orinincandenza Posted February 22, 2009 Posted February 22, 2009 I think I've heard of one UMinnesota acceptance, but what about anyone else? Anybody totally in the dark like me? Last year their rejection notice came pretty early, I want to say early February. What ya'll know about it?
myzzm Posted February 23, 2009 Posted February 23, 2009 I am also waiting on Minnesota. Aside from my major reach school, they are my top choice. Someone posted in January an acceptance and now this most recent one... both early notifications because of fellowship nominations. Are there any others??
Sibilance7 Posted February 23, 2009 Posted February 23, 2009 I'm also waiting on Minnesota - I haven't heard a thing. Last year they notified around the end of February, I think, so maybe we'll hear this week.
draff Posted March 2, 2009 Posted March 2, 2009 Wanting to bring the back to the top -- it seems like it's getting late in the game for Minnesota. Anybody heard anything new?
orinincandenza Posted March 2, 2009 Author Posted March 2, 2009 I was about to do the same thing, being that I STILL haven't heard anything. Bracing myself for a rejection letter in today's mail.
myzzm Posted March 2, 2009 Posted March 2, 2009 I found my rejection letter posted on the website a few minutes ago and am really bummed. Now... editing my signature. Good luck, everyone!
booksareneat Posted March 2, 2009 Posted March 2, 2009 myzzm, You went to the applyyourself website and checked it there? Mine still says "sent to program." I do remember from previous years that Minnesota is a late bloomer in this whole process.
myzzm Posted March 2, 2009 Posted March 2, 2009 I went to this site: https://app.applyyourself.com/?id=UMN-GRAD and it said Decision Made; under Decision Status, I clicked to find my beautiful rejection letter.
orinincandenza Posted March 2, 2009 Author Posted March 2, 2009 booksareneat, Mine still says 'sent to program' as well. It's infuriating, kind of.
zoberg Posted March 2, 2009 Posted March 2, 2009 I heard back from Minnesota fairly promptly--around Valentine's Day? I remember being just past the two-month mark. Anyway, I was rejected via email in the most peculiar way. The director expressed his understanding of my dejection, because his girlfriend broke up with him many years ago and he was heartbroken. And also, Minnesota is facing a financial crisis. I have heard that they feel less inclined to accepting residents of Minnesota and Wisconsin; I am from the former, so I suppose I feel less ashamed. Good luck to the rest of you, though!
chinagirl Posted March 3, 2009 Posted March 3, 2009 It says 'graduate school final review' on my status page. What is this supposed to mean? Oh, God! Shed more light on me! I am so depressed theses days!
Jcar Posted March 3, 2009 Posted March 3, 2009 Anyway, I was rejected via email in the most peculiar way. The director expressed his understanding of my dejection, because his girlfriend broke up with him many years ago and he was heartbroken. LOL That's hilarious. Are you serious? Or are you joking? If you're serious, what a total douche. A massive vinegar douche, to be more exact. And also, Minnesota is facing a financial crisis. I have heard that they feel less inclined to accepting residents of Minnesota and Wisconsin; I am from the former, so I suppose I feel less ashamed. I actually did my undergrad in MN, and all my professors advised people not to apply to the U of MN for grad school in English if you are from MN as they have a history of snubbing Minnesotans. I never knew if it was true or not, so it's interesting that other people have heard the same thing. It's the only reason why I didn't bother applying there this year.
zoberg Posted March 3, 2009 Posted March 3, 2009 LOL That's hilarious. Are you serious? Or are you joking? If you're serious, what a total douche. A massive vinegar douche, to be more exact. I actually did my undergrad in MN, and all my professors advised people not to apply to the U of MN for grad school in English if you are from MN as they have a history of snubbing Minnesotans. I never knew if it was true or not, so it's interesting that other people have heard the same thing. It's the only reason why I didn't bother applying there this year. Yes, I'm dead serious. Isn't that just utterly bizarre? And I've heard the exact same. I'm a Wisconsinite finishing her undergrad in Minnesota at a private college in the TC, so I suppose I belong to the exact demographic they don't favor. Poor us. It's such a surprise, seeing as my funds are considerably smaller, yet they prefer applicants with bulkier tuitions which they often end up covering... no offense at all to you out-of-staters, but I find it baffling. Aren't they suffering financially? Ooohh well.
orinincandenza Posted March 3, 2009 Author Posted March 3, 2009 I think that's how Illinois works as well. I was discouraged from applying there and was told they accept undergrad english students very, very rarely. Too bad, since it's a great program. I certainly could stand the time away from Champaign, though...are all college towns like that? I hope not.
zoberg Posted March 3, 2009 Posted March 3, 2009 I don't believe Madison maintains that same philosophy. However, some departments have seen some hard financial times over the past few years. The only Minnesotan I know who was admitted into the U of M was born in Eritrea.
orinincandenza Posted March 3, 2009 Author Posted March 3, 2009 Books, I emailed them today. I'll let you know if they respond -- maybe I'm overreacting, but w/ schools that I expect to reject me, I can't stand waiting past the point of everyone else receiving their rejections. So I politely asked for some indication of WHEN.
booksareneat Posted March 3, 2009 Posted March 3, 2009 Good. I like using teamwork to annoy adcoms. If there's a program you need me to pester, let me know.
unspeakable Posted March 3, 2009 Posted March 3, 2009 Oh no ... I was doing so well, being calm and patient, but Minnesota is my top choice - I think I'm going to be sick if this process drags out.
sundv004 Posted March 4, 2009 Posted March 4, 2009 I did my undergrad work at the U of M and they love their undergraduate cultural studies and comparative literature students to return to their comparative studies in discourse and society and comparative literature graduate programs, but it's true that it seems as though they want their English students to go elsewhere. I don't think it's meant to be a snub; rather, I think it's an institutional/pedagogical philosophy that one ought to continue their schooling in a school with a new department and a new agenda, etc.
GenderMediaGrad Posted March 4, 2009 Posted March 4, 2009 Does anyone know how highly regarded Minnesota's Ph.D. program in Comparative Studies in Discourse & Society is? Do you know of any other programs that would be considered comprable? It is soooo hard to get any kind of ranking information on interdisciplinary programs.
orinincandenza Posted March 4, 2009 Author Posted March 4, 2009 No response. Also called the office: voicemail. Application status still the same it was in December. Totally losing my shit over here.
booksareneat Posted March 4, 2009 Posted March 4, 2009 Took one for the team and called the office. Letters started going out last week and will continue going out this week, maybe into the next. That is the most I could get out without sounding impetuous.
orinincandenza Posted March 5, 2009 Author Posted March 5, 2009 Thanks. I actually got through on my second time and got the same info -- as well as confirmation that there will be a waitlist, but that it's not yet finalized.
sundv004 Posted March 5, 2009 Posted March 5, 2009 Programs similar to University of Minnesota's Comparative Studies in Discourse and Society: UC Santa Cruz, History of Consciousness; UC Berkeley, Rhetoric; University of Florida's English department is very much invested in cultural studies (including film, new media, gender, postcolonial, etc.); Stanford, Modern Thought and Literature; Emory has an interdisciplinary program that is suppose to be kick ass; University of Chicago, Committee on Social Thought; Brown, Modern Media and Culture; UC Davis, Cultural Studies; WUSTL has graduate certificates in American Culture, Film and Media Studies, and in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies in their English graduate programs; North Carolina State has a Phd program in their English dept. called Rhetoric and Visual Media (though I don't know much about it); I believe Pitt and George Mason have graduate programs in cultural studies. Naturally, are lot of these schools are going to be focused in different areas. I currently attend the University of Minnesota (and am applying to graduate schools--still waiting for responses) with a double major in English and Cultural Studies (the undergraduate version of CSDS). I've taken three graduate seminars since I've been here and can say that, for the most part, the faculty here is pretty solid. But again, it depends on what you want to get into. I also know a lot of recent graduates from this program. Their placement isn't bad, but it isn't great; but, the good thing about it is that, if you don't find placement somewhere else, they will more often than not offer you a position as a lecturer for a few years. All in all, my assessment of the CSDS program is that it's middle-of-the-road when it comes to prestige: it's not Berkeley or Brown, but it's a contender in the field at large. I have been impressed with nearly every graduate student I have encountered in the CSDS program, and they're all cool cats to boot. Also, if you're not from around these parts, do take into serious consideration the fact that it gets ridiculously cold during the winter. I mean, watch out! I am originally from California and winters are still a serious emotional/psychological/physical struggle for me every year. What subject in particular are you interested in?
orinincandenza Posted March 5, 2009 Author Posted March 5, 2009 Ugh. Much ado about nothing, for me. My status was finally updated today, to a rejection.
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now