First Year MA/PhD at University of Washington, questions welcome!

[skybythelight]

Thanks for all the info about UW--it's really helpful!

 

I was wondering if you could provide any more info on funding. Since funding is not distributed equally, do you find that students tend to be a bit more competitive in hopes of getting that funding? How does one become elligible for department money?

 

Aside from TAships, are there other ways to get funding? I see that the TAship is only $11-13k, which doesn't seem like enough to live on in Seattle. Do you find that most students compensate for that with loans?

 

Sorry for so many questions! Ultimately, what I'm trying to say is this: I would LOVE to go to UW, but my assumption is that (if I am accepted) I won't likely be offered funding. I'm just curious as to how most students fund their work at UW.

 

Thanks so much for this thread! It's been immensely helpful.

I could be wrong about the $11-13k… I know that the TAs have been getting raises steadily for a few years now, and that the stipend is higher for PhD students than it is for MAs. If I can find out more definite information on that I will definitely let you all know!

 

Basically the way the funding works, to the best of my knowledge, is as follows: The department is able to fund roughly 50% of the incoming cohort, which includes both MA and PhD students, in the form of a TAship. TAs teach one section of Comp per quarter, and in the first quarter of your TAship you're required to take a pedagogy seminar. In previous years, first year students who attended UW without funding would have an all-but-guarantee of being funded in their second year. That was a big part of the reason I accepted my unfunded offer--at the time, the situation was such that I felt confident I would only have to take out loans for one year and would then be funded for years 2-6 (once you're offered a TAship it is renewable for five years as long as you're making satisfactory progress).

 

The issue now is that last year the current TAs were given a raise by the university, which is all well and good except that the university didn't cover that extra expense, instead requiring individual departments to cover it out of their budgets. Because of that, only about 50% of last year's unfunded students were able to receive second-year funding, which, I'm told, is the first time that has happened. Up until then, the department felt very confident in assuring students that funding would be available their second year. 

 

SO basically, we're all currently in limbo waiting to find out what the situation is going to be this year. We know the TAs are getting another raise, but we don't know whether the university will cover it this time, or whether they'll make the department do so again which would, again, dramatically decrease the number of TAships available to second year students. 

 

As far as competition: right now we're all feeling it a little bit, because those of us without funding just submitted our TA-applications for second year funding, which included recommendations, a personal statement and a writing sample. When the committee meets in April they will rank the applications and then when funding starts to come in they'll go down the list and award as many TAships as possible. So in that sense it is a little icky-feeling… I mean, no one wants to be ranked from best to worst among their peers. But I don't have any animosity towards other unfunded students in my cohort--of course I want funding next year, but we're all equally deserving and ultimately it will be left up to a subjective decision by the graduate studies committee. I guess what I'm trying to say is that some sense of competition is inevitable due to the nature of the situation, but it hasn't really affected my ability to do my work or to maintain the friendships I've made among my cohort. Everyone is really supportive of each other. We all want all of us to receive funding, haha, no one wants to see their peers left in the dust. I can't say if that vibe will change once the decisions start coming in, but I hope it doesn't.

 

As for potential other funding opportunities, I do know one student who has a TAship that has something to do with computers, and occasionally we'll get e-mails from other departments looking for TAs, but they usually require some experience. There are fellowships available for PhD students, but very few, if any, for MAs. I personally am living off of loans right now and I also tutor a few hours a week for the athletics department. I really can't say what the other unfunded students are doing--I know of a few people who have part time jobs, and others that don't, so I can only assume they're living off of loans or savings, I'm not sure.

[Kermit]

skybythelight- thanks for the update. I've been checking the website twice a day since those rejections went up. I love and miss Seattle, especially the Mexican place with the baby sized burritos.

 

Do incoming students have to apply for fellowships and TA-ships or is that all decided by the committee? 

Also is it the TA union requiring the raise? Is there a possibility of a strike? It happened to me 2 years ago and to my friends too, which sucks because I'd rather just work and not be starving.

[skybythelight]

skybythelight- thanks for the update. I've been checking the website twice a day since those rejections went up. I love and miss Seattle, especially the Mexican place with the baby sized burritos.

 

Do incoming students have to apply for fellowships and TA-ships or is that all decided by the committee? 

Also is it the TA union requiring the raise? Is there a possibility of a strike? It happened to me 2 years ago and to my friends too, which sucks because I'd rather just work and not be starving.

Incoming students do not have to submit any separate applications, unless it's for a fellowship that asks for one. They're automatically considered for funding. I don't really know about the union stuff, unfortunately.

[apixelrevolt]

Skybythelight, thanks so much for the detailed response! It's certainly helpful to hear all the ins and outs from a current student.

 

Crossin' the ol' fingers tight.

[skybythelight]

Skybythelight, thanks so much for the detailed response! It's certainly helpful to hear all the ins and outs from a current student.

 

Crossin' the ol' fingers tight.

No problem! Good luck.

[Kermit]

Every time another rejection gets posted I frantically check my email and online status... GAHHH Need.to.know.

[Kamisha]

Every time another rejection gets posted I frantically check my email and online status... GAHHH Need.to.know.

 

This. Ditto. 

[skybythelight]

I haven't heard anything. I'm surprised they're trickling out like this, I was under the assumption that the committee made their decisions relatively all at once. I could be wrong, who really knows anything about how the committee does anything.

[collikl]

So, I've been accepted from the website-- what now?! skybythelight, did you send the department an email, or did the department send you one eventually? I don't want to seem overly anxious, but I wondering when I'll get more info (about funding, if there's a visiting weekend, etc)!

[Kermit]

collikl - can I ask where on the website? I think mine still says submitted.

[collikl]

collikl - can I ask where on the website? I think mine still says submitted.

Sure, when you log into your application, it lists your app (program, status, etc). The last box I see, after the "last update" label and box, is labeled "action" and in that box is the word "status" which is a link to my offer. Hope that helps!

[skybythelight]

So, I've been accepted from the website-- what now?! skybythelight, did you send the department an email, or did the department send you one eventually? I don't want to seem overly anxious, but I wondering when I'll get more info (about funding, if there's a visiting weekend, etc)!

Congrats!! The same thing happened to me last year--I checked the website and saw that I had been admitted. I emailed the department because I also was freaking out and wanted to make sure it wasn't a mistake since I hadn't heard anything from them, haha. Totally e-mail! You'll probably get a response from Jennifer on Monday, she's really sweet. 

 

As far as I know, the committee isn't meeting to make funding decisions until the first week of April, BUT I could be wrong. I know that's when they're meeting to make the decisions for those of us already in the program applying for funding, and am assuming they're doing everything in the same meeting but I may be assuming incorrectly. Last year there was no official visiting weekend, but Kathy and Jennifer in the graduate office will set up an itinerary for you if you tell them when you're planning on visiting, what professors you're interested in meeting, and sometimes even if you're interested in sitting in on a seminar. I was able to do that last year and it was really helpful. On that note, just FYI: next week is the final week of classes for winter quarter, and spring quarter starts up on the 31st.

[apixelrevolt]

So, I've been accepted from the website-- what now?! skybythelight, did you send the department an email, or did the department send you one eventually? I don't want to seem overly anxious, but I wondering when I'll get more info (about funding, if there's a visiting weekend, etc)!

 

collikl - Me too! Woohoo!

 

skybythelight - Do you have any idea what the committee looks for in terms of funding offers? (For incoming or current students.) What kind of things were a part of your application for funding?

[skybythelight]

collikl - Me too! Woohoo!

 

skybythelight - Do you have any idea what the committee looks for in terms of funding offers? (For incoming or current students.) What kind of things were a part of your application for funding?

Congrats! Unfortunately I don't. I wasn't offered funding for my first year and trying to compare those of us that didn't with those that did has been futile, haha. All we've been told as far as what the committee considers for second year funding is "academic merit." We had to submit another writing sample, personal statement and two letters of rec.

[Kermit]

hey skybythelight. Do you know if all the offers have gone out yet? There is like 7 acceptances on the results thread.

I'm so insanely jealous of people getting accepted but also of course incredibly impressed.

 

I'm really, really hoping I get in cause my other two prospects are totally in limbo. I'm waitlisted at Maryland and just interviewed  at CU Boulder however they might not have full funding if any... Do you think the department would be irritated if I called?

[skybythelight]

hey skybythelight. Do you know if all the offers have gone out yet? There is like 7 acceptances on the results thread.

I'm so insanely jealous of people getting accepted but also of course incredibly impressed.

 

I'm really, really hoping I get in cause my other two prospects are totally in limbo. I'm waitlisted at Maryland and just interviewed  at CU Boulder however they might not have full funding if any... Do you think the department would be irritated if I called?

I have no idea if they've all gone out, unfortunately--I didn't even know they had started notifying. I don't think they would be irritated by a phone call. The office opens around 8am on weekdays. I would suggest trying to call around then or possibly around 1:10pm or so when they're back from lunch, before they get super busy.

[apixelrevolt]

Another question popped into my head--perhaps you could answer. How is the English department divided at UW? The department seems to be seems to be fairly large, and I was wondering what percentage are MFA, Comp/Rhet, Lit, TESOL, etc? Also, how do the various groups work together? (i.e., Do Lit students get priority registration for Lit classes? Do the various groups interact with each other much? Do all groups draw from the same funding pool/compete for the same funds?)

 

Also--I spoke with Jennifer on the phone the other day. She was incredibly helpful and very nice. She didn't seem rushed and was more than willing to answer any questions I had. If my conversation with her is any representation of the general tenor department, it seems like a very welcoming place.

[skybythelight]

Another question popped into my head--perhaps you could answer. How is the English department divided at UW? The department seems to be seems to be fairly large, and I was wondering what percentage are MFA, Comp/Rhet, Lit, TESOL, etc? Also, how do the various groups work together? (i.e., Do Lit students get priority registration for Lit classes? Do the various groups interact with each other much? Do all groups draw from the same funding pool/compete for the same funds?)

 

Also--I spoke with Jennifer on the phone the other day. She was incredibly helpful and very nice. She didn't seem rushed and was more than willing to answer any questions I had. If my conversation with her is any representation of the general tenor department, it seems like a very welcoming place.

I would say the majority of the department are Lit and Lang/Rhet people. I don't know exact percentages. I can only speak to my own experience, which is that the majority of my classes have been with other Lit students, but there have absolutely been some MFA and Lang/Comp/Rhet folks in there as well. I think this is probably more true during the first year while we're all sort of trying to get some solid grounding: for example, there's a Feminist Theory seminar next quarter and I know there are a few MFA students taking that because it's obviously relevant and useful across the board.

 

I'm glad you talked to Jennifer! She's great, and so is Kathy. Very informative, and I would definitely say that their demeanor is a great representation of the department in general. Will you be able to come out and visit?

[apixelrevolt]

I would say the majority of the department are Lit and Lang/Rhet people. I don't know exact percentages. I can only speak to my own experience, which is that the majority of my classes have been with other Lit students, but there have absolutely been some MFA and Lang/Comp/Rhet folks in there as well. I think this is probably more true during the first year while we're all sort of trying to get some solid grounding: for example, there's a Feminist Theory seminar next quarter and I know there are a few MFA students taking that because it's obviously relevant and useful across the board.

 

I'm glad you talked to Jennifer! She's great, and so is Kathy. Very informative, and I would definitely say that their demeanor is a great representation of the department in general. Will you be able to come out and visit?

 

Probably won't have the chance to visit, as I'm currently on the other side of the country. But I may end up there in the fall--we'll see!

[apixelrevolt]

Hey skybythelight! I'm back, with more questions.

 

I was wondering if you'd mind telling me a little about your perception of the general "tenor" of the department (for lack of a better word) in terms of its methodological foci. Obviously, UW has a fairly large English department, so generalizations are certainly that--just generalizations, but I'm wondering what sorts of approaches to literature seem most common among students (i.e., Do you find that students tend to take a theoretical focus? Or do they despise theory? Are people more into being historians of literature? Etc, etc, etc).

 

I ask because of this (and perhaps this will better help you to understand my question): I'm currently completing an MFA at a school which, at least in terms of it's lit program, is much lower in the rankings than UW. I've taken a number of literature classes here, and I've enjoyed them, but in many ways the MFA program and the lit program remain fairly separate. In any case, I overheard a discussion between a couple of MA Lit students the other day (we were sharing a GTA office--what can I say?), and they were highly frustrated with the "theoretical bent" of certain professors and students. One of them made the comment that, if students want to focus so heavily on literary theory and philosophy, rather than the "works themselves" (and their historical contexts, etc.), then they should have gone to a higher tier school, where theory is more heavily the focus. Another student made the comment that they chose a lower ranked program specifically because they didn't want to be bogged down in the theoretical abstraction that characterizes higher tier programs. Ultimately, they were upset that discussions in a particular course were leaning so heavily towards "philosophy" (and, here, I must admit, I'm not entirely sure what they were talking about).

 

(During this discussion, I also became privy to certain departmental politics which, to this point, I was unaware of. Evidently there is a good deal of animosity on certain parts towards the "pretentious" valuation of theory by certain other professors. As rumor has it, this has resulted in strategic replacements of certain "theory" requirements in order to allow students to avoid certain "theory" professors. I don't know--It's weird, and it makes me uncomfortable. But academia is a political game, and there's always going to be some of that. I imagine you don't want to speak negatively of departmental politics at UW, but if you can make any comment on what you've experienced, I'd certainly be interested in hearing it. But I digress.)

 

To some degree, I get these students' point: I do sense some resistence to "theory" and "abstraction" here (I took one literary theory course here, and the class seemed to be distinctly divided into those who loved it and those who utterly despised it). In fact, there are very few courses offered here which take "theory" as their primary focus (the "Intro to Literary Theory" course that I took may be the only one that is offered on a regular basis). In any case, my question is this:

 

1) Is this true? Are higher tier schools more "abstract" or "theoretical" in their approach to the study literature?

2) Would you say that UW fits into this category? Specifically, do class discussions tend towards certain notions or approaches? (Like, I don't know, is it impossible to escape the spectre of post-structuralism lurking at the edges of every conversation?)

 

To make myself clear, I'm mostly interested in how you think students at UW perceive all this. I already can see that the faculty there is very broad in its expertise (and super awesome, as far as I can tell) and, it would seem, more than capable of guiding dialogues that are both abstract/theoretical and concrete/historical (it's kind of a false dichotomy, but whatever--people make the division anyway). But do you find that students lean towards certain approaches to literature more than others? Are there certain approaches that, you feel, are minimized?

 

It's a big, vague question, but (as I'm still debating whether or not to accept my offer at UW) I would love to hear anything you can tell me about the department (politically, theoretically, methodologically, phenomenologically, artistically, comedically, you know--really any adverb you can think of ). I guess I'm just trying to get a sense of what the department "feels" like, if you will.

 

Cheers and thanks for all the info you've provided so far! It's been super-dee-duper.

[apixelrevolt]

(woah, that post was long. my bad, everybody.)

[skybythelight]

Hey again--I'm going to send you a PM answering this at some point tonight or tomorrow. I'm a little pressed for time at the moment and I want to give your question a thoughtful response.  

[apixelrevolt]

Hey again--I'm going to send you a PM answering this at some point tonight or tomorrow. I'm a little pressed for time at the moment and I want to give your question a thoughtful response.

Thanks so much!

[Kamisha]

Just broke down and emailed UDub. I have offer acceptance deadlines looming and don’t want to commit to any schools if there is a chance I might be admitted to Washington. One way or another, it will just be nice to know. 

[collikl]

Hey again--I'm going to send you a PM answering this at some point tonight or tomorrow. I'm a little pressed for time at the moment and I want to give your question a thoughtful response.

Can I get in on this talk too? I'm looking for any insight I can get on the atmosphere of the department!