How Many Apps is Enough?

[swattie2008]

Hey everyone! Congrats to those who have already been accepted into English/Comp Lit programs! Just wondering if people would be willing to share their thoughts on how many applications seems generally sufficient to get at least one admit into a Ph.D program. I sent out 16 applications this year which several colleagues in my MA program have said is crazy, but with the current climate I'm wondering if that will even be enough to lock in somewhere. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

[M.J.P.]

Hey everyone! Congrats to those who have already been accepted into English/Comp Lit programs! Just wondering if people would be willing to share their thoughts on how many applications seems generally sufficient to get at least one admit into a Ph.D program. I sent out 16 applications this year which several colleagues in my MA program have said is crazy, but with the current climate I'm wondering if that will even be enough to lock in somewhere. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

I really, really don't think that 16 is overkill, particularly considering the economic climate. While I think it's true that there aren't more "qualified" applicants applying this year (more applicants in general does not mean more qualified applicants), grad programs are accepting smaller cohorts or giving out less funding. My partner's PhD program (Latin American Literature) is accepting people into the program this year, but they are only giving 4 years of funding (for a MA/PhD program). You want to have as many options as possible, even if applying to 16 schools only leaves you with 2 acceptances. At least you will have an option in terms of funding, location, etc.

To speak from personal experience, I applied to 15 programs--13 PhD programs and 2 MFA programs. (Note: I only really applied to the MFA programs because they are the best of the best; if I get in to an MFA program and decide to put off a PhD for 2-3 years, I want it to be for an AMAZING program.) I'd truly like to say that after this incredibly difficult, expensive, and time-consuming experience, that I will have more than one program to choose from. I'm an options kinda guy.

[callmelilyb]

I think around 15-ish is sane. I applied to 11, but that was mostly due to economics and I would have thrown a couple more out there if I'd had the extra cash. I think that when you get in the range of 20 or so it might be time to re-evaluate where and why you're applying....it just seems to me that it would be hard to find 20 programs that are really that great of a match for one's interests, but honestly if there ARE say, 20 programs that are a great match for your interests and you can afford it, then I see no reason why you shouldn't apply to that many places. I think the numbers concern is more applicable to applicants who simply blanket apply to the top 20, 25 or so programs without any real thought behind it or for those of us who are limited financially.

Edited February 6, 2010 by callmelilyb

[melusine]

I applied to 8. But I missed Harvard's supplementary materials deadline and got a snappy email saying they wouldn't be considering stuff received after, so really, I should say 7.

I wish I could've applied to more but.. I don't know at this point.

Part of me thinks it only takes one.

The other part says that with odds of 700 apps for 4 spots, even with seven programs, I can pretty much make my (nonexistant) plan B a plan A..

[strokeofmidnight]

I don't think you can really put a number on it. It REALLY is all about fit. If you do have the time and resources, apply to every program that is a good fit for your project (which, of course, requires figuring out exactly what that project is first). No matter how strong of an applicant you are, I don't think a program will admit you if your work isn't a good fit for their strengths. If you spend, say a few months carefully researching programs (faculty publications, recent dissertations, etc), you might narrow down the list to anywhere from just two or three to a dozen schools. It really depends on how to articulate your interests.

Still, if you find that 30 programs seem like a good fit for you, you might want to re-evaluate the scope of your project.

[ecg1810]

I only applied to six. I realize that most apply to at least eight, but my mentor seemed to think six was a good number/I had a good balance of "reach" schools and "safety" schools (so to speak. . . if "safety" schools even truly exist with graduate school applications). In any case, I barely had enough cash to finance six applications. . . *shrugs*

Edited February 7, 2010 by ecg1810

[callmelilyb]

I don't think you can really put a number on it. It REALLY is all about fit. If you do have the time and resources, apply to every program that is a good fit for your project (which, of course, requires figuring out exactly what that project is first). No matter how strong of an applicant you are, I don't think a program will admit you if your work isn't a good fit for their strengths. If you spend, say a few months carefully researching programs (faculty publications, recent dissertations, etc), you might narrow down the list to anywhere from just two or three to a dozen schools. It really depends on how to articulate your interests.

Still, if you find that 30 programs seem like a good fit for you, you might want to re-evaluate the scope of your project.

This is a good point.

[porkpiehat]

I applied to 8. But I missed Harvard's supplementary materials deadline and got a snappy email saying they wouldn't be considering stuff received after, so really, I should say 7.

I wish I could've applied to more but.. I don't know at this point.

Part of me thinks it only takes one.

The other part says that with odds of 700 apps for 4 spots, even with seven programs, I can pretty much make my (nonexistant) plan B a plan A..

Melusine, I can assure you that, on the whole, Comparative Literature programs do not receive so many applications. I see that you're applying to Princeton, so let's take it as an example. The Graduate School publishes its admissions statistics here:

http://gradschool.princeton.edu/facts/humanities/

I hope this information serves to correct the inaccurate figures you have cited (so that others are not misinformed) and perhaps also to allay your own fears.

[flower303]

I applied to 19 schools out of my initial list of 31 (!!!). I'm far from the perfect applicant and consequently thought I should cast a wide net. However, in arriving at the final 19, I decided to go for broke and apply to top schools, which will likely bite me in the ass in the end. At present I'm working in a field that I really like (non-profit fine arts, working with kids), so I figured I would apply to only the places that I would be really, truly excited about, enough to up and leave this job. Don't get me wrong, grad school is what I really want to do (I completed my MA in English last semester; initially took this job just to pay the bills during the writing of my thesis). So, I guess my answer is 19. Honestly, I don't have my hopes up, given the climate this season. If schools that would normally have an incoming cohort of, say, 12-15 are downsizing.....However well qualified I and my professors think I am, it's really hard to fathom my app poking its head above the 10 or so superstars who may be applying to the same schools. That said, I'm not giving up til the bitter end. And if it doesn't work out this go round, there's always next year!

Edited February 7, 2010 by flower303

[Branwen daughter of Llyr]

I applied to 4 -

But as I'm pretty sure I don't have a chance in hell of getting in this year (not enough time to prep for the process, grad school was only decided upon in early November), I'm already researching schools for next year's applications, and currently have a list of about 30 schools that I'm researching, and will probably narrow it down to about 13-15 program (at least I hope I'll find that many that "fit" what I want to do).

Hell, 16 is great - better safe than sorry, I say I've already started saving up for next year's round of applications (those $75 fees really add up).

One thing for sure - researching the schools is paramount. This time around, I WON'T be applying to schools that have no Medievalist profs (or only 1, unless that particular prof has extensive Anglo-Celtic research under his/her belt), and of those, I have to find programs that also have someone who writes on Children's / Fantasy.

[poco_puffs]

I can't even begin to fathom the time it took to polish fit paragraphs in 15 or 20 or even 30 statements of purpose. Or the money it cost to send out test scores. I probably considered 25 or 30 schools at the very beginning of research, but ended up planning for 8 and dropping 1 at the last minute for the grand total of 7 complete applications. I feel pretty confident about the fit at each of those, and I'm hoping for at least 2 acceptances so that I have something of a choice when the time comes.

[melusine]

Melusine, I can assure you that, on the whole, Comparative Literature programs do not receive so many applications. I see that you're applying to Princeton, so let's take it as an example. The Graduate School publishes its admissions statistics here:

http://gradschool.princeton.edu/facts/humanities/

I hope this information serves to correct the inaccurate figures you have cited (so that others are not misinformed) and perhaps also to allay your own fears.

Oh, wow, thank you for that! This is somewhat reassuring news, although I'm not sure how reliable it is for this year. I was in communication with the Yale program and they informed me that they will cut down the cohort size, so I can only imagine that going down from 6 admitted students would make it 4..

As for the 700 number, I was referring to the Columbia program, I quote: "The department typically receives around 700 applications per year". Their cohorts are bigger though, 18 last year, I think.

So yes, my panic-stricken mind seems to have conflated the two. Thanks for making seem a little less bleak!

Edited February 7, 2010 by melusine

[Venetia]

I can't even begin to fathom the time it took to polish fit paragraphs in 15 or 20 or even 30 statements of purpose. Or the money it cost to send out test scores. I probably considered 25 or 30 schools at the very beginning of research, but ended up planning for 8 and dropping 1 at the last minute for the grand total of 7 complete applications. I feel pretty confident about the fit at each of those, and I'm hoping for at least 2 acceptances so that I have something of a choice when the time comes.

Lucky number 7! That's my number too. I really only found 7 schools that seemed to be a good fit for me (I concentrated on universities with good reputations for Medieval English, preferably with Medieval Studies departments). I barely managed to eke out SOPs for those 7, and I couldn't imagine asking my LOR writers to write 15 or 20 references! I would be happy going to any one of the universities I've applied to, but like poco_puffs I'd like more than one acceptance so that I can have a choice. Seven acceptances would be best though...

[intextrovert]

As for the 700 number, I was referring to the Columbia program, I quote: "The department typically receives around 700 applications per year". Their cohorts are bigger though, 18 last year, I think.

I'm fairly sure Columbia (correct me if I'm wrong) is combining its English and Comparative Literature applicants in that number - the department is, after all, called "English and Comparative Literature." That's also the number (over 700) cited for its typical number of apps for English. So there aren't actually 700 Comp Lit apps, but probably a number a little closer to the Princeton ones (though likely significantly more, since it's Columbia and people like New York). Of course, that also means the 18 slots are English + Comp Lit combined.

Comp Lit is a self-selecting applicant pool because of the language requirements - which we Americans are notoriously weak in. So the comp lit app numbers of any program should be significantly lower than the English.

So, melusine, as far as the numbers go I would say your admissions odds are just about even with English applicants - you have less spots to compete for but also less apps to compete with, while we have more spots (sometimes - re: Penn) out there but also more applicants. Chin up!

[kriskraft]

I'm fairly sure Columbia (correct me if I'm wrong) is combining its English and Comparative Literature applicants in that number - the department is, after all, called "English and Comparative Literature." That's also the number (over 700) cited for its typical number of apps for English. So there aren't actually 700 Comp Lit apps, but probably a number a little closer to the Princeton ones (though likely significantly more, since it's Columbia and people like New York). Of course, that also means the 18 slots are English + Comp Lit combined.

Comp Lit is a self-selecting applicant pool because of the language requirements - which we Americans are notoriously weak in. So the comp lit app numbers of any program should be significantly lower than the English.

So, melusine, as far as the numbers go I would say your admissions odds are just about even with English applicants - you have less spots to compete for but also less apps to compete with, while we have more spots (sometimes - re: Penn) out there but also more applicants. Chin up!

That figure doesn't account for both English and comp. lit. I did my undergrad at Columbia, and the name of the English department is styled as "English and Comparative Literature" to give English professors some latitude in teaching courses that rely heavily on translated texts; no other reason. The actual department of comp. lit. has a similarly curious name--"The Institute for Comparative Literature and Society"--and, while there is a bit of overlap between the two re: faculty appointments, they conduct their graduate admissions separately. According to one of my letter-writers, the ~700 applicants to Columbia's English department are more than most other programs have to deal with because (direct quote) "we get a ton of foreign applications (esp. from east Asia, often with limited English skills) from people who just want to be in NYC." So there you have it.

Edited February 8, 2010 by kriskraft

[JennyFieldsOriginal]

i applied to 12 and to be completely honest it was too many.

i wouldn't go back and change anything, but i applied to some schools that i wasn't really enthusiastic about because the thought of NOT being accepted was just too awful.

again, i'm not willing to say it was a mistake, but i think i really could have capped it at 8 or 10.

at the end of the day, the expense was really out of control.

[astroturf]

I ended up applying to eight schools, which I think is the right amount for me at the time. My schools range from the super selective to schools that I believe have great programs for what I want to do, but are ranked lower. Maybe if I had the energy, time, and money to devote to applying to 10+ programs I would have done it, but I think anything above eight would have come off as hurried applications done out of desperation rather than interest in the school. I like all the programs I applied to, and hopefully I'll get into two so I at least have some sort of choice.

[Nighthob]

I started with eight applications. I withdrew one because I realized the program was not going to be a good fit after I talked with the director.

About a week ago, I found out that UNC had misplaced my GRE scores, but they got that straightened out, and I'm still in the running. Since then, I've been following up with my schools to make sure everything is in place. Turns out, Boston College also claims not to have my GRE scores. Their email response was so terse as to be discourteous, and I'm still steaming. The whole email was two sentences: "We have not received your GREs. Have a nice day." What kind of response is that?! I mean, now the application deadline has pass, and ETS says they sent the scores on December 1, so am I able to resubmit them? Is it too late?

So, assuming BC is a no-go (and hoping just a little bit that the email writer dies in a fire), I've now got 6 applications in. I'm not applying to the tippy-top schools because I didn't have the confidence to think I'd get in, and I'm not sure I'd want to go someplace as cut-throat as Columbia or one of the other uber-competitive schools out there. Anyway, I just hope I get in somewhere.

[snorri]

I applied to ten and I'm starting to think that still wasn't enough. This process is demoralizing (at least at this stage; I haven't heard a thing from any of my schools).

[minnares]

I did six and thought that was a lot. Now I'm concerned. I had no idea people applied to so many. The application fees were brutal even for six.

~ m

[diehtc0ke]

I don't know. I applied to 11 schools (12, technically but there was a whole...thing...with the 12th and my application didn't go through. I'm over it) and the application fees/GRE score reports/transcript deliveries took a real toll on my bank account. After applying, I realized a few were not the best fit and the list could definitely have been streamlined. But, if you have 20 schools that are actually good fits for the research you want to do and you have the money to back it up, I don't see a cut-off limit being applicable.

[spartaca]

I think the appropriate number of programs is really dependent on individual circumstances. I really only applied to 4 (technically 5, but I knew my MA-granting institution generally only admits 1-2 of their own, so v. low chances there). That said, I made the decision to cut my intended apps in half after re-taking the GRE and not seeing that much improvement. I was pretty convinced I wouldn't get in anywhere. But instead of ditching the entire plan, I made some strategic choices based on fit, geographic location, and ranking (even applying to one unranked program), and included a disclaimer about test scores at the end of my SOP. I was accepted to 2 programs with offers of full funding from both.

There are so many factors that go into the entire application process that unless you're planning on applying to more than, say, 20 programs, I wouldn't worry. Everyone's experiences are different and it's impossible to anticipate or gauge what adcoms are thinking.

One problem I could see coming out of applying to a lot of programs is the "safety school" mentality. Do not apply to any program that you consider a safety. Because no one wants to be in the position of having only one offer, but it's from a program you really didn't want to attend. So trust yourself--if you'd be ecstatic/happy to attend every program you apply to, then you're on the right track.