claire56

I'm a little concerned because I registered for the GRE general three weeks ago and still haven't gotten anything in the mail from them. I've been on the look-out for the practice test they send. When I took the GRE in 2008, I remember getting the materials fast, like a week later. But this time, nothing, after three weeks? Anyone know anything about this?

Wait, so if I take the GRE general in July (which I am -- scheduled to take July 28th) and I choose four schools to send scores to, some of those schools might just get rid of them because there's no application open for me yet? That's crazy. I can't have that! (I don't think that's what you're saying, though. Need clarification) I would think it'd just sit in a database in the school first....(and then not go to the department until I submit an application for the department). I dunno...

Wow. I had no idea this kind of thing occurred. I don't think there is anything wrong with it at all, though, as long as the prof looks it over and if that's what the prof wants to do (have you write it and he/she approves it). I think I have thought before about this. Like, that I would offer to do it if they are too busy. I write letters of recommendation for my students often (I'm a community college instructor currently and also have ex-students from when I was a T.A. at the university where I did my M.A.). I essentially ask them, "What do you want me to say?" I mean, they are good students anyway, so it's not as if I'm lying about them. But since I ask so explicitly what they want me to emphasize, I'm sure professors feel the same way about their undergrad and grad students...

I'm gonna hold off on making any decisions for sure as to how many programs to apply to. I already have the programs researched, so that is done. I'm just gonna take the GRE on July 28th, see how I do, and assess from there. If I do really well for some strange and unexpected reason, and my writing sample continues to shape up nicely, I'd be more inclined to apply to the full 11 I was originally planning to apply to. My writing sample will work for either of the disciplines I'm interested in. (English PhD w/ focus on Feminist/Gender/Women's criticism --- or Women's and Gender Studies M.A.) As far as money and paying for fees, I think I'll be fine. I'll probably apply to 11 schools tops (either all PhD or some PhD and some M.A.), but it won't go over 11 regardless of how I divide it up. I have a teaching job and can afford the fees as long as I don't spend too much money eating out this fall (which I normally do a lot, but will cut down on, in light of my grad school applications).

Ah, so is it the case that you can start your application well before you plan to have everything submitted? I was thinking previously that I'd do each of mine about one month before its deadline date, but realistically I'd like to start a few applications even earlier (just to decrease the amount of work in a short period of time, stagger the fees and transcript costs, and actually have two or three of them almost complete by end of September (and just be waiting on letters of rec to be submitted.) How early do most schools open up their applications?

Thanks for the response. Yeah, I think seven or eight is reasonable. Over twenty is crazy (as far as time consumption). I read somewhere on this board...someone said his girlfriend applied to 25 and got into 2. I can't apply to 25!! lol... Anyway, I actually don't think the fees themselves are that bad. $50-$65 is what I'm seeing. What gets crazy is adding on the transcripts. I have two community colleges I've attended, plus my B.A. and my M.A. I attended the same school for undergraduate and graduate, but I can't remember if the transcript is just one for both, or two separate ones. I just can't remember. I wish I didn't have to include the community college transcripts because it's not like I got a degree from them; they were just credits that went toward my B.A. And then sending GRE scores... If it were *just* the schools' application fees, I'd do 11 or 12 schools easily. But when you add on the rest, I bristle...

Thanks for your response. I already have an M.A., so I won't be getting any M.A. offers, funded or otherwise. I was originally planning to apply to 11 PhD programs, but in the past few days I've been thinking of applying to 6 PhD programs and four M.A. programs (in a different but related discipline that I am very interested in). Ugh - don't know what to do. Let me ask you, were those five programs you applied to all top schools? Or did you include lower-ranked schools? What was the make up of your five schools? My friend got into no programs, but then again she applied to all Ivy League...

I've been teaching composition for three years and rather enjoy it. I have lots of advice (but limited time at the moment). I'll just give a few tips: 1) Make sure they do a lot of in-class writing exercises. The class shouldn't be you lecturing to them about how to write, and then sending them off to do some assignment. Yes, they should have out-of-class assignments, but lots in class too. 2) Alternate pretty frequently between you talking and them doing. e.g. have them work in groups to discuss a reading, have them practice a thesis statement, have them brainstorm ideas for a paper, have them start an introduction. And have them share what they wrote with the class. They stay awake more when there are tasks to do... 3) If you have a class that is quiet and not opening up to discussion, have them "free write" their thoughts on the reading, or topic, first. Students aren't able to just come up with ideas at the moment you ask a question. They need time to think, and having them write for five minutes about the question you've posed gives them the time to think. 4) Be sure to save student papers (xerox copy them or keep electronic copies) for use as "samples" to your future classes. My students really get a lot out of it when we "critique" a past student paper (anonymously). They are so much more likely to tear into / honestly critique a paper from a past student who's nameless and not in the class. They aren't worried about hurting feelings, so they're brutal (but effective). This is in contrast to how they act when in peer review with each other (overly polite, not getting any good critique in). More later!

Is there anyone who plans to apply to seven or fewer PhD programs? Just wondering because for a while, I was thinking I'd apply to 11, but now I'm mentally shrinking that down to 7. But is that crazy? Honestly, I just want to be reasonable. It's expensive, and I could easily get into no programs. I'd feel better about having spent on 7 and not getting into any than spending the money for 11 and not getting into any. I know there's no way of knowing in advance, and I shouldn't spend all this time doubting doubting doubting. I just wonder...any of you planning to apply to 7 or fewer? I'm thinking of applying to as few as 6. I don't think I'd go lower than 6, though...

Well, despite what I said above, university teaching isn't ruled out. While I was doing my M.A., I had some friends who were in the PhD program at our school. Our school was ranked 87, and some of them have gotten university teaching jobs. I can think of three who did. So, I don't think it's impossible to get a university teaching job even if one's PhD program wasn't Top 50. That said, I"m not counting on getting a university teaching job. I'm an adjunct at a community college right now (have been for three years), so maybe I'll just keep teaching community college (will probably be easier to get full time if I have a PhD) and just be a higher-status community college teacher because I have my PhD!. Also, as I work on my new writing sample and do so much reading on a certain type of theory and criticism, I've realized how much I may well be into research and writing. I don't know what's going to happen, but I really hope my research abilities and general enjoyment of research will flourish in a PhD program, and that even if I'm not employed with a university, I could research and write in some other capacity.

Thanks for your response about the # of offers made and how they do it in "waves." All makes sense. Yeah, I hear you on all your reasons for targeting high-ranking schools. Makes sense, and I didn't mean to offend anybody by referring to "being a ranking snob." It was just a phrase I used. I think people should aim high if they want to and if they have reasons for it. I just am not doing so completely because 1) well, I just don't think I have a chance at top 30 schools, 2) I think I DO have a chance at some middling schools in the 40-60 range, and an even better one in the 60s, 70s, and 80s 3) some of my classmates in my M.A. program told me they got into no schools at all or only into the one where we did our M.A.s. And our school was ranked 87. So...I'm no better than my classmates. There's no reason for me to believe I could do much better than they did. But you never know. Anyway, one of my friends, a really smart girl, applied to all Ivy League English PhD programs; she considered U.T.- Austin her "low end" choice; she got into no programs. She's smart, but I thought she was kinda crazy to apply to all Ivy League, and to consider UT-Austin "low end." I'm big on living in a major metropolitan area too. That factors into my choices. If it's not a major metropolitan area, it has to be a rather cool college town. But I'd rather the major metropolitan area thing.

I hear you. And I don't doubt it. But I am also not recommending my course of action to others. People should do what's right for them and what aligns with their career goals. I'm not necessarily looking for a university teaching job afterwards. It'd be nice, I guess, but it's not my main goal. So many people with PhDs don't get a university teaching job anyway, even if they went to a highly-ranked school, so I'm not making it a priority to go to a highly ranked school. All that being said, I'd rather go to one of the more highly-ranked schools. Just allowing myself to consider others as well. I'd go to a school that was in the 100s if it were the only one I got into and I felt it was worth it. (I also made sure the schools that I was willing to include in my list that were more lower-ranked schools were in cities I'd really like to live in, so there's a built in trade-off).

About that whole "only 8-15" spots or "only 5-10" spots out of 200 or 300 applicants. Isn't that less daunting than it seems, though? I mean, don't they actually have to accept more than that 8-15 or 5-10 because they want that many students who'll attend. I think they have to make more offers initially because not all students to whom they offer acceptances are going to choose their school, right? (I'm really not sure about this; I'm asking everyone...). I would think they have to "accept" about 20 and waitlist a few more beyond that, and just see who accepts. (Or maybe those 20 initial offers *is*....only 5-8%...yeah I guess that makes sense...) Also, I agree about the rankings. I'm being very much not a rankings snob. (I'm actually more picky about location and size of school; I don't want to attend some really tiny school with only 11,000 students; I'm very used to and like big universities of 30,000 or more students). I'm applying to some schools that are in the 80s, 90s, and 100s as far as ranking. My own M.A. school was in the 80s, and I thought it was great / challenging. I can't imagine that the others 80s schools are any different, or the 90s or 100s ones are much different either. One of my friends from my M.A. program is attending a PhD program right now that ranked 125. I think he got into two other schools besides that. But the guy's pretty smart, and as far as I'm concerned, if that school is good enough for him, 100s-ranking schools are probably good enough for me too. I think my current list is something like this: 20 41 52 52 63 87 87 87 94 105 110 as far as rank....

To Phil Sparrow: And you talk about "overhauling a website" as if what's being talked about is videos, graphics, and a whole new design that would be more pleasing to my and other applicants' precious eyes. What's being referred to is adding a few more bullet points of plain text information to what's already in place. Hardly an "overhaul of a website." And also "sucking it up because you love it despite the stupid shit" is the default. You don't need to remind people to do so. It's not as if that's news to people. This place is for freaking out with others and grumbling a little, in addition to other things. So I say...stop with YOUR jerky attitude. I may have been complaining, but I'm not being jerky to fellow applicants (for whom this is a place); I'm talking about educational institutions whose employees and administrators, as you've noted, are way too busy to read this and who I am in no way actually offending, given their absence from Grad School Cafe.

Oh my goodness, no one's getting worked up about anything. I'm not sitting around seething about how "jerky" they are because of absent information on a website. Just gave an agreement to someone who mentioned something about it. But what I said stands. Clear, explicit information on a website isn't a lot to ask, and keep in mind that I said doing so (having everything as explicit as possible) saves THEM (the overworked people) time answering emails that want information clarified. And you say "not to sound jerky" but then proceed to say "but maybe you should re-think spending money on applications if this is all too much for you." You're being jerky. Snarky, at least. We're on a website; we're allowed to vent. It happens I'm a very organized person and don't, myself, have any trouble doing applications even for schools that are a bit of a challenge as far as providing info to applicants. I'd venture to say it's administratively easier for me than most. I can still complain about things, as a matter of principle, if I want to.

To that (your first two paragraphs), I would say this: I still think that's being a bit jerky of them. Given the surfeit of applicants and how only a tiny percentage get in, and how it's so well known that there are way more qualified applicants than they can let in, they know good and darn well that they'll always have more than enough to choose from even if their number of applications is cut in half or by a third. They don't need every single possible one, much less 200 extra ones that fall below their minimum and never get seen anyway, in order to make sure they don't miss that "off chance" 460-scoring student who's "a great fit." I say, announce your 600 minimum, get all your great fits from that bunch. There are more than enough great fits therein. The student who knows his/her scores aren't generally good enough for that school can apply to schools where he/she has a better chance and increase his/her chances of acceptance! (By the way, not being hostile toward you, but to the schools.) And to your last paragraph: yes, I agree. You would think English Dept. websites would be very explicit and understand the importance of clear communication. If nothing else, you would think that they would want to save themselves all the email "clarification questions" that no doubt come in to them because things aren't clear on the website.

I'm thinking it's kind of jerky for them not to post minimum scores they require. It's like they just want people to spend money applying to their school even if it's pointless (but the applicant doesn't know that)?

Just a little vent. I'm sure I'm not the only person who feels this way. Some days I just feel really hopeless about all of it. Like, there's no way I'm getting into any program. So many people in my cohort applied to a bunch of schools and got into none. I was/am so enthused about the whole thing, but then I think...jeez, I'm working so hard to package myself to the best of my ability, and the likelihood of my getting 11 rejections is amazingly high. Ugh.

Oh, quick question since I am TOTALLY new to this. Are acceptances usually a phone call and rejections usually a letter or email? Or do all schools do it differently? Just wondering because that way I'd know if something comes in the mail or over email, I'd know "probably a rejection." I imagine it's EXTREMELY pleasant for them to let people know of acceptances, so they probably take joy in doing that over the phone. All kinds of good feelings for them and you, right there in live phone conversation. When I got into my M.A. program, it was a phone call. They actually had to leave a voice mail message because I was at work and didn't pick up, but still, it was a phone call.

This is my first season applying. Finished my M.A. in 2011, and didn't apply last year at all. So all of this is very new to me. I'm going into all of it with this attitude: I am going to try, but there's only so much hoop-jumping I'm going to do. I see a lot of people talking about how they're finding out about research interests of faculty at schools. I'm looking for someone who "generally" fits, but I'm not scrutinizing their background and going to cater myself to them too, too much (not saying other people are; you're just being reasonable; I'm just saying I'm lazy and am not going to do that much freaking work to really customize my SOP details to every little nook and cranny of that school and that faculty). I want to do a PhD, but half of me wants them to take me as I am and with what I'm interested in. I'm working hard on a writing sample that fits my research interest, but the way I see it, if it's not good enough in general, maybe like someone else said, I'm just not PhD material. That said, I have classmates who went right into a PhD from our MA program (most of them stayed at our school), and I know I'm about the same as them. So it'll be frustrating if I don't get into a school. I'm not even aiming all that high. I'm looking at plenty of what one would call the "low end" schools (not that I think any of them are really "low end"). I'd be happy to get into a school that was ranked 95 or 100, and I'm not kidding about that. The school where I did my M.A. is ranked 87, and I was fine with it. We should all take some consolation in knowing this: even if we do not get into programs, these great books are still there to read. (the primary texts AND the theory/criticism texts).

Have a related question that I thought I'd just ask in this thread (and that might help the OP too). Do you all know if, for Literature PhD programs, when you lay out your research interest, you are supposed to mention specific texts you're planning to look at? Just wondering because I saw some guy's "sample statement of purpose" online, and his was specific about how he wanted to look at things in The Great Gatsby -- even more specifically at Nick Carraway. When I saw that, I thought that I would do that too (mention the critical approach I wanted to take, and my research questions, in relation to specific works.) Is that pretty standard? Thanks.

I have yet another question. I am very new to the whole applying to PhD programs thing. Not that I think most of you have been doing it for years, but I imagine some of you have been around this board, or at least kept your eye on it, for longer than I have. I was wondering...is it very unusual for a person to get into a program during the season of his/her first attempt? I see a lot of posts from people who talk about the mistakes they made during their first attempt, and how they rectified it in a second or third year. How uncommon (or not) is it for people to get in during their first attempt? And I, of course, do not mean get into tons of schools. But just get in to a school at all...?

I plan to apply to the following schools (listed below in order of preference). I don't see my list changing much between now and application time because I've already been over and over the list of schools and their rankings, and there are only so many places I'm willing to live... 1) NYU 2) Rutgers University 3) Fordham University / University of Texas - Austin 4) Northeastern University / University of Texas - Austin 5) Temple University / University of Texas - Austin 6) University of Texas - Austin 7) Loyola University Chicago 8) University of Florida 9) University of Arizona 10) Georgia State University 11) Florida State University I put U.T. in all those extra slots because it's kind of even with those places. U.T. is considered a better program, but I'd rather live in those cities (NYC, Philadelphia, Boston). So if I got into U.T. and the program in question, it'd be a tough choice. I already live in Texas (but not in Austin) and I'd like to get out of this damn state. Yet...Austin, Texas is a cool city and U.T. has a lot of academic cred. Also, Georgia State University is considered a less strong program than Arizona and Florida, but I'd conceivably choose it over those two because I have a family member in Atlanta who I'd like living near. NYU and Rutgers would just be easy choices; nothing would stop me from going to either...nothing except TONS better funding at another place. But getting into Rutgers or NYU? Ha. Don't know about that. My interest is American Literature from 1900 to the present, women and gender studies, feminist literary theory and criticism. More specifically, I want to focus on three female novelists from the Harlem Renaissance in relation to black feminism. I'm also focused on contemporary novels and short stories (working on a writing sample right now on an American novel that was published less than a year ago). Have three pages written so far.

Oh, is that right? You're not even supposed to have the class heading deal on it anyway? Didn't know that. When I applied for my M.A. program, I left it on there. But it's fine with me if it's not supposed to be. And also, out of the 11 schools I'm planning to apply to, 10 just say "a writing sample." One does say "it should be something you've written for a previous class." So, for that one, I don't know what I'm going to do. I don't want to use my old papers; don't like 'em enough or they're not related enough...

Yes, I'm taking it in October. I'm taking the general GRE in August and the subject test in October. I'm also writing a whole new paper for my writing sample. Ugh. So much to do. But I've decided to just engross myself in all of this from now until end of January next year. Then maybe I'll go on a date or something. lol.