Fall 2017 Applicants

[biyutefulphlower]

On 12/23/2016 at 9:00 PM, echo449 said:

I mispelled the name of one of the poets that I intended to write on in many copies of my SoP, so I'm sure you guys will be fine. 

To add on to these tales of woe - just discovered I used the wrong 'whose' in my SoP to Chicago.

It is what it is, but...aaarrrgh.

 

[LouPlease]

12 hours ago, biyutefulphlower said:

To add on to these tales of woe - just discovered I used the wrong 'whose' in my SoP to Chicago.

It is what it is, but...aaarrrgh.

 

And I used "crises" instead of "crisis" on the first damn page of my writing sample. ?

[Dr. Old Bill]

21 minutes ago, LouisePlease said:

And I used "crises" instead of "crisis" on the first damn page of my writing sample. ?

I refuse to reread my materials for this very reason. My WS went through several rounds of revision (and was read by several sets of eyes) which should weed out any typos, but they always manage to creep in. That said, I wouldn't worry too much about a typo like this -- there's a decent chance that it won't be caught, and if it is, it will probably be seen as just a typo (i.e., a typing error as opposed to a conceptual error). Chin up!

[JessicaLange]

4 hours ago, Wyatt's Terps said:

I refuse to reread my materials for this very reason

Same! I'm too nervous to do it. I'm sort of saying c'est la vie to the whole thing. I want to think that if I don't get in, it's something on their end and they desperately wanted me, but couldn't fit me in. I don't want it to be because of a spelling error. You have to create your own reality sometimes.

[Dr. Old Bill]

52 minutes ago, JessicaLange said:

Same! I'm too nervous to do it. I'm sort of saying c'est la vie to the whole thing. I want to think that if I don't get in, it's something on their end and they desperately wanted me, but couldn't fit me in. I don't want it to be because of a spelling error. You have to create your own reality sometimes.

"One of the candidates with the exact same interests as yours walked in here wearing a bomb jacket and threatened to blow us all up if we didn't admit him! We're really sorry, but we had no choice!"

Edited December 31, 2016 by Wyatt's Terps

[Caien]

I hadn't intended to reread @Wyatt's Terps, my WS had been read by three professors and four of my friends with humanities degrees, and I myself has proofed it so every comma was exactly right. But, in a horribly ironic twist, my writing sample was published just a few weeks ago. I proudly sent an online link to my mother to read, and when I got home for Christmas:

Me *pleased as punch*: Did you read the editorial before the article?

Mother: Yes, but um...

Me: What?

Mother: I don't fully understand the title.

Me: What do you mean?

Mother: There seems to be a word missing.

Me: ... What?

Mother: Its probably just some English literature-y way of saying it that I don't get... but shouldn't there be an 'a' in here?

Me: ...I'm going to go cry now.

Where the missing 'a' went will remain a mystery, it is in an older version of my WS then disappears around November. Somehow I must have been so used to the title that my eyes skimmed it, and my proofreaders must not have looked at the title. Suffice to say, it has somewhat spoiled my first publication. Also I had my mother proofread my last few SoPs...

 

[unræd]

I have a colleague whose writing sample and SOP each had multiple typos, and he got in to just about every school he applied to. Which is not say that noticing typos in your materials after the fact isn't anxiety producing -- seriously, don't reread your stuff after it's sent -- but just that a typo (or many!) isn't at all disqualifying.  Take heart!

Edited December 31, 2016 by unræd

[Caien]

Thanks @unræd, that makes me feel a bit better

[Yanaka]

Happy new year and the warmest and best wishes to all of you and your projects!

[bhr]

Any place that disqualifies a candidate they would otherwise accept over a minor typo or three isn't a place I would want to attend (and have to submit work to). Having worked on a major journal, I've seen the typos that leading scholars make on articles, and they think nothing of it.

[steve3020]

Just wanna know what people think about reapplying to the places you got rejected from the year before. I am doing this with three places, all which I'd very much like to go to. I believed I've improved my package with an extra year of preparation in every aspect except GRE (I only took it once and got a mediocre score but didn't think it was necessary to take it again). Has anyone done this and had positive results? 

[Dr. Old Bill]

6 hours ago, steve3020 said:

Just wanna know what people think about reapplying to the places you got rejected from the year before. I am doing this with three places, all which I'd very much like to go to. I believed I've improved my package with an extra year of preparation in every aspect except GRE (I only took it once and got a mediocre score but didn't think it was necessary to take it again). Has anyone done this and had positive results? 

I can't speak to the "positive results" aspect just yet, but seven of the thirteen programs I'm applying to are places I applied to two years ago. On the one hand, this worries me a little bit -- part of me wonders whether adcomms will see me as a repeat customer who didn't meet their standards before, so why would I meet them now? On the other hand, it's doubtful that they'll remember much, if anything, about my last application (the only reason they might is because the specific work I am interested in remains the same), and even if they do, my approach and methodology are far different, and arguably more developed. It's hard to know how people will react to such things -- you can't discount the human factor of the admissions process, after all.

Regarding the GRE... I had a good (but not great) score when I took it in May of 2014, and I figured that after a couple more years of schooling, it would naturally improve. So I retook it this summer, and -- surprise, surprise -- I scored lower on the verbal. I did slightly better on the AW section, but the verbal is key. I'm simply not good at standardized testing. I have a demonstrably strong vocabulary, but whenever I take the GRE (actual or practice tests), I'm always distracted by the nuances of words. I can use almost all of the test words correctly in a sentence of my own, but when it comes to plugging them in to a pre-fab sentence, I can't stop imagining how the other options could work. I bet I would have done better if I rushed through it and didn't give myself time to think, but that's a tough risk during a long, expensive, and (unfortunately) essential test. What I'm getting at, however, is that retaking it doesn't necessarily mean you'll do better, even if you've become a better scholar. I'm quite certain that many high-profile professors would do well, but not really well, were they forced to take it right now...

Edited January 2, 2017 by Wyatt's Terps

[steve3020]

45 minutes ago, Wyatt's Terps said:

I can't speak to the "positive results" aspect just yet, but seven of the thirteen programs I'm applying to are places I applied to two years ago. On the one hand, this worries me a little bit -- part of me wonders whether adcomms will see me as a repeat customer who didn't meet their standards before, so why would I meet them now? On the other hand, it's doubtful that they'll remember much, if anything, about my last application (the only reason they might is because the specific work I am interested in remains the same), and even if they do, my approach and methodology are far different, and arguably more developed. It's hard to know how people will react to such things -- you can't discount the human factor of the admissions process, after all.

Regarding the GRE... I had a good (but not great) score when I took it in May of 2014, and I figured that after a couple more years of schooling, it would naturally improve. So I retook it this summer, and -- surprise, surprise -- I scored lower on the verbal. I did slightly better on the AW section, but the verbal is key. I'm simply not good at standardized testing. I have a demonstrably strong vocabulary, but whenever I take the GRE (actual or practice tests), I'm always distracted by the nuances of words. I can use almost all of the test words correctly in a sentence of my own, but when it comes to plugging them in to a pre-fab sentence, I can't stop imagining how the other options could work. I bet I would have done better if I rushed through it and didn't give myself time to think, but that's a tough risk during a long, expensive, and (unfortunately) essential test. What I'm getting at, however, is that retaking it doesn't necessarily mean you'll do better, even if you've become a better scholar. I'm quite certain that many high-profile professors would do well, but not really well, were they forced to take it right now...

yeah I doubt that they will remember past applications in any substantial detail. Overall I think it was in a way a good thing that I didn't get accepted in the first attempt. When I re-examined the faculties in those three institutions, I've either realised that I'd rather like to work with some other people than the ones I designated in my first application or I've found more interesting connections between my interests and POIs'. With hindsight I can say that my writing sample and SOP were quite bad. I couldn't help cringing at my past SOP when I read them again haha... It's a wonder how I got one waitlist last year. 

With regards to GRE I just think it's absolute bullshit. Luckily I'm not applying to departments like analytic philosophy or political science where they seem to really care about GRE score. I got mid-160s in verbal and I don't think anyone in my field would care. 

[TeaOverCoffee]

Panicking. Can't think in complete sentences. WHAT DO I DO WITH A MASTER'S DEGREE IF I DON'T GET ACCEPTED TO ONE OF THE 12 PROGRAMS TO WHICH I AM APPLYING? (I am screaming, inside and out.) Console me. Coddle me. Halp. 

[Yanaka]

6 minutes ago, TeaOverCoffee said:

Panicking. Can't think in complete sentences. WHAT DO I DO WITH A MASTER'S DEGREE IF I DON'T GET ACCEPTED TO ONE OF THE 12 PROGRAMS TO WHICH I AM APPLYING? (I am screaming, inside and out.) Console me. Coddle me. Halp. 

You do a lot of stuff! I don't know what exactly. But stuff!

[Dr. Old Bill]

5 hours ago, TeaOverCoffee said:

Panicking. Can't think in complete sentences. WHAT DO I DO WITH A MASTER'S DEGREE IF I DON'T GET ACCEPTED TO ONE OF THE 12 PROGRAMS TO WHICH I AM APPLYING? (I am screaming, inside and out.) Console me. Coddle me. Halp. 

Deeeep breaths!

First of all, I would go against conventional wisdom and suggest that you don't start thinking about plan Bs just yet. Give yourself until March 1st -- you should have a very good idea about whether you will or won't get into a program (or multiple) by then. Yes, some programs can notify late, and there's always the waitlist factor...but I'm personally giving myself until this date before I start to seriously look at alt-ac options. The way I see it, March 1st will give you at least 2.5 months to seriously focus on what's available before you graduate. I've got a paying gig at my program until July 1st, so it gives me four months. That should be enough time to truly gauge the lay of the land.

Secondly, there is a prevailing rhetoric that there are no jobs for people with Master's degrees in English. In my experience, that's simply not the case. I'll admit that there aren't as many obvious jobs (i.e. not the well-earning, dime-a-dozen jobs you can get with a Master's in a STEM field), but you can do well for yourself if you keep an open mind. Non-profit organizations are often quite open to people with humanities degrees. A quick search on idealist.org reveals a plenitude of options. To wit: I just did a quick search for jobs in D.C. and immediately saw a Deputy Director for the National Council for Traditional Arts position that I would be well-qualified for, given my education and experience. And that's literally on the first page of a general search. I'll admit that there's typically not as much money in NPOs as in other employment, but you can make a decent living and do good work. Most arts organizations are NPOs, and you'd be surprised at the range of employment possibilities within. Teaching high school is always an option, and prep schools are possibilities as well. Publishing / editing jobs are pretty scarce (and highly competitive), but many non-humanities jobs need good writers and editors as well. The Chronicle has featured a few articles recently that emphasize how businesses are targeting individuals with humanities degrees. This is nothing new...but perhaps there's more of an uptick.

Ultimately, there are definitely options. You might have to be more creative with your approach, and think outside of traditional avenues of employment, but take solace in knowing that you're far more employable with an M.A. in English than without. But seriously -- don't think about this stuff for another month or two, as it will just cause more undue stress!

Edited January 3, 2017 by Wyatt's Terps

[biyutefulphlower]

8 hours ago, TeaOverCoffee said:

Panicking. Can't think in complete sentences. WHAT DO I DO WITH A MASTER'S DEGREE IF I DON'T GET ACCEPTED TO ONE OF THE 12 PROGRAMS TO WHICH I AM APPLYING? (I am screaming, inside and out.) Console me. Coddle me. Halp. 

I think @Wyatt's Terps advice is sound, but just for more consoling, I have a job and a MA in English It's not a teaching job (if that's what you're looking for), but part of the reason I got this job is they had confidence in my writing skills & my research abilities.  Don't stress - you've got this, one way or another. 

[erosanddust]

My earliest program to notify sent out its acceptances on this day last year. I can't believe that literally any day now could be a day we hear from a program!

[JessicaLange]

26 minutes ago, erosanddust said:

My earliest program to notify sent out its acceptances on this day last year. I can't believe that literally any day now could be a day we hear from a program!

Ahh. That's a really scary prospect. I have one application left (which I'll finish tomorrow), but the apprehension is really starting to set in.

[echo449]

On 12/30/2016 at 10:06 PM, biyutefulphlower said:

To add on to these tales of woe - just discovered I used the wrong 'whose' in my SoP to Chicago.

It is what it is, but...aaarrrgh.

 

Ah, just to clarify, I'm already in--what I mean is that these little mistakes are barely noticed by committees! 

[biyutefulphlower]

1 hour ago, echo449 said:

Ah, just to clarify, I'm already in--what I mean is that these little mistakes are barely noticed by committees! 

Oh, no worries, I understood! I was using your post as a launching point. (And also, apparently, as an excuse to post an image of Alice face-palming.)  I just wanted to gripe to the group.

[Caien]

Does insomnia worsen gradcafe thread stalking, or does gradcafe thread stalking worsen insomnia?

It's January's 5th and I'm already loosing my mind.

[Dr. Old Bill]

4 minutes ago, Caien said:

 

It's January's 5th and I'm already loosing my mind.

Mere anarchy is loosed upon your world!

[soydominique]

Why did I think I could check the Results page "just for fun"?

 

[Caien]

22 hours ago, Wyatt's Terps said:

Mere anarchy is loosed upon your world!

Turning and turning in the widening gyre... 

That poem actually gave me nightmares when I was at school.

31 minutes ago, soydominique said:

 

This is an excellent gif.