1Q84

You are a seer, sir. Congrats to all UMass admits

I know we're off the topic of being bankrolled by parents/partners already but I thought this recent Salon piece was a great, clear-eyed takedown of the romantic "follow your dream" trope. “Sponsored” by my husband: Why it’s a problem that writers never talk about where their money comes from

In addition, I'd certainly start posting and reading in the Social Work sub-forum: http://forum.thegradcafe.com/forum/65-social-work/

I must say, it's pretty much unprecedented to have that many academic publications before entering a doctoral program. I hope this doesn't sound like sour grapes (because it's not) but quite a few professors have told me too that a) one shouldn't even try to publish 'juvenilia' before entering a doctoral program and b.) many professors don't take pre-doctoral program publications very seriously. I'm not as intimidated by the 14 pubs as I am perplexed by it.

Yes, looks like the results board is lighting up red... Hugs for all!

On this note, I found it really helpful to actually contact POI and ask them about their interests and tell them about mine. I know this is a perennial question around here ("Does one need to contact POI before applying?") with various responses but I would highly suggest it. Quite a few early modernists I contacted ended up saying "Well, I don't really work on Milton anymore..." even famous Miltonists like JG Turner told me he's "moved on," so it wouldn't make much sense to name him in my SOP. Another thing I noticed are POIs listed as Shakespeareans, in conversation said that they were just beginning to get interested in Milton again, so it was great for me to know that and be able to discuss that interest on my SOP. Edit: I should mention this endeavor was quite laborious... in the end I had phone conversations with 15 POIs across 9 schools. It was a scheduling feat on my part and there were a lot of thank you cards to write afterwards! I don't know how much this actually affected my application changes (I'm guessing very little) but I wanted to put effort into every controllable moving part on my side that I could.

Congrats, Katla! A nice early admission Must feel great!

Congrats to SUNY Buffalo admit!

Not sure if this is a graduate school guide but on that note, I would recommend Semenza's "Graduate Study for the 21st Century" too! Also, I would very much get into the habit of being frugal, if not already. Trust me.

Right? He was extremely nice but at the same time I just wanted a straight answer! Feeling very

I'm currently overanalyzing a wait list placement I have due to the tantalizing but incomplete information that the head of the admissions committee gave me during a call. He said: - 8 students were given solid admission offers (which is at least double what they normally do) - on an average year, 2-3 students are accepted off the wait list (but obviously no guarantees) - I am "within that range" on the wait list but I have no idea if I'm #1 or #3 - he "hopes that I make it" and that the process of deciding the 8 admits was "completely arbitrary" I have no idea what to think aghhhhh the anxietyyyyyy.

You smartypants! Congrats! Wow. Is this common? Never heard of that happening before. A second, completely different WS? Sounds like a good sign of interest in your app, though!

I keep waiting for my upvote count to reset so I can upvote as thanks to all but I can't wait anymore. Thanks, everyone It certainly seems like the floodgates are opening in general next week--sending positive energy to all!

omgomgomogmogmogmogmogmogmogmogmogmogmogmogmogmg "High on wait list" at USC. Just got the call! <dying of happiness> Hoping other USC applicants on TGC hear the same! Edit: Was too high on adrenaline after hanging up to remember to add: this is my FIRST CHOICE so I'm ECSTATIC. Also, I posted undergrad GPA as 4.0 but that's my MA GPA.

Also, Rona, check out this thread: you haven't already. It may provide support and other stories of acceptances with your GPA! Here's hoping for the best for you!

So true. I dealt with this during my Bachelor of Ed. The various schools in Toronto and surrounding area accepted, all told, nearly 2500 incoming students to a one year program. The secondary education market had actually been letting people go for three straight years by the time I entered. I mean, part of that is my own arrogance in applying for a B.Ed during a down period in the hiring market, but I mean the glut of teachers was just out of this world. It basically became a diploma mill (and these are not shady institutions doing this). 100% agreed. It's shameful what schools put adjuncts though and I certainly understand and sympathize with why many will lower themselves to that level to make ends meet. It's certainly not the only choice, though. I'll add that I believe that a flexible path after an English Ph.D. should be the #1 prerequisite for attempting one. I, for one, am not even going to attempt to find a job in America (or North America, for that matter) after I'm done. I'm flexible enough to want to go overseas and I'm thinking that'll help me avoid the adjunct fate.

When it dawns on you that, if you get an acceptance, it'll probably occur on Apr 14 after all the first choices decline and solidify their choices and schools turn to their waitlists:

I'm really glad you brought this up because it helps me to articulate my negative view of the "follow your passion!" schpeel that you hear from both, disturbingly, school guidance counselors and those who can't be bothered to consider that they need to make ends meet six years down the road. In reality, in this day and age, "following your dreams!" pretty much comes with the footnote: underwritten by mom and dad. I don't want to get too polemical here but I think considering the way that the corporatization of higher ed has won so completely, it verges on irresponsible for advisers to tell students to follow their dreams. Maybe I'm just a doom-and-gloomer but the thought of shrugging and telling myself "not to expect a job" and that I'll "scrape by" somehow after I'm done my degree is just unthinkable--probably because I do have to provide for myself and my family. There's no "if" or romantically locking myself in a library and burying my nose in a book about it. Waxing poetical about my love of books was nice in college but it's not going to pay the bills. Sorry for the rant and it's not directed at anyone in particular here. I just really, really think people need to think more about the end result of their degree, not less.

I wish. I'm dying right now. Haven't heard back either. First entry person PM'd me about it, not sure if she or he wants to make it known. But apparently two calls gone out thus far.

Update on this: I filed a complaint about this in November and (after many brush-offs and stalling) finally had it resolved today: they're offering me a free re-test in April. Really not sure if I'm going to bother taking them up on this offer. Perhaps I might have to when all my results come out in the next month or so...

King fans unite! I'm not at all ashamed that he was the first "adult" author that really got me into reading. IT really changed my childhood... (I mean, reading a horror meditation on childhood during one's childhood has weird effects). I think Running Man and Misery were the next ones I read... good times. I also haven't read any of his work past Everything's Eventual but I heard Doctor Sleep was actually not half bad as a sequel to The Shining.

I'm not sure I understand this advice. Does this mean you have to create a different WS for each department to which you apply? Or does it mean you have to have a "section" in your WS that includes each faculty member of each university to which you apply? Either way, unless the essay organically grew out of your research interest in one faculty member's work, it would be pretty tricky to do without coming off as forced. Same here. I was tempted to footnote a professor in a department I was applying to, especially after he mentioned one of his books to me in an email, but it would have been entirely synthetic and not as relevant to my WS as it should have been in order to be included. I'm skeptical of this advice! But someone sell me on it... because it sounds like I'm missing something.

Agreed. I'm waiting until I get word back.