PhD prelim

It's everyone's favorite time of year again! The time when I start seeking favors and letters and transcripts to send off to schools to take my money and reject me. I hate applying to schools. It's unnerving, because I never know where I stand. I have to do serious paper chasing and bullshitting as I try to make my interests and objectives sound intelligent and meaningful. How do you tell a school that the reason you even discovered them is that they are located on a beach?

As an assignment, we had to do some research into potential programs. I discovered some interesting programs, and the fact that funding is scarce. As with my master's, I refuse to go somewhere that involves dropping crazy cash for a degree that won't pay it off efficiently. Geography does play into things, but more places I WON'T live. I am leaning towards Performance Studies, which feels more integrated, matching my approach to the arts. I want a program that is affiliated with dance, gender studies, with some women on the faculty and as students. While my current mentor is male, I suspect his level of support and enthusiasm is uniquely his own.

Here's the list of schools on my radar:

• University of Wisconsin
• University of California at Santa Barbara
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Florida State University
• Southern Illinois University

The list is not final or exhaustive, but rather du jour. However the jours are short, since apps are due as soon as Dec. 10, and no later than the end of January! At the same time, I am keeping the OU Interdisciplinary Arts PhD on the back burner. The head of the program apparently is very impressed by my work thus far. It's cool to feel like hot property. It almost combats my cold nose.

on Pandora: "For Us" - Pete Yorn