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Fall 2013 English Lit Applicants


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I just heard second hand that apparently Chicago's program is known for "chewing people up and spitting them out"? This is a tad concerning :huh:

 

Anyone heard anything like that? My mentor did his doctorate at Chicago and hasn't said anything of the kind, but the other professor who mentioned the above is someone whom I also really respect in the department. So I know he wouldn't overstate something like that.

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I just heard second hand that apparently Chicago's program is known for "chewing people up and spitting them out"? This is a tad concerning :huh:

 

Anyone heard anything like that? My mentor did his doctorate at Chicago and hasn't said anything of the kind, but the other professor who mentioned the above is someone whom I also really respect in the department. So I know he wouldn't overstate something like that.

 

Yeah, you missed this conversation a few months ago. It seems a lot of people have heard that Chicago is ridiculously competitive and cutthroat. My advisor told me it was "a den of vipers". Then again, there are other people who said their experience with Chicago was nothing like that, so I would take that kind of stuff with a grain of salt.

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Pitt should be out by the end of next week for certain...or so I've been told.

 

Yeah, I gave in and called. They said they will probably start notifying as early as the end of this week/beginning of next, but end of next week for sure. Ugh. I really don't want to get my hopes up because I doubt I'll get in, but the faculty is amazing, it's a perfect fit, their placement rates are ridiculous and I would actually really like to live in Pittsburgh! Sigh...

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I can't speak to the PhD, but I did my undergraduate at Chicago and had somewhat of a love/hate experience with it.  It's certainly a challenging place that can sometimes feel a bit isolating or cold (literally and metaphorically  ;)  ). That said, I wouldn't trade my experience there for anything; I am very happy with the education I received and, although it took me some time to find my place and get comfortable, once I did I felt completely supported. 

 

It's an intense environment for sure and a lot of your experience will depend on your personality. Some people thrive in it and others really suffer.  If you can visit before you make your decision, I would just see what vibe you get and go with your gut feeling about it. 

 

Congrats, though, and good luck with your decision!

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I just heard second hand that apparently Chicago's program is known for "chewing people up and spitting them out"? This is a tad concerning :huh:

 

Anyone heard anything like that? My mentor did his doctorate at Chicago and hasn't said anything of the kind, but the other professor who mentioned the above is someone whom I also really respect in the department. So I know he wouldn't overstate something like that.

 

Congrats on your acceptance! My thesis advisor went to Chicago, and I've heard the buzz about the ultra-competitiveness as well. But, as dazed says, it really is a personal preference and where you feel comfortable. The program is nothing short of spectacular, so it's definitely worth checking out at the very least. Personally, I didn't think I'd have much chance to get in (and it's looking like I didn't), but applied anyway because it was a really good fit for my interests. If you've been through the faculty page they have a ridiculous record of people joining right out of grad school and staying there for their entire careers, so that always led me to believe it has to be a pretty good environment (to say the least). Good luck with your decision!

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I was stressed while waiting to hear back from schools and now I feel even more stressed while attempting to find an apartment miles and miles away. No online or phone payments? Just WTF???????????? 

 

/rant 

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Just to let everyone know, I e-mailed my POI at Columbia today and he tells me that they won't have their final admissions meeting until February 18, which I assume means that decisions won't go out until at least a day or so afterwards. I hope that saves everyone from obsessively thinking about Columbia like I've been for the last two weeks. 

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Not personalized, just a general letter on the status page that the email from DGS directed me to. Still nothing updated on UCLA though, who I was hoping to hear from today. So this comes as an earth-shattering surprise. Thanks everyone and good luck.

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Just a curiosity.  How many, after a rejection, have Emailed the department to ask if there were any factors on their application specifically that led to that rejection?

 

I had someone advise me to do this, but it makes me kind of uncomfortable. I feel like I would be bothering people, and that it just doesn't seem like something one "should" do.  Maybe I'm wrong--I have no clue.  (Part of me is also feeling too delicate for the criticism right now. :) ).

 

Thanks.

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First off, congrats to the UC Berkeley acceptances (as well as all the others)!

 

dazedandbemused-- I agree! It did seem surprisingly early, and I do feel strange that no one else has received a rejection yet. . .? When I applied for their PhD back in '09 (when I ended up going for a Masters degree), I didn't get my rejection until the very end of February.

 

Katia_chan-- Last season I wrote the schools I felt most strongly about that I was rejected from-- one gave me really positive feedback that I felt I used this year, the other said they received too many applications to really give back any feedback. So, in all, I'd say it doesn't hurt to write. I had been nervous to write, but my advisor pushed me to do so, and all in all, I'm glad I did. :)

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