I've sent my application in, and I'm currently being considered for the English Lit. doctoral program at UNB (University of New Brunswick) in Fredericton Canada. I'm just so nervous and riddled with anxiety. This is my dream school and I will be crushed if I don't get in. What do YOU think my chances of being accepted are?

My MA GPA was 3.8, I got three AMAZING letters of recommendation (one from my undergrad professor, one from a graduate professor, and the other from the professor who supervised my MA thesis). Also, I've presented workshops at two conferences and I've had multiple fiction and non-fiction works published in books and literary magazines. The only issue I have is that I haven't had any actual research published yet. Do you think they wont accept me because of this?

Also, my research interests/ideas are VERY different and original, will this count for or against me?

I wouldn't worry about not having had any research published yet before going into a PhD program.

One set back is the thought that your research proposal is very different and original, depending on how much research you've done before submitting a proposal, this may or may not be the case (not to bring you down! Just keep that in mind).

The other thing to keep in mind is that some PhD rejections are not because they don't think you'd be a good student, but rather, because the university doesn't have anyone available in your research subject area to supervise.

This is actually one of the main reasons a good student might get rejected. If there is no one available to supervise your thesis topic, they can't really accept you (and if they do, they might lump you with a supervisor that turns out to have no idea about your research interests!)

I did my undergraduate degree in Canada at Carleton but am about to complete my PhD here in Australia. One of the things I had to do before applying was get in touch with and secure two supervisors in my research area. I had to send them my proposal and get their approval/secure their availability before I could even apply. I applied to three schools, and I definitely had to ask two or three potentials at each school before I was able to secure two supervisors for each school I had applied to. This is because some of them were going to go on sabbatical, or maternity leave, etc.

Did you have to do this or will your supervisor(s) be chosen for you? If the latter, they may not have anyone available. You said that this is your dream school, does this include academics that are familiar with your research area and are available to supervise? Did you apply to other schools? I went with my second choice and you know what? It's been amazing. Sometimes a second or third choice turn out to be the best.