ProfLorax

Wow. You're getting in super early! If you skip the campus exploration in favor of a nap, I will totally understand! I'm getting in on Tuesday! My flight arrives around 6:45PM, and then I have to make the trek via metro and taxi to the hotel, so I have no idea when I'll actually get in. If I'm too late (or tired and stinky-- I don't do well with ten hours of travel!), perhaps we could do breakfast the next morning!

Hey everyone! I'm excited to meet you next Wednesday. Who else is staying at the hotel? Also, I'm thinking about getting to campus a little earlier than noon (10am-11am), so I can explore the campus and library before the shenanigans begin. I hope some of you will join me!

I think the problem isn't the tension between optimistic and pessimism in this process; the problem is that people come onto gradcafe in the hopes of discovering some "absolute truth" about the application cycle. The fact is, there are no absolute truths, and that makes applicants uncomfortable. Some of us benefited from connections; some did not. Some applicants loved their unfunded MA experience; others would never even consider attending an unfunded MA program. A handful of us had stellar GRE scores, but many of us had just above average numbers. The awkward, uncomfortable truth is that there are no absolutes in our field, no one factor that will guarantee acceptance into a PhD program. Our experiences are our own truths, and they may not apply to everybody applying to grad school. So, what can one do to improve their chances? Make sure that every aspect of the application is strong. Work consistently with advisors on the statement of purpose and writing sample. Build the CV. Study for the GRE's. Talk to people at conferences. Research the hell out of potential programs. Pour every ounce of energy, focus, and time possible into the application. GradCafe is a great tool to build community, connect with potential colleagues, vent, and celebrate. But it is not the place where anyone will find the secret recipe to getting into grad school-- because no such recipe exists.

I obviously didn't sit in the adcomm meetings, so I'm not 100% sure what helped me get in. However, I will tell you this: each and every professor who has emailed me to congratulate me on my acceptance either mentioned my writing sample or my statement of purpose. "I especially enjoyed reading your writing sample about X, Y, and Z." "I'm excited to see how our interests in X, Y, and Z align!" No one mentioned my GPA, conferences, or GRE scores; even if those did help me in some minor way, they weren't what "got me in." Also, when University of Arizona called, the director said, "during the first round of application screening, we can always tell who will be our top applicants based on how long the letters of rec are." I imagine they also read the letters themselves, but it makes sense that the top applicants would be the type of students professors are really excited to talk about.

I did an unfunded MA as well. At the time, I didn't even know that funded MA's were a thing! I paid in-state tuition at a state school, so that helped keep the costs down. I know the experience I gained from my MA helped to make me successful this application period. Also, I just found out that I made it past the first round for a full-time, tenure-track teaching position at my community college and will soon be invited to interview. I decline the invite, but this has shown me that even if I didn't apply to PhD programs, I would have still had career options directly related to my MA degree. However, I have some caveats. Like others have said, the worth of an MA degree is entirely based on how much effort a student puts into coursework, networking, and extracurriculars. I worked my ass off as an MA student, and then I worked my ass off as an adjunct instructor. I was always on a look out for ways to make myself stand out. If you do choose to pursue an unfunded MA, keep an eye out for other forms of funding. My university had a graduate equity fellowship that I didn't notice until the end of my first year; I applied and got it, which covered my tuition and fees for my second year. I heard later on that pretty much no one applies for that fellowship, so it was pretty much free money, just waiting for applicants! So, keep your eye out for random grants and fellowships that may be under the radar. ETA: I guess this post is more of a general response to the question of unfunded MA's and not so relevant to the OP. This is what happens when I don't refresh a page for hours before posting!

Ha! Glad to know I'm not alone! And I didn't even include Saturday, in which I agonize about Ohio State...

Monday: "Hey babe! I just talked to a student at UMass; she loves the program and the area! I really think we're moving to Amherst!" Tuesday: "Hey babe! My friend at Arizona really loves his experience there, so get ready to Tucson!" Wednesday: "Hey babe! I just found out that Maryland is hosting a Queer Disability Studies Symposium. DC, here we come!" Thursday: "Hey babe! Illinois has a 100% job placement rate, and this professor is super nice... How do you feel about Urbana/Champaign?" Friday: "Hey babe! My friend is finishing up coursework at Miami in rhet/comp, and she says the professors are all bad ass and super supportive, What's the tech job market like in Oxford?"

That is brilliant! Thanks for the great suggestions. Thanks for sharing. This blog addressed lots of my concerns. I'm sad to see they are still concerns, but glad to see people are at least talking about the issue.

Random notes: Re: MA Transfer. I think it's perfectly fair to ask about transferring in units. Actually, it's one of my points of comparison! I really do want to finish in five years, and the programs that allow me to transfer in more units present an advantage. Most of my programs made it clear online how much coursework I would have to complete coming in with an MA, but the one that did not, I asked. The norm seems to be three classes. Re: Flattery. I found that it's important to understand why one program is more assertively welcoming than the others. University X has been extremely welcoming; almost all of the professors have emailed me, offering to answer questions; then, several PhD students emailed me to welcome me. I found out later that this program only admits 1-2 rhet/comp students a year, so it's not that the other programs don't love me. It's just that I may very well be the only student rhet/comp admitted this year at University X, so they can spend the time and effort to pour on individual attention. The small size of the cohort has advantages and disadvantages that I am now considering. Now for my own question: I would like to ask programs about their parental leave policy for graduate assistants, but I feel uncomfortable announcing my reproductive plans to my future employers. I've been able to find out some info online, but other universities don't seem to have that information readily available. Do I just bite the bullet and directly ask? This is one question that I feel is incredibly important, but I also don't feel like explaining my reasoning behind asking it (even if it's incredibly obvious).

I just got back from the gym for the first time in weeks. I always forget how much exercise helps to clear my mind. Today, all of the stress of the application cycle-- of waiting to hear back, figuring out how to reply to professors, making travel plans, weighing my options-- disappeared, just for a minute or so. And during that moment, a blissful, ecstatic thought entered my mind: Holy fuck. This fall, I will be a PhD student. I have been so wrapped up in the immediate stressors and reactions that I had forgotten the bigger picture. I started to really boogie down on the treadmill, running, sweating, and dancing with pure joy and excitement. It's finally happening, and in just five or six months, I will be starting the next great adventure in my life, knee deep in books, teaching, and writing. Oh yeah, and I'll be getting paid for it all. I feel so much more at peace. And who knows? Maybe I'll actually start going to the gym more often. (Probably not. )

Thanks! They have some other great faculty in the rhet/comp program, but so do the other schools to which I've been accepted. It was time for me to start narrowing down my list, so I think OSU will be the first to go. Sigh! Hey! No need to be sorry; if anything, I am happy Dr. Garcha was so upfront about Dr. Brueggemann leaving! That helps me make my decision. I emailed Dr. Garcha a quick note asking about my status on the wait list, and he replied quite quickly and kindly with a load of information. If his email demeanor is a sign of how he interacts with grad students, ya'll will be in good hands!

I got more info about my placement on the Ohio State wait list. They are only able to admit one student in the area of disability studies, and I am #2 on that list. So if the #1 applicant declines, I'm in! However, I was also notified that Professor Brenda Brueggemann, THE disability studies scholar in rhet/comp, will be leaving Ohio for the University of Louisville. Interesting... I guess this means I will be taking my name off the wait list. Or not? I dunno.

So happy to hear this! Thanks! I'd be moving to the middle of the country from California-- specifically, where I live right now is lovingly called "the salad bowl of the world"-- so I am stoked to hear I wouldn't have to sacrifice fresh veggies for my PhD!

I totally understand! I wanted my partner to come to each school with me, but he is unable to take off much time from work; fortunately, he should be able to come to Arizona and Amherst with me. I am crossing my fingers for one of those fellowships at Arizona! I am pretty sure I won't be eligible for any of the need-based grants, given that both my husband and I have been working full-time for a while now. I'm excited about the Miami event! A friend from undergrad is currently a student at Miami; she raved about the program and the faculty (less so about Oxford itself).

Thank you for validating my first reaction! Upon further research, Urbana/Champaign has a co-op and a natural food store... So there are options. Oh, first world problems.

Holy crap. I just found out that there is no Trader Joe's near Urbana/Champaign... I'm ashamed how much this fact may influence my decision-making process.

Hey there! Congrats! I am going to visit Arizona April 4-5. When do you think you'll visit? I am really drawn to the program, especially its emphasis on praxis. My friend is a current RCTE student, and he just raves about the classes, faculty, students, and sense of community. I was a bit heartbroken when I heard about the stipend and teaching load, which I believe is the same amongst the entire cohort. The three course load reductions seem to lessen the impact of the 2/2 load, so that's good? Will you be attending the Miami event on March 21-22? Their load isn't much better that Arizona, but the stipend is much larger. Plus, it's the only program that I have been accepted to that also offers summer funding, which is nice!

I'm in a similar predicament. The school with the best fit and resources for my research is severely impacted by the state's budget issues. This school made it clear that I am their top applicant, but their hands are tied. Not only is it the smallest stipend, but it also has the highest teaching load (2/2). They are nominating me for a university-wide fellowship, but it's incredibly competitive, and I am really not sure if I qualify. Sigh. I don't want money to be a factor, but it's hard not to consider it when I am in love with all the schools.

My March and April are totally insane. In two weeks, I am flying from California to Baltimore, then from Baltimore to Champaign, and then from Champaign to California... all within five days. The next week, I'm flying to Cincinnati for Miami's open house. During the first week of April, I'm flying to Boston (Amherst) then directly to Tucson. So, yeah. Crazy! I only applied to schools where I could absolutely see myself, so I am equally torn among all of them. Visiting is hugely important; since placement, faculty, and fit are all awesome, atmosphere and my gut reaction are probably going to be the deciding factors. Two schools are funding the visits, one is hooking me up with a couch to crash on, and the other two I am completely on my own for. Fortunately, my partner and I both work right now, so our dual income plus my frugal trip planning skills are making these trips possible. Congrats! I got married last August, so I can empathize about how much of a time, money, and energy vacuum wedding planning can truly be. That being said, I wouldn't change anything about my wedding or the months leading up to it!

I used to dread flying, but now I just don't like it. Like wreckofthehope, I have a benzo (mine is Xanax) to help cool my nerves, although I find I don't need it as much as I used to on flights. I always try to pack some light and engaging brain entertainment: YA novels, audiobooks (esp. fun, easy ones like Bossypants), and magazines. I can't do any dense reading because as soon as my attention wanes, I remember that I am 30k miles up in the air. Also, I learned that taking off and landing are my least favorite parts, so I will make sure to book flights with as few stops as possible (which is challenging because my closest airport is a tiny regional one that connects with SFO before reaching the final destination). So yes, distractions, anti-anxiety meds, and experience have all helped me learn to cope with flying! Good luck! ETA: Also, whenever you feel nervous because of turbulence, just look at the faces of the flight attendants. As long as they are calm, I stay calm.

Re connections: I made contact with Purdue, Arizona, Ohio State, and UNC Chapel Hill. I still haven't heard back from Purdue; I was accepted to U of Arizona; I was waitlisted at Ohio State; I was rejected from UNC Chapel Hill. I was also accepted at Miami, Maryland, UMass, and Illinois, and I had no prior contact with their professors. This is to illustrate that I don't think making connections with POIs helps in terms of admissions. That being said, all of the professors I talked to gave me tips on what to focus on in my SoP, which I think helped my application as a whole. Re conferences: I would recommend against listing conferences you've just attended on your CV. However, that is not to say that attending a conference is a bad idea. You can introduce yourself to POIs and get ideas for your writing sample. You may also be able to mention attending a conference in your SoP, if you can show how attending the conference helped your ideas evolve: "After attending a panel on X at the annual Y convention, I was inspired to consider the representations of Z in A, which I address in my writing sample."

I have no knowledge about the situation at Michigan State, so here's some general advice: talk to the current grad students. They will often be honest about the strengths and shortcomings of their program. Also, see where the most recent graduates have been placed . If their recent grads are getting good jobs, then perhaps their reputation isn't quite as tarnished as you have heard.

This is pretty much the greatest document I've read about the application cycle. Thanks for sharing! I wish it could be posted right at the top of the Lit forum.

Yes. Just so much yes.