2019 Applicants

[madandmoonly]

@swarthmawr I'd also put the Brandeis one out of your head for a while! My friend/former advisor on the adcomm said they're not close to making a decision there. They're still in the process of reading them!

[spatial_person]

1 hour ago, jadeisokay said:

a while ago, a customer at work and i were talking about my school because she was visiting campus with her son. she asked what i wanted to do with an English major and i said i was applying to comp lit grad programs... she was already being snooty because her son is ~pre med~ and asked me why i chose "competitive literature" because it sounds useless. 

my parents said do what makes you happy so i got lucky there

Whats that sappy quote from Dead Poet's Society about doctors saving lives, but poetry gives people a reason to live? That.

[jusrain]

8 minutes ago, madandmoonly said:

@swarthmawr I'd also put the Brandeis one out of your head for a while! My friend/former advisor on the adcomm said they're not close to making a decision there. They're still in the process of reading them!

Thanks! So much awesome insider knowledge ? 

[Warelin]

On 2/1/2019 at 3:09 PM, spatial_person said:

Whats that sappy quote from Dead Poet's Society about doctors saving lives, but poetry gives people a reason to live? That.

"We don't read and write poetry because it's cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for."

[stressbot3000]

Slow day today

[ExileFromAFutureTime]

I'm interviewing at Emory next week - any advice or suggestions, particularly from those who have interviewed at programs recently? Thanks in advance. 

[arbie]

27 minutes ago, ExileFromAFutureTime said:

I'm interviewing at Emory next week - any advice or suggestions, particularly from those who have interviewed at programs recently? Thanks in advance. 

Me too and SAME. 

[mustmatatus]

1 hour ago, ExileFromAFutureTime said:

I'm interviewing at Emory next week - any advice or suggestions, particularly from those who have interviewed at programs recently? Thanks in advance. 

Me three!

[ExileFromAFutureTime]

This thread has some useful tips for interviews: 

 

[kef5]

Just saw the Stanford acceptance on the results board (congrats). Does anyone know if they notify in waves since they call? My application portal still just says submitted. 

[mxiongturquoise]

10 hours ago, trytostay said:

Got an interview at Columbia, but from the looks of it interviews aren't common there... Not sure to be nervous, excited, or sad! Lol. (I joined the gradcafe forums 5 minutes ago despite my mentor yelling at me not to.)

EDIT: realized this might not be the ideal forum to post in so I moved it to the acceptances thread. My bad! New to this.

Congrats!  I'm desperate to hear from Columbia as well.  May I ask what your areas of interest are, just so I could gauge whether I should expect an implied rejection from this last dream school?  PS: In my SOP I indicate interest in working with Prof. Sarah Cole, and my focus is on global modernism (US., UK, China, etc.).  Thanks so much!

[Medieval Maid]

Here!

Submitted all my applications in the middle of December. Looking to study Medieval Literature with a focus on saint stories (hagiography) and monster theory. I'm not sure how often people frequent this page but I'm excited to be here and be part of the community. I have my MA and am now applying to PhD programs in So Cal. Wishing everyone luck as we head into February (a time where a lot of decisions get sent out!). 

[jadeisokay]

good luck! your interests are super interesting.

[trytostay]

9 hours ago, mxiongturquoise said:

Congrats!  I'm desperate to hear from Columbia as well.  May I ask what your areas of interest are, just so I could gauge whether I should expect an implied rejection from this last dream school?  PS: In my SOP I indicate interest in working with Prof. Sarah Cole, and my focus is on global modernism (US., UK, China, etc.).  Thanks so much!

18th-century British.

Not getting an interview is definitely not an implied rejection. I’d say most people don’t get an interview at Columbia and an interview just means you’re one of the final people, not that you’re accepted by any means. You don’t have anything to worry about! 

[thismortalcoil]

9 hours ago, mxiongturquoise said:

Congrats!  I'm desperate to hear from Columbia as well.  May I ask what your areas of interest are, just so I could gauge whether I should expect an implied rejection from this last dream school?  PS: In my SOP I indicate interest in working with Prof. Sarah Cole, and my focus is on global modernism (US., UK, China, etc.).  Thanks so much!

In addition to what was said by @trytostay, historically, it would seem that interviews are conducted for certain periods of study, e.g. for students who apply as Medievalists. My friend who was admitted last year without an interview focused on the long nineteenth-century. So, do not lose hope! 

[kvlt.nihilist]

21 hours ago, MayliC said:

My aunts (I've got a large and "involved" extended family) were disappointed I didn't get married and have kids after high school (let alone coming out), then that I moved far away, that I switched from computer science to English & biology in undergrad, then finally when I decided to get my MA. When that was fully-funded and lead to a job handed to me, they started to turn the sails. I'm especially happy because they were much more open to my younger cousins going to school far away and pursue a variety of passions. I think you are going to have a lot more opportunity than they expect, and hopefully that will lead to more familial support for you. 

I also think your research interests are compelling, and I'm not just saying that because I used to be in a punk band ?. It's an interesting subculture, and that can lead to some valuable cultural insights elsewhere, too. What's your other major? I know having two majors did a lot for me in my MA. 

hell yeah!! what was your band's name/are you on bandcamp, or spotify or itunes?  i played in a rock band but it wasn't punk sadly lol.  still, the experience was so worth it.

 

i'm an english/psych double major.  psych is really interesting, but i don't know if i could handle other people's traumas without falling back into my own.  and i definitely don't like it as much as english.

[mxiongturquoise]

1 hour ago, trytostay said:

18th-century British.

Not getting an interview is definitely not an implied rejection. I’d say most people don’t get an interview at Columbia and an interview just means you’re one of the final people, not that you’re accepted by any means. You don’t have anything to worry about! 

Thanks for the info and encouragement!  It's certainly an honor and achievement to be on the shorter list and get the interviews.  Best of luck with your interview! 

[mxiongturquoise]

3 hours ago, thismortalcoil said:

In addition to what was said by @trytostay, historically, it would seem that interviews are conducted for certain periods of study, e.g. for students who apply as Medievalists. My friend who was admitted last year without an interview focused on the long nineteenth-century. So, do not lose hope! 

Got it!  Very helpful anecdote.  Where did your friend end up attending? 

Edited February 2, 2019 by mxiongturquoise

[thismortalcoil]

2 minutes ago, mxiongturquoise said:

Got it!  Very helpful anecdote.  Where did your friend up end up attending? 

Berkeley! 

[Bopie5]

Do you all think not seeing a change in the applications status (mine still just says “Submitted”) in the Stanford portal is an implied rejection?

[tacocat211]

I can't seem to find the rhet/comp thread for this application cycle. Is there not one? where are my people!!

[mxiongturquoise]

1 hour ago, thismortalcoil said:

Berkeley! 

Fabulous!  No Californian schools on my list this year, cuz I've heard about the lack of funding in those CA schools, especially for international students.  I'm sure whoever is fortunate to go there will have a blast though.  Best to your applications as well. 

[havemybloodchild]

1 hour ago, Bopie5 said:

Do you all think not seeing a change in the applications status (mine still just says “Submitted”) in the Stanford portal is an implied rejection?

That’s what I’m assuming myself ?

[WildeThing]

2 hours ago, Bopie5 said:

Do you all think not seeing a change in the applications status (mine still just says “Submitted”) in the Stanford portal is an implied rejection?

Considering the amount of Waitlisted people on the board, I’d say yes.

[WildeingOut]

Congrats to those who got UMD waitlists! Has anyone heard of any acceptances from UMD (English PhD)? Wondering if they only sent out waitlist info today.