Where are the MA applicants?

[pure titanium]

I feel like this forum is starting to wind down. It feels sad even for those with happy outcomes as you all go your separate ways. Congratulations to all that were admitted to a place you're happy with and good luck in determining your next option and making it happen if you were disappointed with the results this year.

 

But what about the MA applicants? Results are just starting to come in now. Are there so few applying at that level anymore or are they just not on Grad Cafe? Anyone here lurking and looking for MA information?

[Romanista]

It definitely seems like MAs are not as common on the results board. I applied to 6 MA programs, 3 of which have never appeared on the results board. With the exception of people being rejected or waitlisted for PhD programs and then accepted into terminal MAs, it seems that people just don't bother posting MA results. I think the reason people apply to PhD programs more than MA programs (and I am no exception) is that the former almost always have funding opportunities, plus it saves one the time and money of having to reapply once the MA is finished.

Edited February 28, 2014 by Romanista

[despejado]

I've applied to 2 MA programs because PhD programs just weren't working out for me... Also, Syracuse has me under consideration for their MA after informing me I was in their final PhD pile, but didn't make the cut.

[iExcelAtMicrosoftPuns]

I'm an MA applicant.

There are several of us. 

And there are several that are on the results board.

Different rules. Same game.

[esimanon]

I think part of it is that schools admit into their PhD program before their MA program.. I know that the two schools I applied to haven't sent out their acceptances for their MA program yet.. so we're all still waiting...

[boomah]

I lurk more than post, but I'm an MA applicant. I applied to two programs, got accepted to one (with funding), and will most likely be accepted at the other as well (though there's no funding there, so I'm settled on the first). I felt that I needed some more time and thought before I figured out PhD plans. Hence the MA. 

[pure titanium]

I will just be upfront with all of you. I am not the applicant. I am the parent. Many times I have deleted comments I wanted to make, ideas I wanted to share, and questions I wanted to ask because I felt like an invader. This is your space, true, but as a parent of a MA applicant I want so much to thank you all for the information I have learned here. This is not my or my husband's field of study. My D doesn't tell us a lot about how things work with English  departments, and in her case, the world of Publishing, but she will want our opinion on which program she should select. I feel if I don't start this now I won't be able to thank you all for the help so far and also pick your brains for what I still don't know. 

 

Does anyone here know anything about the book publishing field? Does rank and location of university matter and if so how much?

[pure titanium]

D has been accepted to three MA programs all with some funding. She is waiting for more results, but there is some pressure to respond by at least one of the admits. One program is ranked out of the top 100, but with full tuition and 10K+ year stipend. The other programs are significantly higher ranked and offer basically two years of free tuition. One is in a "publishing" town. How important is location and ranking for a job in the world of publishing? I have no idea how to advise her.

[iExcelAtMicrosoftPuns]

D has been accepted to three MA programs all with some funding. She is waiting for more results, but there is some pressure to respond by at least one of the admits. One program is ranked out of the top 100, but with full tuition and 10K+ year stipend. The other programs are significantly higher ranked and offer basically two years of free tuition. One is in a "publishing" town. How important is location and ranking for a job in the world of publishing? I have no idea how to advise her.

What sort of publishing does D want to pursue?

I'll be honest - I really have no idea about the world of publishing.

But I recall reading a thread about academic publishing vs large publishing house.

I'm out on a limb here but I'd look at course offerings and perhaps any large intern/extern ship with a publisher.

[igetstuffdunn]

Yo. I'm an MA applicant too. Just heard good news from UVA today. Applied to some funded and some unfunded programs. Just trying to decide how much (if any!) debt is worth it. We shall see when the rest of the schools get back to me.

[pure titanium]

The debt questions are mine as well. What do you ultimately wish to do as a career?

 

Congratulations on UVA. That is great!

 

I really thought today would be a big result day for the MA applicants.

Edited February 28, 2014 by pure titanium

[pure titanium]

Do few people major in English if they want to publish/edit? Do most folks interested in publishing pursue an advanced degree in publishing or do they go into the work force directly with the BA?

[ke6904]

I applied to two MA programs and two MA/PhD programs. So far I've been admitted to one MA program with full funding and I haven't heard from anywhere else. Although I have an implied rejection from one PhD..

[igetstuffdunn]

The debt questions are mine as well. What do you ultimately wish to do as a career?

My end goal is to get a PhD and teach at a university (like most people on this forum) but I went to 3 undergraduate universities because I had to transfer to be closer to home for financial reasons, so my undergraduate career isn't as strong as other PhD applicants. I'm taking the MA as a chance to show I can be a great grad student and to learn more about my field (post-1945 American).

I'm lucky that transferring and working means I dont have any undergraduate debt though my partner went to art school and she does. So I'm going to try not to stress about money until I hear from all the schools but I'm all about avoiding debt if I can.

[Katia_chan]

I'm not sure if I've missed anything--it's been a long week and I can't do the brain thing tonight, but a few questions...

 

Does she have any desire to do a PHD?  Is she definitely (or at least as definitely as we all can get) want to do publishing?

 

If she wants to go into publishing after her MA, I don't *think* rankings should be that important.  The deciding factor is going to be if it is a place where she can get any sort of internships or networking opportunities.  A lot of English applicants want into that field, if they don't want into academia, so it's definitely good to build up contacts.

 

Again, I'm just theorizing here, but I'd say if she's done with her BA, but hasn't had much experience, the MA will be well worth it.  It will help her build networks and perhaps some credibility--more than she could maybe get elsewhere.  On the other hand, if she has access to a lot of contacts already, or can find opportunities on her own, it might not be as necessary.

 

...I think I've waffled too much to actually be helpful, but if you can find something good in the waffle, I hope it works out.  Best of luck to her.

[lyonessrampant]

Always follow the money, particularly at the MA level.  If she's got a fully funded offer, I'd be hard pressed to come up with reasons to go in debt for an MA in English.  If she's interested in publishing, do you mean editing?  Working in a publishing house?  If so, she should take courses or do intern/extern-ships (as mentioned above).  Simply being at a school with a large publishing presence doesn't guarantee experience with the press.  At neither Chicago nor Minnesota have I had press experience, though both have huge publishing presences.  I say this to indicate that simply being somewhere with a big press doesn't mean you get those opportunities.  Perhaps being at a smaller place will allow more direct experience.  Whether she's considering the publishing/editing career route or the Ph.D. route, my advice is the same. . .follow the money, especially for the MA.

[jasmin47]

I am also an MA applicant. I applied to 4 programs, and have received offers from 2 so far, both of which are fully funded. I only applied to programs with funding. I have some interest in applying to PhD programs in the future, but my research interests are a little scattered now and I wanted to be able to narrow my focus. I'm also seriously leaning towards a career in technical writing because of the job market...

[Eternal Optimist]

I have applied to only M.A. program. Rejections from Montana and Oklahoma. Accepted for an unfunded M.A. at Vermont. Interview with University of Maine and wait listed at the University of West Virginia.

[DyslexicBibliophile]

Technically my application to Indiana - Bloomington is for an MA, but it seems to me that their MA program feeds pretty directly into their PhD program, so I guess I just always think of it as a PhD application.

 

And now that I have been rejected now from half of the programs I applied to - I'm submitting two MA applications this weekend. One is to Villanova, and the other is to American (funding deadline has passed, but has rolling admissions - the reps have always been nice to me at Graduate School Fairs, so even though it's not a top program, it's one I have considered applying to throughout this entire process).

 

Also - I know it doesn't *really* count in terms of this thread, but after being rejected from the University of Rochester PhD, they offered me the option to transfer my application to the terminal MA program, so that makes four MA applications.

[andrewcycs]

Dyslexic! I am in the Rochester MA applicant pool as well. I wish you the best of luck, but not so much luck you beat me out. maybe we will be future classmates!

And I also applied to Georgetown MA! Did anyone else apply to Georgetown. It looks as if decisions may be coming very soon.

[LexHex]

I applied to all (funded) MAs. I was going to go for a PhD, but a mixed of being scared and uninformed (that fear and lack of information is gone now), wanting more time, and formulating a plan that would fit around getting an MA and THEN PhD led me to where I am. This is now totally what I want.

 

So far I've been admitted to two. I'm waiting on funding info from one and waitlisted for funding for the other. 

[bhr]

I have applied to only M.A. program. Rejections from Montana and Oklahoma. Accepted for an unfunded M.A. at Vermont. Interview with University of Maine and wait listed at the University of West Virginia.

WVU for PW or Lit? Cheryl Ball starts there next year and she's amazing.

[Eternal Optimist]

WVU for PW or Lit? Cheryl Ball starts there next year and she's amazing.

WVU for Literature. Where have you applied?

[despejado]

Technically my application to Indiana - Bloomington is for an MA, but it seems to me that their MA program feeds pretty directly into their PhD program, so I guess I just always think of it as a PhD application.

And now that I have been rejected now from half of the programs I applied to - I'm submitting two MA applications this weekend. One is to Villanova, and the other is to American (funding deadline has passed, but has rolling admissions - the reps have always been nice to me at Graduate School Fairs, so even though it's not a top program, it's one I have considered applying to throughout this entire process).

Also - I know it doesn't *really* count in terms of this thread, but after being rejected from the University of Rochester PhD, they offered me the option to transfer my application to the terminal MA program, so that makes four MA applications.

Hey!!! So glad you considered the Villanova option we'll have to keep in touch in case we both end up there.

[DyslexicBibliophile]

Dyslexic! I am in the Rochester MA applicant pool as well. I wish you the best of luck, but not so much luck you beat me out. maybe we will be future classmates!

 

Bahahaha, I too wish you the best of luck . . . but as you said, not so much you beat me out.   The ideal situation is that we both get in, that way we don't have to go all Hunger Games on each other.

 

 

Hey!!! So glad you considered the Villanova option we'll have to keep in touch in case we both end up there.

 

Yeah! I'm actually really excited for it! For some reason I had all this MA bias in the Fall when I did all my applications, but now looking at some of these programs, I feel like a total dum-dum. This feeling only deepened when the director of my McNair program told me she can pull strings and get me funding even at unfunded programs. I wish I knew that a few months ago . . .