Fall 2013 English Lit Applicants

[nhswrestle]

I've heard Michigan State's program is really losing it's reputation. Anyone have any advice on whether to take an acceptance there or not?

 

Look at placement history, if of course your ultimate goal is a PhD.

[GoldieLocks86]

Thanks, everyone.

 

I got accepted into the English PhD at Michigan State and just waiting to hear about funding. I've just heard that the department is getting smaller/offering less courses and this is leading to them losing their reputation. It's kind of a bummer because I really want to be excited about going there....and it looks like I'm not getting accepted somewhere else, so my options are either to go and risk not getting a good job later, or to take a year off and apply again (which sounds like absolute torture). 

 

Advice? 

[ProfLorax]

Thanks, everyone.

 

I got accepted into the English PhD at Michigan State and just waiting to hear about funding. I've just heard that the department is getting smaller/offering less courses and this is leading to them losing their reputation. It's kind of a bummer because I really want to be excited about going there....and it looks like I'm not getting accepted somewhere else, so my options are either to go and risk not getting a good job later, or to take a year off and apply again (which sounds like absolute torture). 

 

Advice? 

I have no knowledge about the situation at Michigan State, so here's some general advice: talk to the current grad students. They will often be honest about the strengths and shortcomings of their program. Also, see where the most recent graduates have been placed . If their recent grads are getting good jobs, then perhaps their reputation isn't quite as tarnished as you have heard. 

[InHacSpeVivo]

I have no knowledge about the situation at Michigan State, so here's some general advice: talk to the current grad students. They will often be honest about the strengths and shortcomings of their program. Also, see where the most recent graduates have been placed . If their recent grads are getting good jobs, then perhaps their reputation isn't quite as tarnished as you have heard. 

 

Ditto. I'm surprised to hear the department is offering few courses, as they have essentially absorbed the American Studies Department, which is only in existence until current students graduate.

[dazedandbemused]

I just looked this up and, wow. They only offered three courses each semester this year? That's very strange. I only applied to the MA as my backup, but now I'm curious about the state of the program, too. Their recent placements aren't half bad, but there don't seem to be that many of them. I don't know how many PhDs they're graduating, but two or three jobs a year (and not just for new graduates) seems a bit low.

Edited March 3, 2013 by dazedandbemused

[GoldieLocks86]

I have no knowledge about the situation at Michigan State, so here's some general advice: talk to the current grad students. They will often be honest about the strengths and shortcomings of their program. Also, see where the most recent graduates have been placed . If their recent grads are getting good jobs, then perhaps their reputation isn't quite as tarnished as you have heard. 

Thanks for the advice. I found one graduate student to talk to, so we'll see what she says...

[GoldieLocks86]

I just looked this up and, wow. They only offered three courses each semester this year? That's very strange. I only applied to the MA as my backup, but now I'm curious about the state of the program, too. Their recent placements aren't half bad, but there don't seem to be that many of them. I don't know how many PhDs they're graduating, but two or three jobs a year (and not just for new graduates) seems a bit low.

Yeah...it does seem low. Gah, I dunno what to do....but, I'll probably be going. I'm assuming you're not going since you got into PhD programs?

[dazedandbemused]

Yeah...it does seem low. Gah, I dunno what to do....but, I'll probably be going. I'm assuming you're not going since you got into PhD programs?

 

Yeah, I haven't decided yet but I'll definitely be taking one of my other two offers. Best of luck!

[GoldieLocks86]

Yeah, I haven't decided yet but I'll definitely be taking one of my other two offers. Best of luck!

Thanks! Same to you!

[dmmar]

I saw someone on here a while ago asking if anyone ever got into grad programs without taking the GRE Subject Test—the answer is yes. 

 

Last application season, I applied to Comparative Literature programs, for which there is no subject test. This time around, I totally forgot that that was even a thing for English programs until the fall semester was about to start (I'm in a MA program), and then felt I didn't have enough time to properly study for it. 

 

So, this season I only applied to programs that didn't require the subject test. There were enough programs that I really liked that I didn't feel that it was that big of a loss, and I was accepted to plenty of PhD programs without it. 

Edited March 4, 2013 by dmmar

[Katia_chan]

That's an understatement. Your acceptance record is hugely impressive--you're living the dream.  Super huge congratulations! (I'd apparently never noticed your signature before and just did so now, so felt I needed to comment to congratulate)

 

Also, not to be nosey, but have you made any decisions about  where you might  be attending?  I only ask because we seem to have applied  to a lot of the same programs, and I'm just curious.

[dmmar]

That's an understatement. Your acceptance record is hugely impressive--you're living the dream.  Super huge congratulations! (I'd apparently never noticed your signature before and just did so now, so felt I needed to comment to congratulate)

 

Also, not to be nosey, but have you made any decisions about  where you might  be attending?  I only ask because we seem to have applied  to a lot of the same programs, and I'm just curious.

 

Thank you!

 

I don't mind nosiness. I'm pretty sure that I'll be attending U Michigan. The only reason I'm really holding off on declaring it is because my fiance applied to MFA programs this season and, given that he hasn't heard back from a particular school in an area where we could have an overlap of acceptances, I haven't made my final decision yet (although I don't really want to go to the school in the overlap area anyway (psst: it's U Illinois Chicago)). We're both from Ann Arbor, so U of M is attractive for a lot of reasons. I also feel a strange sense of obligation to keep an open mind until I've made some visits, though, and since U Iowa has a really good program (and would be a good fit for my research interests), I've planned a visit out that way toward the end of March.

 

I've already declined U Wisconsin Milwaukee and Illinois State, and hoping I can decline more soon—both so I can just feel good about making a formal decision, and so people on the waitlists can hear some good news. I see you're waitlisted at Rochester, and while I'm not absolutely certain, you can probably expect at least one spot to open up there. (I actually need to call the DGS tomorrow—I've missed two of her calls already, and talking to her might give me a better idea of things). I'll definitely update here as I continue to decline offers. 

[Katia_chan]

Keeping an open mind is definitely a good decision.  It sounds like there are quite a few of your options that would land you in a really good area.  Every time I mention Iowa City everyone groans in horror, but, as you said, it's an excellent program.  And I think Iowa gets a bum rap.

 

And thanks for mentioning the school I was doubly curious about--I wasn't going to ask, as it made me feel like I'd look like a crazy person.  I'd obviously be thrilled beyond belief if a spot opened up there, but if it's the best place for you, I hope it's where you end up.  A professor where I got my MA just recently graduated from there, and she had  nothing but nice things to say about the program.

 

Your updates are much appreciated, and best of luck to you.

[Mercyhurst2010]

I saw someone on here a while ago asking if anyone ever got into grad programs without taking the GRE Subject Test—the answer is yes. 

 

Last application season, I applied to Comparative Literature programs, for which there is no subject test. This time around, I totally forgot that that was even a thing for English programs until the fall semester was about to start (I'm in a MA program), and then felt I didn't have enough time to properly study for it. 

 

So, this season I only applied to programs that didn't require the subject test. There were enough programs that I really liked that I didn't feel that it was that big of a loss, and I was accepted to plenty of PhD programs without it. 

 

I was in a similar position. I finished a MA program last May, and was not planning on applying to PhD programs this cycle. Instead, my wife and I were going to be teaching English abroad for a year. Well, we were gone for a month and for a variety of reasons our stay was cut short, and we came home in early October. Within a few weeks, I got the itch, and began applying to PhD programs with my old (2009) GRE scores and no time to study for or take the subject test.

 

I really threw together my list, though, and had I allowed myself more than a month to whip out thirteen applications, I might have had the sense to at least consider the possibility that programs on the US News top 20 wouldn't require the subject test. I saw so many that required it that I just looked in the 25-85 range and looked from programs that looked like a good fit. If given the opportunity to apply again (which would be silly, since I'm already quite happy with the offers I've received) I would definitely apply to Brown, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Emory. (Emory I botched simply because I missed the deadline. I was down to the wire on the Dec. 8 / Dec. 15 programs, and oops, Emory was Dec. 1!)

[DHEnthusiast]

Just received some news that I thought some might want to know. I got an email from the admin assitant at WVU and she told me that the PhD admissions committee was meeting tomorrow and that all applicants should know their fate within the next two weeks. omgomgomgomgomg

[nothingatall]

For those waiting on University of Washington Seattle, I just checked the website and saw that I received an offer! However: no word on funding or anything. Anyone else apply there and know how to find that info?

Edited March 5, 2013 by dgrollmus

[sebastiansteddy]

I am wondering if anyone may have any advice: a POI at a school that has accepted me e-mailed suggesting we meet for coffee when I come to the visiting weekend. I haven't completely ruled this school out, but at this point I think it's very likely I'll be going there, and I wasn't planning on attending the visiting weekend. I wanted to visit some other higher preference programs before ruling this one out completely. Any advice on how I should reply to this POI? 

[katja454]

Just declined Maryland's offer and managed to feel incredibly guilty about it. Hope the spot goes to someone who will love it there!!

[nothingatall]

For those waiting on University of Washington Seattle, I just checked the website and saw that I received an offer! However: no word on funding or anything. Anyone else apply there and know how to find that info?

 

So, I'm here to answer my own question for those other UW acceptances I saw on the board. Heard that they'll be making funding decisions on March 18 and sending out letters around then. 

[skybythelight]

So, I'm here to answer my own question for those other UW acceptances I saw on the board. Heard that they'll be making funding decisions on March 18 and sending out letters around then. 

I heard the same. I started a U Washington thread earlier and posted what I've found out so far.

[nothingatall]

I heard the same. I started a U Washington thread earlier and posted what I've found out so far.

 

Very cool. I'll try to find it. Also! Quick etiquette question. When applying to MFA programs, some of my recommenders encouraged me to write schools that hadn't made decisions to tell them of my acceptances and funding packages elsewhere. For some reason, I'm feeling all weird about doing that right now. Since University of Washington hasn't made funding decisions, is it appropriate to write them and tell them that I have full-funding in another similarly ranked program? Should I be specific about that program? Should I be honest and say I can't go to U of W without funding? Just wondering if you'd send "that" email and how you'd phrase it so you don't sound like a spoiled brat. Thanks!  

[skybythelight]

Very cool. I'll try to find it. Also! Quick etiquette question. When applying to MFA programs, some of my recommenders encouraged me to write schools that hadn't made decisions to tell them of my acceptances and funding packages elsewhere. For some reason, I'm feeling all weird about doing that right now. Since University of Washington hasn't made funding decisions, is it appropriate to write them and tell them that I have full-funding in another similarly ranked program? Should I be specific about that program? Should I be honest and say I can't go to U of W without funding? Just wondering if you'd send "that" email and how you'd phrase it so you don't sound like a spoiled brat. Thanks!  

I can't really speak to your particular situation, but I thought I'd let you know that in my e-mail conversation with Jennifer Siembor (spelling?) in Washington, I did mention that I likely would not be able to attend without funding. She just responded with "we'll let you know about funding offers as soon as we can," or something like that.

[InHacSpeVivo]

Would any of you admitted English people be willing to read my revised statement of purpose for MA programs with April 1 app deadlines? I figured I should re-do it because it clearly didn't work for PhD programs. Fortunately the programs limit it to two pages, so hopefully there's limited opportunity for me to screw up.

[asleepawake]

Would any of you admitted English people be willing to read my revised statement of purpose for MA programs with April 1 app deadlines? I figured I should re-do it because it clearly didn't work for PhD programs. Fortunately the programs limit it to two pages, so hopefully there's limited opportunity for me to screw up.

 

I'd be willing to read it over if you'd like. You can send me a PM.

Edited March 6, 2013 by asleepawake

[sebastiansteddy]

I would too if you want. Feel free to PM me.