onerepublic96 Posted January 18, 2020 Share Posted January 18, 2020 2 hours ago, politics 'n prose said: Congrats on the Northeastern news, @karamazov! Also, for those of us left high and dry by Chicago, I came across the following just now in the results search: Spoke with DGS; all interview requests have gone up. Not everyone will be interviewed, but everyone accepted in recent years has had an interview. Not too much of a surprise for me (Chicago was absolutely my one-in-a-million, snowball’s-chance-in-hell school), but I just wanted to share this here because I know a number of folks have been wondering what’s up. Congratulations and good luck to those who are in the running for an interview! Same, same, in my mind also Chicago was a great fit... but guess not lolz ha ha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karamazov Posted January 18, 2020 Share Posted January 18, 2020 @Indecisive Poet @NinaM @caffeinated applicant @politics 'n prose Thanks so much, everyone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackbird7 Posted January 19, 2020 Share Posted January 19, 2020 On 10/19/2019 at 11:12 PM, onerepublic96 said: I'm still agonising over that one myself... If you don't mind my asking, how did you reach out? One concern of mine is that the faculty profiles on a few of my programme websites may be somewhat out of date, and I thought of contacting them to make sure I had the right idea of what they're working on, but I'm stuck as to how to do this without sounding ignorant or making them feel like I'm trying to waste their time. ?♀️ Hey guys just wanted to add (I am an older student with years in a professional field) that respectfully emailing someone can be brief, professional and an invaluable way to network. You can also get a glimpse into their personality as well, which in all honesty, aren’t we as applicants evaluating them and the program as well? It goes both ways. So the more information you have the better. Email them. Don’t write a novel, be polite and share some ideas. Also, I found the professors that did respond to be quite kind and helpful. I also didn’t take a lack of response as anything meaningful. Professors frequently do not keep up with email, it is in no way a reflection of you or your career. You will be one name amongst hundreds of applicants... I personally want to be the name they are semi- familiar with. Also, I found 1000 word SOPs were so brief, that the emails I sent added more detail about me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArcaMajora Posted January 19, 2020 Share Posted January 19, 2020 (edited) Had quite the admissions related fever dream a few nights ago that I hope will help distract people, even if for just a bit, from the agonizing wait that is decisions. I was just recovering from a sudden bout of the flu that came on as the Winter quarter was just starting. I got home one night with my head pounding and wanting to sleep. I was expecting to sleep at around 10pm, but an hour before that I wanted to lie down and close my eyes for a second. There was no way I was going to do extra work as I spent most of the day socializing, and talking for hours usually tires out my brain fairly quickly. As soon as I closed my eyes, I basically knocked out. From there I remember finding myself reading a rather informal e-mail that I was accepted into Princeton Comp Lit of all programs. It was an e-mail of a group of fictional POIs and names I didn't recognize. The excitement I felt from that was so strong that during the time I was dreaming, and even for a few moments when I found myself slip back into slight consciousness (or if I was sleeping within the dream and 'waking up' during that dream), I was convinced that I made it to Princeton. The rest of the dream saw me traveling by plane to a facsimile of what I assumed Princeton to be. Even weirder, it was a trip I did on my own and randomly. There was no recruitment event attached to it or anything, nor did I visit any fictional POIs. The second part of the dream involved a going back home snafu that involved me hitchhiking with two other people, getting breakfast, and being late for my flight back to California. As far as I know, this is the most recent dream I vividly remember having. It was quite the trip haha Good luck to everyone as decisions come out! I'm rooting for you all As an addendum, I'm now remembering the other admissions I had while I was applying last year. The first I had for sure was seeing an e-mail of UC Irvine sending me a rejection letter, and this dream happened the very night before I got notified from UCI faculty about wanting a phone chat. Then the next dream was a school that had UW-Madison's school colors publicly posting the names of new admits one by one in some site. Edited January 19, 2020 by ArcaMajora caffeinated applicant and karamazov 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cryss Posted January 19, 2020 Share Posted January 19, 2020 (edited) My husband sent me this today. Our struggles in a nutshell. Edited January 19, 2020 by Cryss digital_lime, Rrandle101 and karamazov 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warelin Posted January 19, 2020 Share Posted January 19, 2020 4 hours ago, Wimsey said: Hmm, that's good to know. I thought Chicago was a solid fit, but I guess not. I think figuring out fit is very tricky despite how hard we try. Programs with large faculty might make it seem like most people are a fit. But some big names might not be taking on new students. Programs with a smaller faculty might make it seem like the fit isn't there even if it is. We also rarely ever know who's being hired at what time for any upcoming position which may also showcase what a university might be interested in. rhetoricus aesalon, S_C_789 and Wimsey 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karamazov Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 Does anyone know what sort of attire is expected at an interview/recruitment event? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digital_lime Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 2 hours ago, karamazov said: Does anyone know what sort of attire is expected at an interview/recruitment event? Go for business casual. A nice pair of jeans or chinos with a reasonably unwrinkly collared shirt and a simple blazer (with dress shoes, flats, or boots) will probably be fine. The average high in Boston in February is 38 degrees Fahrenheit, so you'll probably want a sweater or coat, too. I have never worn a skirt or dress (well, I did once, but it was on stage and indoors, so I didn't get much of a feel for how cold they are) so I don't know if it's too cold for that, or if that's a consideration for you?? (I've lived in places where it never gets cold for the past 14 years.) ANYWAYS, from what I can tell, dressing in academia is a complicated matter, especially for women. I say the goal is to wear something vaguely nice. That way, you won't look unkempt or childish (avoid the Rick and Morty t-shirt and cargo shorts combo). But not something so gorgeous and eye-popping that it will distract them from all of the insightful and intelligent things I'm sure you'll be saying. Of course, if you have a specific personal style that you feel expresses your identity, there's no reason you can't go for that. (Unless your identity is best expressed by a Rick and Morty t-shirt and a pair of cargo shorts, in which case you should stifle your identity as vigorously as possible. I'm just kidding, kind of.) Literature professors tend to pretty non-judgmental about these things, in my experience. An article that I have found useful on this: https://stylishacademic.com/top-4-academic-fashion-tips-you-should-know/ Good luck and congratulations!! caffeinated applicant and karamazov 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karamazov Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 @digital_lime Thanks so much for the advice! Yes, I was leaning toward business casual, but then my dad was like, "you MUST look like a YOUNG PROFESSIONAL because everyone will be in SUITS and you do not want to make a BAD IMPRESSION." Based on my experiences with English profs and grad students, though, super formal business-wear definitely does not seem to be common, but I started doubting myself after my conversation with him. I appreciate the reassurance that I do not, in fact, need to dress like Hillary Clinton. I'm thinking I might wear a skirt (with thick tights underneath, of course- I am much too weak to go out bare-legged in 30-something degree temps) with a nice collared blouse and a cardigan. Also, thanks for linking that article! Indecisive Poet 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glasperlenspieler Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 14 minutes ago, karamazov said: I appreciate the reassurance that I do not, in fact, need to dress like Hillary Clinton. Given your profile picture, the image of Dostoevsky in a pant suit just jumped into my head and it made me very happy somehow. karamazov and vondafkossum 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karamazov Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 @Glasperlenspieler Oh my gosh I just died laughing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaliAcademic Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 Has anyone heard anything about the status of USC's Cinema & Media Studies application cycle? I see on the results page that someone was contacted by a POI. Is this normal for USC? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WallaceShawn Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 (edited) I applied and haven't heard anything. Looking through past years it seems that some people get interviews? But also that some people are admitted/rejected without hearing anything beforehand. Results should come out this week from there, based on previous timetables. I wasn't too confident about my app, so I'm not too surprised I haven't heard anything. Edited January 20, 2020 by WallaceShawn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ztshin Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 1 hour ago, CaliAcademic said: Has anyone heard anything about the status of USC's Cinema & Media Studies application cycle? I see on the results page that someone was contacted by a POI. Is this normal for USC? USC was me. I also heard from UCSB today about my acceptance. According to the person I know who got accepted by USC last year, professors (normally your POIs) would contact you beforehand for short interviews/talks. She mentioned that they are not some very official interviews, more like casual chats. I will talk to my POI tomorrow or the day after, and let's see how it goes. For UCSB, they just don't do interviews and contact you straight ahead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WallaceShawn Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 Good to know, thanks! And Congrats! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jellybellee Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 I'm completely new here, so I have no idea how GradCafe works. Anyhoo, I'm a Canadian applicant and have applied to UBC, UofT, McGill and Queens for an MA in English Literature. So far, I don't really prefer one over the other... I just want to get in haha. My area of interest is Renaissance & Early Modern poetry and History of Literature with a particular soft-spot for moral philosophy and religious affect. I'm your typical Shakespeare enthusiast. CanadianEnglish and asdf1123 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanadianEnglish Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 9 hours ago, jellybellee said: I'm completely new here, so I have no idea how GradCafe works. Anyhoo, I'm a Canadian applicant and have applied to UBC, UofT, McGill and Queens for an MA in English Literature. So far, I don't really prefer one over the other... I just want to get in haha. My area of interest is Renaissance & Early Modern poetry and History of Literature with a particular soft-spot for moral philosophy and religious affect. I'm your typical Shakespeare enthusiast. Hello fellow Canadian! asdf1123 and jellybellee 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rrandle101 Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 I didn't apply to Chicago but thoughts and prayers for all the people tonight finding out if they actually got an interview after putting their availability in on a DoodlePoll (???) I'd be a nervous wreck about now if I were one of you ngl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meghan_sparkle Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 23 minutes ago, Rrandle101 said: I didn't apply to Chicago but thoughts and prayers for all the people tonight finding out if they actually got an interview after putting their availability in on a DoodlePoll (???) I'd be a nervous wreck about now if I were one of you ngl It's rougher than I expected! If I get one (which I don't think I will) the notification will come very late in the evening for me so I've been anxious about it alllll dayyyyy. Indecisive Poet, Rrandle101 and merry night wanderer 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaliAcademic Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 Anyone else also apply to UCLA's Gender Studies program? Haven't heard much about WGS programs on this thread! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ztshin Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 21 hours ago, ztshin said: USC was me. I also heard from UCSB today about my acceptance. According to the person I know who got accepted by USC last year, professors (normally your POIs) would contact you beforehand for short interviews/talks. She mentioned that they are not some very official interviews, more like casual chats. I will talk to my POI tomorrow or the day after, and let's see how it goes. For UCSB, they just don't do interviews and contact you straight ahead. So I've just done with my USC "interview." It is true that it is not an interview per se, more like a small conversation. Professor mentioned though the committee would get to meet this week, and "admit students aggressively." (I think he meant the results were not finalized at this stage, but would be coming out rather quickly after this week's meeting.) Hope this info helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meghan_sparkle Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 Anything from Chicago yet, anyone? ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noneckmonsters Posted January 22, 2020 Share Posted January 22, 2020 Has anyone received a rejection from Emory? I know the WGSS and English departments sent out interview invites the same week, but WGSS already sent out rejections to the other applicants. Just wondering if anyone else applying to English has heard anything from them. Hope we all hear good news this week! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noneckmonsters Posted January 22, 2020 Share Posted January 22, 2020 9 hours ago, CaliAcademic said: Anyone else also apply to UCLA's Gender Studies program? Haven't heard much about WGS programs on this thread! There's a WGS thread. Somepeople have posted results there. I think most UCs send out notices early february Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tessjane77 Posted January 22, 2020 Share Posted January 22, 2020 Ugh, every time I check my application statuses, they all say "decision pending". ? The wait is maddening! One thing I've been wondering: how many interviews or campus visits have you guys done? I applied to six schools, but have only been invited to interview at two. Does that mean anything/is it normal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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