Fall 2013 English Lit Applicants

[waparys]

I can't handle Chicago today. I'm still holding out hope for NW, like a fool. 

[InHacSpeVivo]

Thanks for letting us know cicada! I'd be lying if I didn't say my heart dropped a bit when I saw this though. Oh well, at least one more rejection I shouldn't have to wait much longer for.

[thepriorwalter]

*sigh* Chicago. Guess it could be worse. Any program that competitive is always a reach. Just worried about what it means for my other four applications. 

[BookGeek]

*sigh* Chicago. Guess it could be worse. Any program that competitive is always a reach. Just worried about what it means for my other four applications.

Seriously. Thank God they scheduled Girl Scout cookie time during application season.

Edited February 5, 2013 by BookGeek

[slvitale]

Do we have a consensus on Duke? 

[skybythelight]

Would like to pile on to the "really early but feels so far along" group. I've only had one confirmed rejection, and it is still quite early for the vast majority of my other 12 targets. Still, as February 5 comes on, I'm going nuts.

I'll join this group as well. I was part of the Vandy bloodbath, and haven't heard anything else. Based on last year, I shouldn't start hearing from my other PhD schools until next week, but knowing that hasn't lessened the anxiety any.

[asleepawake]

Do we have a consensus on Duke? 

 

No, but I'm not holding my breath.

 

Assume this: All of us just got rejected. Any other news will now be twice as good, and official rejections will be only half as bad. You're welcome.

Edited February 5, 2013 by asleepawake

[asleepawake]

I can't remember why I didn't apply to WashU. I just know that I should have.

 

Anybody already wishing they could update their school list?

[slvitale]

No, but I'm not holding my breath.

 

Assume this: All of us just got rejected. Any other news will now be twice as good, and official rejections will be only half as bad. You're welcome.

This reminds me vaguely of something Willy Wonka would say!

[asleepawake]

I can't up vote anymore but YAY!

 

[InHacSpeVivo]

On 2/5/2013 at 11:54 AM, asleepawake said:

I can't remember why I didn't apply to WashU. I just know that I should have.

 

Anybody already wishing they could update their school list?

 

This probably isn't a good thing, but I'm actually putting together a "look into" list of programs I should research in the event I don't get in anywhere.

[Two Espressos]

This probably isn't a good thing, but I'm actually putting together a "look into" list of programs I should research in the event I don't get in anywhere.

 

Ditto.

[InHacSpeVivo]

I don't know if you had the same experience, Two Espressos, but I find it incredibly frustrating that in the HOURS upon HOURS of research I did I still managed to miss 2-3 programs that would have been a great fit.

[dazedandbemused]

This probably isn't a good thing, but I'm actually putting together a "look into" list of programs I should research in the event I don't get in anywhere.

 

Same. As I look at other people's lists I'm starting to think that I might have grossly overestimated my chances.

[practical cat]

I'm not actively looking yet (because of superstition) but I am consciously gauging my reactions to implied news (looking at you, Wisconsin) and noting whether or not I would reapply. I am also continuously weighing the idea of applying to interdisciplinary programs and thinking about how I can better articulate my interests. (The latter should be of use to me if I get in too.)

[DontHate]

Interdisciplinary programs are terrible for job prospects down the road. It's always better to get a standard-looking PhD and have the interdisciplinarity come through in your dissertation.

[waparys]

I've been thinking about how it would look if I got an MA now...I mean to be fair my one-year MSc from Edinburgh only consisted of four courses and a 60-page dissertation...would it be a huge step back to start the MA over if that's the only acceptance I get? 

[InHacSpeVivo]

We can probably assume that if we don't hear from Chicago by end of day we're not in, right? I really hate that some programs ssend out rejections a month after acceptances. Is that torture really necessary?

[Gleemonex]

First time posting, long time lurking. I bit the bullet and called Duke. The woman I spoke with was nice, but pretty vague: "you'll hear something by the end of the week." I detected a note of pity in her terse-ass response, though.

 

It's not much, but I figured I should contribute something.

[jazzyd]

First time posting, long time lurking. I bit the bullet and called Duke. The woman I spoke with was nice, but pretty vague: "you'll hear something by the end of the week." I detected a note of pity in her terse-ass response, though.

 

It's not much, but I figured I should contribute something.

I never would have thought to call, that's actually a good idea. Thanks for letting us know.

 

Thus far my application still says "Decision Not Ready" *shrug*

 

Someone I know posted that they got into NYU's doctoral program (English). I'm going to take this as an implied rejection and move on. 

Edited February 5, 2013 by big10champ

[waparys]

I never would have thought to call, that's actually a good idea. Thanks for letting us know.

 

Thus far my application still says "Decision Not Ready" *shrug*

 

Someone I know posted that they got into NYU's doctoral program (English). I'm going to take this as an implied rejection and move on. 

 

Congrats on getting into my two top choices! I sincerely hope you end up at one of them and do something awesome  

[ocean]

I never would have thought to call, that's actually a good idea. Thanks for letting us know.

 

Thus far my application still says "Decision Not Ready" *shrug*

 

Someone I know posted that they got into NYU's doctoral program (English). I'm going to take this as an implied rejection and move on. 

Could you tell us how NYU informed this applicant? Who called him/her? DGS or POI? It would be helpful.

[OctaviaButlerfan]

I can't remember why I didn't apply to Rice University. I just know that I should have.

 

Anybody already wishing they could update their school list?

 

YES. I wished this at least a month ago.

 

I have about six schools, in addition to two I'll be reapplying to if I'm not accepted, on my list for next year. A couple of them, I'm sad to say, have much better fit in terms of mentors and research interests. I'm not sure about the funding on one of those, though.

[OctaviaButlerfan]

Interdisciplinary programs are terrible for job prospects down the road. It's always better to get a standard-looking PhD and have the interdisciplinarity come through in your dissertation.

 

Really?

 

I've heard this.. but I've also heard that jobs in African American Studies and Women's Studies have better prospects (than they did, and in the market generally) right now. So is it just the interdisciplinary program to avoid? What about joint programs?

[practical cat]

The Job Market is terrible. I am concerned with producing work that places me on the better part of the statistic, rather than worrying about statistics themselves. If an interdisciplinary program affords me a supportive, rigorous environment, I think that is more important. What I am not convinced of, however, is that an interdisciplinary program would be MORE supportive of my research.