didn't ask. He just said it was the better choice to make.

I think some, but not all, probably do. I also have an academia account, and I got a few random pings to my name during this application process. Of course, it could just be one of my students looking me up, but there's always other possibilities.

In general, I usually go with Dr. unless I know they don't have a PhD. I don't think I've ever actually addressed anyone as Professor, and I've never had anyone request to be called Professor.

Yeah I've seen where people applied to like 20 schools, and I've always wondered if they used the same profs for all the recs. Like I felt bad enough for hassling my profs about 6 apps, nevermind three or four times that amount.

Thanks! I did not receive any specific info of that nature. They did say that we had until the standard April 15th deadline to decide if we wish to attend OSU, so I imagine that if people end up on a waitlist, then there's a fair amount of wiggle room for the next couple of months. The letter did mention that they anticipate having an incoming cohort of about 20 students, but I don't know how many they've already extended offers to.

Annnnd I just got the official email from Ohio State. Granted, the DGS called me a week ago and gave me some info, but this is much more detailed (includes some funding info, the schedule for the visit day, etc). Huzzah!

Congrats! UCSD is one that I was really interested in, but I didn't quite think it was the best fit for my interests. I love San Diego though . I didn't hear that specifically, but I heard a lot of mixed messaging regarding whether or not they should be contacted and/or mentioned in the SOP. So I just decided to err on the side of caution and not mention anybody. Though I did talk about work I saw professors doing in the departments in a more abstract sense. I do know there are some schools that require you to mention them though.

Here's some of them: http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-humanities-schools/english-rankings http://graduate-school.phds.org/rankings/english/rank/basic