Venting Thread

[Avalanched]

I think I may be able to infer three implied rejections in one day based on this site (USCal, UC Boulder, Cornell). I really wish I had friends on this stupid island so I could get a hug and tell me that this website lies to me

[phoebusrising]

1 hour ago, anxiousgrad said:

They don't guarantee funding, but some MA students are funded. My best friend received partial funding when she went there,  and a number of her friends in the MA program had full funding. So, there's still hope!

U Mass Boston is still accepting MA applications-- it might be worth applying! 

 

1 hour ago, Caien said:

They do in fact offer funding on a competitive basis!

 

Thanks guys, this gives me a little bit of hope. I'm definitely going to look into UMB. As for BC, I know they give $10,000 scholarships to a number of MA students but do you guys know if they ever offer full funding/TAships or packages that cover more than that? 

[Hartoo]

I attended Kansas State University for my MA in English. They regularly offer fully-funded TA positions and it's a great school if you've got a BA and want to break into higher education.

[erosanddust]

2 hours ago, phoebusrising said:

Thanks guys, this gives me a little bit of hope. I'm definitely going to look into UMB. As for BC, I know they give $10,000 scholarships to a number of MA students but do you guys know if they ever offer full funding/TAships or packages that cover more than that? 

Some admits get full tuition scholarships, and all MA students are eligible for teaching assistant/fellow positions in their second year (an additional $8,000 - $12,000). Many students are also able to pursue other graduate assistantships or tutoring positions outside the Department for additional funding in their first year. I'm currently in the program and would be happy to chat over PM if you have further questions!

[eadwacer]

Some totally unrelated venting: there was a ton of Cornell news today and I got excited until I remembered that I applied to medieval studies there instead of English so I won't hear anything from them for probably another entire week. Or from anywhere, honestly. I just want to rip off the band-aid already.

[Avalanched]

Here is why I'm so frustrated this application season even though I really ought to be more chuffed that I have once acceptance (and I really am grateful, truly, as it IS a good option and thank everything that someone still sees me as a good choice): 

Three years ago I had an AMAZING run. I got in 8/9 places I applied, top names, everything I ever dreamed and never imagined I was good enough to deserve. And then life went BOOM, and I had to pull out of arguably the top ranked program in the country to deal with it. When I reapplied places the next year, *no* luck in English, but an MA program in Religion gave me a funded offer, which I had to take since I had no other options. 

Well, I'm almost done with this 2nd MA and applied to 12 places this year, and with one exception, I am striking out pretty badly. I'm so frustrated because having to take those life and academic detours/pauses seem to be screwing me over in most cases. If programs are strapped for money and offer fewer jobs, the straight-through-BA-to-MA-to-PhD people look like good, reliable investments, those people that didn't have to divert and thus look like they're flighty. My CV looks flighty. And my recs are no longer from English professors, but they're the only ones that have seen my work in the past couple years. 

UGH. How do you get into places like Stanford and NYU and UVA and basically everywhere you wanted when your CV was a neat line, and then after 3 years of more work, more conferences and papers and work and more developed ideas, very few people want you because your CV looks funny? UGH. 

 

(And maybe I just happen to be unlucky this year, but I feel like I've fallen from the top of the hill to almost-but-not-quite the bottom of the bin as far as Smart Prospective PhD Student goes.) 

/rant

[Silabus]

33 minutes ago, Avalanched said:

If programs are strapped for money and offer fewer jobs, the straight-through-BA-to-MA-to-PhD people look like good, reliable investments, those people that didn't have to divert and thus look like they're flighty. My CV looks flighty. And my recs are no longer from English professors, but they're the only ones that have seen my work in the past couple years. 

As one of those BA to MA to PhD people, I've gotta tell you that we get tons of rejections too. I think trying to figure out some rhyme or reason for how these acceptances or rejections go is more of a rabbit hole than anything else. There almost doesn't seem to be a logic to it. One year you'll have the world in your hand and the next, none of them want anything to do with you. It depends on the committees that year, depends on who you're up against, maybe they didn't like the first sentence of your writing sample. There's no real way to know and no checklist of qualifications to insure you'll get into those top tier programs either.

[urbanfarmer]

@Avalanched I feel ya! I applied a few years ago and got into some decent places (not top-tier like you, but Minnesota, UWashington, UW Milwaukee)... but didn't go for personal reasons. I'm still waiting to hear from 4/6 places this year, but am definitely afraid I'm going to get shut out and will have missed my chance. 

Best of luck with the rest of the season! 

[Avalanched]

@Silabus That's definitely what I keep trying to repeat in my head, my little mantra. Four application cycles have worn me badly. But today I think I just needed to spit that frustration and from-the-hip annoyances out here so it wasn't sitting around murking up my mood or any other thread  Congrats on your own acceptance in your sig! 

[NowMoreSerious]

5 hours ago, Avalanched said:

Here is why I'm so frustrated this application season even though I really ought to be more chuffed that I have once acceptance (and I really am grateful, truly, as it IS a good option and thank everything that someone still sees me as a good choice): 

Three years ago I had an AMAZING run. I got in 8/9 places I applied, top names, everything I ever dreamed and never imagined I was good enough to deserve. And then life went BOOM, and I had to pull out of arguably the top ranked program in the country to deal with it. When I reapplied places the next year, *no* luck in English, but an MA program in Religion gave me a funded offer, which I had to take since I had no other options. 

Well, I'm almost done with this 2nd MA and applied to 12 places this year, and with one exception, I am striking out pretty badly. I'm so frustrated because having to take those life and academic detours/pauses seem to be screwing me over in most cases. If programs are strapped for money and offer fewer jobs, the straight-through-BA-to-MA-to-PhD people look like good, reliable investments, those people that didn't have to divert and thus look like they're flighty. My CV looks flighty. And my recs are no longer from English professors, but they're the only ones that have seen my work in the past couple years. 

UGH. How do you get into places like Stanford and NYU and UVA and basically everywhere you wanted when your CV was a neat line, and then after 3 years of more work, more conferences and papers and work and more developed ideas, very few people want you because your CV looks funny? UGH. 

 

(And maybe I just happen to be unlucky this year, but I feel like I've fallen from the top of the hill to almost-but-not-quite the bottom of the bin as far as Smart Prospective PhD Student goes.) 

/rant

Is it possible that your MA in Religion has given your work a certain tenor that has made it less attractive to programs that are specifically English?

I say this because my road, and my CV, were extremely non-linear and rocky, and it didn't seem to make a difference. 

Either way, good luck to you.  

Edited February 16, 2017 by NowMoreSerious

[Avalanched]

Re my work in Religion-- I don't see how it would. I'm working on creating an archive of a little known theologian who and some really cool theories around the language of the Anglican liturgy and its role as both a literary work as well as an inalterable speech act that the Church councils ... well, completely screwed up from an appalling misunderstanding of the nature of liturgical rhetoric. It's basically a rhetoric/archival thesis playing stowaway on the Religious Studies boat ?? and dovetails really well with my Lit thesis. 

Either way. I know I'll never know what is different this time around for certain. I'm simply using this thread for what it is-- an opportunity to vent and spare my officemates the noise ?

Edited February 16, 2017 by Avalanched

[CaffeineCardigan]

My vent for today: 

Everyone says you shouldn't go to a program without funding but I've received no funding offers with any of my acceptances and while I'm able to apply for some funding later it's not a guarantee and probably won't cover everything. But on the other hand if I don't go anywhere then I have no place to live and no where to go come this fall. So my choice seems to be add more debt and keep my career goals in motion or live on my grandparent's couch in a tiny town with no jobs and apply to different schools next year. I was really excited about one of the programs I was accepted to, but now I'm worried that by accepting my place there I'll be doing more harm for my future than good. There just isn't a clear choice like I've had in all of my big life decisions up to this point and that's making it really tough.

[Yanaka]

Why not take a year "off" and work and then apply again next year?

[CaffeineCardigan]

@Yanaka For my current job I had to let them know that I was leaving already at the beginning of January, so I'm unemployed and losing my Japanese work visa as of the end of July. So I mean hypothetically I could find a new job, but I have no idea where I would go. It's definitely a thing to consider, though. 

[Dr. Old Bill]

19 minutes ago, CaffeineCardigan said:

My vent for today: 

Everyone says you shouldn't go to a program without funding but I've received no funding offers with any of my acceptances and while I'm able to apply for some funding later it's not a guarantee and probably won't cover everything. But on the other hand if I don't go anywhere then I have no place to live and no where to go come this fall. So my choice seems to be add more debt and keep my career goals in motion or live on my grandparent's couch in a tiny town with no jobs and apply to different schools next year. I was really excited about one of the programs I was accepted to, but now I'm worried that by accepting my place there I'll be doing more harm for my future than good. There just isn't a clear choice like I've had in all of my big life decisions up to this point and that's making it really tough.

I know this is a venting thread and not an "advice" thread...but I think that you should go with your gut. Yes, spending money for a Master's is onerous and may cause long-term financial regret, but if you're treating it as a stepping stone to a Ph.D., and if you're very aware of all of the circumstances of the job market and the finances required etc., then do it. Conventional wisdom is all well and good, but "convention" doesn't really define much of what we do as English majors, after all. There are a few folks here who did an unfunded M.A., got into a funded Ph.D. program, and have excelled. Sure, they'll have student loans to pay off, but they've also spent five, six, seven years doing what they love and getting the highest possible degree in the process. That sounds more like an investment to me. Again, this isn't advice I'd give to everyone. I'm sure I've made posts in the past discouraging the unfunded M.A. route...but in your situation as you describe it, I can't help but think "why not?" And clearly you've got three programs that are completely sold on your research, which bodes well for future applications (if that's the route you go).

Just my two cents.

[CaffeineCardigan]

@Wyatt's Terps Your advice is very much appreciated! It's especially appreciated because I like what you have to say. I am worried about taking on more loans because I do have some from undergrad, but I also know that this is what I want to do and that I am in it for the long haul. It seems like a necessary financial risk to give me time to do what I love and apply for a funded PhD immediately after. Though that might be the emotional high from the final acceptance talking, of course. 

[Yanaka]

I'd say that the beauty of your situation is that you can go wherever you want! I may be an idealist, but that's what I'm trying to think about my situation that is somewhat similar to yours. Sure, I could move close to my Dad or my Brother and resent being that close to them  or, if it all comes to me not having any offer anywhere (including job/internship offers), why wouldn't I move to California and figure it out in paradise? 8) 

[CrunchyMamademic]

1 hour ago, Wyatt's Terps said:

I know this is a venting thread and not an "advice" thread...but I think that you should go with your gut. Yes, spending money for a Master's is onerous and may cause long-term financial regret, but if you're treating it as a stepping stone to a Ph.D., and if you're very aware of all of the circumstances of the job market and the finances required etc., then do it. Conventional wisdom is all well and good, but "convention" doesn't really define much of what we do as English majors, after all. 

I second this. I did an unfunded MA. I did two crazy things to make it work: I took 5 classes each semester to take advantage of the full-time tuition (3 classes cost the same as 4 or 5). I also applied for a TA position my second year, which came with a small stipend and a half tuition waiver. I had to quit my full time job to take the TAship  (no, I didn't quit while I was taking 5 courses. Whewww!), so I lost my stability and dove headfirst into the "well let's hope this works" mentality. It did.

[biyutefulphlower]

28 minutes ago, CrunchyMamademic said:

I second this. I did an unfunded MA. I did two crazy things to make it work: I took 5 classes each semester to take advantage of the full-time tuition (3 classes cost the same as 4 or 5). I also applied for a TA position my second year, which came with a small stipend and a half tuition waiver. I had to quit my full time job to take the TAship  (no, I didn't quit while I was taking 5 courses. Whewww!), so I lost my stability and dove headfirst into the "well let's hope this works" mentality. It did.

Bouncing of this, I also did an unfunded MA while working part time (at a fun, little events company).  It can totally work if you're realistic about the cost, your expectations, and your game plan

[shoestofollow]

Holding onto hope from Princeton.... but we'll see...

[Dr. Old Bill]

14 minutes ago, shoestofollow said:

Holding onto hope from Princeton.... but we'll see...

Me too! I normally silence my phone when I'm at work...but not today.

 

[Caien]

16 minutes ago, shoestofollow said:

Holding onto hope from Princeton.... but we'll see...

 

1 minute ago, Wyatt's Terps said:

Me too! I normally silence my phone when I'm at work...but not today.

 

Glad I'm not the only one

[KTF87]

am i too hopeless to count on JHU?

i wish they could just send me a rejection already!!! :'(

[phoebusrising]

4 hours ago, shoestofollow said:

Holding onto hope from Princeton.... but we'll see...

 

3 hours ago, Wyatt's Terps said:

Me too! I normally silence my phone when I'm at work...but not today.

 

 

3 hours ago, Caien said:

 

Glad I'm not the only one

 

Right there with you guys, and the anxiety is killing me

[Silabus]

8 hours ago, CaffeineCardigan said:

My vent for today: 

Everyone says you shouldn't go to a program without funding but I've received no funding offers with any of my acceptances and while I'm able to apply for some funding later it's not a guarantee and probably won't cover everything. But on the other hand if I don't go anywhere then I have no place to live and no where to go come this fall. So my choice seems to be add more debt and keep my career goals in motion or live on my grandparent's couch in a tiny town with no jobs and apply to different schools next year. I was really excited about one of the programs I was accepted to, but now I'm worried that by accepting my place there I'll be doing more harm for my future than good. There just isn't a clear choice like I've had in all of my big life decisions up to this point and that's making it really tough.

A lot of MA programs are seen as money making programs for universities--this is especially true if they also have PhD programs at the university. Try looking for MA programs where the MA is the highest degree the university has.

So the university I'm at is like that, MA is the highest degree, and it's really nice. Your tuition is waived, they pay you a stipend (albeit a modest one). Oh! And they have their admissions open until March! I...ummm, I dunno if this is appropriate for the forum or not but I'll pass it along to you. I don't want anyone to have to live on their grandparent's couch!

New Mexico Highlands University

And the DOG is; Helen Blythe

helenblythe@nmhu.edu

Shoot her an email if you want. I know the program is still looking for students.