ProfLorax

When I was applying, I looked for a few things to signify fit: faculty I'd like to work with, guaranteed funding, and good job placement. That was pretty much it. However, fit was much more on my radar after I had been accepted. During visits, I became much more interested in the culture of the department: was it stuffy? casual? too casual? How did the students interact with the professors? How did the students interact with each other? What kinds of events did the department hold? What opportunities for professionalization did the department offer? Could I see myself hanging out with these students and professors on a weekly basis? Was the funding offer enough for me to survive? Were good benefits (health insurance, parental leave, etc) offered? What graduate classes were offered over the next few semesters? Could I easily take classes outside of the department? Does the department offer travel funding? Is it difficult or easy for sixth years to receive funding? Were the teaching loads too heavy or too light? Did the department offer various teaching and administrative opportunities for the students? What research resources were available to me off campus, in the community? Could I see myself (and my partner) living in whatever city for five (or more) years? Was there good food? A Trader Joe's nearby? After I was accepted, the programs readily offered answers to these questions. It was only then that I realized what had been my former top choice was no longer, and I ended up accepting an offer from a different program because it really was a better fit. But I couldn't have known that beforehand! So I agree; when you are in the phase of choosing schools to apply to, fit is elusive. For me, it only really became clear when I was visiting and chatting with the programs after I had been accepted.

I received a phone call and an email before a letter in the mail. But we have a new DGS this year, so the protocol could be totally different! ETA: I think the note about only communicating decisions via mail is to dissuade folks from emailing or calling the department to request their admission status.

YAY YA! I'll have to get my hands on Eleanor and Park. Is Code Name Verity considered new? I read that last year and thoroughly enjoyed it. Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler isn't exactly YA or new, but it's amazing. Last year, someone recommended it to me as a good book to assign to my basic reading class. I read it over last Winter break, fell in love with it, and promptly assigned it to my students that semester, who also loved it. Best teen dystopian novel I've read.

I popped into the DGS's office today, and it looks like some offers have been made. He said some-- not all-- so I'm keeping my fingers crossed for y'all!

I didn't love Divergent, though I thought I would. I just couldn't buy into the world enough, though I liked the protagonist. FIOS I liked infinitely more. Have you seen the trailer for the film adaptation yet? I finally got to Will Grayson, Will Grayson, which I read within a day and haven't been able to pick up a (recreational) book since. Honestly, it was one of the best books I've ever read.

Crossing my fingers for y'all! I'm at UMD-CP right now, and I love it here. Last year, responses came about mid-February. The current grad students don't really know what happens with admissions, so I have no insider information. Just wanted to say, I hope to get to meet some of you!

Like NowMore Serious, I was pretty upfront when I was accepted. I had been accepted to five programs, and the decision was hard. I needed all the info I could get before making a decision. I asked POI's about the future graduate class offerings in my field, which professors would be on sabbatical/leave coming up, and what resources they offer for professionalization. I always asked for placement records, as well. I asked what they saw as the strengths and areas in need of improvement of their program. Also, as I am planning to have children in the near future, I asked about the parental leave policy for each program. I was super stressed the first time I asked this question, but afterward, many other accepted students approached me and thanked me for asking; they were curious as well! The most important thing to remember, once you are accepted, the programs want you! If you have a question about the program, ask. This isn't the time to hold back. Self-advocacy is one of the most important skills for graduate school survival, and this is a good time to start practicing!

Not a stupid question! Kamisha gave you an awesome resource, the UPenn list. However, as you will soon see, the list is a bit intimidating, with so many conferences and publication opportunities to swim through. I suggest also talking to your advisors. Depending on your interest, certain conferences will be a better fit for you. For my interests, the big four are CCCC, RSA, Feminism and Rhetoric, and Computers and Writing, but those may not be yours. Also, since you are an undergrad, I'd keep my eye out for student conferences, which provide a comfortable setting for students to practice presenting research. To answer your second question, I didn't start applying to conferences until my first year of my MA program. If you want the experience, go right ahead! But as an applicant with a BA, no one will expect you to have presented at conferences. During my undergrad, I focused on producing good work, making connections with faculty, activisting in the community, working a million jobs, and having a blast with my friends. I wouldn't change anything in that recipe, but I am also not you! Talk to your professors to see if they think conferences should be on your radar and if/how they can support you presenting at them.

I had the same concerns about the Macbook Air, but I've had mine for almost four years now, and it's the furthest from flimsy. I've dropped it (on carpet, mind you) a few times, it comes with me everywhere, and it never really freezes or slows down. I can't imagine ever going back to a normal sized laptop again!

That is brilliant, and a very helpful tip! Thank you. This past semester, my schedule looked something like: "Reading for Class A on Monday, Reading for Class B on Tuesday, etc," which meant that if I completed the reading by midnight, I considered myself successful. I like the idea of allotting specific times for specific tasks. Wow. Finishing in four years? That's impressive! You have a mighty heavy load, but it sounds like you have a specific and realistic plan to carry you through. Good luck, and keep us updated on your progress! Since I posted, I came up with two tricks to help myself keep to a schedule this upcoming semester. (1) Get out of bed when I wake up. Right now, I tend to pull up my laptop and veg for an hour or so before getting up to walk the dog. But no more! I am given myself ten minutes from the time I open my eyes to get out of bed and start the day. (2) Get out of the house. I think studying outside of the home will help me feel like my school work is a 9-5 job. I found a lovely cafe nearby with free wifi, so that should help. Still, it's hard given how cold it's been-- I really just want to stay under my piles of blankets with my pup snuggled up beside me. But I will be strong!

I agree with all that has been said. My only addition, which I suggest to all undergrads, is to make strong connections with your professors. Go to office hours, department events, etc. Your current professors can be tremendous advocates for your future, writing letters of rec for grad school or serving as references for job applications.

Hey hey hey current grad students! I love our field's flexible schedule, which is dictated by deadlines not hourly schedules. But, because of this flexibility, I find myself distracted during the day, and doing most of my work at nights or on weekends-- in other words, when my partner is home from work, when awesome events I want to go to occur, and when friends and family visit. My schedule last semester was more anti-social than I'd like, so I'm trying to commit to a Mon-Fri 9AM-5PM schedule next semester. Given my goal, I'm curious how other grad students operate. What's your work schedule like? Any tips on how to stick to a schedule--any schedule? Also, what resolutions do you have for the next semester?

Good question. Fortunately, like all things application-related, the answer is: it depends. Last year, I was accepted into five programs. Two of them offered full funding for visits. One couldn't offer funding, but set me up with a grad student for housing. The other two programs simply didn't have the money to fly folks out or even host a specific visit weekend, though they did offer to "wine and dine me" if I came out. And shockingly, those two programs are some of the most well-known, well-regarded programs in my field. I ended up only visiting two schools. I just didn't have the money or time to visit all five, especially because I was flying out of a small airport in California. Fortunately, I knew right away that the first school I visited was the place for me, and I am very happy with the decision I made. Another thing to consider is that most schools fund visits through a reimbursement system, meaning that I still had to purchase the airplane tickets, then wait a few months for a check from the school. So, even if funding is offered, you will still most likely need some cash at hand to make the reservations. Also, two of the schools that did not offer funding did not make that clear initially. I had to ask outright, which kinda sucked. So, if the letter/voicemail/email doesn't clearly state that they are funding your visit, assume that they won't, but still ask.

It is fair to say that! I noticed from the start how warm, supportive, and helpful rhet/comp students and faculty are. We really want to see each other succeed. It's a great field to be a part of!

During the first few weeks of the semester, an alum from my program gave a lecture about how she survived the post-PhD chaos. She spoke of her own hiring and tenure process, as well as her experience serving on hiring committees. She teaches at an R2 state school, one with a BA and MA in English program, with a medium teaching load. She told us the criteria of she uses for hiring, and even though it's pretty obvious, I appreciated that she listed it out in bullet points. For TT jobs, she looked for: one publication in a major journal (as opposed to several publications in smaller, unknown journals) diverse teaching experience (she won't interview someone who had a five year fellowship; she wants someone who has taught multiple classes) an interesting research trajectory (a book is required for tenure, after all, so she wants to see that a book is in the future) commitment to the university and location (if she senses that the applicant is using that position as a stepping stone for a "better" job in the future, she'll pass over the application) consistent presentations at the field's major conferences (to know that applicants are keeping up with their field) And while I agree that prestige matters, she didn't mention it as one of her criteria, perhaps because her institution is a teaching-focused one. As I said, I appreciated her providing a list of what her hiring committee looks for, because I imagine it's pretty similar to other programs. It quickly became my to-do list for these next five years!

There was a thread about this topic last year, and our resident insider Dark Matter shed some light on the reasoning behind the "other programs" section.

A couple of the schools I was accepted to last year invited me to their party at C's. Yes, it's definitely a place to meet and greet some faculty and students from your prospective programs. However, be forewarned that some schools hold their visit weekends during C's; last year, Maryland and Illinois both did so, but I doubt Illinois will do the same this year, given that C's so is close. Also, if you feel like you need a purpose for C's, the Research Forum Network is still looking for discussion leaders: http://researchnetworkforum.org/.

All these tips are really helpful. Thanks, everyone! On a different note, do you wear glasses? I was having a hard time in the beginning of the semester staying focused while reading; I got headaches and was confused and constantly distracted. Turns out, I needed glasses, which I had never needed before. I got a pair of prescription glasses, and my reading is much smoother and faster than before!

To address the original question... I've known lots of instructors who have their students email them their first assignment of the semester to address this. The instructor provides a template, giving students an opportunity to practice email etiquette. Added benefit? You have student emails in your inbox, and creating a class email list is now a breeze.

Have y'all seen this yet? http://lolmythesis.com/ Because it's golden. People sum up their theses in one sentence. Some examples: Fake science sounds an awful lot like real science, except it’s fake. --Archaeology Rats like cocaine. --Psychology Toni Morrison just really kills it. --English

It's not actually an odd use of the word; catwoman's definitions are pretty standard in academia. Pick up any textbook on racism and sexism, and you'll see the definition catwoman is using. Racism=prejudice + power. Sexism=prejudice + power. The distinction serves to keep attention on the larger, systematic oppressions at play, rather interpersonal interactions.

I have used thriftbooks three times. I never ordered books I needed right away, though, and perhaps that's why I never had a problem with TB. Hopefully others can share their experiences with you as well!

I heard about http://www.thriftbooks.com/ here a while ago. Best part? Free shipping in the US!

You have some great books on your list! I love Catcher, Solitude, and Oscar Wao. Yes, TFIOS wrecks you... but it's totally worth it. It's a quick read, too, something you can easily wedge in between some of the books on your list. Related: I've noticed that as I get older, my reading selections get younger. This winter break, a friend and I are re-reading the Harry Potter series together. I haven't done this since the seventh book came out, and I am so ready for some magic in my life. The promise of butterbeer and Hogwarts is the light at the end of the seminar paper tunnel!

Here's how I survived the waiting period last year: 1. Surrounded myself with supportive people who I knew would love me no matter what happened. Also, instructed said friends and family to never tell me that admission was a sure thing. 2. Unsubscribed from all email lists (groupon, moveon, planned parenthood, etc). Seriously. Do that now. That daily groupon email will give you a heart attack every.single.time come late January. 3. Went on a really awesome two week vacation in January (Paris and Rome), so I was distracted and actually didn't want to check my email. Climbing the steps of the Eiffel Tower>Checking Email. However, if you can't swing a trip to Europe next month, even a weekend camping trip would do. 4. Read tons of YA fiction. My crack. Last year, I was all about The Fault in Our Stars, Code Name Verity, and Parable of the Sower. 5. Threw myself into work. Fortunately, I loved my job (teaching at a community college), so it was easy for me to do. 6. Datatape's gifs. 'Nuff said.