Decision Anxiety: Faculty vs Funding vs Location vs Life

[Tybalt]

5 hours ago, alszd said:

I'm also feeling the anxiety! Have posted on the decision forum several days ago and there is no reply, so I was really desperate for advice from you all...I got admitted to 5, and I am currently hesitating between IU-Bloomington, Rutgers, and U of Toronto. U of T is a good fit intellectually and it ranks high which might matter when it comes to finding jobs, but I heard that their teachers might not be as supportive and reachable as the ones in the States and was wondering if anyone knows if that's true. I am also not sure about how people view Canadian schools in general in terms of the quality of academic works. I like IU for its extremely nice and supportive faculty, great sense of community, and also location---Bloomington seems a platonic place to live and do research! But on the other hand, their teaching load is intimidating and I am not sure if I can adjust myself to that as an international student whose first language is not English. Rutgers has great academic resources and the most generous funding (and, presumably, first-rate faculty and good reputation in the field?), but I am definitely no fan of living in New Brunswick.

I just cannot decide, so I would really appreciate any advice, general impression of these schools, etc., and I would also love to hear what influences you the most in your decision-making process!

You will need to take personal comfort level into account (which is something only you can really decide), but while all three of those schools are excellent programs, Toronto is one of THE top medieval programs.  IU and Rutgers have fine medievalists (I actually know a bunch of medievalists from IU), but it isn't the calling card of their program the way it is for Toronto.

[alszd]

3 hours ago, j.j.pizza said:

Dear alszd,

 

I’m no expert, but since no one else has responded yet:

 

My sense is that Rutgers and the University of Toronto English program rankings are roughly the same (both quite high) with IU Bloomington being only slightly behind—but those published rankings list, as we all know, are not always hyper-updated and also leave plenty of things out, especially quality of life/pleasantness of experience type things. None of those schools are a slouch and you should be proud to have been accepted to any and all of them. I wouldn’t rule out any of them in terms of excellence of education and opportunity. Canadian academics are definitely taken seriously in the world, and the University of Toronto is by nearly all published rankings the "best" in Canada.

 

If funding/living expenses are a big concern, Toronto will probably be the hardest to swing unless you get bonus fellowships, as Toronto is an expensive place to live. Toronto has the pros and the cons of big city living. Rutgers is in New Brunswick, sure, but it’s also pretty close to NYC, if that matters to you. Bloomington is not terribly far from Chicago, though you are more likely to need/want a car there than you would in the other locations (speaking from my upbringing somewhat near there)—and you can probably afford to own and park a car there, which is also a perk!

 

Teaching load concerns are real! That would probably be worth speaking to current Bloomington students about, if you haven’t already. Sometimes (but definitely not always) the teaching obligations look worse on paper than they are in actuality (and sometimes they are worse—speaking from my MA program teaching experiences).

 

My general advice would be to see if there are any negatives to any of the programs/living areas that loom large enough to be likely to make you quite unhappy to handle for 5+ years. If there are no deal breakers, then try considering which professors and resources excite you the most.

 

I hope my random stranger advice was fun to read at least!

 

Dear j. j. pizza (cute name!)---Thank you so much! I really appreciate the information of ranking and the Canadian academics, and you've helped me comb through every other important aspects of these programs! I think it's a really smart advice to look at the negatives. I haven't been able to visit any of these places, but based on my vague impression from watching numerous vlogs, I can at least tell that I would not be thrilled if I end up in New Brunswick...sadly, Rutgers' resources are indeed appealing, and I might still need to weigh its pros and cons...

23 minutes ago, Debord said:

Hi @alszd

Speaking anecdotally (I did my undergrad at the University of Toronto), so take anything I write with a grain of salt.

I can’t speak to what your experience might be as a graduate student, but UofT is a big public research school with roughly the population of a satellite city—almost 63,000 students on the St. George campus, the last time I checked. Though the campus is sprawling and grand, St. George itself dissolves into the larger fabric of Toronto. It is easy to disappear in a place like that. The anonymity suited me (because I am a GRUMP), but it is not for everyone. I would characterize departmental culture as polite, but indifferent—it is simply too big an entity to pay close attention to all its constituent parts.

That said. U of T has departments for everything, which is good if your work is interdisciplinary. Diaspora & Transnational Studies? Slavic Literatures? Renaissance Culture? Literature and Critical Theory? Book History? Cinema Studies? UofT has a department for that.

The University has a GLORIOUS library system. 42 libraries, over 12 million print books, and an absolute knock-out of a library for incunabula: The Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library.

The Department has terrific faculty, raided regularly by other schools—I think Deirdre Lynch is now at Harvard, Suzanne Akbari splits her time between Princeton and UofT’s Medieval Departments, and Andy Orchard left to assume a post as Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford.

I think you have to consider carefully what you want out of the program and the timeline to completion of the PhD. In general, the normal funding window in Canada is 4 years (with a halved stipend for the 5^th year) and is considerably less than what you will receive from American schools where tuition remission seems to be the norm and funding is guaranteed for 5 years. Again, your experience of the department *might* be radically different from mine as an undergrad. For me, UofT is an amazing place to learn so long as you understand that the environment is for self-starters.

Intangibles: Toronto is a fantastic city. It’s got something for everybody, whether that’s baseball, opera, a thriving comic books scene (don’t skip the annual TCAF at the Reference Library), absurdly good Thai food (skip the crowds at PAI on Duncan St. and go to its less hectic sister, Sabai Sabai on Bloor), thoughtfully-curated bookshops like TYPE Books, and independent movie theatres like the TIFF Lightbox (where they have talks and retrospectives on turgidly obscure directors like Jean-Marie Straub and Danièle Huillet and also play films people might actually enjoy).

Anyway, I hope that helps. Good luck with decisions! All of your potential schools sound terrific, so I think it's more about finding that balance between the kind of work you want to do and how a program might support that AND where you can imagine yourself living for the next 5-6 years.

Thank you, Debord, for sharing with me your personal experience with Toronto! I just LOVE to read these anecdotes. I'm really sad that Suzanne Akbari left the department--she could have been a good fit, intellectually. Your descriptions of U of T's interdisciplinary atmosphere, faculty, and libraries sound really appealing, and I think I would definitely enjoy the city life---if not a small college town like Bloomington, I would love to live in a big city (well I'll admit that I just hate New Brunswick lmao). It's also really helpful that you point out the environment is for self-starters! I assume that I like working independently, but I'll start to think more seriously if I am indeed that type of person. The graduate school is hard on itself, and there are times that I think some encouraging words and individual attention from faculty and the cohort will significantly help deal with anxiety. 

1 minute ago, Tybalt said:

You will need to take personal comfort level into account (which is something only you can really decide), but while all three of those schools are excellent programs, Toronto is one of THE top medieval programs.  IU and Rutgers have fine medievalists (I actually know a bunch of medievalists from IU), but it isn't the calling card of their program the way it is for Toronto.

Hi Tybalt---Thank you so much for pointing this out! 5 points to U of T. Two things that I'm concerned with Toronto are funding and the environment as Debord said. I really wish I could have more time to think these through, but Toronto requires us to respond TOMORROW, on the very day of its Virtual Visit, which is just insane. I haven't even been able to attend Rutgers' Open House and it's so totally unfair!

[Warelin]

26 minutes ago, alszd said:

but Toronto requires us to respond TOMORROW, on the very day of its Virtual Visit, which is just insane. I haven't even been able to attend Rutgers' Open House and it's so totally unfair!

It might be worthwhile to e-mail Toronto and explain that you've also applied to schools within the USA and haven't had a chance to attend their open house. The worse they can say is no. However, different schools in different countries have offered extensions in the past.

[Kaharim]

1 hour ago, Debord said:

Hi @alszd

Speaking anecdotally (I did my undergrad at the University of Toronto), so take anything I write with a grain of salt.

I can’t speak to what your experience might be as a graduate student, but UofT is a big public research school with roughly the population of a satellite city—almost 63,000 students on the St. George campus, the last time I checked. Though the campus is sprawling and grand, St. George itself dissolves into the larger fabric of Toronto. It is easy to disappear in a place like that. The anonymity suited me (because I am a GRUMP), but it is not for everyone. I would characterize departmental culture as polite, but indifferent—it is simply too big an entity to pay close attention to all its constituent parts.

That said. U of T has departments for everything, which is good if your work is interdisciplinary. Diaspora & Transnational Studies? Slavic Literatures? Renaissance Culture? Literature and Critical Theory? Book History? Cinema Studies? UofT has a department for that.

The University has a GLORIOUS library system. 42 libraries, over 12 million print books, and an absolute knock-out of a library for incunabula: The Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library.

The Department has terrific faculty, raided regularly by other schools—I think Deirdre Lynch is now at Harvard, Suzanne Akbari splits her time between Princeton and UofT’s Medieval Departments, and Andy Orchard left to assume a post as Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford.

I think you have to consider carefully what you want out of the program and the timeline to completion of the PhD. In general, the normal funding window in Canada is 4 years (with a halved stipend for the 5^th year) and is considerably less than what you will receive from American schools where tuition remission seems to be the norm and funding is guaranteed for 5 years. Again, your experience of the department *might* be radically different from mine as an undergrad. For me, UofT is an amazing place to learn so long as you understand that the environment is for self-starters.

Intangibles: Toronto is a fantastic city. It’s got something for everybody, whether that’s baseball, opera, a thriving comic books scene (don’t skip the annual TCAF at the Reference Library), absurdly good Thai food (skip the crowds at PAI on Duncan St. and go to its less hectic sister, Sabai Sabai on Bloor), thoughtfully-curated bookshops like TYPE Books, and independent movie theatres like the TIFF Lightbox (where they have talks and retrospectives on turgidly obscure directors like Jean-Marie Straub and Danièle Huillet and also play films people might actually enjoy).

Anyway, I hope that helps. Good luck with decisions! All of your potential schools sound terrific, so I think it's more about finding that balance between the kind of work you want to do and how a program might support that AND where you can imagine yourself living for the next 5-6 years.

For me Toronto would be sold lmao If worst comes to worst and I have to reapply next year, I will definitely make it one of my options! Only one question: don't they offer full tuition remission for PhD students?

[j.j.pizza]

21 minutes ago, Kaharim said:

For me Toronto would be sold lmao If worst comes to worst and I have to reapply next year, I will definitely make it one of my options! Only one question: don't they offer full tuition remission for PhD students?

Yes, Toronto offers full tuition remission for PhD English students for 5 years, but the guaranteed stipend on top of that is only $18,000 per year (Canadian dollars) (source: http://www.english.utoronto.ca/grad/financial.htm). Further funding is competitive and not guaranteed. Some quick internet research let me know that rented housing in Toronto is $1000-3000 per month, with the lower end of that requiring roommates and likely living far from the city center. This nifty website (https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/city-estimator/in/Toronto) told me that my current standard of living (including a one-bedroom apartment, no restaurants, no entertainment costs besides internet, no kids) would cost me $4500 per month in Toronto. So the money concern is real.

Edited March 18, 2021 by j.j.pizza
forgot a link

[Kaharim]

4 minutes ago, j.j.pizza said:

Yes, Toronto offers full tuition remission for PhD English students for 5 years, but the guaranteed stipend on top of that is only $18,000 per year (Canadian dollars) (source: http://www.english.utoronto.ca/grad/financial.htm). Further funding is competitive and not guaranteed. Some quick internet research let me know that rented housing in Toronto is $1000-3000 per month, with the lower end of that requiring roommates and likely living far from the city center. This nifty website (https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/city-estimator/in/Toronto) told me that my current standard of living (including a one-bedroom apartment, no restaurants, no entertainment costs besides internet, no kids) would cost me $4500 per month in Toronto. So the money concern is real.

Thanks for the info about the tuition, but regarding the second half of your message, in my experience numbeo is not the panacea... I also used it back in the day but ended up discarding it. Guess I would contact people that are living there at the moment if I need to. Gotta say that living in a one-bedroom apartment is almost a luxury in any large city though.

Edited March 18, 2021 by Kaharim

[j.j.pizza]

24 minutes ago, Kaharim said:

Thanks for the info about the tuition, but regarding the second half of your message, in my experience numbeo is not the panacea... I also used it back in the day but ended up discarding it. Guess I would contact people that are living there at the moment if I need to. Gotta say that living in a one-bedroom apartment is almost a luxury in any large city though.

Sure sure of course those calculators are very general and people's money choices are individual and sometimes unpredictable. I made a pretty egregious error in reported calculations anyway, lol, turns out it would be more like $2900/month in Toronto for my preferred standard and like $2200 removing most of the joy from my life. But even in the joyless state, the stipend would not cover it.

[Tybalt]

2 hours ago, alszd said:

Hi Tybalt---Thank you so much for pointing this out! 5 points to U of T. Two things that I'm concerned with Toronto are funding and the environment as Debord said. I really wish I could have more time to think these through, but Toronto requires us to respond TOMORROW, on the very day of its Virtual Visit, which is just insane. I haven't even been able to attend Rutgers' Open House and it's so totally unfair!

 

Program rep is a big thing, especially if you plan to go on the academic job market, but personal happiness and health is super important as well. That's the thing I always tell prospective grad students to keep in mind.  A bad fit in terms of location/mentor/program makes it exponentially more likely that a person won't complete their program (and a LOT of people who start a PhD never finish it.  My cohort started with 8--three of us finished).  You want to look at that comfort level--on the virtual visit, get as much information as you can.  Ask prospective advisors questions.  Ask them to explain what an average advising meeting might look like.  Ask them what their expectations of advisees might be in terms of production of chapters, lists, etc.  See if you vibe with them.  If it's awkward now, it probably won't get better in the program.  You can also ask them questions about how grad students make it on the stipend.  Do they do a lot of room shares?  Is there campus grad housing?

If you get the sense that you can complete your degree there, to me, Toronto is the clear choice for a medievalist.  If you have doubts, though, and feel more comfortable at Rutgers or IU (both excellent programs, and IU also has a stellar rep for medieval), then that would be the better choice.  

Get the information that you need, and if you still have doubts after the visit, you can always ask them for more time to make your final decision.

[caitlin_flawed]

Heyoo folks, has anyone here had experience discussing counter offers from other schools? I really want to attend one school, but another program I was accepted into offers a slightly better (by like $2k) funding offer. V anxious it'll create a weird rift between me and the department coordinator.

[helloperil]

imo it doesn't hurt to try to discuss counter offers and try to get more funding or bonus funding, like a summer of guaranteed funding, extra travel funds, etc. I had a few offers and tried to negotiate for a better offer from the school that I now attend. I was unsuccessful but it didn't create weird vibes between me and the DGS; the DGS is actually even on my committee now so it's all chill. I think they understand you're not making a lot and you want to maximize your funding.  

[alszd]

7 hours ago, Tybalt said:

 

Program rep is a big thing, especially if you plan to go on the academic job market, but personal happiness and health is super important as well. That's the thing I always tell prospective grad students to keep in mind.  A bad fit in terms of location/mentor/program makes it exponentially more likely that a person won't complete their program (and a LOT of people who start a PhD never finish it.  My cohort started with 8--three of us finished).  You want to look at that comfort level--on the virtual visit, get as much information as you can.  Ask prospective advisors questions.  Ask them to explain what an average advising meeting might look like.  Ask them what their expectations of advisees might be in terms of production of chapters, lists, etc.  See if you vibe with them.  If it's awkward now, it probably won't get better in the program.  You can also ask them questions about how grad students make it on the stipend.  Do they do a lot of room shares?  Is there campus grad housing?

If you get the sense that you can complete your degree there, to me, Toronto is the clear choice for a medievalist.  If you have doubts, though, and feel more comfortable at Rutgers or IU (both excellent programs, and IU also has a stellar rep for medieval), then that would be the better choice.  

Get the information that you need, and if you still have doubts after the visit, you can always ask them for more time to make your final decision.

Thanks, Tybalt! These are all really helpful suggestions. My advisor told me that I should select an environment where I'll feel content on a day-to-day basis, which is quite similar to what you said. Same advice to everyone else who's also struggling!

[Kaharim]

20 hours ago, Tybalt said:

Program rep is a big thing, especially if you plan to go on the academic job market, but personal happiness and health is super important as well

I have a question regarding this quote. The program which is my top choice is Temple U English PhD but this institution is not in the Top 100 of the country according to USRanking  and the English PhD is 64th according to the same website, which makes it not highly ranked either. However, as you might have read in a previous message, there are several other variables (vibes about the department, funding, place/resources, weather, etc.) which are more than positive. Only real inconvenience is that I have no way of meeting possible advisors before starting the program, I would choose them while taking courses the first two years and there is not a lot of information about the courses themselves either, so it feels like a bit of 'gambling' to me regarding that part. This being said, if I am able to finally get an offer from them, it's more than likely that I will accept it because of all the pros mentioned and the fact that applying next year would entail a series of inconveniences I'd rather not go through. However, I wanted to know your opinion on this matter as someone who "recently" completed their PhD in the same field. Would you say I am making a mistake if I plan to pursue an academic career after submitting my thesis by not reapplying next year to get a chance of being accepted in higher ranked schools?

 

I also appreciate all opinions from those who have a bit more of experience about this than me! ?

[Tybalt]

12 hours ago, Kaharim said:

I have a question regarding this quote. The program which is my top choice is Temple U English PhD but this institution is not in the Top 100 of the country according to USRanking  and the English PhD is 64th according to the same website, which makes it not highly ranked either. However, as you might have read in a previous message, there are several other variables (vibes about the department, funding, place/resources, weather, etc.) which are more than positive. Only real inconvenience is that I have no way of meeting possible advisors before starting the program, I would choose them while taking courses the first two years and there is not a lot of information about the courses themselves either, so it feels like a bit of 'gambling' to me regarding that part. This being said, if I am able to finally get an offer from them, it's more than likely that I will accept it because of all the pros mentioned and the fact that applying next year would entail a series of inconveniences I'd rather not go through. However, I wanted to know your opinion on this matter as someone who "recently" completed their PhD in the same field. Would you say I am making a mistake if I plan to pursue an academic career after submitting my thesis by not reapplying next year to get a chance of being accepted in higher ranked schools?

 

I also appreciate all opinions from those who have a bit more of experience about this than me! ?

It ultimately depends on what kind of academic career you want to pursue and what the job market even looks like in 5 to 7 years.  The latter, you can't really control.  As for the former, you need to figure out what you are actually able/willing to do.  Are you only going to be happy at an R1 or a SLAC with a 2-2 (MAYBE 3-3) teaching load, where your primary job is research?  If that's the case, then Temple won't open those doors (neither would my program, to be clear).  Does that mean it's impossible?  No.  You could publish your backside off, and move into such a job, but the odds are a fraction of a percent without a top 10 degree.  

That said, if you are interested in teaching, don't mind having ~half of your load as composition courses, can teach a 4-4 (or a 5-5 at some places), then a degree from Temple would be fine.  

There isn't one job market.  There's a job market for R1s and SLACs and a job market for teaching focused schools.  How you prepare for each of those markets is different as well.  For example, I have a few publications (a book chapter, some DH stuff, etc), but my research portfolio would be blown out of the water by half of the ABDs at Harvard/Yale/Princeton.  My teaching dossier, however, is longer and more diverse than some of the full professors at those schools.  I got my job because of the latter.  I've lost out on jobs because of the former.  Every job requires a bit of each, but how you build your CV should be influenced--from the earliest stages of your program--by what kind of job you eventually want.  And even then, the odds are better than not that a TT job won't happen.  I'm not trying to be a downer, or one of those "it's easy for you to say that when you have one" people, but my job happened by dumb luck.  I had applied to 90 positions.  Had a handful of interviews.  Was adjuncting and teaching a 6-5 load across three schools.  I was at the point where I was ready to walk away, and just got lucky that a school needed someone not only with my--frankly odd--set of secondary interests AND a credential from a prior career that 95% of job applicants won't have. This Fall will be my 3rd semester here, and I still won't have taught my primary specialty (Shakespeare).

 

I will also say this--much of this advice pretty much echoes what I was told by a newly-hired professor that I first met during my MA program.  He had just earned his PhD in Renaissance rhetoric from Temple, and was willing to relocate to a school beyond the middle of nowhere and teach a 4-4, where composition would be his primary responsibility (he even ran the writing center for a bit).  Not having an Ivy degree doesn't mean you can't get a job.  But it might not be in a place you'd like to live. It will probably be a generalist position rather than a job directly in your specialty field.  You might need to wear a lot of hats, and you will definitely need to teach your backside off.  If that sounds completely unappealing, then it might be best to roll the dice again, targeting only top programs.

[Kaharim]

On 3/20/2021 at 8:32 AM, Tybalt said:

It ultimately depends on what kind of academic career you want to pursue and what the job market even looks like in 5 to 7 years.  The latter, you can't really control.  As for the former, you need to figure out what you are actually able/willing to do.  Are you only going to be happy at an R1 or a SLAC with a 2-2 (MAYBE 3-3) teaching load, where your primary job is research?  If that's the case, then Temple won't open those doors (neither would my program, to be clear).  Does that mean it's impossible?  No.  You could publish your backside off, and move into such a job, but the odds are a fraction of a percent without a top 10 degree.  

That said, if you are interested in teaching, don't mind having ~half of your load as composition courses, can teach a 4-4 (or a 5-5 at some places), then a degree from Temple would be fine.  

There isn't one job market.  There's a job market for R1s and SLACs and a job market for teaching focused schools.  How you prepare for each of those markets is different as well.  For example, I have a few publications (a book chapter, some DH stuff, etc), but my research portfolio would be blown out of the water by half of the ABDs at Harvard/Yale/Princeton.  My teaching dossier, however, is longer and more diverse than some of the full professors at those schools.  I got my job because of the latter.  I've lost out on jobs because of the former.  Every job requires a bit of each, but how you build your CV should be influenced--from the earliest stages of your program--by what kind of job you eventually want.  And even then, the odds are better than not that a TT job won't happen.  I'm not trying to be a downer, or one of those "it's easy for you to say that when you have one" people, but my job happened by dumb luck.  I had applied to 90 positions.  Had a handful of interviews.  Was adjuncting and teaching a 6-5 load across three schools.  I was at the point where I was ready to walk away, and just got lucky that a school needed someone not only with my--frankly odd--set of secondary interests AND a credential from a prior career that 95% of job applicants won't have. This Fall will be my 3rd semester here, and I still won't have taught my primary specialty (Shakespeare).

 

I will also say this--much of this advice pretty much echoes what I was told by a newly-hired professor that I first met during my MA program.  He had just earned his PhD in Renaissance rhetoric from Temple, and was willing to relocate to a school beyond the middle of nowhere and teach a 4-4, where composition would be his primary responsibility (he even ran the writing center for a bit).  Not having an Ivy degree doesn't mean you can't get a job.  But it might not be in a place you'd like to live. It will probably be a generalist position rather than a job directly in your specialty field.  You might need to wear a lot of hats, and you will definitely need to teach your backside off.  If that sounds completely unappealing, then it might be best to roll the dice again, targeting only top programs.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS. Several things have kept me from answering to your message but I certainly appreciate all of the info you have provided me with. When you are an international student applying for PhDs in a country different from yours is difficult to be aware of this kind of stuff. I will do some research before accepting Temple's offer (if I finally get one) to be sure that I am ok with the possible professional outcomes of this doctoral degree.

One last questions, just in hopes you could help: what about pursuing a professional career with an English PhD outside of academia? Is that something that can actually be done in US? Like, in publishing houses/journalism, for example? I have read different opinions on the net about that, I'd like to know yours.

[Tybalt]

7 hours ago, Kaharim said:

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS. Several things have kept me from answering to your message but I certainly appreciate all of the info you have provided me with. When you are an international student applying for PhDs in a country different from yours is difficult to be aware of this kind of stuff. I will do some research before accepting Temple's offer (if I finally get one) to be sure that I am ok with the possible professional outcomes of this doctoral degree.

One last questions, just in hopes you could help: what about pursuing a professional career with an English PhD outside of academia? Is that something that can actually be done in US? Like, in publishing houses/journalism, for example? I have read different opinions on the net about that, I'd like to know yours.

 

It CAN be done, but that move is difficult as well.  In most of those fields, companies are wary of hiring a PhD because they seem "overqualified" for the entry level positions while also lacking the experience for the more advanced positions.  I know a lot of folks who take the PhD off of their resume when applying in certain fields, but even that's tough, because how do you explain a 5+ year gap in your employment history without mentioning that the teaching was part of your PhD program?

I think this topic (realistic plans outside of academia post-degree) should be FAR more prominent, because of the reality that there are significantly more PhD graduates than there are TT jobs.  Too many people adjunct for years hoping that the TT will happen, and it usually doesn't (though full time lecturer positions seem to be getting more common, which is at least a good middle ground).

I will say that if you ask most people what their "backup" plan is, they will offer vague responses about museum work, library work, or (and not digging at you here, as I've heard other people say the same thing) publishing work.  The problem there is that ALL of those fields have job markets that are as dismal, if not more so, than academia, and they often have their own certifications that you won't get from your PhD program.  I have some friends who started library science programs once they got to the candidate stage with their PhD, so they will at least have both degrees by the time they finish, but even then---academic library positions are a specialized field, often run by the same penny pinchers who are adjunctifying the TT job market.

I would encourage every PhD candidate to start diversifying their job materials as soon as they are ABD.  Don't rely on the professors in your department--not because they don't mean well, but the odds are that they don't know what they are talking about.  Most of them went right from high school to grad school to an R1 position that prizes research over anything else.  They've literally never HAD to search for a job outside of academia, and it isn't really fair to expect them to know how to guide students to do something they've never done.  That said, every university has job prep/networking kinds of resources.  Look for the job center.  See what kinds of workshops they offer.  Get feedback on how to transform your CV into a proper resume.  Take advantage of alumni networking opportunities.  Start building up your LinkedIn network.  Pick up some certifications (it doesn't have to be something as massive as an MLIS degree--you can pick up certifications in Microsoft Office, coding, and I know that Google has a whole series of certification programs).

I know that all sounds like a lot, but if you do one thing per semester and one per summer, you'll have a resume that looks like you are ready for a job outside of academia, rather than a poorly translated CV that looks like you are considering that job because you didn't get what you really wanted.  You can still do all of these things after finishing the degree, of course, but they take time, and it's better to build slowly and deliberately (and to use those job center resources while you still have student status at your PhD program).

Finally, I would recommend setting a concrete cap on the number of years you will play the academic job market.  It's up to you to figure out where your comfort level is, but going into the job market year after year, adjuncting your way through, is a recipe for disaster.  It's like a drug, and I've seen people stay on the job market for years and years almost chanting "one more year."  I decided going in that I would do a trial run, a run during my final ABD year, and then two to three years with degree in hand.  Whatever your comfort level, set a limit, and as you get closer to that limit, start diversifying your applications (some in academia and some out).

[Debord]

On 3/18/2021 at 2:21 PM, alszd said:

Thank you, Debord, for sharing with me your personal experience with Toronto! I just LOVE to read these anecdotes. I'm really sad that Suzanne Akbari left the department--she could have been a good fit, intellectually. Your descriptions of U of T's interdisciplinary atmosphere, faculty, and libraries sound really appealing, and I think I would definitely enjoy the city life---if not a small college town like Bloomington, I would love to live in a big city (well I'll admit that I just hate New Brunswick lmao). It's also really helpful that you point out the environment is for self-starters! I assume that I like working independently, but I'll start to think more seriously if I am indeed that type of person. The graduate school is hard on itself, and there are times that I think some encouraging words and individual attention from faculty and the cohort will significantly help deal with anxiety.

@alszd It might be worth reaching out to the department and Professor Akbari about supervision. At the time Professor Akbari took up her post stateside, my friend (a Medievalist) was just starting to put together her examinations committee and Professor Akbari is her supervisor.

Toronto is not the endless metropolis that New York is, but has a vibrancy that flows from being a city that is idiosyncratic and diverse without having to gesture at its variety as a novelty or object of wonder. When you're on public transit, it's not unusual to hear Urdu, Cantonese, Dutch, Amharic, Rioplatense Castilian etc. on the same train. Anne Michaels describes Toronto as, "[A city where] almost everyone has come from elsewhere ...bringing with them their different ways of dying and marrying, their kitchens and songs. A city of forsaken worlds; language a kind of farewell." She's not wrong; a lot of that variety is expressed in food and there's probably a paper in there about nostalgia and appetite, waiting to be written.

It's also a city that likes its festivals, especially in the warmer months, from Anime North, the Toronto Fringe, Taste of the Danforth, Jazz festival(s), to TIFF at the end of summer.

Living arrangements: Prior to the pandemic, I'd say living in your own apartment in the downtown core would be almost impossible on the stipend UofT offers and you are still realistically looking at a roommate, or more likely, a rooming house situation i.e. 1 room in a converted house with shared common spaces. That said, there has been a mass exodus out of the city in the last year, with folks furloughed or laid off moving into surrounding conurbations or suburbs, and the rental market reflects that. if you don't mind taking the subway, I think you'll find workable options on the city's West (High Park, Runnymeade) and East (Danforth, Main Street) end. The St. George campus is on the subway line at St. George, Spadina, and Museum stations.

About TAships: UofT has three campuses. You'll be taking your classes in the Jackman Humanities Building at St. George, but you might be TAing at the Scarborough or Mississauga campuses. There's a free shuttle to both that runs out of Hart House and though it seems like a small thing to grouse about, it is worth considering how your own schedule jives with a nighttime 6-9PM class that you have to lead 29.5 km from home. So ask about the TAship assignments in your second year.

Again, the best of luck with decisions!
 

On 3/18/2021 at 3:01 PM, Kaharim said:

For me Toronto would be sold lmao If worst comes to worst and I have to reapply next year, I will definitely make it one of my options! Only one question: don't they offer full tuition remission for PhD students?

@Kaharim With respect to graduate funding, SSHRC is the primary source of external funding opportunity for domestic students. The CGS-M (for Master's students) is a one-off $17 500 CAD with an internal, one-time top-up of $5,000 CAD. The CGS-D (doctoral scholarships and fellowships) are worth $20,000 - $35,000 CAD a year, tenable up to 36 months. It might be worth getting in touch with funding entities like SSHRC and EduCanada about scholarships for International Students. My friends in the English Department have generally been supported through the base funding and OGS (that's the provincial funding body) scholarships, which is adjudicated by UofT itself.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Edited March 24, 2021 by Debord

[alszd]

On 3/25/2021 at 1:32 AM, Debord said:

It might be worth reaching out to the department and Professor Akbari about supervision. At the time Professor Akbari took up her post stateside, my friend (a Medievalist) was just starting to put together her examinations committee and Professor Akbari is her supervisor.

Toronto is not the endless metropolis that New York is, but has a vibrancy that flows from being a city that is idiosyncratic and diverse without having to gesture at its variety as a novelty or object of wonder. When you're on public transit, it's not unusual to hear Urdu, Cantonese, Dutch, Amharic, Rioplatense Castilian etc. on the same train. Anne Michaels describes Toronto as, "[A city where] almost everyone has come from elsewhere ...bringing with them their different ways of dying and marrying, their kitchens and songs. A city of forsaken worlds; language a kind of farewell." She's not wrong; a lot of that variety is expressed in food and there's probably a paper in there about nostalgia and appetite, waiting to be written.

It's also a city that likes its festivals, especially in the warmer months, from Anime North, the Toronto Fringe, Taste of the Danforth, Jazz festival(s), to TIFF at the end of summer.

Living arrangements: Prior to the pandemic, I'd say living in your own apartment in the downtown core would be almost impossible on the stipend UofT offers and you are still realistically looking at a roommate, or more likely, a rooming house situation i.e. 1 room in a converted house with shared common spaces. That said, there has been a mass exodus out of the city in the last year, with folks furloughed or laid off moving into surrounding conurbations or suburbs, and the rental market reflects that. if you don't mind taking the subway, I think you'll find workable options on the city's West (High Park, Runnymeade) and East (Danforth, Main Street) end. The St. George campus is on the subway line at St. George, Spadina, and Museum stations.

About TAships: UofT has three campuses. You'll be taking your classes in the Jackman Humanities Building at St. George, but you might be TAing at the Scarborough or Mississauga campuses. There's a free shuttle to both that runs out of Hart House and though it seems like a small thing to grouse about, it is worth considering how your own schedule jives with a nighttime 6-9PM class that you have to lead 29.5 km from home. So ask about the TAship assignments in your second year.

Again, the best of luck with decisions!

Thank you so much, Debord, for all these suggestions---I have accepted U of T's offer and am really excited about starting my life there, so all you said is super helpful! The paper about nostalgia and appetite---I will definitely consider it. About housing, I am thinking of finding a one-bedroom studio because I am no fan of sharing the apartment with others, and I'll start looking now!

This post really helped me a lot when making my decision. Thank you all, and I wish others the very best of luck as well!

[Debord]

On 3/26/2021 at 3:09 AM, alszd said:

Thank you so much, Debord, for all these suggestions---I have accepted U of T's offer and am really excited about starting my life there, so all you said is super helpful! The paper about nostalgia and appetite---I will definitely consider it. About housing, I am thinking of finding a one-bedroom studio because I am no fan of sharing the apartment with others, and I'll start looking now!

This post really helped me a lot when making my decision. Thank you all, and I wish others the very best of luck as well!

Congratulations! I think you'll like the program, especially if you enjoy independent research (for studying, I'm partial to the Graham Library connected to Trinity College, the Pratt Library, and for its collections of French Feminist theory, the Ivey Library at New College). Good luck with apartment hunting, I think you're going to have a marvellous time in the city. Caveat emptor:  Queen West, Queen East, and King St. East are very dangerous axes of food and independent cafes. Oh, and if you're into things like the symphony, ballet, and opera, major arts organizations like the Toronto Symphony Orchestra offer substantial discounts for folks 35 or 29 and under, which I availed of until I could not : P

Edited March 26, 2021 by Debord