Program Specific Questions - Fall 2013

[practical cat]

They don't mix well either.

Also, I forgot to mention that Ann Arbor is a terrible-rotten-no-good-very-bad place to have a car. Parking is outrageous/nonexistent. It IS a walkable city, it's just tough to leave without one.

[waparys]

"Things it would have been nice to know before applying" for 200.

[DontHate]

I didn't apply to a single school in California because, quiet simply, there are no good rhet/comp programs here.

Is Berkeley's program really not considered any good? I've heard it's one of the best.

[DontHate]

I hate to ask this, but I have a Harvard question *holds up shield to protect self from rotten tomatoes being flung in her direction*.

I did not get a confirmation e-mail when I submitted (two days ago after the GRE scores came out). Nothing. Thoughts from others who have submitted?

I didn't get anything either. Not like NYU, which sent me 5 follow-up emails.

[practical cat]

I've not gotten anything from Brown either. Which is mostly just weird because Wisconsin is still sending me follow-ups 10 days post submission.

[waparys]

Thanks, guys! I guess if I haven't heard anything before they go on break, I'll follow up to make sure my application is complete.

[ProfLorax]

You're right, Berkeley has a great Rhetoric program, but not a rhetoric and composition program. I was initially gonna apply there, but the more I researched, the more I realized that it doesn't offer much for those who want to pursue Writing Studies and pedagogy. My impression is that Berkeley's rhetoric program is more akin to UCSC's history of consciousness program, which is awesome, but not for me. As I love the East Bay, I was devasated when I crossed it off my list!

[lisajay]

@proflorax, if digital humanities/electracy/videocy interests you at all (particularly with respect to composition & pedagogy), you may want to consider university of florida as gregory ulmer is on faculty there & his work is pretty fascinating.

[ProfLorax]

@proflorax, if digital humanities/electracy/videocy interests you at all (particularly with respect to composition & pedagogy), you may want to consider university of florida as gregory ulmer is on faculty there & his work is pretty fascinating.

Oh snap! Just when I thought I was done with applications... I'll look into their program! Thanks for the recommendation!

[lisajay]

my pleasure!

[practical cat]

I want to follow up on Brown: I did get emailed (twice) upon submitting my app, just several (four) hours later.

[waparys]

I want to follow up on Brown: I did get emailed (twice) upon submitting my app, just several (four) hours later.

Ahhh, I got nothin'.

[asleepawake]

Buffalo seems to work okay for me, but now I'm panicking, because WHAT IF IT DIDN'T?

[sebastiansteddy]

Buffalo seems to work okay for me, but now I'm panicking, because WHAT IF IT DIDN'T?

Just e-mail the department. They will let you attach anything they don't have in an e-mail. That's what I did with my writing sample.

[asleepawake]

Just e-mail the department. They will let you attach anything they don't have in an e-mail. That's what I did with my writing sample.

Thanks!

I got my requests from Interfolio for the letters and it says they are for "University at Buffalo Psychology Graduate Admissions." Ahhh! I did the English application, I swear...

Edited December 13, 2012 by asleepawake

[sebastiansteddy]

Thanks!

I got my requests from Interfolio for the letters and it says they are for "University at Buffalo Psychology Graduate Admissions." Ahhh! I did the English application, I swear...

Hahaha, well hopefully you can get that mess straightened out!

[dazedandbemused]

Michigan people: how long are your personal statements and statements of purpose? Somehow I doubt they want two 1,000 word documents out of me, but there doesn't seem to be anything on the website specifying a length. Also, I'm not really sure if I'm doing the personal thing quite right; I don't want to tell them my life story, but I don't want to just write a second SOP either.

[thinkagain]

Michigan people: how long are your personal statements and statements of purpose? Somehow I doubt they want two 1,000 word documents out of me, but there doesn't seem to be anything on the website specifying a length. Also, I'm not really sure if I'm doing the personal thing quite right; I don't want to tell them my life story, but I don't want to just write a second SOP either.

http://www.lsa.umich.edu/english/grad/howtoapply/lang.asp

I followed these guidelines:

• Clearly labeled academic & intellectual Statement of Purpose: up to two pages, double spaced, statement about your academic and research background, your career goals, and how Michigan's graduate program will help you meet your career and educational objectives. Disregard the 500 word limit as stated on the application.
  
  • Clearly labeled biographical Personal Statement: up to two pages, double spaced, statement about how your personal background and life experiences, including social, cultural, familial, educational, or other opportunities or challenges, motivated your decision to pursue a graduate degree at the University of Michigan. This is not an Academic Statement of Purpose, but a discussion of the personal journey that has led to your decision to seek a graduate degree. Disregard the 500 word limit as stated on the application.
    

[ProfLorax]

I just got an email from Miami University confirming that my application is complete (woohoo!). My heart broke when I read that the admissions committee doesn't even begin to look at applications until March! Oh! The agony of waiting!

[dazedandbemused]

http://www.lsa.umich...oapply/lang.asp

I followed these guidelines:

• Clearly labeled academic & intellectual Statement of Purpose: up to two pages, double spaced, statement about your academic and research background, your career goals, and how Michigan's graduate program will help you meet your career and educational objectives. Disregard the 500 word limit as stated on the application.
  
  • Clearly labeled biographical Personal Statement: up to two pages, double spaced, statement about how your personal background and life experiences, including social, cultural, familial, educational, or other opportunities or challenges, motivated your decision to pursue a graduate degree at the University of Michigan. This is not an Academic Statement of Purpose, but a discussion of the personal journey that has led to your decision to seek a graduate degree. Disregard the 500 word limit as stated on the application.
    

  Ok thanks; that helps. I'm applying to English and Women's studies and their page says none of these things whatsoever

[sebastiansteddy]

I just got an email from Miami University confirming that my application is complete (woohoo!). My heart broke when I read that the admissions committee doesn't even begin to look at applications until March! Oh! The agony of waiting!

I applied to Miami U a few years ago when I was applying to MA programs. I remember in late February I got an e-mail from them. The subject line read "Congratulations!" and I got soooo excited, and then the body of the e-mail read something like "Your application is complete and the admissions committee will begin its review process next week." And then like 2 months later I was rejected. They like to play with our emotions.

[justkeepswimming]

Can anyone confirm that the deadlines for Chicago and Columbia are 12/15 at 11:59PM? I think I'll have to submit in the afternoon after I submit Cornell by 5PM, but I'm paranoid that Chicago and Columbia are also due at some specific time that I'm not managing to find on their websites b/c my brain is fried. Living on the edge

[Swagato]

Chicago Humanities deadline (excluding the exceptions that are noted on their page) is midnight of the 15th. Actually, last year I was able to submit it a few minutes -after- the deadline.

[joy illimited]

Yup--that seems to be the case this year as well! And letters are online.

And they're a program that doesn't need official transcripts unless they offer admission, right? Because this is showing up on my status:

Unofficial Transcript received; Official Transcript has not been received for School

This is what drives me around the bend. The wording is so ambiguous.

I'm not sure if this was ever clarified, but I'm getting the same message... And I did (mistakenly) send my official transcript to the admissions office back at the beginning of November. The Rutgers English admissions website says this:

"The deadline for applying to the Graduate Program each year is December 15th. Graduate School catalogues are available on-line:catalogs.rutgers.edu. In addition to the completed application, applicants are required to submit electronically:

• All relevant (undergraduate and graduate) academic transcripts. If admitted into the program, applicant will be required to submit (2) sets of original transcripts for all relevant schools attended"
  
  
  To me that sounds like they expect us to upload only unofficial transcripts at this point and provide official transcripts if we're admitted. But then the general graduate admissions page has the following guidelines:
  
  
  
  While programs may require additional materials, here are the basic application requirements:
  • Online application
    
  • $65 nonrefundable application fee
    
  • One official transcript from each post-secondary institution attended
    
  • Three letters of recommendation
    
  • A personal statement
    
  • Current test results, as required by the program
    
  • Supporting materials, as required by the program
    

[Gauche]

This seems like an obvious answer, but I just wanted to confirm. If a school, say UT Austin says their deadline is before midnight on Saturday, they are talking about their time zone, correct?