best program in english ?

[sreyas27]

want to apply for 2013 Fall English PhD .

I am not quiet sure if US News is the best dependable source regarding the rankings as per English programs in the US. I am an international student and would prefer an English program that offers good funding and multidisciplinary opportunities.

If the readers give me a top ten kinda snapshot , I will be very thankful.

[rainy_day]

This is entirely variable dependent upon your research interests. If you look around on these forums you will see a lot of talk about "fit." That means: What program has the best resources and faculty for your specific interests. What faculty members are currently doing the research you want to do? Because you want to apply there. Also, what are the funding and job placement rates like?

Therefore, the US New & World Report is not particularly helpful. I used it almost exclusively as a list to start from. I put it in a spreadsheet and then started researching program after program, adding info in columns for: faculty of interest, resources (library, archives, etc.), funding, job placement rates, courses of interest, and certificate programs/concentrations available that suited my research interests. From there I was able to come up with a list of schools that I thought were "the best" for me independent of the "official ranking."

[kikalique87]

What are your research interests? With graduate programs, it's pretty impossible to name the top 10 programs due to the different strengths of each program (how do you compare a rhetoric and composition program to a strong medieval program?). Also as you go through the forums, you'll notice that fit is probably the most important (and most ambiguous) factor for any program. The top 10 programs for me will more than likely be a very different top 10 list than yours.

[Fiona Thunderpaws]

Fit is more important than anything when it comes to getting in, and I would definitely devote a lot of time to it.

If your research spreadsheet is crammed with details and barely legible, while the thought of looking at one more faculty profile makes you want to stab something, you're doing your research on schools right!

[123student]

The posters above are right about "fit," but a list that gives more detailed info. than US News gives is Phds.org. See the following link for English programs, and explore more detailed settings than the general ones I set:

http://graduate-school.phds.org/rankings/english/rank/__MM_____M________M_____________________M_______________________U Keep in mind that the "top ten" programs are also the hardest to get into, because everyone wants to go there. The adcoms will consider your fit into their programs more than your gpa & gre (though I think those numbers can strengthen or weaken your app.). There are many routes to and reasons for choosing your best grad school, and rankings might me a factor you consider last (i.e., once you've applied and have some offers to decide between). Deciding on your (specific) interests, then finding scholars who work in those areas, then applying to the schools where those scholars work, might be a good route to go. If you can't get that specific yet, then you might look for schools that have a wide variety of departments or committees, offer various languages, host conferences, whose grad students are actively publishing/presenting, etc. . . . Everyone wants something different out of grad school, but the possibility of developing one's interests is probably a common denominator, as well as having the chance to apply one's talents after earning the degree (i.e., getting a job). Rankings may be a factor in job prospects, but you will get a better idea of this from the schools' placement stats once you choose some and ask them for those numbers.

[sreyas27]

thanks so much for the feedback guys . They are very helpful and thanks for correcting me.

there is another query that is troubling me , though a little off the mark for the current thread . i was already doing a phd in my home country and then i de registered from it for a while to pause my thesis writing and research better opportunities in the US. I know for sure that I cannot apply for another phd in english if I already have one in the same subject ( many school websites mention that) , but what if i wish to take up a new field - something like film/media ? Should it be a problem ? am asking coz i am not too sure if humanities departments are generally under financial crunches nowadays and letting someone do a double phd ( even in a different discipline ) is tough. could you please send me some feedback . thanks .