Fall 2018 French

[awhiterussian]

I've crossed my T's and dotted my I's, I'm off to CUNY!  I'm specializing in post colonialism, and doing my curricular option in international human rights in the french speaking world, which means I get to do an internship with the UN!  I see a lot of potential at CUNY, and the fit is so good!  Couldn't be happier, and I'm so happy that this process if finally over and I can get a peaceful night's sleep!  

I'm so excited to be future colleagues with all the brilliant minds that post on this page!  May all of our paths go relatively smoothly!  Would be nice to run into some of you down the road...

[madamoiselle]

Any new commits or news??

[Carly Rae Jepsen]

Just looking for housing over here. Doing it online is stressing me out since I can't see the place/neighborhood for myself, but I can't afford to travel right now. Oh well...

[Monsieur Vénus]

Hey y'all, I can finally make my decision! I've officially been selected for a Fulbright grant to spend the next school year in France as an ETA, and UMich has graciously offered to defer my admission to the following school year! So France this fall, then Ann Arbor the next for me!!

[madamoiselle]

YESSS that's awesome @Monsieur Vénus, huge congrats!! 

Edited April 5, 2018 by madamoiselle

[Monsieur Vénus]

@madamoiselle Thank you!! I am so incredibly psyched. But at the same time it feels so weird that I now know where I'm going to be for the next (at most, I hope) 8 years!

[madamoiselle]

@Monsieur Vénus You're so welcome! Fantastic news about the Fulbright. Do you happen to know which Académie you'll be in? 

[Monsieur Vénus]

@madamoiselle I have to wait to hear from TAPIF to get my placement, but I think it should be this week! I'll keep y'all up to date because this will be my first time in France and I'm gonna need all the advice I can get, haha

[Monsieur Vénus]

I spoke too soon! I will be in the Académie de Lyon!

[Saltshaker]

15 minutes ago, Monsieur Vénus said:

I spoke too soon! I will be in the Académie de Lyon!

Lyon is amazing! Even if you don’t get placed in Lyon itself, the Rhône-Alpes region is beautiful and I think anyone would be hard-pressed to find something to dislike about it. 

[Yanaka]

That's awesome that you'll be in the actual city and not in a sketchy town somewhere haha. If you need any help don't hesitate to ask here as some of the peeps, if i understand correctly, are either French (like me!) or have experienced France. Hang in there and let all the *sigh*'s out is the only foreword you need I think  And congratulations on the deferral!! 

Edited April 6, 2018 by Yanaka

[Frenchlady]

Dear all,

 

I need you r help. I have been accepted to yet another university last week (so now it is LSU, Austin and the univ of Miami). I am paralyzed, incapable of making a decision because I am afraid of making the wrong one. So, when evaluating all your offers, what is it that you have given importance to, in order of importance?

Reputation of school even if, in the case of Austin, there seem to be having a few issues lately?

funding amounts

length of funding

variety of faculty

...

 

HELP!!! Thanks!!

[madamoiselle]

@Frenchlady Here is my mega essay on how I ended up with my final decision! It was a super difficult decision, and I'm about to type a lot, but bear with me. ALSO, the things I found important may not be important to you. Everybody is different and everybody has different needs. I am single, female, and just turned 23 after a gap year; I would have different needs from somebody with a family, somebody with a boyfriend, someone who is 21, somebody fresh out of undergrad, or somebody who is 40. 

I'm lucky in that the schools I was accepted to all had pretty similar funding in the end (even though the cost of the bay area is gross, I'm trying to make it work!) So with that said, funding was pretty moot at the beginning, but is typically a large consideration for people. Always consider the cost of living where you are looking, as well. 20k will be ok in Bloomington, but scrape the barely survivable level at, say, Berkeley or CUNY. 

From me, personally, here was my ranking process:

1) Intellectual/Academic Fit: This was CRUCIAL. All of the programs had, no doubt, brilliant students and fantastic professors that I enjoyed talking to. But I paid a lot of attention to how fluid and energized my research topics were supported. If I felt myself having to really bend my interests, lose confidence in my pitch (cause nobody seemed too interested) or silently nod in unenthusiastic agreement (lol), then that was more of a red flag. I also plan to sway my research a little more towards modern postcolonial/banlieue studies. Berkeley had a fantastic foundation in what I already studied (feminism, philosophies, critical theory), but they also have people in Urban Studies and multiple people in MODERN Francophonie studies. I could have talked for days at Berkeley, and am still continuing conversations with professors that I had on visiting days a few weeks back. The classes excited me so much, and I cannot wait to start. Also, look at resources the university provides humanities grad students! Townsend was one of the big reasons I chose Cal. Are there reading groups? Working groups? Affiliate centers or minors/designated courses you can add to your CV and help you round out your dissertation? 

2 Tie) Personality: I am an extrovert. Cal was a school that I could tell had a pretty nice balance of extroverts, but it wasn't wild/messy. Just very energetic!! There's a lot of hugging, very casual dress, and a lot of exclamation points/smiley faces in emails (which I heard was characteristic of West Coast schools, haha). Some people might dislike this, and prefer a more traditional/conservative environment, and that's absolutely okay! I love discussing theory, and I could talk to the students about way "out there" ideas. Some people, especially in linguistics, prefer empiricism. I went through a really negative interaction in undergrad with a potential advising professor because our personalities were on totally different pages. I try to avoid that as much as possible. These people are your colleagues for years, you might as well like them. If you prefer to be more isolated or away from people, this may be less of a consideration and that may also be a factor when choosing. 

2 Tie) School Location: Grad students have a startling rate of depression. I'm very pro-therapy, pro-self care, and know what environments I thrive best in. It came down to the fact that I suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder very badly, and I know this about myself (I almost dropped out of TAPIF because I was so miserable and depressed in the Parisian winter). For my health and wellness, I looked around at the surrounding communities and tried to see what was best for my self care and which environment had the most opportunities for my hobbies and side-activities. Grad school is going to be hectic and I don't expect to be hiking the wine country every weekend, but I did want an environment where I could go on long walks/walk to campus, unwind near water, and read outside -- all activities that make me happy and keep me sane. 

3) Time to completion/Length of Funding: I was told to steer clear of programs that get ya in and push you out within 4/5 years. When asking about applying to Post-Docs, I was told that students in for 6/7 years or even more tend to do better. You teach more classes and have a more concise dissertation. Given the state of academia, you will be on the market for a while, and being stranded without funding or a job is a nightmare. I would personally prefer longer financial aid packages, or a package that is renewable. Graduate school is a marathon, not a race! 

On prestige: When evaluating my offers, "prestige" of the program was closer to the bottom of my list. DO NOT LISTEN TO UNDERGRADUATE OPINIONS, and do not ask every Peter, Paul and Mary for their opinion. If you're concerned with prestige and reputation, ask advisors. The school I chose is a prestigious public school, but it was recommended to me as a great program with a great strength in my interests. In the realm of French Departmental prestige, there is no clear measure. The 2010 NRC rankings don't make any sense, in my opinion, and my advisors all told me to steer clear of it since it's rather outdated and ridiculously subjective. Therefore, I personally feel like prestige shouldn't be as important in French, since it's such a small and idiosyncratic field where every school has it's own ~flavor~. Certain departments may carry more prestige in a certain subfield, but it's hard to even standardize that measure. It's going to come down to the people you want to work with amongst all of the factors listed above. If anything, look into placement and retention. These things are definitely important considerations. 

Hope this wall of text somewhat helps!

If it comes down to it, widdle it down to two schools and flip a coin. You may find yourself wishing for a certain outcome  

Edited April 9, 2018 by madamoiselle

[Frenchlady]

@madamoiselle thank you for such a long and completer answer. This is so much help! prestige is what is messing up my mind! I am afraid of making the wrong decision because once on the job market it will be hard! Let me weight my pros and cons then!

[Saltshaker]

@Frenchlady My response won’t be as long and detailed, but I was in your shoes a few weeks ago! I’d narrowed it down to my top two schools, a prestigious public one and an Ivy League, and agonized for weeks. Prestige was the last thing on my mind, because for me, it came down to the French departments and their academic fit for me rather than the school’s reputation. 

I didn’t take funding amounts into account that much, either, because like @madamoiselle, schools gave me equal amounts of funding (all depending on costs of living, of course, but it all evened out in the end.) 

Length of funding was slightly more important, but not by much, because every school I’d been accepted to offered a full five years (one of them offered seven years). But my top two schools each give a full five years, and since most people don’t finish by then, will renew the stipend/TA salary.

Out of your factors, variety of faculty mattered the most for me. Would there be enough 18th century scholars in the department, and would they give my studies diverse perspectives? Did any of these 18th century people focus in feminism, as well? Were there other professors with interests that matched mine, such as disability or queer studies? Could I include professors from other departments in my committee? 

As for my decision, I agonized for weeks over the individual departments. Did I want a traditional, larger French-only department where I would be required to study every literary period and follow a departmental reading list, or did I want an intersectional, small Romance Studies department where I could create my own reading list? After some intense soul-searching, I decided that, although I’d dearly miss having classes conducted in French in a French-only department, I’d be happier structuring my own program. Hence, Cornell!

Location played a very brief role—did I want somewhere an hour away from home, with weather I was used to, or did I want to risk a school way up north with long winters I’d never experienced before? In the end, despite its harsh winters, Ithaca won because it’s famous for its gorgeous scenery, and I’m happiest when I’m surrounded by nature. I’m sure this won’t influence your decision, seeing as you’re French and don’t live near any of the schools, but I also knew that if I went with the public school over Cornell, it was so close to home that I wouldn’t leave my comfort zone at all.

I don’t know if this will help you any, but I hope it does!

Edited April 10, 2018 by Saltshaker

[Frenchlady]

@Saltshakerthank you for taking the time to answer. Austin is out. Only 3 profs there... So!

Now down to LSU and Miami. One having a very standard French program all taught in French (LSU), variety of professors... and Miami, variety of professors, lots of research groups on campus, among which a few innovative ones too.  

Miami is like home: I have lived there for 5 years.

Baton rouge, never been (only visited once quickly) which scares me a bit! 

 

I love the idea of Miami - innovative and home feeling. 

I love the idea of LSU - traditional and new for me. 

[madamoiselle]

@Frenchlady sounds like you have two very, diverse options that would be a great fit either way! This is a good place to be; you really can't go wrong either way. 

The one thing that's a drawback for Berkeley is that it is more similar to my home. I went to a huge, public institution. But to be honest, it doesn't bother me too much-- if you like the environment at Miami and feel like it wouldn't be too redundant or limiting, you can do fine, especially if there are a ton of research opportunities! 

As for LSU, I'm from the south and have been to Louisiana a number of times. It's cool! New Orleans isn't too far and there is some nice nature down by the bayous! 

Also consider-- do you wanna speak more French? Between my final two, I picked the program that spoke more French since I still have to practice and don't want to lose it or get rusty. Since you are French, maybe consider if you would prefer a program that's mostly in your home language (which tends to be more comfortable), or a program that lets you practice English. You'll more than likely be speaking English either way with undergraduates during office hours and such, but that may also be a consideration when it comes to comfort and the likes!

Also, on innovation: think critically about what you study (I'm not sure if you've mentioned it before on the board!) Certain fields, especially more modern ones, thrive in innovation since the work is newer, but require a little more academic traditionalism to round it out. If you're in a field that's more traditional (early modern, etc.), then more conservative thought and departmental practice may be more appealing, but innovation is important to add fresh perspective! It's all a balancing act. 

In terms of required courses, do you want to study the canon in depth, or would you rather stay in your time period and be more fluid with your other classes? I've read a nice amount of French lit, but was only in undergrad for 7 semesters and have shaky footing (I don't understand some of my colleagues conversations and references because I never ever read certain movements), so I really wanted a denser core! 

Just some more food for thought  

Edited April 11, 2018 by madamoiselle

[Frenchlady]

@madamoiselle @Saltshaker decision Made: LSU it is!!! Can't wait to start! I have preferred a more traditional program, taught in French in a city I do not know (but eager to discover living in Louisiana)!!

THANK YOU ALL for your help during this process. Your pieces of advice have been lifesavers! 

This group rocks!

[frenchlover]

Just so y'all know, I have committed to Princeton! Woo

[madamoiselle]

@frenchlover THATS AMAZING! Huge congrats, the program there is great, I'm so excited for you!! 

[frenchlover]

Thank you so much! I'm so excited!!

[Yanaka]

Nice! Maybe we'll run into each other (unbeknownst to us) when us NJ peeps move around!

[frenchlover]

Definitely -- the consortium of graduate colleges in the area is a big draw! So many more courses! More reason to go to NYC more often.

[Carly Rae Jepsen]

so happy to hear from everyone in this thread where y'all are going! Congratulations 

i am going to miss this thread, what an intense last few months. Should we give advice to next year applicants as a goodbye to this thread? 

For me, I would say:

1. Don't underestimate yourself, unlike undergrad admissions in grad school they judge your interests, your personal statements, recommendations etc. When I first applied I was doubtful I would make the cut, but they look at your application as a whole, not just a test score or transcript.

2. Give professors plenty of time to write your recommendations.

3. Give your very best writing samples.

4. During visits, be confident and don't be afraid to ask questions to grad students and faculty.

5. Give yourself time, don't check your email twenty times a day during late January and February. The results will come.

[madamoiselle]

@Carly Rae Jepsen that's a fantastic idea! For future applicants I would say: 

1. RESEARCH your programs. Do not listen to NRC rankings because French is too small and they don't make a whole lot of sense. Get a feel for humanities departments as a whole, and speak to your advisors about certain program fits -- they will know the field the best! Looking back, I applied to some programs where I had super weak fit, just because they were "good." Save your money, don't fall for it! 

2. On a whole, undergrad and grad school admissions are two completely separate beasts. One of the best pieces of advice I got from a professor is that grad school admissions are more like a job application than a college application. Think about the education, of course, but also think about the professional you will become. Think about the TAship opportunities and the academic/professor you want to be (or industry, if you're going into industry/translation/IR). 

3. ^ When you're picking schools, do not get opinions from non-academics, especially those who have no insight in your field. This sounds kind of snobby, but trust me; they will have a very undergraduate way of looking at it. 

4. This sounds so much easier said than done, but enjoy it! You are going to be putting yourself out there and asking for 5+ years of funding and knowledge (albeit accompanied by really hard work) in a field you love and have a passion for. Get excited! Keep the spark going as much as you can. The process is exhausting, but even in the event that grad school doesn't work out, you have so many options in the U.S., in France, in academia, in industry... I can't tell you how many people I met during this process that did TAPIF/had some really amazing jobs abroad/worked in think tanks, etc. Relish it! I

5. This is something I don't tell people much, but I had a sub-3.4 coming out of undergrad, and was certain I wouldn't get anywhere. I almost didn't apply this cycle because I felt so dumb, but I got 4 funded offers out of 7, including my dream program (where I am going :)). Strengthen as much of your application as you can, and NEVER sell yourself short. 

6. On a sadder note, rejection. It is more than likely going to happen, and you do not 100% know what other programs are looking for. They don't publish (a) exactly which researchers they're seeking, (b) if certain advisors are leaving or (c) if they have any funding issues, all of which are huge steps in the decision-making process on their end. If you don't get in, it is likely that one of these reasons is a catalyst, and you have no control over that. Don't take it too personally, and enjoy the options you have! I knew people who only ended up with 1 option, and it was a reciprocal appreciation that ended up being the best possible situation in the end. 

7. Once you get invited to visit days, ask questions, be confident and have fun! Meet the other people matriculating with you; even if they don't pick your school, they will be your camarades, and they will be indispensable networks (and friends) in the future!

8. Always remember that French is very special. It's small, intimate and a very strong community where everybody just about knows everybody. You may not realize this specialness just yet, but you will if you speak to bigger departments like English, History, or the sciences. People who study French love French, and being in that environment for 5+ years should be exciting. Although the market is rough, French is also one of the more stable job market prospects. Finally, you are also in one of the few fields that funds and encourages their students to frequently leave, travel, research in multiple countries and do fellowships/teach abroad. Wild! 

Of course, I'm not trying to sugar coat everything; naturally, this is a stressful process. If you are reading this for the 2019 app cycle, you may be having a nervous breakdown, and that's ok. Breathe. You know yourself, your French capacities, and your intelligence better than anybody else. Put it all on paper, and SELL yourself and your abilities to those programs. Hope for the best, and the universe will work out as it should. You will learn a lot of important truths about yourself through this cycle, so don't buy into sunk cost fallacies or negativities. No matter the outcome, the amount of work you put in will lead to great intrapersonal growth and reflection. Profitez!!!! 

Edited April 27, 2018 by madamoiselle