Comp Lit 2021 Applicants

[harleth]

1 hour ago, mnelmcar07 said:

How was the process like, if you don't mind sharing?

thank you! i was contacted by the dept admin person with a list of times a week in advance. the actual interview lasted ~25 minutes and they recorded it so that faculty who weren't present could review it too. like @AdiCallai said, there was a panel of about 8 ppl (someone joined halfway through, another person got up at one point, seemed like they were just coming in and out) and they took turns asking questions about my SoP/stated areas of interest--it was entirely academics-focused. they opened with the classic 'tell us about yourself', which always stumps me no matter how much i prepare haha, & left time for me to ask questions at the end.

i think it went reasonably well but really have no idea what to expect. i didn't feel great 'chemistry' with the panel and none of my PoIs were there, but i've learned not to try to make predictions (like many here, i got the Cornell rejection last night and i considered that my best fit by far!). hoping that we'll all get some clarity in the next few weeks ? 

[angrychalupa]

UCDavis acceptances on board, UCLA acceptance as well.

I interviewed with UCD and have yet to hear back. ouch.

[RamonaQ]

Congrats to the UCLA acceptance!!!! Has anyone here interviewed at UC Irvine and heard back from them? I interviewed 1.15 and haven't heard back yet! I feel like I'm acting very impatiently but I can't help it...

[surplus_value]

16 minutes ago, RamonaQ said:

Congrats to the UCLA acceptance!!!! Has anyone here interviewed at UC Irvine and heard back from them? I interviewed 1.15 and haven't heard back yet! I feel like I'm acting very impatiently but I can't help it...

I also interviewed at UCI but have heard nothing since. May I ask what your specialization is? Happy to see another Irvine hopeful here

Edited February 4, 2021 by surplus_value

[RamonaQ]

19 minutes ago, surplus_value said:

I also interviewed at UCI but have heard nothing since. May I ask what your specialization is? Happy to see another Irvine hopeful here

Happy to see you too! I work on the global circulation of contemporary cultural production from the Middle East. But my areas of interest more broadly are Feminism, gender, and sexuality in the Global South, psychoanalysis, deconstruction, and questions of postcoloniality and globalization. How about you?

[rivermoon]

2 hours ago, RamonaQ said:

I feel you. This is nerve-racking. It just doesn't make sense for a program to inform rejections before acceptances. So probably they already gave out all the interview/acceptances that they wanted to offer...

I have also yet to hear back.  It's all quite confusing.  I saw that in past years they did not allow people know so early on...so it also perplexed me to see how early all these rejections were coming through...

[rivermoon]

On the topic of Cornell, is it possible our rejections are delayed because they are referring us to our second choice program to see if we get admitted there? Just a thought.  

[angrychalupa]

Just now, rivermoon said:

On the topic of Cornell, is it possible our rejections are delayed because they are referring us to our second choice program to see if we get admitted there? Just a thought.  

That's what I'm thinking/hoping, though I heard that they usually alert us to let us know that's happening?

[rivermoon]

I guess we will just have to hang tight and see.  What was your second choice program? German?

[angrychalupa]

4 minutes ago, rivermoon said:

I guess we will just have to hang tight and see.  What was your second choice program? German?

yup. What was yours?

[RamonaQ]

15 minutes ago, rivermoon said:

On the topic of Cornell, is it possible our rejections are delayed because they are referring us to our second choice program to see if we get admitted there? Just a thought.  

Maybe...But I'm hoping maybe there is a waitlist or something? Do they even do waitlists? I really liked their program...

[rivermoon]

40 minutes ago, angrychalupa said:

yup. What was yours?

Romance studies! And who knows about the wait list potential.  Guess we will just have to see.  If we don't hear anything back in a week and see acceptances start to roll in, might be time to solicit. I am surprised though that only one person posted they received an interview.  Just seems like someone else who got it would have gone on grad cafe. 

[factical.illusion]

Just had my Yale comp lit interview with two professors, both of whom I mentioned in my SoP and cited in my WS lol. Did anyone else with an interview have mixed feelings about their own performance? I mixed up my words so much. The question that really threw me was when they asked me how all my ideas come together to be caught in a net. Thought I had that down, but I definitely didn't feel like I did. Gonna go walk it off. On the other hand, I got equal amount good vibes as I did "I'm-stressed-out" vibes. I had some some good moments, but the overall feeling is that I didn't clear the bar. Time for wine.

Also they told me that various faculty are meeting with short-listed applicants over the coming weeks to learn more about their work and trajectories and how it fits with faculty interests (I got the vibe that they are doing this with all the short-listed people, but can't say for certain). The DGS will be in touch with applicants in the "next couple weeks" with decisions. So my current mood on a scale of 0-10: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ full stop. Time for more wine.

Edited February 4, 2021 by factical.illusion

[harleth]

2 hours ago, rivermoon said:

On the topic of Cornell, is it possible our rejections are delayed because they are referring us to our second choice program to see if we get admitted there? Just a thought.  

My (very generic) rejection email said "If you indicated on your application an alternate field choice, you will only hear from them if you are admitted into their field.", which makes me think Comp Lit would let you know if they're rejecting you anyway? So maybe it does mean waitlist, idk.

 

53 minutes ago, factical.illusion said:

Did anyone else with an interview have mixed feelings about their own performance?

yup, definitely! felt very inarticulate after one of my interviews was over and like i was barely able to formulate a coherent question for them. also interviewed at Yale and got good vibes but i stupidly blanked on a few dates and two authors' names, which wasn't the best look. very much in favour of wine and more wine.

[factical.illusion]

14 minutes ago, harleth said:

yup, definitely! felt very inarticulate after one of my interviews was over and like i was barely able to formulate a coherent question for them. also interviewed at Yale and got good vibes but i stupidly blanked on a few dates and two authors' names, which wasn't the best look. very much in favour of wine and more wine.

@harleth Whew, glad I'm not the only one. I didn't get nailed on any nitpicky things, but I rambled a bit too much and they lowkey had to cut me off a few times... *stomach sinks* but I guess I did get good lawful-neutral vibes overall. I feel like a requirement to be on an adcomm is to...*gestures at sky*...be impossible to read!

 

But cheers to making it through our interviews. May I ask who your interview was with? Mine was with MH and MFi.

Edited February 4, 2021 by factical.illusion

[angrychalupa]

Not to harp TOO much on Cornell, but I've gotta say, it's really weird to look at their history here and see a) never any interviews before, and b) they notified around now of acceptances at least last year, and of rejections no earlier than the end of Feb. And our deadline to apply was in January! Just seems weird

[Kapol-in]

1 minute ago, angrychalupa said:

Not to harp TOO much on Cornell, but I've gotta say, it's really weird to look at their history here and see a) never any interviews before, and b) they notified around now of acceptances at least last year, and of rejections no earlier than the end of Feb. And our deadline to apply was in January! Just seems weird

You're saying they're quick to make decisions? Just seems to vary so much by program.

[angrychalupa]

Just now, Kapol-in said:

You're saying they're quick to make decisions? Just seems to vary so much by program.

Not really quick, just maybe...odd, how different from past years this cycle apparently is.

[harleth]

I was also expecting to hear from Cornell much much later since they were my last deadline. Seems like covid is weirdly speeding some timelines up and slowing others down.

19 minutes ago, factical.illusion said:

May I ask who your interview was with? Mine was with MH and MFi.

haha love the crypticness, mine was with KC and MFr--I mentioned them in my SoP too. I appreciate that they try to match people with their POIs for interviews, makes it a bit more engaging (or worse, because they can drill you more pointedly? can't decide)

[factical.illusion]

Just now, harleth said:

I appreciate that they try to match people with their POIs for interviews

Yeah, it signals to me that they genuinely want to get a good sense of the fit. Makes me feel like it both for a more substantive evaluation but maybe also for them to advocate (too optimistic?) for "their interviewees" at the final vote... But then it's harder to tell how/if they're trying to eliminate people from the short list

[semiotic_mess]

1 hour ago, factical.illusion said:

Just had my Yale comp lit interview with two professors, both of whom I mentioned in my SoP and cited in my WS lol. Did anyone else with an interview have mixed feelings about their own performance?

I felt/feel the same about my interview( with Duke Lit, not Yale). I don't know the outcome of my cringey interview yet, but I am just trying to remember that I have heard so many stories about how people thought they completely flubbed their interview, but then got an acceptance. Come to think of it, every person I have talked to who was accepted after an interview didn't think they did that well ?. I think the adcoms know that we are nervous and we are all probably harsher on ourselves than they will even be. I wish I could say something to help with the anxiety of waiting, but I haven't worked that out for myself yet either, but you seem to be on track with the wine! I have found that sweet treats that you wouldn't normally get yourself help too (but I would save it for a week that you might be expecting an answer because you'll need it more then). I got a fruit tart last week for Tu Bishvat (Jewish tree holiday where you're supposed to eat fruit) and having a special treat to go bury my feelings in helped a lot.... I recommend people get themselves admission season cakes from now on.

[factical.illusion]

Just now, semiotic_mess said:

I recommend people get themselves admission season cakes from now on.

You are really onto something there. That is some next-level innovation.

Just now, semiotic_mess said:

Come to think of it, every person I have talked to who was accepted after an interview didn't think they did that well

Yeah, thanks for reminding me about that. I'm sure that most also fixate on retracing their steps and their flubs or rougher answers....or maybe just me. But at least it's over with. All that's left is more waiting ?

 

2 minutes ago, semiotic_mess said:

with Duke Lit, not Yale

I've read that the Duke Lit interviews are unequivocally the toughest interviews. Kudos! None of the questions they asked were much more than a softball, which is maybe why I'm obsessing

[rivermoon]

Actually I looked back to their prior admissions results and it seems like back in 2017 (I think) they rejected people a few days before they waitlisted a couple and admitted one person.  

I also saw a stray interview from many years ago.  Their program seems to have very little consistency in terms of admissions reporting.  One year someone seems to have been offered admission via phone call as well.  We are just at the mercy of their process!

1 hour ago, angrychalupa said:

Not to harp TOO much on Cornell, but I've gotta say, it's really weird to look at their history here and see a) never any interviews before, and b) they notified around now of acceptances at least last year, and of rejections no earlier than the end of Feb. And our deadline to apply was in January! Just seems weird

 

Edited February 5, 2021 by rivermoon

[rivermoon]

1 hour ago, harleth said:

My (very generic) rejection email said "If you indicated on your application an alternate field choice, you will only hear from them if you are admitted into their field.", which makes me think Comp Lit would let you know if they're rejecting you anyway? So maybe it does mean waitlist, idk.

 

yup, definitely! felt very inarticulate after one of my interviews was over and like i was barely able to formulate a coherent question for them. also interviewed at Yale and got good vibes but i stupidly blanked on a few dates and two authors' names, which wasn't the best look. very much in favour of wine and more wine.

Thanks for that! Very, very interesting.  I hope you get whatever your second choice was.  I really have to give it to Cornell for allowing our apps to be passed somewhere else if the first shot doesn't make it.  

[AdiCallai]

yes, @harleth, thanks for sharing in detail!

my stanford interview felt similarly like a toss up. all questions were of substance and quite specific to my work. i felt like i did okay with the more complicated interrogations of my arguments but like i was losing my words and blathering at the softballs.

i just interviewed at u michigan as well, and it was quite different. smaller committee so there was more of a back and forth conversation (DGR and DC plus two POIs, admin assistant and a grad student), and this time i didn't rehearse obsessively so wasn't as stultified by unexpected softballs. they were markedly friendly and interested, and they advocated for their program (which seems exciting). curious if anyone else here interviewed with them?

(and +1 with the cornell rej... ?‍♀️ )