What schools and why?

[queennight]

What schools are everyone applying to and why? (Broad question for this season of applications!)

 

Personally, (please ignore my signature which changes almost every week), I'll probably be applying to about seven schools. I am constrained financially, so I've restricted my list down to that; if I get even just one waitlist, I'll be content!

 

Right now, most likely I'll be applying to: Duke, UCLA, Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, and Cornell. Additionally, will most likely add in Brown depending on the research I finish up doing on the programs by November.

 

I'm really interested in Duke, particularly for their literary theory (hence Brown as well), while other more historicist programs like Stanford are also attractive to me as I come from a Romantic/Victorian place of interest. My GRE Subject is most likely going to be weak, which is why I'm also sticking in Columbia; the fact that they don't use the score is a sense (albeit slight) of relief.

Edited October 13, 2014 by queennight

[Dr. Old Bill]

Great thread idea, Queennight! I feel like I could write countless paragraphs about my choices, but I'll try to keep it brief... Oh, and don't feel bad about changes to your list. Three weeks ago I was certain I would apply to 14 schools. Then I took another look at Rutgers and saw a few things that appealed to me (placement rates, location, ability to take courses at Princeton etc.). Then I was convinced that I'd cap my list at 15, before I decided to apply to Brown just yesterday. It's a little more theory-focused than I prefer, but there are three POIs there who have very similar interests to my own, and I had been on the fence about it for a very long time anyhow. Other than the $102 of application fee and GRE score sending, I figured it couldn't hurt.

 

Most, if not all of the programs I am applying to are "top-tier," and some of them are "tippy-top tier." Believe it or not, this is not about prestige, but simply because the fields I am most interested in -- transhistorical prosody, formalism, history of the lyric etc. -- are the strongest at these institutions (save for one which has one excellent POI in an otherwise weak poetry department). At Yale, Princeton, and Harvard, I can rattle off a half-dozen professors who have extremely similar interests to my own, and having contacted grad students at each program, all signs indicate that each of these places would be a great fit for me personally. I have to be very careful not to get my hopes up, of course, since they are all quite exclusive, but I honestly believe I have a decent shot at getting into one of them, at least.

 

Most of the other programs are in a very similar boat for me, just minus the sheer number of like-minded POIs. UMich, Northwestern, U of Chicago, Stanford, U of Wisconsin all have prosodists and poetical historicists on faculty, as do some of the other programs. A few of the other places I've applied to, like UMD, might be a little weaker in terms of exact matches with my interests, but they make up for it by having a few faculty members who are in the ballpark of my interests, and also have other benefits, like great placement rates, funding, or even location. Being married, and to a wife with a good career no less, there are other considerations involved -- I would prefer an urban setting in an area with an abundance of arts opportunities. This is why the only application I may slightly regret is the one to Penn State -- nothing against their program, but the sheer remoteness of location might prove problematic. My wife and I are fully prepared to live apart, if need be, but that's obviously more expensive and undesirable if it can be otherwise avoided.

 

A final consideration with many of the programs I have applied to is the ability to take a few creative writing courses along the way. As a fairly widely published poet already, I would love to be able to get some kind of accreditation for my written endeavors along the path to getting a Ph.D. in English or English Literature. This would, in theory, broaden some of my future job placement horizons. It's one of the main reasons why I've applied to Cornell's joint MFA/Ph.D. program, and also why Northwestern and WUSTL hold a fair amount of appeal for me...not to mention a few others.

 

Overall, I don't know if I could make any effective "ranking" of the programs I'd most like to get into. There are probably ten I'd be over the moon to be accepted to, another four or five that I would "happily accept," and just one that I would be slightly trepidatious about. Of course, I may add one or two more applications before all is said and done, so tune in next month...

 

 

ETA: Dammit, I did wind up writing countless paragraphs... Apologies to the tl:dr crowd.

[TeaOverCoffee]

My list changes every week, too; no worries. I think I've actually finalized my list, though - for sure this time. I initially only chose programs that were prestigious as long as they had a variety of Victorian literature faculty. However, with my abysmal GRE score, which I hope to improve the next time, I had to be much more realistic with my application process. Some of these are still a bit of a far fetch, but I'll never know unless I try. I have exceptional recommendation letters, I'm developing a unique writing sample, my undergraduate GPA is above average, and I expect my SOP to please the committee once I complete that. After reading a few forums, though, nothing's guaranteed. So fingers crossed we're all accepted somewhere! I'd happily attend any of the schools on my list. 

 

Brandeis, Boston U, Indiana - Bloomington, Miami U, Ohio State, Ohio U, Penn State, Purdue, Temple, Tufts, UConn, U of Illinois, U of New Hampshire, U of Pittsburgh

 

Unfortunately, I won't complete any of my applications until late November, though because I will not have a complete writing sample until then. 

 

 

 

 

For those applying to several schools, what do you put on the application when it asks what other universities are you applying to? Why does it even ask this? Surely you don't put every school, right?

[Dr. Old Bill]

For those applying to several schools, what do you put on the application when it asks what other universities are you applying to? Why does it even ask this? Surely you don't put every school, right?

 

I asked this in a thread a month or so ago. You just put as many schools as you want there. Folks who responded in that threat mentioned that schools like to see what other programs are being considered in addition to their own -- it's primarily for statistics, and shouldn't have any impact on your application.

 

By the way, even though you're not going to have a writing sample done until the end of November, there's no reason not to start the applications and get some of the basic stuff out of the way to save you the time (and tedium) of having to do it later. One of the underrated things about this whole process is how much time it takes to fill out an application. Mine averaged around an hour...perhaps a bit more. I've applied to 14 of my 16 schools so far. If I'd left it until a few days before the deadlines, it would have been a very stressful rush to get them all done in time. Every single application I've completed allows one to save his / her progress. So in most cases you can get the vitals out of the way and just upload your WS and SOP when you're ready.

[unræd]

By the way, even though you're not going to have a writing sample done until the end of November, there's no reason not to start the applications and get some of the basic stuff out of the way to save you the time (and tedium) of having to do it later. One of the underrated things about this whole process is how much time it takes to fill out an application. Mine averaged around an hour...perhaps a bit more. I've applied to 14 of my 16 schools so far. If I'd left it until a few days before the deadlines, it would have been a very stressful rush to get them all done in time. Every single application I've completed allows one to save his / her progress. So in most cases you can get the vitals out of the way and just upload your WS and SOP when you're ready.

 

I second this. About the only things I have left for my apps are finalizing the last round of edits on my writing sample and getting the last of my profs to sign off on my SOP, but I'm done with about half of the actual applications (minus those sections, of course). WT's right about them being a bit of a time sink, but there's another reason to get started on them early: quite unexpectedly, filling them out this past weekend made me so, so excited about the process, because it made it so much more concrete. It's one thing to say, "Oh, I'm applying to study at X. Y, and Z" in the abstract; it's (apparently) another thing altogether to actually do it!

[Dr. Old Bill]

Oh yes. Nothing beats the feeling of completion. Except, perhaps, the feeling of admittance...

Edited October 14, 2014 by Wyatt's Torch

[mikers86]

I cannot stress how time consuming certain applications were, and for the silliest things. For instance, inputting every single class you've ever taken. While rare, a complete time suck. Request your transcripts early, prior to Winter break, and request extras for yourself, both official and unofficial. You don't want to be caught off guard if/when you decide to apply to another program.

[Dr. Old Bill]

I cannot stress how time consuming certain applications were, and for the silliest things. For instance, inputting every single class you've ever taken. While rare, a complete time suck. Request your transcripts early, prior to Winter break, and request extras for yourself, both official and unofficial. You don't want to be caught off guard if/when you decide to apply to another program.

 

Yes. UMD and Harvard both require that. UMD actually requires you print out a form, manually write out every English course (and courses tangentially related to English and other languages you've studied), scan it in, and upload it in addition to your transcripts. Others require that transcripts are ONLY in black and white (in other words, you'll generally need to have a hard copy and scan it in as "greyscale"). Others require transcripts as .pdfs AND as direct mailings. Others don't want transcripts mailed to them at all. Some want only the official transcripts. Others are fine with unofficial / web transcripts. All these finicky little details take time to sort out...so doing an application every few days or so is remarkably helpful. Otherwise it can be easy to conflate all the assorted requirements, no matter how organized you might be...

[jhefflol]

My list keeps changing even though I already sent it to one of my recommenders, thinking that would force me to stop changing my mind. But the more I think about it, the less I want to be on the West Coast, so I'm thinking about shrinking my applications by about 5 to cut out most of the schools I put down in California. Except UCI because Julia Lupton. And maybe UC Riverside or UC San Diego as a back up. 

[jhefflol]

 This is why the only application I may slightly regret is the one to Penn State -- nothing against their program, but the sheer remoteness of location might prove problematic. My wife and I are fully prepared to live apart, if need be, but that's obviously more expensive and undesirable if it can be otherwise avoided.

 

 

Reading all of the issues applicants had last year from Penn State is making me consider just saving my money and not applying. Its very discouraging.

[Catria]

Yes. UMD and Harvard both require that. UMD actually requires you print out a form, manually write out every English course (and courses tangentially related to English and other languages you've studied), scan it in, and upload it in addition to your transcripts. Others require that transcripts are ONLY in black and white (in other words, you'll generally need to have a hard copy and scan it in as "greyscale"). Others require transcripts as .pdfs AND as direct mailings. Others don't want transcripts mailed to them at all. Some want only the official transcripts. Others are fine with unofficial / web transcripts. All these finicky little details take time to sort out...so doing an application every few days or so is remarkably helpful. Otherwise it can be easy to conflate all the assorted requirements, no matter how organized you might be...

 

I can confirm that this practice, while uncommon, is not restricted to a particular discipline: I actually had to fill out one such form for WUSTL for a physics PhD application.

[thepriorwalter]

I'm trying very hard to keep my list of schools to 10. I am currently in a program that I like a lot, but the funding could be better, so I'm only applying to places that have two of the following criteria: better funding, better placement, and/or a standout POI in my area of specialization. This left me with about 17 programs I was interested in, but 17 is just not feasible on my current budget, so I had to find ways to narrow my list. There was a fairly complex process that went into narrowing the list, but among the criteria I used to make these cuts (never to add a school) was proximity to a team in a sport I care about. I will defend this decision to anyone. (And, yes, I have been asked to defend the decision. )

 

Final list looks something like: Penn, UC Irvine, WUSTL, Pitt, Ohio State, Minnesota, Michigan, Alberta, UBC, and Illinois State.

[Dr. Old Bill]

Don't worry, Thepriorwalter -- though I might not make it as major of a consideration as you do, the presence of a hockey team near where I wind up attending is at least a minor consideration! And I note with no small enthusiasm that all of your chosen programs are in locales with hockey teams as well.

[TeaOverCoffee]

My list keeps changing even though I already sent it to one of my recommenders, thinking that would force me to stop changing my mind. But the more I think about it, the less I want to be on the West Coast, so I'm thinking about shrinking my applications by about 5 to cut out most of the schools I put down in California. Except UCI because Julia Lupton. And maybe UC Riverside or UC San Diego as a back up. 

 

I sent all of my recommenders my list, and then of course changed it. They're perfectly fine with it. 

 

 

 

By the way, even though you're not going to have a writing sample done until the end of November, there's no reason not to start the applications and get some of the basic stuff out of the way to save you the time (and tedium) of having to do it later. One of the underrated things about this whole process is how much time it takes to fill out an application. Mine averaged around an hour...perhaps a bit more. I've applied to 14 of my 16 schools so far. If I'd left it until a few days before the deadlines, it would have been a very stressful rush to get them all done in time. Every single application I've completed allows one to save his / her progress. So in most cases you can get the vitals out of the way and just upload your WS and SOP when you're ready.

 

 

I've started all of my applications! One of my professors wanted to send the recommendations already, so I had to start every single one in order to do it. It's definitely time consuming, so I've already started. It would be such a headache to do it all at once. 

[Dr. Old Bill]

So I was almost convinced that I was completely done with my applications for this season, with the total number at a nice, round 16. But thanks to some new information I learned about UC-Irvine (thanks Rdsull89!), I decided to take the plunge and apply there as well. I had been on the fence about it for a long while, and even created a thread to that effect a few months ago. But there are a couple of POIs there who are very close matches, and it seems as though the program there is trying to focus more on poetics...and the kind of poetics I'm interested in to boot.

 

An amusing side-note: my wife often demurs about California, and it's part of the reason why I haven't applied to one or two other programs in that state. I personally love California, having lived in the greater L.A. area for half a year, and having visited the Bay area multiple times. So this morning, my wife had to fly to San Diego, arriving in California for the first time. Her first text to me after arriving? "It's gorgeous here. We should plan a trip here some time."

 

I'd move back to Cali in a heartbeat. It's obviously a tertiary consideration, clearly subservient to the other practical reasons to choose a program ("fit" and "quality," in my view)...but I can't deny that I'd enjoy the weather and general opportunities afforded by Southern California.

Edited November 21, 2014 by Wyatt's Torch

[1Q84]

So I was almost convinced that I was completely done with my applications for this season, with the total number at a nice, round 16. But thanks to some new information I learned about UC-Irvine (thanks Rdsull89!), I decided to take the plunge and apply there as well. I had been on the fence about it for a long while, and even created a thread to that effect a few months ago. But there are a couple of POIs there who are very close matches, and it seems as though the program there is trying to focus more on poetics...and the kind of poetics I'm interested in to boot.

 

I'm super impressed that you've submitted all of your apps so far. How did you do it?

 

And how are you adding apps in so close to the due dates? Your LOR writers are all right adding another school at this stage? That was one thing stopping me from adding other schools in the past week or so.

[jhefflol]

So I was almost convinced that I was completely done with my applications for this season, with the total number at a nice, round 16. But thanks to some new information I learned about UC-Irvine (thanks Rdsull89!), I decided to take the plunge and apply there as well. I had been on the fence about it for a long while, and even created a thread to that effect a few months ago. But there are a couple of POIs there who are very close matches, and it seems as though the program there is trying to focus more on poetics...and the kind of poetics I'm interested in to boot.

 

 

Yay UCI! I think they're the only school I'm completely crossing my fingers for in California. Not that there aren't other great programs, I just really want to get out of this area.

[Dr. Old Bill]

I'm super impressed that you've submitted all of your apps so far. How did you do it?

 

I basically started doing them as soon as they became available. UMD and Penn State were both done in mid-August. Essentially, I made a point of writing my main SOP and polishing my WS by the beginning of August, and began several applications as soon as they were open. It was just a case of doing things systematically and keeping things organized via a spreadsheet etc. I was happy with my SOP in mid-August, but there were definitely some minor variations over the next couple of months or so (not to mention more dramatic variations for certain institutions). But really, once you have all of your principle documents done, and you have your LOR writers ready, it's just the hour or so it takes to fill out the application itself. Oh, and paying the money and sending GRE scores and transcripts, of course.

 

 

 

And how are you adding apps in so close to the due dates? Your LOR writers are all right adding another school at this stage? That was one thing stopping me from adding other schools in the past week or so.

 

They had no problem with it. I stopped by one's office first thing in the morning yesterday, and she responded with an emphatic "of course!" I emailed the other two, and both replied within a few hours, saying they had no problem with it. Remember that your LOR writers usually think well enough of you to write on your behalf to begin with, and chances are that they have a single "form" LOR that they make minor modifications to accordingly. It probably doesn't take them much time at all, and if they are truly supportive (as I know mine are), it's a non-issue. Having said that, I did make a point of asking them first, and wouldn't have applied to an additional school if they weren't willing or didn't respond etc.

 

You're right that it is getting pretty late in the game to add another school, but since I had all of my documents assembled and just needed to write a "fit" paragraph for my SOP, it wasn't much of a problem.

Edited November 21, 2014 by Wyatt's Torch

[Dr. Old Bill]

Yay UCI! I think they're the only school I'm completely crossing my fingers for in California. Not that there aren't other great programs, I just really want to get out of this area.

 

Yes, applying there just feels right to me. I had valid reasons for not applying, but I'm certainly glad I have. The downside is that they traditionally don't send out acceptances / rejections until March. Still, I think that even if I get offers from other schools before that, I'll hold out on accepting until I hear from UCI. My interest is quite piqued for their apparent plans.

[HesseBunuel90]

I'm applying to a total of 16 schools, and I would be happy if I got into any one of them. There are several reasons for each school; for one, I always have wanted to live in/near NYC, which is why I applied to NYU, CUNY, and Rutgers; the fact that they are great programs and are well aligned with my interests (and my writing sample) seals the deal. I would also be happy in Boston, D.C. and Atlanta, hence why I applied to BU, U-MD and Emory; all of which are well aligned with my interests. I have identified two main subfields within my interest in modern American Literature; one, gender and sexuality, is common at essentially all the programs I'm applying to. The other, Jewish-American Literature, is much more scarce, and unfortunately, many of the programs that do have professors who specialize in this are either too far a reach (UCLA, Johns Hopkins) or too low-ranked for job prospects (U Miami, GWU). I have found professors who either focus on Jewish-American literature (Ohio State, Illinois-Urbana-Champaign) or modern Jewish studies in general (Vanderbilt, University of Wisconsin). Finally, I have chosen schools that give decent funding in areas with low cost of living, such as Rice, Pittsburgh, and Washington University in St. Louis, in addition to solid research fit.    

[ProfLorax]

Glad that you applied to UMD, HesseBunuel! I don't know Sheila Jelen personally, but some of my friends just adore her mentorship style. She's in CompLit, but since CompLit is housed in the English Department, I imagine you could work with her (her primarily interest is modern Jewish literature) even as an English grad student. Good luck! 

[Scottstein]

Duke-Hansen,Hayles;Stanford-Moretti,Woloch;Emory:Otis;Maryland:Kirschenbaum;Chicago:Jagoda,Brown

[1Q84]

I basically started doing them as soon as they became available. UMD and Penn State were both done in mid-August. Essentially, I made a point of writing my main SOP and polishing my WS by the beginning of August, and began several applications as soon as they were open. It was just a case of doing things systematically and keeping things organized via a spreadsheet etc. I was happy with my SOP in mid-August, but there were definitely some minor variations over the next couple of months or so (not to mention more dramatic variations for certain institutions). But really, once you have all of your principle documents done, and you have your LOR writers ready, it's just the hour or so it takes to fill out the application itself. Oh, and paying the money and sending GRE scores and transcripts, of course.

 

I'm even more impressed now! I guess because I'm an obsessive tinkerer... I'll change random words day by day because I never think my work is "done." Usually I just end up submitting things in despair because I don't feel like I have time to perfect them.

 

Also, is really no one here applying to USC? I was speaking to jhefflol about it and we both had the same observation that no one has mentioned USC much at all this year.

[Dr. Old Bill]

I'm even more impressed now! I guess because I'm an obsessive tinkerer... I'll change random words day by day because I never think my work is "done." Usually I just end up submitting things in despair because I don't feel like I have time to perfect them.

 

 

Oh, don't get me wrong -- I'm an obsessive tinkerer too. Truly. Every time I look at one of my poems, even if it has been published, I'll invariably change something, whether it's a punctuation mark, a single word, or even a few words. And the same is / was true of my SOP. The key is to have a baseline of satisfaction. I wouldn't have sent something out that I didn't think was "very good" or even "great"...but that's not to say that I didn't tinker with every subsequent version of my SOP, changing little nuances along the way. If I looked back at the SOP I wrote for Penn State (the first one I submitted), I'd probably curl up into a ball. Not because it's in any way bad, but just because it's the earliest "complete" version, and it hasn't undergone the (very) fine tuning of the others. Again, I know it is well-written and on point, but I think one could tinker with a SOP infinitely. I mean seriously, with three more years of regular tinkerage it could probably be so much better, right?

 

 

 

Also, is really no one here applying to USC? I was speaking to jhefflol about it and we both had the same observation that no one has mentioned USC much at all this year.

 

That's a good question. I remember looking at their program, but it just didn't jump out at me. Now that you bring it up, I'm tempted to look at it again, but I'm going to force myself not to. 17 is enough. 17. Is. Enough.

 

Still, I'd give my eye tooth to live in California again. In the perfect fantasy world where I receive multiple acceptances, the California factor could very well weigh into my decision-making process.

Edited November 23, 2014 by Wyatt's Torch