Fall 2017 Applicants

[Caien]

4 minutes ago, loganondorf said:

W.H.A.T.

Good for you! That's mildly terrifying, but also super exciting! I'm sure they'll be very impressed and offer you admission on the spot. 

Hahaha.... he I'm more terrified than excited at this point. Looking back over some old threads it looks like those who go to campus get more than one meeting with fewer professors, so I guess they're just combining them all at once for the skype interviews for logistical reasons. What are you doing to prepare?

[loganondorf]

5 minutes ago, Caien said:

Hahaha.... he I'm more terrified than excited at this point. Looking back over some old threads it looks like those who go to campus get more than one meeting with fewer professors, so I guess they're just combining them all at once for the skype interviews for logistical reasons. What are you doing to prepare?

You'll be okay! I'm sure they'll keep in mind how nervous you're likely to be, which if anything will only make them think more highly of you. I'll send you a PM so we can talk more in detail without spamming this thread!

[Warelin]

16 minutes ago, loganondorf said:

For what it's worth, I didn't take the subject GRE (figured it wouldn't be worth the money), and still got offered an interview. It could still work against me in the long run, since I haven't been offered admission yet, but it doesn't seem to be a deal-breaker early on in the process, at least!

Out of curiosity, do you have a Master's degree? I scored a 620 but am unsure of what a program considers low.

 

13 minutes ago, Caien said:

Hahaha.... he I'm more terrified than excited at this point. Looking back over some old threads it looks like those who go to campus get more than one meeting with fewer professors, so I guess they're just combining them all at once for the skype interviews for logistical reasons. What are you doing to prepare?

It's hard to speculate on older threads at times. Last cycle, Notre Dame had a literature program. They no longer do as of this cycle when I last checked. It could mean they're cutting costs to put into newer program initiatives. I think one of the recent things that ND did last semester is guarantee a lectureship/one year fellowship to anyone who completed their program in 5 years.

[loganondorf]

32 minutes ago, Warelin said:

Out of curiosity, do you have a Master's degree? I scored a 620 but am unsure of what a program considers low.

I do; M.A. in a linguistics-focused program, though, so I'm unsure as to how it would be considered next to a literature degree. I'd say that if the rest of your application is strong (and perhaps if your transcripts/C.V. show a strong literature background), the extra money isn't worth it. Then again, I doubt sending the scores could hurt your chances!

[Dr. Old Bill]

For what it's worth, I didn't submit my subject score to any schools that didn't outright require it. My score was 570 / 57th percentile, which isn't bad (things were going well, but somehow I ran out of time and missed 59 questions overall...), but I figured there was no sense in giving those programs an additional largely useless metric when it wasn't required. Numbers have a way of carrying more weight than they should sometimes, so I didn't want to take the chance. 

[Sunsy]

@Caien That's scary, but I'm sure you'll do great!

4 hours ago, Warelin said:

Out of curiosity, did you submit your subject score to ND? I know they say it's optional but I'm trying to figure out for next cycle if it's worthwhile to spend the money to send them the results.

 

 

I sent my subject as well, with a 710. I did pretty well I figured, so it wasn't much of a question for me, but if it had been much lower I probably wouldn't have sent it. Like Caien I'm also straight out of a BA. 

 

Edited January 26, 2017 by Sunsy

[Sunsy]

Also, does anyone know what's up with the Columbia interview posted on the results board? Seems weird to me, and I figured it might be for Comp Lit? Does Columbia English typically interview?

[eadwacer]

3 minutes ago, Sunsy said:

Also, does anyone know what's up with the Columbia interview posted on the results board? Seems weird to me, and I figured it might be for Comp Lit? Does Columbia English typically interview?

I was wondering the same thing. I don't remember seeing anything about interviews during the whole time I was working on my application for them.

[piers_plowman]

Comp Lit is my guess - while English and Comp Lit are technically the same department at Columbia, they insist that you specify CL on your application so it can be read by those professors, implying nominally separate status. They even have their own CL institute, apparently.

 

From their website: "If you are planning to go on in Comparative Literature, you should list "Comparative Literature" as your subfield on the first page of the application, perhaps as one of a pair of subfields, such as "Comp.Lit./Renaissance" or "Comp.Lit./Postcolonial." This specification will help ensure that your application is read by faculty in your areas of central interest. Please see the home page of the Institute for Comparative Literature and Society for further information on the Comparative Literature program"

 

This is pure speculation, could be English, but my guess is no.

[Caien]

Looking back over the boards it doesn't look like they've interviewed for Comp Lit either in the past

[Dr. Old Bill]

Commenting here because it doesn't really fit with any other threads, but...

Would the person or persons who are creating "other" entries on the results page to ask questions of other results posters please stop doing that? The results page is just a results page...it's not really conducive to having back and forth questions and answers.

Sorry to sound like a net nanny, but it really misleads the eye when looking at the results page...

[VirginiaWoolf]

8 minutes ago, Wyatt's Terps said:

Commenting here because it doesn't really fit with any other threads, but...

Would the person or persons who are creating "other" entries on the results page to ask questions of other results posters please stop doing that? The results page is just a results page...it's not really conducive to having back and forth questions and answers.

Sorry to sound like a net nanny, but it really misleads the eye when looking at the results page...

I second this motion!! Thanks for bring it up

[Avalanched]

3 hours ago, Wyatt's Terps said:

Commenting here because it doesn't really fit with any other threads, but...

Would the person or persons who are creating "other" entries on the results page to ask questions of other results posters please stop doing that? The results page is just a results page...it's not really conducive to having back and forth questions and answers.

Sorry to sound like a net nanny, but it really misleads the eye when looking at the results page...

Thirded. I've never seen this in previous years but I keep flipping out a little every time I see a new post before realizing it's an erroneous post. 

[anxiousphd]

3 hours ago, Wyatt's Terps said:

Would the person or persons who are creating "other" entries on the results page to ask questions of other results posters please stop doing that? The results page is just a results page...it's not really conducive to having back and forth questions and answers.
 

I'm wondering if it's people who don't know about or understand the forums. I know some people who stay off the forums and only look at the results page, but I have no clue why people are posting random queries in the results this year.

[Dr. Old Bill]

31 minutes ago, anxiousgrad said:

I'm wondering if it's people who don't know about or understand the forums. I know some people who stay off the forums and only look at the results page, but I have no clue why people are posting random queries in the results this year.

Either way, I've been clicking on "Report Spam" whenever I see them, and the mods usually clear them away in fairly short order.

[engphiledu]

Just wanted to express my gratitude to all the lovely people on these English forums. 

I glanced over at the History forum (my husband applied to a few programs), and it's really tense over there. Some applicants are being downright rude and degrading, or on the other end of the spectrum, arrogant and close-minded.

I know there have been periods on this forum where some of us have disagreed. It's not always rainbows and sunshine, by an means. But, the outpouring of love both for fellow applicants who are struggling with rejections (or radio silence) as well as those who have received good news has reinforced my faith in what we do - the study and spread of humanity. Even as fellow competitors for a select few spots, we are able to build each other up and offer condolences/congratulations. By no means am I saying that the History folks (or any other boards) don't have this support network as well, and I think I've just happened upon a not-so-desirable, unfortunate argument. Overall, I think that's what GC is meant to be and primarily accomplishes.

But, I wanted you all to know that I am privileged to be counted among such a group of individuals. Even though you are all in many ways strangers, I think that's what makes your unhesitating desire to send virtual encouragements even more amazing.

Edited February 11, 2017 by engphiledu

[Dr. Old Bill]

33 minutes ago, engphiledu said:

Just wanted to express my gratitude to all the lovely people on these English forums. 

I glanced over at the History forum (my husband applied to a few programs), and it's really tense over there. Some applicants are being downright rude and degrading, or on the other end of the spectrum, arrogant and close-minded.

I know there have been periods on this forum where some of us have disagreed. It's not always rainbows and sunshine, by an means. But, the outpouring of love both for fellow applicants who are struggling with rejections (or radio silence) as well as those who have received good news has reinforced my faith in what we do - the study and spread of humanity. Even as fellow competitors for a select few spots, we are able to build each other up and offer condolences/congratulations. By no means am I saying that the History folks (or any other boards) don't have this support network as well, and I think I've just happened upon a not-so-desirable, unfortunate argument. Overall, I think that's what GC is meant to be and primarily accomplishes.

But, I wanted you all to know that I am privileged to be counted among such a group of individuals. Even though you are all in many ways strangers, I think that's what makes your unhesitating desire to send virtual encouragements even more amazing.

Tragically out of upvotes, but what a lovely post, @engphiledu!

This GC cohort feels a bit special. I definitely made some legitimate friendships from GC a couple of years ago, and there were many, many fantastic people here then...but there's been almost nothing but mutual encouragement this year, and that's pretty awesome. I'm really grateful that I'll be in this field alongside most of you for a great many years to come.

 

[FeetInTheSky]

11 minutes ago, Wyatt's Terps said:

Tragically out of upvotes, but what a lovely post, @engphiledu!

This GC cohort feels a bit special. I definitely made some legitimate friendships from GC a couple of years ago, and there were many, many fantastic people here then...but there's been almost nothing but mutual encouragement this year, and that's pretty awesome. I'm really grateful that I'll be in this field alongside most of you for a great many years to come.

 

I totally agree with what @engphiledu says as well. Something I noticed is that there's a lot of application-related activity on this forum, and that's really great to have a support system like that now. I really don't like competition at all, and it's such a relief to have such a kind-hearted group here.

Now, I've never been to grad school, but I imagine it's somewhat hard? Just a guess. And so it disheartens me a little to imagine that the group will fall apart once the shared stress of application season wavers. If we can remain active, I think it will create a wonderful support network for students to discuss graduate school things with people who aren't necessarily in their own program. Sometimes an outside perspective is really necessary. And it would be fun to meet up at conferences and the like. And since this group is so tight, we can lay a bit of groundwork for further cohorts to have a similar structure pre-built for them. 

tl;dr, maybe we can transition this application community into a scholarly one. Here's hoping, you know?

Edited February 11, 2017 by JeremyWrites

[tvethiopia]

6 minutes ago, JeremyWrites said:

And so it disheartens me a little to imagine that the group will fall apart once the shared stress of application season wavers.

don't be disheartened! i think the drift away from GC after acceptance has more to do with creating new bonds with your cohort than it does with stressed-out isolation. i've made some amazing BFFs in my MA program, but since they aren't all going into PhDs right away, GC offers a different community that's going through the same kind of stuff i am. it's something i'm absolutely grateful for and i hope that i will continue to pop my head in regardless of where i wind up, but i also hope to form new support systems as well.

[FeetInTheSky]

6 minutes ago, tvethiopia said:

don't be disheartened! i think the drift away from GC after acceptance has more to do with creating new bonds with your cohort than it does with stressed-out isolation. i've made some amazing BFFs in my MA program, but since they aren't all going into PhDs right away, GC offers a different community that's going through the same kind of stuff i am. it's something i'm absolutely grateful for and i hope that i will continue to pop my head in regardless of where i wind up, but i also hope to form new support systems as well.

True, true! 

[Yanaka]

Lovely, @engphiledu! 

It's sometimes hard to remain positive for others who get in when you're so out of hope, but bitterness only makes one sadder. It's my first year on GC and yes, I am astounded by the comfort the forum brings. Hugs to y'all! 

(And yeah, I'm also out of upvotes.) 

[Yanaka]

Me again!

I didn't know where to post this, but I need as many honest answers possible. I am going to apply to a few MA programs whose deadlines have not passed yet and submitting my GRE scores is not mandatory for some of them. Would you consider that a ~155V ~140Q and 4.5 AWA can hurt my application? Since I'm doing my BA in a French university and will not have an English major, I am debating whether my GRE can help show that I'll be comfortable with studying English or if, on the contrary, they're not good enough to be submitted and might tank my file. What do you (very candidly) think?

Edited February 12, 2017 by fuzzylogician
Edited for privacy at poster's request

[CrunchyMamademic]

7 hours ago, Yanaka said:

Me again!

I didn't know where to post this, but I need as many honest answers possible. I am going to apply to a few MA programs whose deadlines have not passed yet and submitting my GRE scores is not mandatory for some of them. Would you consider that a ~155V ~140Q and 4.5 AWA can hurt my application? Since I'm doing my BA in a French university and will not have an English major, I am debating whether my GRE can help show that I'll be comfortable with studying English or if, on the contrary, they're not good enough to be submitted and might tank my file. What do you (very candidly) think?

I did not submit GRE scores to my PhD programs because they were not required, and that had no effect on at least one of the two (still waiting on word from the second). I was accepted, fully funded with an additional fellowship.

I think before you decide you should look at what the scores would be used for. Are they just an addition to your application file, or are they the basis for additional fellowships?

 

Edit: I actually don't have GRE scores. I work for ETS scoring the writing sample, so I cannot take the exam myself.

Edited February 12, 2017 by fuzzylogician
Edited quoted post for privacy

[Yanaka]

13 minutes ago, CrunchyMamademic said:

I did not submit GRE scores to my PhD programs because they were not required, and that had no effect on at least one of the two (still waiting on word from the second). I was accepted, fully funded with an additional fellowship.

I think before you decide you should look at what the scores would be used for. Are they just an addition to your application file, or are they the basis for additional fellowships?

Thanks. It's an interesting question that I was able to add in my email to UMB, thanks to your timely reply  

[Warelin]

14 minutes ago, Yanaka said:

Thanks. It's an interesting question that I was able to add in my email to UMB, thanks to your timely reply  

UMB as in UM-Boston? If so, GRE scores aren't required.

"GREs are encouraged, but not required."