English Lit PhD

[mrogaris]

Hi guys,

 

Am writing from the land down under, with hopes of one day being admitted into an English Lit PhD program at an Ivy League school.

 

I already have the school in mind, and understand there is a LONG road ahead of me.

 

I am prepared to do whatever it takes to get there. This year I enrolled in a MA of Creative Writing (as my GPA for Business was SHOCKING).

 

I don't doubt my writing abilities and if my application was solely based on writing samples, I know I'd get in - no doubt.

 

I am looking to study in Europe first, perhaps a Masters in the UK or elsewhere.

 

 

What do I need to do to impress the US schools and get noticed.

 

Please note I am not talking about good marks, GRE, GPA etc.

 

I am talking about all the other stuff, and at a looser level what other Master(s) program should I enrol into to heighten my chances, I'll do a few if necessary.

[Gwendolyn]

if my application was solely based on writing samples, I know I'd get in - no doubt.

 

Brilliant.

[asleepawake]

If my application was solely based on writing samples, I know I'd get in - no doubt.

 

No. If you have one Ivy League school in mind, your odds of getting in, even if this was the case, are still quite low. That's the reality of the numbers. Other people are strong writers, too.

 

You need to have doubt, because without it you will not strategize appropriately, which I would argue is one of (if not the) most important aspect of applying (picking where to apply and how to represent yourself to those schools).

 

The best thing you can do it focus on fit. This means abandoning the idea of looking specifically at Ivy Leagues exclusively--there are plenty of other fantastic programs, and they might be better fits for you. I think you will figure a lot of this out while you get your MA. Good luck.

[Cactus Ed]

I don't doubt my writing abilities and if my application was solely based on writing samples, I know I'd get in - no doubt.

 

 

I am talking about all the other stuff, and at a looser level what other Master(s) program should I enrol into to heighten my chances, I'll do a few if necessary.

 

Based on these two statements ("a few" Masters Degrees to heighten your chances?), I suggest you do more research into the application process. You sound woefully underinformed about this whole process. No offense intended here; your "do whatever it takes" attitude is laudable -- that's the right attitude when it comes to applying to doctoral programs -- but it might be good to gather a bit more information before you stake your dreams on a single Ivy League with infallible faith in your writing samples.

 

Also, follow asleepawake's advice. It is sound.

Edited April 18, 2013 by Cactus Ed

[champagne]

 

Seriously, you have GOT to do more research. Everybody that is even considering going through this process should be a very strong writer. While you will hear repeatedly that this process is not worth doing unless you get into a top-20 program, you really need to broaden your lens. Think about what you want to study, and find programs that will give you the best preparation in that field.

 

Just as an example, I consider myself a very strong writer, and my statistics is are pretty damn peachy. I was still told to disregard all Ivy League schools because my acceptance into those programs was so utterly unrealistic.

[somethinbruin]

Hi guys,

 

Am writing from the land down under, with hopes of one day being admitted into an English Lit PhD program at an Ivy League school.

 

I already have the school in mind, and understand there is a LONG road ahead of me.

 

I am prepared to do whatever it takes to get there. This year I enrolled in a MA of Creative Writing (as my GPA for Business was SHOCKING).

 

I don't doubt my writing abilities and if my application was solely based on writing samples, I know I'd get in - no doubt.

 

I am looking to study in Europe first, perhaps a Masters in the UK or elsewhere.

 

 

What do I need to do to impress the US schools and get noticed.

 

Please note I am not talking about good marks, GRE, GPA etc.

 

I am talking about all the other stuff, and at a looser level what other Master(s) program should I enrol into to heighten my chances, I'll do a few if necessary.

 

When I started reading your post, I'm sad to say that I thought it was satire. I still sort of hope that it is...

 

What should you do to get admitted to the one Ivy that you're considering applying to? Um.....pray? offer bribes? Sacrifice three chickens under the harvest moon? Because the reality is that you have to be a nearly perfect candidate across the board--test scores, grades, service, presentations, publications--and then you still need a heap of luck. You can be great on paper, but if you're an Americanist and the school graduated three early modernists last year, you're probably not getting in because you're not what they need. If the school just hired a new contemporary professor, they're going to bring in students to work under them, which means they'll prefer contemporary students to Chaucerians that year. It's a total crapshoot, full of variables that you do not and cannot control, no matter how strong you may think your writing sample is.

 

You will be better served going into this process assuming the worst, and then working like the dickens to make sure that doesn't happen. Even then you might not (probably will not--the odds are not in your favor) get into your chosen program. Very few do. A healthy sense of hear is helpful, because the reality is that every year brilliant and well-qualified candidates apply widely, not just to a single Ivy, and get rejected everywhere. At the top level of study, everyone is good.

[lo.lee.ta]

To the OP:

To basically reiterate what has been said above, although in perhaps a somewhat less disparaging tone, getting into a top-ranked PhD program in English in the U.S. in year 2013 is EXTREMELY difficult. It's hard to imagine just how difficult it is prior to going through the process. (I say this, in part, based on personal experience.) That is great that you have so much confidence in your abilities as a writer--confidence that, I'm sure, is well-founded--and also great that you are so committed to pursuing graduate studies in English. Like Cactus Ed says, that is the attitude one MUST have given the insane competitiveness of both grad programs and the all-important Job Market.

However, here's the problem: there are (and this is a good thing!) many good, even great, writers out there--people completely invested in their literary studies and committed to engaging, professionally, in academic research. And they all want to go to grad school. As everyone will tell you, broaden your list of programs you think would suit your interests and help you most in the long run--perhaps to an even greater extent than this single Ivy you speak of, which presumably has an excellent reputation in general but may not in fact be a good match for you personally.

I really do wish you luck and hope you find a way to get into a program of your choice (which may or may not turn out to be an Ivy League one). Doing an M.A., either in the UK or US, is not a bad idea, especially if you can manage to get funding, as it will give you the opportunity to refine your interests and learn about other potential PhD programs.

Good luck!

[antihumanist]

In addition to all said above, creative writing really won't help you getting into an English Ph.D.  Not that it can't be a nice addition to your application, but "creative writing" work isn't what the humanities Ph.D. does.

 

Really, you should seriously look into what a Ph.D. in the humanities entails (the horror of it all) because no offense, but from your post it sounds like you're woefully misinformed what the point of graduate study is... Besides, depending on your areas of interest, the Ivy's might not even be the best fit for you!  There's more to academia than the Ivy League....

 

Anyway, I'm not even sure if this is a troll or not, so I'll just leave it here until OP replies to prove some good faith here.

[antihumanist]

My favorite gif.  Have an upvote.  Also, Tim and Eric are freaking geniuses.  Their Go Pro show is awesome.

[Fishbucket]

Everyone on here is so mean, it's pretty amusing

[Swagato]

I invite you to head over to the CHE forums if you think anyone's been mean here. 

[antihumanist]

I invite you to head over to the CHE forums if you think anyone's been mean here. 

CHE?

[Gwendolyn]

Chronicle of Higher Education (?)

[antihumanist]

Chronicle of Higher Education (?)

Ah.  Didn't realize they had forums.

[galateaencore]

just as a side note from a curious bystander, unless one has a very specific subfield, wouldn't the T20 or bust advice be quite sound? 

[Swagato]

CHE?

 

 

Chronicle of Higher Education (?)

 

^ My apologies for not being clearer in the first post. Yes, the Chronicle has forums. And the advice there can often be rather brutal, if nearly always well-intentioned. I sometimes feel that things get presented in an overly-negative light, but it's better to be pessimistic and have good things happen to one's self, than to over-estimate one's chances.

[Gauche]

^ My apologies for not being clearer in the first post. Yes, the Chronicle has forums. And the advice there can often be rather brutal, if nearly always well-intentioned. I sometimes feel that things get presented in an overly-negative light, but it's better to be pessimistic and have good things happen to one's self, than to over-estimate one's chances.

 

He speaks the truth. If the OP made a post there, he or she would be torn to pieces instantly.

 

Personally, I'm not sure if the OP is highly misinformed or is a troll. Most people here have given good input, so I don't have anything else to say.

[dazedandbemused]

just as a side note from a curious bystander, unless one has a very specific subfield, wouldn't the T20 or bust advice be quite sound? 

 

I don't think so. I think I have some of the broadest interests out there, but I still had difficulty finding the 12 schools I applied to. Every school might have 18th century scholars, but if none of them study women writers (which is the case at a number of places) then it wouldn't be a fit.

 

Also, methinks OP is a troll.

[lo.lee.ta]

I sometimes feel that things get presented in an overly-negative light, but it's better to be pessimistic and have good things happen to one's self, than to over-estimate one's chances.

Yes, but it's also better not to attack and/or deride said individual for being "woefully misinformed." Better to kindly enlighten them on the (grim) realities of the situation, wish them luck, and move on. Anyway, moving on...

[Two Espressos]

This year I enrolled in a MA of Creative Writing (as my GPA for Business was SHOCKING).

 

This will do nothing to better your chances for a Ph.D. in English literature.

 

I don't doubt my writing abilities and if my application was solely based on writing samples, I know I'd get in - no doubt.

 

Sure.

 

I am talking about all the other stuff, and at a looser level what other Master(s) program should I enrol into to heighten my chances, I'll do a few if necessary.

 

DO ALL THE MASTERS

[Two Espressos]

My favorite gif.  Have an upvote.  Also, Tim and Eric are freaking geniuses.  Their Go Pro show is awesome.

 

  Yes!  I'm not familiar with Go Pro, but Tim and Eric Awesome Show: Great Job! is my favorite TV series.  Tom Goes to the Mayor is pretty great too.

Edited April 19, 2013 by Two Espressos

[antihumanist]

just as a side note from a curious bystander, unless one has a very specific subfield, wouldn't the T20 or bust advice be quite sound? 

Really, there's plenty of schools that might not be top 20 overall that are amazing for specific interests.

 

The fact that there is even a list of "top 20 schools" ranked regardless of subfield kind of shocks me - shouldn't all rankings be based on subfield/area of interest over some arbitrary "general" ranking?

 

I mean, there's obviously schools with the resources to do all major fields, but even that doesn't necessarily equate to strength for a particular applicant.  For instance, I do very theory heavy approaches to early modern drama, and a school that is considered top 20 for early modern drama still wouldn't be a good fit (or arguably top 20) for me if they didn't have scholars who were interested in my theoretical approaches.

 

<edit>

 

for Two Espressos:

 

Episode 1 Edited April 19, 2013 by antihumanist

[Taco Superior]

troll? troll. GOTTA be.

[thestage]

Really, there's plenty of schools that might not be top 20 overall that are amazing for specific interests.

 

The fact that there is even a list of "top 20 schools" ranked regardless of subfield kind of shocks me - shouldn't all rankings be based on subfield/area of interest over some arbitrary "general" ranking?

Jobs

as a fun exercise, go click through the bios/CVs of professors at any school you've heard of. see where they got their PhD's from.

[asleepawake]

Jobs

as a fun exercise, go click through the bios/CVs of professors at any school you've heard of. see where they got their PhD's from.

 

Once again you completely and totally ignore job placement statistics in favor of anecdotal browsing. The top programs often place well, but I have no idea why you are so stuck on the idea that only top 20 schools get their graduates jobs. Not everybody wants or should want an R1 job (I do, but I will live if that doesn't happen.) Here is an interesting article on the R1 bias in the job hunt. There are some programs with very low job placement and completion rates, and applicants should really look closely at that information, but many excellent programs with strong placement exist on all rungs of the methodologically unsound "rankings."