2020 Applicants

[merry night wanderer]

You'd think I'd learn out of all my rejections, but I do not have a healthy amount of outcome-detachment from one of my remaining schools. (It's not an Ivy, which somehow makes it even more dangerous.) I keep finding myself staring out the window during work going, "But the interdisciplinarity...." 

honestly I can't wait to be an actual sufferable person again lol

[Wimsey]

28 minutes ago, The Hoosier Oxonian said:

Two rejections for me today (one of which I'm really quite sad about), so I may follow suit. I'm a huge Hitchcock fan, but haven't seen The Lady Vanishes (my idiosyncratic forever favorite being Rope).

I really like Rope! Lady Vanishes remains my favorite because it was the film that got me into old movies when I was 14. It's the perfect Hitchcockian blend of thrills and humor.

[brownjournal]

I’m currently on an airplane and purchased in-flight WiFi just so I can keep checking the Brown application portal and this forum, just putting that out there

[caffeinated applicant]

19 minutes ago, brownjournal said:

I’m currently on an airplane and purchased in-flight WiFi just so I can keep checking the Brown application portal and this forum, just putting that out there

oof you can tell it is Rough when you pay money for the in-flight wifi!! 

Edited February 21, 2020 by caffeinated applicant

[Regimentations]

On 2/19/2020 at 6:38 PM, karamazov said:

What are folks' thoughts about fellowships vs. opportunities to teach upper division courses? Of my two current top choices, one is offering me a fellowship for my first year, and the other requires me to teach my first year. The school that requires teaching the first year, though, offers opportunities for students to teach upper division literature courses when they're ABD, and I'd love to have that experience. Since research-focused positions are even rarer than teaching-focused positions (which themselves are, of course, insanely rare), I would think the extra courses would be good for pitching myself to a teaching-focused institution when I'm on the market, but then again, a year on fellowship sounds pretty nice. Of course I'm considering a number of other factors, but I'd be interested to hear what y'all think about this point. 

I think there are a few questions to ask here:

1. Are the opportunities to teach upper division courses guaranteed and are they in an area you're interested in? 
2. Do you think you can balance coursework with teaching while also adjusting to a new location? The coursework period is a time where you can get substantial feedback on papers. That feedback and relationship buiding might not be possible if you're balancing too many things.
3. Are you required to teach during your dissertation year?
4. Have you taught before?
5. What's the time-to-completion for both programs? It's possible that this might differ from their years of guaranteed funding.
6. Are there additional opportunities outside of the department? Are there graduate certificates that interest you at either school? Sometimes, these may build up additional teaching opportunities and greater chances for networking.

[lotsoffeelings]

37 minutes ago, brownjournal said:

I’m currently on an airplane and purchased in-flight WiFi just so I can keep checking the Brown application portal and this forum, just putting that out there

I am probably going to do the same thing tomorrow lol. I know I should give myself a break, but I am addicted now and can't look back 

Edited February 21, 2020 by lotsoffeelings

[pinkhermy]

Just an update to say I had my sushi and it was very nice. Take care of yourselves!!

[vvolgate]

8 hours ago, brownjournal said:

I’m currently on an airplane and purchased in-flight WiFi just so I can keep checking the Brown application portal and this forum, just putting that out there

I’m literally replying to this right now from a hotel room in Paris, where I am on my “dream vacation”, while using expensive international data to check this board every few minutes... so, same. 

[spikeseagulls]

Ahhhhhh I really wish USC didn't make me download that rejection. I applied for Creative Writing and Literature program btw

Good news is that I was between USC and UC Irvine— so I'll most likely end up going with Irvine as my remaining decisions are implied rejections (except UCSB). ?  and congrats to everyone who got into this amazing program!!!

Edited February 21, 2020 by spikeseagulls

[Rrandle101]

Who else is ready for that chonky rejection from Columbia today?

[onerepublic96]

14 minutes ago, Rrandle101 said:

Who else is ready for that chonky rejection from Columbia today?

?

[alittlebitofthat]

18 minutes ago, Rrandle101 said:

Who else is ready for that chonky rejection from Columbia today?

??‍♀️

[jeangabrielle98]

30 minutes ago, Rrandle101 said:

Who else is ready for that chonky rejection from Columbia today?

Gasp! i didnt even know they are sending out letters today ?

[Deleuze]

What will the day bring: more Harvard acceptances? Columbia responses? Some news from the infernally silent realms of Princeton or BU? Another Friday of no responses leading up to a weekend of silence from admissions? Pls give me something gods of academe \(0.0)/

[caffeinated applicant]

folks I hate to say it but.... remember rejections might come later than acceptances by a few days... and no columbia acceptances on the board... 

(though that's not stopping me from waiting on pins and needles for my harvard rejection, since acceptances went out yesterday)

("The Sound of Silence" plays quietly in the background)

[caffeinated applicant]

Also what the heck is going on in Charlottesville? Like are they still making decisions or something? FAQ says they admit 12 per year, and even accounting for this possibly being outdated/the admit pool shrinking, there are only four admits on the board and a few waitlists, which trickled out slowly at the beginning of the week, and the one rejection on the board... be still my heart, no emailing to bother them for another three weeks at least... 

[alittlebitofthat]

They have 10 spots this year. Said so in the waitlist email. 

[caffeinated applicant]

Just now, alittlebitofthat said:

They have 10 spots this year. Said so in the waitlist email. 

This is some excellent up-to-date intel, thanks. And congrats on making the list (I think I missed your earlier post on that)! 

[alittlebitofthat]

Thank you so much! Let’s see how it goes. Oh and goodluck for today!

[augustineconfessions]

I wasn't 100% banking on getting into the USC Creative Writing PhD, but not even squeaking onto the wait list hurts a little more than i'd like ?

[spikeseagulls]

4 minutes ago, augustineconfessions said:

I wasn't 100% banking on getting into the USC Creative Writing PhD, but not even squeaking onto the wait list hurts a little more than i'd like ?

It definitely does. ? I honestly wasn't expecting this much disappointment lol

[AtlasFox]

17 minutes ago, augustineconfessions said:

I wasn't 100% banking on getting into the USC Creative Writing PhD, but not even squeaking onto the wait list hurts a little more than i'd like ?

 

11 minutes ago, spikeseagulls said:

It definitely does. ? I honestly wasn't expecting this much disappointment lol

If I haven't received an email yet and my portal hasn't been updated, should I take that as a sign of being on the waitlist? Or that they just haven't uploaded my rejection letter yet? I'm trying to remain neutral over here, not wanting to get my hopes up. I'm sorry that both of you have been rejected; I've been rejected from 7 PhD programs and only made the waitlist to one other PhD program, and some of these rejections have hurt a lot (even though, rationally, I know it's not personal). I've been trying to remind myself that I'll end up where I need to be. 

[merry night wanderer]

@AtlasFox - I'm in the same boat, and for the sake of your heart, I wouldn't bank on it. Sometimes notifications come in waves, and this is a program for 3 per genre we're talking about, some of which were notified weeks ago. They do have a waitlist, but I'm sure they don't need a big one. I honestly considered this the longest shot of every school I applied to (and I suspect I don't fit the ivy applicant profile at all).

The people I know who have gotten in are ridiculously accomplished, as in, one has a book deal, is working on his second book, and just got an NEA accomplished. I don't know if that helps or hurts, but remember that Creative Writing is an even crazier lottery than literature, and the CW Ph.D is isn't at all necessary to succeed there. 

@spikeseagulls - The good news is, Irvine has a fantastic MFA, right? You'll have a wonderful community of writers right where you're moving. 

Edited February 21, 2020 by merry night wanderer

[spikeseagulls]

13 minutes ago, AtlasFox said:

 

If I haven't received an email yet and my portal hasn't been updated, should I take that as a sign of being on the waitlist? Or that they just haven't uploaded my rejection letter yet? I'm trying to remain neutral over here, not wanting to get my hopes up. I'm sorry that both of you have been rejected; I've been rejected from 7 PhD programs and only made the waitlist to one other PhD program, and some of these rejections have hurt a lot (even though, rationally, I know it's not personal). I've been trying to remind myself that I'll end up where I need to be. 

No worries, and thank you! I've also been rejected from 6 with 3 more implied rejections. I came to terms with the fact that I may only get accepted into one place, and I'm perfectly fine with that because all it takes is one really! I love that attitude, and I've told myself something similar as well. All you can really do is hope for everything to work out for the best.  

 

EDIT: I was not aware of the stuff mentioned by @merry night wanderer! Definitely something to take into consideration. I don't want to misleadingly get your hopes up due to my lack of familiarity with USC's process! 

Edited February 21, 2020 by spikeseagulls

[spikeseagulls]

1 minute ago, merry night wanderer said:

@AtlasFox - I'm in the same boat, and for the sake of your heart, I wouldn't bank on it. Sometimes notifications come in waves, and this is a program for 3 per genre we're talking about, some of which were notified weeks ago. They do have a waitlist, but I'm sure they don't need a big one. 

The people I know who have gotten in are ridiculously accomplished, as in, one has a book deal, is working on his second book, and just got an NEA accomplished. I don't know if that helps or hurts, but remember that Creative Writing is an even crazier lottery than literature, and the CW Ph.D is isn't at all necessary to succeed there. 

@spikeseagulls - The good news is, Irvine has a fantastic MFA, right? You'll have a wonderful community of writers right where you're moving. 

Definitely! I applied to the English PhD program, and this was honestly one of the schools I didn't expect to get accepted to but I ended up being pleasantly surprised??? But I was hoping to end up at a UC school because of a summer program I did, and everything worked out perfectly.