AnachronisticPoet Posted March 4, 2020 Share Posted March 4, 2020 1 hour ago, urbanfarmer said: I know someone who applied there this year and was rejected-- but they got an exceptionally kind email. Maybe your email rejection got lost, if you're only seeing this on their portal or whatever. It’s possible, but the email I got was “your status was updated on the portal” which I’ve gotten from other schools Most schools just upload the letter (generic but with a name) to the portal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spikeseagulls Posted March 4, 2020 Share Posted March 4, 2020 (edited) 10 hours ago, AnachronisticPoet said: UIC, by far, had the rudest rejection I’ve gotten this cycle. This is the notification. No letter or content, no “personalized” email (even like auto tagging first names). If you click “more additional information” it just takes you to a generalized university webpage called “Denied Application” Unprofessional and insincere. Wow— this was just as bad as USC forcing me to create a separate account on a different website just to download the rejection letter. Edited March 4, 2020 by spikeseagulls tinymica and jm6394 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gooniesneversaydie Posted March 4, 2020 Share Posted March 4, 2020 Okay, but no really...I'm starting to hate late afternoons/early evenings because it means another day has gone by with no news. I keep looking over BU's past notifications as if I'm going to gain some new insight. It's making me even more paranoid because aside from last year, it seems like they only accept 1-2 applicants each year (well, that post on GC that is). Lighthouse Lana 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BetterLight13 Posted March 4, 2020 Share Posted March 4, 2020 11 minutes ago, gooniesneversaydie said: Okay, but no really...I'm starting to hate late afternoons/early evenings because it means another day has gone by with no news. I keep looking over BU's past notifications as if I'm going to gain some new insight. It's making me even more paranoid because aside from last year, it seems like they only accept 1-2 applicants each year (well, that post on GC that is). Also being slowly driven insane. My boss went to campus to participate in an event this afternoon. Also, also, though, I think these numbers have a lot to do with GC user numbers rather than a complete, accurate representation of admitted students. Last year it looks like four got in and a few more were wait listed. Before that, you’re right, only one or two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emailchecker Posted March 4, 2020 Share Posted March 4, 2020 That's not a lot of places. Do you think they have the same number of applicants as Chicago? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gooniesneversaydie Posted March 5, 2020 Share Posted March 5, 2020 17 hours ago, Emailchecker said: That's not a lot of places. Do you think they have the same number of applicants as Chicago? I couldn't say. It looks like Chicago is a bigger program, but who knows how that translates to how many applicants/spaces they actually have. I like the concept of a small cohort (especially after reading some comments on here about the benefits), but load a good it does me if I'm not in it! I will say, last year when I went to U of O's welcome days, there were about 20 people in the cohort and only 7 or so posted on GC. So, like @BetterLight13 said, GC isn't the best representation of potential cohort size. Lighthouse Lana 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BetterLight13 Posted March 5, 2020 Share Posted March 5, 2020 2 hours ago, gooniesneversaydie said: I couldn't say. It looks like Chicago is a bigger program, but who knows how that translates to how many applicants/spaces they actually have. I like the concept of a small cohort (especially after reading some comments on here about the benefits), but load a good it does me if I'm not in it! I will say, last year when I went to U of O's welcome days, there were about 20 people in the cohort and only 7 or so posted on GC. So, like @BetterLight13 said, GC isn't the best representation of potential cohort size. Update: They take five per cohort. (https://www.bu.edu/english/graduate/phd-in-english-and-american-literature/phd-program-information/). Not great, but actually not terribly different than a lot of other comparable universities in the area. Thinking of Boston College or Brandeis when I claim this. Someone earlier in this thread also commented that many universities, BU included, recently did away with the GRE Subject requirement. This probably did have an effect on the number of applicants, but we may never know how drastically. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emailchecker Posted March 5, 2020 Share Posted March 5, 2020 Basic question, from someone unfamiliar with American academia lingo: does cohort mean in the phd program of a year overall, or literary period etc.? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snorkles Posted March 5, 2020 Share Posted March 5, 2020 9 minutes ago, Emailchecker said: Basic question, from someone unfamiliar with American academia lingo: does cohort mean in the phd program of a year overall, or literary period etc.? Program of a year overall. Per period/field you can expect 1-2 on average a year, I imagine. Emailchecker 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gooniesneversaydie Posted March 5, 2020 Share Posted March 5, 2020 11 minutes ago, BetterLight13 said: Update: They take five per cohort. (https://www.bu.edu/english/graduate/phd-in-english-and-american-literature/phd-program-information/). Not great, but actually not terribly different than a lot of other comparable universities in the area. Thinking of Boston College or Brandeis when I claim this. Someone earlier in this thread also commented that many universities, BU included, recently did away with the GRE Subject requirement. This probably did have an effect on the number of applicants, but we may never know how drastically. Yikes. The odds are definitely not in my favor. Balls. 10 minutes ago, Emailchecker said: Basic question, from someone unfamiliar with American academia lingo: does cohort mean in the phd program of a year overall, or literary period etc.? Those in the program overall. So, we'll be the 2020 cohort. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinymica Posted March 5, 2020 Share Posted March 5, 2020 Just received the details of my campus visit! I’m scheduled for a series of discussions with faculty and other prospective students on various topics (genre, environmental humanities, etc). I’m feeling the urge to “study” in preparation for those discussions....is that....overkill? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snorkles Posted March 5, 2020 Share Posted March 5, 2020 Just now, tinymica said: Just received the details of my campus visit! I’m scheduled for a series of discussions with faculty and other prospective students on various topics (genre, environmental humanities, etc). I’m feeling the urge to “study” in preparation for those discussions....is that....overkill? Yes, yes it is. If you have been accepted, then you don't need to prove yourself. I imagine the conversations are to illustrate interests and not competency. spikeseagulls and tinymica 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gooniesneversaydie Posted March 5, 2020 Share Posted March 5, 2020 5 minutes ago, tinymica said: Just received the details of my campus visit! I’m scheduled for a series of discussions with faculty and other prospective students on various topics (genre, environmental humanities, etc). I’m feeling the urge to “study” in preparation for those discussions....is that....overkill? Be prepared to talk A LOT about your area of interests. You'll say the same things over and over again. However, like @snorkles, I don't think you need to study. Just enjoy being part of the discourse and overall environment! And don't be afraid to chime in when you have something to say, even if you don't feel super confident in an area. (However, however, if you're interested in peeking at Enviro Hum, I highly rec. Jeff J. Cohen, Gillian Rudd, and Corinne Saunders (Medievalists) and Stephanie LeMenager (Americanist) Also, Greg Garrard has a fairly easy-to-read text on overall ecocritical themes/key words). merry night wanderer and tinymica 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tessjane77 Posted March 5, 2020 Share Posted March 5, 2020 On 3/3/2020 at 3:29 PM, olivetree said: Hi, @Tessjane77! I've worked as a high school English teacher for the past four years (started teaching right out of college) and just applied to PhD programs in this cycle. I highly recommend getting some work experience outside academia before reentering the academy; not only do I think it's helped me become a more competitive applicant and clarify my research interests, but it's also just been hugely valuable to me personally to be removed from the ivory tower for a few years. If you want to talk more about entering secondary education, let me know! I've loved working as a high school teacher and, given the dearth of TT jobs, teaching at the high school level is a great option for people with interests like ours. Aw, thank you for the support! Yes, I am warming up to the idea of a high school level job, especially since post-secondary stuff is so crazy. olivetree and MundaneSoul 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gooniesneversaydie Posted March 5, 2020 Share Posted March 5, 2020 I just checked my BU portal (for the 2493854th time) and the main page is now different. It gives the option to "make changes" to my application. It wasn't like that earlier in the day, so I'm not sure what that means... No status update or anything like that, just a new button at the top to make changes. I clicked on it just to see if it would do anything, nothing happened, and now it's gone? I hope I didn't just fook something up. MundaneSoul, Emailchecker, Rrandle101 and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
politics 'n prose Posted March 6, 2020 Share Posted March 6, 2020 Fiiinnnaaalllyyy got that sweet, sweet UNC rejection. App season is officially over for me: now, decision time! Lighthouse Lana, whereareyourcitations, MichelleObama and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinymica Posted March 6, 2020 Share Posted March 6, 2020 I’m......in at BU. What? What? I...HUH? Metaellipses, The Hoosier Oxonian, jm6394 and 16 others 16 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gooniesneversaydie Posted March 6, 2020 Share Posted March 6, 2020 31 minutes ago, tinymica said: I’m......in at BU. What? What? I...HUH? OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Congratulations!! I'm screaming at the computer screen in complete joy for you!! tinymica 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BwO Posted March 6, 2020 Share Posted March 6, 2020 34 minutes ago, tinymica said: I’m......in at BU. What? What? I...HUH? Yesssss!! I suppose the long wait paid off after all. tinymica 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinymica Posted March 6, 2020 Share Posted March 6, 2020 20 minutes ago, gooniesneversaydie said: OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Congratulations!! I'm screaming at the computer screen in complete joy for you!! Thank you!!! I have to say that I've been really grateful to share my waiting frustration with you. Please let me know as soon as you hear from them. It would be incredible if we both got in - then we could meet in person! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinymica Posted March 6, 2020 Share Posted March 6, 2020 19 minutes ago, BwO said: Yesssss!! I suppose the long wait paid off after all. I suppose so! Who knew whining could be so fruitful? gooniesneversaydie, BwO and MichelleObama 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caffeinated applicant Posted March 6, 2020 Share Posted March 6, 2020 1 hour ago, tinymica said: I’m......in at BU. What? What? I...HUH? Congratulations!!!!! Such exciting news in March!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gooniesneversaydie Posted March 6, 2020 Share Posted March 6, 2020 17 minutes ago, tinymica said: Thank you!!! I have to say that I've been really grateful to share my waiting frustration with you. Please let me know as soon as you hear from them. It would be incredible if we both got in - then we could meet in person! It has been a real comfort to have other people so stressed out as me (especially about this one school, jfc). That sounds odd, like, I'm grateful for your mental struggles....?! Weird. If I don't get in though, the Tufts' campus is like 7 miles away from BU, so if you decide to come out east, you'll have a friend here waiting! Plus, in my second year, I get to take advantage of the Boston-area consortium (so would you!) and hopefully take some classes at BU and do the women's study consortium program at MIT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinymica Posted March 6, 2020 Share Posted March 6, 2020 6 minutes ago, caffeinated applicant said: Congratulations!!!!! Such exciting news in March!! Thank you so much! I have no idea what to do now. My brain is like "fit" "funding" "west coast" "no east coast" "family" "FUNDING" on a loop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobydickpic Posted March 6, 2020 Share Posted March 6, 2020 has anyone still had total radio silence from Brown English? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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