Reassurance through all the confusion??

[Branwen daughter of Llyr]

Hi all.

I've applied to 4 grad programs this year, and due to several very... hrmmm... disparaging and discouraging remarks from several forums out there, I've pretty much resigned myself to not getting in to any of them (they're all top-tier - Yale, Cornell, Brown, and UVA, and my first general GRE scores weren't that hot - only 600 on the verbal).

I have strong writing samples, and strong letters of recommendation, since my profs remembered me after 8 years, and remembered me well and positively. I have an overall 3.66 GPA, and a 3.78 in the major (English - Medieval and Renaissance concentration, w. honors + honors thesis), but because the "going to grad school" decision came about only this past November, I didn't really have time to prep for the general GRE or even write a super-strong SOP. I missed the subject test, and am taking it in April. Since I know that UVA, Yale, and Cornell require it, I don't have much hope for 2010.

After being convinced by a number of people that to get into the top-tier programs I want (I'm almost 38, and I won't have time to dick around looking for a tenure track professorship post-dissertation) I need higher test scores, I went and did the general GRE again, this time scoring 720 (98th percentile) on the verbal, and had an added bonus of raising my quant to 670. I did send the scores to the schools I've applied to. I'm now studying like mad so I can get above a 700 on the subject test (and yes, I'm cramming the theory - I have a lot of remembering to do).

So basically, I'm getting a lot of conflicting advice. One person even told me that applications with less than a 650 on the verbal get thrown out immediately at Yale and Stanford (I desperately want to go to Yale, but my top 4 are Yale, Cornell, Brown, and Duke), while others say that the tests count for much less than the writing samples, SOP, and recommendations. Luckily, I'm not interested in living in a big city (so Columbia and U of Chicago are out). My dad, who's a prof at Brown (but not in my field), is very discouraging about my chances of getting in to where I want to go, being on the Adcomm for his field.

I've also been completely out of the field for over 8 years, since my graduation in 2001, and I haven't published, unfortunately.

After this very long, rambling intro - I know I have it in me to do brilliantly well at Yale or Cornell. There is nothing in the world I'm more passionate about than English lit. I am widening the search for applications next year, and including schools like Brandeis, WUSTL, Emory, and Northwestern.

Be honest - what are the chances I can actually get into Yale / Cornell / Duke / Brown? Any advice for increasing the chances (aside from the scores, I have that bit covered), and ARE they that important? Do you know anyone who got into a top-tier with a 600 verbal?

[ornithology]

I would be much more nervous about the not "super-strong SOP" than the GRE scores. these are very competitive programs, even for people with polished SOPs, perfect test scores and a 4.0. and even after that, much of it comes down to luck.

you're bright and know what you want to do--even if you don't get in this round, you'll have time to prepare for 2011.

good luck!

I've applied to 4 grad programs this year, and due to several very... hrmmm... disparaging and discouraging remarks from several forums out there, I've pretty much resigned myself to not getting in to any of them (they're all top-tier - Yale, Cornell, Brown, and UVA, and my first general GRE scores weren't that hot - only 600 on the verbal).

I have strong writing samples, and strong letters of recommendation, since my profs remembered me after 8 years, and remembered me well and positively. I have an overall 3.66 GPA, and a 3.78 in the major (English - Medieval and Renaissance concentration, w. honors + honors thesis), but because the "going to grad school" decision came about only this past November, I didn't really have time to prep for the general GRE or even write a super-strong SOP. I missed the subject test, and am taking it in April. Since I know that UVA, Yale, and Cornell require it, I don't have much hope for 2010.

After being convinced by a number of people that to get into the top-tier programs I want (I'm almost 38, and I won't have time to dick around looking for a tenure track professorship post-dissertation) I need higher test scores, I went and did the general GRE again, this time scoring 720 (98th percentile) on the verbal, and had an added bonus of raising my quant to 670. I did send the scores to the schools I've applied to. I'm now studying like mad so I can get above a 700 on the subject test (and yes, I'm cramming the theory - I have a lot of remembering to do).

So basically, I'm getting a lot of conflicting advice. One person even told me that applications with less than a 650 on the verbal get thrown out immediately at Yale and Stanford (I desperately want to go to Yale, but my top 4 are Yale, Cornell, Brown, and Duke), while others say that the tests count for much less than the writing samples, SOP, and recommendations. Luckily, I'm not interested in living in a big city (so Columbia and U of Chicago are out). My dad, who's a prof at Brown (but not in my field), is very discouraging about my chances of getting in to where I want to go, being on the Adcomm for his field.

I've also been completely out of the field for over 8 years, since my graduation in 2001, and I haven't published, unfortunately.

After this very long, rambling intro - I know I have it in me to do brilliantly well at Yale or Cornell. There is nothing in the world I'm more passionate about than English lit. I am widening the search for applications next year, and including schools like WUSTL, Michigan, Emory, and Northwestern.

Be honest - what are the chances I can actually get into Yale / Cornell / Duke/ Brown? Any advice for increasing the chances (aside from the scores, I have that bit covered), and ARE they that important? Do you know anyone who got into a top-tier with a 600 verbal?

[Pamphilia]

How are your languages? For Medieval they are key.

[Branwen daughter of Llyr]

How are your languages? For Medieval they are key.

yah, I know. I've committed to language study for three summers during the program - Latin and French. I have basic French already, and I'm bi-lingual Hebrew/English (unfortunately Hebrew means crap for an English PhD, except for maybe Old Testament stuff).

In anticipation of another round of applications for 2011, I'm looking into taking some Latin classes online, and brushing up my French. Luckily, I don't have to speak them, just read and understand and be able to translate - something that's much easier for me.

Latin is easy for me - I can read Middle English pretty well, after all, and I'm really good with languages overall, but between changing majors in UG from theater to English, and other considerations, I ended up testing out of languages with Hebrew.

And my SOP may be better than I think - but as stated, I didn't have much time to work on it, and figure out exactly what I wanted (I'm still wavering between Medieval and Renaissance / Early Modern, and I'm still trying to figure out how to incorporate children's lit / fantasy into the whole thing). I'm hoping that the shock of an Israeli applying for a PhD in English lit and who can read Middle English and is in love with Chaucer will be enough for them to consider me seriously

Ahh well, there's always next year. I already know that I need some serious thinking and revising time for my SOP, and to narrow my focus. And of course, prepping for Latin and French can only help.