Fall 2015 Applicants

[snyegurachka]

Any news on the U of C interviews? I emailed the Humanities division to ask if the English department conducted interviews a little while ago, no response. Though the last U of C email I received about my fee waiver ran straight to my spam folder. So who knows (not I).

[snyegurachka]

update: answer is that the department does not conduct interviews. Not sure about what those emails some of you received were and/or if I have been lied to, though I sort of doubt the department would lie to applicants because there is no reason for it to do so.

[__________________________]

I'm not sure I understand this advice. Does this mean you have to create a different WS for each department to which you apply? Or does it mean you have to have a "section" in your WS that includes each faculty member of each university to which you apply? Either way, unless the essay organically grew out of your research interest in one faculty member's work, it would be pretty tricky to do without coming off as forced.

 

 

Same here. I was tempted to footnote a professor in a department I was applying to, especially after he mentioned one of his books to me in an email, but it would have been entirely synthetic and not as relevant to my WS as it should have been in order to be included. 

 

I'm skeptical of this advice! But someone sell me on it... because it sounds like I'm missing something.

I'm with you, 1Q84. Personally, I didn't quote or cite any POIs. Just the nature of what I was writing though, I suppose. Obviously, it would flatter the POI to see his/her work being used and appreciated, but not if it's obviously just thrown in there to please.

Any news on the U of C interviews? I emailed the Humanities division to ask if the English department conducted interviews a little while ago, no response. Though the last U of C email I received about my fee waiver ran straight to my spam folder. So who knows (not I).

Nope, but presumably quite soon. The earlier email said "early afternoon.". I'm in the same time zone as U of C and have 12:12 on the clock, hehe.

[thepriorwalter]

update: answer is that the department does not conduct interviews. Not sure about what those emails some of you received were and/or if I have been lied to, though I sort of doubt the department would lie to applicants because there is no reason for it to do so.

 

I didn't even apply here but I find this so strange. What?? 

[__________________________]

update: answer is that the department does not conduct interviews. Not sure about what those emails some of you received were and/or if I have been lied to, though I sort of doubt the department would lie to applicants because there is no reason for it to do so.

I didn't even apply here but I find this so strange. What??

Oops, didn't see your update, snyegurachka. This IS strange, but so was the email on Friday. These are brief Skype interviews - maybe, for some reason that is beyond me, they don't count as "real" interviews?? Ugh, I dunno. I assume that they just want to meet some of the people they may be on the fence about - but I don't know why they'd want to be secretive about it. Unless they just don't want us to be discussing it with others and making people paranoid about whether they might or might not still have a chance...

[hypervodka]

Since it's a new policy, maybe the person you talked to just didn't know about the change? Speak directly to the English DGS, if you haven't.

[snyegurachka]

Since it's a new policy, maybe the person you talked to just didn't know about the change? Speak directly to the English DGS, if you haven't.

 

I'm not that worried about it. He said decisions will come out mid-late February. Haven't heard anything on here about actual invites, wondering if it was a mistake. Either way, I can wait.

[omensetter]

Just got my actual Chicago interview invite! No clue what's going on in terms of what they're telling people, but I don't think it's a mistake. Excited/terrified!!

[kurayamino]

Regarding the UC interviews - I can't remember if it was posted here or somewhere else, but they could be interviews done at the discretion of faculty who are looking for new graduate students to work with rather than something that's a department policy. That could explain the mixed messages.

[Dr. Old Bill]

Just got my actual Chicago interview invite! No clue what's going on in terms of what they're telling people, but I don't think it's a mistake. Excited/terrified!!

 

Congrats!

 

I agree that it's all very confusing (especially to us UC applicants who never got an email...), but either way, an interview is great news! Good luck to you, Omensetter!

[__________________________]

Just got my actual Chicago interview invite! No clue what's going on in terms of what they're telling people, but I don't think it's a mistake. Excited/terrified!!

I wish you the very best of luck! I haven't gotten mine, but I have had email interactions with two professors there, both of whom were incredibly sweet to me. So I'm sure it will go fine, if not pleasantly!

Regarding the UC interviews - I can't remember if it was posted here or somewhere else, but they could be interviews done at the discretion of faculty who are looking for new graduate students to work with rather than something that's a department policy. That could explain the mixed messages.

That would make sense. My invite hasn't come, but I'm going to assume that that isn't going to hurt me. I hope.

[Dr. Old Bill]

I don't know why they'd want to be secretive about it. Unless they just don't want us to be discussing it with others and making people paranoid about whether they might or might not still have a chance...

 

If so...they've failed!

[snyegurachka]

If so...they've failed!

 

Boo

 

the anxiety, it hurts me

[omensetter]

Thanks for the congratulations, and the much-needed good luck! I really hope my posting here hasn't caused anyone any excessive anxiety; as has been said multiple times, nobody should count themselves out until there's an official rejection in hand.

A current grad student in the department told me that last year's cohort was unusually large, so perhaps that might have something to do with the change in this year's process.

[__________________________]

Just got an email to set up a Skype interview with Chicago too (naturally, like omensetter, I'm super excited/nervous).  But I wouldn't worry, guys.  Clearly, this interview is not the most formal -- if the department doesn't normally do this, I can't imagine that this is an indication of decisions being already set in stone.

 

The whole process is very nerve wracking.  These forums are here for us to show some support for each other though -- so keep on keepin' on, y'all!  It's still early!

[omensetter]

Congratulations, mollifiedmolloy!

[cjmullis]

My roommate and I both applied to University of Chicago, and neither of us heard anything about interviews (yet?). The anxiety of waiting is killing me! I hope I'll get one acceptance soon so I can stop freaking out. Based on previous years, I think we might hear form Duke tomorrow! I'm going to wear blue tomorrow, just in case.

 

I applied to: UChicago, Duke, Vanderbilt, UPenn, Columbia, Brown, Georgetown (MA), Wake Forest (MA)

[KGB]

This month I've had a few conference acceptances/conference related things occur so yesterday I decided to at least try and email programs to request that a note be added to my CV/Application. Inadvertently, I realized that this was also a less nosey way of getting some info on decision making timelines. 

 

For example:

U Michigan said the committee was too far along to add any info.

UCSB said "Done!"

WashU said: Added, and also: we will begin notifying applicants next week.

 

So: there's that FWIW

[Dr. Old Bill]

Someone with the user name of KGB being subtly nosey? You don't say!

 

But seriously...thanks for the info! I've applied to two of those three programs, so it's great to know.

[Katla]

Here's the insane spreadsheet I came up with, incorporating as many suggestions as possible. It would definitely give us a lot to pore over. 

 

(I haven't filled it out yet because it feels the opposite of anonymous! But I will be first if it stagnates for a little while, just to take the pressure off.) 

 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1LpH5dOHh39c2UyyCJbviQRvXCXvy__QPZjs4bG9ZDp0/edit#gid=0

Thanks for this, it looks amazing... Just a question though, are we listing an entry per school we've applied to or just one entry per person?

 

 

 

Congratulations to all you guys who got an interview invite!!!! Even if it isn't the norm, it can hardly be a bad thing

[jean-luc-gohard]

Hello! A friend applying in the sciences told me about this forum a few weeks ago, and I'm glad to see there's such a lively thread going for English! Congrats to all who've already been accepted somewhere already (you lucky bastards) and to those who got interviews at Chicago and elsewhere. I applied to Chicago and haven't heard back (didn't get the pre-interview email or the interview email), which I'm not too bummed about because, as a native Californian, I had serious doubts about my chances of surviving the winters there anyway, but I am starting to get a bit antsy about my other apps now. Here's hoping that all of us who haven't heard back yet get an acceptance soon!

[__________________________]

Congratulations, mollifiedmolloy!

 

Congratulations to all you guys who got an interview invite!!!! Even if it isn't the norm, it can hardly be a bad thing

Thanks!  First day of teaching high school followed immediately by an interview for one of my top choices!  Bah!  My head's going to explode...

 

 

 as a native Californian, I had serious doubts about my chances of surviving the winters there anyway, but I am starting to get a bit antsy about my other apps now.

 

I grew up in los angeles and have lived out here in Wisconsin for four and a half years.  The cold makes you a stronger person.

[sillyrabbit]

My roommate and I both applied to University of Chicago, and neither of us heard anything about interviews (yet?). The anxiety of waiting is killing me! I hope I'll get one acceptance soon so I can stop freaking out. Based on previous years, I think we might hear form Duke tomorrow! I'm going to wear blue tomorrow, just in case.

 

I applied to: UChicago, Duke, Vanderbilt, UPenn, Columbia, Brown, Georgetown (MA), Wake Forest (MA)

 

I didn't know that Duke notified so early (but makes sense considering their early deadline)! 

[jean-luc-gohard]

I grew up in los angeles and have lived out here in Wisconsin for four and a half years.  The cold makes you a stronger person.

 

Hah, I will readily admit my weakness. Once I got stuck in Philadelphia in the middle of winter during a layover (in my defense, I was on my way back from warmer climes and completely unprepared) and I'm still traumatized.

 

 

Congrats on the interview, by the way! And good luck!

[mikers86]

I didn't know that Duke notified so early (but makes sense considering their early deadline)! 

 

Generally by the end of January.