<p>I would like to read opinions on my chances of admissios at PhD programs in Comparative Literature.</p>
<p>Background:
BA in philosophy, obtained ages ago, with just good (not wonderful) grades;
MPhil in European Literature, University of Cambridge (UK);</p>
<p>Languages:
fluency in German, Portuguese and Spanish,
reading knowledge of French and Ancient Greek
beginning Chinese</p>
<p>GRE scores:
verbal 530 (though I am not a native speaker of English), quant 650, writing 4.0.</p>
<p>Should I take the GRE again?
Which programs should I apply to? Please consider just the East Coast major universities.</p>
<p>Unless you have outstanding and persuasive recommendations, publications, and reasons why you want to pursue a PhD at this stage in your life, I’d say your chances are pretty dim for the universities you want to get into…</p>
<p>I can only appreciate the honesty, dobby. Thanks!
I would like to know from other CC readers whether being 40 years old makes Columbia or Princeton just a dream for me. Are not there students as old as me in the super ivies?</p>
<p>CC has a definite shortage of humanities types. I’m in Classics so for what its worth:</p>
<p>The lack of recent academic experience will hurt you a bit for the reasons you mention. How old is your MPhil?</p>
<p>Although your GREs are low the fact that you are not a native speaker of English will be taken into account as will fluency in other languages. The writing score will raise questions I think. As a data point, the University of Minnesota average scores for admitted CompLit grads last year were: 692.5 V,697.5 Q, 5.5 AW. It has often been said that GRE scores can’t get you IN, but can keep you OUT. </p>
<p>Your age is irrelevant. There are students at every school in all age ranges.</p>
<p>Your MPhil will help. </p>
<p>The question you should be asking yourself is:</p>
<p>EXACTLY what do you want to study? </p>
<p>Once you have the answer to that you’ll be ready to start looking at programs. You will very likely find that limiting yourself to the Ivies or even just east coast schools will GREATLY reduce your chances for admission. And since any given Ivy may or may not be well regarded in any given field, you may also be seriously damaging your future job prospects. </p>
<p>Graduate admissions is very much like applying for a job (in some fields schools even interview potential admits before making their decisions). In addition to academic credentials you also need “fit” between your interests and the programs you’re applying to. </p>
<p>Finally, browse the CC graduate school threads for comments by “Professor X”. S/he is a humanities professor (religious studies I believe) and provides excellent advice from an insider’s perspective.</p>
<p>Now, if you have not already done so, read the first 2 or 3 pages of the Grad School Admissions 101 thread. </p>
<p>In that case your MPhil will be a huge help and of course you’ll have current professors to write your LORs. </p>
<p>Have you focused down on what area of Greek lit. you’re interested in? I suspect what may actually limit you a bit in terms of schools will be the Classics professors available to advise you on the Greek side - simply because there are so few of them even in a big department. </p>
<p>You’ll want to look for (and eventually contact) professors whose CVs indicate that have some experience with the Greek side of whatever you’re doing. We Classicists tend to get pretty specialized, so a guy who’s a Homer expert may know little about Herodotus.</p>
<p>Hi, William. I really do not know whether it will help, but I would like to explore Plato’s use of literary resources, mainly in the Republic. But I am open to many other topics in other languages/literatures as well.
Thanks for the continuous advice!!!</p>
<p>In addition to WilliamC’s advice, I would study the GRE more and retake. GRE scores won’t get a person admitted, but they can keep you out. Your verbal and writing scores are really low for a Comp Lit person. Barron’s has a good word list for prep. Also, the PowerPrep software is excellent practice. Since your writing score is low, ETS has a service that will give feedback on your writing section specifically. It does cost money, but it’s cheap ($10, I think).</p>
<p>I really appreciate the advice, DespSeekPhD. I will purchase those materials immediately.
And I hope there is still time for me to take the GRE again before the next round of PhD application deadlines.</p>
<p>I did not have how to take the GRE again, but I simply got the best grade in my first term in Cambridge!!! However, I already submitted my applications to the US universities, because of the early deadlines. </p>
<p>The day before yesterday, I decided to send to all intended schools an extra document from Cambridge, reporting my exceptional performance. Should I have hope? Will the American depts take this extra document into account?</p>
<p>Most programs (even ones with deadlines back in December) are only now putting together their applicant’s packages. I suspect sending your updated information will be money well spent.</p>
<p>And do email the departments (or admissions secretaries if you know their email) to alert them that the update is coming.</p>