margarethale

The Hours is so completely amazing. One of my favorites isn't based necessarily on a particular book, but it is inspired by the lives of literary figures. Pandemonium is based on the early lives of Samuel Taylor Coleridge and William Wordsworth. Most people I know either love it or hate it.

Honestly, even if you are looking into top schools, I wouldn't worry too much about your scores on the subject test. A lot of top schools (ex: UPenn, Columbia, Brown, etc) don't require the subject test. I took the subject test and scored terribly (not "oh, I did so terribly, I was only in the top 85%" - more like holy hell i barely made it to the top 50%) but I still got into a number of great programs including my top choice. I wasn't applying to all Ivy League programs, but a number of the schools in the top 20 (and almost the majority in the top 50) don't even ask for the subject test. If your absolute dream program requires the subject test, then of course you should study, but even then it's not a guaranteed deal-breaker. I applied to UT Austin's PhD program and they require the subject test. I submitted my measly 54% score and got wait-listed and eventually accepted. It's not necessarily a deal-breaker if you have other great things on your application to balance it out.

here's a great guide to sending a good email to your POIs (written by a professor at UVa). While it's not designed specifically for Lit/Comp grad students, the basic concepts and tips are still really helpful. http://www.cs.virginia.edu/~evans/advice/prospective.html

i realize i'm pretty late to this party, but i only recently discovered that this website even existed. i'm going to be attending Maryland's PhD program in the fall but i didn't have a chance to go to admitted student's day. i was just kind of wondering what you guys thought of the professors/the program in general. also, i'm really curious about everyone else who's going to be there! what're you guys studying and who are you looking to work with and where are you thinking of living and... other questions you feel like answering?!?! sorry for any over-enthusiasm; i'm just really excited about going to grad school in the first place and finding a forum dedicated to sharing ALL of the grad school feelings!

I was just accepted to my dream PhD program straight from my BA and I thought I'd just give a little specifics about my process to give some hope/advice about the application process. All of my professors told me that the single most important aspect of your application isn't your scores or your GPA - it's your writing sample. Pick something that plays to your strengths and interests. Also, if possible, pick something that is in line with your academic interests as outlined in your Letter of Intent. If you write about how much you want to study British Modernism, don't turn in a writing sample about Medieval Literature - it will make you seem unfocused and make your application feel disjointed. It also helps to choose a writing sample that is an excerpt from a greater work (like an honors thesis or a masters thesis). For mine, I chose a 25 page excerpt from my 86 page undergraduate honors thesis. Graduate schools (according to my professors) prefer to see one large writing sample (one 25 page paper) rather than two shorter papers that add up to the page requirement. They want to see you carry a lengthy argument and if you can handle larger papers and the research that they require. As far as your GRE scores go - a solid GPA, good letters of rec, and a great writing sample can offset less than stellar scores. Also, don't freak out about the math section. I am an english major through and through and did terribly on the math section. The thing is, you're not going to grad school to study math (and your programs will know that). Don't sweat it. For the record, I scored in the 90% for verbal but only the 53% for math. The GRE Literature subject test is an instrument of torture. A lot of very reputable programs (like Columbia, UPenn, etc) don't even require it because they know that it's a terrible test that doesn't accurately reflect your academic capabilities. If your dream program requires that you take it - just shell out the extra cash and buy one of the Princeton review books. You're essentially going to be tested on anything that was ever written. One sample question that I vividly remember was: "The author of Lolita also wrote which of the following texts?" While I know that Nabokov wrote Lolita, I had no clue what else he had written when I took that exam (my undergrad didn't offer any literature courses outside of the American and British traditions). If your background is similarly weighted towards American and British literature, get a review book. I contacted my POIs in the summer right before I started my application process (so around August). Personalize each letter that you send so that the professor in question knows you're not just spamming. I made sure to ask if they were able to take on new students. If you have your heart set on working with someone in particular and then find out that they're on leave for a year, it might make you change your mind about applying to that specific program. Here's a great guide for sending thoughtful emails to your POIs: http://www.cs.virginia.edu/~evans/advice/prospective.html One final suggestion: even if you fail to get into any of your schools this application season, don't give up. I didn't get into a single program last year and after taking some time to really polish my writing sample and refine my application, I'm going to a fully funded PhD program. One of my good friends from undergrad was rejected from his PhD programs for two years in a row and is now getting 5 years of full funding from UPitt's PhD program in medieval literature. It's entirely possible to get rejected from everywhere one year and get in somewhere great the next year. It's also entirely possible to get into a top 50 PhD program without earning your MA first (for any undergrads out there with your eye on a doctorate). Earning an MA will certainly make it easier, but it's not necessary. Hope this was helpful! I'm always available to answer any lingering questions so if you have any, shoot me a message.