Women's Studies 2011

[morthia]

Welcome back to the forum & best wishes on your recovery.

This update from the Results might make you chuckle about OSU spelling your name wrong:

"Dear Applicant, Thanks for the $100 application fee, though it was not hefty enough to allow us the time to write your full name or BCC you. We regret to inform you that our elitist institution has fulfilled its snob quota for the fiscal year. PS: If you want to be admitted into the global ivory tower aristocracy, consider donating a library wing. Sincerely, Stanford." --Applicant for 2011 Season for the Modern Thought & Literature program at Stanford

Hey everyone, sorry I just came online to this site after such a long time; I've been really sick and am slowly approaching recovery. The only update I have as of now is that Ohio State rejected me, and they even got the spelling of my name wrong on the departmental rejection letter. However, the letter from the graduate school had my name right. Anyways, that was the only PhD program I had applied to. Right now, I am still waiting to hear from the European program about the application results although I am pretty content on the outcome of my applications at other schools. And congratulations to everyone who have heard back positive news, and good luck to those still waiting! The incoming classes everywhere are looking to be wonderful, and I hope everyone finds success at their dream schools.

Edited February 27, 2011 by morthia

[morthia]

Thank you! Congrats on your acceptances as well! That's a good question about how long it would take to complete a Ph.D. at University of Kansas since they are only offering three years of funding. I will have to go look at their handbook if it is available and/or ask the department!

Congrats on the two offers so far, morthia! Will the University of Kansas program take only three years for the doctoral, assuming they accepted your master's credits?

[feminist21]

Welcome back to the forum & best wishes on your recovery.

This update from the Results might make you chuckle about OSU spelling your name wrong:

"Dear Applicant, Thanks for the $100 application fee, though it was not hefty enough to allow us the time to write your full name or BCC you. We regret to inform you that our elitist institution has fulfilled its snob quota for the fiscal year. PS: If you want to be admitted into the global ivory tower aristocracy, consider donating a library wing. Sincerely, Stanford." --Applicant for 2011 Season for the Modern Thought & Literature program at Stanford

LOL that totally made me crack up!!

[feminist21]

Thank you! Congrats on your acceptances as well! That's a good question about how long it would take to complete a Ph.D. at University of Kansas since they are only offering three years of funding. I will have to go look at their handbook if it is available and/or ask the department!

That's a good idea; keep us updated when you hear anything from them. What school are you leaning most toward as of now? I know Indiana has the Kinsey Institute, which was probably the main reason I was considering applying there, but I ended up against it. Are you excited about the recruitment visit?!!

[coffeem8]

Welcome back to the forum & best wishes on your recovery.

This update from the Results might make you chuckle about OSU spelling your name wrong:

"Dear Applicant, Thanks for the $100 application fee, though it was not hefty enough to allow us the time to write your full name or BCC you. We regret to inform you that our elitist institution has fulfilled its snob quota for the fiscal year. PS: If you want to be admitted into the global ivory tower aristocracy, consider donating a library wing. Sincerely, Stanford." --Applicant for 2011 Season for the Modern Thought & Literature program at Stanford

bahahaha!

On another note, at some schools it is standard not to guarantee funding for a full 5 or 6 years. A program will only guarantee the number of years they feel comfortable with in writing, but you might still be able to get funding beyond those 3 or 4 years. You should ask the program what graduate students typically do after they reach the end of their 3 or 4 years of funding. Chances are they are able to secure funding some other way, or the department will still try to help them find money.

[kateg212]

Hi all, I've been accepted to OSU for the PhD - and was wondering if any current students are on the board? or any that have visited Ohio, have any insider knowledge?

I'm planning a visit, but in the meantime would just like to get a (possibly unbiased) opinion about the department..

Thanks

-kate

[morthia]

I am really excited for the recruitment visit at Indiana! I have to say that I am more enthusiastic about Indiana, but University of Kansas (KU) is offering me more money per year. I just wrote to the Director of Graduate Studies at Indiana to ask if they can match KU's offer. My roommate told me it's best to contact programs ASAP to ask for additional money, since they usually have a limited budget to match competitive offers and it is first come, first serve.

That's a good idea; keep us updated when you hear anything from them. What school are you leaning most toward as of now? I know Indiana has the Kinsey Institute, which was probably the main reason I was considering applying there, but I ended up against it. Are you excited about the recruitment visit?!!

[feminist21]

I am really excited for the recruitment visit at Indiana! I have to say that I am more enthusiastic about Indiana, but University of Kansas (KU) is offering me more money per year. I just wrote to the Director of Graduate Studies at Indiana to ask if they can match KU's offer. My roommate told me it's best to contact programs ASAP to ask for additional money, since they usually have a limited budget to match competitive offers and it is first come, first serve.

Yup, I think it was very wise of you to ask them for additional money. I did the same when I got offers for my undergraduate study, and I was offered additional money. I'd also consider which program takes lesser time to complete and then reevaluate the funding packages from both schools. I am super excited for flying to Cincinnati next week for my recruitment visit as well; I am sure we'd have a lot to share about our schools once we've been there and talked to the faculty in person!!

[morthia]

Thanks for commenting on this. I have to ask how successful students are at getting additional sources of income after their funding package is over.

bahahaha!

On another note, at some schools it is standard not to guarantee funding for a full 5 or 6 years. A program will only guarantee the number of years they feel comfortable with in writing, but you might still be able to get funding beyond those 3 or 4 years. You should ask the program what graduate students typically do after they reach the end of their 3 or 4 years of funding. Chances are they are able to secure funding some other way, or the department will still try to help them find money.

[morthia]

Yes! Please post about your recruitment visit to Cincinnati as well!

Yup, I think it was very wise of you to ask them for additional money. I did the same when I got offers for my undergraduate study, and I was offered additional money. I'd also consider which program takes lesser time to complete and then reevaluate the funding packages from both schools. I am super excited for flying to Cincinnati next week for my recruitment visit as well; I am sure we'd have a lot to share about our schools once we've been there and talked to the faculty in person!!

[SusieQ]

Morthia--Just curious, how did you hear/found out about the WS Ph.D. program at TWU? Why did you decide to apply?

Yes! Please post about your recruitment visit to Cincinnati as well!

Edited February 27, 2011 by SusieQ

[morthia]

Hey SusieQ -- I first heard about the Ph.D. program at TWU on the academic Women's Studies Listserv (WMST-L). That was actually the best thing that came out of WMST-L, since the rest of the postings were so useless that I decided to unsubscribe from WMST-L a few months ago. I decided to apply to TWU because I was committed to going on to a Women's and Gender Studies Ph.D. after completing my M.A. degree and decided to apply to all the stand-alone WGS programs in existence in the United States. I think having options is never a bad thing, which is why I applied to so many places--including TWU.

What did you think of Denton, TX when you visited? Have you heard anything about whether TWU funds their students?

Morthia--Just curious, how did you hear/found out about the WS Ph.D. program at TWU? Why did you decide to apply?

[coffeem8]

Hey SusieQ -- I first heard about the Ph.D. program at TWU on the academic Women's Studies Listserv (WMST-L). That was actually the best thing that came out of WMST-L, since the rest of the postings were so useless that I decided to unsubscribe from WMST-L a few months ago. (snipped)

morthia, I LOLd when I read this. The WMST-L is, um, interesting. I don't know what to make of it! It seems as though there are some interesting things happening there occasionally, but most of it is just people asking for sources on a particular topic.

[morthia]

They really need to tell people to stop asking for advice about undergraduate projects on WMST-L. For it to be a useful resource, it would need to focus on CFPs, general conference announcements, events, funding opportunities, etc. I am on the academic Queer Studies Listserv (QSTUDY-L) which is 10x better than WMST-L when it comes to being useful.

If anyone is interesting in signing up for QSTUDY-L go here: https://mailman.rice.edu/mailman/listinfo/qstudy-l

morthia, I LOLd when I read this. The WMST-L is, um, interesting. I don't know what to make of it! It seems as though there are some interesting things happening there occasionally, but most of it is just people asking for sources on a particular topic.

[coffeem8]

What makes it funnier is that I don't think, in most cases, it is undergraduates asking for sources, but academics. It's weird because a lot of the topics that pop up seem very "WGS 101"...

[morthia]

Yeah, it seems to be academics asking for WGS 101 advice about how to advise undergraduate projects. More of a general teaching resource for intro WGS classes rather than a rigorous academic resource.

[FionatheFeminist]

How are people going about deciding on offers between schools? Any strategies?

I know I have two primary things that are important to me: 1) Best fit with my research interests/Faculty that can can advise my project; and 2) Location.

How big of a deal is location in how you are making your decisions?

What matters to you most in choosing a program?

I hear ya, sister! Honestly, location is REALLY important to me too.. After living in a tiny little college town, I know I want to be somewhere with a lot of people (and more specifically a larger LGBT community). I kind of chose the programs I was applying to based on location but of course, the faculty and program itself is most important. BUT I want to end up in a city I know I'll enjoy. Also, I'll have to consider funding too. I just hope I get an offer from one of my top 4!!

[morthia]

FionatheFeminist, I just sent you a PM.

[morthia]

Am I serioulsy the only person on the forum who applied to University of Washington this year? Anyone else? Maybe since they said on their website that they only have the ability to fund students for 1 year that scared plenty of people off?

[coffeem8]

I know Washington's funding situation scared ME off... but I also wasn't a good fit for their department. I am sure others applied. There are lots of "lurkers" on here who don't post.

[morthia]

Yeah, I am sure a few lurkers have applied too, haven't you lurkers?

I am really curious about University of Washington because they and Texas Woman's University are the only two schools left on my list that haven't released decisions yet (that we know of).

[feminist21]

I know I did not even consider applying to schools that did not offer full funding to its accepted students (because it seemed impossible to arrange for funding on my own without going severely in debt). And yes, University of Washington's statement seemed scary at that point. All this application fun would start once again when I apply to doctoral programs in the future.

[SusieQ]

Thanks for your response. I'm originally from Seattle living in Eastern Washington, so I'm not used to the warm weather down there. Visiting was like paradise since it is so darn cold here! Texas is very flat, dusty and warm. Everything is easy to find and evenly spread out by highways. The three main cities, Dallas/Fort Worth/Denton are linked in a loop of intersecting highways and spaced by expanses of farmland and ranches. Getting around is easy and all of the cities are clearly marked on the highway. Even when I got lost, it wasn't too hard to find my bearings again. The housing around Denton is what you would expect in a college-town; A little run down, but lots of interesting places to visit and be entertained. I strongly urge you to consider the graduate housing available on campus! I have a dog, so I won't be able to seek graduate student housing, but it was far superior in price and quality than some of the rental houses/apts in the area. If you're looking for a rental house, they're relatively inexpensive, but they're all constructed in the 70's ranch-style. As for leisure activities, I think Texas is an ideal camping/roadtrip state. I love hiking, backpacking, horseback riding, mountain biking, canoeing and all manner of outdoorsy stuff. With Texas' year-round warmth and scores of natural landscape, it is an ideal place for people who enjoy those kind of activities. The TWU campus is small. I went to Smith College for my undergraduate, which is pretty compact. IMO, TWU is comparable in size. I think I was able to cross the main areas of TWU's campus on foot within 10-15 minutes. (there are some obscure, out-lying buildings farther away of course). Lots of good parking areas and is supportive of commuters. The Human Development Building where the WS department is located has nice, modern classrooms that support seminar-style graduate course work. Overall, I was very pleased with the intimate nature of the school and the focus put on ensuring small class sizes and quality instruction.

In regards to funding: I chatted with Dr. Downer at the academic preview about funding options for graduate students. The options seemed to be few largely because the program is so new (this is the first year they're accepting applications for a 2011 cohort). They assured me, however, that WS doctoral students are eligible for university wide funding options. The most common source of funding are teaching positions within the WS department because the university requires all of its students to take at least 3-4 credits in women's studies. There are literally hundreds of students taking introductory women's studies courses, the majority of which are conducted in hybrid and face-to-face instructional frameworks. (18 graduate credit hours in WS is required to be eligible for teaching assistanceships) They don't offer research assistance positions in the Women's Studies department, however, they encourage students to connect with faculty from other departments (i.e.: Sociology, Social Work, Nursing etc) and apply for open opportunities there. I think this is due to the interdisciplinary nature of the program and the small department size. Finally, TWU is very generous with grants and scholarships for graduate students. They have an online site where you can put in some basic information about yourself and academic achievements and it will indicate which scholarships and grants you are eligible for. (Let me know if you'd like a link) From that site, you are able to apply for all those you qualify for. Many of the scholarships are renewable. One-time grants can be has high as $2,000. The university allows the stacking of scholarships and grants too, which is very unusual.

I am pleased with the amount of support and training TWU's WS department offers its students in teaching. In prior teaching positions, I felt like I was simply thrown into it without a lot of feedback. I'm looking for a program that equally promotes publication and teaching. It seems like the feminist pedagogies curriculum is excellent. If teaching is something you really look forward to, then TWU has a lot to offer you in that respect.

I hope this helps give you a better picture of TWU!

-Susie

Hey SusieQ -- I first heard about the Ph.D. program at TWU on the academic Women's Studies Listserv (WMST-L). That was actually the best thing that came out of WMST-L, since the rest of the postings were so useless that I decided to unsubscribe from WMST-L a few months ago. I decided to apply to TWU because I was committed to going on to a Women's and Gender Studies Ph.D. after completing my M.A. degree and decided to apply to all the stand-alone WGS programs in existence in the United States. I think having options is never a bad thing, which is why I applied to so many places--including TWU.

What did you think of Denton, TX when you visited? Have you heard anything about whether TWU funds their students?

Edited February 27, 2011 by SusieQ

[nerni]

Hi Everyone,

I have been following the discussion about how people are deciding between schools and was hoping to get some advice myself. I have been accepted into the PhD programs at OSU, UCLA and Rutgers and need to make a decision by mid-March about where I will go. Can anyone speak to the strengths/weaknesses of these programs? (if you don't feel comfortable posting, please PM me). I have received 4 years of funding for both OSU and Rutgers and don't know what UCLA will be offering, so I can't really decide based on that at this point. I could probably happily live in any of the three locations for varying reasons. They all have faculty I could work with, so it would be less about finding an advisor. So...I am trying to get a better sense of the department in terms of how accessible faculty are, what the TA commitment looks like (large classes, small classes, multiple classes, etc), what the culture is like generally, do most people focus more in humanities vs. social science types of work, reputation, etc. I am a bit concerned since I will very likely have to make the decision before I will have the chance to visit all of the schools and meet with people face-to-face. Thanks for any insights you can offer!

[sequi001]

Well, I am getting kind of pessimistic about the outcomes for this session. I am now waiting on three schools, but I just think that at the time of my application, I wasn't completely aware of what my personal statement should be like, which I think was really detrimental to my overall application. Indeed, I have an interview this week for the Fulbright scholarship for which I had to provide the same documents than for graduate admissions. I sent them the exact same documents except for my personal statement which I changed, and I am now among the finalists, which is really exciting but pointless if I don't get into any school.

Anyway, I am already considering reapplying next year. I am thinking about focusing mostly on retaking the GRE and working on my personal statement and/or statement of purpose. Does any of you have some good advice? Also, I really believe that it would be very helpful to be able to see some personal statements, so I can actually figure its form and content. If some of you would be willing to PM yours, I would be very grateful. As an international student, I unfortunately don't have all the knowledge that you may have on graduate applications, as it works so differently back to France. What a bummer that I didn't know this forum a couple of months ago, that would have definitely helped me.

I hope that I will hear from some of you, and congrats again to all of you that got accepted!