Medieval Applicants (2017)

[gnossienne n.3]

I was rejected by Toronto recently; not a surprise, as I have no formal Latin training, though I have been learning Latin for the past year and a half. I was specifically told by a faculty member that even though my Latin is probably stronger than some of the students they admit, I would still be at a disadvantage because my Latin training is informal. It's absurd to me that their MA program has more stringent language requirements for admission than most PhD programs. I have some really great options for MA programs, however, and I'm waiting to hear back about the waitlist at one of the PhD programs I applied to. Well wishes and good vibes are most welcome!

Edited April 7, 2017 by LadyPole

[loganondorf]

On 4/5/2017 at 4:11 PM, LadyBertilak said:

Got a rejection from Toronto in the mail yesterday (letter marked March 9th though)... =/ Not surprised though, as I have zero knowledge of Latin and German.

The plan is to work on these for the next two years and try again when I apply to PhD programs. Onward!  

 I'm sorry. That's a great plan, though! I grew so much during my two-year gap -- I know for a fact that I wouldn't be the researcher I am now without that time. You're only going to get stronger!

1 hour ago, LadyPole said:

I was rejected by Toronto recently; not a surprise, as I have no formal Latin training, though I have been learning Latin for the past year and a half. I was specifically told by a faculty member that even though my Latin is probably stronger than some of the students they admit, I would still be at a disadvantage because my Latin training is informal. It's absurd to me that their MA program has more stringent language requirements for admission than most PhD programs. I have some really great options for MA programs, however, and I'm waiting to hear back about the waitlist at one of the PhD programs I applied to. Well wishes and good vibes are most welcome!

Also sorry.  It's really too bad that they look for such formal Latin training -- congratulations on your MA and PhD options, though! Toronto's a big disappointment, but there are plenty of other programs that rival Toronto's in medieval lit, so you didn't need them anyway. Fingers crossed for your waitlist!

[gnossienne n.3]

@loganondorf Thanks! I'm actually on the history side of things, but this is where the medievalist thread was.  Toronto was up there in terms of personal preference/ranking, but it wasn't my top choice by any means. I've spent the last few weeks diving back into funding searches for the MA programs (all UK based), just in case there was something I overlooked. There's very little I can do while I wait to hear back about the waitlist. I visited campus and met with my POI in March, and the DGS told me he'd let me know as soon as someone declined a spot. At least I know I'm first on the waitlist! It's something, even if the chances of admittance are slim, and ultimately unknowable.

Can I ask how you spent your gap years? I'm about two years out myself, and I've been working in publishing in NYC.

Edited April 7, 2017 by LadyPole

[loganondorf]

@LadyPole Glad to have you here.  I'll keep my fingers crossed for you -- being in that waiting position can just be so frustrating, but hopefully it all pays off! A program in the UK would be a dream. What a cool opportunity!

Publishing in NYC sounds like an awesome way to spend a couple of gap years. After I graduated, I moved to San Francisco and got a job teaching high school. It's been really great for me, because I think the teaching experience it gave me bolstered my application, and it also helped keep me focused on my field. I really enjoy teaching, and I've learned a lot these two years. 

[gnossienne n.3]

@loganondorf Yes, it's been really interesting! I wouldn't say thrilling, but I've certainly learned a lot from the experience.

As April 15 looms, I'm getting increasingly anxious about the waitlist. I know that many people won't decide until this week, with some even waiting until the 15th to commit. Should I reach out to the DGS to see if they have any updates? We haven't exchanged communications since I opted to remain on the waitlist nearly a month ago. I didn't see him during my visit, only my POI. They know that it's my top choice and that I'm very keen. I don't think there's any harm in reaching out, especially since I've hardly been besieging them--or should I just wait another five days? It's so hard to think about anything else!

[loganondorf]

@LadyPole That's a tough one. Especially since you said you haven't communicated with the DGS since discussing the waitlist, I don't think it could possibly hurt to reach out one more time. If nothing else, expressing that you're still excited about the chance to attend won't hurt your chances, and there's always a chance (even if it's a small one) that they'll go for you if and when someone declines an offer because they know you're still interested when others on the waitlist may have moved on. 

I'd go for it! Especially if it helps put your mind at ease for the next few days.

[gnossienne n.3]

@loganondorf Thanks for your answer! I bit the bullet and emailed the DGS earlier today.

[loganondorf]

13 minutes ago, LadyPole said:

@loganondorf Thanks for your answer! I bit the bullet and emailed the DGS earlier today.

Good luck! I hope you get a great response.

[gnossienne n.3]

31 minutes ago, loganondorf said:

Good luck! I hope you get a great response.

I heard back just a few minutes ago. Both of the accepted students decided to take up their spots, so that's that. The DGS was very kind and complimentary of my application, so while I'm very disappointed I have hope for next year.

Edited April 11, 2017 by LadyPole

[loganondorf]

22 hours ago, LadyPole said:

I heard back just a few minutes ago. Both of the accepted students decided to take up their spots, so that's that. The DGS was very kind and complimentary of my application, so while I'm very disappointed I have hope for next year.

I'm sorry to hear that. Definitely a good sign for next year, like you said, and I'm sure some kind of funding will work out for your MA programs in the UK!

[gnossienne n.3]

6 hours ago, loganondorf said:

I'm sorry to hear that. Definitely a good sign for next year, like you said, and I'm sure some kind of funding will work out for your MA programs in the UK!

Thanks. I've kept my chin up pretty well so far, I think. Next year I'll apply to a slightly larger pool of PhD programs, with an MA under my belt and this year's experience to guide me through the process.

On a more general and optimistic note, what is everybody planning on doing this summer? I'm going to keep up with my Latin, look for a summer gig as an SAT tutor, and maybe start learning German. There are also a certain number of foundational texts I haven't read that I want to work through in my dwindling spare time.

[loganondorf]

17 hours ago, LadyPole said:

Thanks. I've kept my chin up pretty well so far, I think. Next year I'll apply to a slightly larger pool of PhD programs, with an MA under my belt and this year's experience to guide me through the process.

On a more general and optimistic note, what is everybody planning on doing this summer? I'm going to keep up with my Latin, look for a summer gig as an SAT tutor, and maybe start learning German. There are also a certain number of foundational texts I haven't read that I want to work through in my dwindling spare time.

Good plan. I'm obviously biased, but Notre Dame! So many amazing resources for medievalists. When I came to visit the university I was completely floored by their collection. It's like paradise, haha.

Over the summer, I'll be building my Latin back up from where it was two years ago and working my way through a couple of books in the how to be a graduate student genre. I'm almost done with The Elements of Academic Style by Eric Hayot, and I have to admit that I've really enjoyed it. Also lots of pleasure reading, because I know for a fact that I'll never read for fun again after starting the program.

[gnossienne n.3]

On 4/13/2017 at 0:56 PM, loganondorf said:

Good plan. I'm obviously biased, but Notre Dame! So many amazing resources for medievalists. When I came to visit the university I was completely floored by their collection. It's like paradise, haha.

Over the summer, I'll be building my Latin back up from where it was two years ago and working my way through a couple of books in the how to be a graduate student genre. I'm almost done with The Elements of Academic Style by Eric Hayot, and I have to admit that I've really enjoyed it. Also lots of pleasure reading, because I know for a fact that I'll never read for fun again after starting the program.

Notre Dame is definitely on my list for next year! It didn't make the cut this time for a couple of reasons, but after meeting a few faculty members by chance and actually discussing how my research interests fit with the faculty and program resources, I am much more enthusiastic about it.

I have the personal goal of reading 100 books this year, and I'm working on including more academic texts in that number. They tend to take quite a bit longer than novels, though, and I find them more difficult to concentrate on in the early morning during my commute. It's strange how quickly one can feel out of practice! I think I might start counting back issues of Speculum as "books", too. I'm currently reading Joel Kaye's A History of Balance, 1250-1375, which has just won the Haskins Medal from the Medieval Academy. It might seem unbearably dull to some (i.e., all of my friends roll their eyes when I mention it) but I'm finding it thrilling!

[loganondorf]

2 hours ago, LadyPole said:

Notre Dame is definitely on my list for next year! It didn't make the cut this time for a couple of reasons, but after meeting a few faculty members by chance and actually discussing how my research interests fit with the faculty and program resources, I am much more enthusiastic about it.

I have the personal goal of reading 100 books this year, and I'm working on including more academic texts in that number. They tend to take quite a bit longer than novels, though, and I find them more difficult to concentrate on in the early morning during my commute. It's strange how quickly one can feel out of practice! I think I might start counting back issues of Speculum as "books", too. I'm currently reading Joel Kaye's A History of Balance, 1250-1375, which has just won the Haskins Medal from the Medieval Academy. It might seem unbearably dull to some (i.e., all of my friends roll their eyes when I mention it) but I'm finding it thrilling!

Maybe I'll see you here, then! The Medieval Institute's resources are to die for, and the ND faculty (at least in English) seem really supportive and friendly.

Good luck with your goal! 100 academic books is quite the challenge. Doing that much reading will definitely get you in shape for the program! I do wish I had spent more of my two-year break reading academic texts. I did read quite a few, but at a very leisurely pace. I'm sure you'll be uber-prepared for school come next fall!

A History of Balance sounds interesting, I must admit -- I may add it to my summer reading list. 

Edited April 17, 2017 by loganondorf

[gnossienne n.3]

5 minutes ago, loganondorf said:

Good luck with your goal! 100 academic books is quite the challenge. Doing that much reading will definitely get you in shape for the program! I do wish I had spent more of my two-year break reading academic texts. I did read quite a few, but at a very leisurely pace. I'm sure you'll be uber-prepared for school come next fall!

I'm not reading 100 academic books! Probably more like 20-30. I'm filling in some gaps in my primary source repertoire (Beowulf, anyone? Icelandic sagas? Chau--well, now I'm just embarrassing myself) and reading some classics of the field I haven't yet gotten around to, like Montaillou and The Premodern Condition.

[loganondorf]

3 minutes ago, LadyPole said:

I'm not reading 100 academic books! Probably more like 20-30. I'm filling in some gaps in my primary source repertoire (Beowulf, anyone? Icelandic sagas? Chau--well, now I'm just embarrassing myself) and reading some classics of the field I haven't yet gotten around to, like Montaillou and The Premodern Condition.

Whew! That sounds a lot more manageable. And still extremely impressive. The Sagas are so much fun, especially because most of the locations can be found on Google Maps. I had a blast zooming in and trying to track all of the crazy events that happen throughout them.

[gnossienne n.3]

23 hours ago, loganondorf said:

Whew! That sounds a lot more manageable. And still extremely impressive. The Sagas are so much fun, especially because most of the locations can be found on Google Maps. I had a blast zooming in and trying to track all of the crazy events that happen throughout them.

I'm really looking forward to the sagas!

Maybe I'm splitting hairs, but I never feel as though I've really read a text if I've only read it in part. Fragments of The Canterbury Tales, excerpts of Beowulf, chapters out of the Book of Margery Kempe, etc., left me feeling like I hadn't really dealt properly with the text as a whole. So I'll be revisiting some texts and greeting others for the first time.

[RurikNjalsson]

Finally accepted to a Master's program! Accepted to The University of Nottingham's MA in Viking and Anglo-Saxon Studies. Waiting on funding. 

In the words of Kevin Garnett: "Anything is possible!!!!"

[gnossienne n.3]

Hi all--I'm still waiting to see if funding is going to come through for my MAs, and starting to resign myself to not going this year. There's at least a month left of waiting, because the British are very slow when it comes to awarding financial aid, so something might still work out for me. If not, well--going into debt for a degree that might not even give me a leg up in PhD applications this fall just isn't something I can justify. In the meantime, I'm prepping for the Toronto Latin exam in September, I've picked up a summer long-distance research assistant gig, and I'm contemplating starting on German.

After @loganondorf, I'm reading The Elements of Academic Style and finding it delightful and intimidating in equal parts. Intimidating mainly when it comes to considering the scale of the project of graduate school and the vastness of what I do not yet know, but still. I'd like to establish the habit of daily writing, though it's harder to figure out when and what without any of the structure of school. I'm still toying with writing a new paper to use as a writing sample--or not, since I just really want to write this one!