A Little Help??? (Reputations of English Programs)

[Deadinthewater]

Don't listen to Fishbucket, she is paying for her MA.

[tie]

Cabin Fever, don't give up on gradcafe because a few people are mean. Just ignore them and listen to those who respond nicely. But if you ask for advice/opinions, remember that you might not get responses that you want to hear. You may hear that the schools you are considering aren't ranked highly and that a few people think you are crazy for thinking of those schools. That is their opinion and you asked for their opinion. You can't fault people for disagreeing with you. Also remember that everyone's situation is different, so you have to make the decision that works for you.

[bluecheese]

First: Unless things are changing, 12k at FAU (and yes, it is yearly, not per semester) means you're a top candidate. Most people get 9k. The 80% tuition remission essentially means that they cover your complete tuition charges and you pay for some fees including parking, your ID card, etc. They add up to less than 1k per semester (sometimes significantly less, depending on how many credits you take). If you apply for FASFA, sometimes there are 1k "Graduate Grants" available if you apply early enough.

 

The faculty at FAU is really wonderful and I've worked with some brilliant people. We have graduates in a bunch of PhD programs starting at about rankings 20 and lower, including U of Iowa, U of Miami, WVU, FSU, USF, Southern Methodist, etc. We are not a top-ranked program but if that's not super important for you, we have plenty to offer. I can't speak to your other offers, but I know that I've been happy with the education I got here, and I think I've done well with my PhD applications. So meh. Reputation smeputation. 

 

This.

 

Also, ignore the haters.