Fall 2016 Entry Applicants

[bhr]

Well, someone may as well get this started. I'm making my list of programs now, which advisor support, and am hoping to have all my materials ready before starting the second half of my MA in August.

[harune]

Any fall '16 applicants studying for the subject test? I have a used 6th edition Princeton Review study guide (this one) that I no longer need, and I'd love to pass it on to someone who could use it.  It has some underlining and notes scribbled in the margins, and I circled answers to the practice test in the back.  It's free to a good home (and I'm happy to pay shipping to anywhere in the US).  If you'd like it, send me a PM.  Good luck!

[Dr. Old Bill]

Just an "empty blanket" statement here, but...good luck to all 2016 applicants! You'll be alternately encouraged and dissuaded from this path by many people (on GC and in real life), but if you've already chosen to go down it, then congrats in advance, and seriously...good luck!

[ProfLorax]

bhr: what schools are on your list? Would you like to see my SoP down the road? #rhetcomp4life

[queeraf]

Seeing this thread start so early makes me a little anxious lol I'm looking at University of Arizona (although I don't know whether to apply to MA or Phd), Oregon State, Washington State University, and University of Washington. What do people think of applying to Phd programs as an undergrad?

[echo449]

I did it! Ymmv, tho. It depends on where you are personally, and where you need to be in terms of yr goals. I think there are reasons that I personally would not have benefitted from an MA, but a friend of mine, from the same class and university, is in a position where hers will be a crucial part of her academic development. If you feel that you arn't exactly sure what you want to do, then an MA is especially useful in that it gives you the opportunity to do graduate level work without the pressures of a PhD program over your head (quals, dissertations, etc). 

Edit: Also, I had to apply twice after a misfire of a first round (0 for 10, with 2 unfunded MA offers). So it wasn't exactly straight-forward for me either. 

Edited June 5, 2015 by echo449

[Dr. Old Bill]

Seeing this thread start so early makes me a little anxious lol I'm looking at University of Arizona (although I don't know whether to apply to MA or Phd), Oregon State, Washington State University, and University of Washington. What do people think of applying to Phd programs as an undergrad?

 

My feelings are...mixed. On the one hand, there were a number of GC folks in this past application season who got into great Ph.D. programs, directly from undergrad. Most of them were "non-traditional" students, mind you...but it is certainly possible.

 

Having said that, my subjective take is that it's not quite as 50/50 (between Ph.D. acceptees with M.A.s and those with only B.A.s in hand) as I had thought when going into the process. I consider myself very fortunate to have gotten into a great M.A. program in this last cycle (I'm a non-traditional student who just finished his B.A.), but it was demonstrably NOT my plan when applying. I cast a wide net, and while I didn't think that getting into a Ph.D. program was a foregone conclusion, I'd be lying if I said that in my heart-of-hearts I didn't firmly believe that I would get a couple of acceptances.

 

But that's my completely subjective take, wholly based on my experience in this last cycle. A couple of friends I made through this very board had vastly different results, and there was even someone here who had a clean sweep, getting into seven out of seven Ph.D. programs, with only a B.A. in hand. Again -- it's doable. I think you have to have pretty much ALL aspects of your application be strong, however, including GRE scores, GPA, letters of recommendation, SOPs, and obviously an air-tight writing sample. You also have to offer the admissions committees something memorable. If, for example, you can read six languages fluently, you might have a slight leg up on the competition (or co-opetition, as the case may be). Publications aren't expected from an applicant with a B.A., but by that same token, they can't hurt.

 

The bottom line of all of this is preparedness...not just in terms of application materials, or even just in terms of mental preparedness. It means emotional, social, and academic preparedness as well. Touching base with POIs (faculty members who you might like to work with) well in advance can sometimes bear fruit. But IF you have even the slightest doubt about your suitability, or if your materials could use a bit of seasoning, there's no harm in applying to M.A. programs as well (preferably funded ones, but YMMV). Honestly, it's not just gratitude that UMD picked me for their M.A. program that makes me thrilled to be attending -- it's also the slow-arriving-but-no-less-legitimate realization that getting an M.A. will help my development as a scholar. Do I think I could have hacked it in a Ph.D. program right away? Sure. But that doesn't mean that having an M.A. in hand for the next go-round won't make me a MUCH stronger candidate.

 

Hope this helps a bit!

 

 

 

ETA: Cross-posted with Echo449.

Edited June 5, 2015 by Wyatt's Torch

[iExcelAtMicrosoftPuns]

Exciting! I'm making my PhD list and checking it twice. 
For Comp/Rhet -
Michigan State,
Austin,
Louisville,
Nebraska,
Milwaukee,
 - there are a few others that I'm sort of up in the air about. 
 

[bhr]

bhr: what schools are on your list? Would you like to see my SoP down the road? #rhetcomp4life

Still in flux. There are about a dozen people I would love to work under at different schools, but I need to shake that out. My current chair is encouraging me to also look outside the field a bit. Right now, MSU and OSU are the only two definites. Purdue would be, but I've heard their stipends are far too low to survive. I got to talk to Cathy Davidson a bit last week, and love everything about CUNY, but would never want to live in NYC.

I will happily look at any materials you have, btw. I'm building my deadline/requirements spreadsheet now, and hope to have my materials ready to send out by the start of the semester 

 

I've been using https://technaverbascripta.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/cccccolleges.pngas a bit of a starter for "top" programs, since there is no real R/C list anywhere.

[thepriorwalter]

Have you thought about Ohio State and Maryland for rhet/comp? UC Boulder also just got a pretty great hire this year but I'm not sure what the program there looks like beyond that.

ETA: that was in reply to bowtiesarecool! Bah, Internet forum posting.

Edited June 5, 2015 by thepriorwalter

[empress-marmot]

Still in flux. There are about a dozen people I would love to work under at different schools, but I need to shake that out. My current chair is encouraging me to also look outside the field a bit. Right now, MSU and OSU are the only two definites. Purdue would be, but I've heard their stipends are far too low to survive. I got to talk to Cathy Davidson a bit last week, and love everything about CUNY, but would never want to live in NYC.

I will happily look at any materials you have, btw. I'm building my deadline/requirements spreadsheet now, and hope to have my materials ready to send out by the start of the semester 

 

I've been using https://technaverbascripta.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/cccccolleges.pngas a bit of a starter for "top" programs, since there is no real R/C list anywhere.

 

A couple months back I looked at all the Rhet/Comp PhD programs (that I could find, anyway) and looked up where their faculty got their degrees. I came up with a couple traditionally strong programs, if anyone wants the list. 

[bhr]

A couple months back I looked at all the Rhet/Comp PhD programs (that I could find, anyway) and looked up where their faculty got their degrees. I came up with a couple traditionally strong programs, if anyone wants the list. 

Feel free to DM me with that, though I can probably guess. Did you look over the last 5 or 10 years, or just everyone? I'm curious, as we've seen, I think, some programs rise (OSU, MSU, Louisville) and other fall off (MTU, Penn State) due to personnel moves and retirements.

[HumanCylinder]

I've lurked around these forums for the past year, but I thought I should finally participate this application season.  I'll be applying to literature Ph.D programs this year.  This will actually be my third round applying, but first applying widely (which I probably should have done from the start).  I applied to a handful of mostly local prorams for the past two years, obviously with little success (one offer, but without full fundng).  Here's to hoping I fare better this round.  

[iExcelAtMicrosoftPuns]

Have you thought about Ohio State and Maryland for rhet/comp? UC Boulder also just got a pretty great hire this year but I'm not sure what the program there looks like beyond that.

ETA: that was in reply to bowtiesarecool! Bah, Internet forum posting.

I've thought about both of them! I know a few peeps at OSU and I know I'll be working with some of the faculty (briefly) in August. 

As for UC Boulder - I haven't checked them out. I'll be in Boulder for a conference in October - maybe if I do my homework I can establish a few connections out that way.

[1Q84]

I've lurked around these forums for the past year, but I thought I should finally participate this application season.  I'll be applying to literature Ph.D programs this year.  This will actually be my third round applying, but first applying widely (which I probably should have done from the start).  I applied to a handful of mostly local prorams for the past two years, obviously with little success (one offer, but without full fundng).  Here's to hoping I fare better this round.  

 

I see you're in the LA area! If you're still going to be applying locally, feel free to PM me as I mostly applied locally last year as well (with a little success!) Would love to share what I've learned.

[HumanCylinder]

I appreciate the offer, 1Q84 -- I'm interested in your experience, so I'll be sure to do that.  Some of the local schools I applied to have already rejected me twice, so I took that as a pretty clear sign that the interest was not mutual.  I do plan to improve my application materials, but I'm not sure if I should apply to those schools again.  I'm not tied to the area any more, so I'm excited to apply much more broadly, but I would definitely prefer to stay close to home if possible.   

[xolo]

Hi HumanCylinder. I'm super-duper non-traditional and applied sort of out of curiosity as much as anything and had some success. I feel like I learned a lot about the somewhat random process of PhD applications. PM me if you want and I'll share what I know.

[queeraf]

@Wyatts torch & @echo449 thank you for all of the advice! I'm probably going to apply to both but am hoping for a funded phd program, also, what do people think of using a women's studies writing sample for rhetoric and composition programs? And do people know of programs that welcome feminist/chicana theory?Thank you!!!

[iExcelAtMicrosoftPuns]

A couple months back I looked at all the Rhet/Comp PhD programs (that I could find, anyway) and looked up where their faculty got their degrees. I came up with a couple traditionally strong programs, if anyone wants the list. 

 

I'd take that list! 

[1Q84]

Any fall '16 applicants studying for the subject test? I have a used 6th edition Princeton Review study guide (this one) that I no longer need, and I'd love to pass it on to someone who could use it.  It has some underlining and notes scribbled in the margins, and I circled answers to the practice test in the back.  It's free to a good home (and I'm happy to pay shipping to anywhere in the US).  If you'd like it, send me a PM.  Good luck!

 

A nice offer! I'll offer up my GRE General 2012 guide and I think have a Subject Test one around as well.

 

Caveat: the Lit Subject Test is radically different (in my mind) to what is described by all existing Princeton guides, so take what strategies they describe with a large grain of salt.

[silenus_thescribe]

Caveat: the Lit Subject Test is radically different (in my mind) to what is described by all existing Princeton guides, so take what strategies they describe with a large grain of salt.

 

Signal boosting this. The most recent Princeton guide, while helpful in many ways, underestimates how much reading comprehension there is on the test.

[sarabethke]

I'm thinking UOregon, UCDavis, UCSanta Barbara, UTAustin, UTKnoxville, Rutgers, and Indiana. I'm looking for an English program with opportunities for medieval studies through either emphasis or certificate at a school that also has faculty who work with Old French. Of the above I think only Knoxville doesn't qualify...

 

Regarding the subject test--does that mean it's not as important to recognize works or authors? And probably takes longer because of all the reading comprehension?

[HumanCylinder]

Regarding the subject test--does that mean it's not as important to recognize works or authors? And probably takes longer because of all the reading comprehension?

Taking the subject test has been a saga for me. Somehow, I ended up taking it three times (1st time = very sick and not even close to finishing the test, 2nd time = blaring music at testing location, leading ETS to give me a free retake, 3rd time = this past April and I finally got a score I was satisfied with). 

 

Here's what I experienced.  The second time I took it, which was fall 2014, there was a lot more reading comprehension on the test, and I felt it did take longer.  That being said, the comprehension was a lot easier if you had read, and were decently familiar with, the excerpted text.  

 

What's interesting about my overall experience, though, is that the test I received most recently was very similar to the one I received the first time (fall 2013), and both of these versions did in fact have a lot more author matching/text regognition questions on them. 

 

In case that was really hard to follow (and I'm sure it was -- sorry!), all I'm basically trying to say is that it can entirely depend on what version of the test you are handed, so it may be best to go into it with expectiations that are not too ossified.        

[unræd]

I'm thinking UOregon, UCDavis, UCSanta Barbara, UTAustin, UTKnoxville, Rutgers, and Indiana. I'm looking for an English program with opportunities for medieval studies through either emphasis or certificate at a school that also has faculty who work with Old French. Of the above I think only Knoxville doesn't qualify...

 

Regarding the subject test--does that mean it's not as important to recognize works or authors? And probably takes longer because of all the reading comprehension?

 

Welcome, fellow medievalist! Are you looking for English faculty who do work in Old French, or faculty in French who would also be able to be on your committee? If the latter, I can think of several other schools with strong medieval English programs with affiliate French faculty you might want to consider.

 

In re the subject test, I'll say that I didn't find the test I took last fall to be wildly different from the practice ones available--there was more reading comprehension, yes, but still plenty of point blank "Who was the author of XXX?" questions. That's a minority opinion, though, so YMMV. I will say that I still think the Princeton Review book is incredibly useful preparation--I started last year's app season with grand plans to drown myself in flashcards, but me being my procrastinatory self, ended up just using the Princeton, and did well on the exam.

 

One of the things about the subject test to remember and that often gets lost in discussions about it is that it is still at its base just multiple choice test, and is therefore very susceptible to general crafty test-taking strategies.

[sarabethke]

Welcome, fellow medievalist! Are you looking for English faculty who do work in Old French, or faculty in French who would also be able to be on your committee? If the latter, I can think of several other schools with strong medieval English programs with affiliate French faculty you might want to consider.

 

 

The latter! I'd appreciate some recommendations.

 

And yeah, I have the Princeton Review book--I'll try to be prepared!