USC 2011

[ecg1810]

Congrats to the USC acceptee! Does anyone have more information? I feel like there might be more positive notifications on their way judging from old results.

[Amalia222]

Maybe that person heard back sooner because they got the fellowship. I also applied there, and no word yet. I'm not expecting anything for another 2 weeks.

[ecg1810]

That's certainly possible. I was slightly confused though because USC has historically notified admits around the same time (at least according to the results feed). Ah well. We shall see.

[fall-11]

I'm also waiting/hoping to hear from USC. By the way, does anyone have stats on how many people usually apply vs. how many are accepted? I usually look up this information on petersons.com, but the data they have for USC is only 90 applicants last year, which can't be right (http://www.petersons.com/graduate-schools/university-of-southern-california-college-of-letters-arts-and-sciences-department-of-english-admissions-000_10026073_10088.aspx). Anyone have more accurate info?

[Amalia222]

I'm also waiting/hoping to hear from USC. By the way, does anyone have stats on how many people usually apply vs. how many are accepted? I usually look up this information on petersons.com, but the data they have for USC is only 90 applicants last year, which can't be right (http://www.petersons...6073_10088.aspx). Anyone have more accurate info?

When I was originally looking into schools, I called and spoke to the graduate coordinator (sorry, don't remember her name). She told me that they get 300-400 applicants every year, and they accept 3-5 people. Which puts the odds at 1%. I have little hope of getting in there, but I'm a Cali girl, so I had to throw one Cali school into my list. It's the only school in California that has the kind of program I want. meh.

[ecg1810]

Holy smokes! I wish I'd known those admission stats before I applied. Ah well. The Universe will point me (and the rest of us!) in the right direction, no matter the outcome.

[shepardn7]

When I was originally looking into schools, I called and spoke to the graduate coordinator (sorry, don't remember her name). She told me that they get 300-400 applicants every year, and they accept 3-5 people. Which puts the odds at 1%. I have little hope of getting in there, but I'm a Cali girl, so I had to throw one Cali school into my list. It's the only school in California that has the kind of program I want. meh.

But aren't you applying to the joint Eng/Creative Writing program? Both programs are in the English dept, but they have different grad coordinators and application sets.

[fall-11]

But aren't you applying to the joint Eng/Creative Writing program? Both programs are in the English dept, but they have different grad coordinators and application sets.

Yeah, I think I remember their website saying they take 10-12 for English, and 4-5 for Creative Writing. Feeling too lazy and demoralized to actually go look it up again, but that's what I remember.

[ecg1810]

Yeah, I think I remember their website saying they take 10-12 for English, and 4-5 for Creative Writing. Feeling too lazy and demoralized to actually go look it up again, but that's what I remember.

Hmm. . . I feel a bit better knowing they probably take around 10-12 for English; that's the average number for many programs.

[fall-11]

Yeah, I think I remember their website saying they take 10-12 for English, and 4-5 for Creative Writing. Feeling too lazy and demoralized to actually go look it up again, but that's what I remember.

Okay, I just double-checked, and those are indeed the numbers they provide on their website (http://college.usc.edu/engl/programs/graduate.cfm). Not that I'm feeling terribly hopeful about being among those 10-12, but whatever.

[ecg1810]

Okay, I just double-checked, and those are indeed the numbers they provide on their website (http://college.usc.e...ms/graduate.cfm). Not that I'm feeling terribly hopeful about being among those 10-12, but whatever.

Hey now, how could USC possibly turn down someone whose profile picture is an adorable koala? That displays potential as a literary scholar if I ever saw any.

[fall-11]

Hey now, how could USC possibly turn down someone whose profile picture is an adorable koala? That displays potential as a literary scholar if I ever saw any.

Ha! Well, USC can't see my profile picture, since it's not on my application -- maybe I should have included it for good luck? Surely there are some warm and fuzzy professors out there who respond to furry little critters?

Actually, I've been wondering who the woman on your profile picture is. I'm guessing it's some literary figure, but I just have no idea who.

Thanks for cheering me up a little. You guys rock

[ecg1810]

Ha! Well, USC can't see my profile picture, since it's not on my application -- maybe I should have included it for good luck? Surely there are some warm and fuzzy professors out there who respond to furry little critters?

Actually, I've been wondering who the woman on your profile picture is. I'm guessing it's some literary figure, but I just have no idea who.

Thanks for cheering me up a little. You guys rock

Glad to be of assistance. Trust me, I know how emotionally destructive Grad Applications Hell can be--especially since this is my second year to throw myself into the fray.

My profile picture is Elizabeth Gaskell, my all-time FAVORITE Victorian writer. She had a prolific literary career; her most well-known works are Mary Barton (1848)--a social criticism novel that illuminates the squalid living conditions of the urban working poor of Manchester--and Cranford (1851)--a book that satirizes the provincial idiosyncrasies of the eponymous fictional rural community. Cranford first appeared in Household Words, a magazine edited by Charles Dickens. While Gaskell published a handful of her works in this periodical, she had regular bicker-fests with Dickens, who often tried to impose constraints on her contributions that would have detracted from their overall quality. I love reading her recaps of their banter because she decidedly refused to kowtow to the all-mighty "Prince of Prose." On more than one occasion, she more or less told him, "I don't give a hoot who you are or what you've published: Keep your word when we make publishing agreements and turn the narcissism down a notch, please." A sassy, intelligent, loveable historical figure, in my humble opinion.

Sorry for the tangent--I'm a huge Gaskell freak, so I'm excited to have the opportunity to discuss her with an interested party.

Edited February 11, 2011 by ecg1810

[fall-11]

This is mostly grumbling and nothing substantial, but WHEN is USC going to notify??? Last year, all the acceptances were given out on Feb 9. This year, its Feb 20 already, and only one acceptance on the results board so far, but that one was a fellowship recipient, which means the regular admits haven't gone out yet. Also, their deadline was Dec 1, so they really should be done by now. Aarrgh!! Sorry, the waiting is driving me nuts

[ecg1810]

This is mostly grumbling and nothing substantial, but WHEN is USC going to notify??? Last year, all the acceptances were given out on Feb 9. This year, its Feb 20 already, and only one acceptance on the results board so far, but that one was a fellowship recipient, which means the regular admits haven't gone out yet. Also, their deadline was Dec 1, so they really should be done by now. Aarrgh!! Sorry, the waiting is driving me nuts

I completely agree, fall-11. And USC doesn't even have the snowstorm to blame for this tardiness.

[books]

I completely agree, fall-11. And USC doesn't even have the snowstorm to blame for this tardiness.

This may be a dumb question, but what school does the thread refer to? I thought at first that it was U of South Carolina, but someone mentioned California and now I'm very confused.

Help?

[Amalia222]

But aren't you applying to the joint Eng/Creative Writing program? Both programs are in the English dept, but they have different grad coordinators and application sets.

True. I was speaking specifically of creative writing.

[Amalia222]

This may be a dumb question, but what school does the thread refer to? I thought at first that it was U of South Carolina, but someone mentioned California and now I'm very confused.

Help?

USC=

University of Southern California

[books]

On 2/20/2011 at 6:43 PM, Amalia222 said:

USC=

University of Southern California

Thanks! Good luck to you all.

[fall-11]

I called USC today to find out when they're going to notify. The grad secretary said they'll start notifying at the end of this week or beginning of next week. So at least now we have a time frame. Keeping my fingers crossed!

[Amalia222]

I called USC today to find out when they're going to notify. The grad secretary said they'll start notifying at the end of this week or beginning of next week. So at least now we have a time frame. Keeping my fingers crossed!

thanks for the info!

[fall-11]

thanks for the info!

Actually, I called the grad secretary for English, so I'm not sure if the creative writing folks will get notified at the same time, or whether they're a separate process ... good luck, though!

[ecg1810]

On 2/23/2011 at 6:52 PM, fall-11 said:

I called USC today to find out when they're going to notify. The grad secretary said they'll start notifying at the end of this week or beginning of next week. So at least now we have a time frame. Keeping my fingers crossed!

Thanks, fall-11! Time frames are good.

 

[alexdelarge]

I just got a letter in the mail saying I'm wait listed. Any others out there?

[englishgrad11]

To those accepted and anyone else who knows: is the Provost's Fellowship more prestigious than the College Doctoral Fellowship? I have been browsing the webpages for these two fellowships, and both seem very respectable and seem to offer the same benefits. Just curious...