Purdue and Indiana

[Nighthob]

Because I've lurked here for a while and some of us are tired of compliment-fishing posts.

And also? It was a very honest appraisal of this person's application....

Well, I'm glad you're not on an admissions committee for any of the schools I'm applying to. Honesty and asshattery are not the same thing.

[Venetia]

Duplicate post!

Edited February 10, 2010 by Venetia

[Venetia]

minnares,

First may I say, welcome to the Gradcafe community! Sorry you found it so late in the game- I found it so useful during the application period, and am really appreciating the support and information during the waiting period (it's certainly given me more info than most of my programs, some of which did not even send emails confirming that my application was complete!).

Kudos on all your strengths; perhaps such a list wasn't exactly on topic with this thread's purpose, but your info about Indiana and Purdue more than made up for that . I'm sure people's tempers are just running high at this point in time and hearing about people who are just as qualified (or even more so) than we are just makes the competition seem even fiercer. And incidentally, hemingways_abs, I haven't presented at any conferences. So not *everyone* has.

I hope the nice comments you receive outweigh the nasty ones so that you're not scared off GradCafe. May I suggest a new piece of imagery to replace that of the ravenous dogs? Perhaps a housewarming party with brownies and cake and perhaps a couple of balloons to welcome you to our grad school application support group?

Good luck to you (and to all posters and lurkers on the forum!) with your applications. At this stage, that's all we can say really!

Edit: and on a completely linguistic note, thank you to nighthob for such a GREAT word- asshattery. I will actually try and use this.

Edited February 10, 2010 by Venetia

[minnares]

Thanks Venetia. I've had a few very nice welcomes over PM. All is well. After almost 40 years on this planet, it takes more than words to upset me. Love your Terry Pratchett quote

@favorfire: Actually, Hellenic is modern Greek as distinguished from ancient. In Greece, they refer to their current language as Hellenic and refer to ancient Greek as "classical" or ancient, at least so explained my Athenian friend. Hope this clarifies.

~ m

[callmelilyb]

Because I've lurked here for a while and some of us are tired of compliment-fishing posts.

And also? It was a very honest appraisal of this person's application. Writing samples, statements of purpose, and, to a much lesser (but still crucial) extent, numbers are going to make or break this applicant--not TA positions, poetry, conferences, awards, or Hellenic speaking ability. All of that stuff is so ridiculously irrelevant to this process, and it's clear that the poster just needed to read the advice posts from last fall and years past before making such an embarrassing grab for affirmation.

It seems to me that when someone is “fishing for a compliment” that tends to mean they really need one. I suppose I try to err on the side of being supportive and empathetic. Besides, many of us are looking for reassurance at this stage in the game, so if someone reaches out for some, why not extend it?

While I do think what you’ve said in your last post regarding admissions is accurate, since when did comments like “But not accepted? Ouch” and “Whoopee. So has everyone else” constitute useful criticism? If you think that minnares is radically mistaken about what counts in the admissions process, I think there were more effective (not to mention kind) ways of informing him/her so.

At any rate, I like to think of gradcafe as a community…one that I can turn to for both useful information and support/reassurance from others. We're all going through the same stressful process, let's be supportive.

Edited February 10, 2010 by callmelilyb

[apcoach]

Apcoach--

I am late 18th and 19th century fiction. I also got accepted to OSU. What are you specifically interested in (authors, works, etc.)

Hope to talk to you some more!

I'm really into those fat Victorian novels (Bleak House, Middlemarch, etc. . ). Throw in some Austen and I'm a happy camper. At OSU, I'm most excited to work with James Phelan. I'm interested in the intersection between formalist theory and cultural studies and he has done some fascinating research in that general area.

How about you?

Oh, and since this is radically off topic, please let me know if there is a better place to respond.

In other news, I love the idea of having a virtual housewarming party. Can there be cupcakes?

Edited February 10, 2010 by apcoach

[w2010]

I'm really into those fat Victorian novels (Bleak House, Middlemarch, etc. . ). Throw in some Austen and I'm a happy camper. At OSU, I'm most excited to work with James Phelan. I'm interested in the intersection between formalist theory and cultural studies and he has done some fascinating research in that general area.

How about you?

Oh, and since this is radically off topic, please let me know if there is a better place to respond.

In other news, I love the idea of having a virtual housewarming party. Can there be cupcakes?

My interests really lie in gothic lit, but not just the usual "Dracula" and "Frankenstein". I am interested in transatlantic crime and detective fiction and its roots in print culture and the penny dreadfuls. I am also interested in the pseudo-sciences of the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, especially in regards to debates about criminal responsibility.

Virtual cupcakes?

[strokeofmidnight]

My interests really lie in gothic lit, but not just the usual "Dracula" and "Frankenstein". I am interested in transatlantic crime and detective fiction and its roots in print culture and the penny dreadfuls. I am also interested in the pseudo-sciences of the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, especially in regards to debates about criminal responsibility.

Virtual cupcakes?

That's fascinating! I work in gothic lit as well, though from a slightly different angle.

[w2010]

That's fascinating! I work in gothic lit as well, though from a slightly different angle.

strokeofmidnight,

what part of goth lit interests you?