Fall 2014 applicants??

[Horb]

Kamisha, that is a beautiful picture. Did you take it? (Off topic I know...)

[repentwalpurgis]

Take the year off! Then scour the country for really cool funded MA programs (there are tons!) and apply to those + the unfunded ones you're considering. Just my random internet stranger two cents but academia will still be here next year and technical writing is a pretty cool prospect actually (I tried but couldn't find work in the area)

 

sigh - I had some hope that this one might be funded.  It is my favorite one; the fit is too perfect.  I have a chance to make money and perhaps go back, though.  and yeah, technical writing can be quite lucrative...

Edited February 11, 2014 by repentwalpurgis

[Kamisha]

Kamisha, that is a beautiful picture. Did you take it? (Off topic I know...)

 

Thanks I did, actually. I did a summer internship (retail) in Key West, FL when I was nineteen. I took this on a sunset cruise in the Gulf of Mexico. 

[Horb]

Thanks I did, actually. I did a summer internship (retail) in Key West, FL when I was nineteen. I took this on a sunset cruise in the Gulf of Mexico. 

 

Well, should all else fail, I'd say you could go into photography But I'm sure you'll get into some awesomesauce schools.

[despejado]

You’re going to get in. Have faith! I predict that you have your pick of programs in the end.

How sweet I predict the same for you. I'm sure you'll ace the interview at Baylor. I've been there, and they have a beautiful campus. I'm sure you'll fit right in.

[Kamisha]

Well, should all else fail, I'd say you could go into photography But I'm sure you'll get into some awesomesauce schools.

 

Haha thanks I really appreciate that. I’m sure you will, as well. Or you’ll get the Fulbright, which would be equally awesome. 

[Kamisha]

Well, should all else fail, I'd say you could go into photography But I'm sure you'll get into some awesomesauce schools.

 

You changed your picture, too! It’s beautiful. 

[Fiz]

Hey guys:)

First time poster, just wanted to say (in case anyone else here applied there) that the UCR acceptance was me - the email didn't include any information about the admissions timeline or applicant pool or anything. Figured I'd let you folks know in case somebody is dying for news!

Ooooooo my alma mater!! Tell me telll meeeee who do u wanna work with!!!!

[ashing]

Ooooooo my alma mater!! Tell me telll meeeee who do u wanna work with!!!!

 

Ahh, awesome! My POI (I think I'm using that term right?) was Dr. Ganim -- my application focused on medievalism, and I'm particularly interested in the confluence of paganism and Christianity as the foundation for even modern storytelling. I'd absolutely love any information on the department you could give me:)

[Fiz]

Ahh, awesome! My POI (I think I'm using that term right?) was Dr. Ganim -- my application focused on medievalism, and I'm particularly interested in the confluence of paganism and Christianity as the foundation for even modern storytelling. I'd absolutely love any information on the department you could give me:)

 

Dr. Ganim!! Ganim is an amaaaaazing man. He is a "grandfatherly" professor! He is super sweet and caring and is an individual you don't have to put up a front around or worry about saying anything stupid. Last year he was the director of undergraduate studies, and he helped us all so much during the graduate application process. He is very, very well-known as a Medievalist, as is Andrea Denny-Brown whom I'm sure you'll work with! My TA for one of my classes is his graduate student. He is name is Ray Paprika and his research focuses a lot on the concept of Medieval armor. If you'd like, you can message me, and I'll give you his email, as I'm sure he can tell you a hell of a lot more about working with Dr. Ganim!

 

I can't tell you much about the dept. in your realm, as I mostly immersed myself in science fiction and poetry. But I can tell you that science fiction is huge over there. They have the Eaton collection, and Dr. Latham heads the annual Eaton Conference; they had Stan Lee a year ago!! I can also put you in touch with another recent grad of the program, Sean Epstein-Corbin, and you can talk to him more in-depth about the graduate program there and life after the program, as I only know undergrad life there. Dr. Corbin, however, dealt more with sentimentalism, feminism, and queer studies, though I believe he also worked with Dr. Briggs who does some Medieval work.

 

I don't know where exactly you are coming from, but as far as life there, the inland empire is sort of a hub. Yes, it's true, there really is not much to do there, but Los Angeles is 40 mins away, as is Newport Beach, as is endless forests, hiking trails, mountains and snow. We don't have winters here. 60 degrees is cold as hell, and we are lucky to get a rainstorm every now and then. Summers are hellish, climbing into triple digits for consecutive days. So learn to love the heat I guess. The school is a tad small compared to most major universities, but I cannot praise the faculty there enough. Every single one of them were so helpful and benevolent towards me. I can honestly say if it weren't for the faculty there I would not be where I am now. I graduated high school with a 1.6 gpa, and took 4 years to get through community college and left with a 2.8. I got to UCR, and I graduated with a 3.8 and am now admitted into two prestigious phd programs...and I have the English department to thank. You will do great there. I'm pretty sure once you are more advanced you will TA intro to brit lit, american lit, and, essentially, digital humanities with Tobias! 

Edited February 11, 2014 by Fiz3583

[Fiz]

We also seem to think alike! We have Washington, Boulder, Chicago, and Brown in common.

Washington, Boulder, and SANTA BARBARA!! I'd freaking love it thereeeee

[levoyous]

Anyone on here know anything on Brown comp lit? What's up with those two random acceptances a week ago, then nothing else?

[mikers86]

And there's a Northeastern acceptance up. Cue more anxiety.

[levoyous]

Northeastern acceptance is a good friend of mine - got an email to check the website at 1am this morning.

[iExcelAtMicrosoftPuns]

My schools still haven't begun notifying...


I'm sort of kicking myself for not applying to Knoxville's Rhetoric MA - someone posted!

But... I suppose I'd be let down if I didn't get in,

Oh well. Cheers to a long week of waiting!

[toasterazzi]

I continue to be extremely grateful for the fact that I received an acceptance early on. I haven't heard anything from any of the other schools I've applied to (including Pitt, which probably doesn't bode well for that one) thus far and I think I'd probably be running my head into a wall right now if I didn't already have that one acceptance. Sending good vibes to everybody who's still waiting for any type of response

[despejado]

Washington, Boulder, and SANTA BARBARA!! I'd freaking love it thereeeee

 

Oh yes, Santa Barbara. My only existing California prospect.. That would be insanely awesome.

[iExcelAtMicrosoftPuns]

I continue to be extremely grateful for the fact that I received an acceptance early on. I haven't heard anything from any of the other schools I've applied to (including Pitt, which probably doesn't bode well for that one) thus far and I think I'd probably be running my head into a wall right now if I didn't already have that one acceptance. Sending good vibes to everybody who's still waiting for any type of response

Must be nice!

 

[Kamisha]

Oh yes, Santa Barbara. My only existing California prospect.. That would be insanely awesome.

 

I wanted to apply to Santa Barbara, but I bombed the subject test so I took it off my list. Haha. You are a better scholar than I am. I hope you get in!

 

I really hope to hear good news from UC-Riverside. It’s my only California school left, too. Thus far, I have official rejections from 4 schools and implied rejections from 2 others (Vanderbilt and Irvine). 0/6 so far with 8 more to go. 

 

Oy vey.  

 

How I Presently Feel About Academia:

 

 

Also, a little Frank Sinatra is sure to improve mornings. 

Edited February 11, 2014 by Kamisha

[despejado]

I wanted to apply to Santa Barbara, but I bombed the subject test so I took it off my list. Haha. You are a better scholar than I am. I hope you get in!

 

I really hope to hear good news from UC-Riverside. It’s my only California school left, too. Thus far, I have official rejections from 4 schools and implied rejections from 2 others (Vanderbilt and Irvine). 0/6 so far with 8 more to go. 

 

Oy vey.  

 

 

Kamisha, we're in the same boat. 4 straight up rejections, 2 more implied. 10 to go, and I'm not confident about any of them. I also bombed the subject test, but I've heard several people have gotten in and bombed it even worse than I did. Seems like more of a formality than anything... People seem to do better on it after getting an MA. I know the classes I took as an undergrad were my choice, so I didn't know anything about Medieval anything. Oh well.

[Kamisha]

Kamisha, we're in the same boat. 4 straight up rejections, 2 more implied. 10 to go, and I'm not confident about any of them. I also bombed the subject test, but I've heard several people have gotten in and bombed it even worse than I did. Seems like more of a formality than anything... People seem to do better on it after getting an MA. I know the classes I took as an undergrad were my choice, so I didn't know anything about Medieval anything. Oh well.

 

Yeah, that Subject Test is a pain and I don’t think it is representative of someone’s knowledge base.

 

I’m graduating with my Master’s in English this semester, but if things go sour for me this year, I might go do a second MA in the United Kingdom in Film and Media Studies while online adjuncting for my current program (Bless them, they already offered me the job despite insisting that I’m not going to need to take them up on their offer. I really do attend a super supportive program). Hopefully that would make me more competitive for my specific field of study next year. 

 

Who knows though. The thought of doing this process again if it all goes sour....GAH. The pain. The torture. 

 

Do you have a backup plan? I’m sure you won’t need one. I have a good feeling about a few schools for you. 

[despejado]

Yeah, that Subject Test is a pain and I don’t think it is representative of someone’s knowledge base.

 

I’m graduating with my Master’s in English this semester, but if things go sour for me this year, I might go do a second MA in the United Kingdom in Film and Media Studies while online adjuncting for my current program (Bless them, they already offered me the job despite insisting that I’m not going to need to take them up on their offer. I really do attend a super supportive program). Hopefully that would make me more competitive for my specific field of study next year. 

 

Who knows though. The thought of doing this process again if it all goes sour....GAH. The pain. The torture. 

 

Do you have a backup plan? I’m sure you won’t need one. I have a good feeling about a few schools for you. 

 

I definitely do have a backup plan. I'm applying to Villanova's MA this week just in case (six rejections have me looking everywhere for options haha). Thank you for your confidence! I'm not so sure this year is my year.. For some reason I still have doubts about my writing sample, even though I've had two professors read it and put a stamp of approval on it after several rounds of corrections. I also failed an English class at a community college, but that was five years ago and I was 15 (my professors assured me this would not keep me out of anywhere. My undergrad GPA is 3.96 and English GPA was 4.0). Syracuse didn't ask for that transcript, thank God. I'm sure your super supportive department is right and you won't need the job they've offered you

 

I spent last summer in the UK and loved it. If I could afford their MA programs, I would go so quickly. Funding is terrible there, though.

Edited February 11, 2014 by despejado

[girlbat]

Of course! The email came in around 8:30pm here on the East Coast -- about 2 hours ago. I received a Chancellor's Distinguished Fellowship award -- full tuition remission and a total of around $200k in stipends over 5 years. I've been yelling inarticulately ever since I opened it; the email came just after a rejection from Berkeley, so the timing was perfect.

 

Hope this helps someone!

 Wow! Did not think that Riverside English would have so much funding available since many UCs are not in good shape. Super helpful to know for the future and when giving advice. Congratulations!!

[ArthChauc]

Today is clearly "don't take my own advice" day. 

 

I think everybody's Boulder application changed (re: the financial tab)--mine did as well and Colorado is definitely a reach school for me. I can hardly think that all of us would be accepted--maybe I misinterpreted and that's not what everyone was saying before. 

 

Congrats to the acceptances so far and fingers crossed for Boulder applicants! 

 

Edit: Reread the thread re: Boulder applications. I did misinterpret. My apologies. 

Edited February 11, 2014 by ArthurianChaucerian

[Katia_chan]

 

I’m graduating with my Master’s in English this semester, but if things go sour for me this year, I might go do a second MA in the United Kingdom in Film and Media Studies while online adjuncting for my current program (Bless them, they already offered me the job despite insisting that I’m not going to need to take them up on their offer. I really do attend a super supportive program). Hopefully that would make me more competitive for my specific field of study next year. 

 

Who knows though. The thought of doing this process again if it all goes sour....GAH. The pain. The torture. 

 

 

I will give a huge nod of "yes!" to the UK thing--I was going to have that as an option this year if I didn't get in anywhere, and I had two professors give it huge thumbs-up.  But like other-poster said, it is hella expensive, so that must be taken into account.  Maybe worth it though, if you can swing it.  England is my real birth place; I'm convinced of it.  I'm awkward and pale and love tea--I was meant to be British.

 

As for re-doing the process... at the end of the season, you're sick of it and you never want to look at it again.  But at least for me, come about August, the siren's song would start again, and I'd find myself grudgingly researching schools once again, because I couldn't *not* apply.  It's probably a sickness or something.

 

It might be different for you, but for me, I just had to keep reapplying.  Though I'm not convinced you'll need to; you're a pretty awesome scholar.  But if you do need to reapply, and you really want it, the self-administered kick in the pants will come for you when you need it most.

 

And there's nothing wrong with that.  I'd hazard a guess that at least half the people who apply need to do it at least twice.  So if the first round doesn't go well, don't let that make you feel like any less of an epic student.  Just continue being awesome, and eventually a school will pull its head out of its butt and realize what it was missing by not taking you, and then you'll have an awesome offer.

 

TL;DR: I sound like a children's program, but you're awesome; don't give up!