Fordham?

[lapelosa]

Let's talk about Fordham.

According to the results board, somebody, an internal candidate, was told that Fordham had made its decisions and would send out official letters in two weeks.

Is there anybody else who was told they were accepted to Fordham's program? Is Fordham not making phone calls, sending emails, NOTHING?

Obviously in a little bit of a panic mode here -- I peruse the forum and results hoping to hear back from one of my schools, but then terrified that if I see one of my schools show up there, that means that I have been left behind.... I only need one acceptance, I have a back up plan, but Jesus on a stick.

*is calm and tranquil and accepting of all that comes*

[darjeelingtea16]

I saw that too, and I'm in hardcore panic mode.

First of all, congrats to the two that I've seen who got in (the internal candidate, and the person who got a phone call from their POI)! Side question: Are either of you medievalists?

But I keep thinking, WHEN WILL MY TIME COME? In some weird way though, I'm kind of glad to know when to expect the results. However, I'm wondering how many people they accepted, what their areas of focus are, etc.

Anyway, here's hoping for good news for both of us! I'm going out of my freaking mind waiting, and Fordham is one of my top choices. Arrrrrghhhh [insert expletive deleted explosion here]

[RosemaryJuniper]

Hey, Lapelosa. Breathe. It will work out.

I'm the internal candidate who was just admitted. To clarify: my advisor said that--and I quote--"all of our decisions for funded PhDs have been made, and we will be sending out our official letters at the end of the month." There may be other informal communication going on, but I don't know. Fordham is probably (if I interpret correctly) going to have a fairly sizable waitlist, as it usually loses a number of admits to higher- ranked universities. Word is also to expect a relatively small cohort of medievalists, to make up for last year's unusually large group.

[darjeelingtea16]

Congrats, RosemaryJuniper!

Hmm, the news about medievalists is a bit troubling. I mean, I'm sort of a medievalist (got my MA in Medieval Lit) but my proposed research is medieval and early 19th century postcolonial lit in the Philippines, with more of a focus on the early 19th century...I think... Anyway, at least it's good to know there's a decent sized waitlist. There's hope yet!

[bigdgp]

I got a call my POI yesterday and was told that I had been accepted (I'm the one who spelled Fordham wrong on the results board). I am not an internal candidate, but I have been in email contact with this professor on and off for a year and a half.

I'm also a medievalist, focusing on Anglo-Saxon and Old Norse-y things.

Edited February 15, 2011 by bigdgp

[lapelosa]

Hey, Lapelosa. Breathe. It will work out.

I'm the internal candidate who was just admitted. To clarify: my advisor said that--and I quote--"all of our decisions for funded PhDs have been made, and we will be sending out our official letters at the end of the month." There may be other informal communication going on, but I don't know. Fordham is probably (if I interpret correctly) going to have a fairly sizable waitlist, as it usually loses a number of admits to higher- ranked universities. Word is also to expect a relatively small cohort of medievalists, to make up for last year's unusually large group.

*breathes* To be honest, a lot of it is just about the waiting game -- already into mid-Feb, and when will I hear back from schools, and will I be accepted? Fear fear fear over a long protracted period of slowly getting nothing but rejections, one after another.

I teach community college comp, and this morning I asked my students to open the blinds so that "I can get some serotonin in my brain."When I got home this afternoon, I turned off the engine and stared into the distance for about ten minutes before I finally went inside. Just tired....

I'm a hardcore medievalist--which is why I applied to Fordham--and my numbers are good, and I know that the recommendations I got from the two professors who are most familiar with my most recent work are stellar -- I asked one, can you write me a strong recommendation, and he said, if I were any better, I'd be beyond grad school. So probably a good recommendation.... As for my writing sample, I made a strategic decision. I had two good ones to choose one, but I deliberately went with the one that was the less safe, the more risky, because it excites me more and I want to be in a program that would allow and encourage that sort of work. I actually sent it off to PMLA, and the feedback I got back is that it's not publishable as it is and needs rewritten, but that I absolutely should rewrite because it's a good essay, that I have a sharp sense of the text and the tools to clarify its meaning for other people. So that tells me that 1) I need to continue doing work and improving, but 2) publication in a prestigious journal is actually a realistic goal for me. And that's what I decided to go with for my writing sample for schools, so we'll see if it gets me in anywhere.

Regardless of whether I get into a program this year or not, I'm going to continue to do academic work -- which tells me that this is absolutely the right career path for me. And I _could_ handle another year of limbo. But goddamnit, I'm ready to work NOW.

A lot of that is my pep talk to myself. I keep swinging back and forth between the absolute certainty that I will get into a program, and the absolute certainty that I will not. It's hard for me to be serene about the process.

But let me not forget:

Congratulations to you for getting in! I wish you joy and success in everything! Fordham is so pretty.

[TheOtherJake]

Strange. I started an application (just the basic info) before I realized that the English Ph.D is only open to those who already have an M.A. (which I do not), at which point I abandoned the application. Today I got an email that says, "Thank you for applying to Fordham university. The Graduate School f Arts and Sciences is now offering a 50% discount for applications submitted February 15 through march 15, 2011. The application fee is reduced to $35.00."

Of course this is meaningless to me, since I can't apply for the program anyway, but if they're so far along in the process they've already made decisions even, then why are emails like this being sent out?

[RosemaryJuniper]

Strange. I started an application (just the basic info) before I realized that the English Ph.D is only open to those who already have an M.A. (which I do not), at which point I abandoned the application. Today I got an email that says, "Thank you for applying to Fordham university. The Graduate School f Arts and Sciences is now offering a 50% discount for applications submitted February 15 through march 15, 2011. The application fee is reduced to $35.00."

Of course this is meaningless to me, since I can't apply for the program anyway, but if they're so far along in the process they've already made decisions even, then why are emails like this being sent out?

Cynically speaking, TheOtherJake, it's probably because they figure they can make money off you. They may have chosen all of their *funded* admits, but that doesn't mean that they won't let in more people unfunded--and if you're desperate enough to send in an extra application this late in the game, they might be gambling that you'll be desperate enough to pay full price for the degree.

[bigdgp]

I saw another Fordham acceptance on the board. Are they finally starting the round of official acceptances?

[alizang]

I saw another Fordham acceptance on the board. Are they finally starting the round of official acceptances?

I saw that too! I emailed to find out but haven't heard back.

[RosemaryJuniper]

I saw another Fordham acceptance on the board. Are they finally starting the round of official acceptances?

I still don't have my official letter, but according to the GSAS office, they've all been sent out. Good luck to all!

[bigdgp]

RosemaryJuniper,

Where did you hear that? I called today and was told that it could be up to another two weeks before we get any official notification.

[darjeelingtea16]

I'm kinda confused now...there's an acceptance via email on the message board. So are they emailing or posting notifications to us?

[RosemaryJuniper]

RosemaryJuniper,

Where did you hear that? I called today and was told that it could be up to another two weeks before we get any official notification.

I heard directly from Nicol Gotsis, who works in the GSAS office. And in today's email:

"Attached is a PDF of your acceptance letter and financial aid offer. You will also find a URL in the acceptance letter that will lead you to your Acceptance Packet Materials. The official copy of your Admittance Letter is being sent to you via regular mail. To reserve your place in the program, and receive registration materials, we need to have your Response Form submitted via your VIP page and tuition deposit by April 15, 2011."

Which is to say, both emails and letters have been sent out, but the emails (of course) are arriving faster.

[bigdgp]

I heard directly from Nicol Gotsis, who works in the GSAS office. And in today's email:

"Attached is a PDF of your acceptance letter and financial aid offer. You will also find a URL in the acceptance letter that will lead you to your Acceptance Packet Materials. The official copy of your Admittance Letter is being sent to you via regular mail. To reserve your place in the program, and receive registration materials, we need to have your Response Form submitted via your VIP page and tuition deposit by April 15, 2011."

Which is to say, both emails and letters have been sent out, but the emails (of course) are arriving faster.

Yeah, I got the email today.

[HappyCat]

Cynically speaking, TheOtherJake, it's probably because they figure they can make money off you. They may have chosen all of their *funded* admits, but that doesn't mean that they won't let in more people unfunded--and if you're desperate enough to send in an extra application this late in the game, they might be gambling that you'll be desperate enough to pay full price for the degree.

I didn't quite want to bump a dead topic, but in case anyone saw this and felt like throwing in an application last minute: the March 15th deadline is for MA only.

[shewoolf]

I just received a notification that I am "a finalist on a select wait list for admission" at Fordham. This is the first piece of good news for me this season--after 8 consecutive rejections.

For those of you who have been accepted, do you plan on attending? And what is your field?

Thanks so much!

[ryanweb]

I just received a notification that I am "a finalist on a select wait list for admission" at Fordham. This is the first piece of good news for me this season--after 8 consecutive rejections.

For those of you who have been accepted, do you plan on attending? And what is your field?

Thanks so much!

shewoolf: was this waitlist for the MA or the PhD? I got an email today about the MA, too, but it doesn't sound like they have funding available... so I don't know if that would be worth waiting for, depending on whether or not you have a plan B. (my focus is on modernism and poetry, for what it's worth.)

well, good luck on the list!

[shewoolf]

shewoolf: was this waitlist for the MA or the PhD? I got an email today about the MA, too, but it doesn't sound like they have funding available... so I don't know if that would be worth waiting for, depending on whether or not you have a plan B. (my focus is on modernism and poetry, for what it's worth.)

well, good luck on the list!

I realize that my post was very vague! It is for the Ph.D.--apparently they only accept Ph.D. candidates with funding. I've read that in past years their wait list is categorized according to field...and I was hoping to get an idea about my chances in modernism, gender studies and disability studies...

Congrats on your wait list--I hope the rest of your season is going well!

[ryanweb]

I realize that my post was very vague! It is for the Ph.D.--apparently they only accept Ph.D. candidates with funding. I've read that in past years their wait list is categorized according to field...and I was hoping to get an idea about my chances in modernism, gender studies and disability studies...

Congrats on your wait list--I hope the rest of your season is going well!

Do you/Will you have your MA, shewoolf?

I'm forgetting now if Fordham required an MA for PhD candidates or if they accepted some undergrads directly to the PhD-track.

[bigdgp]

I just received a notification that I am "a finalist on a select wait list for admission" at Fordham. This is the first piece of good news for me this season--after 8 consecutive rejections.

For those of you who have been accepted, do you plan on attending? And what is your field?

Thanks so much!

Yes, I will be attending Fordham. My subfield is miles away from yours, though. I'm an early medievalist.

[shewoolf]

Do you/Will you have your MA, shewoolf?

I'm forgetting now if Fordham required an MA for PhD candidates or if they accepted some undergrads directly to the PhD-track.

Yep. I will be graduating with my Mater's in May

I think that they do require Ph.D. students to have an M.A.....but I'm not positive.