cuny

[litgirl]

anyone have any info / opinions on cuny's comp lit dept? did anyone else apply? I've been accepted but trying to get a better sense of the dept. plus their seems to be very little activity on this site about their comparative lit program, though obviously tons of applicants to their english? was mine the only comp lit application?

[sherryglass]

Um, this is a somewhat related question to the original poster's.

Can someone describe the general reputation of the phd program in english at the cuny graduate center for me? Just, maybe, if you could sum up your general impression in one sentence, what would you say? And maybe list some other schools which you feel to be on par with cuny?

I know this is a silly question, and my only excuse is that I don't really know much about the American educational system. There are some professors there who are doing very interesting research, and cuny generally gets around a 20ish place on most ranking systems. However, it is relatively unknown in my country, so I would really like to hear your opinion. Thanks!

[lyonessrampant]

I know my friend is waitlisted there for English, so you should definitely turn it down :wink:

[sherryglass]

heh.

lyoness, I have to say: I wish I could, but it may turn out to be the only choice I have if I want to stay with my SO. That, and reapplying next round.

[lyonessrampant]

JK of course. Hope it works out for you!

[sherryglass]

Just trying the enhance the human factor so as to increase the chances of getting an answer to my question

[dd87]

In response to sherryglass's original post: the CUNY GC has a good reputation. It's ranked 23, I think (with schools like Indiana-Bloomington), but it really depends on what you want to study. There are only a couple of really strong Americanists (which is why I may turn down my acceptance), but if you're doing something like British Modernism, you may have an easier time.

[wintermute]

I was accepted there for the English Ph.D. this year and am seriously considering attending. If you are into critical theory, especially gender studies, CUNY is ranked especially high in that subfield. I think a 2001 ranking by sub-field found CUNY tied for 9th in "gender studies and literature." That may be outdated, but the more recent overall ranking of 23 is nothing to sneeze at!

Hope that helps?

And on to my personal agenda...anyone at CUNY heard anything about funding yet? I idiotically neglected filling out the application for aid until earlier this week and am wondering if they've already made most of their supplemental aid decisions.

[feminist]

I'm still waiting to hear on funding - emailed to see when I'd know by, but haven't heard back yet.

And supplemental aid form? Where/what is that? Was it not part of the application??

[wintermute]

I found the financial aid process for CUNY pretty counter-intuitive. While most schools send you their financial packet along with your acceptance, I found that for CUNY you have to fill out a "financial aid request form" (which can be found on the office of financial aid website) to be considered for aid from the graduate college. They don't automatically consider you when you're accepted like most places do. I turned this in yesterday, and it was due February 1st according to the site. The financial aid office rep I talked to wasn't clear on whether turning it in late affects your chances of getting more aid, whether they'd even started making decisions, etc.

There is also departmental "supplemental aid" available for new students according to the English website, but I can't find the form. I've emailed a few of the department members, and when I figure out how to access it, I'll post the info.

The FAFSA process seems complicated too, but then again I can't remember how I completed it for undergrad.

[feminist]

Oh dear. I'm looking on the website, and sort of seeing this, but still very confused.

Has anyone else already navigated the maze of CUNY funding? Does turning the form in late hurt?

To anyone who has received notice of a fellowship this year - had you previously filled out all of the financial aid forms?

[litgirl]

though i'm in comp lit , I'll offer up my experience which maybe?? will be helpful for funding info. I know there was a cut off date for applying to be considered for funding. in comp lit it was feb 1st .. so you could apply after that point but would not be considered for funding. I'm not sure if that meant the financial aid form had to be in by that date, or just your application. I was offered a fellowship when I was offered admission mid feb. Phrasing it as "financial aid" confused me but ultimately it was a typical 5 yr fellowship package involving teaching beginning 2nd year, etc. I did submit the form along with my app all before feb 1. i hope this helps?

[wintermute]

Thanks litgirl.

That does help, although I'm still confused. When I called the office of financial aid, they mentioned the Feb 1st cutoff but said that I could turn the form in this late. They didn't act like this would matter and acted like I could still be considered for funding. It doesn't make a lot of sense. I've emailed the English department but so far no response.

I wonder if this means I wasn't considered for fellowships because the forms weren't in.....

[litgirl]

Don't stress out too much I'd say. Only because cuny is a bit of a bureaucratic nightmare, so I've heard from some good friends in the program. And this issue with the form seems right in line with how things go down there -- I guess its something to consider when deciding on schools!

[wintermute]

Well, your advice certainly seems to be right on target. I received an email from the director of grad admissions this morning replying that there is "no rush" on sending in the financial aid form, although it should eventually be sent in just so it's on record. The supplemental aid form from the English office does not need to be turned in either. Apparently the English department makes financial aid decisions without those forms.

I guess all my worry was for nothing, but wow, that was confusing. Why have all these forms if you don't need to fill them out?

[Hypnertomachia]

Hey litgirl, just curious, are you still considering CUNY or have you accepted another offer? And what's your sub-field, if you don't mind me asking? I'm still considering it (bureucratic nightmare all too true) but the fact that it's in New York City is also all too true and important for me. I do late medieval and early Renaissance Italian (and Italian cultural life in this country is concentrated in NYC), with a side-gig in German 20th century poetics.

[wintermute]

Has anyone heard about funding yet??

[jabberwocky]

I think all funding decisions have been made, from what I understand only a third of the people accepted this year will get funding, due to the severe budget cuts. But everyone who did get funding has a chance to accept or deny it along with the admission offer. You can log in with your Banner # from your acceptance letter on the student services website and check out your financial aid.

[wintermute]

Thanks for the info!! Just wanted to let others know when I checked my status there was no amount awarded. However, contacted Richard Kaye and he said that they are very much "in the middle" of making decisions and won't know anything for sure until after April 15th. Hope this helps.

[diehtc0ke]

It is required: http://gc.cuny.edu/admin_offices/admissions/program_deadlines.htm

I wonder if anyone else is going to have a field day with last year's applicants' meticulous attention to USNWR.

[Branwen daughter of Llyr]

thank you! and... what is USNWR?

US News and World Report - publish rankings (I think yearly?) of graduate programs in various fields. People new to the art of applying to English grad programs generally place a lot of emphasis on the rankings, rather than the scholarship and the fit with the universities they are applying to (I was subject to that myself). Not that the rankings aren't important (considering I have at least 5 top-ten schools on my list I can't say they aren't), but they are not the be-all and end-all of grad school apps

[diehtc0ke]

US News and World Report - publish rankings (I think yearly?) of graduate programs in various fields. People new to the art of applying to English grad programs generally place a lot of emphasis on the rankings, rather than the scholarship and the fit with the universities they are applying to (I was subject to that myself). Not that the rankings aren't important (considering I have at least 5 top-ten schools on my list I can't say they aren't), but they are not the be-all and end-all of grad school apps

The ranking issue comes out annually but they (for whatever reason) don't update the rankings for English programs for each issue. From what I gather it's something like triennially updated with new English department rankings.