Tybalt Posted February 9, 2011 Posted February 9, 2011 Does anyone know anything about SUNY Binghamton? The state of the application season (no word from any of my schools--5 likely rejections, and 6 still in the mix) has me considering an 11th hour application. Their deadline is 2/15, so if I'm going to do it, it pretty much has to be today. So help me out with the Readers Digest version--what can you tell me about this school (good or bad)?
TC3 Posted February 9, 2011 Posted February 9, 2011 Does anyone know anything about SUNY Binghamton? The state of the application season (no word from any of my schools--5 likely rejections, and 6 still in the mix) has me considering an 11th hour application. Their deadline is 2/15, so if I'm going to do it, it pretty much has to be today. So help me out with the Readers Digest version--what can you tell me about this school (good or bad)? I applied to Binghamton's creative PhD last year, but I didn't really research it that much. All I can tell you is that the program offers admission beyond its funding capacity. I happened the check the web site last year and saw that I had been accepted; I got my hopes up, but called the office to make sure. No funding. I declined. I do remember hearing about some big schism that the department went through a couple of years ago regarding freshman English requirements, I think.
Tybalt Posted February 9, 2011 Author Posted February 9, 2011 I applied to Binghamton's creative PhD last year, but I didn't really research it that much. All I can tell you is that the program offers admission beyond its funding capacity. I happened the check the web site last year and saw that I had been accepted; I got my hopes up, but called the office to make sure. No funding. I declined. I do remember hearing about some big schism that the department went through a couple of years ago regarding freshman English requirements, I think. Yeah, I can't go without funding, and their website says that "almost half" of their students receive funding. On the other hand, I specialize in Shakespeare and Renaissance pedagogy, and they have a scholar (Alvin Vos) who has done extensive work on Roger Ascham.
TC3 Posted February 9, 2011 Posted February 9, 2011 Yeah, I can't go without funding, and their website says that "almost half" of their students receive funding. On the other hand, I specialize in Shakespeare and Renaissance pedagogy, and they have a scholar (Alvin Vos) who has done extensive work on Roger Ascham. Because of the late deadline, notifications also are absurdly late, like last week of March or first week of April.
Amalia222 Posted February 10, 2011 Posted February 10, 2011 Does anyone know anything about SUNY Binghamton? The state of the application season (no word from any of my schools--5 likely rejections, and 6 still in the mix) has me considering an 11th hour application. Their deadline is 2/15, so if I'm going to do it, it pretty much has to be today. So help me out with the Readers Digest version--what can you tell me about this school (good or bad)? I applied to SUNY Binghamton for English. There were two applications for me...the generic one online for the Graduate School, and a second, REALLY intricate one that had to be sent via Interfolio (an online document management system) for the English department. If your department requires Interfolio also, you are basically screwed, because you first have to send all docs to Interfolio (including letters of rec!), and transcripts have to be sent DIRECTLY FROM REGISTRAR (you cannot send them official transcripts, even if they are still sealed---soooo annoying!). Even then, it can take them 1-2 weeks to put up the docs on Interfolio. However, some departments do not require these loopholes, so check the website. Since I'm doing creative writing, I found the application process for Binghamton the most complicated of any of my 10 schools. But it seems like a nice school--small, with not many students admitted, and a nice place to live. I'm hoping (like you) that Binghamton will accept me even if all the other schools don't. I'm praying it's easier to get into than some of my top choices (which have 1%-3% acceptance rates!! gah!!!!). Anyways, best of luck.
fj20 Posted February 10, 2011 Posted February 10, 2011 I agree, it does seem like the Interfolio process requires a great deal of time. However, the application instructions on Binghamton's website say that you can just electronically upload your transcripts, even though your department will probably prefer an official transcript mailed directly to Interfolio. So I think you can still apply to Binghamton, fast-approaching deadlines notwithstanding.
WhereWoolf Posted February 10, 2011 Posted February 10, 2011 Does anyone know anything about SUNY Binghamton? The state of the application season (no word from any of my schools--5 likely rejections, and 6 still in the mix) has me considering an 11th hour application. Their deadline is 2/15, so if I'm going to do it, it pretty much has to be today. So help me out with the Readers Digest version--what can you tell me about this school (good or bad)? I too am making an eleventh-hour application to Binghamton. Although I had considered them earlier, mostly I am applying because I am feeling the panic. I found their website so confusing and full of contradictory information, theirs was the most complicated application I have encountered. Several times I called the graduate office during the past few days for clarification, but I always got a woman whose heavy Indian accent made it difficult for me to understand (I have a hearing deficit) and who kept telling me "to follow the instructions on the website." Well, somehow I missed all the instructions for the Interfolio procedure (!), and followed a application checklist I found on their website which made it clear that all compnents of the application (recommendations, resume, SoP, etc.), were to be mailed in ONE PACKAGE to the graduate school. I have mailed off my packet with all my required credentials, only to discover the Interfolio requirement today. Oh well. Que sera, sera. If they don't accept the application as is I will point out their website's problems.
Amalia222 Posted February 11, 2011 Posted February 11, 2011 I too am making an eleventh-hour application to Binghamton. Although I had considered them earlier, mostly I am applying because I am feeling the panic. I found their website so confusing and full of contradictory information, theirs was the most complicated application I have encountered. Several times I called the graduate office during the past few days for clarification, but I always got a woman whose heavy Indian accent made it difficult for me to understand (I have a hearing deficit) and who kept telling me "to follow the instructions on the website." Well, somehow I missed all the instructions for the Interfolio procedure (!), and followed a application checklist I found on their website which made it clear that all compnents of the application (recommendations, resume, SoP, etc.), were to be mailed in ONE PACKAGE to the graduate school. I have mailed off my packet with all my required credentials, only to discover the Interfolio requirement today. Oh well. Que sera, sera. If they don't accept the application as is I will point out their website's problems. LOL I know, right??? I emailed the department because there was conflicting information (I think it was about the transcripts)....the creative writing website wanted one thing and the English department wanted another. In response to my email, I got the same generic "refer to website" crap. And I was thinking-- "I'm an English &%$#ing major. I know how to READ. I READ the website. It did not answer my question. That is why I'm contacting YOU." But of course I let it slide. I saw that thing about "one packet" too. It annoyed me because one of my recommenders is really slow so I had to wait almost 3 weeks for her to send her letter before I could submit the WHOLE packet. grrr. *deep breath*. But it's over now. Best of luck everybody. Maybe we'll all meet at Bingy!
Tybalt Posted February 11, 2011 Author Posted February 11, 2011 LOL I know, right??? I emailed the department because there was conflicting information (I think it was about the transcripts)....the creative writing website wanted one thing and the English department wanted another. In response to my email, I got the same generic "refer to website" crap. And I was thinking-- "I'm an English &%$#ing major. I know how to READ. I READ the website. It did not answer my question. That is why I'm contacting YOU." But of course I let it slide. I saw that thing about "one packet" too. It annoyed me because one of my recommenders is really slow so I had to wait almost 3 weeks for her to send her letter before I could submit the WHOLE packet. grrr. *deep breath*. But it's over now. Best of luck everybody. Maybe we'll all meet at Bingy! Not me. I e-mailed Dr. Vos (the prof who would've been my potential mentor), and he basically told me that he would be retiring before I could finish the PhD (and that the other Ren. scholar didn't particularly like New Historicist approaches). While I'm bummed at losing the opportunity to work with him, I really appreciate the honesty and forthright nature of his e-mail. I would have been so upset if I spent $75, got in, and then found out that I'd never get to work with the guy who made the program such a draw to begin with.
darlingaesthete Posted February 23, 2011 Posted February 23, 2011 I applied to Binghamton at the last minute as well, heh. I must say, the people with whom I corresponded via email were very curt. Rude even. Very unclear about where and how to send things, and not at all welcoming. As one of my genius professors at Michigan once said, the way they treat you as a prospective will not change after you matriculate.
WhereWoolf Posted March 5, 2011 Posted March 5, 2011 Just got accepted! :-) Congratulations! How were you notified?
Amalia222 Posted March 5, 2011 Posted March 5, 2011 Congratulations! I'm glad they're notifying sooner rather than later. I already got an acceptance somewhere so I doubt I'll accept at Bing. even if I get in, but it depends on the funding....
kareneliz Posted March 6, 2011 Posted March 6, 2011 Congratulations! How were you notified? I was notified through email. I'm happy! It's a solid option. I'm third on Carnegie Mellon's waitlist though so we'll see...
Amalia222 Posted March 17, 2011 Posted March 17, 2011 Congrats, karen! I just found out via email that I am "very high" on the "short list" and that they are waiting until March 25, their admission deadline, before sending out more offers. I've kind of got my heart set on Texas A&M though, not sure if Bing. is better....
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