2018 Applicants

[mk-8]

Reading the posts in this thread have made me feel incredibly behind. I've done a little bit of studying for GRE round 2, reading for my thesis, and looking up some information on programs. My list of programs is massive right now, and I'm having a hard time narrowing it down because there are tons of programs I certain aspects of, but not really others. Thesis research is also just not going anywhere because I'm not entirely sure what I want to do for that. So I'm just kind of out here floating in "IDK" land (while working part time at a summer camp), so any words of encouragement are appreciated.

[Dr. Old Bill]

5 minutes ago, mk-8 said:

Reading the posts in this thread have made me feel incredibly behind. I've done a little bit of studying for GRE round 2, reading for my thesis, and looking up some information on programs. My list of programs is massive right now, and I'm having a hard time narrowing it down because there are tons of programs I certain aspects of, but not really others. Thesis research is also just not going anywhere because I'm not entirely sure what I want to do for that. So I'm just kind of out here floating in "IDK" land (while working part time at a summer camp), so any words of encouragement are appreciated.

Here's some encouragement:

Last year, I was certain that my WS would be a seminar paper I wrote in the spring. All throughout late spring and summer, I compiled my program list with this paper (and specific academic focus) in mind. I wanted to have everything but my SOP finished by the time the fall semester started, because I knew I would be very busy with two courses, two GAships, and teaching a section of 101 for the first time. Early September rolled around, and I sent my supposed WS to my three LOR-writers. One of them liked it (the one I initially wrote it for in the first place), one of them was very lukewarm about it, and one of them said "based on this paper, I can't write you a great letter." Needless to say, I was quite distraught. Fortunately, one of my letter-writers said "why don't you use the paper you wrote for my class?"...a class I had taken a year earlier, and a paper I had only received an A- on. It was indeed a paper I was very happy about, on a subject I was keenly interested in...but the A- had made me think it just wasn't pursuing further.* But when I told her as much, she replied "Oh, I give most students an A-"...and suddenly I realized I could resurrect this much-loved paper on a much-loved sub-field. The problem, of course, is that I had to put it through many, many rounds of revision...in September. And October. And November. All while I had the aforementioned obligations on my plate, not to mention having to write a SOP from scratch, and having to revisit all of my program selections with my new focus in mind. All of it got done, of course, and while it was certainly more of a stressful semester than it should have been, everything turned out just fine.

All of this is just to say that so long as you are fully committed to making sure everything gets done by the end of November, things will get done. While it's always a great idea to have some things ready by the beginning of June, it's also not essential. My very minor advice would be to simply be thinking about applications regularly. You don't necessarily have to do anything application-related -- just be thinking about all of the aspects, what will eventually need to get done etc. And when you find yourself idly surfing the net, make a point of taking five or ten minutes to simply go to a program's website, and click on course listings, guidelines, faculty members etc. You might be surprised at how helpful just a few minutes a day can be for getting a sense of a program.



*For those of you who are reading and don't already know this, grad school grading is a bit different from undergraduate grading. In very, very general terms, an A is an A, but a graduate A- is like an undergrad B/B+, a graduate B/B+ is like a C/C+, and a graduate B- or anything under is tantamount to a D or worse.

[klader]

Hey, @mk-8! You've got this ? I don't feel like I've gotten a ton accomplished either, but I'm gonna try and start fresh and prioritize my time. I'm trying to look at it not so much of what I haven't accomplished in my working part-time/being lazy but the opportunity I have to turn it around.

My goal was to do a bunch of thesis stuff this summer, but now I'm starting to realize that my conference presentations and PhD apps come sooner, so I may need to reorient myself. I haven't done nearly enough reading, but that's okay. My chair just has very lofty goals for me and will have to understand what else I have going on. 

And @verjus, accountability is truly key and very important! 

I'm wondering if anyone wants to set up a pm chat where we can share our plans/goals and report back to each other every so often? I'd totally be down for that

[lit_nerd]

55 minutes ago, klader said:

I'm wondering if anyone wants to set up a pm chat where we can share our plans/goals and report back to each other every so often? I'd totally be down for that

@klader I would totally be down!

 

[mk-8]

3 minutes ago, lit_nerd said:

@klader I would totally be down!

 

I too would be very interested in that! 

[cowgirlsdontcry]

Hello everyone. I'm a recent MA graduate in literature and will begin a PhD program in literature this fall. My area is contemporary American literature (both 20th/21st century) with a subfield of Southern literature. My MA thesis was on three texts of Cormac McCarthy (covered my areas nicely) and it continues to be my research focus as I move into a PhD. Although I am not an early Americanist, I do have interest in it and have read extensively through the works beginning with the Pilgrims, as McCarthy uses many authors in his work. I presented a paper on McCarthy's Suttree  at the Society of Early Americanists Biennial Conference in March 2017, so if you are an early Americanist, this is a conference you should look at. It's quite huge and I heard presentations on many different kinds of texts. Not only were there literary scholars attending the conference, there were many historians, as well. Suttree certainly isn't about early America, but McCarthy makes use of Twain and Joyce quite visibly in that text.

I agree with what has been expressed from scholars already in the process of getting their PhDs. Remember this, the more places you apply, the better the odds you will get an offer of admission. My application season included 9 apps, and I received 2 admissions, 2 waitlists, and 5 rejections, which was a fair season I believe. Look at the programs you want to apply to. Do they require the Lit Subject Test or simply the basic GRE? You can save yourself both a lot of time and money, if you find you are selecting programs that do not require the subject test. I refused to take it. When I started studying for the test, I could see all the practice tests were heavily weighted toward British lit and much less so towards American texts. At that point, I decided I would only apply to programs where it was not a requirement. I can tell you off the top of my head that Oklahoma State University's English PhD does not require the GRE at all. One of my fellow GAs as an MA student was admitted there.

I wish each of you the best of luck and know the stress that goes along with the applications, having just finished my application season.

[Keri]

On 2017. 6. 16. at 6:15 AM, klader said:

I'm wondering if anyone wants to set up a pm chat where we can share our plans/goals and report back to each other every so often? I'd totally be down for that

I would be down to join this! 

[verjus]

Count me in, @klader!

On 6/18/2017 at 4:14 AM, Keri said:

I would be down to join this! 

 

[Dogfish Head]

Just registered to take the GRE .

[Keri]

On 6/20/2017 at 1:12 PM, Dogfish Head said:

Just registered to take the GRE .

Whoo! When are you going to take it?  

[lit_nerd]

Hey @Dogfish Head I just registered too! I'm taking it August 31st!

[cowgirlsdontcry]

Noticed a couple of things about several posters and wish to comment.

First, lit_nerd I will be beginning the lit PhD at UA this fall. Are you applying to the Strode Program or regular literature program? I can tell you my experience in applying there and what I know thus far.

Second, Keri I just finished a combination in-person/online MA program that is primarily online, but the professors will do a direct study if you are local and serving as a GA. It is smaller state school (10,000 students) that has (or did have) 80 English MA students located all over the world, many of whom are working in the Far East as teachers of English and obtaining a linguistics MA. Twenty of us graduated in May. The English MA is rated 6th nationwide in programs. I can tell you about it and what they look for in applicants, as I went there for both undergrad and MA. I grew up in the area and the cost of living is low here, so I gravitated back here from the big city to get an education.

 

Edited June 22, 2017 by cowgirlsdontcry

[Keri]

1 hour ago, cowgirlsdontcry said:

Second, Keri I just finished a combination in-person/online MA program that is primarily online, but the professors will do a direct study if you are local and serving as a GA. It is smaller state school (10,000 students) that has (or did have) 80 English MA students located all over the world, many of whom are working in the Far East as teachers of English and obtaining a linguistics MA. Twenty of us graduated in May. The English MA is rated 6th nationwide in programs. I can tell you about it and what they look for in applicants, as I went there for both undergrad and MA. I grew up in the area and the cost of living is low here, so I gravitated back here from the big city to get an education.

 

Oh cowgirlsdontcry, I would love to hear about it all! Can you please message me?  I was worried about being an far away online student, but that statistic is great to hear! 

[TeaOverCoffee]

I'm not sure why I'm about to offer advice for applying because I felt anxious and stressed the entire time; however, I hope it makes a few of you feel better about where you are in your application processes.

I am the epitome of a type-A personality, and I thought I was nearly prepared to submit my applications by the beginning of August. I couldn't have been more wrong. I finalized my SOP in October and my writing sample (a paper that I had written for a graduate course my first semester) wasn't complete until maybe a day before submitting my first application on December 1. My dear, dear advisor and I tore my paper apart for almost two months. In fact, I think I went through approximately seven rounds of thorough edits and avfew in between.

 

Basically, don't be too hard on yourselves about where you are with your applications because you probably should go through many rounds of revisions. These things often take more time than we expect. I gave myself a lenient date to complete everything in October, and I still wasn't done until a month later. Woe is life.

Best of luck to you all! I'm sending good vibes your ways. 

[Dogfish Head]

On 6/22/2017 at 8:06 AM, Keri said:

Whoo! When are you going to take it?  

I am taking it on July 20th.  I'm a little nervous, but I have been prepping with Kaplan books which I have found to be pretty helpful so far.

 

On 6/22/2017 at 10:12 AM, lit_nerd said:

Hey @Dogfish Head I just registered too! I'm taking it August 31st!

Nice! Best of luck!  Out of curiosity, how have been studying? 

 

On another note, I have been reaching out to the Graduate Studies Directors of programs that I am interested in which I have found incredibly helpful. Has anyone else been doing this? Have you found it helpful as well? Everyone I have contacted has been quick to respond and incredibly helpful and kind which has cemented my interest in certain programs. 

[lit_nerd]

56 minutes ago, Dogfish Head said:

Nice! Best of luck!  Out of curiosity, how have been studying? 

 

On another note, I have been reaching out to the Graduate Studies Directors of programs that I am interested in which I have found incredibly helpful. Has anyone else been doing this?

Hey @Dogfish Head! I have been using a Kaplan book and following along with an online course on Lynda.com! Your school might have a membership to Lynda, so you should definitely check it out! PM me and I'll send you the link. 

I haven't contacted any DGS's yet, I find emailing people out of the blue a bit frightening. I need to get better at it, so maybe I should give it a try! Which schools did you email and what did you say? 

[Dogfish Head]

2 hours ago, lit_nerd said:

Hey @Dogfish Head! I have been using a Kaplan book and following along with an online course on Lynda.com! Your school might have a membership to Lynda, so you should definitely check it out! PM me and I'll send you the link. 

I haven't contacted any DGS's yet, I find emailing people out of the blue a bit frightening. I need to get better at it, so maybe I should give it a try! Which schools did you email and what did you say? 

 

I will look into Lynda, but that sounds super familiar so I feel that my university allows me access to it. I will PM you if I have any issues accessing it, thank you so much for the information!  

 

In regards to contacting DGS's, I can definitely relate to the fear of emailing people out of the blue, but everyone I have talked to has been super friendly. I assume they are used to getting random emails because of their position so I would say give it a shot and reach out to some of them if you have questions. I have had contact with people from Georgetown, Bucknell, Clark, and Duquesne so far, but I want to reach out to other DGS's at some other schools I am interested in as well. My questions primarily had to do with acceptance rates, amount of applicants per season, funding/GAships, and Ph.D. placement. I am especially interested about the Ph.D. placement of the schools I am applying to because that is my eventual goal, but I am most likely only applying Master's programs so that I can get some graduate school experience under my belt before the big plunge. 

[Keri]

@lit_nerd remember it's still summer and they might not get back to you right away if you do email! I sent a few emails out and haven't heard back because they are probably out of the office. I am going to send a few more here at the beginning of July. 

[amstu]

I feel fairly late to this topic, but I'd like to join. I'm an Americanist also applying to a number of programs this fall. I'm doing nineteenth-century stuff with an interdisciplinary emphasis and currently working on an essay-as-writing-sample that I really love. I've registered for the GRE, reading, writing and drinking a lot of beer. I'd be down to set up goals and benchmarks with folks to stay on top of things. I haven't started studying for the GRE because every atom of my being despises it as a metric of student success, let alone intelligence, and I have a melt-down once a week about the thought that all of my hard work might be thrown out the window by a bad test score. 

 

[a_sort_of_fractious_angel]

On 6/18/2017 at 7:14 AM, Keri said:

I would be down to join this! 

@Keri and @klader - if y'all are still thinking of getting a PM group together, I'd love to join in as well! 

[WillyFaulks]

On 6/26/2017 at 0:49 AM, amstu said:

I feel fairly late to this topic, but I'd like to join. I'm an Americanist also applying to a number of programs this fall. I'm doing nineteenth-century stuff with an interdisciplinary emphasis and currently working on an essay-as-writing-sample that I really love. I've registered for the GRE, reading, writing and drinking a lot of beer. I'd be down to set up goals and benchmarks with folks to stay on top of things. I haven't started studying for the GRE because every atom of my being despises it as a metric of student success, let alone intelligence, and I have a melt-down once a week about the thought that all of my hard work might be thrown out the window by a bad test score. 

 

Hi @amstu! I am in the same boat as you. I am also focusing on 19th c Am., working on a WS over the summer, and trying not to drown out my fears about the GRE (and basically everything about applications) with copious amounts of wine. 

I am split between a couple PhD and MA programs I am interested in (I'm coming into senior year of undergrad this fall), but I haven't felt comfortable enough to nail down a definitive list. I'm hoping to take the summer to do some studying on schools and the GRE/subject test and hopefully have myself somewhat together by classes in September. I would be glad to pace with you over the summer if you're looking for a study buddy. 

[amstu]

3 hours ago, WillyFaulks said:

Hi @amstu! I am in the same boat as you. I am also focusing on 19th c Am., working on a WS over the summer, and trying not to drown out my fears about the GRE (and basically everything about applications) with copious amounts of wine. 

I am split between a couple PhD and MA programs I am interested in (I'm coming into senior year of undergrad this fall), but I haven't felt comfortable enough to nail down a definitive list. I'm hoping to take the summer to do some studying on schools and the GRE/subject test and hopefully have myself somewhat together by classes in September. I would be glad to pace with you over the summer if you're looking for a study buddy. 

That would be great! Trigger warning: As of right down I'm too salty to study for the GRE but I'm happy to be a resource for everything else: exchange of thoughts/anxieties/writing samples/letters of purpose. I think I'm going to add some Non-Fiction MFA programs to my list because its a real possibility that I won't get in anywhere. Are you going into History or Literature? I looked at the literature subject test but I don't think I want to take it in addition to the GRE (more to prep on top of everything else) so I've reduced my list to schools that don't require the subject test. Have you started your writing sample? 

[Warelin]

14 hours ago, amstu said:

That would be great! Trigger warning: As of right down I'm too salty to study for the GRE but I'm happy to be a resource for everything else: exchange of thoughts/anxieties/writing samples/letters of purpose. I think I'm going to add some Non-Fiction MFA programs to my list because its a real possibility that I won't get in anywhere. Are you going into History or Literature? I looked at the literature subject test but I don't think I want to take it in addition to the GRE (more to prep on top of everything else) so I've reduced my list to schools that don't require the subject test. Have you started your writing sample? 

An MFA and a PHD are two very different degrees. Speaking generally, MFA programs receive more applications than PHD programs in English do. What is your end goal?

[Dogfish Head]

Hello all, I was just wondering, out of the people who are applying for the Fall of 2018, who else is applying to predominantly or all MA programs? 

[amstu]

7 hours ago, Warelin said:

An MFA and a PHD are two very different degrees. Speaking generally, MFA programs receive more applications than PHD programs in English do. What is your end goal?

I haven't seen numbers but I would be surprised if more people apply to Iowa's Nonfiction MFA than to University of Chicago's English program. Does anyone have numbers?