13 prospective schools, either for an MA, PhD, or MA/PhD in French…. I’m planning on working with one of my professors because I’m clueless on how the process works.  (My parents think it’s a lot easier to get into a PhD program, but I’m not so sure.). According to my professor, PhD programs can be rigorous and that getting am MA before a PhD would give me more options.  Especially in my case because I’m literally rushing through the major.  I took french in middle and high school with a 4 year hiatus before I started classes again at Emory.  Surprisingly,  I almost forgot everything! Here’s a bit of background on how I switched to a French major: I had to restart French in the fall of 2014 and somehow placed out of an intermediate grammar course after I took two other French courses in Paris.  The fall of 2015 I was on my last prerequisite before the French major…(honestly, I was almost 10 points away from placing out of this course as well).  I took both of the foundation courses last spring (where I had no choice, but to petition into one of them) and then complete one intermediate and one advanced course this summer. (Intermediate = French courses at 300 level, excluding 310/314-foundation courses, advanced level courses = 400 level courses.)  I somehow have bypassed the requirements and I’m taking 2 advanced courses this semester without having 2 intermediate courses.  My advisor isn’t really concerned about me handling the course load so that’s how I’m enrolled into 3 French courses (331,460,488W… W stands for writing, Emory requires students to continue writing after completing the required freshmen English course) this semester.  I will only need one 300 level-course next spring in order to complete the major!  In terms of applying: I have most of the materials besides the “statement of purpose”, and a writing sample.  In terms of GRE (score unknown), transcript/GPA/ list of  French course descriptions (4.0 for the major!), and letters of recommendation:  I think I got those covered.  The writing sample varies for each school, so I could need a sample ranging from 5-25 pages in French.  On top of applications, I have at least 40+ pages worth of essays to write this semester.  Hopefully I’ll have some nice analysis to submit by December/January when all the applications must be submitted!!! My work is really cut out for me this semester….