Fall 2013 English Lit Applicants

[Two Espressos]

Are ya'll holding off weekend trips during application season? I am thinking about planning a surprise weekend getaway for my partner's birthday on March 2. However, I'm nervous that I'll find out that I am accepted somewhere and the visit day will be on March 2. What to do... what to do... On one hand, I haven't heard anything yet. On the other hand, I might hear some good news soon. On the other hand, the trip sounds really fun. Super fun. It's something we've talked about for years. And the look on his face when he realizes where we're going will be priceless. On the other hand, I've read here that visit weekends are super important in the decision making process. And yet, this year will be my last year making decent money, and the last year I could pull this off for a long long time... BIRTHDAY TRIP IT IS!!!

 

... I think?

 

Kinda related: I'm planning to attend the 2013 Sigma Tau Delta International Convention this year, which is in Portland, OR, from March 20th-23rd, and UNC-Chapel Hill's visit weekend (I think it was UNC?) overlaps with that.  I won't be able to refund the money my university pays for me to go and give it to another member in my Sigma Tau Delta chapter in the case that I'm admitted to UNC and go to the visit weekend instead, but I figured that the probability of me actually being admitted is so minimal that it isn't worth worrying about.

[muchado]

Are ya'll holding off weekend trips during application season? I am thinking about planning a surprise weekend getaway for my partner's birthday on March 2. However, I'm nervous that I'll find out that I am accepted somewhere and the visit day will be on March 2. 

 

It seems like a visit on March 2 would be pretty late notice at this point. I have my Louisville visit that weekend, and we received all the official info for the trip last Friday. Plus, I had already known about it for a week.

[bfat]

Is there anyone else left on these boards besides me who is still facing the soul-crushing agony of absolute silence? At this point I am assuming rejections from all but 2 of my programs, and they are both such long-shot pipe-dreams that I should really just admit that I'm out for the season.

[cbttcher]

Is there anyone else left on these boards besides me who is still facing the soul-crushing agony of absolute silence? At this point I am assuming rejections from all but 2 of my programs, and they are both such long-shot pipe-dreams that I should really just admit that I'm out for the season.

 

I haven't heard anything AT ALL....

[DontHate]

Most of my schools have been pretty silent. So I feel the pain too. 

[ProfLorax]

It seems like a visit on March 2 would be pretty late notice at this point. I have my Louisville visit that weekend, and we received all the official info for the trip last Friday. Plus, I had already known about it for a week.

Thanks-- that's what I was thinking. Most of my schools notify in late-Feb, early March, so I really couldn't imagine a visit weekend being on March 2.

 

 

 

Is there anyone else left on these boards besides me who is still facing the soul-crushing agony of absolute silence? At this point I am assuming rejections from all but 2 of my programs, and they are both such long-shot pipe-dreams that I should really just admit that I'm out for the season.

Radio silence on this end too. But I did just go through the threads from 2011 and 2012, and that strangely gave me hope. It was nice to see that some of the Grad Cafe greats didn't hear back from schools until March or even later. ComeBackZinc didn't hear back from Purdue until March! One of my favorite posts on the results board is of an acceptance on April 7 to UMD College Park's PhD in English program; it simply says, "only acceptance. Got in off the wait-list. WHAT?! Wow." So it's definitely not over until it's over.

 

P.S. The fact that I have a favorite Results Survey post means that I'm the cool kid, right? No? Oh. Okay. 

[thebeatgoeson]

Thanks-- that's what I was thinking. Most of my schools notify in late-Feb, early March, so I really couldn't imagine a visit weekend being on March 2.

 

 

 

Radio silence on this end too. But I did just go through the threads from 2011 and 2012, and that strangely gave me hope. It was nice to see that some of the Grad Cafe greats didn't hear back from schools until March or even later. ComeBackZinc didn't hear back from Purdue until March! One of my favorite posts on the results board is of an acceptance on April 7 to UMD College Park's PhD in English program; it simply says, "only acceptance. Got in off the wait-list. WHAT?! Wow." So it's definitely not over until it's over.

 

P.S. The fact that I have a favorite Results Survey post means that I'm the cool kid, right? No? Oh. Okay. 

I'm going through a similar difficulty in terms of scheduling vacation.  My partner and I are supposed to go to New Orleans over our spring break (we are both students at the same university), and I just realized that it may overlap with visiting day.  The visit is important to her, as I'll be meeting her mother, some of her childhood friends for the same time, but, then again, deciding where I'll be spending the next 5 years of my life is not a small thing either.  It seems criminal that academics so often end up with other academics.

 

I suppose it's just one more log to put on the "I'm leaving while you stay here for 3 more years to get your PhD" (in psych) fire.  Blah.

[TripWillis]

I'm curious about who got into CUNY. Two posts. See y'all in March. 

[JeremiahParadise]

I'm curious about who got into CUNY. Two posts. See y'all in March. 

Me too! Really hoping they open the floodgates this week -- today was such a tease! I especially hope they make it rain on me and the other GradCafe Grad Center hopefuls. GC-squareds. Yup. That's where I am right now. Yeuuuuup.

[ishmael]

Is there anyone else left on these boards besides me who is still facing the soul-crushing agony of absolute silence? At this point I am assuming rejections from all but 2 of my programs, and they are both such long-shot pipe-dreams that I should really just admit that I'm out for the season.

 

I've still heard nothing. And... it's way lame. Especially since there've been a few Texas A&M acceptances and a waitlist. :/ And, of course, a few Virginia acceptances, but I never really expected to even make the waitlist there. BUT STILL. It'd be nice to hear ANYTHING.

[TripWillis]

Me too! Really hoping they open the floodgates this week -- today was such a tease! I especially hope they make it rain on me and the other GradCafe Grad Center hopefuls. GC-squareds. Yup. That's where I am right now. Yeuuuuup.

If it's anything like past years, professors notify individually. Admissions tend to be scattered. Good luck, Jeremiah. 

[aGiRlCalLeDApPlE]

Is there anyone else left on these boards besides me who is still facing the soul-crushing agony of absolute silence? At this point I am assuming rejections from all but 2 of my programs, and they are both such long-shot pipe-dreams that I should really just admit that I'm out for the season.

Same here, and I too feel that I'm out of this season. I even started preparing myself for retaking the GRE !!!  

[ghijklmn]

I'm going through a similar difficulty in terms of scheduling vacation.  My partner and I are supposed to go to New Orleans over our spring break (we are both students at the same university), and I just realized that it may overlap with visiting day.  The visit is important to her, as I'll be meeting her mother, some of her childhood friends for the same time, but, then again, deciding where I'll be spending the next 5 years of my life is not a small thing either.  It seems criminal that academics so often end up with other academics.

 

I suppose it's just one more log to put on the "I'm leaving while you stay here for 3 more years to get your PhD" (in psych) fire.  Blah.

 

That's rough! On this note, how much are people factoring their personal lives (partners, family, etc.) into their decisions? My partner will be attending grad school on a different continent, so we're looking at 2-7 years apart... What are people's strategies with coping with this/making decisions? (I realize this is very personal, but I imagine that some people must be in this situation as well!)

[hidalgo]

Should I probably just be waiting until next week for Penn?

[The Whistler]

Should I probably just be waiting until next week for Penn?

 

Maybe even longer. I contacted my POI last week, he said that there was about 600 applications, and that they're still reading.

 

EDIT: then again, he's not in the committee this year, so he just told me what he heard.

Edited February 12, 2013 by The Whistler

[Ategenos]

Is there anyone else left on these boards besides me who is still facing the soul-crushing agony of absolute silence? At this point I am assuming rejections from all but 2 of my programs, and they are both such long-shot pipe-dreams that I should really just admit that I'm out for the season.

I have been feeling this agony since last application season... I got waitlisted at four schools, and accepted to none. This year, so far, only one of my schools has even started reporting, and I didn't hear anything... this might seem hopeful, as there's still places to hear from, but deep down in the stress cave that is my heart, there's a little devil already whispering of my coming failure.

[Taco Superior]

That's rough! On this note, how much are people factoring their personal lives (partners, family, etc.) into their decisions? My partner will be attending grad school on a different continent, so we're looking at 2-7 years apart... What are people's strategies with coping with this/making decisions? (I realize this is very personal, but I imagine that some people must be in this situation as well!)

 

My partner will be finishing undergrad at a UC for two years; planning on visits and skype! (not a very comprehensive plan, I'll warant you)

[cougarstigers!]

That's rough! On this note, how much are people factoring their personal lives (partners, family, etc.) into their decisions? My partner will be attending grad school on a different continent, so we're looking at 2-7 years apart... What are people's strategies with coping with this/making decisions? (I realize this is very personal, but I imagine that some people must be in this situation as well!)

 

thank g-d for this. absolutely this is relevant! i've applied with my partner this year, and it's been a ride to navigate how to do this process together! i'm struggling, at this juncture, whether this is something we tell programs? i'm in at a place that is great for me, but not the best dept. for my partner -- and he's not in, anyway -- but we've got our fingers crossed that something will come thru for the places still in limbo! it's definitely a BIG exercise in faith. but, since both things are important to us, ain't any other way to go about it!

 

i do have a good friend who, miraculously, was able to PULL a partner into a program to which he hadn't even APPLIED, during her accepted-students'-visit-weekend, because he advisor wanted her there that much. they both love it.

 

 

yay miracles! <3!

 

 

thoughts from everybody? ya'll have some Grand Fortitude to attempt the 2-7 years' long-distance -- and long-long distance, in yr case, g-------n!

 

 

 

xo!

[InHacSpeVivo]

My partner will be finishing undergrad at a UC for two years; planning on visits and skype! (not a very comprehensive plan, I'll warant you)

 

My BF and I live together, so I got his input on every place I considered. He's incredibly supportive (and actually really excited about the prospect of moving), but I know it won't be easy for him to either get approval to work at his job remotely or try to find a new job wherever we end up. However, either of those prospects is way more enticing than him dealing with me holing myself up in my office for another eight months while I work on yet another application cycle. I immediately followed completing my M.A. thesis with PhD program apps, and I'm not sure how much more of my anxiety he can tolerate.

[thebeatgoeson]

Working through this process with my partner has been difficult.  She's halfway through her own PhD program, so she's not heading anywhere.  At the same time, it doesn't seam feasible for me to wait around for three more years before starting my own program.  When it comes down to it, I suppose we're both more invested in our careers than we are in our relationship.  I hope to stay within a few hours (Maryland, Chapel Hill), but we may be trying out a serious long-disance arrangement if that doesn't work out.  Fingers crossed for any acceptance whatsoever at this point.

[NotGiantsButWindmills]

That's rough! On this note, how much are people factoring their personal lives (partners, family, etc.) into their decisions? My partner will be attending grad school on a different continent, so we're looking at 2-7 years apart... What are people's strategies with coping with this/making decisions? (I realize this is very personal, but I imagine that some people must be in this situation as well!)

 

I did the long distance thing for ¾ of my MA program and will likely be facing it again at some point during the PhD (my husband is not an academic, but his job likes to move him around). It is a very hard decision to make and definitely not right for everyone.  While I hated being away from my husband, it did work fairly well.  Friends who actually lived with their partners during school frequently told me how lucky I was. 

 

It sounds terribly selfish, but there is something to be said for being in a supportive relationship during grad school without having to deal with day to day issues and couples obligations.  If I wanted to work late or work all the time, I did.  If I wanted to eat dinner at odd hours, I did.  Sometimes it was pretty handy to only worry about myself and not mess with coordinating schedules.  We only saw each other over the Christmas, Spring, and Summer breaks, so when we were together, we were able to focus on important things and spend more quality time together.   

 

On the downside, my friends that lived with their partners had someone to go home to at the end of a bad day (phone calls can’t even come close to that), someone to bring soup when they were sick, someone to celebrate successes with, and someone to bring to the department Christmas party.  If I didn’t have such an amazing friendship with my roommate and a few of my fellow students, I’m not sure I would have been able to handle the distance.  It was hard not getting to experience the minutiae of everyday life with my husband and it was hard not to be there for him when he had a bad day or to be able to take care of him when he was sick. 

 

It did help to always know the next time we’d see each other and to have an end point in mind.  Text messages and Skype are pretty helpful as well.  Happy thoughts for everyone that has to make the long distance decision!

[Gwendolyn]

Grad admissions director for The University of Alabama said results should be in over the course of the next few weeks. 

[hidalgo]

Maybe even longer. I contacted my POI last week, he said that there was about 600 applications, and that they're still reading.

 

EDIT: then again, he's not in the committee this year, so he just told me what he heard.

 

You guys and your POIs. It just felt too crass to me to be emailing professors. Maybe I should have. Oh well.

And jeez...600 apps. So appx 1% of applicants will be accepted...that's absurd. We have better chances doing a lot of things that seem difficult to us right now than being 6 out of a 600 pool for an ivy league school. 

[SleepyAlligator]

You guys and your POIs. It just felt too crass to me to be emailing professors. Maybe I should have. Oh well.

 

Seconded.

[conflictedcopy]

It's insane, hidalgo. It's pure capitalism. We're perpetuating it continually. Don't get me wrong, though, I'm buying-in like all the rest, but just look closely at any English Department and it should be clear that the process is failing us. For the most part, the wrong people are critics, the wrong people are teaching Literature, the wrong people are accepted. Also, economic inequality is a major flaw in the process, and no one seems to care to turn the critical eye inward.