2022 Applicants

[A Small Raven]

Do we think it's a good or bad sign that I'm STILL waiting to hear back from a waitlist? ???

[CHP47]

2 hours ago, A Small Raven said:

Do we think it's a good or bad sign that I'm STILL waiting to hear back from a waitlist? ???

I think the most stressful part of a waitlist is that there's always a possibility (unless you hear otherwise) up until April 15th. I'm in the same boat about waiting on a waitlist and I'm torn between the hope that I could still get good news in the next 9 days, and the desire to just get a "no" so I can take the other offer I have.

[CHP47]

Ok fellow wait-listers, how often is too often to follow up with a program about their waitlist? The DGS has said in every interaction to feel free to reach out any time, but I don't want to abuse that, especially since I do believe I'd hear something quickly if there was a definitive answer one way or another. 

I've had two interactions in the last six weeks since I was first placed on the list- once to notify them about a competing offer with an additional fellowship and to let them know they remained my first choice, and once two weeks ago just to see if there has been any movement. 

Would it be inappropriate to reach out one more time just to see how things are trending? I was thinking of emailing tomorrow night (so they'd see the email Friday) when we are a week out from April 15th to see if there are still many outstanding offers or not to gauge my chances. 

[cactusflower]

Hey all, I've mostly been a lurker on here but it has been very helpful and informative to read through everyone's thoughts, especially those who have more experience applying! Congrats to those who are accepting amazing offers, and best of luck to those of you who are waiting to hear about waitlists. 

I posted a while ago about this, and now, my feared predicament has indeed become my reality: I'm a creative writer who also wants to eventually do critical work, and I applied to both creative programs (PhDs with creative dissertations) and English Lit/Rhetoric programs. I am now trying to decide between A) an offer from the English Lit program at one of my first choice schools in a location I'm very excited about with amazing funding and B) an offer from a Creative Writing program at a school in a location I would consider (interesting to me, but a place that I don't know much about) with less than stellar funding (i.e. less money and a lot more teaching). School A has very exciting faculty, and School B has faculty who are less famous, maybe, but still exciting to me in terms of the types of writing they do.

I am having a hard time deciding what to prioritize, so I'll ask generally--is anyone currently in a PhD in English Lit who is a creative writer in any capacity who might be able to speak to what it's like to try to make room for creative work while in a critical program? Or, if anyone feels like they have knowledge about this in generally and is comfortable messaging me privately, I would love to get some advice. Teasing very different pros and cons has been difficult. On the one hand, having a lot less teaching would make more room for creative work. On the other hand, a creative dissertation sounds very appealing, even with more precarious funding. 

[cactusflower]

8 hours ago, A Small Raven said:

Do we think it's a good or bad sign that I'm STILL waiting to hear back from a waitlist? ???

No, I think it's fairly common to hear back from waitlists last minute, as many people take their time trying to decide between offers. So, makes things stressful, but it really could go either way. 

[A Small Raven]

23 minutes ago, cactusflower said:

No, I think it's fairly common to hear back from waitlists last minute, as many people take their time trying to decide between offers. So, makes things stressful, but it really could go either way. 

Yeah, it seems like a funny kind of cycle – the whole admissions process is almost kind of at a standstill/stalemate, because people are sitting on offers while hoping to potentially hear back from waitlists, but sitting on those offers is also what stalls waitlist movement in the first place. It's like admissions gridlock. ?

 

34 minutes ago, cactusflower said:

I am having a hard time deciding what to prioritize, so I'll ask generally--is anyone currently in a PhD in English Lit who is a creative writer in any capacity who might be able to speak to what it's like to try to make room for creative work while in a critical program? Or, if anyone feels like they have knowledge about this in generally and is comfortable messaging me privately, I would love to get some advice. Teasing very different pros and cons has been difficult. On the one hand, having a lot less teaching would make more room for creative work. On the other hand, a creative dissertation sounds very appealing, even with more precarious funding. 

Also, I can relate to this dilemma, because I also applied to a mix of creative and critical programs after getting my MA in creative writing.  While I'm not actually currently in this predicament as I don't actually hold any offers (sitting at 11 rejections and 1 waitlist ?) I considered the possibility that I might be faced with this issue (deciding between a critical or creative program) quite a bit, and what I might do if presented with this scenario. Just the thought of having decide between the two stressed me out a lot, and it is no doubt a really tough decision. For me, my main deciding factors would have been 1. location (having lived somewhere I didn't particularly enjoy before, this factor makes a big impact on my own personal happiness) 2. how engaging the community is (do they have clubs/organizations you can join, things to encourage you to be active in the graduate community) and 3. how attentive/helpful the faculty is (which you would generally get a sense of from contacting them).

If you need someone to kind of talk your thoughts out with on this one, I totally understand your dilemma, so please feel free to PM me!  

[Shake829]

Friends! I got off the waitlist at CUNY. I’m so happy!!

[plainblacktights]

hey all! i'm here writing from absolute limbo: i wrote to my program a few weeks back and they told me they had sent out a few acceptances, but that there was another round "forthcoming". it's been radio silence from that moment on. anyone else on the same boat??

PS congratulations shake!!!!!!

20 hours ago, Shake829 said:

Friends! I got off the waitlist at CUNY. I’m so happy!!

[Dovey]

@cactusflower 

If the literary program has a lighter teaching load and more generous stipend, you will probably have more time to write than in the creative writing program.

How many sections each semester will you be teaching in the cw program? How many students in each section? Will you be mainly teaching composition? If the stipend is tight, then will you also need to take on loans or get a second job? These are some things to consider.

If you'd like to message me, I can share some more thoughts. 

 

[CHP47]

On 4/6/2022 at 2:49 PM, A Small Raven said:

Yeah, it seems like a funny kind of cycle – the whole admissions process is almost kind of at a standstill/stalemate, because people are sitting on offers while hoping to potentially hear back from waitlists, but sitting on those offers is also what stalls waitlist movement in the first place. It's like admissions gridlock. ?

 

You could not be more correct about this! I just heard from the DGS of my waitlist school and he said that they have still not heard back either way from an unusually large number of students. 

Hopefully people will start making up their minds this weekend and releasing seats they don't plan to hold so everyone can slot into their spots. 

[SirGhostus]

I received an (unprompted) courtesy email from the graduate admissions director of the school I'm currently waitlisted at letting me know that while the process has been slow this year, they're going to "again" nudge decision dawdlers. More importantly, she said that "it’s still quite possible" they'll be able to make me an offer and will email me Monday with any news.

Now, I am not a religious or spiritual man. But if there are any astrologers, divinators, or people who think they talk to God on the phone, would you be able to get in contact with your higher power and ask them how good of a sign this is?

Oh and doctors. If there are any doctors here, what's a good method for avoiding having a heart attack over the weekend?

[F22910]

On 4/7/2022 at 12:28 AM, CHP47 said:

I was thinking of emailing tomorrow night (so they'd see the email Friday) when we are a week out from April 15th to see if there are still many outstanding offers or not to gauge my chances. 

Sounds reasonable to reach out a week before!

[s.renteria]

Hi all!

I have accepted my offer to the joint Ph.D. program in English and Education at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor! 

[CoffeeLovingQueer]

I've accepted my offer at Illinois State University!

[alaina23]

Hello,

I am currently prepping to begin choosing graduate programs for Fall 2023 to apply to. I am currently an English Major with an emphasis in creative writing as well as a marketing major (though that is pretty irrelevant). I hope to one day be able to teach at college or university as a professor as well as pursuing my own writing when able (yes I am aware of the outlook of that particular career but still would like all the information for considering it) and I am wondering what academic route to take as I am very confused with the advice I have been given so far.

Should I start with immediately trying to get into a PhD program or should I pursue a master's and then attempt to get into a Phd program?

Is there a big difference between MFA or MA?

What is the best speciality to choose for an english masters to make me more likely to find a job? (ie literature, creative writing, writing and rhetoric... etc)

How many schools should I apply to?

What are things I should look for or ask about when choosing a school?

Finally any recommendations on programs to apply to? Preferably funded programs as that is the route I am most likely to follow, but any outstanding unfunded programs are great to hear about as well.

Thank you for any help you can offer this very clueless undergrad!

Edited April 12, 2022 by alaina23
typo

[SirGhostus]

Waitlist school continues to await replies from decision dawdlers. My cardiac system remains threatened. Every buzz of my phone provokes panic. I am writing my member of congress to see if we can outlaw everyone not associated with this school from emailing me until next week. 

[CHP47]

22 minutes ago, SirGhostus said:

Waitlist school continues to await replies from decision dawdlers. My cardiac system remains threatened. Every buzz of my phone provokes panic. I am writing my member of congress to see if we can outlaw everyone not associated with this school from emailing me until next week. 

I feel this so hard!!!! It seems like no one wants to say yes or no yet. How did no one get into their top choice programs?

[beyondtheheart]

Hi guys,

I'm a long time lurker but I'm basically in the same situation as everyone else. I'm on the waitlist for UIUC's MA/PhD program which I'm really trying to get off of, because I feel horrible for sitting on another offer (and therefore somewhat contributing to the problem of waitlists being backed up.) When are you guys gonna make the call if you don't hear anything back one way or another? Also is anyone planning on declining their UIUC MA offer?? Thanks!

Edited April 12, 2022 by beyondtheheart

[CHP47]

12 minutes ago, beyondtheheart said:

Hi guys,

I'm a long time lurker but I'm basically in the same situation as everyone else. I'm on the waitlist for UIUC's MA/PhD program which I'm really trying to get off of, because I feel horrible for sitting on another offer (and therefore somewhat contributing to the problem of waitlists being backed up.) When are you guys gonna make the call if you don't hear anything back one way or another? Also is anyone planning on declining their UIUC MA offer?? Thanks!

I'm planning to email the grad director on Thursday if I don't hear anything before then, but I'm also sitting on another offer (with an additional fellowship) and I'd hate for that to get wasted if I don't use it. My other offer is in a different field (I have an interdisciplinary research topic) so I'm not directly contributing to the English deadlock, but it's rough across fields.

[tacitus178]

My only suggestion is to keep the lines of communication open with the dgs from your accepted school. I'm in the same boat as everyone here and made sure to tell the dgs I was still "actively considering" the school. It might be a bit of useless information, but it made me feel like I was being as forthright as possible about the delay making a decision.

[SirGhostus]

1 hour ago, beyondtheheart said:

Hi guys,

I'm a long time lurker but I'm basically in the same situation as everyone else. I'm on the waitlist for UIUC's MA/PhD program which I'm really trying to get off of, because I feel horrible for sitting on another offer (and therefore somewhat contributing to the problem of waitlists being backed up.) When are you guys gonna make the call if you don't hear anything back one way or another? Also is anyone planning on declining their UIUC MA offer?? Thanks!

I'm fortunate that the school I've received an offer from is one I'm currently an MA student at, and I know for a fact that there's no one on the waitlist at that point. Fortunate in the sense that the only emotion I have to deal with right now is anxiety, not anxiety about a waitlist and guilt that I'm going to wait until 11:59:59PM on Friday night to accept my offer if need be.

That said, as long as you've communicated like tacitus178 suggests, I don't think there's any reason to feel about waiting as late as you need to. Unless, of course, the school whose offer you're sitting on is the one I'm on the waitlist for. In which case, decline immediately ? (That's a joke, I promise.)

[phdapplicant321]

4 hours ago, alaina23 said:

Should I start with immediately trying to get into a PhD program or should I pursue a master's and then attempt to get into a Phd program?

Is there a big difference between MFA or MA?

What is the best speciality to choose for an english masters to make me more likely to find a job? (ie literature, creative writing, writing and rhetoric... etc)

I'm just finishing up my MFA now and about to commit to an English PhD so can speak a little to this. I think it's vital to not equate an MFA in Creative Writing with an MA in English, and to view them as being very different entities. The MFA is primarily for your development as a creative writer. Although you can—as I did—take English classes, the focus of the MFA isn't the literary study of texts.

Nowadays, even having an MFA alone is not enough to get a bad adjunct job teaching creative writing. Even though the MFA is, technically, a terminal degree, you'll need a history of publications, and a book—at the least—in order to get a job teaching CW. Having just an MFA alone also won't easily let you transfer your skills to teaching English literature; but having an English PhD (as well as published creative work) will let you teach creative writing and apply for creative writing positions.

I do think having an MFA can help when you apply for English PhDs but that also depends on your various accomplishments as a writer, and whether you have a 'public-facing' practice. Because the academic job market is so bad, I get a sense that graduate programmes find students who have something 'alternative' (e.g. a practice as an artist/writer) as increasingly attractive candidates.  

[plainblacktights]

technical question: is the april 15th deadline an official thing or just a custom? i'm an international student and i've seen people mentioning it as the absolute final moment to accept or decline offers but as we inch (or more like quarter-inch) closer to the date i'm starting to get paranoid that maybe *my school* decided to give everyone until september to make up their minds???? 

the question, sans anxious rambling: does absolutely EVERYONE need to accept/decline offers by april 15?

[tacitus178]

6 minutes ago, plainblacktights said:

technical question: is the april 15th deadline an official thing or just a custom? i'm an international student and i've seen people mentioning it as the absolute final moment to accept or decline offers but as we inch (or more like quarter-inch) closer to the date i'm starting to get paranoid that maybe *my school* decided to give everyone until september to make up their minds???? 

the question, sans anxious rambling: does absolutely EVERYONE need to accept/decline offers by april 15?

I would suggest looking at the acceptance letter(s) to determine this. In each of my letters it indicates that you must decide by April 15th. As far as I understand, it is a MLA "best practices" policy (and while not perfect, a pretty good one, I would say).

[plainblacktights]

thank you Tacitus! the fact that they say that in your letters makes me feel a little more at ease ? i have no acceptance letters because I applied to only one program and they've waitlisted me ?