next »

[ticklemepink]

I already graduated with my MA last year.  I tried to apply for PhD twice, during my MA and thereafter.  This year, I got one unfunded acceptance and a waitlist, so not too shabby for such a competitive year for humanities (and an improvement from last year with just 2 waitlists).  But I'm exhausted after 2 cycles of PhD applications.  None of my professors or friends blame me for feeling this way.

I'd like to consider skipping the next cycle of applications and try again later on.  But I want to take a break from everything and live in a city I'd like to live in and just get a real job for a bit.  You know, get some perspective and make a little cash to pay off my loans.

But I'm not sure how to tie up a few loose threads.  The biggest one is my MA thesis.  I've already submitted a portion of it for an article to a well-regarded journal and the editor accepted it for review and I got my feedback.  It still needs more revisions before it can be published.  It's an achievement, I think, so it's encouraging.  But I'm thinking, "God, I want to take a break from that and everything."  I'm largely worried about how long I can leave this article sitting in my computer before they forget about it or... just not accept it when I do get around to revising it and submitting it to them again.  Would a journal care how quickly I get it back to it?  Or would it be better to try and get it published before I re-apply?

The other thing is copyright.  Yes, I understand that it's already automatically copyrighted.  Lately, I've been encouraged by a few well-meaning people to get the thesis registered.  One of them had a personal experience of copyright violation and she just didn't want it happen to me.  I've been quite cautious about how I pass it around (either by hard-copy or PDF) and who I give it to because so much of the research is original (meaning that a lot of sources were from little used archival collections and personal interviews).  None of my professors talked about it with me, only to get portions of my thesis published (which I already am doing).  One of them did admit last fall that she already had a few people asking for a copy of my thesis, which she refused to give it to them because I told her not to pass around my thesis without my permission.  Another told me to omit one of my chapters from my writing sample for the PhD, which I did, because she believes there's a "real discovery" there and it needs more research.  Just to give you an idea of how my professors view my thesis.

Now, don't get me wrong.  I did love what I did while I was in graduate school and would love to continue onto the PhD, but right now it feels like hitting a big brick wall with nowhere to go.  It's just hard for me to watch so many of my friends moving into their dissertation phase (I was one of the few terminal MA students in my program) and I'm still.... here.  Pre... PhD student with a fire in her belly.

How do I move forward from here with my thesis?

Thank you in advance for any advice and thoughts!

[msparticularity]

I'm sorry that it's been so difficult for you to move forward into a PhD program--but it also sounds as if you may be in one of the humanities fields that is grossly over-supplied. Taking a bit of time away to consider what you really want to do is probably a good course for you right now.

At the same time, an R&R is not something you can just set aside for a terribly long time. While you don't appear to have been given a specific timeline, letting it wait for more than 2-3 months seems terribly risky to me, since the journal's priorities (and/or the editor's needs and particular topics of interest) could shift quite substantially if you don't get your article back in fairly soon.

My best advice would be to try to get it revised and resubmitted in roughly 60-90 days. It's also possible there will be another round of revisions; this is quite common in many journals these days, so don't worry if it happens to you. Once you have this publication wrapped up, you will truly have some time to sit back, live your life, and think about what you really want. Many good thoughts to you for that process! 

[betterslac]

Several things:

1) No funding = don't accept the offer.

2) If you are serious about going forward, you should revise the article, and do it, as stated above, in the next few months. Isn't it possible to do that while you are going on with the other parts of your life?

3) I think your advisor's paranoia about people stealing your ideas may be working against you-- if you have worked out an idea or theory that really is good, but aren't including it in your writing sample or discussing it in your statement of purpose, you aren't maximizing your chances of getting a good offer. The next time you apply, I would think you should include it. And if it is promising, keep your finger in it while you take time off. Concentrate on the article first, then maybe take a few months off to let your subconscious work, then go back to it. Maybe propose it for a conference. That way a) you will keep involved with it, and b) in addition to your thesis, you will have publicly staked your claim to the idea.

[bluezebracat]

If you've gone through the cycle twice, perhaps it's time to reassess if you really want it or if you can find a senior scholar to take a close look at your application packet.

[chronanon]

For what it's worth on the copyright issue: the only thing that registering your copyright gets you is the right to seek punative damages in a lawsuit.  You always have the right to sue for actual damages and for injunctions even if your copyright isn't registered.

[ticklemepink]

Thank you all for your advice and help in figuring out my priorities as of right now.

I am now working on my article.  I reached out to two trusted colleagues and talked with them on these issues.  They have strongly encouraged me to get it done and offered their support.  So I need to hope that the editor is still interested when I turn it back to him by the beginning of next month (When I received the reviewer's comments a few months back, I told the editor that I was out of the country for a while, away from my notes but I am back in the country now).

I already turned down the unfunded offer so I won't be going back into academia this coming fall (hence the point of this thread- how to keep moving forward).

@betterslac, I will meet with a few professors outside of my program in the next few weeks and I will try proposing this particular chapter of my thesis and get their thoughts on it.  This is the part of my research project that I truly am excited about and would love to have more support to develop it further.  I agree with you- there were times that I just wanted to tell the admissions committees about it through my SOP!

My dream job does involve needing a PhD and I will do whatever it takes to get it (minus going into it unfunded).  It's not a question of losing my desire to do it.  Rather, my desire to take a little break is due to facing the hard economic reality after going through two rounds during on-going budget cuts.  I am only determining how long I can ride out this recession when so many qualified people are applying to PhD programs because there are no jobs out in the general market, and figuring how to keep my CV fresh until I apply again.

Again, thank you all for the advice so far!

[bread_pirate_naan]

If you've gone through the cycle twice, perhaps it's time to reassess if you really want it

Over the course of the past two cycles and the financial crisis, the tone of people who used to say, "oh, you'll get a job", has gone the way of, "everyone will be adjuncts."  Don't do it.

[ticklemepink]

Just wanted to pull up this old post as admissions results are rolling in for PhD programs, especially in humanities.  This is just a way for people to see how competitive PhD programs have really become and now it may be the new norm for people to apply two or three times before actually getting in.  Hard work and persistence really pay off.

Wow... REALLY hard to believe that i wrote this!  I hit rock bottom then.  I was really ready to give up but, no, one of my POIs encouraged me to try again, even though I told her it was my second go.  Her program probably ranked about #3 or #4 on my list at the time.

I did revise my journal article under a threat by with support from my best friend from my MA program.  I spent 2 weeks on it non-stop and the time really put me back in the groove and reminded me how much I loved doing this.  I resubmitted the article and now it's in the pipeline for publication in a top journal in my subfield... oh the privilege of appearing in the same journal as so many of the professors I admire!  So excited.

Even better, I worked with this POI with her offer to help to craft a top-notch SOP that became unrecognizable from my old ones.  I used my revised journal article (it was basically a whole new piece) as a writing sample after putting it through 3-4 readers who offered serious constructive criticism.  I got a great job that kept me connected to my field so I knew what the hottest topics were and mine was just one of them.

Now I am so smitten.  I have a fully funded offer plus an university fellowship nomination from this POI's excellent program, which essentially became my top choice over time once I through things through about what I really wanted to get out of my PhD program.  Not only that, I've been offered admission at another highly competitive program (would be top 10 for my other sub-field) with an extremely generous fellowship offer (and I had never applied there before).  I was completely over the moon that I didn't sleep for 5 nights. :D

I'm still waiting one more decision from another highly competitive program.  I don't expect much from it because it's just one of Those Programs That Everybody Applies To but if I get in, then all the extra points to that POI for teaching me how to put together a highly competitive application and it'll be very hard to say no to her if the other program is successful at convincing me to go there.  I don't know... I can't wait for the campus visits to get a really good feel of my POI and their departments.

Everyone says that now I have a perfect problem.  Life really has a funny way of making things work out that's best for you.

I cannot believe that I will actually be able to put down "Ph.D." on my CV!

[betterslac]

Congratulations, pink.

Continue to enjoy this productive break and good luck in the fall with whichever program you choose.