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[teepeer]

Hello,

I am a Pakistani teacher with a Masters degree in English Literature (3.6 GPA), a Masters in ELT with (3.9 GPA), an MPhil in Literature (thesis ongoing), and 4 years of teaching in a college.Recently, I appeared for GRE and scored pretty mediocre. 540 in V, 460 in Maths, and 5.5 in AWA. What chances do I have for a Phd in any good American university. Plus, I am also intending to apply for Fulbright. Please give honest feedback (even if its discouraging)

[wannabee]

Since it appears you are going into a field related to English, can you study and retake the GRE to pull up the verbal before applications go in?

[Medievalmaniac]

Hello,

I am a Pakistani teacher with a Masters degree in English Literature (3.6 GPA), a Masters in ELT with (3.9 GPA), an MPhil in Literature (thesis ongoing), and 4 years of teaching in a college.Recently, I appeared for GRE and scored pretty mediocre. 540 in V, 460 in Maths, and 5.5 in AWA. What chances do I have for a Phd in any good American university. Plus, I am also intending to apply for Fulbright. Please give honest feedback (even if its discouraging)

I think that realistically, there are positives and negatives to your application.

First - you're an international, non-European student - which is a desirable trait for an international applicant, because it adds to campus diversity.

Second, you have teaching experience at the college level - also a plus.

Your GRE scores meet the unofficial cutoff requirements for many schools.

The eyebrow-raisers in this portfolio (for me, and I'm no adcomm member, and therefore no expert on red flag elements of an application, it's important to keep in mind) would be firstly, that you already have two master's degrees and are now working on an MPhil. Even though they are all in the same general subject areas (English, literature, teaching of English) that looks a little strange - why three master's degrees? Why not just have gone straight to a PhD from the first or second MA? Also, American universities place a great deal of weight on your undergraduate grades/GPA, which you have not mentioned here.

In the end, I think it would certainly boil down to your statement of purpose and your letters of recommendation. But it's probably worth at least applying, if that is what you want to do!!

[teepeer]

Pakistan doesnt have internationally recognized places that offer Phd in English literature. I was keen to update my qualification, so did this headless chicken run. The ELT degree was basically something that facilitated me to get a college faculty position. My undergraduate degree is a 1st division.

[katemiddleton]

Pakistan doesnt have internationally recognized places that offer Phd in English literature. I was keen to update my qualification, so did this headless chicken run. The ELT degree was basically something that facilitated me to get a college faculty position. My undergraduate degree is a 1st division.

I work in undergraduate admissions, so this may not count for much, but I have three suggestions.

1. You sound like you have a very interesting personal and intellectual journey. Your SOP should reflect that, and also address what it means to be a Pakistani studying English literature. What in your life inspired you to make this intellectual choice?

2. Raise your GRE score to about a 700 verbal, if you can. This will really help, especially because your AWA is so good!

3. Play the "contact professors game" as early as possible. Start now!

Alex

[teepeer]

thanks a lot. cant re-appear for GRE. IT TRAUMATIZES ME!!!! and i find writing essays way easier than the verbal JUGGLING.

[teepeer]

and I have started contacting professors specially the ones interested in working on inter-cultural literature.