[Fall 2013 English Lit Applicants]

sunshan, I believe registration for the 2012-13 season doesn't open until July. Give it a few more weeks, and you should be able to sign up.

Good luck, by the way. I suffered through the exam this past April, and it was definitely challenging.

[Fall 2013 English Lit Applicants]

claire56, as I've been researching different programs, I've found that some schools actually state in their admissions requirements that the writing sample should reflect one's research interests. Of course, there are many other schools that don't say anything like this. I suggest you check with your programs' requirements and, if necessary, contact them directly to ask.

Based on the advice I've received, I suspect you shouldn't worry about making sure your sample touches on every single one of your interests, especially if your paper could turn out a convoluted mish-mash of assorted ideas as a result. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

[good introduction to literary theory text?]

For a more pithy text, I would mention Jonathan Culler's Literary Theory: A Very Short Introduction, which, from memory, was a pleasant read on the subject.

I haven't read any of the other texts mentioned in this thread, although they're all on my Amazon wishlist, but I do own a copy of Culler's work. I read it just a few months ago in preparation for the GRE Literature Test. While it is very short, it's also a very good overview of the major literary theories. It introduces important names and terms, which the reader can then seek out more information about in a more comprehensive text.

[Favorite movie based on literature?]

I was a little unsure about spending the money for Emma too, but I had a friend highly recommend it, so I decided to give it a try. I LOVE it--honestly, I like it better than the Gwyneth Paltrow version, and just as much as the Colin Firth Pride and Prejudice (in fact, I might even like it a little more--gasp! I know. crazy.) And while my friends and my mom don't agree that it's as good as P&P, they still love it as well. So, for what it's worth, I'd say give it a try. It's only $20 or so on Amazon right now, or some libraries might have it.

That's some pretty high praise. Thanks for the recommendation and for the tip about checking my local library.

[Fall 2013 English Lit Applicants]

Hi all,

Just got my GRE lit scores and I'm a little confused (I'm very new to standardised testing!). On my GRE page it gives me a scaled score and then a "% below". Is the number under the latter my percentile? I'm getting confused because of the "below"...

Yes, that number is your percentile score. So, for example, if there's a 70 there, that places you in the 70th percentile, which means you scored higher than 70% of everyone who took that Lit test in the past three years (I believe it's three).

[Favorite movie based on literature?]

I don't know that these are on Netflix, but I love Kenneth Branagh's Much Ado About Nothing (some odd casting choices, but on the whole, I think it's fabulous), and I absolutely adore the 2009 BBC Emma with Romola Garai.

I also loved Much Ado; I hope to catch it on TV again sometime soon. I'm curious as to what you found odd about the casting.

Emma is my favorite of Austen's novels, though I've only seen the Gwyneth Paltrow version. I've read many positive reviews about the 2009 version but am still reluctant to fork out the money to see it. I just don't want to be disappointed.

[Favorite movie based on literature?]

I think Baz Luhrman was the wrong choice for this story, because The G.G. isn't really about lavish 1920s jazz age blah blah blah (which is pretty empty and shallow to start with) -- it's more of a character driven story. But it doesn't look like Luhrman reeled in any of his more garish impulses (a la Moulin Rouge -- the movie everyone in the world but me fawns over). So I guess it's just going to be tacky CGI, gaudy color schemes (I can't wait to see the green light pffftt), and stilted acting. And Tobey McGuire as Nick Carraway? WTF? He's like a perpetual nice guy and Nick Carraway is a dick.

Thanks for the reminder that Luhrman also directed Moulin Rouge--this explains a lot about the trailer.

[Completing Language Requirements]

Well, at this point in time, I'm thinking, "Let's just see if I get accepted anywhere first and then I'll worry about it."

If I had known earlier that I'd be pursuing graduate studies, I might have taken more foreign language classes in college. I've been studying French on and off for about five years now. Ideally, once I submit applications, I'll have time to sit down and brush up on the language so that I'll be in good shape by the fall. As for that second language that some programs require, I don't even know how to determine what that should be. I'm under the impression that the languages are supposed to be relevant to your field of study, right?

[Favorite movie based on literature?]

The Great Gatsby is one of my favorite books of all times and I'm not sure why Hollywood keeps attempting to produce movies based on the novel. The first one with Robert Redford was awful, the tv movie version was even worse. I just watched the trailer for the new version with Leonardo DiCaprio and for some reason the trailer has a Kanye West song as its soundtrack. Ughh.

Um, aren't trailers supposed to highlight the most appealing aspects of a film to get people all excited about seeing it? I just watched the trailer, and I'm not at all motivated to see this movie. I don't even like The Great Gatsby that much (although I've certainly come to appreciate it more and more upon re-readings), but I'm still a bit appalled at how many times I laughed at certain clips in the trailer. For example, the scenes in which Daisy and Gatsby have their little "nice to see you again" moment and then when Gatsby's throwing clothes over the railing had me cringing, chuckling, and raising my eyebrows in confusion all at once. It's disappointing considering how much I usually enjoy watching Leo DiCaprio and Carey Mulligan. Based on the trailer, I'm concerned that movie-goers unfamiliar with the text will walk away thinking that Fitzgerald just wanted to write some tragic love story set during the 1920s, the most awesomely flashy time period ever. Gatsby deserves better.

[Fall 2013 English Lit Applicants]

Phil Sparrow, thanks for taking the time to offer your advice. Reading your response helped a lot.

asleepawake, I'm sorry you were disappointed with your test results. It took a few days, but I got over it. We may not have done as well as we would have liked, but at least it's over, right? I'm just sorry I couldn't wait another two weeks to get the scores for free. Good luck with your thesis, by the way.

[Fall 2013 English Lit Applicants]

I was accepted into Brandeis with an 18-page paper. I think that the high limit is mostly so that students wanting to use a thesis or senior project for a writing sample can do so without the awkwardness of massive trimming or excerpting. I think anything close to ~20 pages would be fine.

Also, good luck with the app! It was a very difficult decision turning them down.

Thanks for responding. You made a good point as to why Brandeis set their maximum page number so high. I really hope you're right, because I'm pretty certain my sample will ultimately end up around 20 pages. I still wonder, though, if submitting a lengthier piece would put my application in a more favorable light. Obviously, the end goal is quality rather than quantity, but I'm concerned that as someone applying to their PhD program directly out of undergrad, I need to demonstrate that I can handle more than just the 10-15 page papers I wrote during college. I guess what's really wigging me out is how unusual Brandeis' specifications are in comparison to those of the other schools.

[Fall 2013 English Lit Applicants]

With regards to the writing sample length requirements, what if only one or two schools provide an unusually high maximum length? For example, I'm pretty certain I know exactly where I want to apply this fall. Most of the schools call for approximately 15 pages. However, Brandeis, as margarethale has already stated, has a 35 page maximum, and I think she made an excellent point that falling too short of that maximum would be risky. Brandeis does allow for two shorter essays, but I'd much rather submit something of a more substantial length, especially since I'm applying straight out of undergrad, where I normally didn't write papers more than 15 pages long. There was one paper in particular I wrote during undergrad that I really enjoyed writing, and it has a lot of relevance to where my scholarly interests lie. So my plan was to improve on it this summer, expanding it to 15-20 pages--but then there's Brandeis. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what the best course of action to take would be? Would I be better off expanding the paper to ~35 pages for Brandeis and then creating a condensed version for the other schools? Should I focus on producing the sample for the schools with the shorter maximum requirements first and then focus on Brandeis? The best possible solution is probably right in front of me, but I'm struggling to see it.

[Favorite movie based on literature?]

I just remembered watching the Complete Works of Shakespeare (abridged) performed by the Reduced Shakespeare Company. If you're well-versed in Shakespeare and in need of a good laugh, check it out. I searched Netflix's website, and it is in their library.

[Fall 2013 English Lit Applicants]

transcendental,

Thank you for your well wishes. It's kinda strange how reassuring a completely anonymous person on some message board can be. Thanks, also, for sharing your DGS' advice. I did major in English and performed well in my Lit courses, so I guess that's even more reason to let all my test-related anxiety go.

[Fall 2013 English Lit Applicants]

IMO it may not be worth the money and time you'd invest to retake it. Both score sets would be reported to the schools you send it to anyway, so making an 11 point jump is not going to be that impressive of an improvement, I would think. If you needed to go up by 100 or something, that may be worth it, but if you did well enough, you should be in good shape. FWIW, the school that made me the best offer required the lit GRE and my score was awful (I think below 50 %ile, but I try not to remember). Good luck in whatever you decide to do!

(Edited for a typo!)

Yeah, you're most likely right--retaking it just for an eleven point percentile jump would be absurd given how little emphasis is placed on test scores anyway. As the day's gone on, I've been gradually nearing a place of acceptance. I made that earlier post within minutes of finding out my results, so the sting of my initial disappointment was still quite painful.

Well, at least I can cross one thing off my to-do list. My next move is preparing for the general GRE while working on my writing sample and SOP, which actually do matter a lot.

[Fall 2013 English Lit Applicants]

It looks like the Lit test scores were released a day earlier than expected. I've been calling in every day in case that would happen, and this morning, I discovered that my score was available. So anyone who's been waiting for results should try calling.

I'll hold off on posting my actual results but for now, I'll just say that I'm quite uncertain whether to retake it. I didn't do terribly but I didn't do great either, and I was aiming for great. Objectively speaking, I know my score is definitely acceptable for grad school admissions (at least, based on what I've read here), but I'm only eleven points away from my target score. I suspect that if I were to start studying now for the October retake, I would probably surpass my goal, especially now that I've taken the real thing already. But I'm really not sure if it'd be worth it.

[Favorite movie based on literature?]

I watched the BBC adaptation of Gaskell's North and South during a Victorian Lit class and adored it so much that I bought the DVDs.

[Fall 2013 English Lit Applicants]

I'll be up at 9am next Monday with phone and credit card in hand! I don't know why... I'm not expecting to do well, but I still want my results.

For me, I just want to know what my next move needs to be. If I completely bombed the test, I'll feel pretty crappy about it but I can start preparing for the retake. If my score is actually decent, I'll be relieved that I no longer have to think about this one application component.

[Fall 2013 English Lit Applicants]

I'd like to second thestage's suggestion to bubble in answers on practice tests. After registering for the Lit exam, ETS sent me a copy of their official practice test. I made copies of the answer sheet to use for the practice tests I had in pdf format. I wanted to take those exams in conditions similar to those during the real thing. Of course, I have no idea if this had any real effect on my performance, but it certainly didn't hurt.

Well, scores for last month's Lit test are supposed to available via phone in about ten days. To everyone planning to call in when that happens, good luck. I hope we will all find out that we did much better than we thought.

[Fall 2013 English Lit Applicants]

Casserine, I honestly don't remember if any of the first questions on my test were like yours. Sorry, I know the stupid thing was only yesterday, but the experience was traumatic enough that I've already forgotten most of it. But that's probably a good thing. Otherwise, I could look through my notes and do some Googling to figure out the answers to some of the questions that left me stumped. In fact, the first thing I did after I got home yesterday was look up the answer to one of the questions I had guessed on. To my dismay, I discovered that I had guessed incorrectly. So maybe that's the silver lining to having forgotten most of the material--now, I can keep hoping against hope that I didn't do as poorly as I believe. I do wonder, like you, if we all took the same version, but we'll probably never know.

[Fall 2013 English Lit Applicants]

We have to sign off agreeing not to disclose what's on the test, but I will say that a lot of the things covered in the most popular study materials were NOT on it. Also, it seems that there were more questions than I expected that relied on deciphering meaning of a text, which were possible to work out even if you didn't know the text. Good luck for those taking it in the fall; I just might be there with you braving it again.

I would say the same thing about my testing experience, which makes me question how I would modify my study strategy if I end up retaking the test. Personally, I relied on the Princeton Review's guide as well as the notes on Vade Mecum and Hapax Legomena. I read the intros in the American and English Nortons. For theory, I purchased Jonathan Culler's Very Short Introduction to Literary Theory. You know, I went into the test feeling pretty good; I felt as prepared as I possibly could have been given the amount of time I had to prepare. I still can't believe how much the real thing differed from the practice tests I'd taken.

[Fall 2013 English Lit Applicants]

I, too, suffered through the Lit test today. I was pretty bummed out by how much guessing I ended up doing. I can't help but feel as if all the hours I devoted to studying these last several months were all for nought. Even though I know that test scores don't weigh nearly as much as the other application components, I still wanted to do well this morning. Unforunately, I'll probably end up forking even more of my money over to ETS next month to get the scores by phone--I just don't have the patience to wait until June for the results.