2023 Applicants

[paranym]

hi! this is my first forum post so i hope i do everything ok. my question has to do with what is considered normal and abnormal in English grad programs (for what it's worth, I'm doing an MA in canada. classes are generally split proportionately between ma and phd students). at orientation i seem to remember the grad director saying that they expect A-level grades and papers, and that if you're consistently getting lower than that (A- or below) it's a sign to "reconsider."

at the time, this did strike me as intimidating and potentially quite harsh. however, i was used to getting As pretty reliably in undergrad, so i told myself not to worry too much...sure enough, i really find "a" tends to be the standard grade in grad school. i got one a- on a short assignment that i really did poorly (was up late, it had typos....definitely justified an a-). but sometimes i wonder if profs simply assume grad papers are a-level automatically and only offer constructive feedback, unless a paper has glaring issues.

this also raises the question -- if "a" is the default, how common is an a+? i got a couple A+s on my transcript from a prof who others have warned "is a tough marker." however, i don't really like to ask my peers how they've done on assignments -- especially with online school where i don't know some of them well at all, it just seems a little rude -- so i have no real gauge for what constitutes "tough" grading, or "easy" grading for that matter. my transcripts don't know an average or median grade either.

surely, grad schools can't be graduating all MAs and PHDs with straight-A averages. how big is the spectrum of grades, especially at the MA level? can i expect an A+ or two on a transcript to set me apart, if it came down to it?

(other info -- my program requires MAs take a total of 6 courses, so within that i have 2 A+s)

[illcounsel]

In my program, there is not A+, just A. If you get less than an A or A- in a class it is considered more like a message from the professor that you need to step up your work a bit. 

[tensed-grad-aspirant]

Could someone suggest some moderate to high acceptance rate literature/ comp. Lit/ history PhD programs in the USA which have faculty in South Asian history (I'm working with India) or postcolonialism and history of knowledge/science? I would also like your opinion on whether I'm making my search criteria very niche and how I can broaden my search.

[ArcaMajora]

Best of luck to you all! Happy to provide support and commiserate.

[conswrtng]

Hey ArcaMajora, hey everyone! 
I plan to apply for Fall 2023, Rhet-comp/English programs. I'm still researching programs but have already started to prepare the SOP and docs. 
Happy to collaborate with y'all, and best of luck to everyone!

[agunns]

Hi all, 

I'm gearing up to start my PhD apps for the Fall 2023 admissions cycle. I'm currently focusing on stand-alone rhetoric programs or rhetoric programs housed within an English department. My interests are (broadly) digital humanities, rhetorics of space and place, and archival theory. I've recently been working on rhetorical constructions of space and place in digital storytelling such as podcasts. I know for sure that I'll be applying to UT-Austin (English w/ focus on DLL), UMD (English), and NC State (Comm, Rhet, & Digital Media). 

Do y'all know of any other programs that have strengths in those areas?

Thanks!

[postcolonialdialectics]

Hi!

I have been looking into cultural studies oriented PhD programs in English, many of them are great! The issue is that the popular departments with great coursework rarely have enough faculty members working on postcolonial/ transnational criticism. Can you suggest some programs that are not made up of just Americanists. I would also be happy if the program doesn't have the cultural studies aspect but interdisciplinary is a priority.

[toad11]

Hello! I have a rather weird question. I am already in a phd programme but it is ranked in the 80s. The programme's ranking has fallen over the years since it used to be in the 30s at some point. I was wondering if reapplying to a better programme is even an option and if people do that. When I came in I was concerned about the department's speciality in a sub-field but all the talk about rankings has had me freaked out and I have been wondering if I should continue in the current programme at all. It is a very small programme but the rankings are a bit unnerving. I am in my second year and can only make a major shift now. Any later than this would be suicidal! Also, is it okay to get recommendations from professors in my current programme? I am sorry if this sounds completely ridiculous but I have been having this nagging thought for a while now and haven't been able to do much due to crippling anxiety. Thanks in advance!

[conswrtng]

 

Hi toad11, I'm an international student, so I'm not even sure what I'm saying, but conversations I've had with current PhD students  iin the US always led me to believe rankings were not so important. That the most important part of choosing a PhD program is the relationship with the advisor... 

What do you feel that is happening in your current program? Is there a lack of funding due to raking levels falling? Or are you worried you won't get a good job after you graduate due to the program's reputation?

Also, I've never heard of anyone changing programs in their second year, but you should prioritize your well-being. If you feel you won't get your reputation 'marked' for this, go for it!

My two cents is that if I made this switch in my country, dropping off one program and trying to apply to others, and if my advisor got offended, I would probably be frowned upon in my field because professors talk... But I would also never be able to continue in a program where I am uncomfortable and anxious/stuck. So even if I were to be frowned upon, I would reapply and change. 

 

[toad11]

7 hours ago, conswrtng said:

 

Hi toad11, I'm an international student, so I'm not even sure what I'm saying, but conversations I've had with current PhD students  iin the US always led me to believe rankings were not so important. That the most important part of choosing a PhD program is the relationship with the advisor... 

What do you feel that is happening in your current program? Is there a lack of funding due to raking levels falling? Or are you worried you won't get a good job after you graduate due to the program's reputation?

Also, I've never heard of anyone changing programs in their second year, but you should prioritize your well-being. If you feel you won't get your reputation 'marked' for this, go for it!

My two cents is that if I made this switch in my country, dropping off one program and trying to apply to others, and if my advisor got offended, I would probably be frowned upon in my field because professors talk... But I would also never be able to continue in a program where I am uncomfortable and anxious/stuck. So even if I were to be frowned upon, I would reapply and change. 

 

Thanks so much for your reply! No, the programme in general is great--love the professors and the courses. The funding is okayish for the area--not great but competitive enough if you are not looking at the obvious ones with great funding like Yale and Princeton... The programme in itself has done nothing to jeopardize my well-being but it's just the ranking and people saying "top ten or bust" is what's freaking me out.

[Rootbound]

@toad11 while "top ten or bust" can be misleading, it does reflect the fact that in a shrinking/shrunken job market, it's fairly uncommon (but not unheard of) to get a job at an institution a tier above your own. It's more likely that one would get a job a tier down. I don't think rankings necessarily reflect a program's actual strength, but your institution's perceived status will likely matter at some point, unfortunately. So if your goal is an academic job, it would be prudent to at minimum look into the placement record of your program--how many of their phds have gotten tenure-track jobs in the last five years? That should give you a better idea of how the rankings could affect your prospects. 
 

If you do decide to apply elsewhere, you should have no problem getting recommendations from your current professors, as long as they have treated you well thus far and are clear-eyed about your reasons for leaving. If your advisor is so offended that you want to leave that they start gossiping about you or refuse to recommend you, especially if they know your reasons are not personal, well then honestly it's probably good you get away from them--that's weird, possessive behavior. But it doesn't seem like the most likely outcome. 
 

I'm not sure why you think it'd be "suicidal" (pretty distasteful hyperbole imho) to leave your program any later than your second year. I'm not sure how your program is structured, but if it's a stand-alone phd program, then I don't see what the harm would be if you waited until you got your MA and then left, as this is a fairly common time for students to leave their programs regardless of destination. If you already hold an MA from another program, or if you are two years into writing a diss, then I'd say that that would make it harder to get accepted elsewhere. But I'd expect that finishing your course work before transferring could potentially be a good sign that you're able to follow through on a commitment and won't jump ship too easily. I am just an ABD student, so it's not like I'm on admission committees, and I'd strongly encourage you to discuss this with your advisor, but my two cents are so long as you leave before starting a diss, when exactly you leave won't make too much of a difference. 
 

Finally, a word of encouragement: I have a colleague who came to our program after getting their MA from one institution, starting a phd at another, but then leaving due to a personnel change for her current position. So it's definitely possible!

[billyroberts]

On 4/26/2022 at 6:29 PM, paranym said:

hi! this is my first forum post so i hope i do everything ok. my question has to do with what is considered normal and abnormal in English grad programs (for what it's worth, I'm doing an MA in canada. classes are generally split proportionately between ma and phd students). at orientation i seem to remember the grad director saying that they expect A-level grades and papers, and that if you're consistently getting lower than that (A- or below) it's a sign to "reconsider."

at the time, this did strike me as intimidating and potentially quite harsh. however, i was used to getting As pretty reliably in undergrad, so i told myself not to worry too much...sure enough, i really find "a" tends to be the standard grade in grad school. i got one a- on a short assignment that i really did poorly (was up late, it had typos....definitely justified an a-). but sometimes i wonder if profs simply assume grad papers are a-level automatically and only offer constructive feedback, unless a paper has glaring issues.

this also raises the question -- if "a" is the default, how common is an a+? i got a couple A+s on my transcript from a prof who others have warned "is a tough marker." however, i don't really like to ask my peers how they've done on assignments -- especially with online school where i don't know some of them well at all, it just seems a little rude -- so i have no real gauge for what constitutes "tough" grading, or "easy" grading for that matter. my transcripts don't know an average or median grade either.

surely, grad schools can't be graduating all MAs and PHDs with straight-A averages. how big is the spectrum of grades, especially at the MA level? can i expect an A+ or two on a transcript to set me apart, if it came down to it?

(other info -- my program requires MAs take a total of 6 courses, so within that i have 2 A+s)

I'm planning to apply to the Fall 2023, 2023, and English/Rhet-comp/English programs. I'm still researching the programs, but I've started preparation of the SOP and documents.

[Quickening]

Best of luck to all applicants this year! May your application seasons be blessedly anxiety-free.

[sadgirl]

Hello everyone! I noticed that this year the topic is a bit dead, so I wanted to be more active on the forum this time and maybe start a conversation (this is my second cycle). What unis have you guys been applying to? I've selected six, hoping to get at least into one! 

[zanthia122]

On 12/12/2022 at 11:19 AM, sadgirl said:

Hello everyone! I noticed that this year the topic is a bit dead, so I wanted to be more active on the forum this time and maybe start a conversation (this is my second cycle). What unis have you guys been applying to? I've selected six, hoping to get at least into one! 

This is my first cycle and I’m applying to 12 schools. Also hoping to get into at least one! What’s your area of interest?

Edited December 15, 2022 by zanthia122

[sadgirl]

1 hour ago, zanthia122 said:

This is my first cycle and I’m applying to 12 schools. Also hoping to get into at least one! What’s your area of interest?

Hi! I'm interested in translatlantic and sapphic modernism. What about you? I'm also considering schools in Europe but that will be a problem for the Spring if i don't get in anywhere haha

[zanthia122]

6 hours ago, sadgirl said:

Hi! I'm interested in translatlantic and sapphic modernism. What about you? I'm also considering schools in Europe but that will be a problem for the Spring if i don't get in anywhere haha

19th British lit, specifically novels! I’m only applying to schools in the US. Good luck to us both! It’s definitely a stressful time.

[HaruNoKaze]

Hey!  I finished my masters and after I couldn't' get into any doctorate programs, I quit trying and started a professional career instead.  Now I'm looking to start applying to a couple of English Lit doctorate programs in Texas and try to squeeze in before the deadlines. It looks like SMU's application is still open until Jan 15th, but requires GRE scores, but then it says GRE is optional for fall 2023? Have a lot of universities been waiving GRE scores? Have any of you noticed if you feel like that's given you an advantage?

[sonnybunny]

Does anybody have recommendations for programs strong in 20th c. British literature, especially those that offer courses in cinema studies?

[steady hand sean]

hi, i am a bit late to the forum game.. i have already submitted all my applications as of december 15. i will probably be quasi-active on this forum in order to avoid talking about this constantly to my friends (who do not deserve to hear that and also do not want to).

i applied to nine programs (got fee waivers for eight of them); mostly to English programs (especially more interdisciplinary ones) but some programs in rhetoric/modern culture/media studies etc which are more suited to my research interests. i write about automatons mostly so everything from monsters to puppets to robots/artificial intelligence, with a focus on the intersection of gender and labor.

i am actually still in undergrad so was applying for programs while i was (and am) a full-time student + writing my senior thesis, which is still in progress obviously. i am really hoping these decisions don't put a damper on my senior spring but here's to hoping!

what programs did people apply to this cycle?

[sadgirl]

On 12/26/2022 at 6:16 PM, steady hand sean said:

hi, i am a bit late to the forum game.. i have already submitted all my applications as of december 15. i will probably be quasi-active on this forum in order to avoid talking about this constantly to my friends (who do not deserve to hear that and also do not want to).

i applied to nine programs (got fee waivers for eight of them); mostly to English programs (especially more interdisciplinary ones) but some programs in rhetoric/modern culture/media studies etc which are more suited to my research interests. i write about automatons mostly so everything from monsters to puppets to robots/artificial intelligence, with a focus on the intersection of gender and labor.

i am actually still in undergrad so was applying for programs while i was (and am) a full-time student + writing my senior thesis, which is still in progress obviously. i am really hoping these decisions don't put a damper on my senior spring but here's to hoping!

what programs did people apply to this cycle?

Hi!! I'm sure we'll be able to give each other some comfort on this forum. I'm also avoiding bombarding my family and friends with PhD issues haha 

I'm applying to 6 programs in the US! Maryland, Colorado, Boston, Northeastern, New Hampshire and Missouri. V nervous. Your choices are all alluring!

[Hugh_]

On 12/20/2022 at 1:02 PM, HaruNoKaze said:

Hey!  I finished my masters and after I couldn't' get into any doctorate programs, I quit trying and started a professional career instead.  Now I'm looking to start applying to a couple of English Lit doctorate programs in Texas and try to squeeze in before the deadlines. It looks like SMU's application is still open until Jan 15th, but requires GRE scores, but then it says GRE is optional for fall 2023? Have a lot of universities been waiving GRE scores? Have any of you noticed if you feel like that's given you an advantage?

I would not worry too much about GRE scores- if they are still required. If they are optional, I wouldn't worry about it and apply.

[Hugh_]

On 12/25/2022 at 8:23 PM, sonnybunny said:

Does anybody have recommendations for programs strong in 20th c. British literature, especially those that offer courses in cinema studies?

Most programs have very solid 20th c British literature, as far as cinema studies are concerned these would be mostly housed outside the English Department...I suggest on looking for programs with a specialization on your research interests instead (topic, approach, etc.)

[hay bagel]

I know we're still at least a couple weeks away from beginning to hear back, but I literally cannot think about ANYTHING else! I am so anxious and just desperate for news UGH

[sadgirl]

20 hours ago, hay bagel said:

I know we're still at least a couple weeks away from beginning to hear back, but I literally cannot think about ANYTHING else! I am so anxious and just desperate for news UGH

I know I'm getting really anxious too! Especially since some schools do interviews and I'm scared I'm going to be rejected if I don't get any invites. But I'm keeping a positive mind, lighting a candle, etc. How many schools have you applied to?