Georgetown

[bck203]

Just wondering if anyone's been in contact with Georgetown's MA about when/how (email? mail?) we can expect to hear from them. I see from the results board that last year they let people know around the end of the month.

[Baudelaire]

Earliest notification usually happens over GU spring break, which is this week. E-mails, letters by mail (maybe, not positive though), and phone calls go out through March and April. I've heard of notifications as late as May, but I don't imagine that's too common.

[Gdom87]

Just wondering if anyone's been in contact with Georgetown's MA about when/how (email? mail?) we can expect to hear from them. I see from the results board that last year they let people know around the end of the month.

I emailed the department last week. They said that they expect to be notifiying applicants of decisions around March 14.

[bck203]

Good to know, thank you!

[grad2be]

Good to know, thank you!

I'm also waiting on this. Are you guys expecting funding too? I see an e-mail notification as a negative thing, because it's probably an acceptance with no funding. I think they call you if they are going to offer tuition remission.

[tortola23]

I think most of their MAs get funding, especially since they don't have any PhD students to fund. But, of course, how many is "most"? Haha.

I'm waiting on Georgetown, too. Not expecting anything until late this month, although sooner would definitely be better!

[bck203]

I'm also waiting on this. Are you guys expecting funding too? I see an e-mail notification as a negative thing, because it's probably an acceptance with no funding. I think they call you if they are going to offer tuition remission.

Not necessarily. Today I got an email acceptance from another MA program, and they offered me funding in the email.

[grad2be]

Not necessarily. Today I got an email acceptance from another MA program, and they offered me funding in the email.

That's good to know! I was just going by past admits on thegradcafe results. Some of those who were only e-mailed did say that they were told funding may come later, ostensibly in the event that someone else declined their offer and award package.

[Gdom87]

I agree that since they do not offer a PhD there is probably more funding for MA than other programs... hopefully? Haha. I also applied for the Graduate Writing Associates Program. Anyone else? Should be hearing back soon!

[bck203]

Their website says they have offered funding to about one-third of first year MAs in the past (and a smaller number of second-years...which I find kind of alarming, but oh well). It's also interesting that they post their admissions stats on their website - last year they admitted 51% of applicants.

[tortola23]

Their website says they have offered funding to about one-third of first year MAs in the past (and a smaller number of second-years...which I find kind of alarming, but oh well). It's also interesting that they post their admissions stats on their website - last year they admitted 51% of applicants.

That is an alarming statistic on the funding. I'd take another offer if they weren't offering any kind of TAship.

[grad2be]

That is an alarming statistic on the funding. I'd take another offer if they weren't offering any kind of TAship.

Yeah - are some people ensnared their second year and forced to pay full tuition to graduate? That's not a very secure offer.

[RestorationJunkie]

Looks like they're notifying even earlier than the 14th! I got a phone call from Dr. Ortiz today offering me admission. I somehow missed the call (I've carried my phone everywhere with me for weeks, and I miss the ONE call from a grad school *sigh*), so he left a message. I got a funding package, but he didn't give any details about it in the message. I hope you guys get similar news soon!

[lyonessrampant]

Congrats cyborg!

[grad2be]

Looks like they're notifying even earlier than the 14th! I got a phone call from Dr. Ortiz today offering me admission. I somehow missed the call (I've carried my phone everywhere with me for weeks, and I miss the ONE call from a grad school *sigh*), so he left a message. I got a funding package, but he didn't give any details about it in the message. I hope you guys get similar news soon!

Haha that's awesome! Congratulations!

[bck203]

Congrats! That's great news, and of course, has me paranoid thinking that my not having heard anything yet means I'm not in or won't be getting funding...

[grad2be]

Congrats! That's great news, and of course, has me paranoid thinking that my not having heard anything yet means I'm not in or won't be getting funding...

I drew the same conclusion. They said they are staggering responses through 1 April, presumably to wait for those offered funding to accept or reject. Assuming this means they have made their first round of funded offers, I don't know if I would rather have silence until they can communicate a clear decision on funding or if it would be better to get an acceptance e-mail that says I have a "chance" for funding. Certainly if it is a rejection then I would rather have it now to get it over with!

[bck203]

OK, now I am confused about their funding, because another page on the site says they offer packages "to a limited but significant number of entering students, and guarantees to those students full tuition support in the second year as well." So why does the other page say "a smaller number of second-years" get funding? Hmm.

I also wonder about the possibility of enrolling w/o funding, and then trying to get an assistantship in another office once there. At the university where I work currently, I know several grad students who've done this successfully (e.g., an architecture student who found a GAship in the volunteering office, even though it's not really related to her program). I probably couldn't afford to take that risk, but...just pondering.

[grad2be]

OK, now I am confused about their funding, because another page on the site says they offer packages "to a limited but significant number of entering students, and guarantees to those students full tuition support in the second year as well." So why does the other page say "a smaller number of second-years" get funding? Hmm.

I also wonder about the possibility of enrolling w/o funding, and then trying to get an assistantship in another office once there. At the university where I work currently, I know several grad students who've done this successfully (e.g., an architecture student who found a GAship in the volunteering office, even though it's not really related to her program). I probably couldn't afford to take that risk, but...just pondering.

I was confused by that too. I noticed on the Georgetown CCT program website that students offered funding for that program must maintain a 3.8 to receive funding their second year. The English department website does not indicate a minimum GPA, but it does say in the Student Funding section, "Any student offered tuition support for their first year can count on tuition support in their second, depending on their maintaining an excellent academic record. " It made me wonder if the GPA requirement is the same for English (as a sort of standard within the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences), but simply isn't published.

Because they say "tuition" is guaranteed in the second year depending on an excellent academic record (it should be possible for everyone to have an excellent record), it seems to me that the "smaller number of second-years" actually refers to professional development work. The CNDLS fellowship, in particular, is only one year, "with the possibility of continued employment during the second year on an hourly basis." What do you think?

Hoping for a GAship is certainly risky, especially for such an expensive graduate humanities program. I wondered if it would be more prudent to work full time because the program is technically half-time and they have several seminars that are in the evening, once a week. However, that could severely limit course options and make it much more difficult take advantage of everything the program offers.

[bck203]

Hmm, true. Surely if they'd made all the funded offers by now, at least one other person would've posted on the results board - so maybe there's hope for me yet. I need to cut myself off from reading this site!

[RestorationJunkie]

Thanks, guys! And I'm just as confused as all of you are about the funding. I still haven't been able to get any details about my funding package. I plan on calling on Monday and asking about the size of my funding package and about second-year funding, and I'll let you know what I find out.

[grad2be]

Thanks, guys! And I'm just as confused as all of you are about the funding. I still haven't been able to get any details about my funding package. I plan on calling on Monday and asking about the size of my funding package and about second-year funding, and I'll let you know what I find out.

Thank you! Any insight you can glean from them to share with us will be greatly appreciated!

[Baudelaire]

Thank you! Any insight you can glean from them to share with us will be greatly appreciated!

Hey, guys. The language on the website is admittedly ambiguous on funding. While only about 1/3 of entering students receive tuition remission and stipended positions, those offers traditionally do not come all at once. As for second year funding, I was likewise worried about receiving a bill for 2nd year after completing 1st year with funding. That nearly never happens; one would have to do very poorly in coursework and stipended positions to lose tuition remission. While funded students aren't guaranteed work their 2nd year, I believe everyone who worked 1st year (last year) received a job their 2nd year (this year). Those "limited positions" for 2nd year refer to additional positions which open for 2nd year students who did not receive stipended positions through the department during their 1st year. For the roughly 2/3 of students who do not receive funding packages (and there's no sense of superiority/inferiority among students, I assure you), meaningful job opportunities on campus and throughout the District abound. In the past, TA positions and CNDLS spots have opened for 1st and 2nd year students in the Fall. My sense is that the language on the website is ambiguous in part because it's often difficult to predict the types and numbers of such positions. I can say this much: The English Department excels at finding students part-time jobs and financial aid resources to make attendance feasible. So opportunities do abound, and Georgetown grad students experience little difficulty securing meaningful, engaging work.

On a different but to my mind essential note, the peer relationships here make the program exceptionally welcoming, memorable, and intellectually rewarding. I was a graduate student for a year before I began at Georgetown, and the difference cannot be underestimated. I learn as much if not more outside class than in seminars (which have also exceeded my expectations). It's a factor we may not immediately consider when applying to programs, but it matters considerably. Best colleauges--and, finally, friends--I could've asked for.

Good luck and best wishes to everyone.

[mostlygoo]

Still waiting here, too. Although over the weekend I did have a dream that I checked my email on my phone and saw a string of messages with the subject line "Re: Georgetown M.A. admission and funding information." But I couldn't open any of them up. Damned subconscious.

Best of luck to everyone else waiting, and congrats to cyborgmanifesto...

[bck203]

Good to hear that you've enjoyed the program and that the offers "traditionally do not come all at once." That gives me a little hope! Although I just have this bad feeling that I'll be accepted without funding...sigh.