ProfLorax

GRE scorers (human and machine) like structure. So I suggest tightening up your organization. Here's a sample outline. Intro: Five sentences introducing the debate. Last sentence should be your thesis, something like "It is no longer necessary to focus solely on cities when trying to understand a society because X, Y, and Z. Para2: Topic sentence expanding upon reason X. Include one specific example and explain why that example proves your point. Shoot for 5-7 sentences (yes, really. The machine likes length). Para3: Topic sentence expanding upon reason Y. Include one specific example and explain why that example proves your point. Shoot for 5-7 sentences. Para4: Topic sentence expanding upon reason Z. Include one specific example and explain why that example proves your point. Shoot for 5-7 sentences. Conclusion: Wrap it all up with a re-worded thesis and impress upon the significance and high stakes of your claim. BOOM.

Congrats psychgirl33! I will be starting my third year as a PhD student with a beautiful eight month old daughter. I spent my second year pregnant, and I'm happy to answer any questions you have about navigating grad school while pregnant. I found very little info when I was googling myself. Most of the articles were advising students when to get pregnant, which just totally grossed me out. I just had lunch with a colleague who accepted a tenure track position and is expecting in October. When she accepted her offer, she said something about the lines of, "I'm excited to tell you the happy news that I am pregnant and expecting in October. I would like to start in January. Thank you for your consideration." She was forward about it and framed her pregnancy as good news. The department congratulated her and said it was fine that she start in January. Turned out to be a non-issue! Here's some advice: --Never apologize for being pregnant and needing time off to go to the doctor or maternity leave! --Make a Plan B. I was due in December, so I had Incomplete paperwork on standby and some colleagues who volunteered to finish grading if I went into labor early. Fortunately, Baby E came a few days after her due date, so I was able to finish up the semester. But it was really nice to know that I had everything covered if she came early. --Get as much time off as you can. You never know how your birth will go. I needed six weeks of recovery time for various reasons I'm happy to share with you after you've had your baby! Also, if you plan on nursing, breastfeeding takes a while to figure out. So time off is so valuable. I had originally planned on going back much sooner but decided to teach an overload in the Fall, so I could have Spring off. I'm really happy I did that. --Get on daycare waitlists ASAP. Unfortunately, it's really hard to find quality part-time infant care. Also, and I learned this the hard way just now, don't wait for your department to give you your schedule (this applies if you're teaching). Figure out childcare first; then, let your department when you're available. I made the mistake of waiting for my teaching schedule, and by the time I had gotten it, all the day care spots filled up. We hired a nanny, which is breaking the bank. I adore her, but I wish we didn't have to spend so much money this first year. --Find the other parents in your program and department. We have a handful of moms in mine, and they have been lifesavers. They have given us advice, helped with our registry, and delivered meals after we got home from the hospital. --Similarly, seek out an awesome mentor, even if she is not in your area of interest, who is also a parent and can advocate for you and support you on this front. --Be gentle with yourself and practice self-care. I got much better at saying no and establishing boundaries when I was pregnant. I'm glad I practiced then because I'm using those skills way more now. --Pregnancy is hard on the body and mind, but if you can, find some quiet moments to marvel at what your body is doing. You're growing a human! That's pretty gosh darn amazing.

And I will give you the opposite advice and say this: you will be reading for work for the next two years. Why not read for fun this summer?

Thanks for clarifying, Takeruk. That makes mucho sense. I'm not sure how much this conversation about whether or not the partner should apologize, and I am 100% responsible for steering the discussion to that question. Sorry!

I agree, Crafter. The student-professor relationship changes everything. There's such a power difference, and now that the student fears for her safety? I can't imagine. What happens if the OP has to take a class with the professor? Or at departmental events in which families are welcomed? What if the professor serves on the OP's committee, and the OP needs approval or a signature for her dissertation? Our careers depend very much on our professors. I can't put myself in this professor's shoes, as if my husband did anything like this, we'd be in divorce court the next day. Does anyone read Ask a Manager? Gah I love that blog. Last week, someone wrote in about her boss's husband verbally abusing her on the phone. There was no question that this was inappropriate. OP, you may want to dig up that post (I'd do it for you, but I'm on my phone). There was some advice and lots of support in Allison's response and the comment section.

Say what?! Is this common? Absolutely wild. I hope you start another thread about this! I'd love to hear about the most absurd pet scientific theory you've heard from a random intruder. (Edited quote and cleaned up some typos. Posting on my phone is always an adventure!)

So I missed the original post, but from what I gather, your professor's boyfriend harassed or even assaulted you?! Whoa. I'm so sorry. I don't know how I would deal in your situation. I don't really have any advice about what steps to take. Do you have a trusted advisor? I hear what folks are saying that because this attack was off-campus by a non-employee, the university isn't accountable. That being said, your department probably wants to know if one of its employees has an SO who is attacking students. And frankly, I'm astonished that the professor hasn't said anything. Of course, the boyfriend is his own person, but I apologize all the time for the (well-intentioned) politically incorrect things my parents say to my friends of color. Because, I know that while I didn't say those things, I created the scenario in which they could be said, and I am sad when my friends are hurt. Good luck dealing with this. Just whoa.

I wonder, Analyticchic, if you could talk to one of your lit professors about graduate work in the humanities. Then, perhaps you could research how MA in English programs work, what kinds of questions you want to research as a graduate student, and how this MA could help with your career. This last question is the most important. In terms of letters of rec, you will want writers who can speak to your ability to write analytically, research, and participate in scholarly communities. Like Ramus, I urge you to have professors write your letters. For better or for worse, admissions committees won't be interested in your ability to sell merchandise or work with children. They'll want to know that you have what it takes to pursue graduate work. At least one English professor is a must. Three would be ideal, but any professor who would speak to your intellectual curiosity and performance in academic settings could do as well!

I think given that Analyticchic has only taken two lit courses, the whole package needs to be strong, but especially the writing sample and SOP. I wonder if University of Delaware does conditional admits? I know for my MA program, students with little or no lit background had to complete a year of upper division undergrad classes at the MA institution before they were officially considered MA students.

Penn State (Cheryl Glenn) and Maryland (Jane Donawerth). My friend who studies rhetoric and women in the Renaissance also applied to UNC and Miami. Soy, are you looking for focus on rhetoric or literature? Some of the programs you listed don't have a rhetoric program, but depending on your interests and career goals, that might be fine.

Also, this: I'd urge you to worry about the statement of interest. Ok, not worry, but put lots of time and effort into. As someone who can write lots of BS on the fly, I can tell you that the SoP (statement of purpose, another name for the statement of interest) is not something you can just crap out. It's a very specific genre that requires lots of thought and revision. I spent months writing mine.

You need a literary analysis-type essay with research for the writing sample. Did you take any lit courses? The best final paper for any lit courses will be fine. Do not submit any creative writing unless you are applying for a degree in creative writing. Why do you want an MA in Lit?

For Maryland students, check out the UM Shuttle. It's free for all UMD students, and it makes Silver Spring and Takoma Park easily accessible.

My BA and MA are both in literature. I took one course in rhetoric as an undergrad (Women's Rhetoric) and one course in composition as an MA student (teaching digital writing). Both courses were helpful in steering me toward rhet/comp as a field, but my writing sample was actually from a literature class! The paper dealt with rhet/comp issues (I didn't realize it at the time) but was definitely a literary analysis. I did ok! I was accepted to five rhet/comp programs. The key is to frame your literary experience in rhet/comp language. I'm happy to share my materials with you, so you can see how I did that!

Thank you both for your very sincere and affirming replies! This! This is such wonderful advice. I really needed to hear it. You're so right about all of it. When I was pregnant, I wrote on my FB that it takes a village to raise a child AND a mom. I told my partner that I was struggling, and he took ALL of the night shifts last night. It's amazing how much a good night sleep can change everything around! Thank you! I agree; it's so important to show our children that we can be whole people as adults.

I love being a mom. My almost six-month old daughter is always surprising me with her new discoveries. As of this week, she can roll over, sit up, and babble with consonant sounds. Her smile and laugh bring me such joy. She has helped me learn how deeply and strongly I can love. I love being a grad student. I'm reading for my comp exams, and each text I read reaffirms my enthusiasm for what I study. I'm also writing a syllabus for a new class I'm proposing, and I'm remembering how much fun it is to teach and design courses. And usually, I love being both a mom and a scholar. I find that my experiences with pregnancy, childbirth, and parenthood all make me a better scholar (especially given my research interests) and a better teacher. But sometimes, it's so hard. My daughter who was a great sleeper has all of a sudden forgotten how to sleep. I'm waking up every hour, sometimes for two hours at a time. I'm so tired that I can't read or write or think about anything regarding my comps. And she has just started experiencing separation anxiety, making it harder to leave her with a sitter while I get work done. She's with a sitter right now. I'm on my way to a doctor's appointment, and I planned on reading on my way, but I just can't. I'm too tired, and I feel too guilty about leaving her (with a sitter who she usually loves and I totally trust). But still. It's hard, especially because she know says "mamamamamamama" when she cries. I know she isn't saying Mama (she's way too young for that), but it still pierces my heart. I'm almost nervous posting this, as last week, I was told on this forum that having kids while in grad school is a bad life decision. I completely disagree, and I don't want to help prove that user's point. I have no regrets, and like I said above, I love being both a mom and a grad student. Still, sometimes it's hard, and I'd love to hear how other people on this board juggle the two roles. At the end of the day, I take great relief in knowing that everything great in my life has taken work, and parenting while in grad school is no exception.

bhr: what schools are on your list? Would you like to see my SoP down the road? #rhetcomp4life

I rang up Robin Williams several years ago at a bookstore. I took him I was a huge fan, and he nervously smiled in return. After he walked away, I immediately regretted not telling him how much comfort Mrs. Doubtfire gave me as a child.

Right, you addressed the parenthetical, which featured an anecdote about one very specific situation, by condemning our entire field. It's like listening to an in-depth, nuanced conversation about a complex topic, and when someone mentions her drunk uncle, you jump in to say THIS IS WHY YOU PEOPLE HAVE NO UNCLES BECAUSE YOU HATE ALL THE UNCLES while everyone just looks at you for jumping into a conversation mid-way and making wild generalizations about the people who are talking even though they have no problem with uncles.

heliogabalus, I can't tell if your misreading of this entire conversation is intentional or not. Other than livealive's parenthetical, it's pretty clear that people are discussing political methodologies--not how they vote in a presidential election. Of course, our research methodologies often reflect our personal political leanings, but Marxist/post-structuralist/Foucaultian/New Criticism/postcolonial approaches etc don't translate neatly to Republican or Democrat.

Bsharpe: you are making so many assumptions. I didn't share my background because I understand that my own experiences are not universal. Do you honestly think you can speak for everyone who has faced adversity? And all those programs you mention only prove that there's a problem. Let's put aside the fact that these social programs are heavily cut every year, minimizing their impact, the programs you name are just bandaids. No amount of free lunch at school is going to make dinner appear on the table (yes, I know that food stamps exist, but SNAP has also been significantly cut). No amount of free tutoring is going to tackle the school to prison pipeline. And as psychkita points out, no amount of GRE fee waivers will make up for inadequate public education in poor areas. And with that, I will take a bow from this bizarre conversation and go spend time with the best bad life decision I ever made.

bsharpe: 1. As rising_star has repeatedly stated, your individual experience does not reflect everyone's reality. Like, at all. There's a name for this fallacy: faulty generalization. See! A PhD in English is useful. 2. You have not "made it" yet, so how can you claim that it isn't that hard to make it in academia? Being accepted into programs is not making it. In academia, tenure is making it, and there are numerous gender, class, and racial biases at every step toward tenure. There's a reason that you'll find the gender ratio for faculty pretty even at many institutions, until you filter to just tenured faculty: then, the racial and gender barriers become more evident. 3. Related to number two, the reason it perhaps seems like people are able to easily pull themselves up from their boot straps in academia is because we typically only hear from the people who made it. Margaret Price has a chapter on independent scholars in her book Mad at School, highlighting a whole class of scholars who were ostracized from academia because of disability. Her point can be applied to other marginalized identities as well: class, race, gender, etc. We who have been arguing for fairness and equity aren't worried about you: we are worried about the people who aren't here at all but should be.

Also, we need to stop talking about having children as an individual choice or sacrifice. Sure, it is, but the wellbeing of children is also a collective community concern. We pay for subsidized preschool, public education, and Pell Grants through our taxes, even if we don't have kids, because of the belief that our society will be better off if our next generation is an educated one. We also pay for free meals at school and health care for children through taxes because of the belief that society will be better off if our next generation has been fed and cared for. The children today become the voters, doctors, teachers, social workers, and politicians of tomorrow, so yes, we should all care about the wellbeing of children. And sometimes that means supporting parents. Like I said before, no one is actually arguing for an increased stipend for parents. But I would love to see heavily subsidized childcare and better paid family leave. And that family leave should be for everyone, because it's disgusting that a grad student can get diagnosed with cancer and not continue to receive her stipend or her benefits. Or that a grad student caring for a sick parent can't take time off without hurting his time-to-degree. But most importantly, we grad students should be supporting each other, fighting for each other's needs and concerns because administrations sure won't.

Rising_star, back to your original questions, I didn't consider stipend so much as the entire package. Some financial aspects were unique to my situation: for example, in the DMV area, my spouse could transfer offices and keep his job and salary. Others, though, definitely helped: good health care plans (including family plans), paid parental leave, and travel funding. Those financial benefits helped. As to your second question, I would support a movement to ensure that grad students are paid fairly. Our standard stipend is $7,000 below the poverty line for our area (which is an expensive area). I think at the bare minimum, universities should ensure their students are living at or above the poverty line (and the leftist that I am, I'd suggest that ALL university workers make at or above the poverty line). As for the dependency stipend: y'all can chill. That was an offhand suggestion by TakeruK; there is no mention of such a policy in the article, nor is any national movement to do so.

TakeruK, I kinda love you right now. Thanks for thinking of the brilliant scholars and teachers who are shut out of academia because of financial reasons. As a grad student and a mom, I would love to see grad programs offer (a) paid parental leave and (b ) quality subsidized campus infant and childcare. Pretty much what staff and faculty get. I think those two moves would make grad school much more accessible for grad students with families. Heck, I'd be happy if grad students could utilize FMLA, which yes, is unpaid, but provides security and continuation of benefits. At my program at least, there is no institutionalized leave program for students who get sick themselves or have to care for a family member (child, partner, sibling, or parent).