English / Literature PhD/MA

[LitHope]

Anyone heard back from an English PhD / MA program yet?

[anonacademic]

http://www.thegradcafe.com/survey/index.php?q=english

I'm expecting, looking at previous years, to hear back no sooner than early February, if I'm lucky.

[LitHope]

I also had thought Feb to March, but a well qualified friend just got a reject from a large state university so I was just curious. Thinking it might be a SUPER competitive year!

http://www.thegradca...x.php?q=english

I'm expecting, looking at previous years, to hear back no sooner than early February, if I'm lucky.

[Medievalmaniac]

I also had thought Feb to March, but a well qualified friend just got a reject from a large state university so I was just curious. Thinking it might be a SUPER competitive year!

There's at least one rejection posted for Comp Lit. in this forum already this year, but it is very early for Humanities folks to be hearing back. I second the late February/Early March suggestion.

[TheOtherJake]

From what I've seen on the results board from previous years, Interviews can happen in Feb-March, but Ph.D results usually come in March. Some Masters' programs are the only ones responding this early.

[alexdelarge]

Yeah, most of the schools I applied to (UCs) said they would not be doing interviews.

I don't know why science and math depts churn the decisions out so much quicker.

I thought there would be few applicants. I really can't imagine there is a huge number of english PhD applications, at least in this economy--everyone I know seems to tell me I am insane.

[TheOtherJake]

On 1/19/2011 at 9:30 PM, lservitje said:

I thought there would be few applicants. I really can't imagine there is a huge number of english PhD applications, at least in this economy--everyone I know seems to tell me I am insane.

I thought that too, but one professor mentioned - and so did a few blogs and other anecdotal sources - that the lack of many jobs is actually increasing grad school applications a lot. I suppose if you're smart and motivated enough to go to graduate school, and there don't seem to be any jobs available, it seems like a good idea. Or at least a place to chill out until well-paying jobs are available.

Too bad for those of us who always wanted to go in the first place...

[BillyPilgrim]

Do you think we're facing the same odds this year? or worse? better? how do we know?

[cheshirequeen]

only a handful of schools do interviews (emory, NYU, northwestern although i can't remember if they stopped). several schools i applied to will likely send out decisions mid-feb (maryland, vanderbilt, pittsburgh, etc). michigan state used to notify end of jan, although that seems not the case last year. they did start notifying people in the rhet/comm track already though.

most MA programs are not the first to respond.

My friend who is currently a first year PhD student at Northwestern said that Northwestern did not do interviews last year, so we can probably anticipate that they won't be doing them this year.