Fall 2014 applicants??

[Graditude]

The university granted me a partial scholarship, which is great. I actually was accepted to a few UK schools before I did my current master’s degree, but couldn’t go because of the expense. I have some money saved now and this scholarship is pretty decent, so I’m hoping to just supplement a little bit and then work as an online adjunct for my current university while I’m over there. 

That sounds doable. But if you've been offered a funded place on a doctoral program in the States, my suggestion would be to take it instead of starting a second masters. But you will know best what suits your plans.

[Nothung]

Thank you for the responses folks -- I'm just suddenly suffering from massive self doubt and paranoia, and wondering if I am even remotely competitive in most of the programs I applied to.

[despejado]

Thank you for the responses folks -- I'm just suddenly suffering from massive self doubt and paranoia, and wondering if I am even remotely competitive in most of the programs I applied to.

I'm right there with you; keep your head up, though! There's plenty of time left for acceptances this round, and taking a year off or doing an MA first is not the end of the world (I'm spending a lot of time with this particular hypothetical). It's easy to get discouraged, but try not to just yet

[TDazzle]

Can I ask a couple general questions?

1. If I am not bilingual, can I assume I am not competitive in any top ranked programs?

2. If I have never published a paper, can I assume the same thing?

3. Do schools ever admit PhD applicants without interviewing them?

Thanks.

 

I'll hazard an experience-based answer here. I've been fortunate to receive an offer from a top ranked program. I am not fluent in French, but nearly fluent, and I have not published a paper. But these questions get to a more fundamental point to all of this: 

 

The stats aren't the deciding factors. 

 

I know we compare GREs (I never took the subject test) and GPAs and if big name profs write our letters and how many papers etc, but after watching a number of application seasons during my MFA at Maryland, and after speaking with a professor about one of my current options, it's become so clear to me that what matters is fit and your project. A writing sample and a personal statement that speaks to a/a few professor(s) is far more useful than worrying over the intangibles. French is a nice extra for me, but the professor who said he pushed for my acceptance only spoke about the relevance of my sample to his own work and how he feels there would be productive overlap. 

 

I find this is a good thing: we are all, stats-wise, exceptional. But programs seem to care far more about how an individual might fit in a department than they do about the 5 point difference in a GRE score or the "proficient" speaker vs the "beginner" speaker. After a season of rejections when I first applied to PhDs five years ago, before I traveled and then decided in favor of the MFA, I feel at least a bit confident saying that this makes rejections better as well. A rejection is not an attack at skills or qualities or futures - it simply says your application is a square piece, and the department is a circle slot. During that application cycle, at least. 

Edited February 18, 2014 by TDazzle

[Horb]

I honestly don’t know how to answer questions 1 and 2. Obviously having the language requirements and publications make you a more competitive applicant, but plenty of students get it without them. As far as question 3 goes, most schools in English admit you without interviewing you. Statistically, very few programs actually do interviews. 

 

 

Can I ask a couple general questions?

1. If I am not bilingual, can I assume I am not competitive in any top ranked programs?

2. If I have never published a paper, can I assume the same thing?

3. Do schools ever admit PhD applicants without interviewing them?

Thanks.

 

For number 1, most top tier programs (I'm talking 50 and up) require fluency in 1 or proficient in 2, so having something is good. As for publications, I have read in A LOT of places and have heard from many professors that is actually works against you. They want to be able to cultivate you. One or two might show potential but tons is bad. It is why they may be against accepting a lot of master students. 

 

As for three, pretty much all but Duke Lit and Emory and Baylor. From what I have seen. 

[cloudofunknowing]

Can I ask a couple general questions?

1. If I am not bilingual, can I assume I am not competitive in any top ranked programs?

2. If I have never published a paper, can I assume the same thing?

3. Do schools ever admit PhD applicants without interviewing them?

Thanks.

 

This is just my experience, but for what it's worth -- 

 

1. No: Though I am not bilingual to the point where I'd say such on a resume or cv, I do have a great of facility with Spanish (reading/writing/speaking) by virtue of being a native of South Texas. But I am most definitely not anything close to a "fluent" speaker of the language. I don't necessarily know that that skill will have a great deal of bearing on the graduate work I do (Latin and French and, potentially, Spanish). So, the primary language(s) that'd have direct bearing on my research (Latin) are things I'd be solidifying and cultivating while pursuing my PhD.  

 

2. No: I do not have any academic publications; I also haven't presented at any academic conferences. Now, in holding an MFA in Creative Writing (Poetry), I have quite a few publication credits for poems in both print and online journals, but I don't know that a committee would hold those in the same regard as research-driven scholarship. My understanding here is that while having academic publications can certainly be positive additions to an application, it is the promise/potential for producing scholarship that's looked for.  

 

3. I can't speak to/for all programs, but I don't believe too many English PhD programs interview applicants. UT-Austin does not, and I was both surprised and thrilled to be accepted by them as a Medieval/Early Modern applicant. 

 

In this insanely competitive field, it seems to me that while things like GRE scores and, to a lesser extent perhaps, GPA's might be used to thresh an applicant pool, it's a combination of an applicant's statement of purpose and writing sample - plus, to varying degrees, letters of recommendation - that really cause people to stand out. Or that's how I've been able to figure it, anyway, and that's what my mentors have told me. That and a lot of serendipity! (A lot of the latter.)

[despejado]

This is just my experience, but for what it's worth --

1. No: Though I am not bilingual to the point where I'd say such on a resume or cv, I do have a great of facility with Spanish (reading/writing/speaking) by virtue of being a native of South Texas. But I am most definitely not anything close to a "fluent" speaker of the language. I don't necessarily know that that skill will have a great deal of bearing on the graduate work I do (Latin and French and, potentially, Spanish). So, the primary language(s) that'd have direct bearing on my research (Latin) are things I'd be solidifying and cultivating while pursuing my PhD.

2. No: I do not have any academic publications; I also haven't presented at any academic conferences. Now, in holding an MFA in Creative Writing (Poetry), I have quite a few publication credits for poems in both print and online journals, but I don't know that a committee would hold those in the same regard as research-driven scholarship. My understanding here is that while having academic publications can certainly be positive additions to an application, it is the promise/potential for producing scholarship that's looked for.

3. I can't speak to/for all programs, but I don't believe too many English PhD programs interview applicants. UT-Austin does not, and I was both surprised and thrilled to be accepted by them as a Medieval/Early Modern applicant.

In this insanely competitive field, it seems to me that while things like GRE scores and, to a lesser extent perhaps, GPA's might be used to thresh an applicant pool, it's a combination of an applicant's statement of purpose and writing sample - plus, to varying degrees, letters of recommendation - that really cause people to stand out. Or that's how I've been able to figure it, anyway, and that's what my mentors have told me. That and a lot of serendipity! (A lot of the latter.)

I'm also from south Texas! Very cool to see another of my kind around here.

Also, this was insanely helpful and I am definitely taking note of it.

[Algernon]

Am I the only person who's extra curious/antsy to hear back from Rutgers? I haven't really seen anyone talking about them on the forums, but they're probably my top choice-- and a giant reach, of course. Just wondering if there are any other Rutgers peeps floating around here.

ETA: Purpleperson, aren't you a Rutgers applicant? You're the only person I remember ever bringing them up. 

Edited February 18, 2014 by Algernon

[Horb]

I am too but I messed up the app so I'm not holding my breath.

[CommPhD20]

Don't need a second language (though this is serious added value at many institutions), definitely don't need publications (some say this adds little value unless it is single-authored in a high-impact journal -- either way, its absence isn't damning), and interviews are the exception rather than the rule, though my intuition tells me it seems to be getting a little more common.

[MedievalMadness]

On 2/18/2014 at 5:22 PM, Algernon said:

Am I the only person who's extra curious/antsy to hear back from Rutgers? I haven't really seen anyone talking about them on the forums, but they're probably my top choice-- and a giant reach, of course. Just wondering if there are any other Rutgers peeps floating around here.

ETA: Purpleperson, aren't you a Rutgers applicant? You're the only person I remember ever bringing them up.

This is how I feel about WashU! It's my top choice, but a total reach.

[Algernon]

Worth a shot, right? You don't know if you don't try! 

(Yikes, how many well-intentioned but vacuous cliches can I include in one post?)

One more: I BELIEVE IN YOU!

[JimFallon91]

Motion seconded.

I'm inclined to call BS on that SU posting..

[purpleperson]

Am I the only person who's extra curious/antsy to hear back from Rutgers? I haven't really seen anyone talking about them on the forums, but they're probably my top choice-- and a giant reach, of course. Just wondering if there are any other Rutgers peeps floating around here.

ETA: Purpleperson, aren't you a Rutgers applicant? You're the only person I remember ever bringing them up. 

 

Yes, I'm a Rutgers applicant and am very eager to hear from them as well.  Even though I have absolutely NO business applying to a program so highly-ranked and prestigious, it is a school from which I get the following vibe (and have for some time): "top program that against all odds actually accepts me, much to my shock and disbelief, and to the shock and disbelief of others as well."

 

Well, not that I truly think that I'll get in there.  But of all the high-ranked schools I applied to, it's the one I think could shock me / admit me.

 

I was just in the Fall 2013 thread looking at posts from around this time (February 18th through 28th) and the applicants from last year were just as eager to hear from Rutgers.  They were saying that Rutgers tends to notify third weekend in February.  And a couple posts made vague references (somewhere around the 24th or so) to being rejected, but no one said so definitively, and no one ecstatically announced an acceptance either.

 

Rutgers is actually not my TOP choice (only because I want to live in Chicago a bit more than I want to live in NYC or anywhere near it, mostly because Chicago is cheaper and because my partner has more interest in living in Chicago), but I would soooo take Rutgers if I got in there and not into the Chicago schools I applied to.

 

Good luck to you and to me and to anyone else who would love to get into Rutgers!  We will know soon enough...

 

p.s. waiting absolutely sucks.  I have tried (today) to not obsess.  Of course, PhD stuff is on my mind constantly, but I told myself I would not actively verbalize it to my boyfriend or on here (until now) because that makes it even worse.  I'm trying to fake it til I make it.  That is, fake not being obsessed until I become not obsessed.  It only works a little, but it helps slightly.

[purpleperson]

On 2/18/2014 at 5:34 PM, MedievalMadness said:

This is how I feel about WashU! It's my top choice, but a total reach.

I hate all of these schools for the psychological damage being done to all of us.  

[despejado]

To JimFallon:

 

I don't know about calling BS, but Syr. usually does post acceptances all in one day, and I have no idea why it would be different this year. Weird.

[elizabethevrhrt]

Am I the only person who's extra curious/antsy to hear back from Rutgers? I haven't really seen anyone talking about them on the forums, but they're probably my top choice-- and a giant reach, of course. Just wondering if there are any other Rutgers peeps floating around here.

ETA: Purpleperson, aren't you a Rutgers applicant? You're the only person I remember ever bringing them up. 

 

I'm waiting to hear back from Rutgers too! It's in my top three... I can't wait to hear back!

[Horb]

So from what I gather we should hear back some time this week from them hopefully?

[Algernon]

It's hard to say, of course, but I'm thinking/hoping so. Maybe on Friday. Fingers crossed!

[Horb]

I'm really not holding out hope. It's high ranking and my mistake are probably not going to favor me, despite my love of the program. Good luck to everyone!

[bgguitarist]

I'm going to be presenting at a conference on Thursday and I've got this weird fatalistic hunch that the Universe will send me a notification of acceptance while I am presenting. Ah, the delusion of grad applications. But hey, if it happens I'll be over the moon.

[Kamisha]

Anyone want to claim those Oregon acceptances and share a little info?? Congrats on your success!  

[bgguitarist]

Anyone want to claim those Oregon acceptances and share a little info?? Congrats on your success!

Yes, PLEASE!

[mmorrison]

Oregon here. What do you want to know? 

[Kamisha]

Oregon here. What do you want to know? 

 

Congrats! That’s way awesome. It looks like you’ve got a few great schools to choose from. 

 

In terms of questions, did they give you any info about the number of accepted applicants or anything that you think might be helpful for those of us waiting to hear?