Spanish Literature and Linguistics/Hispanic Studies Graduate Applications 2022

[GSHopeful1]

@caromella Congrats on the UNC acceptance!! I also applied, but haven't heard back. Do you mind my asking if you interviewed with them or if they made decisions solely based on the application? 

 

@GRADSPN1 I have no clue about Princeton, but I also had my interview with Northwestern and they said that they were working as fast as possible to make decisions and hoped that they would be able to start sending out acceptances in early February. 

[caromella]

@GSHopeful1 I did not interview. I assume that they based it on the mp3 sample that they had us send in. The strange thing about the situation is that I emailed my potential advisors yesterday asking about the timeline for interviews/decisions, and then I randomly got an email around 11:30pm that my portal was updated. I don’t know if that was a coincidence, but I suggest emailing the DGS or the people you would like to work with and see if they can update you.

[Angela Merkel]

7 hours ago, caromella said:

Best of luck @SPANGRAD22!! Cornell is an amazing program, let us know how it goes

I am not in that program or know anyone personally, but there are rumors that the program in Spanish is hostile and very political like Yale's.

[Angela Merkel]

22 hours ago, MillerS said:

¡Muchas gracias por la información, Ángela! Seguí tu consejo y todo salió bien. 

¡Excelente!

[Angela Merkel]

15 hours ago, caromella said:

I applied to NYU and have not heard from them yet at all. Will let you know about any changes  

I am also curious since I have not heard anything at all from Cornell either. I was in touch with my potential advisor and she has not mentioned anything, but perhaps they are interviewing international applicants first?

Also, just to update everyone here, I just found out that I got into the PhD program at UNC Chapel Hill. I am breathing a lot easier knowing that I have an option no matter what. If anyone else sees this who is considering a Chapel Hill offer, please let me know! I would love to chat.

 

Felicidades. Buen programa, excelente universidad y ciudad para vivir. El Estado... eso es otra cosa. 

[GradforGrad]

Had my interview yesterday at Hopkins (Modern Languages and Literatures). More like a conversation and general interview questions. 

[caromella]

18 hours ago, Angela Merkel said:

Felicidades. Buen programa, excelente universidad y ciudad para vivir. El Estado... eso es otra cosa. 

Estoy de acuerdo completamente. Soy de Carolina del Norte y por eso prefería mudarme a otro estado pero al final me alegro que haya recibido una oferta jaja. El otro problema es que el stipend es menos de las otras universidades a los que me solicité...y tendría que enseñar todos semestres como parte de la oferta. Otras universidades quieren que los estudiantes enfocan solo en escribir la disertación durante el último año, y eso me parece mejor. Como es una institución pública, entiendo que no puede ofrecer lo mismo que las universidades privadas, pero 17k me parece bastante bajo considerando que tienes que enseñar también, pero bueno. Todavía me matricularía en el programa si fuera la única oferta que recibiera. 

 

18 hours ago, Angela Merkel said:

I am not in that program or know anyone personally, but there are rumors that the program in Spanish is hostile and very political like Yale's.

That's interesting...I had a conversation with a professor there and she seemed very kind and oriented towards mental health. She emphasized the importance of choosing a program where the student was valued as a person and not just a graduate student. I also emailed her grad student and she said that she loved Cornell's program, and that she especially liked working with this professor. I will say, however, that this professor is new; she graduated from NYU in 2019. That could explain why she might be better to work with than other people in the department.

[caromella]

Just to clarify, I LOVE Chapel hill's program and I would be thrilled to accept their offer- but the stipend is a con that gives me some pause

[caromella]

16 minutes ago, GradforGrad said:

Had my interview yesterday at Hopkins (Modern Languages and Literatures). More like a conversation and general interview questions. 

I did not apply there, but was it in Spanish? 

[GRADSPN1]

@GSHopeful1Thank you very much for the reply. I hope everything went well in the interview.

Also, for those who are interested, I was contacted by CUNY (I am an applicant for the Literature track) for an interview next Thursday.

I hope all is going well for you.

[GRADSPN1]

Hello again. In another section of GradCafe, someone said that he was rejected by Northwestern without an interview. Was anyone notified of the acceptance? I have not had any change. Also, let me tell you that NYU wrote me for an interview next Tuesday.

Edited January 28, 2022 by GRADSPN1

[GradforGrad]

2 hours ago, caromella said:

I did not apply there, but was it in Spanish? 

Portuguese track. But the Department is very interdisciplinary. 

[SPANGRAD22]

I had my interview with Cornell faculty. They ask me about my research (previous and intended), wich courses I'm interested in, and what I think about living in a small town as Ithaca for 5 years—the average time to complete the program.

@caromella I asked about the decision and other interviews offers. They said that the decision will be ready by next week or by the February 7 week, but no longer. I know that in past years they accepted students based only in their application materials, so I think that you have a chance even if they don't interview you. Best wishes for you.

Finally, after I read the Northwestern update post, I checked my application portal. The decision of Northwestern was ready, I didn't get it. I didn't receive an interview invitation, so, I believe that the result wasn't a big surprise. I have hope in my other options.

 

My best wishes for all!

[GSHopeful1]

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to give you guys an update that I received a call from the DGS at Northwestern today informing me that I had been accepted into their PhD program and that I will be receiving my official offer letter next week! It is my first acceptance and I am over the moon since the program is one of my top choices and I left the interview earlier this week with a really good impression of the program and my POI. Thank you @GRADSPN1 for the interview tips - they were definitely helpful! 

I also had a great interview with Tulane earlier this week, everyone was incredibly kind and informative - also seems like an amazing program. I will keep you updated when I know more. 

Also if I could offer a piece of unsolicited advice, remember to send out personalized thank you emails after every interview. In addition to the obvious courtesy of thanking the faculty for taking the time out of their busy schedules to speak with you, it also gives you a final chance to make an impression on the admissions committee before they make their decisions. From my experience, the responses to your thank you emails (or lack thereof) can sometimes be a good indicator of how the interview went and whether or not the program would be a good fit for you. 

If anyone has any advice or thoughts about Northwestern, I would love to hear them. Buena suerte a todos as we continue with this STRESSFUL process!

 

 

[GRADSPN1]

@GSHopeful1 Congratulations! What a great news. They haven't called me, I guess it could be a bad sign, but I don't lose hope. How long ago did they call you? only for curiosity.

[caromella]

@GSHopeful1congrats! I’m still waiting to hear back from 6/8 programs. I don’t know a lot about Northwestern, but it’s an amazing school and I’m sure they support their grad students well. I hope that hearing a positive response has eased your anxiety during such a stressful experience.

[GSHopeful1]

@GRADSPN1 I just got the call earlier today, it was toward the end of the workday, so it very well might be the case that they haven't gotten around to calling everyone - I wouldn't lose hope just yet.  

@caromella  I am definitely beyond thrilled! 1a/1w/6p is a great position to be in and it's still January. I'm sure some of those other 6 schools will also turn into acceptances. Keeping my fingers crossed for you and everyone else on this forum!!

[GradforGrad]

13 hours ago, GSHopeful1 said:

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to give you guys an update that I received a call from the DGS at Northwestern today informing me that I had been accepted into their PhD program and that I will be receiving my official offer letter next week! It is my first acceptance and I am over the moon since the program is one of my top choices and I left the interview earlier this week with a really good impression of the program and my POI. Thank you @GRADSPN1 for the interview tips - they were definitely helpful! 

I also had a great interview with Tulane earlier this week, everyone was incredibly kind and informative - also seems like an amazing program. I will keep you updated when I know more. 

Also if I could offer a piece of unsolicited advice, remember to send out personalized thank you emails after every interview. In addition to the obvious courtesy of thanking the faculty for taking the time out of their busy schedules to speak with you, it also gives you a final chance to make an impression on the admissions committee before they make their decisions. From my experience, the responses to your thank you emails (or lack thereof) can sometimes be a good indicator of how the interview went and whether or not the program would be a good fit for you. 

If anyone has any advice or thoughts about Northwestern, I would love to hear them. Buena suerte a todos as we continue with this STRESSFUL process!

 

 

This is such amazing news! And I'm sure more good new are coming your way!!! Congratulations!

[Angela Merkel]

Caromella: responding to your comments... Yes indeed, some programs pay quite high stipends and half of the time the graduate student does not have to teach. Most people/applicants are interested in the money as the main factor. I am in a program that pays very little stipend yearly and one has to teach every semester. But two other aspects balance the economical one: One, the ambiance or environment has to be conducive to postgraduate studies, including fully supportive and ego-controlled faculty members. I gave up admission to one of the programs mentioned here in the chat this year. The amount of money was ridiculous (too much), but my instincts told me that I would not feel comfortable there. I ended up in another program that was a Master's level one, in a public institution, but with a very hostile environment for graduate students and for even some faculty members. The supervisor under which one had to teach was a micro-management witch on wheels. In my current, program (doctoral), and this is my most important point, the stipend is very low, yes; however, not only are the faculty members VERY supportive (although the expectations are very high, as well as the amount of work), but you are expected to teach about 8 different courses at various levels by the time you are finishing the dissertation. That is an enormous advantage in terms of teaching experience by the time you are going into the job market, where there might be applicants who have taught only two years and maybe the same course (which might not be at the introductory level and thus not seen as the wide teaching experience that most places look for, at least in the USA). And finally: in the case of Chapel Hill, they find academic positions more often than many so-called Ivies or Near-Ivies, from what I have seen. This is just an opinion, but it might provide some insight for some applicants. 

Edited January 31, 2022 by Angela Merkel

[MillerS]

Hello, everyone!

Yesterday an interested thing happened. One of the universities I applied for the PhD program offered me a position in the MA program. I believe this happened because I don't have B.A. or M.A. in Spanish. Consequently, there are many specific courses I need to take that are prerequisites for the PhD program. This was the email: 

"We must say that we are very excited to accept you to our program, but the committee has thought that it would be best for you to start in our MA program. The idea is to give you some more time to prepare for your PhD thesis. Some of the courses you will take for your MA will be transferred into the PhD. Once you arrive here you meet with the MA advisor and you will discuss the different ways you can work towards your PhD while you are completing your MA.

The Graduate school requires us that you agree with being accepted to the MA program instead of the PhD by sending us an email stating that you are in agreement. Let us know if you have any questions."

It is also unclear from the email whether I am being admitted exclusively to the M.A. or whether I am being admitted to both. Although I think it was just a nice way of saying that I need specific training before trying for a PhD...

I haven't decided yet, I'll ask deadline to accept or decline the offer.

I'm looking forward to hearing from 6 more universities. 

Thank you! Good luck!

Edited January 31, 2022 by MillerS

[GSHopeful1]

Hi everyone, 

 

Some more updates on my end: I got a call from the DGS at the University of Maryland, College Park this weekend telling me I had been admitted into their PhD program (offer letter coming this week). I also just received an email from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor with an offer letter to their PhD program without an interview or any contact with potential POIs - in case anyone else applied and was waiting for an interview (it looks like they don't do them). 

[sportengels]

5 hours ago, MillerS said:

"We must say that we are very excited to accept you to our program, but the committee has thought that it would be best for you to start in our MA program. The idea is to give you some more time to prepare for your PhD thesis. Some of the courses you will take for your MA will be transferred into the PhD. Once you arrive here you meet with the MA advisor and you will discuss the different ways you can work towards your PhD while you are completing your MA.

(hola a tod@s! snooping here from the French forum - good luck to you all in this stressful period!)

Just briefly adding that this also seems peculiar to me, since (and perhaps I could be mistaken) most language PhD programs should contain masters-level coursework for the first year or so of the program. Every PhD is different, of course, but it also might be worth asking about whether or not the MA is funded (and to what extent). If it isn't, it's almost certainly not worth the investment if the PhD is your ultimate goal. I would be surprised if the department believes any applicant *needs* masters-level coursework to be admitted to their PhD program, but crueler and stupider things have happened. 

[smgr]

¡Hola a todos! 

Just found this thread as I anxiously wait to hear back from some programs. Congratulations to everyone that already received an acceptance!!!! 

I noticed that only @GRADSPN1mentioned an interview with NYU (good luck btw!!!!) - has anyone else heard back? I'm still waiting for them and Columbia LAIC.

And also, has anyone applied to the PhD in Literary, Cultural and Linguistic Studies at the University of Miami? 

 

 

 

[caromella]

Officially got my rejection from the University of Michigan today. Congrats @GSHopeful1 on getting in! 

@Angela Merkel The more that I look into their teaching fellowship and talk to alumni about how it works, the more I actually like their program. I was stressed about the idea of teaching right away, but it seems like you get a lot of support. Speaking of supportive environments, I have already gotten a few emails from graduate students and faculty members who were all very kind and willing to meet with me about any questions that I had. Basically, I already have a good feeling about the program and the environment there, and I think I would fit in well.

22 hours ago, MillerS said:

It is also unclear from the email whether I am being admitted exclusively to the M.A. or whether I am being admitted to both. Although I think it was just a nice way of saying that I need specific training before trying for a PhD...

 

15 hours ago, sportengels said:

 Every PhD is different, of course, but it also might be worth asking about whether or not the MA is funded (and to what extent). If it isn't, it's almost certainly not worth the investment if the PhD is your ultimate goal.  

I agree with sportengels here, although it probably depends on the program. This might be a good option if you don't get in anywhere else and you want to improve your application for next time, but as someone who did an unfunded terminal masters it wouldn't be my first recommendation. Based on the email they sent you, I cannot tell if they plan on matriculating you into the PhD program after you finish your MA or not...it's very vague. I'm sure you have already thought about asking for clarification, but if you haven't I would definitely email them.

 

@smgr Welcome I applied to NYU but I haven't heard anything regarding decisions or interviews. I emailed them last Friday to inquire about the timeline, however, and the DGS told me they were aiming for this Friday but she couldn't determine exactly when. Hope that helps you breathe a little easier!

[caromella]

For everyone else who might be applying to similar schools as me, here are the general timelines I received:

NYU: Goal is this Friday, but could be later. 

Brown: End of Feb, early March

Duke: Early March

Cornell: By the end of this week 

Boston University: This week or next week

 

Edited February 1, 2022 by caromella