Decisions

[wetheplants]

Agreed.

 

 

To whom? Wait until you see what work you are doing before you put it on your CV, and I would just use the official terminology: "full tuition scholarship." Maybe I'm off on this, but to me funded implies a fellowship/stipend of some sort, not a scholarship.

Oh good point guys, thank you! This is all news to me. And I suppose the people at BC will tell me how I ought to say it.

[CarolineNC]

I'm feeling really torn right now between UNC Chapel Hill and UT Austin. Frankly, Chapel Hill's stipend sucks. It really sucks. But CH is near my family and it's kind of my dream. Austin offers the equivalent of CH's stipend, plus 4 years of summer support worth at least 2500 per summer, plus one year of dissertation fellowship. But then, Austin is more expensive than Chapel Hill/Carrboro. 

 

I'm worried I won't be able to negotiate a higher stipend from CH (I mean, shouldn't I be grateful they accepted me off the wait list and stfu?) 

 

I don't know exactly why I'm posting this other than I'm worried. I do want Chapel Hill but I do feel stupid for potentially taking so much (to my poor ass) less money. What would y'all do? Anyone at UT or UNC have any feedback? 

 

(PS I'm visiting both in the next few weeks so this might not be a problem if I really love one and hate the other)

 

(PPS I realize this is like a totally a non-problem) 

Edited March 21, 2015 by CarolineKS

[kurayamino]

 

I don't know exactly why I'm posting this other than I'm worried. I do want Chapel Hill but I do feel stupid for potentially taking so much (to my poor ass) less money. What would y'all do? Anyone at UT or UNC have any feedback? 

 

(PS I'm visiting both in the next few weeks so this might not be a problem if I really love one and hate the other)

 

(PPS I realize this is like a totally a non-problem) 

 

I'm going to PM you about UNC.

[InHacSpeVivo]

Caroline: I honestly don't think there's any harm in negotiating UNC's offer (by way of saying UNC is my dream school, but another program is offering X, Y, and Z, which is making it difficult for you to accept). Yes, you were on the WL, but now you're accepted! Obviously they want you, and there really is no harm in seeing if they can come up with more money.

That being said, it might be worth holding off until visit weekend to be sure they are still your dream school. It's not worth negotiating if you decide it's not a good fit after all.

ETA: By the way, this is totally a real problem. A good problem to have, yes,but a real problem nonetheless.

Edited March 21, 2015 by InHacSpeVivo

[empress-marmot]

I'm feeling really torn right now between UNC Chapel Hill and UT Austin. Frankly, Chapel Hill's stipend sucks. It really sucks. But CH is near my family and it's kind of my dream. Austin offers the equivalent of CH's stipend, plus 4 years of summer support worth at least 2500 per summer, plus one year of dissertation fellowship. But then, Austin is more expensive than Chapel Hill/Carrboro. 

 

I'm worried I won't be able to negotiate a higher stipend from CH (I mean, shouldn't I be grateful they accepted me off the wait list and stfu?) 

 

I don't know exactly why I'm posting this other than I'm worried. I do want Chapel Hill but I do feel stupid for potentially taking so much (to my poor ass) less money. What would y'all do? 

 

First, I never congratulated you on UNC! Congratulations! I know that you're dealing with five-year decisions between fantastic PhD programs, and I'm making a two-year decision between small MA programs. However, I am turning down two better offers to attend my top choice. 

 

Money was a hard thing to turn down, so I worked out a budget. If you're really worried about the stipend not being enough to pay for your room/board/car/contentment, then that's a large consideration. 

 

Otherwise my idealistic advice is to go to your dream program. Even better if it's by your family. My program's an hour away from my parents, and they told me pragmatically, "Sunday dinners, and you can take home the leftovers." Congratulations again on UNC! 

[SilasWegg]

I gotta second empress-marmot. Five years is a long time and being near family has priceless hidden rewards: lower relocation costs, lower visiting costs on holidays, not to mention leftovers and hugs! Funding is super important and this not to downplay very real problems that result from a lower stipend. But emotions are unquantifiable riches that often outweigh finances. In the end, pick the program where you feel you can best do your work.

[silenus_thescribe]

I'm feeling really torn right now between UNC Chapel Hill and UT Austin. Frankly, Chapel Hill's stipend sucks. It really sucks. But CH is near my family and it's kind of my dream. Austin offers the equivalent of CH's stipend, plus 4 years of summer support worth at least 2500 per summer, plus one year of dissertation fellowship. But then, Austin is more expensive than Chapel Hill/Carrboro. 

 

I'm worried I won't be able to negotiate a higher stipend from CH (I mean, shouldn't I be grateful they accepted me off the wait list and stfu?) 

 

I don't know exactly why I'm posting this other than I'm worried. I do want Chapel Hill but I do feel stupid for potentially taking so much (to my poor ass) less money. What would y'all do? Anyone at UT or UNC have any feedback? 

 

(PS I'm visiting both in the next few weeks so this might not be a problem if I really love one and hate the other)

 

(PPS I realize this is like a totally a non-problem) 

 

So, although money is an important concern, it's worth noting that, at least from what I've gathered from this posting and others, that your only real concern with UNC is the stipend. Otherwise, it has the advantage of being both your dream school and being close to family. The fact that there appears to be only one thing that's the source of the difficulty is somewhat telling.

 

I'm surprised at how much you emphasize how terrible UNC's stipend is, because UT's doesn't seem like much either. Even though UT was at the top of my schools for research interests, it was on the low end for stipend money. So from what I'd gather UNC must be on the really low end.

 

But while money is inescapably important, with grad school stipends it's a matter of margins in the long run, unless you have a sweet fellowship or grant. Unless the stipend is actually unlivable, given the average range of stipends one isn't likely to be able to either save money or have tons more to otherwise spend. This ain't a game for the big bucks, as we all know. At least with the places I was accepted to, the stipends that were more expensive also happened to correlate to places that are more expensive to live, so the difference in the end would have balanced out. That being said, I don't know the specific financials of your situation, so I could be entirely wrong here, and the money could actually amount to a substantial difference.

 

Although I'd hate to lose a potential GC UT cohort member, I must agree with morristr: you should go where you both feel most comfortable, and where you feel like your best research will be done. I'm sure you'll get some great insight come your campus visits!

Edited March 21, 2015 by silenus_thescribe

[mikers86]

I will say one advantage to UNC-CH is that you have the opportunity to take courses at Duke and have Duke faculty on your committee. The cost of living in the area is very manageable. People I know in that department seem to do alright on the stipend, whether through roommates or other low-cost apartments. And, at least if you're at Duke, you can get a Triangle Area bus pass for free, and I imagine UNC has a similar set up. But having said that, I don't know Austin as a city or a department (though I did love their program when I applied last year) and am unaware how far that stipend will go.

 

See how each dept feels and where you think you'll be able to produce the best work, not just who is going to give you more money.

[CarolineNC]

Thanks everybody! Lots of great advice! 

[goldfinch1880]

does this affect decisions about UNC?

http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/new-politics-at-the-university-of-north-carolina

[CarolineNC]

"In 2013, the Republican governor, Pat McCrory, told William Bennett, a conservative talk-show host and former Secretary of Education, that the state shouldn’t “subsidize” courses in gender studies or Swahili (that is, offer them at public universities)."

 

WAHHH?!?!

[goldfinch1880]

I KNOW I'M FREAKING OUT.

 

"An untenured member of the humanities faculty, who requested anonymity, wrote in an e-mail, “I am constantly aware of the state’s charged political atmosphere and the scrutiny of the university’s political enemies. I know there are certain subjects I simply cannot write about in a public forum and topics I must handle gingerly in my teaching.” "

Edited March 21, 2015 by goldfinch1880

[1Q84]

This one was the "oh fuck" quote for me:

 

 

 

“People are telling me not to use their work e-mail, to call on their cell phone, if we’re going to talk about anything controversial,” Tamar Birckhead, an associate professor at the law school, told me.

 

Jesus. Is UNC East Germany now or something?

[christakins]

does this affect decisions about UNC?

http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/new-politics-at-the-university-of-north-carolina

 

 

"In 2013, the Republican governor, Pat McCrory, told William Bennett, a conservative talk-show host and former Secretary of Education, that the state shouldn’t “subsidize” courses in gender studies or Swahili (that is, offer them at public universities)."

 

WAHHH?!?!

 

 

I KNOW I'M FREAKING OUT.

 

"An untenured member of the humanities faculty, who requested anonymity, wrote in an e-mail, “I am constantly aware of the state’s charged political atmosphere and the scrutiny of the university’s political enemies. I know there are certain subjects I simply cannot write about in a public forum and topics I must handle gingerly in my teaching.” "

 

 

This one was the "oh fuck" quote for me:

 

 

Jesus. Is UNC East Germany now or something?

 

 

Not surprised. This is not unlike other universities in conservative areas. I don't want to name names, but feel free to PM me if you want details.

[allplaideverything]

How are y'all going about deciding "where you can do the best work"? What's more beneficial as a PhD student--substantial time away from teaching to spend in archives & the office, or being surrounded by supportive, inspiring people?

[goldfinch1880]

Not surprised. This is not unlike other universities in conservative areas. I don't want to name names, but feel free to PM me if you want details.

 

Agreed. Although I would say this is more common to state universities in conservative areas, and explicitly Christian colleges. I know of a plethora of private, liberal arts colleges that don't resemble the conservative demographic surrounding them at all.

[CarolineNC]

How are y'all going about deciding "where you can do the best work"? What's more beneficial as a PhD student--substantial time away from teaching to spend in archives & the office, or being surrounded by supportive, inspiring people?

I'm wondering that myself. I have a tendency to get bogged down and sluggish if there isn't variety in my work, so teaching is actually a blessing for me. I don't think I'd take a position where I couldn't teach. It's fun. It creates a sense of community. I think my work benefits from it. That said, I'm used to teaching a 2/2, though, so a 1/1 seems absolutely luxurious to me. 

 

So, for me, being in a department with inspiring people wins, especially if I get to teach. Actually, being in a department with people I like wins over basically everything else. If I'm miserable, I can't work. 

[ToldAgain]

Hi all, I'm working through a decision for my MA right now, and it would be nice to hear if there are any opinions or experiences out there that might help me out. I am an Americanist.

 

I have an offer from the University of Kentucky with a pretty generous stipend. Lexington is a nice city with great nature opportunities close by and a beautiful library on campus.

 

Also, I have an offer from the University of Missouri, Columbia. The stipend isn't quite as good, but similar, and the teaching requirements are slightly reduced. The academics seem slightly better at Missouri (more graduate course offerings, more scholars in my field).

 

So I wonder what the forum has to say about these two programs, if anything. I also plan on going somewhere different for my PhD, so I am curious if anybody has any opinions about which program might give a better leg up when that application season comes around (of course, it is up to me to create a good application, but every little bit helps when you're trying to get into a top PhD school).

[allplaideverything]

Hi all, I'm working through a decision for my MA right now, and it would be nice to hear if there are any opinions or experiences out there that might help me out. I am an Americanist.

 

I have an offer from the University of Kentucky with a pretty generous stipend. Lexington is a nice city with great nature opportunities close by and a beautiful library on campus.

 

Also, I have an offer from the University of Missouri, Columbia. The stipend isn't quite as good, but similar, and the teaching requirements are slightly reduced. The academics seem slightly better at Missouri (more graduate course offerings, more scholars in my field).

 

So I wonder what the forum has to say about these two programs, if anything. I also plan on going somewhere different for my PhD, so I am curious if anybody has any opinions about which program might give a better leg up when that application season comes around (of course, it is up to me to create a good application, but every little bit helps when you're trying to get into a top PhD school).

 

Hey ToldAgain! Congrats on these two options--they're both great schools, and both will help you a lot as you prepare to go on to the PhD. So, try not to worry! You'll be great either way!

 

That said, things you should be (and I'm sure already are) thinking about:

 

1. Teaching. As a grad student, teaching 2 courses in a semester gives lots of people a hard time. It's not impossible, and if you're good at time management, it's really not too much harder than only teaching 1. Still, some folks hate teaching 2, and if the teaching loads are significantly different at these schools, that might be a good tiebreaker.

 

2. How are the terminal MA students treated & supported? I feel like I remember hearing that Mizzou's terminal MA students feel a little under-supported, like they're the bottom of the totem pole (which is maybe magnified by the perception that the Lit PhDs already feel less supported than the Creative Writing PhDs), but I could be wrong about that. I don't know about UK. See if you can get in touch with current MA students and ask how they feel about their position in the program?

 

3. Sports, obvi.

 

Go where you will be supported and where you'll have the time and resources to grow as a thinker. It's also only 2 years (right?), so even if you wind up at a less-than-ideal spot, it'll still prepare you for the PhD and you'll be out of there soon enough.

[empress-marmot]

How are y'all going about deciding "where you can do the best work"? What's more beneficial as a PhD student--substantial time away from teaching to spend in archives & the office, or being surrounded by supportive, inspiring people?

 

Chiming in from an MA perspective here. For the first time in my life, I don't really know what I'm doing. I'm (prospectively) committing to the program which has a very clear vision for who they want me to be. I'm going for the supportive, inspiring people.

 

By the time I'm applying for PhD programs, I really hope I'm the sort who knows what to do and doesn't need handholding. That's a legitimate wish for an MA, right?

 

And ToldAgain, congratulations on both your acceptances! 

[1Q84]

How are y'all going about deciding "where you can do the best work"? What's more beneficial as a PhD student--substantial time away from teaching to spend in archives & the office, or being surrounded by supportive, inspiring people?

 

I come from a teaching background so I'm of two minds on this: after teaching 2/2 at my MA school, I firmly believe that such a heavy teaching load is detrimental to my development as a researcher. The course has been so poorly planned and administered (we are mandated to stick to their "common syllabus") that it's just been a nonstop headache of planning and re-planning from Week 1, grading and actual classroom time aside.

 

On the other hand, I don't think I'd mind a 1/1 to keep my mind sharp, as CarolineKS mentioned, but I think I would really only be able to make leaps and bounds in my research with no teaching load. I'd much prefer any school that was able to offer that to me for at least 2-3 years.

Edited March 22, 2015 by 1Q84

[Wonton Soup]

I hear you plaid and 1Q84. Everyone loves researching and learning. But people should keep in mind that the "work" of academia includes teaching. Getting out of teaching to get to one's "real work" is an unfortunate attitude that too many people have, usually to the detriment of their students and their overall professionalization. 

 

I'm of the opinion that a PhD program, when it comes to teaching, allows students to do the best work when it allows them to do work. Teaching is essential, and programs that allow grad students to create their own syllabus--to experiment, fail, reflect with support, experiment again--are giving them the best opportunities. Programs that give students a super-rigid syllabus and ask them to become a cog to fit the machine may look great in some administrator's eyes, but they do not develop teachers. Programs that ask students not to teach at all (do these still exist?) are completely out of touch with reality and are setting people up for future failure. 

 

You should think about where your program falls on the spectrum of teacher-widget and full-freedom. 

[ToldAgain]

Thanks for the advice, allplaid, I am definitely sweating this decision more than I need to. But, you know, that's what we do...

 

Empress, I think we are sort of in the same boat. I am looking for the place that is going to be the most supportive in helping me on to a great PhD program (though both of these schools let their MA students funnel non-competitively into the PhD program, I have advice from plenty of professors NOT to attend the same school for MA and PhD) and the best community of grad students. This might be Kentucky, despite whatever shortcomings my neurotic mind is attributing to them.

 

I think a transition from this feeling of insecurity to one of polished professionalism is probably the goal of most MA programs.

[1Q84]

You should think about where your program falls on the spectrum of teacher-widget and full-freedom. 

 

Thanks for making this distinction. I think you're absolutely right. 

 

As far as I know, however, most schools (even Ivies) don't allow Ph.D. students to teach anything but the most hated composition courses. Most of the full-freedom type courses happen in the last year or during an actual TT position. I would agree that then those full-freedom courses can really work in tandem with research, allowing one to workout concepts of interest with one's students for the writing of one's first book, etc. 

[thepriorwalter]

As far as I know, however, most schools (even Ivies) don't allow Ph.D. students to teach anything but the most hated composition courses. Most of the full-freedom type courses happen in the last year or during an actual TT position. I would agree that then those full-freedom courses can really work in tandem with research, allowing one to workout concepts of interest with one's students for the writing of one's first book, etc.

In my experience, this is actually one of the benefits of attending a lower-ranked (not in US News top 35) program at a large public university. There tends to be A LOT of teaching opportunities, with varying degrees of freedom. Yes, composition classes, but also literature classes where you design the syllabus (both readings and assignments) and even upper-division courses. No, it doesn't set you up for a top research-oriented job, but it does make you attractive with respect to more teaching-oriented jobs.