grad2be Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 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. Yeah this is kind of like being tortured. I wish I hadn't looked at the grad results page, then I could tell myself that they haven't started making offers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meg1983 Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 I emailed the department today, and here's what they had to say: "We are currently hard at work finalizing admission decisions and funding offers, so many applicants will receive word of our decision on their file by the end of this week." Good luck everybody! It sounds like the funding options aren't finalized yet. Whether that means they've already been extended...I don't know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grad2be Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 I emailed the department today, and here's what they had to say: "We are currently hard at work finalizing admission decisions and funding offers, so many applicants will receive word of our decision on their file by the end of this week." Good luck everybody! It sounds like the funding options aren't finalized yet. Whether that means they've already been extended...I don't know. Thanks for the update! Is anyone finding it difficult to get other work done while waiting? I'm useless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meg1983 Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 Just heard this evening via email that I've been accepted to the program. I'm very excited! I can't wait to meet my classmates this fall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bck203 Posted March 16, 2011 Author Share Posted March 16, 2011 Just heard this evening via email that I've been accepted to the program. I'm very excited! I can't wait to meet my classmates this fall Were you offered funding in the email? I wonder why they let people know so gradually... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationJunkie Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 Just heard this evening via email that I've been accepted to the program. I'm very excited! I can't wait to meet my classmates this fall Congrats potential future classmate! Are you planning to visit? For those who were asking about funding, I got more information on mine, but it looks like Baudelaire already pretty much explained how it works. My specific funding package is a full tuition remission explicitly guaranteed for both years (obviously contingent on satisfactory academic performance) in addition to a sort of TA position with a stipend for the first year. It looks like there are also a few other types of packages too: student funding Hope that helps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meg1983 Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 Yes, they let me know I got funding as well, the Continuing Studies TA. I'm going to ask for a visit Friday if anyone wants to meet up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gdom87 Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 Any new word? I got apartment decisions to make! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bck203 Posted March 22, 2011 Author Share Posted March 22, 2011 Still no news, I guess. I've now heard from all 7 of my other schools...kinda funny that Georgetown, my first choice, will be the last to let me know. Arghh. And they had a fairly early deadline, too. I wonder what the holdup is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grad2be Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Still no news, I guess. I've now heard from all 7 of my other schools...kinda funny that Georgetown, my first choice, will be the last to let me know. Arghh. And they had a fairly early deadline, too. I wonder what the holdup is. Same here. It looks like this happened last year too. I wondered if it's less messy for them to extend a few decisions and have most of their funding offers accepted before letting everyone know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bck203 Posted March 22, 2011 Author Share Posted March 22, 2011 That is my fear also, but since only 2 people posted that they got funding, I'm hoping there's more money to come. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mostlygoo Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 Heard back at the end of the last week via email, a standard rejection letter. I was disappointed and a little surprised because I got into the program last year, and re-applied because I'd missed the funding deadline and wanted to at least give it a shot... Maybe a more competitive group of candidates this year. Best of luck to those still waiting, and congratulations to those admitted... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grad2be Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 Postmodern, I'm sorry to hear that. I'm certain you were competitive for admission. You were admitted last year, so it's probably just that they couldn't offer you funding and figured that you wouldn't accept an unfunded offer. And honestly it's probably not worth the cost to attend without funding. I got half-tuition at UChicago for the MA program in the humanities; even with that reduction (~$22k) the true cost would still be just over $40,000 for the year (living inclusive), not even counting the interest on Grad PLUS and/or undergraduate loans. It's unlikely that I'll accept the offer. I can't even begin to calculate the true cost of Georgetown for two years with 0 aid and a cost of living that is significantly higher than the southside of Chicago. Anyway, you have some great acceptances already! Everyone, How much do you think is "too much" for an MA, considering overall debt BA+MA? I've been trying to judge the true value and this debate on the NYTimes website was helpful: http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/30/what-is-a-masters-degree-worth/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gdom87 Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 I mean, it's a really difficult call, and after reading that article, I would agree that it really just depends on your financial standing. I was an English and Spanish major during my undergrad at a fairly expensive private school. Here's what I've found: I'm pretty much overqualified / underqualified for every position I've found. I've gotten denied for administrative jobs (one of the few I'm "qualified" for) because my resume indicates that I probably won't be around long. Unfortunately, not too many employers really recognize the value of being literate. I've looked in the editing and publishing arena, but that requires A) more experience (which you can't get unless someone will hire you!) and usually a relocation to a major city (which means more $$$$$$). Sooooooo, I pretty much have to go on for more education in order to get a decently paid position that will allow me to pay off loans and hopefully live pretty comfortably while doing so. I'd like to settle down and start a life before I'm 40, if possible. As of now, given my income and debt, I simply cannot afford to pay full price for a graduate program, so I applied to a lot of Ph.D programs because of funding opportunities. However, it seems that the MA is a better (more feasible) route to the Ph.D, so I'm probably going to have to suck it up and take out more loans... Wah wah wah. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mostlygoo Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 Thanks, grad2be. And you might be right - when I asked for a deferral last year so that I could try to come up with financing on my own, I was told that Georgetown doesn't allow deferrals that are solely "for financial reasons." I was also told I could reapply but there were no guarantees I'd get in... so I think I was forewarned. Good question about how much is too much. I agree that going to Georgetown without any funding seems far too expensive. And I have loans I've already taken out for both of my college-age children, so adding another $50K to that is not attractive to me. But now I'm in a situation where I've been accepted a few places, but funding is still very doubtful. And so my choices seem to be: pay less for an in-state school (assuming I get into GMU), pay (a lot) more for AU or GW, wait and reapply and try the whole thing again, or do it part-time and just spread out the cost. Right now I'm leaning toward the last option, even just a single class a semester for awhile. Doesn't change the overall cost, but it's more manageable, and I won't have to adjust my work schedule nearly as much. It's not ideal, but the truth is that I don't mind taking a little longer to get my degree, and it would get me in a program for the fall without the pressure of a full-time (funded or not) schedule. Plus, I really do like American's program. (Of course, it would have been nice to know last year that I wasn't going to be get funding anywhere. Then I would have had the option of taking the part-time approach at Georgetown.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gdom87 Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 I mean, it's a really difficult call, and after reading that article, I would agree that it really just depends on your financial standing. I was an English and Spanish major during my undergrad at a fairly expensive private school. Here's what I've found: I'm pretty much overqualified / underqualified for every position I've found. I've gotten denied for administrative jobs (one of the few I'm "qualified" for) because my resume indicates that I probably won't be around long. Unfortunately, not too many employers really recognize the value of being literate. I've looked in the editing and publishing arena, but that requires A) more experience (which you can't get unless someone will hire you!) and usually a relocation to a major city (which means more $$$$$$). Sooooooo, I pretty much have to go on for more education in order to get a decently paid position that will allow me to pay off loans and hopefully live pretty comfortably while doing so. I'd like to settle down and start a life before I'm 40, if possible. As of now, given my income and debt, I simply cannot afford to pay full price for a graduate program, so I applied to a lot of Ph.D programs because of funding opportunities. However, it seems that the MA is a better (more feasible) route to the Ph.D, so I'm probably going to have to suck it up and take out more loans... Wah wah wah. Directly after I posted this, I got an offer of admission. The email said that those students who will receive funding will be called. Ring, phone, ring!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bck203 Posted March 23, 2011 Author Share Posted March 23, 2011 I just got an acceptance email, but the waiting isn't over! It says, "Students to whom we decide to offer funding packages will hear from me (Dr. Ortiz) directly by phone." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tortola23 Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 I just received an acceptance via email! I'm not holding my breath for funding since Georgetown doesn't have a great track record with it, but DAMN would it be awesome! I am almost unable to believe how much better this application season is for me than last year's. Last year: Eight rejections. This year: Four acceptances, two wait-lists, just two rejections so far. TRY, TRY AGAIN, guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bck203 Posted March 23, 2011 Author Share Posted March 23, 2011 I wish they had said by what date the phone calls would happen. I guess if I don't hear by the end of the week I can assume I didn't get any? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grad2be Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 GDom87, I'm in a similar situation where it seems difficult to gain employment based solely on undergrad. I think the most oft-cited article about a PhD in the Humanities is Thomas Benton's article in the Chronicle of Higher Education ( http://chronicle.com/article/Graduate-School-in-the/44846 ). Many PhD's struggle for hourly community college positions that pay in the teens of dollars an hour. I liked the NYTimes debate because it provided more sides to consider while Benton has a clear aim: to discourage as many people as possible from pursuing graduate work in the humanities. It's certainly a personal choice. The fact that only 14% of humanities students have more than $50,000 in debt may also color your expectations for how much is too much for you. Congratulations on your acceptance! That is a great accomplishment! Postmodern, does a master's degree in English have clear career benefits or are you going for the intellectual stimulation? Is there any chance you could travel to UVa for courses? I live in Virginia also and I'm sure you know the UVa English department has a fantastic reputation. I'm not sure how they structure the program (class meeting times or part-timer options), but they do give you five years to complete the program: http://www.engl.virginia.edu/graduate/current/MArequirements.shtml If you got into Georgetown last year, I believe you will get into GMU as well. Good luck and let us know how it goes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bck203 Posted March 23, 2011 Author Share Posted March 23, 2011 Going into debt for a humanities MA seems like a bad idea no matter what. It's not like going into debt for medical school or another professional school that will take you straight to a comfortable job. If I choose not to continue on to a PhD, then I don't know whether having the MA will help me get a job or not. Probably not. But if I can spend two years doing something I love at someone else's expense, how is that ever a waste? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gdom87 Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 Yes, debt blows. But if I've learned one thing from Matt Taibbi, it's that money isn't really real anyway... right? Haha. Still, an offer of admission to Georgetown is a great honor, and everyone deserves a drink. I know I'll be having one later. Here's to waiting for funding! Cheers! P.S. Griftopia is a great book by Taibbi about the mortgage crisis and general economic collapse of the U.S. I HIGHLY recommend it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grad2be Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 Yes, debt blows. But if I've learned one thing from Matt Taibbi, it's that money isn't really real anyway... right? Haha. Still, an offer of admission to Georgetown is a great honor, and everyone deserves a drink. I know I'll be having one later. Here's to waiting for funding! Cheers! P.S. Griftopia is a great book by Taibbi about the mortgage crisis and general economic collapse of the U.S. I HIGHLY recommend it. Thanks for the recommendation! I enjoy commerce/economics so I'm sure that will be a great read for me. I haven't received an email from Georgetown; I don't have high expecations now that many people have received acceptances. Good luck to everyone on funding! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bck203 Posted March 23, 2011 Author Share Posted March 23, 2011 I'm having a terrible time concentrating at work today. Just hoping my phone will ring... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tortola23 Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 Going into debt for a humanities MA does indeed seem like a bad idea. However, I'd be tempted with Georgetown simply because several people from my undergrad have done their MAs there and gone on to PhDs at very prestigious, very well-funded programs. They're all quite successful as professors now. It would be tough, though, and just a little disappointing not to be funded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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