Grad School Updates

>> 16 March 2009


I've been applying to graduate programs in creative writing during the past few months. Unfortunately, these programs have tremendously low acceptance rates (2%-6%), and so, anyone applying to them runs a statistically significant risk of rejection. I will now flaunt my failure on this e-blog:

Vanderbilt: rejected
U of Texas: rejected
U of Washington: rejected
UC Irvine: awaiting decision
U of Virginia: awaiting decision
NC State: awaiting decision

The good news is that they are very friendly in their rejection letters. The bad news is, that I want to go to graduate school!

Considering the heavy odds against me, I am now beginning to consider the "life-experience" P.h.d. route, wherein I write to a website and tell them what degree I want, then describe my relevant life experience, pay a hefty fee, and receive my P.h.d. in the mail.

Interesting thought: If you could have a graduate degree in any subject (real or imagined) what would it be? I think some good ones would be: marshmallows, DVDs, karate, and baseball trivia. Just imagine the possibilities:

Them: Is the new season of LOST out on DVD yet?
You: Not yet.
Them: Are you sure?
You: Yes.
Them: Positive?
You: I have a P.h.d. in DVDs, so...I think I would know.

What phony degree would you choose?

8 comments:

Rochelle March 16, 2009 at 3:26 PM  

butternut squash, leather branding, 80s music trivia...and immunology i hope.

Joel March 16, 2009 at 4:52 PM  

Immunology? Is that even a real thing?

Mary March 16, 2009 at 5:19 PM  

Harry Potter trivia and/or sentence diagramming.

Anonymous,  March 16, 2009 at 11:16 PM  

I'm quite surprised that everyone on the planet does not want to get a PhD in Soil Science!

Anonymous,  March 17, 2009 at 12:42 AM  

I think that if Vanderbilt, University of Texas and University of Washington had read your blog you would have been accepted. Anyone who wants to get a PhD in marshmallows deserves a spot in their program(s). I say this in all seriousness. Seriously.

Vlazny's March 17, 2009 at 12:59 PM  

I want a PhD in Napping. I'd write my thesis on the importance of the Sunday afternoon nap.

Anonymous,  March 17, 2009 at 1:46 PM  

I've got a 1 for 11 (with 3 still pending but looking unlikely) acceptance rate going. You aren't alone!

P.S. I'd love a PhD in dinosaurs. What's that you say? People get real PhDs in that from real universities? I don't believe you.

Noel Anderson March 19, 2009 at 11:45 AM  

I share your pain. I was rejected from UNC's Sports Admin Grad program. I'm going to apply to ECU's online MBA-Sports Mgmt. program now.

If I had to pick an obscure subj to get a phd in, it should be no surprised i would choose hiphop theory.

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