2018 Applications Thread

[mintless]

I have submitted to USF and UMass because they won't send letter-writer requests until you submit everything, and one of my letter-writers is on a tight schedule and needed me to get everything out early. Applying to eleven other programs though and I could just turn them all in a be done with it, but...

My writing sample is a drastically reworked version of a chapter from my thesis, and almost immediately upon finishing the rework, it, of course, became clear to me that if I can find the time to work through one more draft I can make it something that I think/hope will be a really stellar piece of scholarship. Hoping I can find the time...

[GreenEyedTrombonist]

@mintless I ended up turning in all my apps early because one of my programs has an internal earlier deadline for additional funding and one of my LoR writers needed to turn in everything before Dec 15th. 

Now I'm freaked out thinking I messed something up or could have looked over everything once more before submitting. On the plus side, one writer has submitted all the LoRs and another has submitted all but one, so that's nice...

[mintless]

@GreenEyedTrombonist yes it is nice to have things done and submitted early, but it definitely also gives you plenty of time to freak out. 

Haven't checked in here in days because I've been frantically studying for the GRE...which PAID OFF. Honestly today was a bit miraculous. I had been consistently testing at a 164 (94th percentile) in verbal and a 150 (39th percentile) quant. My practices had all been very consistent so I thought I knew how I would do, but I ended up scoring 8 (?!) points higher than I have ever scored on a practice test: 169 (99th percentile) verbal and 153 (51st percentile) quant. WTF?! Now just waiting for my writing scores...

[GreenEyedTrombonist]

@mintless that's awesome! Congrats! I've been keeping busy with job apps and a show I'm on that just launched last month. My next few weekends are pretty crazy though, so hopefully I won't be thinking about apps as much.

[mintless]

@GreenEyedTrombonist What kind of show?!

[GreenEyedTrombonist]

@mintless It's a tabletop rpg show on Twitch set in the Breath of the Wild universe of Legend of Zelda. 

I may be a huge nerd, haha. So far, it seems to be doing pretty well and the audience is really enjoying what we're doing.

[phdthoughts]

On 10/5/2017 at 9:05 PM, GreenEyedTrombonist said:

How's everyone doing? Anyone pulling their hair out yet?

Fine tuning SOPs at the moment - aiming to have everything sent off and done by this weekend. Eeek!

[Padma011]

Hey, everyone! I am also applying for Comm program this year. Hope you are doing well in this busy season!

Actually I want to get some advice from you. I major in English for my undergraduate, but since I study in China, my undergraduate study didn't involve a lot of research. It was not until I did an exchange study in Canada that I was completely attracted to rhetoric. I still feel a bit unprepared for graduate study cause I don't have much research experience. So far I am planning to apply for nine school this year in both Canada and U.S.  My school list includes Texas-Austin, Colorado-Boulder, Wisconsin-Madison, Maryland, UIUC, Pittsburgh, Utah, Nebraska-Lincoln and McGill.

As I was searching for Comm programs in U.S., I found most of them link rhetoric to political communication. Since my interest lies in the intersection of rhetoric, health communication and digital media, I was wondering if rhetoric and political culture program would be a good fit for me. On the other hand, health communication program mostly centres on interpersonal level, which is not exactly what I want. Any advice about the area of study choice?

 

[GreenEyedTrombonist]

@Padma011 You'll probably need to fine-tune the area of study to each program. For instance, my interests lie at the intersection of new/digital media and political communication. So, at some schools I fall more into the rhetoric camp, at others in their media studies track, and at others in political communication. A lot of this can come down to methodology as well (for one of the schools to which I'm applying, I was informed my research interests would fit in 3 of 4 tracks, but that the specific track for me would depend on my methodology- qualitative vs. quantitative focus, for the most part).

[galosh]

Hi everyone!

I don't have a good GPA (I don't yet know what it's equivalent to on the 4-point scale though) but my GRE scores seem to be okay. Could you suggest grad schools that would consider such applicants seriously?

I'd like to get into a good graduate program in communication and media studies research - my interests are:

1. in the public discourse on climate change and how opinions are shaped by the media among other actors.
2. (Another totally tangential option is to go into a documentary arts research program, given my work experience. I know of at least one good option for this.) People's movements in democracies like India and the US the way they are represented in documentaries and mainstream electronic media.

For communication/media research could you suggest schools that would consider someone with my profile (described below) with some likelihood of getting funding in the form of assistant-ships or tuition waiver ?

I've completed my BA in English Literature and my MA in Mass Communication both from universities in India (so that would be equivalent to a US bachelor's degree.) For the last 3 years I've worked both independently in video production as well as in the development sector. My MA GPA is 6.86 on the 10-point scale and BA is even less. GRE - 163 verbal and 165 quant.

[gradswag]

Hi everyone, 

I am hoping I will see some of you at the NCA grad fair on Thursday! If you are interested in, or have thought about applying to the Penn State Comm Arts and Sciences department, you should stop by our booth. It will be a good place to meet faculty members and current students, as well as have any of your questions answered before applying. Regardless of whether you are attending NCA, if you would like to get to know about our department a little bit better, beyond the scope of our website and Facebook pages, we will be giving you an inside view into our department during NCA on our instagram (@CASatPSU).

Best of luck in your application process, I know it is a stressful time. Enjoy NCA as best you can for those of you who will be attending!

[Padma011]

@GreenEyedTrombonist Thanks for the advice! I have talked to some of my professors and narrowed my interest down a little bit. So finally don't have to worry about the school list.

@galosh I think you could take a lot at NCA's website where you can find a list of schools by area, like media studies. Send an email to the program that you like. Tell them about yourself to ask what is the likelihood to get an assistantship. That's what I would do. Also an international applicant, so not much advice on school to offer.

 

Also, does anyone have time to take a look at my SoP plz? Really need some advice on it! Could do exchange but I feel most of you have already had everything ready for the application...

 

 

 

 

[Pencilvester]

@Padma011 I would give your statement a look if you'd like!

[Padma011]

@Pencilvester Thanks! Sent you a message 

 

[Tyler on The Road]

Hi guys,

I hope you are doing well.

I have two very serious question!

1- How important is GRE? Your scores are awesome! It's like a dream to me to get above 160 in verbal! I think the best I can do is to get 155. My TOEFL score is great though...

2- Have you published any papers?

 

[GreenEyedTrombonist]

Hey @Tyler on The Road

 

The weight of the GRE varies between programs, but most will say it's not the most important thing to them. From what I've seen, the SoP is the most important aspect of the application.  As for your second question, I have a few non-peer-reviewed publications in academia (mostly co-authorships) and a few peer-reviewed submissions in the works. I also have (what probably amounts to) way too many non-academic publications (I primarily work as a writer for a few websites) and a published game (for the completely random, haha).

 

[jltomato]

Hi all!

Not applying this year, but I am a Ph.D student at UW-Madison (SJMC) and thought I'd post here in case anyone had questions about applying to Wisconsin-Madison. I did my Master's at Syracuse University (Media Studies program). The comm "programs" in UW are fairly different (School of Journalism & Mass Comm vs. Comm Arts vs. Life Sciences Communications), so if you have any questions, please let me know! 

[GreenEyedTrombonist]

hey @jltomato ! Thanks for reaching out! I've had pretty good conversations with some of your faculty and am just waiting on one rec letter for my app to be complete. 

How do you like Madison? How is the winter treating you?

[GreenEyedTrombonist]

Who had apps due Dec 1st? Did everything get turned in or was there a mad scramble at the end? When's the next app due for you?

My next 2 are due Dec 15th. Both are currently missing the third rec letter (but she tends to turn those in at most a couple days before).

[jltomato]

On 11/29/2017 at 4:44 PM, GreenEyedTrombonist said:

hey @jltomato ! Thanks for reaching out! I've had pretty good conversations with some of your faculty and am just waiting on one rec letter for my app to be complete. 

How do you like Madison? How is the winter treating you?

 

Winter has been (surprisingly) mild here, for all three years I've been here. In my first year, our cohort walked out on the ice when the lakes froze over, but it wasn't cold enough last year. So far, it's been too mild this winter as well. Other than that, Madison has been good (busy, but who isn't?). We're a very word hard, play hard kind of department, so I have two papers due this week, but on Saturday the grad students are having a "summer in the winter" (tropical themed) party, so that'll be my mid-final break. 

Glad you've had some good convo with our faculty! Research-wise our professors are incredibly helpful/responsive, and it's nice to be able to work on projects with them through research groups rather than just classes.

Hope you've been able to take a post-12/1 break!

[GreenEyedTrombonist]

@jltomato thanks for the response! I'm from California (Silicon Valley) so winter is definitely something that worries me (everywhere I applied save 1 school actually has a real winter). That's awesome that you have fun parties like that.  

I turned in my apps early so it's largely just waiting for my last rec letter to turn her stuff in and working with Boston to figure out where my GRE scores went. I've been spending my time interviewing for jobs, moderating Twitch channels, and making games.  

[mintless]

I have submitted my first round! 8 applications sent out, and 5 to go. Although, I am still looking at additional programs abroad in light of this tax bill...

Really bummed I wasn't able to submit to UNC in Chapel Hill. The way they describe their funding online sounds terrible so I didn't apply, but then I talked to some people at NCA who told me that the website is not correct, but I have not had the time to put together an application. Some really ideal people for me to work with there

Best of luck to everyone!

[GreenEyedTrombonist]

Congrats @mintless ! I'm just waiting on LoRs for 6 of my programs, but everything else is submitted.

In other news, does it feel like the Comm boards are a bit slow this year? Where you at, Comm people?

[mintless]

Thanks @GreenEyedTrombonist! Two more sent out now. 7 more to go. 

The thread is exceptionally quiet, it seems...

Where is everyone's top choice?!

[phdthoughts]

On 12/13/2017 at 4:42 PM, GreenEyedTrombonist said:

Congrats @mintless ! I'm just waiting on LoRs for 6 of my programs, but everything else is submitted.

In other news, does it feel like the Comm boards are a bit slow this year? Where you at, Comm people?

All done with apps finally. Seemed more of a struggle this year - perhaps being more careful with my apps? Now just the wait!