U or O; UNM

[rtrgwnd]

Does anyone have info on how many apps University of Oregon and UNM got this year and how their general reputations are?

[PaperChaser]

Does anyone have info on how many apps University of Oregon and UNM got this year and how their general reputations are?

UNM=University of New Mexico? Not hideously selective. (Check the 2007 Portrait of the Profession thing for more info)

Oregon=pretty dang selective.

[rtrgwnd]

Thanks.

Yes, I meant University of New Mexico and PhD programs in English.

[Liesje]

while determining the quality of a program is a pretty complicated affair, i would guess that most big state schools get a disproportionately high number of applicants. i'm thankful i won't have to go through this process again, but if i did, i would avoid most of these programs unless they're a really outstanding fit. selectivity doesn't necessarily = quality

also i would guess most of the programs on your list for next year fall into this category, just something to keep in mind

[woolfie]

while determining the quality of a program is a pretty complicated affair, i would guess that most big state schools get a disproportionately high number of applicants. i'm thankful i won't have to go through this process again, but if i did, i would avoid most of these programs unless they're a really outstanding fit. selectivity doesn't necessarily = quality

also i would guess most of the programs on your list for next year fall into this category, just something to keep in mind

Wait, which category; that they are more selective than quality? Yeah, I know that that's true about FSU, Florida, and maybe ASU, but which ones are you talking about? I have picked my schools based on the fit of the faculty and their interests and then tried to cast a wide net as far as rankings go. Alot of the lower ranked schools on my list have large funded MA programs which is my back up plan for not getting into direct phd programs. Also, I thought that places like UWM, Missouri, and Miami were not that selective?

[rtrgwnd]

So the reputation and quality of University of Oregon is questionable?

[veg/crit_boy]

So the reputation and quality of University of Oregon is questionable?

I don't think that's true at all. Especially not on the west coast. But, obviously, this depends on what exactly you want to do. I was meeting with a friend on the hiring committee at a very well-respected cal state school, and he told me that he wouldn't think twice about hiring a qualified grad from Oregon. He said some very complimentary things about the kind of teachers Oregon produces.

[woolfie]

So the reputation and quality of University of Oregon is questionable?

No, no, no! I'm sorry, I tried to not sound like that. I meant more so that the selectivity does not match the ranking, which is in NO WAY reflective of the quality of the program. I'm sorry if I sounded like that, and I do not think that rankings are a definite guide to quality. As we talk about here time and again, rankings are at once completely useless, but at the same time they do matter for R1 jobs somewhat, but not definitively.

I don't mean to malign any program; I would be ecstatic to go to Oregon.

[Liesje]

Wait, which category; that they are more selective than quality? Yeah, I know that that's true about FSU, Florida, and maybe ASU, but which ones are you talking about? I have picked my schools based on the fit of the faculty and their interests and then tried to cast a wide net as far as rankings go. Alot of the lower ranked schools on my list have large funded MA programs which is my back up plan for not getting into direct phd programs. Also, I thought that places like UWM, Missouri, and Miami were not that selective?

CUNY, Wash Seattle, and I think Michigan are also absolutely brutal. not that they aren't very good schools, but they just get more applicants than they should based strictly on the program. not trying to scare you, you've obviously done your research and if the programs fit, by all means apply away - and yes, uwm is a great pick, competitive with a lot of the schools mentioned here in several senses but far less selective.

[fromeurope]

CUNY, Wash Seattle, and I think Michigan are also absolutely brutal. not that they aren't very good schools, but they just get more applicants than they should based strictly on the program. not trying to scare you, you've obviously done your research and if the programs fit, by all means apply away - and yes, uwm is a great pick, competitive with a lot of the schools mentioned here in several senses but far less selective.

UMich had 339 applicants this year. Doesn't seem disproportionate to me. They are highly ranked, with great placement, and it's a far cry from the ~700+ applicants some schools have received.

All schools seem to have ridiculous amounts of applicants though, speaking in absolute terms.

Edited March 19, 2010 by p7389

[woolfie]

Oh okay. I have been wondering about CUNY... it's a good but not great fit for me. According to Peterson's their acceptance rate is 31%. Maybe Peterson's is wrong as I think that they sometimes are, but if that's true, that's pretty good for it's ranking. Also, moderate funding in NYC versus any where else means your going to be struggling much more.

Yeah, Washington is also having funding problems and is not too highly ranked, comparatively; I'm surprised at how popular their program is considering. But again, it's a good fit and some professors I'd really like to work with.

Though I'd have to disagree about Michigan. They are ranked I think 13 and have a great program and faculty. I'm not surprised at all at their selectivity.

[8521679]

Oh okay. I have been wondering about CUNY... it's a good but not great fit for me. According to Peterson's their acceptance rate is 31%. Maybe Peterson's is wrong as I think that they sometimes are, but if that's true, that's pretty good for it's ranking. Also, moderate funding in NYC versus any where else means your going to be struggling much more.

Yeah, Washington is also having funding problems and is not too highly ranked, comparatively; I'm surprised at how popular their program is considering. But again, it's a good fit and some professors I'd really like to work with.

Though I'd have to disagree about Michigan. They are ranked I think 13 and have a great program and faculty. I'm not surprised at all at their selectivity.

CUNY takes nowhere near 31% of its applicants. I'm not sure where Peterson gets its information; it can often lead applicants down the wrong path. CUNY makes between 30 and 35 offers each year. This year they had 300 applicants. That's a relatively huge cohort, though, but it is a graduate-only facility, which seems to allow for more room.

[poco_puffs]

The Engish PhD program at UO received something like 320 applications for this last round, which was up from something like 180-200 applications the year before (those numbers might be off by a dozen or so). As far as I know, they offered admissions to 20-25 people, with the expectation of an incoming class of 12-13 people. They accept students with interests all over the board, but their "Structured Emphasis" programs offer special certificates/degrees in areas like Medieval Lit, Rhet/Comp, Literature and the Environment etc. Those special programs within the department mean there are more classes, more faculty, and more of an academic community surrounding each of those fields, and they receive a higher proportion of applications from students interested in those areas. An Ivy League school might have a higher "ranking," but the choices of students do often boil down to the fit of the program, its funding, its faculty etc. I spoke to students who were entertaining offers from several other reputable top-10/15 schools.

As for the quality of the teachers that Oregon produces, I had heard that several times before I visited the campus. Talking with several grad students and professors within the department, it seems like the program really does place a lot of value on a supportive and engaging program for training future instructors. You'll get a few terms of training before they throw you in front of a class, then lots of time to hone your skills, some workshops and weekly forums to provide ongoing support and community, and eventually opportunities to design and propose your own courses. FWIW, I haven't heard any horror stories of grad students getting overloaded on their teaching responibilities, either. I think it's a program that is very focused on making you an attractive candidate for future hiring.

[PaperChaser]

UNM=University of New Mexico? Not hideously selective. (Check the 2007 Portrait of the Profession thing for more info)

Oregon=pretty dang selective.

Let me clarify. I didn't get IN anywhere my first round of apps (5 yrs ago) but WAS waitlisted at UNM. (I applied based on places I'd like to live....not so smart.) But that they CONSIDERED me...

My sister, who would kill me for writing this, is an uber-genius who got into UNM's MD/PhD program in Neuropsychology (obviously, the brains of the family). Considering that she went to Amherst, maybe that's not so impressive. However, she had NO undergrad classes-not one-in psychology. She enrolled in non-degree classes, busted her ass, got a perfect score on the GRE Psych (yes, I love'hate her, but mostly I'm proud of her), and beat the crap out of the odds to get one of 4 spots in the program. She LOVES UNM, has tons of opportunities to publish and travel, and will get a kickass job. She's said that the best thing about UNM is that the faculty (graduate, at least) really start mentoring early on and give you as many opportunities as THEY get. I know Psych isn't Lit, but her boyfriend is in Classics (hello, opposites) and he says the same thing. It may not be the highest ranked or fanciest school, but the campus has gotten a major facelift, the cost of living isn't obscene, and the students seem really happy.

Just revising my earlier inadvertent snark.