Plan B's

[rems]

Do you have to present the paper personally at a conference? I can't afford to attend international conferences. Or do they publish your paper if approved, even if you don't attend the conference? Sorry, I just don't understand how it works ?

 

You can have a separate section for "Accepted Papers" in addition to a "Presentations" section on your CV which lets them know the paper was accepted, but you didn't actually present it. I would assume, however, that more than one or two "Accepted Papers" with little to no actual "Presentations" would look bad. 

[aGiRlCalLeDApPlE]

seriously, your GRE is totally fine.

What could you do, in particular, is choose some public colleges that aren't all top tier...Duke, Brown, UPenn--these are some of the hardest programs to get accepted into.

You find at least six or seven programs that are a good fit, and that adhere to this formula:

1-2 schools that are your dream schools, the long shots

3 schools that you are pretty sure you're going to get into

1-2 schools that you *know* you can get into

 

if you don't get in this time around, i think everyone needs to question fit.

as for me, I was only accepted into 2/6 programs when I applied for a PhD in English (Rhet/Comp). i hated my PhD program (did not pay attention enough to fit) and realized that Communication was more appropriate for my research. I'm 6 for 0 with acceptances, have 2 fellowship nominations, 1 recruitment grant, etc.

 

it can pay (in many ways) to reapply.

 

But, the point more directly related to this thread:::

 

Sometimes it's not your CV that needs to be fixed. Sometimes it's your application. Because remember, as many rejection letters announce, "[they] reject many qualify candidates every year."

Hi, can you illustrate more on schools that are very hard to get in and those who are the opposite? If you happen to know. Thanks !

[aGiRlCalLeDApPlE]

Sorry, can't help with that, but if you don't mind a bit of product placement, I would recommend you check out the program that I'm currently in. It's a diversity initiative here at Pitt, but diversity means MANY things so you may be eligible. It has been an awesome learning experience, and as far as I know everyone who's done it so far has gone on to really great PhD programs. It's basically been my "gap year" after the last app cycle epic failed.

 

http://www.diversity.as.pitt.edu/hot-metal-bridge-program

Is it true that international students are not eligible to apply this program? Sounds like a great one. 

[bfat]

There's a little bit of a problem with "Schools you know you can get into," unless they are unfunded options. Any school that offers funding is going to be very difficult, and, as many many people have said before me, there is no such thing as a "fallback" for PhD programs. I applied to 8 schools this year, and so far the schools that I have heard positively from were in the upper-middle range as far as "easiness" to get into (which is often correlated with rank, but that's a whole other confusing realm). Though all of the programs I applied to were very good, I've been rejected from two "top" programs and two of the lower-ranked programs on my list (with one higher and one lower still outstanding). All of these programs were a really great fit for my interests (though I didn't feel as strongly about UVA and Carnegie Mellon--the two still outstanding), so it's really hard to say what the factors are that make you desirable to a program. Feels kinda arbitrary to me.

[dazedandbemused]

Is it true that international students are not eligible to apply this program? Sounds like a great one. 

 

I'm pretty sure the website states that it's only available to American citizens and permanent residents. You can double check though.

[InHacSpeVivo]

Question to the group:

I am planning to apply to a few English MA programs whose funding deadlines haven't passed yet because I'm not confident I'll receive any good news from PhD programs. My very well-vetted and recently updated writing sample is on film and literature, and I'm wondering if it's not "traditional" enough for an English app. I have another paper I could use that's purely literature-based and involves much more theor (psychoanaltic and postmodern), but I won't be able todo more than a final copy edit before it goes out. So...

Should I stick with the one I've been using or try the new statement, which could be better for an English audience, but is no as well-refined?

Edited March 4, 2013 by Pericles II.ii.48

[Taco Superior]

Question to the group:

I am planning to apply to a few English MA programs whose funding deadlines haven't passed yet because I'm not confident I'll receive any good news from PhD programs. My very well-vetted and recently updated writing sample is on film and literature, and I'm wondering if it's not "traditional" enough for an English app. I have another paper I could use that's purely literature-based and involves much more theor (psychoanaltic and postmodern), but I won't be able todo more than a final copy edit before it goes out. So...

Should I stick with the one I've been using or try the new statement, which could be better for an English audience, but is no as well-refined?

 

I'm no expert, but maybe it depends on what kind of dept you're sending them too: if it's USC and they're known for film/media studies, it seems like the one you've been using would be more than appropriate. If it's another kind of dept, maybe not. So maybe you use both samples and send them to their most matched programs.