University of Louisiana Lafayette

[Winston]

Just got an email from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette with the wonderful news of acceptance to their English PhD.

I'm currently waitlisted for TA funding, but wanted to get you guys' input regarding the university and the program. Besides it looking great, it's really hard to find info about it (ranking, placement etc...). Did anybody consider applying to this school? I see there's another acceptance on the board (anyone cares to claim it?).

Thing is, I already gotten into Comp Lit program at Indiana University with a first year fellowship and TAship for the later years. I know it's a highly respected program with wonderful reputation but Louisiana sounds sooo romantic and it seems like a much better fit! Head says IU but heart wants ULL!

Would love to see what you think! You guys are all so awesome and helped me so much with this lovely forum so far!

So yes - IU or ULL? Anyone?

Edited March 19, 2012 by Winston

[eatriceorgohome]

Hey, Winston. I'm the other UL Lafayette acceptee. First off, congrats! I'm pretty excited about their program - my interests line up with many of the professors' and it's an amazing part of the country to live in. My gf's family is there as well, so it'd be nice to have a home base nearby. UL Lafayette's not ranked highly at all, but I've know quite a few graduates who ended up in tenure track positions and others who work in high schools or private schools, so it's possible to get a nice job after graduation. Every prof I've ever spoken with has told me the same thing - go where the money is - so I totally get your head/heart dilemma. Keep your stomach in mind, too - you think you'll be eating as well in Bloomington?

[JeremiahParadise]

I don't know anything about ULL, but I just spoke with a prof at a top-10 school this past week, and he said that IU is cranking out some of the best graduate students/prospective TT applicants in the country. That said, he might have thought similarly about ULL, but he didn't say so. Tough call, though -- especially with the family being so close. Good luck with the decision.

[Winston]

Congrats eatriceorgohome! Glad to hear you're all excited about ULL and the family proximity thing is indeed comforting. Lafayette is amazing, laid back, music's awesome, I've been down there a few years back and I swear I'd go for a Louisiana crawfish over any Bloomington dish.

JeremiahParadise - I've been emailing professors all day long and you're right, most of them didn't know anything about ULL and had nothing but good stuff to say about IU. I also got into Indiana with a PhD minor in Jewish Studies/Hebrew Lit which can be a cool niche to help boost future job opportunities.

Looks like no zydeco music for me. Bring it on John Mellencamp!

[cinemaniac7147]

I am currently an MA student at the University of Louisiana at Monroe, and all of the professors here look down on ULL and say they have a really bad job placement percentage after graduation. That's not to say the program isn't good there... I came to ULM from UNH and people up north told me the program down here would be crap, but it is really an excellent program, so it is tough to gauge how to approach it.

If it were me, I personally would go for the IU... funding here at ULM is minimal, and since ULL is in the same system, I'm sure they are having the same budget problems. They are cutting our TA positions next year (luckily I'm graduating) so that is something else to consider. Cost of living down here is nice and cheap in terms of housing, but other expenses add up quick.

Good luck making your decision!