Saltshaker Posted January 21, 2018 Posted January 21, 2018 @madamoiselle Phew, that makes me feel less old! I was in Amiens, in this tiny town called Laon. I probably would have renewed for a second year, but then life happened. I'm happy with AmeriCorps right now, though. What grade levels are you teaching in TAPIF? I worked at two different high schools. Thanks, congrats on that Berkeley acceptance! madamoiselle 1
madamoiselle Posted January 21, 2018 Posted January 21, 2018 (edited) @Saltshaker Funny enough, I actually know about Laon because of the Cathedral. I have a friend in Amiens who went and took photos, haha I'm at one lycée working with 2nde, 1ere and terminale! I'm very happy where I am -- I'm in a ZEP so their English proficiency is a bit lower, but I adore my kids and my colleagues rock (such also means that I also get to work on my French more!) Edited January 21, 2018 by madamoiselle apparently I can't speak English
frenchlover Posted January 21, 2018 Author Posted January 21, 2018 (edited) I think the adcoms prefer students who have taken time off after undergrad. That was my faculty advisor's primary objection to my applying this year ("t'es trop jeune"), and why I am applying to several master's programs as well. Edited January 21, 2018 by frenchlover
madamoiselle Posted January 21, 2018 Posted January 21, 2018 @frenchlover that's such an interesting comment from your advisor, I've never heard that one before! Most out-of-BA candidates seem to be pretty 50/50 on whether they took time off or not. Many successful applicants apply during their senior year (I even know one girl who successfully deferred her admissions post-acceptance to do TAPIF). How many programs are you applying to, if you don't mind me asking? Either way, it seems like you've got it figured out and are diversifying your options, which is really smart!
frenchlover Posted January 21, 2018 Author Posted January 21, 2018 @madamoiselle I applied to ten schools, with a somewhat even split between masters programs and PhD programs. I am considering applying to two more, but probably not (one isn't due till February 15 so I can panic or relax given how things turn out in the next few weeks). I turned in two international applications as well. I have to take the DELF soon so I can postulate in French programs too, possibly. But yeah. It's a lot of programs. I have no idea why my advisor said that.
HomewardBound Posted January 21, 2018 Posted January 21, 2018 Well, speaking from experience, it's difficult to start a graduate program right after undergrad. I began my master's immediately, and...it was way more intensive than I'd expected. I decided to take a gap year in order to pursue a Fulbright, and, as a result, I feel way more prepared for doctoral studies now, with all of that under my belt. But, I mean, it depends on the person. I might have just been immature for my age.
Monsieur Vénus Posted January 21, 2018 Posted January 21, 2018 2 hours ago, frenchlover said: I think the adcoms prefer students who have taken time off after undergrad. That was my faculty advisor's primary objection to my applying this year ("t'es trop jeune"), and why I am applying to several master's programs as well. I actually had a somewhat similar conversation with one of my faculty mentors. We were talking about my applications, and she just felt she should warn me that, when she was in graduate school, almost all of the people who burned out and left the program before completion we're those who went straight from undergrad to a PhD program.
Saltshaker Posted January 22, 2018 Posted January 22, 2018 @madamoiselle Laon's cathedral is pretty much the only remarkable thing about the town, ha. I kid, mostly, but the town was so dull. I only survived because of a few kind colleagues, the other three assistants, and the ~1.5 hour train ride to Paris. I'm glad that you're enjoying your experience so much, though! @frenchlover That's interesting, I've never heard that before! Everyone I know who went on to grad school did so right after undergrad. One of my closest French professors practically started begging me to get a PhD during the fall of senior year, but at that point, I actually had no idea whether or not I wanted to go to grad school.
Carly Rae Jepsen Posted January 22, 2018 Posted January 22, 2018 I took a gap year just to rest a little and focus on my apps. It probably doesn't look very well on my apps that I'm currently doing nothing but I think it'll help me in the sense that I will be more eager to start studying again after having had the time to relax. Well, tomorrow starts the decisive week I think. More than ever I'm coming up with a plan B, not fully ready for notifications but I need them at the same time
awhiterussian Posted January 22, 2018 Posted January 22, 2018 4 hours ago, madamoiselle said: @Saltshaker I don't think there's anything odd with doing a second gap! I'm in TAPIF right now in the Paris region and many of my friends are renewing for year 2 before they apply to graduate school. I also have first and second-year grad school friends who took 2-3 years off. TAPIF/Americorps are awesome gap year programs! Which académie were you in? Huge congrats on the Columbia interview! I’m currently in académie of Réunion ???
madamoiselle Posted January 22, 2018 Posted January 22, 2018 @awhiterussian WHAT?! That's incredible! I almost preferred that over Paris, how are you finding it? It must be so exciting and different over there, I'm jealous! @Saltshaker Interesting that you mention how encouraging your mentors and advisors were, mine were the same way! I feel like French may be one of the last fields where professors are still actively encouraging students to go to grad school haha
awhiterussian Posted January 22, 2018 Posted January 22, 2018 @madamoiselle It’s incredible. The weather is lovely, the high school I’m in is amazing, and the hiking and landscapes are breathtaking. A real paradise
Saltshaker Posted January 22, 2018 Posted January 22, 2018 @madamoiselle Yeah, we're such a tiny field haha. In retrospect, I find it hilarious that he was a new professor, had only known me for two months, and wanted me to go to grad school so badly. That's when you know French is a good field to go into! @awhiterussian I'm so jealous! La Réunion was my first choice, but then I took one look at the airplane ticket prices and sadly crossed it off my list. @Carly Rae Jepsen That's exactly how I feel about going to school again--I miss it so much and want to start studying again. And I need those notifications too, even if they're rejections. At this point, I just want to know. Carly Rae Jepsen 1
frenchlover Posted January 22, 2018 Author Posted January 22, 2018 Haha, I should clarify: my advisor said that the objection of graduate schools would be my age, not hers. For me, I guess it made sense to apply now because I know I will come back to the same conclusion after taking a few years off: I want to go to graduate school to get a PhD in French. Saltshaker 1
madamoiselle Posted January 22, 2018 Posted January 22, 2018 @frenchlover of course! Grad admissions are so incredibly nuanced and I'm sure your advisor meant the best. However, if you know what ya wanna do, it's awesome that you're going for it! frenchlover 1
HomewardBound Posted January 22, 2018 Posted January 22, 2018 What news has everyone heard from universities? So far, UCLA read my app and said, "Yeah...nope!", so that's a rejection. Penn State emailed me this morning for an interview, and I've had a few nice emails with my POI at Pittsburgh. Otherwise, radio silence.
Monsieur Vénus Posted January 22, 2018 Posted January 22, 2018 @HomewardBound hey, that's more than some of us have heard! I'm still at total radio silence from all 6 schools I applied to. Really hoping things will pick up this week.
HomewardBound Posted January 22, 2018 Posted January 22, 2018 @Monsieur Vénus True...! I think this week and next week tend to be pretty big interview weeks. Though not for Boston, according to past forums. They're considerably later, for whatever reason!
frenchlover Posted January 22, 2018 Author Posted January 22, 2018 Wow, someone is getting serial acceptances everywhere! The same person who got all those interviews also got into UCLA!
HomewardBound Posted January 22, 2018 Posted January 22, 2018 5 minutes ago, frenchlover said: Wow, someone is getting serial acceptances everywhere! The same person who got all those interviews also got into UCLA! Wow. I've never heard of someone getting this many acceptances/interviews. Even if you're an amazing candidate, some schools will reject you. What is this person's secret?!
frenchlover Posted January 22, 2018 Author Posted January 22, 2018 Well, I'm sure a recommendation letter from Françoise Lionnet would help! haha HomewardBound 1
Carly Rae Jepsen Posted January 22, 2018 Posted January 22, 2018 (edited) Complete silence for me except from Pittsburgh (and last minute arrangements to submit my app to WashU). Rutgers sent me a reminder a few months back too but nothing since. From the schools I applied to I think UMich is sending some interview requests but haven't heard from anyone hearing back from the other ones. Edited January 22, 2018 by Carly Rae Jepsen
Monsieur Vénus Posted January 22, 2018 Posted January 22, 2018 1 hour ago, HomewardBound said: Though not for Boston, according to past forums. They're considerably later, for whatever reason! I would imagine Boston sends responses pretty late considering their due date was only this past week I believe. I'm sure it will be forever before I hear from UConn too because their application isn't even due until February
Carly Rae Jepsen Posted January 22, 2018 Posted January 22, 2018 Oh my God. It hasn't even been 15 minutes since I last posted but UNC Chapel Hill just sent me an email saying I've been recommended for admission. This is so kjhkjnkjn madamoiselle, Monsieur Vénus and senorbrightside 1 2
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