Albany

[Leon1122]

So, is anyone else waitlisted at Albany? There are 7 spots for 120 applicants... don't know how short their waitlist is. Did anyone accept/deny their offer? Know how many are on the waiting list? Etc...?

[TryingAgain]

My partner and I were both given funded offers that we won't be accepting. The program sounds awesome, though, so best of luck that you get one of the two spots that have opened up! (We notified them about a week ago about our decisions).

[Leon1122]

Thanks for the response... hopefully I'll hear something soon!

[augustquail]

It's been a while since this was posted...but what the heck.

I just want to underscore the general awesomeness of Albany's program. I got my BA and my MA through a combined program there, and some of the professors I had were so brilliant and helpful. It is a very theory oriented dept, and they have a great constellation of Americanists, Feminists, and Marxists, and also scholars who do work with biopolitics.

My advisor told me the other day that they get about 200 applications and admitt 7 funded, but they do offer unfunded spots as well.

[augustquail]

i would've just mentioned this in the msg i sent you on LJ but i didn't realize you were the one who posted this. i checked out albany last night and the cultural/transcultural/global studies track looks awesome! my chair and i agreed it must get added to the list. i've not checked for caribbeanists yet, but the classes offered this fall and the overall approach to this track seem right up my alley.

Definately message me if you want to know more about the program. I had a really great experience there, and I could probably help you figure out some faculty that would match your interests (i know some of them!) There are a number of transnational/culturalists, and I know of one guy who specifically does carribbean studies in the English dept. Also, Ualbany does have a Latin American & Carribbean studies dept, so even if you applied to the English Ph.D you could take up to 3 courses in LAC.

[sundv004]

So, is anyone else waitlisted at Albany? There are 7 spots for 120 applicants... don't know how short their waitlist is. Did anyone accept/deny their offer? Know how many are on the waiting list? Etc...?

Did you (or anyone else on this thread) end up going? I am applying this round and would LOVE to work with David Wills. Any reports from the Albany front?

[augustquail]

just read this about albany last night:

http://www.cbs6alban...grams-suny.html

this is a concern for me since french is my primary second language.

Oh my god this is fucking terrible! Public education is really taking blow after blow. shit.

Anyway--is taking french classes integral to your work? The English dept. must make accomodations for students passing their lanuage requirement exams, and I know there are facutly that have comp lit or french backgrounds and could definately still do this. These cuts definately suck but unless you're really far away from proficency, they shouldn't stop you from doing your work (I think). This is a pretty optimistic view though. I wonder how it will affect the French grad classes? I imagine they have new French ph.d students this year who are five years away from completing their work, and it said everyone was going to be able to finsh their major requirements.

They should just get rid of the math dept instead.

[augustquail]

yeah, french is pretty integral for francophone caribbean stuff, but also for theory. according to english dept website, i already meet their language requirements, but it's so much easier to take a class now & then to make sure i don't lose my skills (like i did when i stopped studying it for 7 years straight). i guess if i got in this probably wouldn't affect me too much (assuming the people who are either first year freshmen or first year ph.ds don't switch schools, majors, etc) since it'd be closing during my diss writing time anyway.

Yeah, I don't think it should keep you from applying--although it is definately something to be mindful of. A year or two ago there was a cross-listed grad Eng/Fre class taught my David Wills; I think it was reading french theory in french (ahhh), and I'm pretty sure discussion was largely in french too. My guess is that they will continue to offer classes like that, especially since there won't be any after 2012 in the other departments.

There are other language resources in the area, though I can see it might be a pain to take something outside of the university during the year (there's always summer though). There is a Language Learning Center in Delmar (right near albany, 20 minute drive from campus) that specializes in French (though they have italian and spanish too). They have two different levels of advanced classes (each with 4 sub-levels, i think) so i'm sure you'd be able to find something. I think the main teacher is a native speaker, and on wednesdays they have this french meet-up group for people of all levels to hang out and speak french.

I'll be taking a intermediate II class there this fall sometime. I'll let you know how it is!