2022 Applicants

[zetasp]

Hi all! I'm applying for the 2022 cycle as well with a solid 11 schools. I applied to some MAs and some PhDs a few years ago (2019 cycle), worked on an MA, and now I'm back to it. As a kind of second-timer, I can try to offer any advice! 

[AChinLitNerd]

On 8/11/2021 at 11:40 PM, labradoodle said:

From what I've heard (but I'm not completely sure so please correct me if I'm wrong), UK does often require you to get in touch with a faculty member, because you'll be starting your thesis work immediately. US, I think, has a kind of divide between fields that do lab work and so require you to really look into a faculty member whose lab you want to join or whatever, and (most of) the humanities where that's (thankfully lol) not a thing.

Also, I believe humanities has much less of an expectancy for prospective students to have published whole papers in fancy journals, cause that's really very difficult to do, and usually doesn't work in the time-scale of an MA (or a late BA) anyway, as it can take years. It can't hurt, of course, but from what I'm exposed to it genuinely doesn't seem the norm, at all. You may want to look at some less formal journals or something, though - things like online graduate journals attached to your university, or those more blog-like journals.

To my knowledge yes, once the faculty member has accepted you, you can apply for the programme and scholarship .... (but it is quite competitive for scholarship tho...)

[AChinLitNerd]

On 11/6/2021 at 7:59 PM, 1 Pint of Ricotta said:

I will admit I have little information on this, but I can take a stab.  I was talking to a professor who studied in the UK when I was applying, and I specifically chose not to apply to UK PhDs because she said that the SoPs are much more of a formal proposal.  You have to really know what you're able to do and lay out how you'll do it, and even have messaged with a faculty member who would be willing to be an advisor.  Here, we still spend a bulk of the SoP describing our plan, but we're allowed to switch it up more afterwards and don't have to have done as much work on it yet.  I'm not sure if this was outdated information, though, or just her experience, so please take my statements with a grain of salt!

Exactly, prolly need to spend a year to come up with a RP (~ SoP, I guess???). 

[AChinLitNerd]

Just submitted my very first application (I did not expect to submit that app since I had not heard back from my supervisor 3 weeks before the deadline). Feeling extremely tired.

This is my first time to apply doctoral... now studying an MA (working on my thesis) and applying to postgrad programmes.

Writing sample: used my course-work assignment (but I don't think I write it concisely), did not have time to drag part of my thesis to the writing sample...  

LoR: all my referees are not willing to write more than 3 reference letters so they limit my application LOL~

SoP: I had no idea as well (I prefer writing RP, seems easier)... but I wrote what I found out from the literature and point out some potential methodology etc.

So far all POI that I have contacted have left a positive feedback to me and encourage me to reply ... they also share some of their works with me! Kind of an exploration as well~

 

Good luck to all of you!!

[A Small Raven]

15 hours ago, zetasp said:

Hi all! I'm applying for the 2022 cycle as well with a solid 11 schools. I applied to some MAs and some PhDs a few years ago (2019 cycle), worked on an MA, and now I'm back to it. As a kind of second-timer, I can try to offer any advice! 

Oh good you're applying to 11! Here I thought I was maybe being psycho overkill applying to 12, glad I'm not crazy ??

[Hard times!]

Submitted my first application and almost died in the process. The deadline was 12 PM and I turned in the WS at 11.57 AM and didn't breathe for the next two minutes. And yet the sample has no name or an email address which the dept. had specifically requested for. If 'morning shows the day' were true, I am done for.

Best of luck to everyone! 

[taylorjunebug]

Submitted my first two applications today -- whew! I felt so nervous and excited at the same time that I was literally shaking for about 10 mins after. I'll probably be obsessively lurking on this forum over the next few months!

[AChinLitNerd]

On 11/6/2021 at 7:59 PM, 1 Pint of Ricotta said:

I will admit I have little information on this, but I can take a stab.  I was talking to a professor who studied in the UK when I was applying, and I specifically chose not to apply to UK PhDs because she said that the SoPs are much more of a formal proposal.  You have to really know what you're able to do and lay out how you'll do it, and even have messaged with a faculty member who would be willing to be an advisor.  Here, we still spend a bulk of the SoP describing our plan, but we're allowed to switch it up more afterwards and don't have to have done as much work on it yet.  I'm not sure if this was outdated information, though, or just her experience, so please take my statements with a grain of salt!

To my knowledge, the British PhD/DPhil also requires your proposal to be specific, very intriguing, and extremely pioneering. You need to outline a list of research questions that you plan to examine in details, and what theoretical framework that you're going to build/adopt.

 

Will be .... ??‍??‍?

[theonewiththepies]

Submitted my first two applications for my first PhD application cycle! (UT and UIUC) 

 I'm relieved to finally click submit on the application.  However, I feel as I'm at a disadvantage only applying to 6 PhD programs rather than 10-12.

[Hard times!]

6 hours ago, theonewiththepies said:

Submitted my first two applications for my first PhD application cycle! (UT and UIUC) 

 I'm relieved to finally click submit on the application.  However, I feel as I'm at a disadvantage only applying to 6 PhD programs rather than 10-12.

I applied to UIUC yesterday as well and one of the writing samples was a disaster. I submitted that horrid application because my recommenders had already turned in their letters.

 What are your research interests? 

[taylorjunebug]

6 hours ago, Hard times! said:

I applied to UIUC yesterday as well and one of the writing samples was a disaster. I submitted that horrid application because my recommenders had already turned in their letters.

Ugh, I feel this -- mainly because I hadn't had enough time to proofread my sample once more before turning it in yesterday at 12 pm. I can't help but think of that school as already a rejection -- like I basically paid $75 to send something in, then proofread it afterwards for the benefit of my other applications. 

Question (for anyone): if you're applying for an English MA/PhD program (implying you just have a BA), they don't expect your writing to be absolutely perfect (e.g., one or two typos or awkwardly worded sentences out of 20 pages of work won't kill your entire app), right?

[Hard times!]

13 minutes ago, taylorjunebug said:

Ugh, I feel this -- mainly because I hadn't had enough time to proofread my sample once more before turning it in yesterday at 12 pm. I can't help but think of that school as already a rejection -- like I basically paid $75 to send something in, then proofread it afterwards for the benefit of my other applications. 

Question (for anyone): if you're applying for an English MA/PhD program (implying you just have a BA), they don't expect your writing to be absolutely perfect (e.g., one or two typos or awkwardly worded sentences out of 20 pages of work won't kill your entire app), right?

At least had proofread it earlier! I also realised today that my personal statement (not sop) has one of those dreaded kisses of death! 

[s.renteria]

Hi everyone! I was directed to this forum by @Sigaba (thank you!) This is my first time applying doctoral. I'm applying to 4 Phd programs in Rhet/Comp, which concerns me a bit ? 

My research interests are global Englishes, FYW, and antiracist writing pedagogy. I applied to Michigan State yesterday (I'm already second-guessing every aspect of my application) and am in the process of applying to U Mich Ann Arbor, U Mass Amherst, and UCI. I'm not sure what to expect, but I'm really excited just to have begun the process!

Edited December 2, 2021 by s.renteria

[xdfaddsbads]

I sent in my applications! 

RCID

UT Austin

George Washington PhD English

MIT Media Lab

Northeastern

George Mason

University of Florida

University of Southern Florida

University of Oregon

Anyone else applying to these schools? Does anyone know if a letter of rec comes a few days after application deadline will they still review? MIT hasn't received 2 of my letters so I just sent reminders. 

Research interests : comic/visual rhetoric with a focus on queer/feminist disability studies

writing sample: I used a published paper, I hope that's ok. It just seemed the most edited paper I had.

Curious other people's backgrounds and if it is first cycle. I graduated a long time ago with MA in 2009, I have a few published papers and 2 conference acceptances this year. I have been adjunct teaching since graduation. I am so nervous and hope really bad I get in somewhere with a funding package!

Edited December 3, 2021 by zzzmegzzz

[theonewiththepies]

On 12/2/2021 at 1:12 AM, Hard times! said:

I applied to UIUC yesterday as well and one of the writing samples was a disaster. I submitted that horrid application because my recommenders had already turned in their letters.

 What are your research interests? 

My research interests are 20th century American literature, film studies, and Latinx literature/performance! I'm hoping for the best this being my first cycle of applying

[sadevilminion]

On 12/2/2021 at 9:11 AM, taylorjunebug said:

Ugh, I feel this -- mainly because I hadn't had enough time to proofread my sample once more before turning it in yesterday at 12 pm. I can't help but think of that school as already a rejection -- like I basically paid $75 to send something in, then proofread it afterwards for the benefit of my other applications. 

Question (for anyone): if you're applying for an English MA/PhD program (implying you just have a BA), they don't expect your writing to be absolutely perfect (e.g., one or two typos or awkwardly worded sentences out of 20 pages of work won't kill your entire app), right?

Hey friends, I also applied to UIUC! I stayed up Tuesday night and submitted it at 1AM, and I'm 100% certain the professor who's been helping me with my writing sample knew why I skipped her class Wednesday morning. ?

Pertaining to your question, same professor also told me that when they (the committee at my alma mater) are judging apps, they are indeed a bit more lenient with people who only hold BAs, while they are a bit harder on people who have an MA, just because they know the BA holders don't have actual grad school experience yet. I don't know if that answers your question of being "absolutely perfect," but maybe it will be ok!

[jinakolis]

Good luck to everyone.

[Starbuck420]

In the second year of a fully-funded MA right now, and am feeling increasingly burnt out. I've done well in my current program and would be competitive for PhD programs if I ended up applying, but the experience has become so stressful and joyless that I'm starting to consider other options. I was going to apply for PhD programs this fall, but my plan is now to take a year off and reevaluate. I just have no energy left, and the fact that I have no energy left makes me question whether or not this is right for me. Does anyone have experience bouncing back from this type of thing? I used to love doing this stuff, but I really don't love it right now

I think that some of what I'm feeling has to do with the amount of teaching I'm doing (2:2 as instructor of record, no prior teaching experience), the fact that we're in a pandemic, and then also a few problems endemic to my current institution, but I also feel like burnout at this early stage is a bad sign

Edited December 4, 2021 by Starbuck420

[Glasperlenspieler]

I'm not sure I have much to say in response other than expressing solidarity. I'm in the middle of dissertation writing and feeling very similarly. Feel free to DM me if you need someone to chat with.

[Rootbound]

Sorry to hear what you've been going through. I just wanted to support to idea of taking time off--especially if you went directly from undergrad to an MA program, taking a year or two to do totally non-academic things could be very restorative. I was in an analogous situation, and taking two years off was really helpful--for one, when I came back it felt much more like a job, not like college with added pressure. Also 2:2 with no prior experience is super exhausting! So taking some time away should help clarify, and in the meantime I honestly wouldn't place too much stock in the way you're feeling about the future of your work at this moment.

[solochou]

Just submitted my application to Brandeis, WUSTL, Tufts, Johns Hopkins, Brown, Rice, and Vanderbilt. Best of luck to everyone applying.

[thecat00]

Hi there. I thought I would stop by and wish everyone well. I am an applicant this season.

I have a question --

When programs get 300-500+ applications, how do they narrow the applicant pool down to the couple dozen that will get offers of admission? What is the actual process like? Does anybody have insight to share? This includes PhD programs in general across subfields and disciplines. I am just interested in this because I know that PhD admissions are a stretch. How does it work in practice?

Until then, best of luck to all! :)

[Glasperlenspieler]

17 hours ago, thecat00 said:

Hi there. I thought I would stop by and wish everyone well. I am an applicant this season.

I have a question --

When programs get 300-500+ applications, how do they narrow the applicant pool down to the couple dozen that will get offers of admission? What is the actual process like? Does anybody have insight to share? This includes PhD programs in general across subfields and disciplines. I am just interested in this because I know that PhD admissions are a stretch. How does it work in practice?

Until then, best of luck to all!

The process is likely going to vary substantially from program to program. A philosophy professor who has frequently served on the grad admissions committee at Rutgers recently did a write up of what the process looks like there. While it's a different discipline and other departments are likely to do things differently, I think it gives some useful insight into how your application might be read: http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/1011404/28477892/1635443782310/Tips+for+applying+to+PhD+Programs+in+Philosophy2.pdf?token=DbN71X3m2lBFlti4y2w3rbeCk6o%3D

[Hard times!]

40 minutes ago, Glasperlenspieler said:

The process is likely going to vary substantially from program to program. A philosophy professor who has frequently served on the grad admissions committee at Rutgers recently did a write up of what the process looks like there. While it's a different discipline and other departments are likely to do things differently, I think it gives some useful insight into how your application might be read: http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/1011404/28477892/1635443782310/Tips+for+applying+to+PhD+Programs+in+Philosophy2.pdf?token=DbN71X3m2lBFlti4y2w3rbeCk6o%3D

Thank you! That was a brilliant read! And worrying too! Though I have spent a lot of time 'thinking' about my writing sample, it seems only to get worse after each revision! There haven't been people who could offer feedbacks since the first revision!

All the best to everyone!

[jinakolis]

Just finished applying to WashU and now I'm done with all my applications.