Water Lilly

:D After waiting, considering, and pondering, I have decided that even if I am accepted, a Ph.D. is not for me. At this point I am probably rejected, but that's OK because I was thinking about it during this waiting time. As a Humanities person, I did my research and discovered that a doctorate wasn't really in my heart. I also uncovered findings that said most post-docs make very little money, compared to what they are expected to do. The irony is that I was going to study language and new media (such as discussion boards!) But, it was this discussion board that made me realize that you are far more dedicated than I am. I think my one professor tried to tell me that. In terms of my career, however, I do not want to focus on research but rather writing (education and technical). I may someday teach in the community college and I will go for a second masters degree along with a grad certification. But no Ph.D. I admire your tenacity and intelligence. I certainly hope that an acceptace letter fanned the burning desire of the highest advanced degree in your soul. It actually makes me feel good, knowing there are so many wonderfully innovative and intelligent people who will be leading the way through research and development; all while not being paid nearly what they are worth! That's OK. I know how that feels because I am a teacher. My hat is off to you. [clap] Contratulations on your admits and thanks for the insight you gave me on this board. This is a great resource and I'm glad it's here. Good Luck!!! :grad: ~Lori

This is extremely well put and worth every penny of 8 cents! Seriously, I think you are intelligent in your subject matter as well as the game of grad school and life. You will be successful in all that you do.

I was just reading somewhere, that it is NOT wise to go into ANY debt for a masters or a Ph.D. due to the funding opportunities. I agree with this statement. I got some financial aid for my masters so I borrowed 10K. Since a masters is usually only two years, you can pick up enough work to usually support yourself and live OK (unless you are going to NYC...then you might need some loans). As far as being waitlisted, since I have not heard from Purdue at all (yes or no either way) I have a suspicion that I am unoficially waitlisted. Personally, I think it sucks. Unless it's your dream and the competition is super tough, I take it as an insult. To me, they are basically saying they need to fill up their program and if the person they REALLY want is turning them down, then I will do. I don't like that. My life philosophy is, if it works or is meant to be, then there won't be any struggle...it will just happen. This waiting time I have had, at first, ticked me off. Then, I got ta-thinkin' bout my future and what I really wanted. I even started a thread on having second thoughts about the Ph.D. Oddly enough, in this wait time, I've discovered that I don't think a Ph.D. matches my goals and another masters would. THese boards have been a great source of insipiration and understanding for me. I stand in awe of those with top grades, test scores, and amazing ambition. I definitely salute those who are about to embark on the Ph.D. path.

I agree Tripax. I think I might go if they offer an M.A. Does anyone know anyone working happily, full time, as an instructor at a community college with an M.A.? (Teaching at a community college was my first teaching gig ever...even before high school). I've been researching it and it looks quite nice.

Thanks Cridamour! I do have quite a bit of college level teaching experience in the Speech/Comm realm (not full time though). Some schools are picky about having 18 or more hours in the field of composition or even an entire masters (some take 18 hours w/ a related masters...me?) In fact, in addition to teaching HS, I am currently also teaching a 200 level college speech class. I really do like your idea of taking the writing workshops. I started taking some lit classes last year but only got in 7 grad hours w/o signing up for the Masters. Uuuggghhh! The day I visited the college I got caught up in the atmosphere and the ivy and the coffee shops and the intellectualism...it was too much! I felt swept off my feet. I love a college campus in the fall...nothing like it! I have a feeling that my only professor recommendation is not that great. I took some classes from him and admitted I was in love with English and should have been a major. Then as I started looking for a Masters program, the Ph.D concept came knocking and I literally got swept off my feet. I applied to ONE school...only one. Coincidentally, my writing does now (and always has) kicked ***. Everyone said I should do somethign w/ it (I once was a news anchor/reporter in radio). So it could be that I'm on the line, dangling, due to the fact they see good writing skills. Or that could mean nothing to them and they could just be lazy in sending out rejections. Now that I'm thinking out loud, I remember two high school classmates I saw at the reunion. One applied to medical school and never got accepted. He became a high school Chem teacher and is happy. THe other gal DID get accepted, spent a year in the program, and dropped out. Not for her. She now does stat type work for clients and creates reports and she just bought a beautiful condo in Chicago. I guess the moral of this story is that if it doesn't work out then something else is meant to be. But what???

As I wait for a word about doctoral admissions, I am starting to have second thoughts about a Ph.D. I am currently a HS teacher and am looking to move away from my town to another area w/ better opportunities. (Ph.D is NOT an escape hatch..I'm just saying I have other options), The Ph.D is something I had thought about off and on for years but never felt the ultimate burning desire that I would "die" w/o it. I alreayd have a Masters. I think it would be great to get one, however I am wondeirng about the time committment. And mental health. My Masters is in an area I don't really like teaching. I'm thinking that if I get a Masters in English it would qualify me to teach at the community college level and allow me to do tech writing like I want to. The Ph.D program I applied to has a Rhet/Comp & Professional writing focus (which would be nice) but I am wondering if I had followed this path as an undergrad and subsequently in grad school, would I want it now? Is there another way to my goals? I am getting philosophical about this. Does anyone else feel like they are second guessing themselves? Is this normal? Originally, I went in asking about the Masters to maybe boost me into teaching college level Composition full time and tech writing. However, the Dept. Chair looked at me and said "why don't you apply for the Ph.D instead? You already have a masters." When I told him it wasn't in English, his response was "so?". :hmm:

well it's not Purdue. Purdue has been called the "concrete jungle". The infamous University of Notre Dame is beautiful, with two on campus lakes, foutains, trees, and touchdown Jesus.

Good catch on your part! That is bad...so very very bad.

It's rough but good to know that we are all not alone (I thought I was). Please everyone, make sure you post your results and when you get them! Best to everyone!

I can't help but wonder why it is taking them so long. Does this mean that we are unofficially waitlisted? Is it that they don't want to say no but can't say yes until the most desirable candidates back out? My other thought is this is just the way colleges work. I should know this because I worked at my university as an undergrad for two years. I think one of the committee resolutions from 1998 just passed last year! All jokes aside, I am cringing, thinking that I was somehow put on the back burner until they decide the front burner wants to stop working (decline admission). I'm not sure what's worse...this dangling on the line or flat out rejection. Attention all Graduate programs: Fish or freakin' cut bait!!!

Very interesting, abburiaditya. I guess if your cuz is a prof, (s)he would know better than the rest of us. I'm guessing the grants issue invovles accepting those who are in line with their resarch interests. (What about our research interests? I don't believe I even identified those in the 300 word SOP). This whole thing is actually giving me time to rethink the whole application, although I can't say I'd say "no" if they said c'mon down... 10 days man...that puts us at April 14th.

That's really helpful to hear that I am not alone. I can't help but think that I am second-bested in this situation. If I do get accepted, I will prob. get fin aid, as they offer assistantships to everyone due to the high teaching volume in that discipline. However, I feel like a second class citizen and that really bugs me. I wonder if this has happened to others as par for the course (normal) or if this is a sign from above suggesting another path besides the Ph.D!

I know there are some out there who have not yet heard about Ph.D admissions decisions. My program told me they start notifying in mid Feb but the program had a final applications date of Feb. 14 (a.k.a. "mid Feb") with an encouragement to get them in asafp. I was also told that some hear starting in mid Feb while others hear later, with admissions decisions being presented in March/April timeframes. WTF? I also heard that April 15 is some sort of national committment day for grad school. What does this mean for all of us who have not yet heard? Any adivce or thoughts?

:tup: Good for you! That is wonderful news! I am so happy for you! And Ind/Org psyc....how cool is that?!

:hmm: I applied on the deadline of Feb. 14 to the English Rhet Comp program at Purdue. (there are so few of us Humanities peeps on these threads! Either that or you're hiding...) Anyone heard from Purdue English dept. yet? I saw on another website they had two rejects for English but that could have very well been Lit or even TESOL/Linguistics. The good news for me is that Professional Writing is not only what I love, but it is a truly hot and growing field right now :D . If not there then I will have to teach HS English for another year but doggonit! I want to know! They did tell me on my visit way back when, that they sent out acceptance in late March/early April. Does anyone know anything about this? As Tom Petty said, "The waiting is the hardest part..."