Linguistics 2010!

[pointaken]

Hey everyone,

New here...nice to finally read about other people interested in what I'm interested in.

I'm a senior English major and Spanish minor at Maryland applying for a Masters Degree in Applied Linguistics (UCLA, Pitt, Boston U, Teacher College, Georgetown) and some teaching programs (NYU, Illinois, USC) this year. My interests lie somewhere between SLA theory work and straight up teaching, so I figured I'd apply to both kinds of programs and go from there.

I'm planning on taking a year off after graduating in May 2010 to teach English in Spain to figure everything out (I applied for Fulbright and a grant from the Spanish govt), so I'll either have to defer or reapply to some of these schools (most of the ones I talked to said I wouldn't have to repay or resubmit stuff).

[fuzzylogician]

Hello everyone!

I'm applying to all Boston-area programs. Does anyone know if the top schools expect students to already have Master's degrees or published research?

Most internationals tend to have MAs, but I think that's more because it's very hard to apply straight out of undergrad when you're in a 3-year program than anything else. You'd have to apply after finishing the 2nd year, which in most cases means you won't have taken any seminars or written any large papers, and so you couldn't get strong LORs, etc. So most people will finish their BAs and at least start an MA program (to put the extra year to good use). Another issue in many foreign countries is that undergrads don't have (m)any opportunities to do research, and you can only start getting hired as a research assistant after you've finished your BA, if then.

For Americans and Canadians the situation seems to be different, as the system is geared towards grad school applications and students have many more opportunities to do research while in undergrad.

Looking at my cohort and at the successful applicants I met last year during school-visiting-season, I think most Americans came with only a BA, and all the internationals had at least some post-graduate experience. Some people presented in conferences and had proceedings publications, but I don't remember anyone having a journal publication. Some people had worked on projects as research assistants, others had done some field work. Others were just really really smart and apparently had strong LORs. I think everyone had strong writing samples--at least everyone's sounded very interesting.

I think successful applicants are good at marketing themselves as having potential to do innovative work. They show maturity and understanding of both what advances the field has made and where are some weak points that require more work. They come off as focused and knowing what they want to do (but of course they don't really!). Trendy things to mention nowadays are wanting to work on underrepresented languages (read: not English) and wanting to do experimental work. If you're into that, say it. But if not, don't worry. Many of us theoreticians did just fine..

Good luck!

[Smaudge]

Thanks, I can't tell you how helpful you've been! I really feel like I'm alone during this application process, so it's nice to have someone ready to respond to questions.

This may sound like an ignorant question, but what the process for acquiring financial aid for PhD and MA programs? Up until now, I thought that after I was accepted somewhere I would work it out with the school, but now I'm wondering if there's a separate application? Any info about this stuff would be helpful!

[fuzzylogician]

All the programs I applied to guaranteed funding for all accepted PhD students. I can't help you with MA apps, I didn't even know schools still offered that option. I got offered very different amounts, but the norm was an offer of +20,000 with TAing in years 2-4, plus health insurance. There was no need to apply for this funding, though they do encourage everyone to apply for outside funding; but that's not a requirement or anything, it's just an attempt on their part to save departmental resources.

Check the websites - the funding info was posted very clearly on the websites of all the departments I applied to. The majority won't tell you exact amounts, but the more competitive programs offer the same amount to everyone (one less thing to be competitive about, thank god!). In any case, all the offers I got were at least livable, though only one would have actually allowed me to save a nice amount every month. But hey, I'm a grad student. I'm meant to be poor

[Smaudge]

New Question:

Contacting professors.

Should I do it this late in the game? What do I even say? Do applicants usually do this? Is it expected or do you look like a suck-up?

[fuzzylogician]

Preliminary reply:

I never contacted anyone before I submitted my app.

They contacted me later either for interviews or to let me know I was accepted. I eventually had very nice phone conversations with at least one semantics faculty at each university I applied to, and I visited and met in person all the semantics faculty at 5 of those places. But this is all after I had applied--I think the first contact was made towards the end of January, the last decision was made in late February.

I'll ask whoever's in the office tomorrow and get back to you about what they did.

[Smaudge]

Rock on. I'm nominating you for best poster ever.

[fuzzylogician]

Haha, it goes along with best procrastinator ever award.

[fuzzylogician]

It seems it's getting too close to Christmas. No one is coming into the office these days. I've only managed to ask one person and he didn't contact anyone either, but that's not exactly representative..

[Smaudge]

It seems it's getting too close to Christmas. No one is coming into the office these days. I've only managed to ask one person and he didn't contact anyone either, but that's not exactly representative..

No worries. I think it would sound desperate at this point. For now I'm concentrating on my upcoming deadlines: Brown (yikes) Harvard (double yikes) MIT (triple yikes)

[fuzzylogician]

Good luck with those deadlines!

.. and don't forget to go out and celebrate once you've submitted everything

[solairne]

I'm applying!

McGill, MIT, Amherst, and Rice

My stats are in the new topic. It shouldn't be hard to find as nobody ever posts here lol.

[Smaudge]

I got emails today from UConn and Brown. They've received the applications and will be meeting this week to go over everything. Preliminary decisions will be arriving soon...

Is anyone else looking to hear back during the first week of Feb?

[ColorlessGreen]

I got emails today from UConn and Brown. They've received the applications and will be meeting this week to go over everything. Preliminary decisions will be arriving soon...

Is anyone else looking to hear back during the first week of Feb?

One of my schools has a history of doing phone interviews the first week of February, and one has a history of accepting top applicants the second week. I will have a constant churning in my stomach until then.

[LinguistK]

One of my schools has a history of doing phone interviews the first week of February, and one has a history of accepting top applicants the second week. I will have a constant churning in my stomach until then.

I have been barely able to sleep this week and I jump when the phone rings. OSU seems to do a first round of admits in the last days of January. Last year, several people heard on January 29. I'm so SO nervous!

[solairne]

If you check the results, Chapel Hill has already started giving back admissions decisions for Linguistics.

It seems like none of my programs will let me know either way until at the earliest the middle of February, so I am a little bit more relaxed. I still constantly check my email, and if my phone buzzes in class, I'll definitely look at the area code or the email. It seems that my schools will be responding via phone call or personal email before I'll receive anything in the post or an update on the application page... so... I just keep checking that inbox. lol

As scared as I am to hear back about if/where I got in, I'm equally scared by the prospects of packing up my house, dogs, life, and moving. It's all so fun, though!

Edited January 26, 2010 by solairne

[pangur-ban]

And a couple more now too. The season begins... I predict the next few weeks will be horribly stressful for me. But the Chapel Hill admit was mine, and it is a huge relief and I'm excited about it. But I'm still anxious about the others.

[solairne]

And a couple more now too. The season begins... I predict the next few weeks will be horribly stressful for me. But the Chapel Hill admit was mine, and it is a huge relief and I'm excited about it. But I'm still anxious about the others.

That is so good! Congratulations! It must be nice to know that be that your first choice or not, you at least have somewhere to go in September.

I still think mine are 3-4 more weeks away, but we'll see.

What did you do when you found out?

[pangur-ban]

That is so good! Congratulations! It must be nice to know that be that your first choice or not, you at least have somewhere to go in September.

I still think mine are 3-4 more weeks away, but we'll see.

What did you do when you found out?

Well, I have the option of staying where I am next year also, but the fit isn't fantastic, so yeah, it's nice to have somewhere else to go. And with better weather too...

Hm, I don't think I did much, really. I replied to their email that I was thrilled to be admitted and I'd let them know my plans regarding a visit (which I should probably get on top of soon) and then I told my parents and they took me out for dinner.

So, I guess the most exciting answer to that question might be, "When I found out I got into UNC-CH, I ate half a chicken!!!"

[solairne]

Well, I have the option of staying where I am next year also, but the fit isn't fantastic, so yeah, it's nice to have somewhere else to go. And with better weather too...

Hm, I don't think I did much, really. I replied to their email that I was thrilled to be admitted and I'd let them know my plans regarding a visit (which I should probably get on top of soon) and then I told my parents and they took me out for dinner.

So, I guess the most exciting answer to that question might be, "When I found out I got into UNC-CH, I ate half a chicken!!!"

How is that trip going to work out? Do you have to pay totally out-of-pocket or is the school paying?

[pangur-ban]

How is that trip going to work out? Do you have to pay totally out-of-pocket or is the school paying?

I haven't asked yet, but they didn't offer to pay, and as a state school, I'm not sure what their funding situation is. I will ask for rides to and from the airport though, and hopefully someone in the department will put me up for a night or two. Otherwise, I have a friend there who offered to house me.

I'm a bit worried about my attendance for classes this semester at my home institution though. Most have a 2 or 3 absences policy before they start taking points off your final grade, and I'm already missing a day for a conference in March, and I'll have to miss a day to visit here, then if I visit other schools or ever get sick, it could be a problem. I suppose my GPA won't matter much, but I think I have to have a 3.5 or so overall to get the MA here.

[solairne]

I haven't asked yet, but they didn't offer to pay, and as a state school, I'm not sure what their funding situation is. I will ask for rides to and from the airport though, and hopefully someone in the department will put me up for a night or two. Otherwise, I have a friend there who offered to house me.

I'm a bit worried about my attendance for classes this semester at my home institution though. Most have a 2 or 3 absences policy before they start taking points off your final grade, and I'm already missing a day for a conference in March, and I'll have to miss a day to visit here, then if I visit other schools or ever get sick, it could be a problem. I suppose my GPA won't matter much, but I think I have to have a 3.5 or so overall to get the MA here.

Talk to professors about it. I'm sure they are going to be more than understanding.

[pangur-ban]

Talk to professors about it. I'm sure they are going to be more than understanding.

I certainly hope so. But I am still neurotic.

[fuzzylogician]

I certainly hope so. But I am still neurotic.

Congrats on your acceptance!

I'm sure your professors will be very understanding of your situation...no one will prevent you from visiting a PhD program that has accepted you. As for the visit itself, even if the school doesn't fund your flight (some public schools didn't fund me last year, and this year is probably going to be just as bad), every school provided me with a host, rides to- and from the airport, a public transportation ticket for the duration of my visit, and a few lunch/dinner invites. You can probably expect the same treats

[pangur-ban]

Congrats on your acceptance!

I'm sure your professors will be very understanding of your situation...no one will prevent you from visiting a PhD program that has accepted you. As for the visit itself, even if the school doesn't fund your flight (some public schools didn't fund me last year, and this year is probably going to be just as bad), every school provided me with a host, rides to- and from the airport, a public transportation ticket for the duration of my visit, and a few lunch/dinner invites. You can probably expect the same treats

Thank you!

My main worry is because I'm transferring out of a PhD program rather than leaving a terminal MA, and it seems the faculty is split on how happy they are when people do this. But I do plan on letting professors know why I'm missing their classes so much, and I hope they'll be understanding. I've overloaded my schedule this semester in terms of courses and various extracurricular commitments, so I'm preemptively worried about how things are going to be around crunch time, especially if I've lost a bunch of weekends to conferences and visits (ever the optimist in hoping to do more than one). But I just did the math and found out I can do some pretty mediocre work and still get the 3.5 I need for the degree, if I can just manage to write the thesis in time, so that is some comfort.

Thanks also for the info on visits! It should be pretty affordable if I'm basically only paying for my flight and a couple of meals.