University of Maryland - Responses

[Kermit]

Don't give up hope!!!

 

I emailed the DGS thinking it was over, but my contact at Maryland urged me to try anyways. However they JUST notified me that I am in the top 30 finalists and they  hadn't called me yet. I'm still 3rd in line for the 'digital humanities' spot. Also they are only admitting 10 student this year. The top 30 have been fully finalized as of this week.

[MedievalMadness]

Kermit: Out of curiosity, how did they notify you? A phone call? An email?

Congrats on being in the top 30! I hope you get that spot!

[purpleperson]

proflorax:

Thanks for the group hug!  It's needed.

[Kermit]

MedievalMadness: I emailed them and they emailed me back, although the prof who I would work with also emailed them, asking them to contact me. They are calling though on Wednesday apparently. Thanks btw.

 

purpleperson: HUGS! I cried when I got rejected last week, then my friends got me drunk and somehow it made things slightly better. During that episode I decided I didn't need a PhD and was going to be a cat walker which seemed like a good idea till the next day.

[MedievalMadness]

MedievalMadness: I emailed them and they emailed me back, although the prof who I would work with also emailed them, asking them to contact me. They are calling though on Wednesday apparently. Thanks btw.

 

Thank you so much for that information! It lets me live for just a little bit longer in this little land of denial I call hope.

[ProfLorax]

Hey all! I'm (85% sure) gonna be at the lunch this Friday for the campus visit. My name is Ruth; say hi! 

[bhr]

assuming you survive snowmageddon.

[ProfLorax]

assuming you survive snowmageddon.

Forget surviving; I'm thriving! I'm reading in bed, still in my pajamas. 

 

Everyone warned me when I moved to DC that I wouldn't be able to handle East Coast weather. What they didn't realize is that snow days can be a gift from nature (especially for the PhD student who decided to watch the Oscars rather than catch up on reading). 

 

[greenmt]

Hi,

 

I've been checking in from time to time, to look but not talk.

 

I wonder whether I'm missing something.  I applied to UMD's PhD in English Lit, and have not heard a peep.  My application form still says that no decision has been made.  I've heard back from all of my other prospective programs.

 

From what I see on this thread, it looks like all notifications have gone out.  Hmmm?  Time to contact the department, mebbe?

 

Any insights would be welcome, and much appreciated.

[rachelann1991]

Hi,

 

I've been checking in from time to time, to look but not talk.

 

I wonder whether I'm missing something.  I applied to UMD's PhD in English Lit, and have not heard a peep.  My application form still says that no decision has been made.  I've heard back from all of my other prospective programs.

 

From what I see on this thread, it looks like all notifications have gone out.  Hmmm?  Time to contact the department, mebbe?

 

Any insights would be welcome, and much appreciated.

I'm with you! At this point, I'm taking it as an assumed rejection; I might contact the dept. if I don't hear in a couple weeks!

[greenmt]

FYI, rachelann1991 (and others who might be in the same boat), I sent an email to the director of graduate studies, with whom I'd corresponded while applying, and he responded right away to say that my application is still alive.  They've gone through the apps and ordered them by field, which I suppose means subject area.  Sounds like they're working their way through the top 30.  He did not seem at all irked by my inquiry.

[rachelann1991]

FYI, rachelann1991 (and others who might be in the same boat), I sent an email to the director of graduate studies, with whom I'd corresponded while applying, and he responded right away to say that my application is still alive.  They've gone through the apps and ordered them by field, which I suppose means subject area.  Sounds like they're working their way through the top 30.  He did not seem at all irked by my inquiry.

Huh, good to know! My heart's set on Stony Brook, but glad to know I'm not completely out of hope!!!

[MedievalMadness]

FYI, rachelann1991 (and others who might be in the same boat), I sent an email to the director of graduate studies, with whom I'd corresponded while applying, and he responded right away to say that my application is still alive.  They've gone through the apps and ordered them by field, which I suppose means subject area.  Sounds like they're working their way through the top 30.  He did not seem at all irked by my inquiry.

I thought the top 30 had been contacted for a campus visit? That top 30 are competing for 10 spots, so I have the feeling that if we haven't heard anything that we are either VERY far down the waitlist or will be receiving rejections in the near future.

I could be wrong, but that was my impression based on the other comments here.

[greenmt]

I thought the top 30 had been contacted for a campus visit? That top 30 are competing for 10 spots, so I have the feeling that if we haven't heard anything that we are either VERY far down the waitlist or will be receiving rejections in the near future.

I could be wrong, but that was my impression based on the other comments here.

 

I can't say what the process has been to date.  I've been trying to keep my head down and focus on other things.  When I received definitive answers - rejections - from the other four schools to which I'd applied, I wanted to see whether I'd somehow been missed or skipped over.  I found their online application more wonky than the others.

 

It was the note about campus visits, earlier on in this thread, that prompted me to email the English Dept.'s Director of Graduate Studies yesterday.  I'd really just like to move on if I'm not going back to graduate school this fall.  

 

He said that they met last week to order applicants by subject interest.  Mine is 19th C. American poetry, with a bit of an interdisciplinary slant... touching on the music of the day.  He was up-front about telling me where I am in the order, I suppose to give me a sense of my chances. Maybe they asked their top choices to come for a visit.  Your guess is as good as mine.  

 

I'm going to talk with him today.  They have great faculty in 19th C. American, so I'm both excited and a bit agonized to be back in the soup after nearly climbing out.  

 

I had the feeling they're working methodically, to get a balance of specialties.  Depending on how many people they had apply to study Medieval English, maybe you're in the same boat.  At least, I don't have the impression they've rejected people but not told them.  Maybe others know better.

 

This DGS seems very straight-up.  I got the cold shoulder from a few programs, when I spoke up during the application process.  He always responded promptly, and with useful information.  It's one of the reasons I applied there in the first place.  

[ProfLorax]

This DGS seems very straight-up.  I got the cold shoulder from a few programs, when I spoke up during the application process.  He always responded promptly, and with useful information.  It's one of the reasons I applied there in the first place.  

Ralph is great. He's approachable, fair, and pragmatic. I've been really happy with his leadership and guidance, and I'm sure he'll be warm and welcoming on the phone today. 

 

There is, indeed, a visit on Friday. I'm not sure who is invited; last year, it was all of the admitted students and just one of the waitlisted applicants. But that was a different DGS, so the application process could be totally different at this point. We current students don't get much info on the application process; I've been talking to the two admitted rhet/comp students, but other than that, I'm really unsure of what the numbers are this year. 

 

Good luck!

[greenmt]

Ralph is great. He's approachable, fair, and pragmatic. I've been really happy with his leadership and guidance, and I'm sure he'll be warm and welcoming on the phone today. 

 

There is, indeed, a visit on Friday. I'm not sure who is invited; last year, it was all of the admitted students and just one of the waitlisted applicants. But that was a different DGS, so the application process could be totally different at this point. We current students don't get much info on the application process; I've been talking to the two admitted rhet/comp students, but other than that, I'm really unsure of what the numbers are this year. 

 

Good luck!

 

Thanks for the glimpse behind the curtain, proflorax.  You sound happy with your experience as a student in the program.  Generally speaking, if you don't mind sharing, have you found it a supportive environment for your work?

[ProfLorax]

Thanks for the glimpse behind the curtain, proflorax.  You sound happy with your experience as a student in the program.  Generally speaking, if you don't mind sharing, have you found it a supportive environment for your work?

Absolutely! I feel supported by the faculty, my fellow students, and the department at large. I work primarily with the rhet/comp faculty, so I can't speak about the 19th century Americanists. However, there is a ton of social and academic interaction between the various fields within the English Department, and the lit students here all seem to be as happy as I am. As for the students, we are all supportive and collaborative. There isn't a sense of competition among the students; rather, we all share sources and feedback both inside and outside of class. And the department itself is supportive, with a DGS and great administrative staff (Ralph, Manju, and Michelle), funding for conference travel and job interviews, and a ton of professionalization events and workshops. 

 

The only drawback of the program is also one of its greatest strengths: living near (or in) DC is expensive and can be hard to navigate with a grad student stipend, but living near DC also means access to the DC consortium, the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian, and great Ethiopian and Salvadorian food. 

[greenmt]

Absolutely! I feel supported by the faculty, my fellow students, and the department at large. I work primarily with the rhet/comp faculty, so I can't speak about the 19th century Americanists. However, there is a ton of social and academic interaction between the various fields within the English Department, and the lit students here all seem to be as happy as I am. As for the students, we are all supportive and collaborative. There isn't a sense of competition among the students; rather, we all share sources and feedback both inside and outside of class. And the department itself is supportive, with a DGS and great administrative staff (Ralph, Manju, and Michelle), funding for conference travel and job interviews, and a ton of professionalization events and workshops. 

 

The only drawback of the program is also one of its greatest strengths: living near (or in) DC is expensive and can be hard to navigate with a grad student stipend, but living near DC also means access to the DC consortium, the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian, and great Ethiopian and Salvadorian food. 

 

Thanks again for this info.  I don't think I understood quite how close College Park is to DC.  My wife & I both work in higher ed. administration, so if I'm admitted, my hope is that she'll be able to find something at the U. or in DC.  

 

I spoke with Ralph Bauer earlier today and am even more impressed than before. I got the sense that they're quite intentional about developing support systems.  It will be painful if I don't get in, but I'll have given it a real shot.  

 

There's a conference at UMD that directly relates to my subject interest, at the end of this month, so I may be passing through, admitted student or not.  http://www.english.umd.edu/SoundPlus  

[ProfLorax]

Thanks again for this info.  I don't think I understood quite how close College Park is to DC.  My wife & I both work in higher ed. administration, so if I'm admitted, my hope is that she'll be able to find something at the U. or in DC.  

 

I spoke with Ralph Bauer earlier today and am even more impressed than before. I got the sense that they're quite intentional about developing support systems.  It will be painful if I don't get in, but I'll have given it a real shot.  

 

There's a conference at UMD that directly relates to my subject interest, at the end of this month, so I may be passing through, admitted student or not.  http://www.english.umd.edu/SoundPlus

Oh yeah! I actually live in DC, and I would guess that about 1/3 of the students do as well. From where I live, it's a 15-30 minute drive to campus, depending on traffic. Folks who live near the green line can easily take the metro to campus. And yes! The Sound conference has something for everyone. I'll definitely be at some of the events. 

 

Good luck! I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

[MedievalMadness]

Holy crap, guys. Someone from Maryland was checking out my academia.edu page yesterday. They were browsing my profile and the abstracts for my major research papers.

It's probably nothing. The person appears to be in Silver Spring, not College Park. But it did nearly give me a heart attack.

[MedievalMadness]

Okay, I'm out. DGS told me that it 'does not look likely' that I will be accepted. I can infer from that statement that I'm not in the top 30 and therefore rejected. Oh well.

[Tweedledumb]

Sorry to hear that, MM. I can only assume we're in the same boat. I still have a few places to hear from, but SIUC is looking more and more likely for me. I hope you hear good news soon!

[MedievalMadness]

Sorry to hear that, MM. I can only assume we're in the same boat. I still have a few places to hear from, but SIUC is looking more and more likely for me. I hope you hear good news soon!

 

Thanks! I'm crossing my fingers for you -- for both SIUC and Maryland. It's not over until it's over.

 

Personally, I'm still holding out hope for GWU. I saw a round of rejections go out today and I didn't receive one. Makes me wonder if I'm on a waitlist somewhere. 

[ProfLorax]

Okay, I'm out. DGS told me that it 'does not look likely' that I will be accepted. I can infer from that statement that I'm not in the top 30 and therefore rejected. Oh well.

Boo. I'm sorry for the bad news, MM! I'm keeping my fingers crossed for GWU. Since you're local, you should still come to some Maryland events, like the Sight/Sound conference at the end of the month. If you do have to re-apply again, you'll have some connections who know your name and face. And if you get into GWU and don't have to reapply, you'll know some fellow local academics! A win-win. 

[ProfLorax]

Also, for the UMD admits who are lurking, I'm happy to answer any questions. I didn't meet many folks at the admitted students day (I was only at the lunch, then rushed off to Arizona for Spring Training), but from what I saw, I think next year will have a great cohort!