Southern Methodist University

[HaruNoKaze]

Has anyone else out there applied to SMU's English doctorate program? I'm curious to see if anyone's information is the same as what I've been given...

[dgfletcher]

All I know is that the checklist page says, "Thank you for your application to SMU! We've received all the materials needed to review your application. Admission decision letters will be mailed after faculty reviews are completed after the February 1 priority deadline." Do you have other information?

[HaruNoKaze]

All I know is they are meeting on Friday and the campus visist is March 4-6th. Just wanted to see if anyone else had anything to add or goes against what I've been told.

[turtlepower]

Does anyone have any idea how many PhD applications they see in a season? Their program is so new. It's hard to find this data.

[HaruNoKaze]

I'm wondering about the campus visit... my email said "Applicants who are accepted into the program will be invited" for the campus visit... it looks like last year they did the campus visit first, then send out acceptance/rejections. Confusing much?

@turtle - I think they get a pretty good amount. the funding is AMAZING and their program is pretty damn good too. it might not be nationally ranked now, but i think it will be in the future. also the academic journal they edit is a good reason for applicants to apply.

Dallas traffic is not a good reason to apply

[turtlepower]

I'm wondering about the campus visit... my email said "Applicants who are accepted into the program will be invited" for the campus visit... it looks like last year they did the campus visit first, then send out acceptance/rejections. Confusing much?

I think that those invited to the campus visit will be admitted, pending final offers from the graduate school. One of the FAQs on their website is about visiting the campus. The answer is this: "We intend to invite our top applicants to the campus before we require them to make a decision." I gather that all invitees can assume admission.

[HaruNoKaze]

sweetness. thanks for the clarification. I didn't even notice that.

[turtlepower]

I got the big, fat waitlist. I suppose that's not terrible, and I'm glad the torment is over. Sort of.

[HaruNoKaze]

turtle,

I've been out all day and came home to find a rejection from berkeley and nothing from SMU. so in my book, you still get a congrats!!!

[turtlepower]

Poo. This whole process is vile, Vile, VILE! Thanks for the congrats, though. I hope there's good news coming your way.

[HaruNoKaze]

did you get an email or call? was it from brooke or a faculty member?

[impending]

Haru, I just want to tell you I appreciate that you are as fixated as I am on investigating/hypothesizing about the logistics of the notifications. For me at least, it provides some illusion of control, even though we clearly have none.

[turtlepower]

I got an email from the DGS.

[HaruNoKaze]

I'm pretty perceptive, so I pick up on things. Like when I called Berkeley to ask if they were really missing a LOR or just hadn't updated their online system, and he checked the *paper files* first, then asked me to spell my last name to check the electronic file. translation - application not in review.

i know they have to have a method to the madness, and if we could understand a little bit better what it is, maybe we would all feel better.

[turtlepower]

I think the problem with trying to decipher the actions of ad coms is that they're all comprised of people. There's a scary human element involved in this process, and there are certainly too many variables to quantify when that's taken into account. I've given up trying to figure out the rhyme and reason of it all. It's far too maddening. :/

[turtlepower]

To Whomever Posted the Acceptance:

You MUST tell me all about your visit! And congrats!

[tmwhalen]

Hey, this is my first time posting on the forums, but I just wanted to clear some stuff up for you guys before ANYONE gets their hopes up (or down). The emails that went out today apparently are not "acceptances" exactly.They have a sort of I guess informal interview process by which they invite their top 12 candidates for a campus visit. From what I was told when I called this afternoon to clarify what this is all about, they generally make admissions offers to 6 of those 12 soon after the visit. So, if you got that email today, we're not out of the woods yet. Conversely, no one is really out of the running either, because who knows what's going to happen even after all of this?

I will say, as someone who's lived in DFW for almost 6 years now and is excited at the prospect of perhaps 6 more, The campus is gorgeous and there's so much to do, see, eat and drink around that campus that it simply boggles the mind. Plus, their facilities are infinitely nicer than the university I'm at right now, so that's a big plus.

Anyway, I'll see anyone who is going on March 4 I suppose. Good luck!

[dgfletcher]

I'm going to the campus visit as well. I was wondering who you spoke to? I got an e-mail a while ago from the AA that only those accepted into the program would be invited to the campus. I wonder what the interview process will be like. Does anyone else have any more information? In any case, good luck to you, too, and to all!

[tmwhalen]

I believe I spoke to Brooke. Like you, the impression I had gotten from other information I previously had was that those invited were usually accepted, but the person I spoke to yesterday said that's not necessarily the case. I know what you mean, though, that it kind of conflicts with other information that we've gotten. I don't know much else except what was in the email, and I presume you got the same one. I don't think this is going to be a formal sort of interview, sitting down with someone asking us questions. More of a meet-and-greet, get a feel for us sort of thing. And that scares me more than a formal interview.

Oh well. Only two weeks until we find out what we're getting into, right?

[ferhin]

I've been invited as well and I asked if there would be a formal interview and I was told no, but to prepare for interview-like questions.

[turtlepower]

*bump*

Anyone care to fill us waitlisters in on the recruitment weekend and/or your decisions?

[tmwhalen]

well, I did go on the campus visit, but I said, they only accepted about half of us outright and waitlisted the rest. I will say that the weekend was cool.

[turtlepower]

Thanks, tm. That's great to know. I was waitlisted from the start, but Brooke told me that last year they "went pretty deep into their wait list." they don't rank the waitlist, but according to Dr. Dickson-Carr, "they plan to have the fall 2012 class in place by April 15" and "wait listed applicants should know one way or the other by that date." I'm not sure this helps, but I'd guess the waitlist is organized by sub field.

[tmwhalen]

I guess so. That makes me nervous, because I'm into 20th century literature, and I was by far not the only one. Well, still keeping my fingers crossed! Dr. Dickson-Carr's email about the waitlisting is right, though. It seemed like we have a very competitive bunch, so perhaps someone will get an offer they can't refuse elsewhere.

[turtlepower]

Would you attend if admitted? It's not even my top choice, but that funding would be difficult to turn down. I'd probably go.