Fall 2013 English Lit Applicants

[blueberryscone]

For the people hearing from Yale: Should I assume rejection if I have not received a call yet?

Hey, I haven't heard anything from them either, but given how small their class sizes are, and going by the working theory that these forums are indeed the tip of the iceberg, I'd be really surprised if they kept taking more people.

[asleepawake]

Because I said I'd come back with this. Please, please read Anne Curzan's "Says Who." Anyone who thinks NOT using the singular "they" is traditional is seriously mistaken -- we have been using it for hundreds of years and it was only in recent conduct books that it was deemed "wrong."

I really, really, REALLY hate ze/hir but, eh.

 

Out of up votes but HELLZ YEAH VIDEO.

 

My History of English course changed my life, man.

Edited February 21, 2013 by asleepawake

[lo.lee.ta]

Hi all, this is my first time posting here, although I've been reading for a while. Mostly I just want to say thank you to everyone on this thread who has unknowlingly helped keep me afloat during what has been (or had been, until this morning) an utterly dismal application season. This is my first year applying to English PhDs, but not my first year applying to grad programs (I applied to MFAs during my last year as an undergrad, three years ago, and was rejected across the board), and after being rejected from four of my nine programs over the past few weeks I was fairly certain this year was going to go the same way. (There were plenty of tears, anxiety, feeling like an idiot for even thinking anyone would ever want me to attend their program, let alone thinking I could be a legitimate "scholar" someday...etc.)

And then this morning I received notification that I am WAITLISTED AT MINNESOTA!!! I am absolutely thrilled right now, esp. given that I had already written them off as sure a rejection because I hadn't heard anything and other people had. It's just amazing how crazy this whole thing is--yesterday I spent the day crying/moping about receiving official rejections from Emory and Stanfors...and now this! I know it's not an acceptance--I need to keep reminding myself of this--but regardless, it's so unbelievably nice to know that someone actually liked my application. Amazing.

Anyway, I feel a little odd writing for the first time only after getting good news, I don't want to sound like I'm gloating. It's just been great seeing all of the reactions on this thread, from tears to acceptance freakouts, and getting to "know" some of the regular posters, and I just wanted to give a shout out to everyone who's decided to put themselves through this highly stressful and demoralizing process. To people on the "outside," it must look like there is something seriously wrong with us.

[asleepawake]

And then this morning I received notification that I am WAITLISTED AT MINNESOTA!!! 

 

Congrats! I hope it works out for you!

[bluecheese]

I just turned down a bunch of programs -- hopefully others hear good news as a result!

[jazzyd]

I just turned down a bunch of programs -- hopefully others hear good news as a result!

 

Mind hinting at which ones? Just curious....

Edited February 21, 2013 by jazzy dubois

[bluecheese]

NYU, UW-Madison, SUNY Buffalo, (turned down OSU a while ago).

[practical cat]

Out of up votes but HELLZ YEAH VIDEO.

 

My History of English course changed my life, man.

My biggest regret in undergrad(/maybe life?) is that I never took that class.

[practical cat]

On 2/21/2013 at 6:00 PM, bluecheese said:

NYU, UW-Madison, SUNY Buffalo, (turned down OSU a while ago).

I love that you have turned down FOUR programs ALREADY. I'm assuming you're still waiting on some even?

[InHacSpeVivo]

On 2/21/2013 at 6:00 PM, bluecheese said:

NYU, UW-Madison, SUNY Buffalo, (turned down OSU a while ago).

 

Congrats on all your success, bluecheese, and thank you for being such a stand-up citizen! I know if I was WLed at one of these programs (or anywhere, really, lol) this message would make me really hopeful.

[asleepawake]

My biggest regret in undergrad(/maybe life?) is that I never took that class.

 

I don't have an extensive undergrad record in English, but it was required for my MA. The dreaded requirement turned out to be a fantastic experience. Do take one if the program you end up in offers one and you have room for it. It's certainly helpful no matter what your focus. I had a really great professor, though. The used textbook I bought was filled with notes that he repeated word for word, but he gave fantastic lectures regardless. Normally old-school lectures seem out-of-touch, but his were great.

Edited February 22, 2013 by asleepawake

[dmmar]

So I just now checked the SUNY Buffalo website, and my status has now changed to "under committee review." Posting since the Buffalo website is so enigmatic about application statuses!

 

There's a few schools I'm still waiting to hear from—although according to the board, most of these schools already sent out acceptances notices. Do some schools do more than one round of acceptances? Or, like Purdue, a kind of rolling-waitlist (instead of telling you that you're on the waitlist, they just don't tell you anything until they have a final answer)? Just trying to figure out why else they might be sitting on a pile of rejections instead of sending them out and putting us out of our misery!

[bluecheese]

I love that you have turned down FIVE programs ALREADY. I'm assuming you're still waiting on some even?

 

There are some that I still haven't heard from... but I'm going to Brown. It was my top choice in terms of faculty, ranking, placement, etc. I suppose if I got into U of Chicago I might have convinced myself for geographical reasons. But I didn't, so yeah.

[Porridge]

So I just now checked the SUNY Buffalo website, and my status has now changed to "under committee review." Posting since the Buffalo website is so enigmatic about application statuses!

 

There's a few schools I'm still waiting to hear from—although according to the board, most of these schools already sent out acceptances notices. Do some schools do more than one round of acceptances? Or, like Purdue, a kind of rolling-waitlist (instead of telling you that you're on the waitlist, they just don't tell you anything until they have a final answer)? Just trying to figure out why else they might be sitting on a pile of rejections instead of sending them out and putting us out of our misery!

Can I ask when you heard from UIowa?

[asleepawake]

There are some that I still haven't heard from... but I'm going to Brown. It was my top choice in terms of faculty, ranking, placement, etc. I suppose if I got into U of Chicago I might have convinced myself for geographical reasons. But I didn't, so yeah.

 

Awesome! Congrats on making a decision! We should start a final decision thread soon.

[practical cat]

There are some that I still haven't heard from... but I'm going to Brown. It was my top choice in terms of faculty, ranking, placement, etc. I suppose if I got into U of Chicago I might have convinced myself for geographical reasons. But I didn't, so yeah.

Seriously awesome, congratulations!!!

Edited February 22, 2013 by girl who wears glasses

[skybythelight]

There are some that I still haven't heard from... but I'm going to Brown. It was my top choice in terms of faculty, ranking, placement, etc. I suppose if I got into U of Chicago I might have convinced myself for geographical reasons. But I didn't, so yeah.

Congrats! If you want to know anything about Providence, feel free to PM me.

[bluecheese]

Thanks -- I'm super excited. Honestly, Brown (for me) is really really fantastic. Even better than the places I might have gotten into that are slightly higher ranked (they have people doing amazing things directly in my area, and they have the best poetry faculty in the country, hands down... and I can actually take Literary Arts classes as a PhD student).

[dmmar]

Can I ask when you heard from UIowa?

 

@Porridge, Iowa called me on February 1st to tell me the news.

[Porridge]

@Porridge, Iowa called me on February 1st to tell me the news.

 

Oh bummer. I shouldn't be sad since I've already received offers from two top ten programs. It's selfish of me! I did like the look of their program.

 

ETA: Can you tell me what your area of specialization is?

Edited February 22, 2013 by Porridge

[dmmar]

Oh bummer. I shouldn't be sad since I've already received offers from two top ten programs. It's selfish of me! I did like the look of their program.

 

ETA: Can you tell me what your area of specialization is?

 

Modernist and contemporary American poetry.

[InHacSpeVivo]

Thanks -- I'm super excited. Honestly, Brown (for me) is really really fantastic. Even better than the places I might have gotten into that are slightly higher ranked (they have people doing amazing things directly in my area, and they have the best poetry faculty in the country, hands down... and I can actually take Literary Arts classes as a PhD student).

You get more and more awesome all the time! Brown's American Studies program isn't the highest ranked, but it's the standard i used when selecting programs to apply to as far as placements, classes, profs,etc. I don't have much of a shot but, hey, a girl can dream, right? Congratulations again.

[Katia_chan]

@Porridge, Iowa called me on February 1st to tell me the news.

 

Dammit.  I'm *super* excited for you, but this is disappointing news on my end--this is the third app I've sent them.  Iowa, why you gotta hurt me like this?  What'd I do to you?

[pomoisdead]

Thanks -- I'm super excited. Honestly, Brown (for me) is really really fantastic. Even better than the places I might have gotten into that are slightly higher ranked (they have people doing amazing things directly in my area, and they have the best poetry faculty in the country, hands down... and I can actually take Literary Arts classes as a PhD student).

A bit of a lofty statement? I'd argue BU's poetry faculty is much better...IMO at least. Regardless, congrats. I'd love to have options.

[bluecheese]

A bit of a lofty statement? I'd argue BU's poetry faculty is much better...IMO at least. Regardless, congrats. I'd love to have options.

 

I don't think it is lofty at all. 

 

Brown has amazing faculty--they even just stole Cole Swenson from Iowa.

 

C.D. Wright, Cole Swenson, Forrest Gander, Thalia Field, John Cayley, Catherine Imbriglio, Wendy Chun, and the recently retired Waldrops (who are a still a major presence in providence).

 

Also, I can take classes at Harvard, RISD and MIT (so I might be able to sneak into classes with Jorie Graham, Stephen Burt, Mairead Byrne, Nick Montfort, etc.)

 

BU has 3 faculty, and they are all aesthetically conservative (especially in a poetry landscape in which Black Ocean is one of the best selling presses--not that their aesthetic is my "thing"... I simply think what gets held up by awards and Barnes and Noble has very little do do with what is happening in contemporary poetry).

Edited February 22, 2013 by bluecheese