How would a poor man living abroad --one who is an author with a book in many libraries get a M.A in Eng liter

Question

My name is Steven Sills. I am an American who teaches English in Bangkok Thailand. I graduated from Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield and went on learning toward my Master's Degree in English. I even did an early creative writing thesis before my coursework was completed; however I withdrew when a book of my poetry was published by Towson State University and I needed to get it revised. My dream, despite my low earnings, is to get a Master's Degree in English or American literature. If you can at all give me some suggestions on how I might accomplish this or how I, a poor man living in a foreign country but one whose book is in Princeton and Yale academic libraries and whose other manuscripts are part of the digital archive at the university of Pennsylvania
(see Steven Sills, writer of poetry and literary novels. Books in the digital archive at the University of Pennsylvania at
http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/gutbook/author?name=Sills%2C+Steven+David+Justin
Libraries posessing An American Papyrus can be found at:
http://www.worldcatlibraries.org/wcpa/ow/e6a21e4dd02c1f79a19afeb4da09e526.html) might locate a scholarship. I have studied classical literature all my life and would be very indebted to you to help me locate a program in the United States or abroad and a means to do it
Sincerely
Steven Sills

Answer 1

Dear Mr. Sills,

Graduate study in the US is usually funded through the university and/or the department. Top applicants are offered fellowships, teaching assistantships, or research assistantships. These awards usually carry full tuition remission as well as a small living stipend.

My advice to you is to apply to several programs (both first and second tier). Research (online) which programs have faculty whose methods and areas of expertise you find to be congenial to your own interests. Read things these folks have published in order to familiarize yourself with what they do, and what they value.

Having a published book may give you an edge in admissions, but to qualify for awards (fellowships or assistantships), you should also have the following:

Extremely high GRE scores. (In your case, the quantitative score will matter much less than the verbal and the writing scores. The higher the score, the better the odds of being offered an award.)

Strongly supportive letters of recommendation from your former professors. (Contact folks with whom you have studied, tell them what you've been doing, remind them of your book of poetry, and ask if they would be able to write a supportive letter of recommendation for you.)

A literate and informed personal statement in which you articulate your preparation for study at the Master's level, your intended area of concentration, the reasons you chose to apply to that particular program, and your goals for the future. (Each statement should be tailored to each program. Do not be afraid to mention particular faculty by name. After all, they are the reasons you are applying to their program.)

A writing sample that demonstrates your writing skills, as well as your critical thinking skills. (In your case, a scholarly essay demonstrating your ability to perform thoughtful literary analysis might be a good choice. If you have no old student papers that you could revise, write a new one. The required length of the writing sample will vary from program to program. Make sure to adhere to each program's requirements.)

You will also need to forward your college and Master's degree transcripts to each university to which you apply.

I wish you every success.

Answer 2

Here are ten off the end of my iceberg: Sometimes A Great Notion ~ Ken Kesey War and Peace ~ Leo Tolstoy The Grapes of Wrath ~ John Steinbeck The Catcher In the Rye ~ J.D. Salinger A Confederacy of Dunces ~ John Kennedy Toole The Sparrow ~ Mary Doria Russell Nobody's Fool ~ Richard Russo Clockers ~ Richard Price Going After Cacciato ~ Tim O'Brien A Bonfire Of the Vanities ~ Tom Wolfe Bel Canto ~ Ann Patchett Atlas Shrugged ~ Ayn Rand The Milagro Beanfield War ~ John Nichols Moving On ~ Larry McMurtry Less Than Zero ~ Bret Easton Ellis Oh that is terrible.That's fifteen, and they're nice and real on the best of my record however I think responsible and bothered, as though I am betraying all my different peers. Why do I even attempt to reply those questions? Seriously? I'm a idiot! It cannot be performed!