ProfLorax

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, and those who don't fit in those categories: I AM DONE! I have successfully submitted all of my applications. I hereby vow to not compulsively check my email (not until February at least) and to not reread any of my statements of purpose or writing samples. Whatever will happen, will happen. Here we go!

DISREGARD everything I posted about Miami! I just talked to the administrative assistant, and it seems that since I submitted my application before October, I had a completely different application system. They did transition everything to online after October, which is why we have all heard different instructions. Sigh. I thought getting started early would have been helpful, but that early start actually made this process more confusing!

I spelt Paulo Friere's name as Paolo Friere. I didn't catch it until after I submitted my first few SoP's, and neither did the THREE rhet/comp experts who reviewed my statement. Fortunately, I caught it really early and was able to submit a revision with a correct. Still, I feel quite silly.

Yes and yes! They are good about answering phone calls, but I've sent several emails with no replies. And thanks for the heads up about (of Ohio)! I'm pretty sure I just called it Miami University, but I'll double-check before I sent out the statement of purpose!

Just got a reply! She said the first statement was okay, but if I wanted to, I could email her a revised draft. Hope that helps!

Definitely triple-check. I've called twice (the office didn't reply to my emails). Once you submit your application, this is the email you'll receive: In order to apply to the English Department M.A. or Ph.D. programs, you must submit the following items directly to the Director of Graduate Studies: 1. A two-to-three page personal statement of aims in relation to the degree program you seek to enter, with a cover page revealing the specific concentration area to which you are applying (Ph.D. in Composition & Rhetoric, Ph.D. in Literature, M.A. in Composition & Rhetoric, M.A. in Literature, M.A. in Creative Writing/Fiction, M.A. in Creative Writing/Nonfiction, or M.A. in Creative Writing/Poetry); 2. A writing sample appropriate to the degree concentration to which you are applying: a. for Composition and Rhetoric or Literature, a 15-20 page analytical paper that demonstrates your scholarly abilities and your orientation toward the field. b. for Creative Writing, 20-40 pages of fiction, creative non-fiction, or 10-15 poems, as appropriate to your genre of interest. 3. Three confidential letters of recommendation by former teachers or employers that speak to your aptitude for graduate study, accompanied by completed recommendation forms, available on the department website at http://www.units.muo...c_form_2010.pdf or you may e-mail us to request the forms.) 4. In addition to official transcripts sent to the Graduate School, please send photo copies of your transcript(s) directly to the English Department along with the your other application materials. 5. GRE scores are not required and are not considered as a basis for admission or assistantship awards. GRE scores may be useful for admitted applicants who are nominated by the English department for competitive Graduate School Academic Achievement Awards. Send hard copy of required materials to: Michele Simmons (Mailing Address) ETA: I don't believe there is a place to upload an SoP or writing sample on the online application; it's really just personal info, GPA, transcript uploads, and payment. You only receive the above information AFTER you submit the online app.

I single spaced unless specified as well, except for University of Arizona's RCTE program. The website states that the average SoP is three to six pages long, so I assumed they meant double-spaced!

In the spirit of sharing university-specific application information, I have some clarification for those who are applying to Miami University (of Ohio). The website states that no hard copies should be mailed to the department; however, the email sent after after submitting the application requests that all materials be sent via postal mail to the English Department. I called the office, and the administrative assistant clarified: Miami is currently changing its application system, so they do want all supplemental materials sent via postal mail directly to the office, including letters of recommendation. So, if you are applying to Miami, make sure you get your letter writers the forms and stamped envelopes!

Yeah, I know that. I submitted my first application in September, and I only have one app left; still, I can't believe how many hiccups I've run across these past few weeks. I thought getting started early would ease the insanity of app season, but the early start just elongated the crazy!

I voted this up not because I am happy that any of that happened, but because right now, an up-vote seems like the equivalent of a hug on the internet.

Thanks! I just shot her an email asking if I could submit a revised SoP. Fingers crossed!

Crap on a stick. I went with the instructions on the ASF, so I added one paragraph about how my mom's struggles introduced me to the concepts of feminism. It fits thematically because I talk about feminist theory throughout the SoP, and fortunately, I only added one paragraph; still, I wonder if it's worth me submitting a revised SoP without that paragraph, as I imagine they don't actually want to know about my childhood. Bugger. I should have double-checked with the department website!

This comment made me so happy. I devoted an entire chapter of my thesis to this episode and its censorship from US airwaves!

What a fun class! And kudos to the inclusion of "The Body." Just thinking about that episode makes me choke up a bit (especially Anya's monologue). I did my MA thesis on abortion in literature and television, so I have an oddly extensive knowledge about the cultural history of abortion. If you are interested in discussing that specific medical procedure, some literary texts to look at would be "the mother" by Gwendolyn Brooks, Zami by Audre Lorde, "Brass Furnace Going Out: Song, After an Abortion" by Diane diPrima, and Play It As It Lays by Joan Didion. You can find abortion on television on Maude, Friday Night Lights, Degrassi: The Next Generation, and a 1973 episode of All My Children. (Side note: I wonder how many other PhD in English applicants mentioned abortion several times in their SoP?)

I made a spelling mistake in my SoP for one of my top choices, and I contacted the department as soon as I noticed it. The office was extremely understanding and allowed me to submit a revision. Here is my email: My name is ProfLorax, and I submitted my application to Purdue University's English Department this week. I was just reviewing my statement of purpose for another school, and I realized I have a spelling error; sure enough, the spelling error is in the SoP I just submitted to Purdue. I am so embarrassed that I misspelled the name of an important theorist in my field, and neither my advisors nor I caught it! Is it possible for me to email you a revised draft to replace the statement that was submitted with the electronic application? Thank you, ProfLorax When the administrative assistant replied with a very sweet "yes," I responded with profuse thanks ("you're a life saver!"). Hope that helps! One thing that helped me is reminding myself that the person I emailed would not be on the admissions committee, so I needn't worry about pointing out my own mistakes. Just be polite and gracious, and you'll be fine.

I really just gave listed both GPA's. I figured it was so they could do a quick glance at the GPA's instead of perusing through the transcripts, at least for the first round. Here is how I formatted it: ProfLorax GPA Information Undergraduate GPA: x.x7 Undergraduate GPA in English: x.x1 Graduate GPA in English: x.x0

I can't answer your question about Buffalo specifically, but I had a similar quandary about other schools. My solution was to peruse their website and only use the abbreviations the department themselves used. How does the English Department refer to institution on its website? ETA: I also always used the full name of the institution the first time I used it, no matter what the abbreviation was! Hope that helps.

Here's a second for the Song of Ice and Fire series. I blew through the first three during the busiest period of the year because they were just. so. good. Also, I finished The Night Circus a few nights ago; I recommend it for folks who like fantasy-lite novels with a bit of whimsy and romance.

I don't know if the title ("Panic Attacks") was hyperbolic or not, but if you are truly having panic attacks, get thee to a doctor. I experienced similar bouts of anxiety (coupled with irrational crying, shortness of breath, and difficulty sleeping) this summer before my wedding, and I went to a therapist and a doctor. They both gave me some coping strategies which I used successfully before the wedding. Now, I feel like I am better at self-soothing; thus, my PhD application process not nearly as nerve-wrecking as it probably should be. I mean, I am suffering from the same moments as insecurity as everyone else, but I have been able to experience those downs and then move on. Make sure that you balance taking care of yourself and focusing on your applications because, as Phil Sparrow notes, this is just the beginning. Fortunately, if we find ways to recover quickly and fully from our periodic freakouts, we'll manage this messy world of academia just fine!

Good luck, ktwho! I, for one, did better on my second try. I actually wasn't as stressed as my first attempt; I figured I had already scored so low, what did I have to lose? That attitude really helped me focus on answering questions rather than predicting my score during the test.

Yeah... the ballot is written poorly. My students pointed out that the guide also doesn't explain how public safety is being funded either (since 89+11=100). But yes, the UC system is definitely getting funds from this. Since Prop 30 was passed, the UC system does not have to rise tuition as they planned to if Prop 30 didn't pass. So, yay!

For all those who are applying to study at the CSU or UC system or to teach at the community college, CSU, or UC system... you can breathe a sigh of relief. Prop 30, which increases funding for public K-college education in California, passed by a considerable margin. Today is a good day for higher education in California.

I am applying to Rhet/Comp programs, which all stress writing pedagogy, so I am emphasizing my teaching experience. I am doing so in a way that demonstrates my knowledge about the current conversations in rhetoric and composition and relates to my academic interests, rather than just saying "I have three years of teaching experience at the college level!" I'm not sure how helpful they will be since we are applying to different fields within English studies, but I'd be happy to share with you the different paragraphs I have relating to teaching (I have a few versions dependent on the SoP length requirement). Sometimes it helps just to see how others are doing it!

I think it's all about how you frame the story. The admissions committee wants to see the diversity statement because they want to make sure you can collaborate with diverse peers and professors and that you can teach a diverse student body. Can you frame the story of your significant other in a way that demonstrates your ability to research, study, and teach in a diverse environment?