Boston College?

[Yellow#5]

The results board lists acceptances from Boston College starting on February 11 last year. No one has posted results yet for this year. Is anyone else on pins and needles, waiting to hear from their English Department? Has anyone heard anything about their financial situation this year?

[Comfect]

Afraid I'm in the same boat as you; nary a word from them about anything.

[mrfuga0]

Hi guys,

I'm in pretty constant contact with the DGS at BC, as I'm a former MA student. I'm 99% sure they will be accepting the same amount of students in the PhD program this year as they have been the previous years. This isn't particularly encouraging news, as they generally only take about 4-5 PhD students each year (and sometimes one of those students has to fit into a specific area of study, per the funding guidelines), although they generally offer several (15 or so) MA spots to qualified candidates, some of which come with first-year funding. The MA (if it is funded for both years) is a really good way to get some face time with the professors in the BC program and is a great jumping off spot for the BC PhD program, as well as other really good programs. I know recent graduates have gone/have gotten into Boston University, WashU, Vanderbilt, Maryland, Brandeis and other great places.

As for the timing, I'm also 99% sure they are still making decisions. I know that they *try* to call even if you are waitlisted or rejected, so give the mailman a day off, if at all possible. The area code you'll be looking for is 617.

Helpful? Let me know if you have any questions about the MA program. Like I said, it's pretty awesome, but I really suggest the fully funded for two years route, unless you just love loans, are independently wealthy or are a glutton for punishment.

[Yellow#5]

Thanks for the info! I must say, it's discouraging to hear that my cold app is competing with former BC masters students who are well known to the professors there. Seems like they have an "up or out" policy, promoting about a third of their masters students to the phd. One more thing I WISH I had known. With a thousand dollars worth of apps out there, it keeps striking me how much I don't know about this process.

Thank god for thegradcafe.

[adverbially]

BC MA students are a bit better off in the same way that anyone with an MA from any school would be better off: stronger writing samples, closer relationships with rec-writing professors, etc. However, the committee doesn't privilege BC students over outside applicants at all. They promote about 1/3 of MA students to A PhD program, not THEIR OWN PhD program.

[mrfuga0]

True dat.

[rinneron]

I'm waiting on them too... on complete pins and needles since they're one of my first choices. I got an email from one of their profs on the adcom committee at the end of January saying they liked my file and my LoRs were very good, but two were quite short, and could they have another. I got my undergrad thesis advisor to email them one the same day (I had given him some of my more recent work and SoP), but I don't know how to interpret this whole thing. It's just too stressful some days...

[Yellow#5]

I'd interpret that extremely favorably. Of course, you know that. The biggest question is how favorably.

I feel for you. It's hard enough to wait, not knowing anything. It would be harder to wait knowing you're really close.

A grad student at BC emailed me and told me that she had heard the committee meeting was postponed, so I'm answering my own question here a little. I'm sure you'd be happy to know, rinneron, that decisions have not been made. They are in fact a little later this year than last year.

[rinneron]

Thanks Yellow, that certainly helps knowing that they haven't made decisions yet! If I can just get in there, I'll go and be merry...

Good luck to you as well! I feel that, without this board, I would have lost it by now.

[rinneron]

I hear ya on NYU! I finally heard back from their Master's program last year around the beginning of April, after I had already given up all hope.

[rinneron]

In! Just got a call from Robert Stanton. With funding, tuition, etc...

Still shaking. They're my first choice, I cannot wait. Who else is in?? I've seen some other acceptances posted and I'd love to chat!

[mcd2003]

Rinneron, are you going to BC? Planning a visit at all?

[rinneron]

I certainly am! I'm going down next weekend for the English Department's grad conference on Saturday, and visiting an extra day during the week before that to talk to profs I could work with, etc. Also beginning apartment hunt. Uch (but a happy uch ).