American Studies programs

[The Shade King]

I got that TKO from Michigan today. This one actually stung a but thank god I have got into a program before I received this one. And good luck everyone it seems as rejections are on these terrible Thursdays lol.  Next Thursday I might need to take the day off lol.

[kekology4]

condolences @The Shade King. 

Never in my life have the months of january and february gone so slowly.

[The Shade King]

3 minutes ago, kekology4 said:

condolences @The Shade King. 

Never in my life have the months of january and february gone so slowly.

 

Thanks but I am good. I love Michigan but it's not to be heck I might just have to get a job there in a few years. It just was a double rejection day. All my rejections but one have come on Thursday so I am kind of avoiding them now lol. My first rejection was on a Thursday via email, then the same school mailed it to me and it came again on a Thursday( I was like damn I got the email no need to put the salt in my wound lol) now today with two more lol. But tomorrow is Friday which I have gotten admitted on so I am hoping that prevailing trend happens again. 

 

So do you still have lots of programs to hear back from? Because I applied to so many I still have a bunch but most of my December ones are done now thankfully. I have two more December dates that I am waiting on.

[kekology4]

@The Shade King oh god, yeah i feel like two messages of rejection is unnecessary. we just need the one 

I still have five programs to hear back from, three of which had applications due in december. I got a great offer with full funding to stony brook WGS, but for them I'm also waiting to hear back on a fellowship nomination. So. much. waiting. 

It's given me a lot of time to look at their program though, and it seems like a wonderful fit. 

[The Shade King]

7 minutes ago, blackscholar said:

How did your rejection come through? I'm anticipating mine but I don't even know where to look on Wolverine Access.

It was emailed. FOlks were waitlisted too today but maybe you are on the waitlist. One student, I talked with said they kept a waitlist. Keep up hope and good luck.

[The Shade King]

5 minutes ago, kekology4 said:

@The Shade King oh god, yeah i feel like two messages of rejection is unnecessary. we just need the one 

I still have five programs to hear back from, three of which had applications due in december. I got a great offer with full funding to stony brook WGS, but for them I'm also waiting to hear back on a fellowship nomination. So. much. waiting. 

It's given me a lot of time to look at their program though, and it seems like a wonderful fit. 

 

Haha yeah but I am good. Stony Brook is good and it's close enough to NYC to still have fun and explore on the weekends. And the cultural studies program sounds so great. If u go get that certificate in that. I just drool at their class offerings. 

[kekology4]

1 hour ago, The Shade King said:

Haha yeah but I am good. Stony Brook is good and it's close enough to NYC to still have fun and explore on the weekends. And the cultural studies program sounds so great. If u go get that certificate in that. I just drool at their class offerings. 

 

That's true. And my family lives on long island, about 40 mins west of SB, so its perfect. 

I was actually just looking at their cultural studies certificate today, and strongly considering it. It seems like a great program, so much of the work I'm interested in can be considered cultural studies, and the courses seemed interesting. I would love to take the one on neoliberal narratives. Were you able to see courses for terms other than spring 17? i really want to see more past courses but can't find anything. 

[NoirFemme]

I got wl at Michigan, funny enough. ?

The email said the applicants were unusually strong this season. Take heart--it means that the entire 2017 American Studies cohort will be taking the academic world by storm with our scholarship!

[kekology4]

congrats @NoirFemme! and yes absolutely. 

[The Shade King]

@NoirFemme I just dont know what that means for Brown and Yale. Minn liked me but so far mostly Communication are into my profile while all of Black Studies aint about me at all which is not that surprising since I haven't taken any black studies courses so I am trying to figure a pattern but it doesn't seem to be one. LOL. I still so many programs to hear back from so it's like damn.. And I know at the end of the month its either gonna be good or like today a TKO lol. Thursday have been rejection days for me so let I am gonna dodge the 16 and 23 something fierce. 

[NoirFemme]

10 minutes ago, The Shade King said:

@NoirFemme I just dont know what that means for Brown and Yale. Minn liked me but so far mostly Communication are into my profile while all of Black Studies aint about me at all which is not that surprising since I haven't taken any black studies courses so I am trying to figure a pattern but it doesn't seem to be one. LOL. I still so many programs to hear back from so it's like damn.. And I know at the end of the month its either gonna be good or like today a TKO lol. Thursday have been rejection days for me so let I am gonna dodge the 16 and 23 something fierce. 

Lol! Since I am applying to four different disciplines, I visit various sections here. I'll have to find the thread again, but it talked about how doctoral programs are beginning to cut back on accepted students because it's just making the job market situation worse to admit 10-15 students year after year. I can see interdisciplinary programs being even more stringent since we're so hard to place on the job market. 

I'm still waiting to hear from eight more schools (one of which has accepted and rejected a slew of students, based on the results board, but has yet to poke my application!). My philosophy is that regardless of program, you can still do your work. You can still submit to conferences and journals. You can still network, collaborate with, and be friends with people in programs you didn't get into. Maybe I'm a Pollyanna, but I see this as one big community of scholars to link up with no matter where you're located.

[cypressknee]

5 hours ago, sweetsymphony said:

Has anyone hear back from Harvard's American Studies program?

Judging from past cycles Harvard's AMST program send out decisions by the 2nd or 3rd week in February. So I assume we'll hear back sometime next week or the week after.

[The Shade King]

7 minutes ago, NoirFemme said:

Lol! Since I am applying to four different disciplines, I visit various sections here. I'll have to find the thread again, but it talked about how doctoral programs are beginning to cut back on accepted students because it's just making the job market situation worse to admit 10-15 students year after year. I can see interdisciplinary programs being even more stringent since we're so hard to place on the job market. 

I'm still waiting to hear from eight more schools (one of which has accepted and rejected a slew of students, based on the results board, but has yet to poke my application!). My philosophy is that regardless of program, you can still do your work. You can still submit to conferences and journals. You can still network, collaborate with, and be friends with people in programs you didn't get into. Maybe I'm a Pollyanna, but I see this as one big community of scholars to link up with no matter where you're located.

 

Well instead of cutting back on students some of the no productive folks could retire. But you know that's just me, I am definitely going to advocate for the young and make sure I work a career that is mindful of that. 

[cypressknee]

14 hours ago, NoirFemme said:

Lol! Since I am applying to four different disciplines, I visit various sections here. I'll have to find the thread again, but it talked about how doctoral programs are beginning to cut back on accepted students because it's just making the job market situation worse to admit 10-15 students year after year. I can see interdisciplinary programs being even more stringent since we're so hard to place on the job market. 

 

14 hours ago, The Shade King said:

Well instead of cutting back on students some of the no productive folks could retire. But you know that's just me, I am definitely going to advocate for the young and make sure I work a career that is mindful of that. 

I wanted to chime in, because I think we all share these looming fears about the job market (academic and otherwise), the state of academia, and our place in it. More than fear, however, I think there are a lot of reasons to be really pissed off about the state of higher education. I've worked as an adjunct/grad student instructor for going on four years, as a lot of people in this thread probably have. This entire system is designed to perpetuate various cycles of inequality. For me, the process of applying to doctoral programs has only confirmed that. Academia is a culture of abundance and scarcity, and its resources are allocated in confusing, often unfair and unethical ways. 

That being said, I am continually amazed at the projects and ideas from my students and colleagues despite all of that. It gives me so much hope, that higher education is something worth fighting for, worth the fight to make better and more accessible, and a cause worth dedicating my life and career to.

I don't see getting a PhD as the thing I need to get in order to be professor. I see it as a radical pursuit of knowledge that has the potential to better the lives of people in my community. Maybe I'm too optimistic, but the alternative is nihilism and anger and despair, and I would rather channel that energy into something productive and meaningful. We have literally dedicated our lives to the pursuit of education, and that is fucking beautiful. We have so much to contribute.

TL;DR: one day I'm going to write a memoir about how working in academia made me a communist. 

[The Shade King]

So anything new on the American studies front? Almost all of my non-American studies programs have replied back and I have only so far heard back from 2 American Studies programs. 

I know that many applied to Yale and Brown. But what about Boston Unversity, Kansas, and the George Washington University? Still kicking myself I didn't apply to Austin and low-key sad I didn't apply to Harvard even though I know that would have been a TKO reject lol.

[Interdisc_Scholar]

On 2/9/2017 at 9:06 PM, NoirFemme said:

I got wl at Michigan, funny enough. ?

The email said the applicants were unusually strong this season. Take heart--it means that the entire 2017 American Studies cohort will be taking the academic world by storm with our scholarship!

Congratulations, I was also selected as an "alternate" at U-Michigan! I feel like people who applied at Michigan are also applying to NYU, Yale and Harvard. It will be interesting to see how the selection process moves forward. 

[Interdisc_Scholar]

I just want to say congratulations to everyone for applying, y'all seem so  bright and dedicated. I would be elated if I get into the same cohort as any of you! 

[Interdisc_Scholar]

Hey Y'all,

A little late to the website this season, but I just wanted to say introduce myself.

I work on 20th century African American civil rights history with additional projects in the digital humanities and arts. I applied to University of Pennsylvania - Africana ( upcoming Interview), Cornell - Africana, Northwestern - African American Studies, University of Michigan - American Culture (waitlisted), Brown University - American Studies, Rutgers University - American Studies, USC - American Studies and the University of Delaware - History (accepted)  

[foodnerd]

I've been lurking for a few weeks so I thought it was about time I said hey~~~~ (Hey!)

I'm a 19C/20C American food studies person playing thematically with gender, capitalism, and national mythology. Applied to UMinn (rejected, royally fucked up by uploading my Michigan statement ughhhhh), UMich (rejected), UNC-Chapel Hill (waitlisted), UT-Austin, GWU, Harvard, Yale, and Brown. Wishing I'd applied to more programs and feeling extremely uneasy about the future.

Congrats to those already admitted (you talented bastards!)!

Strength to us all in the coming weeks...

[kekology4]

Welcome @Interdisc_Scholar and @foodnerd! good luck. 

i think that kind of critical food analysis is so interesting @foodnerd. reminds me of "eating the other" by bell hooks.

On 2/10/2017 at 0:14 PM, cypressknee said:

 

I wanted to chime in, because I think we all share these looming fears about the job market (academic and otherwise), the state of academia, and our place in it. More than fear, however, I think there are a lot of reasons to be really pissed off about the state of higher education. I've worked as an adjunct/grad student instructor for going on four years, as a lot of people in this thread probably have. This entire system is designed to perpetuate various cycles of inequality. For me, the process of applying to doctoral programs has only confirmed that. Academia is a culture of abundance and scarcity, and its resources are allocated in confusing, often unfair and unethical ways. 

That being said, I am continually amazed at the projects and ideas from my students and colleagues despite all of that. It gives me so much hope, that higher education is something worth fighting for, worth the fight to make better and more accessible, and a cause worth dedicating my life and career to.

I don't see getting a PhD as the thing I need to get in order to be professor. I see it as a radical pursuit of knowledge that has the potential to better the lives of people in my community. Maybe I'm too optimistic, but the alternative is nihilism and anger and despair, and I would rather channel that energy into something productive and meaningful. We have literally dedicated our lives to the pursuit of education, and that is fucking beautiful. We have so much to contribute.

TL;DR: one day I'm going to write a memoir about how working in academia made me a communist. 

I think that's a wonderful approach to teaching, and one I share. As you said, the higher education industry is so exploitative. A good coincidence that i'm reading marx as i'm about to enter higher ed. 

As educators we really have the opportunity to dispel that anger and despair so many students will be feeling, as so many of them are being exploited as well. I'm thrilled to be able to do that. I also share the feeling of hope from other students and instructors. There are so many people in this collective struggle together - we are never alone 

[cypressknee]

4 hours ago, foodnerd said:

I've been lurking for a few weeks so I thought it was about time I said hey~~~~ (Hey!)

I'm a 19C/20C American food studies person playing thematically with gender, capitalism, and national mythology. Applied to UMinn (rejected, royally fucked up by uploading my Michigan statement ughhhhh), UMich (rejected), UNC-Chapel Hill (waitlisted), UT-Austin, GWU, Harvard, Yale, and Brown. Wishing I'd applied to more programs and feeling extremely uneasy about the future.

Congrats to those already admitted (you talented bastards!)!

Strength to us all in the coming weeks...

@foodnerd I am also a food studies person! Do you specialize in a particular region? 

[cypressknee]

2 hours ago, kekology4 said:

I think that's a wonderful approach to teaching, and one I share. As you said, the higher education industry is so exploitative. A good coincidence that i'm reading marx as i'm about to enter higher ed. 

As educators we really have the opportunity to dispel that anger and despair so many students will be feeling, as so many of them are being exploited as well. I'm thrilled to be able to do that. I also share the feeling of hope from other students and instructors. There are so many people in this collective struggle together - we are never alone 

Thanks for the response, @kekology4. I think I just needed to rant. There's so much stress involved in this process, and you have to navigate so many naysayers/so much negativity that I feel like I have to continually justify why I want to pursue a doctorate. 

Solidarity, comrade! 

[foodnerd]

1 hour ago, cypressknee said:

@foodnerd I am also a food studies person! Do you specialize in a particular region? 

Woop woop! At this point in time I don't have a regional focus. I probably skew more NE/Midwest in focus because of what sources I've used in the past.

[NoirFemme]

I have an interest in food studies (and foodways) too. Less geographic and more about the intersection of food, race, consumption, and gender roles. One of my favorite works in this vein is Laura Shapiro's Perfection Salad.

[PetiteFilleNoire]

I'm becoming more interested in food studies, particularly as it relates to objecthood and histories of rendering Black bodies as synonymous with food. I'm especially interested in how this plays out with the use of food in pornography. 

@NoirFemme You might also want to check out Williams-Forson's Building Houses out of Chicken Legs: Black Women, Food, and Power.  

Edited February 13, 2017 by PetiteFilleNoire