Rhet/Comp 2018

[mk-8]

9 minutes ago, Wooshkuh said:

At this point, I'd be happy with a rejection notification. I just want something. 

Having a rejection doesn't make the waiting any less droning on and on... believe me, I know!

[Cotton Joe]

On 1/25/2018 at 3:51 PM, katie64 said:

For anyone who applied to the MA at Louisville, did they ask you to indicate your area of concentration on  your app? They didn't on mine, and I had emailed them prior expressing interests in taking classes in both rhet/comp and creative writing (I have a few publications and it's definitely a big area of interest of mine), so they encouraged me to send a creative writing sample as well. My SOP clearly indicates I'm also interested in rhet/comp, so hopefully they take that into account...

There's something weird about the two big public schools in Kentucky. I've heard that they have a law that states that their departments aren't allowed to compete for applicants, but I can't find any sources to back that up.

If you look at UK, they only seem to offer graduate programs in literature. Likewise, Louisville only offers a PhD in Rhet/Comp, not Lit. as far as I can tell. Kentucky also does not have many dedicated Rhet/Comp faculty. They just started the Rhetoric, Writing, and Digital Studies department, but it is not open to graduate students. You can work with those faculty, but you can't write a thesis/dissertation in it yet.

I assume their MA is likely a bit different, but from what I know, there is likely a reason they did not ask you to indicate.

[Ufffdaaa]

So, I fell down the grad cafe rabbit hole and ended up on a thread called "The Graduate School Ponzi Scheme" (it's on page 8 if anyone is interested). While I was reading it, I followed a link to a wiki about rhet/comp job listings (posted by @rising_star). Here's a link to the 2018 version if anyone is interested: http://academicjobs.wikia.com/wiki/Rhetoric/Composition_2018.

Personally, I really appreciated the harsh dose of reality. 

[Wabbajack]

7 hours ago, Wooshkuh said:

So, I fell down the grad cafe rabbit hole and ended up on a thread called "The Graduate School Ponzi Scheme" (it's on page 8 if anyone is interested). While I was reading it, I followed a link to a wiki about rhet/comp job listings (posted by @rising_star). Here's a link to the 2018 version if anyone is interested: http://academicjobs.wikia.com/wiki/Rhetoric/Composition_2018.

Personally, I really appreciated the harsh dose of reality. 

I also appreciate getting any glimpse of what it's *really* like. That being said, I haven't always taken it as constructively as I should have.

In my first semester of my MA, I came in wide-eyed and eager to continue through academia, and then I met Dr. ... let's call him X. Dr. X had the same spiel for every grad student about how terrible it is in academia now, and he discouraged all students from seeking a viable career in it unless we were 100% a-okay with an adjunct or non-tenure track position. Dr. X (and some other external factors) influenced me enough to work in an office/private sector job after getting my MA instead of applying to PhD programs. I knew I had made a mistake within the first two weeks of working of that job. In the following year of trying out different in writing jobs, I learned a lot about myself. I learned that having a stable, well paying job really wasn't enough. I learned that I would rather teach and research, even if it means struggling and less stability.

All that to say, thanks for sharing. I'm not turning back, so here's to preparing.

[renea]

I saw these numbers on a Facebook post the other day:

Recent numbers on the academic job market for American and Brit Lit and rhet/comp/tech comm)

Doctorates Earned (from the 2017 Survey of Earned Doctorates, which reported on calendar year 2016):
American Lit: 342
British Lit: 414
R/C: 212

MLA-JIL Ads for 2015-2016
American Lit: 107 tenure track (184 total)
British Lit: 120 tenure track (197 total)
R/C: 159 tenure track, (249 total)
Tech Writing: 49 tenure track (90 total)

 

I would say at least for rhet/comp it seems a little more optimistic than some might argue. However, I suppose we should recognize that these tenure positions are most likely going to more experienced scholars than new graduates at least the numbers aren't as harsh as the lit ones*

 

*Disclaimer: please don't attack me lit ppl, we're all in this together

[a_sort_of_fractious_angel]

On 1/28/2018 at 11:37 AM, renea said:

I saw these numbers on a Facebook post the other day:

Recent numbers on the academic job market for American and Brit Lit and rhet/comp/tech comm 

Doctorates Earned (from the 2017 Survey of Earned Doctorates, which reported on calendar year 2016):
American Lit: 342
British Lit: 414
R/C: 212

MLA-JIL Ads for 2015-2016
American Lit: 107 tenure track (184 total)
British Lit: 120 tenure track (197 total)
R/C: 159 tenure track, (249 total)
Tech Writing: 49 tenure track (90 total)

 

I would say at least for rhet/comp it seems a little more optimistic than some might argue. However, I suppose we should recognize that these tenure positions are most likely going to more experienced scholars than new graduates at least the numbers aren't as harsh as the lit ones*

 

*Disclaimer: please don't attack me lit ppl, we're all in this together

Thank you, @renea - I'm an Am lit person and I've looked for numbers like these before without much success. I'd also be curious to see how the jobs break down between new graduates and experienced scholars. 

[renea]

3 minutes ago, a_sort_of_fractious_angel said:

Thank you, @renea - I'm an Am lit person and I've looked for numbers like these before without much success. I'd also be curious to see how the jobs break down between new graduates and experienced scholars. 

I'd also like to know the breakdown of concentrations for these numbers. For example, in rhet/comp, how many of these are for teaching positions versus WPA work. Or in terms of breakdown, are these labels such as American Lit or Rhet/comp accurate to the program requirements. I know for rhet/comp there are many programs which slap the term rhetoric on the degree, but when you actually look at the requirements, it's pretty much a lit degree with a few writing theory classes thrown in. Certainly a name alone can't account for the number of new graduates in the field. 

[mk-8]

Did anyone else apply to Texas Tech? The grad school had issues with my transcripts, and I'm now very extremely nervous.

[M(allthevowels)H]

14 minutes ago, mk-8 said:

Did anyone else apply to Texas Tech? The grad school had issues with my transcripts, and I'm now very extremely nervous.

Honestly, I wouldn't worry about that. I got an email around the 8th (not Rhet/comp so that may account for the time difference) saying that something was wrong with my transcripts (didn't specify whether they were illegible or missing, just one of the two) and the only other person I know who applied there also got one. I mean, I guess it's possible we all just really suck at transcripts, but I sometimes wonder if they just need them emailed in to have easier access to them or something. 

[mk-8]

8 minutes ago, M(allthevowels)H said:

Honestly, I wouldn't worry about that. I got an email around the 8th (not Rhet/comp so that may account for the time difference) saying that something was wrong with my transcripts (didn't specify whether they were illegible or missing, just one of the two) and the only other person I know who applied there also got one. I mean, I guess it's possible we all just really suck at transcripts, but I sometimes wonder if they just need them emailed in to have easier access to them or something. 

You have no idea how much this calmed me down, haha. I didn't get that email until the 18th, and responded right away, and they didn't email until today that my application had been forwarded. Considering the deadline was like 3 weeks ago, I'm freaking out. I remembered when I uploaded them myself, it kept saying the file was too big (which was crazy, my MA transcripts are one page), so maybe that had something to do with it, but I also figured maybe they needed some of the transfer transcripts from undergrad? (You know- when I took Spanish in 2011 in high school, super important). 

[Ufffdaaa]

I'm looking at placements for recent PhD grads, and I couldn't help but laugh at "Dr. XXX is a Scanning Technician at Digital Office Solutions." 

Me: This is my future if I pursue a PhD. 

[Ufffdaaa]

It's difficult to keep track of the rhet/comp people on the "acceptances" thread. Does anyone want to update here? 

I've been rejected from OSU and Wisconsin, but I have a phone interview with Syracuse. Still waiting on Tennessee, Purdue, and ASU. 

[renea]

49 minutes ago, Wooshkuh said:

It's difficult to keep track of the rhet/comp people on the "acceptances" thread. Does anyone want to update here? 

I've been rejected from OSU and Wisconsin, but I have a phone interview with Syracuse. Still waiting on Tennessee, Purdue, and ASU. 

Congratulations on the phone interview with Syracuse! 

 

Updates for me: I was rejected from MSU. 

Currently dying waiting to hear from: Miami (of Ohio), FSU, Virginia Tech, Texas Christian, and Georgia State. 

I'm thinking I'll hear from a program or two in the next two weeks, but most of my programs said they expect notices to go out in late Feb and early March so *fingers crossed*

[mk-8]

55 minutes ago, Wooshkuh said:

It's difficult to keep track of the rhet/comp people on the "acceptances" thread. Does anyone want to update here? 

I've been rejected from OSU and Wisconsin, but I have a phone interview with Syracuse. Still waiting on Tennessee, Purdue, and ASU. 

Congrats on getting the good news! And good luck on the interview- blow them away! 

good idea to post updates, too, because same about keeping up with R/C people lol. I was accepted to UT Austin last week, and I’m still waiting to hear from everywhere else I applied (beyond the rejection from MSU). I think most rhet/comp programs, on average, notify later than lit programs. I think next week might have some updates, because that’s technically “mid February,” right? 

[Ufffdaaa]

@mk-8: That's awesome about UT-Austin! It's a great school AND you'd get to live in Austin! 

[mk-8]

5 minutes ago, Wooshkuh said:

@mk-8: That's awesome about UT-Austin! It's a great school AND you'd get to live in Austin! 

Right? It’s the only school I applied to in a relatively cool place. 

[ashley623]

Literally waiting to hear back from everywhere. Sigh. Maybe the rhet/comp adcoms take longer than the lit adcoms...

[mk-8]

13 minutes ago, katie64 said:

Literally waiting to hear back from everywhere. Sigh. Maybe the rhet/comp adcoms take longer than the lit adcoms...

Maybe they have to rhetoric it out or something. You may have an even longer go at it because some programs notify MA acceptances after PhD! Some are the same though. 

[ashley623]

10 minutes ago, mk-8 said:

Maybe they have to rhetoric it out or something. You may have an even longer go at it because some programs notify MA acceptances after PhD! Some are the same though. 

Ugh, I know. The wait is terrible! I'm adamant to visit any place I get accepted, and I want to start house shopping of course, so I'm impatient to say the least hahaha. 

[bumbleblu]

5 hours ago, Wooshkuh said:

It's difficult to keep track of the rhet/comp people on the "acceptances" thread. Does anyone want to update here? 

I've been rejected from OSU and Wisconsin, but I have a phone interview with Syracuse. Still waiting on Tennessee, Purdue, and ASU. 

Best wishes for your interview!! And for the responses from the rest of your schools!

I was accepted at Madison, and that was the only rhet/comp program I applied to. 

[mk-8]

7 hours ago, katie64 said:

Ugh, I know. The wait is terrible! I'm adamant to visit any place I get accepted, and I want to start house shopping of course, so I'm impatient to say the least hahaha. 

It is a little annoying to have to wait so long, especially when it comes to finding a place to live. I’m in a college town for my MA so stuff fills up in like, November (the house I’m in now I think has been leased for next year since October). It worked out because I lived in the quieter, next town over my first year. 

[klader]

Hi, fellow rhet/compers!!! (I just saw this thread!) 

I'm a PhD applicant, and I was accepted to Purdue and Michigan (English and Education), have an interview for Syracuse CCR, and am waiting to hear back from Miami Ohio, Ball State, and East Carolina. 

I'm currently at Miami finishing my MA, so if y'all who applied have any questions about the program, feel free to pm me! And my sources tell me that we will hear soon... I'm hoping by next week?? 

Edited February 6, 2018 by klader

[EspritHabile]

I have a dear friend who completed their Ph.D. at Ball State. If you have questions, I may be able to answer them vicariously. 

[Ufffdaaa]

@klader: Congrats on Purdue and Michigan! I almost applied to Michigan because their joint PhD is so unique. One of my professors went there, and she's had some great opportunities to teach in the English department and English Ed to undergrads. 

I emailed Syracuse back with an open availability range on a few days, but they didn't reply back today. I'm now worried that they will just randomly call me, which is freaking me out. I assumed it would be at a set time. 

@EspritHabile: I don't want to jinx anything, but what will you do if you go 5/5? 

[klader]

@Wooshkuh they never emailed me back, either! I imagine they are looking into all of the times we provided and trying to get a reasonable schedule for the admissions committee (so, maybe they can do x amount on the same day or something?). This interview makes me nervous, because I don't know what to expect. Lol. 

Yes, Michigan's program is really unique! I had a prof who went there, too, and I love her work. It's definitely not a traditional rhet/comp degree, though, so that's something to think about. 

And, gosh, @EspritHabile will officially reach rockstar status!!