So as many others here, I'm trying to find the right program for me. I was wondering if anyone had any experience with or knowledge about the Comp. Lit. programs in Berkley, Harvard, Chicago, NYU or Columbia. I realize these are all really tough schools to get into and I was wondering first what my chances were (I have degrees in philosophy and comp lit from University of California Davis with an overall GPA of 3.74 and already have a very strong basis in German and working on the french train), and second if anyone had any general tips about these schools (is the program flexible, what about the interdepartmental relations, etc.).
Does a person from bumpkin UCD even have a chance getting into schools like these?
Of course, I take it into account that the bulk of the decision rests on your letters and your statement, but I was just wondering if maybe I should set my sights lower...

Hi Shanebo, this advice might be coming a little too late to be useful if you're applying this year, but I thought I'd share anyway in case you find it helpful.

I did my undergraduate study in the comparative literature department at NYU and got to know some of the people on their admissions board and picked their brains for advice for my own graduate applications. I think that you're on the right track with languages. I believe their website lists that they only require that you have proficiency in one language and have started on another, but in practice, they really don't look very seriously at applicants who don't have some evidence of a fair level of proficiency in at least two. One student worker once told me that she they had so many applications that she was just instructed to go through and toss out any that didn't have at least two foreign languages.

That, I think, is the only quantitative marker that's important. It's a given that all the applicants will have strong GPAs and test scores, so you're right to focus your attention on your statement. As long as you can make yourself stand out there, and don't namedrop too much (everyone on the admissions committee there that I spoke with cited namedropping as one of the major turn-offs in personal statements), I think you have a chance. I don't necessarily think where your undergraduate degree comes from matters that much, so long as you can show that you're capable of interesting and rigorous work. And, of course, if you can, get to know the work of professors there and contact them and make sure someone in that department knows who you are and to expect you application.