Fall 2017 Theatre and Performance Studies PhDs

[lemonboo]

I'm sorry to hear that Gamb1t. I hope that you find a school that surprises and delights you by how well it turns out to be a fit for you.

 

[Gamb1t]

Me, too.  But honestly, that rejection does not make me hopeful.   If I am going to end up at one of my non-preferred schools, I'd rather do it for playwriting.  Tufts, Cornell, and Maryland were the only PhD programs I was overly excited about.  The rest were more or less submitted as blanket possibilities.  I never even considered the fact that I wouldn't be accepted at Tufts, honestly.  I know that's a bit pretentious to say, but I was far more concerned with funding options than acceptance.  I have a 4.0 across my BA, BS, and MS, 98th percentiles on all GRE sections, 2 peer-reviewed publications, 3 published plays, and almost a decade of professional theatre experience.  I am totally at a loss for words.  Either my statement must have been garbage or my LoR must have basically been phoned in--a possibility that terrifies me in regards to other applications.  Regardless, I guess that is a lesson in getting ahead of myself.

Edited February 2, 2017 by Gamb1t
Typo

[Troodondodo]

Coming back after a long time - congratulations to @scurvs22 and @lemonboo! Great to see more people on the thread!

@Gamb1t - I hope I understand how frustrating it is, since I'm more or less in the same state... two rejections so far. I have similar academic records, publications and professional experience, as you said and I know that I have got really good LoRs. But I guess there are always other factors that we can't control! I am also an international applicant and I wonder how that is affecting my chances, given the current political scenario...

[Troodondodo]

On 1/26/2017 at 3:04 AM, dopamine_17 said:

Thanks for the welcome, everybody!

@scurvs22 Yes, gratefully, I've been getting positive feedback from UCSB and will be present at the visiting weekend. I guess my main concern was that my plans are really Performance more than Theater Studies, but as you said, it sounds like they would be supportive of that. Just trying to find out as much as I can about the program- thank you for the details, all useful information worth considering. May I ask where you're going to school now? I have applications to Stanford (long shot) and UCLA that I have yet to hear back from, but I was rejected from Cal.. so still not sure how it'll shape up.

wishing you all the best, you've done great work to get this far!

Hey! Nice to know you are applying to Stanford! I am so glad I found you! I really wanted to ask: Has a tab called 'official documents request' recently opened itself in your Stanford application status page? I don't know what to do with it (since I have already sent official documents to Stanford as a part of the application) and the office is not replying for the last few days - they are generally very prompt. Any idea about this?

[scurvs22]

Hey MilesToGo: I didn't receive that request, but a ton of people posted about it on the results page. You may want to lurk on that page to get some intel. 

[Troodondodo]

3 hours ago, scurvs22 said:

Hey MilesToGo: I didn't receive that request, but a ton of people posted about it on the results page. You may want to lurk on that page to get some intel. 

Thank you so much for the tip! Yes, I get it now... And congrats on the offer

[dopamine_17]

Hi @MilesToGo! Nice to have you back. I haven't heard a peep from Stanford yet, and my app submission page looks just as before.  I certainly hope that the political situation doesn't hinder your opportunities, but then I've considered wanting to leave the states given all the chaos! In any case, hope that you are able to decide for yourself what's best and aren't given a harder time as an International applicant.

I did receive a request for a skype interview with UCLA today! Very excited, also scared; feel like interviews (especially video interviews) can be pretty awkward for me, but I'll just have to do my best I guess.

@Gamb1t That sounds like a really impressive record. I have felt throughout this process that perhaps not getting into a PhD I am really excited by would be an invitation to consider/pursue an MFA or something entirely new.. I know not everyone has that flexibility and there's tons to consider in a major decision like that, but if your heart is in the practical work, this might help you cement that commitment. Or if you feel determined that Tufts or another program is where you belong, re-applying really can yield new results in my experience! Know that that doesn't take away the disappointment or confusion, just some thoughts..

@scurvs22 Do you have any insight into UCLA's PhD as an alum? No worries if not, just thought I'd ask, again, thanks, again, for your help haha.

Best to all of you! Hang in there! 

 

Edited February 3, 2017 by dopamine_17

[scurvs22]

@dopamine_17 Congratulations on the UCLA interview! Unfortunately, I was in the English and Philosophy departments as an undergrad, so I don't know the cogs of that department's machine. But, I did meet with one of the PhD professors before application season started and she is the BEST. I was pretty sad that I had no overlap with their   graduate faculty because I like her so much. Based upon her feedback and the intel I received from my Cal interview, the best advice I can give is know to why that school's department fits with your agenda. I learned from my Cal interviewer that part of the interview was to figure out how my proposal meshes with their program . . . they were trying to fill in the holes from my statements. Also, UCLA's PhD department (the three of them) does not consist of any practitioners: any dialogue involving praxis is probs not going to butter their bread. That's just my opinion, based on my meeting with one of them, but there it is. 

[scurvs22]

@MilesToGo As far as I can tell at this point, most of the universities we are throwing around on this thread are sanctuaries and don't appear to be bending to the will of our current regime (to put it politely). Fingers crossed for you (and everyone else) that I am not naive in this assumption. 

[Troodondodo]

@dopamine_17 that's great! Best of luck for the interview and congratulations

@scurvs22 thank you, I am under the same impression, but I guess, there is some sort of quota for international student intake each year, depending on funding situation... Well, fingers crossed! US is the best place to get a PhD for English speaking people, except for the UK (where I got my master's), and acquiring funding there is almost impossible now... The rate at which the world is closing down, it would possibly be even more difficult next year.

[dopamine_17]

@scurvs22Awesome- thank you sincerely for these thoughts, really helpful and appreciated :)! I am super excited by UCLA as an institution and LA as an art-city and there is significant overlap with my interests in the primary faculty but it's also kind of hard to get a grasp on how the program works with just a few professors! Guess I'll have a better idea from talking to them.

[Troodondodo]

We've all been so quiet... Any news to share, anyone? I have still not heard from 6 schools and I feel I am not going to hear from them at all :/ 

[Gamb1t]

I submitted 13 across both MA/PhD and MFA (playwriting) programs.  I have only gotten a response from one school thus far.  I wouldn't be overly concerned just yet. 

[Troodondodo]

@Gamb1t that definitely sounds relieving! 

[KTF87]

18 hours ago, Gamb1t said:

I submitted 13 across both MA/PhD and MFA (playwriting) programs.  I have only gotten a response from one school thus far.  I wouldn't be overly concerned just yet. 

Best of luck @Gamb1t, congrats @dopamine_17 and everybody else!

I only applied for a PhD in Performance Studies at Northwestern and had an interview with them two weeks ago - should hear back soon!!
my academic record is really really average (not a perfect GPA, so not perfect GREs). no publications. work experience in advertising, and DJing.

my MA thesis, and my prospective topic however, are on music and plays and discourses of post colonialism through the lens of class.

my experience so far, with other English programs I applied for a PhD in, showed to me that program fit makes it or breaks it and that your SOP matters most, along with your WS and LORs. I thought my GPA and GREs would not get me anywhere, but I was able to make it, and I got into my dream school in Literary and Cultural Studies! Still waiting on some others though.

As long as this program is absolutely right for you, no imperfection would stand in the way. If the choice is not obviously rational, nor rationalized for that matter, I believe no perfection would make it happen!! It's about what you can offer, and no grade can show that!! I hope the above details I shared prove that, and I really hope everybody finds the perfect program for them!!

 

Edited February 14, 2017 by KTF87

[scurvs22]

Hi all! @MilesToGo it does seem strangely quiet on the results board in our arena this year. @KTF87 That's awesome that you're having so much success! From what I hear, Northwestern Performance is a pretty fantastic program. It's also nice to hear about some action in our field. I was wondering where the Northwestern, Brown, Columbia, etc, people were! 

I believe there are three of us on this forum with applications to Stanford, yes? It's the only school I have heard nothing from and based upon the history on this forum, I think that ship has sailed.

@dopamine_17 How did your UCLA interview go?  Are you presenting at the UCSB mini-conference next weekend?

[Troodondodo]

@scurvs22 - true, at least some rejections should have been out! 

Also, Brown results are not out yet, are they?

Edited February 16, 2017 by MilesToGo

[KTF87]

On 2/15/2017 at 6:01 PM, scurvs22 said:

Hi all! @MilesToGo it does seem strangely quiet on the results board in our arena this year. @KTF87 That's awesome that you're having so much success! From what I hear, Northwestern Performance is a pretty fantastic program. It's also nice to hear about some action in our field. I was wondering where the Northwestern, Brown, Columbia, etc, people were! 

I believe there are three of us on this forum with applications to Stanford, yes? It's the only school I have heard nothing from and based upon the history on this forum, I think that ship has sailed.

@dopamine_17 How did your UCLA interview go?  Are you presenting at the UCSB mini-conference next weekend?

thank you soo much!!!!! what about you? any news?

I would be torn between Northwestern and other schools (elsewhere though, I applied for English or Literary/Cultural Studies PhD programs).

I do not have a particular background in Performance Studies at all, and my choice was solely based on faculty profiles and program fit. Maybe it would be a learning curve once I am (hopefully) in? This would make the decision really hard, but everybody is saying that NW is one of the best in Performance Studies. Any thoughts?

On another note, keep this thread going!! other threads are 30+ in page count - which kind of makes u a rare elitist breed, come to think about it 

keep the faith everyone!! much love and kisses

[lemonboo]

Hi All, Just chiming in. I haven't heard anything from Brown or NW, thought it looks like they're interviewing. Congrats KTF87. 

[Troodondodo]

@lemonboo- I have got a rejection from NW already - I guess it's a good sign that you did not! But I wrote to Brown to find out and they said they have not extended interviews yet (15th Feb)!

@KTF87- NW and NYU top all the lists that I found! Given that the discipline formed in these two departments, they are definitely much coveted! Congratulations to you!

[KTF87]

5 hours ago, lemonboo said:

Hi All, Just chiming in. I haven't heard anything from Brown or NW, thought it looks like they're interviewing. Congrats KTF87. 

thank you so much!!! and I hope you hear some good news yourself!!!
keep the faith!!

[KTF87]

4 hours ago, MilesToGo said:

@lemonboo- I have got a rejection from NW already - I guess it's a good sign that you did not! But I wrote to Brown to find out and they said they have not extended interviews yet (15th Feb)!

@KTF87- NW and NYU top all the lists that I found! Given that the discipline formed in these two departments, they are definitely much coveted! Congratulations to you!

thanks alot!!!!! <3 <3

and @lemonboo, yeah that's probably true. you might be on the waiting list but they dont necessarily want to keep your hopes up - which is detrimental and constructive at the same time ahahah. KEEP THE FAITH GUYS AND GIRLS!

[Gamb1t]

Current mood:  going insane.

[KTF87]

14 hours ago, Gamb1t said:

Current mood:  going insane.

i second that!!!! NW has taken awfully long and I am kind of dyijng here

best of luck, and keep the faith!!

[Gamb1t]

Another rejection letter in the mail today for me, this time from Pitt.