Fall 2013 English Lit Applicants

[TripWillis]

I have a random, off-topic question to ask, and seeing as we're now just chatting about superfluous stuff like grad school dreams, I figured this thread would be a good place to ask it.

 

I'm taking a senior seminar (or a "capstone," I guess) course in English literature.  I assumed, going into this course, that it would require a final longer paper, not thesis-length or anything, but maybe something in the range of 25-35 pages.  I get to the seminar, the syllabus states that three papers are required, and the professor says we can democratically as a class work through the particulars of these requirements.  It's a small class, and the handful of other students all seem to think that three ~7 page papers are a good idea.  I'm the only dissenter: I want to write a longer paper, at least 20 pages or so, because writing three short papers seems inadequate for a course at this level.  Am I wrong for thinking this?  I've been writing 5-7 page papers since freshman year.  How can you possibly discuss something substantive in 5-7 double-spaced pages?

 

I guess I just want to know everyone's thoughts on this.  If you've taken a senior seminar course, what kind of requirements did it have?  Do you think, as I do, that these 7-page requirements are strange?

Ask him if you can do an article-length research paper instead of the 5-7 page papers; tell him it would be more applicable to your future interests. The kids wanting to do 5-7 page papers are obviously just trying to duck out of a more challenging piece of work, but there's no reason why everyone should have to follow one draconian rule in terms of paper writing; the professor should be willing to work with you, and since he/she has already shown a willingness to do so by offering to work out the paper parameters democratically, I'm sure it won't be a problem.

The only thing (as someone else mentioned) that I think maybe 5-7 page paper assignments would be good for is conference papers. You could treat each one like its own conference paper and have three potential conferences to go to and articles to pursue. Still... eh.

[sebastiansteddy]

I have a random question: when programs offer visiting days for accepted students, do they normally fall on weekends? Perhaps 2012-ers remember from last year? Thanks!

[sebastiansteddy]

I had a dream where I was delivering my SOP as a stand-up comedy performance. As in... my statement is a joke.... 

 

Also, to update the dream log... Last night I had a dream where I received a personalized rejection letter from Chicago. It was co-authored by 2 of my POIs and said something to the effect of "we really wanted to admit you, but you were right on the edge and ultimately we couldn't find you a spot." If the adcomm at Chicago does anything other than burst out laughing when they skim my application, then I will be ecstatic.

[asleepawake]

There were rumors around when I was applying to MFA programs a few years back that the current students at the Iowa's Writers' Workshop would be the first to look over the 1100 or so applications, and that they staged drunken dramatic readings of the worst of the lot. Horrifying!

[bigrelief]

I have a random question: when programs offer visiting days for accepted students, do they normally fall on weekends? Perhaps 2012-ers remember from last year? Thanks!

 

Unfortunately, only one of the visits I was invited to was on the weekend  And many of them overlapped with each other.  

 

The advantage to having them during the week is they can send you on class visits and all of the professors are around.  The one weekend visit I went on actually extended into Monday, and that was when we were able to meet all of the professors.  The weekend time was just being shown around campus and getting wasted with the grad students (which of course shouldn't be undersold!).  

 

Still, if you can possibly swing it, GO!!!  Culture is something you just can't tell from a website, and it makes such a difference.  

[Two Espressos]

I have a random question: when programs offer visiting days for accepted students, do they normally fall on weekends? Perhaps 2012-ers remember from last year? Thanks!

 

As an offshoot of this, how often do programs offer reimbursement for these visiting days?  I know some do, but the grad program websites I've visited haven't said anything about this.  It's perhaps too early to start asking, but my job has a set schedule for the entirety of the semester, so I'd like to know as much as possible for the rare case that I get in somewhere.

Edited January 10, 2013 by Two Espressos

[sebastiansteddy]

Unfortunately, only one of the visits I was invited to was on the weekend  And many of them overlapped with each other.  

 

The advantage to having them during the week is they can send you on class visits and all of the professors are around.  The one weekend visit I went on actually extended into Monday, and that was when we were able to meet all of the professors.  The weekend time was just being shown around campus and getting wasted with the grad students (which of course shouldn't be undersold!).  

 

Still, if you can possibly swing it, GO!!!  Culture is something you just can't tell from a website, and it makes such a difference.  

 

Thanks so much! Now that you mention it, it does entirely make sense that they'd be during the week. Obviously I'd want to go to any that I'd consider attending, but I guess we'll just have to see what comes. 

[waparys]

Last year I was invited to a finalist weekend at an Ivy graduate school of education. I ended up not getting in, but they covered my flights to and from Europe and paid for a hotel and certain meals. I don't think this is the norm...

[HHEoS]

As an offshoot of this, how often do programs offer reimbursement for these visiting days?  I know some do, but the grad program websites I've visited haven't said anything about this.  It's perhaps too early to start asking, but my job has a set schedule for the entirety of the semester, so I'd like to know as much as possible for the rare case that I get in somewhere.

Hey Two Espressos,

Last year, I was reimbursed fully for the recruitment trip I took (travel, board, and even meals while travelling). The program where I got my MA covers all expenses for their recruitment weekend as well. A friend of mine actually asked a school that he got into if they had funds for visits and they approved his expensive last-minute flights and everything else (for a visit that was completely scheduled by him). On the other hand, he asked the same of another program where he was accepted, and they had no funds for recruitment visits. Basically, you might be able to ask a program to pay for your visit if they really want you, regardless of whether they have organized recruitment days or not. If you're accepted at a program and you can't make their organized visit, it doesn't hurt to ask them to fund a private visit. It shows your interest in the program is high, especially if said program knows you have other funded offers. 

 

I'll add this note as well (even though it may be jumping the gun a bit since we haven't heard anything yet): One of my profs stresses that if a school is offering a visit you should go at all costs. She wasn't offered funding at a particular program, and while on a visit there, she mentioned her funding package at another one and her plan to visit that program as well. They wanted her so much that they offered her funding and she eventually went to that school. Last year, as a result of my recruitment visit, I was offered a $5000 fellowship from the program I visited in addition to the TA-ship. They even added another $5000 closer to the national deadline (yes I turned down a TA-ship and $10,000 last year to reapply this year).

[bigrelief]

As an offshoot of this, how often do programs offer reimbursement for these visiting days?  I know some do, but the grad program websites I've visited haven't said anything about this.  It's perhaps too early to start asking, but my job has a set schedule for the entirety of the semester, so I'd like to know as much as possible for the rare case that I get in somewhere.

 

I think it entirely depends on the program and how much money they have.  At Berkeley, you're sleeping in a grad student's bathtub and they partially reimburse you for airfare.  At Princeton, everything is covered and you're sleeping two-to-a-room in a decent hotel.  All visits involve lots of free food and wine!

 

I wasn't able to find any info about this before the fact either, but it's usually spelled out when you get the invite.  And if you're aggressive you may be able to squeeze more out of the schools then I did--for example, Princeton said they wouldn't guarantee to fully reimburse international visitors, but a British guy I talked to had all his airfare paid anyway.

[TripWillis]

As an offshoot of this, how often do programs offer reimbursement for these visiting days?  I know some do, but the grad program websites I've visited haven't said anything about this.  It's perhaps too early to start asking, but my job has a set schedule for the entirety of the semester, so I'd like to know as much as possible for the rare case that I get in somewhere.

Last year I got a $300 travel stipend to visit one school -- this included transport, meals, and lodging. I didn't get anything for the other schools, but didn't need it anyway, so I never asked. Maybe if I had...

[DontHate]

Last year I was invited to a finalist weekend at an Ivy graduate school of education. I ended up not getting in, but they covered my flights to and from Europe and paid for a hotel and certain meals. I don't think this is the norm...

 

I went to one visiting day at a program that I'm currently attending, and this is what they did for me too. I'm pretty sure this IS actually the norm at Ivies and other top programs. They fly you out, book you a place to stay, wine and dine you, and try to woo you.

Edited January 10, 2013 by DontHate

[practical cat]

At this point I have become willfully apathetic about the process but I have such a profound, all-consuming (probably symbolic?) desire for the wine.

[waparys]

Edinburgh had lots of wine (during the program. I didn't visit beforehand, nor did they offer).

[rems]

I think it's the norm for them to pick up the bill no matter level school it is. I worked the front desk at a hotel for two years in an area with one big state school and one smaller state school, and we booked rooms for potential students all the time. We could always tell when they really wanted them because they would even ask us to put cards and junk in their room before they arrived. So if you show up to a card or a basket of fruit in your room, then they must have loved your app. 

[Swagato]

All I'm reading here is wine, wine, wine.

 

BUT WHY IS THE RUM ALL GONE?

[waparys]

All I'm reading here is wine, wine, wine.

 

BUT WHY IS THE RUM ALL GONE?

If there was a University of Tobago and they had a great English program I'd be there in a hot minute.

[Swagato]

There's your backup plan, waparys. Set up your own program and offer stipends in the form of raucous debauchery. 

[DontHate]

There's your backup plan, waparys. Set up your own program and offer stipends in the form of raucous debauchery. 

 

Here's a backup plan for all of us: GradCafe University. I'll let the rest of y'all fill in the details.

[slvitale]

Here's a backup plan for all of us: GradCafe University. I'll let the rest of y'all fill in the details.

 

Sunken libraries for all grad students!

 

And maybe Tokay? (That's all I remember from the Golden Compass...)

[practical cat]

There's your backup plan, waparys. Set up your own program and offer stipends in the form of raucous debauchery.

More. Beer.

[ProfLorax]

I'll be spending the next two weeks avoiding thinking about PhD applications in the best way possible: the hubby and I are visiting Paris and Rome for our first time! I've promised myself not to obsess over results until I get back on January 27. After that, shit gets real. I am most looking forward to the school-specific threads for this application cycle. Reading last year's threads from start to finish was like reading a Jonathan Safran Foer novel (at times comic, tragic, triumphant, and suspenseful); I can't imagine what an emotional rollercoaster actually being a participant on said threads will be like! 

[Two Espressos]

I'll be spending the next two weeks avoiding thinking about PhD applications in the best way possible: the hubby and I are visiting Paris and Rome for our first time! I've promised myself not to obsess over results until I get back on January 27. After that, shit gets real. I am most looking forward to the school-specific threads for this application cycle. Reading last year's threads from start to finish was like reading a Jonathan Safran Foer novel (at times comic, tragic, triumphant, and suspenseful); I can't imagine what an emotional rollercoaster actually being a participant on said threads will be like! 

 

Wow, lucky!  I'm a huge Francophile, so I'm extremely jealous.  I'm sure you'll have an amazing time!

 

ETA: And if anything can keep your mind off grad school apps, it's Europe. 

Edited January 11, 2013 by Two Espressos

[ProfLorax]

Wow, lucky!  I'm a huge Francophile, so I'm extremely jealous.  I'm sure you'll have an amazing time!

 

ETA: And if anything can keep your mind off grad school apps, it's Europe. 

Teehehehe! I am beyond giddy about this trip. I've romanticized Paris for years and years and years. The weather reports shows it's going to be a wet trip, but I hear that Paris is perfect no matter the weather. 

[HHEoS]

I'll be spending the next two weeks avoiding thinking about PhD applications in the best way possible: the hubby and I are visiting Paris and Rome for our first time! I've promised myself not to obsess over results until I get back on January 27. After that, shit gets real. I am most looking forward to the school-specific threads for this application cycle. Reading last year's threads from start to finish was like reading a Jonathan Safran Foer novel (at times comic, tragic, triumphant, and suspenseful); I can't imagine what an emotional rollercoaster actually being a participant on said threads will be like! 

 

Have fun in Europe proflorax! We applied to some of the same schools, so I hope to be in a few of those program-specific threads with you when you return.