My Consolation Prize from the University of Chicago
At least there was a big envelope waiting for me in the mailbox, a pleasant change from a whole lot of nothing. So inside this big envelope I found something I really wasn't expecting. I wasn't accepted to the PhD program and that really isn't the end of the world. I was accepted to what I consider to be the "consolation prize" of grad school admissions, acceptance into a program called the "MAPH" program - the Master of Arts Program in the Humanities. It is a one-year program where you are allowed to take any MA level class from any humanities offering, cumulating in a thesis or interdisciplinary project, with weekly speakers and a real focus on academic writing. Anyway, not bad on paper, sort of a PG year for grad students, but you pay the big bucks for this and it isn't what I want because it doesn't mean anything. You don't get an MA at the end and you are ideally, just better prepared to apply to a PhD program. Surprisingly, I am not heartbroken by a cold rejection, but my sights are set on Madtown. Truthfully, I applied to a number of small, selective prorgrams. Considering that I don't have a background in film and I haven't published anything, and I am coming directly from undergrad - not getting accepted to one of the more prestigious programs on my list doesn't come as a major shocker. In a lot of ways, I know people always say this when shaking off a sudden stun, sometimes it is better to know (even bad news) because it beats not knowing. I think I've kept a healthy perspective through this whole process, and I really mean it when I say that I only need to be accepted by one school that I would actually attend...flattery and ego-stroking aside. Truth be told, now I am not tempted to go to school in a city that would probably empty my wallet further into student loan debt. So chaulk up one rejection for the Lismeister and shorten the waiting list to three schools that have been silent up until now. True to form though, my application deadlines went in the following order: Wisconsin, Chicago, Brown / MIT, and then NYU. So Brown or MIT should come next, according to my highly scientific system.
Despite the blizzard conditions, I went and got my work on out today for the first time. It was a slow afternoon at the gym and I impressed myself with my cardio stamina... so here's to keeping resolutions, going again tomorrow. Off to Holyoke tomorrow, for one last go at this thing called debate... only after my long overdue oil change. My breaks do weird things sometimes,
frankly I am a little scared, so maybe they can give me some insight as to why my brakes lock up when I stop - usually it only happens on slick surfaces so that might have something to do with it, but I have no idea. I will say that I am becoming a more educated car owner, I now know how to jump a dead battery and refill the washer fluid. If any of you have had brake trouble, clue me into what sounds are very bad before something very expensive happens.
I've been editing Nathan's thesis chapter and working out the final revisions in Jeremy's recommendation. It's good to be "working" again, even if it only means stretching a mind a bit more than usual but editing is good for me. In all of this, I've garnished a new respect for professors and what reading 40 10-page papers really means. I'll have to keep this in mind when making assignments for future classes. Anyway, lots to still finish tonight and I need to break out of sleeping until noon -- as it is, sleeping on the floor tomorrow night and getting up early will be quite a jolt to my sleep snobbery that usually leads to crankiness. Wow, lots to do tomorrow before hitting the road, having finished my work (just after 1am) time to hit the hay.
posted by lmjasinski at 1:11 PM
