The Final Coundown

[FeetInTheSky]

All six applications are done. 

I'm not sure if this is weird or not but I don't really feel relieved. It's nice to have my evenings back, I suppose. (I'm reading a novel! For fun! Would you believe it!?) But I don't feel this profound feeling, like one of these: 

Still, it's nice to not have to work on applications any longer. Now I'm not permitting myself to worry, because there is nothing that I can do about it. Worrying about things over which you have no control only creates stress. Best of luck to everyone still working. You can do the thing!

[biyutefulphlower]

@Yanaka Oh really?  That's awesome! Can I ask which one?  (Are you a comic studies person, too?)

@BlackRosePhD - Do let us know how everything goes.  I've been struggling with nailing down my last letter writer for the last 3 weeks (and I'm not on campus, which makes things all the more difficult), so I hope it all works out in your favor.  

Edited December 1, 2016 by biyutefulphlower

[Yanaka]

Nope I am not, but in my Journalism & Media Studies last year, we studied graphic novels. I'm in France right not so I don't think you will know her, but it's Catherine Meurisse's "La Légèreté" (The Lightness), a book she published after the Charlie Hebdo attacks (she worked there). What about you?  

[bhr]

Two comments on your WS:

Don't fuck around with font size/margins. We've all taught, and we all know when students have done this because they can't follow basic instruction. Programs ask for 8/10/12 whatever pages because that's the amount of time they have to dedicate to reading the paper. They don't want 15 pages for a 10 page sample, and submitting one is disrespectful of their time.

Your sample should demonstrate that you can conduct research and write about it. The topic itself really doesn't matter that much, since most students change research from BA/MA to PhD. If you are submitting part of a larger paper, you should include a paragraph or two explaining where this paper fits.into the larger project.

 

Also, if programs give you an option between word docs and PDFs, do PDFs (particularly if you use images/charts/graphs). PDFs give you some confidence that your paper will be read exactly as written, without getting burned by weird formatting in their word processing /printing process.

[AnimeChic101!]

On 11/30/2016 at 2:37 PM, Wyatt's Terps said:

Dammit. This is really, really shitty. Do you have a potential backup LOR writer? Someone who you have a good rapport with whom you can turn to in a crisis? If there's anyone, then you can explain the situation. It's a very busy time of year, but you might find some legitimate sympathy. Writing letters for good students is literally part of their job. So long as you've been good to your LOR-writers, there's no good reason for them to not write for you in a timely fashion.

Really sorry about this, BR.

 

 

It's okay. I can't do anything about it. I'm just going to do relax. I had somebody email me an hour or so ago saying they would do it....the deadline has passed and it was a place that needed it in on time. I contacted the department and they said they wouldn't penalize me (especially since my application was submitted over a week ago). 

 

I'm just going to chill and watch some netflix and eat a burger or something. 

[ejpril88]

Hi everyone, I am new to this forum but I hope I will be spending a lot of time here in the next 4-5 years (if I get admitted to one of the schools I applied for, that is). I am having trouble with my recommendation letters, too. One of my recommenders doesn't know how to fill out a pdf document, I have explained several times but he keeps opening the read only version and saving a blank document. It's sooo frustrating  Today I found out that it's possible to fax the letter as well, so at least that's an option if it doesn't work out. I have applied to 7 schools so it has been a long process. I hope it will pay off. Good luck to all of you!

[engphiledu]

I'm so sorry to hear of all the troubles, especially with LOR. It's a tough situation because you don't want to burn any bridges, but especially if you already have all your other parts of the application submitted, you almost want to go sit in their office and threaten to stay until they write your letter. 

ejpril88, technology is an entirely different ballgame. I had some advisors from undergrad when I was applying to MA who still used transparencies in class (and refused to learn how to use the projectors attached to the conveniently placed computer). Good luck!

Anyone here applying after taking a year (or years) off? I missed out applying last year with my cohort, but have been working as an instructor this year. On one hand, I feel like I've had more time to prepare because of it, but on the other, I feel a bit disconnected. I have a few MA friends (who are in the cohort graduating this year), and I do not envy their stress levels right now with seminar papers, GTA responsibilities, etc. On the other, they're neck deep in their research and working with their advisors, which is actually a really good place to be in terms of writing samples, LOR, and applications in general.

I'm also just procrastinating since I have about 100 freshmen composition papers I'd like to have graded by tomorrow. So, there's that. . . 

Good luck to all! December 1-15 is pretty heavy with application deadlines for many of us, so plunge ahead with confidence and grace!

[Yanaka]

Can't help you @engphiledu but I want to wish you good luck, too!!

[biyutefulphlower]

@Yanaka - I actually wrote about a French comic, lol - "Sky Doll" (by Alessandro Barbucci and Barara Canepa).  The 4th chapter just came out internationally, so I'm chomping at the bit to get my hands on it.  (Maybe translated into English? I can only hope, haha.)  I'll have to see if I can find "The Lightness"...

@engphiledu - I've been out of school for a few years, so I'm in that boat with you.  (I've been working with a Tech Company for a bit now, so my day-to-day isn't even very English-y, haha.)  Best of luck to you!

[Yanaka]

Hey @biyutefulphlower yay! That's really funny. I don't think La Légèreté has been edited in any anglophone country. It's too bad, the book is great  

By the way I have a quick question: which synonymous terms do you use for a graphic novel? I've used book and novel, but I thought album was a possibility, too? Since I wasn't sure and the internet wasn't really helpful, I didn't use it. Thought I might ask and pimp my WS accordingly