Fall 2014 applicants??

[Strong Flat White]

Stanford's Modern Thought and Literature is a phenomenal program, but is highly, highly, highly competitive. They typically only admit 3 students per cycle. I know of students who are top candidates, and have been accepted into top programs, not even make into the final round of cuts. This isn't to discourage anyone from applying, but simply to highlight the work that one should put into their application to MTL.

This isn't actually much more competitive, if any, than my current not-Ivy institution. Seems par for the course, from what I've been exposed to (yes, I realize other programs, like Brown, claim to be able to admit as many as 20 students per cycle, but for every one of those there's a 3-5 student per cycle school, too).

[Megeen]

Have any of you ever heard of departments accepting someone on their birthday specifically? Mine's tomorrow and I know that it's Sunday, but I have this naive fantasy that a department somewhere is going to give me a present. It would certainly make me wanna go there even more...

[school_of_caliban]

It isn't the number of students that they admit, but rather the caliber of student, that makes them an incredibly competitive program.

[Strong Flat White]

Off the top of my head:

 

Stanford MTL

Berkeley Rhetoric

University of Minnesota: Comparative Studies in Discourse and Society

UC Santa Cruz: History of Consciousness

Brown University: Modern Culture and Media

Ohio State:  Comparative Studies 

University of Chicago: Social Thought 

Duke: Literature 

THANK YOU!

 

This should be fun to dig into.

 

I was aware of a couple of these, but not most. Is the reason you know about these because that's the kind of program you applied to?

[Strong Flat White]

It isn't the number of students that they admit, but rather the caliber of student, that makes them an incredibly competitive program.

 

Sure, of course. What you said was numbers, though.

[school_of_caliban]

I didn't mean to imply that. I apologize if it came off that way.

[Strong Flat White]

I didn't mean to imply that. I apologize if it came off that way.

 

I think we're fine, here...and I take your point. I would have assumed that any Stanford program would be uber-competitive (from the numbers game, I think their English department gets an ungodly amount of applicants, right?), and that is intensified of course by the tiny class they can admit per year. You're telling me that it's WAY COMPETITIVE on top of all that. I hear you. I believe you. I have no reason not to. As I've said plenty elsewhere, I don't actually expect to get in. But I'll enjoy the fantasy while it lasts. And knowledge of this program is a good fantasy indeed.

[NowMoreSerious]

THANK YOU!

 

This should be fun to dig into.

 

I was aware of a couple of these, but not most. Is the reason you know about these because that's the kind of program you applied to?

 

I only applied to the University of Minnesota one, but I researched the rest of them pretty well. 

[Strong Flat White]

I only applied to the University of Minnesota one, but I researched the rest of them pretty well. 

 

Like Franky Four-Fingers to Doug the Head, you probably know a lot that I don't. I'd like to find out what you know. New thread?  Message? Tell me the way to enlightenment.

[Strong Flat White]

Tempted to call BS/spam on the CU Boulder acceptance. I have it straight from Cynthia Ocken on-site that acceptances are to go out in March, and further - explicitly - not to pay any attention to GradCafe, as she tells me that there were inaccurate posts from last year's cycle (they sure look real to me, but this is exactly what I am told). Now this becomes a sort of who-to-believe sort of deal, I guess, and I don't want to call anyone a liar, but come on, this is what I have from the department. If acceptances are indeed beginning, that means it's a month ahead of the schedule I was given by the department's graduate program administrative assistant.  

 

If I understand Fiz correctly, his or her seemingly euphoric Boulder post was not a claim. Correct? Anyone else?

[despejado]

Tempted to call BS/spam on the CU Boulder acceptance. I have it straight from Cynthia Ocken on-site that acceptances are to go out in March, and further - explicitly - not to pay any attention to GradCafe, as she tells me that there were inaccurate posts from last year's cycle (they sure look real to me, but this is exactly what I am told). Now this becomes a sort of who-to-believe sort of deal, I guess, and I don't want to call anyone a liar, but come on, this is what I have from the department. If acceptances are indeed beginning, that means it's a month ahead of the schedule I was given by the department's graduate program administrative assistant.

If I understand Fiz correctly, his or her seemingly euphoric Boulder post was not a claim. Correct? Anyone else?

I was wondering if it wasn't a false alarm also. One call in two days seems kind of unlikely.. Don't they usually call in clusters, at the least? Not at all trying to be accusatory, but one acceptance over several days (and early) seems strange, especially if the department says they're not even close to notifying.

[Kamisha]

I was wondering if it wasn't a false alarm also. One call in two days seems kind of unlikely.. Don't they usually call in clusters, at the least? Not at all trying to be accusatory, but one acceptance over several days (and early) seems strange, especially if the department says they're not even close to notifying.

 

 

Tempted to call BS/spam on the CU Boulder acceptance. I have it straight from Cynthia Ocken on-site that acceptances are to go out in March, and further - explicitly - not to pay any attention to GradCafe, as she tells me that there were inaccurate posts from last year's cycle (they sure look real to me, but this is exactly what I am told). Now this becomes a sort of who-to-believe sort of deal, I guess, and I don't want to call anyone a liar, but come on, this is what I have from the department. If acceptances are indeed beginning, that means it's a month ahead of the schedule I was given by the department's graduate program administrative assistant.  

 

If I understand Fiz correctly, his or her seemingly euphoric Boulder post was not a claim. Correct? Anyone else?

 

I really hope that you guys are right. I haven’t heard anything from Boulder yet either and it really does seem to break the historical pattern. I noticed that they’ve accepted in the past as early as February 15th, but like you say, it’s typically all at once. 

[Kamisha]

Do you guys ever feel like just scraping this year and trying again next year? Haha I still have like 10 schools to hear back from (though I’m counting three additional assumed rejections), but there is so much stuff that I’d like to change on my application that I’m honestly considering calling “Mulligan!” no matter if I am accepted to a couple this year. 

[despejado]

Do you guys ever feel like just scraping this year and trying again next year? Haha I still have like 10 schools to hear back from (though I’m counting three additional assumed rejections), but there is so much stuff that I’d like to change on my application that I’m honestly considering calling “Mulligan!” no matter if I am accepted to a couple this year.

Yes, Kamisha. Every day haha. I do wish I could scratch a bunch of stuff I did, and I wish I could fix some things that I only really saw with hindsight. But I think I might try for an MA, apply what I've learned here, and try again later. I know I still have a lot of schools to hear back from, but I'm not expecting any good news this time around.

[Strong Flat White]

Hey Despejado, is the Dixie Chicken still kickin'?  I know lots of friends and family that went to A&M and all the stories swirl around the DC.  All my memories of visiting College Station evaporate into drunken nights at the DC.  I've tried to go there sober but it has never worked. And speaking of all things A&M, how is the English department?  I've always been so curious.

[despejado]

Hey Despejado, is the Dixie Chicken still kickin'? I know lots of friends and family that went to A&M and all the stories swirl around the DC. All my memories of visiting College Station evaporate into drunken nights at the DC. I've tried to go there sober but it has never worked. And speaking of all things A&M, how is the English department? I've always been so curious.

Yes! Still up & kickin. Very cool to meet someone here with ties to A&M! The English department, especially for an engineering and agricultural school, is brilliant. I have had three amazing and wonderfully helpful professors, and the administration is just as lovely. The department does have its weak links, but I think most departments do; I've enjoyed my time here, and I don't even honestly think I would be the same person without my two advising professors. I will, however, be happy to move on from College Station when the time comes haha

Edited February 16, 2014 by despejado

[Strong Flat White]

Yes! Still up & kickin. Very cool to meet someone here with ties to A&M! The English department, especially for an engineering and agricultural school, is brilliant. I have had three amazing and wonderfully helpful professors, and the administration is just as lovely. The department does have its weak links, but I think most departments do; I've enjoyed my time here, and I don't even honestly think I would be the same person without my two advising professors. I will, however, be happy to move on from College Station when the time comes haha

 

I have an advisor/recommending professor who did his undergrad at College Station. He's probably my favorite professor of all time. We sometimes talk about College Station and we lovingly refer to it as a shithole. We mean that with all the love in our hearts, I'm sure you get it (not as bad as Lubbock, not as bad as Waco...not nearly as good as Austin!). And to move on from there?  Well, judging from your list of schools that you applied to, your destination will inevitably be an adventure. Here's hoping you get your choice. If you get into Boulder I'll be happy to steer you toward some rough equivalent of the Dixie Chicken.  More or less. Good luck.

[despejado]

I have an advisor/recommending professor who did his undergrad at College Station. He's probably my favorite professor of all time. We sometimes talk about College Station and we lovingly refer to it as a shithole. We mean that with all the love in our hearts, I'm sure you get it (not as bad as Lubbock, not as bad as Waco...not nearly as good as Austin!). And to move on from there? Well, judging from your list of schools that you applied to, your destination will inevitably be an adventure. Here's hoping you get your choice. If you get into Boulder I'll be happy to steer you toward some rough equivalent of the Dixie Chicken. More or less. Good luck.

A lovable shithole would be dead-on. I'm hoping you're right, and Boulder is very high up on my desirable location list... So I would very much enjoy taking you up on your offer. Here's to hoping. Thanks so much for all your kindness, and I'll be throwing good vibes your way as well.

[andromache]

I'm also not sure what to think of the single CUNY acceptance that's been posted. Surely there would be more? 

[Horb]

Congrats to those Tufts's acceptances!!!!!! 

[shortstack51]

I'm also not sure what to think of the single CUNY acceptance that's been posted. Surely there would be more?

Someone in another thread said they contacted the department who said they would make decisions Tuesday. Either the post was a fake or they were in an informal e-mail conversation with someone at CUNY already--that's all I can come up with.

[shortstack51]

Nevermind- I was referring to a posting from several days ago. I have no idea what's going on with the most recent one.

[andromache]

Nevermind- I was referring to a posting from several days ago. I have no idea what's going on with the most recent one.

 

When I made that post I hadn't even seen the most recent one, and was referring to the one from several days ago. Oh god, now there's another one I can stress over. I'm pretty sure CUNY is the only funded PhD program I've applied to that hasn't seemed to send out all its acceptances yet, so my last shot at a PhD program this year. Otherwise I will be settling for an MA program, and probably having to take out way too much money in loans for it. So I'm really on edge about wanting to hear from CUNY XD. 

[shortstack51]

Ugh that's a really stressful situation! I'm so sorry. It's one of 3 PhD programs I really feel I have a shot at now. I do have to say I ended up doing an MA my first time and it really helped me grow a lot. My undergrad advisors said that loans just kind of come with our field most of the time. What schools would you possibly be doing an MA at, if you don't mind my asking? (Curious to see if it's mine- I try not to advertise where I am currently to retain at least some level of anonymity!)

[andromache]

Ugh that's a really stressful situation! I'm so sorry. It's one of 3 PhD programs I really feel I have a shot at now. I do have to say I ended up doing an MA my first time and it really helped me grow a lot. My undergrad advisors said that loans just kind of come with our field most of the time. What schools would you possibly be doing an MA at, if you don't mind my asking? (Curious to see if it's mine- I try not to advertise where I am currently to retain at least some level of anonymity!)

 

I've been accepted to Carnegie Mellon's MA program! So I at least have somewhere to go if nowhere else works out for me, which is something of a relief, and I'm hoping it's a good sign that my application might help me into a few of the other MA programs that I applied to, and give me some options. Of course, at this point, CUNY would be ideal, and I felt like there were quite a few professors there to make it a good fit for me.

 

One of the really dumb things that stresses me out is that on my application status page it notes that my GRE scores were not received until Dec 20th, when I actually had them sent a few months prior to that, and CUNY in particular seemed to emphasize the importance of their Dec 15th deadline.