Insider Info

[isol3]

Are there any current grad students out there who can provide us with insider info about the admissions committees at their schools? How many students are they allowed to take? Are they looking to accept a certain number of digital humanists, Modernists, Romanticists, etc.? How far along are they in the process? Whatever.

[DontHate]

I can offer a small sliver of insider info on my school (which will remain nameless):

 

They have free laundry on campus.

 

There is a lot of department in-fighting.

 

If you don't get in, it may be because one member of the adcomm liked your app a little TOO much, therefore engendering hatred for you among his or her adversaries.

 

That's all I've got.

[lisajay]

They have free laundry on campus.

 

...

 

That's all I've got.

 

what else could you possibly need? 

[bluecheese]

I can offer a small sliver of insider info on my school (which will remain nameless):

 

They have free laundry on campus.

 

There is a lot of department in-fighting.

 

If you don't get in, it may be because one member of the adcomm liked your app a little TOO much, therefore engendering hatred for you among his or her adversaries.

 

That's all I've got.

 

English department politics. Sigh. I think this is probably the case most places.

[Phdoobiedoobiedoo]

A professor at another uni called my dept "a conspiracy of incompetence" and "incestuous". I don't disagree with this assessment.

[isol3]

What schools are you interested in?

 

Any top 20 schools, I guess, but really I meant for the thread to be for everyone.

[Two Espressos]

English department politics. Sigh. I think this is probably the case most places.

 

Yeah, what's with English departments and politics?  My university (strictly an undergraduate school, sorry for hijacking the thread) had multiple lawsuits coming out of the English department last spring.  Those were...interesting times.

[thestage]

Yeah, what's with English departments and politics?

 

these days, English is a field that basically means and encompasses anything.  I think you can take it from there.

[Two Espressos]

these days, English is a field that basically means and encompasses anything.

 

Very true.  Not sure I'm cool with that description though...

[practical cat]

Very true.  Not sure I'm cool with that description though...

Inter-tread-uality!

[t1racyjacks]

I can offer a small sliver of insider info on my school (which will remain nameless):

 

They have free laundry on campus.

 

There is a lot of department in-fighting.

 

If you don't get in, it may be because one member of the adcomm liked your app a little TOO much, therefore engendering hatred for you among his or her adversaries.

 

That's all I've got.

my POI tells me that this might be the case with Cal ad coms for me I hope I get in anyway

[Dark Matter]

1) The number of students varies depending on the size of the department; most top twenties admit between 10 and 30 and expect to enroll a class of roughly half that size.

2) Yes, departments usually aim for breadth across fields and so try not to admit too many in one area, few in another. But the notion sometimes found on this board that individual members of a department/search committee are allowed a certain number of slots is mistaken.

3) Most departments are in the process of reading files, making decisions right now.

[isol3]

1) The number of students varies depending on the size of the department; most top twenties admit between 10 and 30 and expect to enroll a class of roughly half that size.

2) Yes, departments usually aim for breadth across fields and so try not to admit too many in one area, few in another. But the notion sometimes found on this board that individual members of a department/search committee are allowed a certain number of slots is mistaken.

3) Most departments are in the process of reading files, making decisions right now.

 

Thanks for this obvious info. I'm curious about insider info, hence the title of the thread.

[Dark Matter]

Interesting you that you would find it "obvious," since #1 is not widely known and since #2 provides an answer different from other posts on this board. But anyway, what "insider" info would you like?

[Swagato]

To be fair, #1 is fairly well known if you've had even minimal conversations with advanced graduate students or faculty members at these departments. #2 I cannot comment upon. My impression was that such 'quotas' were more common in the sciences than in the humanities. I also think/thought that it is often the case that a certain professor cannot take on more PhD students, and...well, what happens to any applicant whose profile is an obvious fit for this professor? 

[aGiRlCalLeDApPlE]

Interesting you that you would find it "obvious," since #1 is not widely known and since #2 provides an answer different from other posts on this board. But anyway, what "insider" info would you like?

you're right. I guess your answer is the most or only relevant among all.  

[DontHate]

Professors will champion certain files, but they never know what a humanities student will ultimately end up writing their dissertation on.

[champagne]

Professors will champion certain files, but they never know what a humanities student will ultimately end up writing their dissertation on.

 

I'm just starting the process (applying for Fall of '14), and the preliminary conversations I've had have been exactly this. You do need to show some sort of specialization while applying, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with changing your focus by the time you write the seminal piece of your fully matured academic career.

[thestage]

Professors will champion certain files, but they never know what a humanities student will ultimately end up writing their dissertation on.

 

or if they will end up drinking themselves to death, fleeing the country, or marrying a poet before their indentured servitude is up.

[isol3]

Interesting you that you would find it "obvious," since #1 is not widely known and since #2 provides an answer different from other posts on this board. But anyway, what "insider" info would you like?

What?

[asleepawake]

Dark Matter is a faculty member at a top program and has provided a ton of helpful advice on this forum over the past few months. Check his/her posting history before you pick a fight over nothing. I found the post useful. If you didn't, ignore it. Nobody here has inside info along the lines of "The University of X is sending you an acceptance tomorrow," and if they do, they aren't sharing it...

Edited January 26, 2013 by asleepawake

[isol3]

Dark Matter is a faculty member at a top program and has provided a ton of helpful advice on this forum over the past few months. Check his/her posting history before you pick a fight over nothing. I found the post useful. If you didn't, ignore it. Nobody here has inside info along the lines of "The University of X is sending you an acceptance tomorrow," and if they do, they aren't sharing it...

Did you read my original post?

[asleepawake]

Dark Matter answered literally all of your questions with general information that not everybody knows. This thread isn't just for you, it's for the entire internet! 

[isol3]

Dark Matter answered literally all of your questions with general information that not everybody knows. This thread isn't just for you, it's for the entire internet! 

I'm sorry--I don't quite understand you, and now I'm sad.

[asleepawake]

 

I'm not sure I understand you either.