a fragrant plant

To protect my privacy I will not describe in details how my adviser bullies me. Generally speaking, this adviser wants me to do a lot of unpaid work and treats me like a slave. This adviser is very well known for his/her difficult personality in and outside the department so I know that if one day I break down and make a complaint, most people will understand and be sympathetic to my situation. I'm just not sure how it will affect my PhD career. I enjoy doing my PhD but this adviser makes me sick. The advice I got from my colleagues/friends/families are the following: be firm and be clear about your boundary, but don't get caught up in the details and don't ever go into an argument, just be composted, firm and professional because I feel that my adviser likes to provoke me and push the boundary. I am a hot-headed and direct person so it's really hard for me to stay calm when someone is so disrespectful and so manipulating. Can anyone share their experiences of dealing with a bully adviser? Thanks in advance!

as topic.

Hi Brownbear, I'll be in St Cross too. I found St Cross' accommodation quite expensive (£480-£600/pm); considering that even the 1** rooms are not ensuite. I've applied to college accommodation but am also actively looking at private let. Please PM me if you are considering sharing a flat.

How can anyone miss the mentalist? Simon baker rocks!

I'm actively searching for fundings, big or small, to enable me to take up my study in the United Kingdom. Do you know of any website that lists all available scholarships/grants for graduate students in the United Kingdom?

I applied by the November deadline and I didn't hear the result till the end of Jan - two weeks after the decision deadline. Departments don't stick to the guided deadline, apparently. Hope you'll hear soon.

I am not a drinker either. I just don't like the bitter taste of alcohol. Having said that, I do like Kopparberg's pear cider or elderflower cider. Their ciders don't have the bitter taste of alcohol. It's actually more like soda. You can try it out next time you're in IKEA

I think next week is too soon. When I learned that my colleague has just lost her mother, I gave her space and did the job myself. I waited till she was well enough to email me. I understand that you're anxious, but I think your LOR would really appreciate that you give her some space and time during this difficult time. The deadline is May 5. You still have plenty of time. If your LOR is an organized person, she shouldn't have any problem to write up something when you ask again in mid April. You can also send her a sympathy card to give her your condolence. While you're not asking for a letter directly, the card will, hopefully, reminds her of your existence.

You're NOT garbage! Graduate admission is so much more competitive these days! As a fellow of this forum rightly pointed out, nearly every graduate in anthropology would try to get into grad school. Unfortunately, there are only 5-6 (sometimes fewer) new spaces in a department! I only had one offer when I applied in 2010. This year, knowing from previous experience that graduate admission is extremely competitive in the U.S, I decided to widen my choices and applied to a few decent programs in my home country. It was one of the best decisions I've made. Even with a much better SOP I didn't get into my dream schools in the US. Just like last year I was told that that I was one of their finalists, but in the end I was put to the rejection piles. All I am trying to say is that you're not worthless. Graduate admission is completely arbitrary. Please don't lose hope, I hope you'll hear some good news from Montana and W&M.

Hello Anthroman, may I ask which college you belong to (you may PM me)? I asked because my college requested me to prove that I have three years instead of two years of fund to study at Oxford!!! I'm a UK student so I don't know if that makes a difference. Are you UK or international?

It's extremely difficult to get in to graduate school these days because more and more undergraduates opt to go straight into grad school. Yet I won't lose hope if anthropology is what you want to do for your career. I agree that whilst Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico are not highly ranked nationally, they are good programs for anthropology (especially archaeology). Arizona, in particular, is very competitive. I am also told that getting a MA first increases your chances of being accepted onto a PhD program. There are many ways of doing it, please don't lose hope.

Hello Irishscientist, may I ask whom you spoke to in the department of anthropology (you may PM me, thanks)? Obviously the ESRC studentship is extremely competitive, but when I spoke to my supervisor two weeks ago she did not mention anything like "there is almost no chance of funding". By the way, did you apply to the MPhil or the PhD program? Also, what's an internal candidate? Did you mean that they're going to give it to someone who's upgrading from a MPhil to a DPhil?

No offense, but I honestly think that you may want to expand your reading lists so that you will recognise more names OUTSIDE the United States. Seriously, you have never heard of professor Tim Ingold (Aberdeen)? You don't know who David Graeber is (Goldsmith, previously at Yale)? You have never come across professor Keith Hart (Goldsmith)? They are some of the most influential anthropologists of our age and their work are heavily cited around the world! I very much agree with you that the U.S. is currently the centre of anthropological research. However, this does not mean that anthropologists from elsewhere are producing less valuable work. If, as you claimed, most students can only identify US scholars, I will be very worried about the future of our discipline.

toy story

Thanks! Does the new version of Kindle have real page number for books as well as pdf? Is is easier to read PDF file on Kindle DX because of the bigger screen? (The screen of Kindle DX is 2.5 times bigger than the original Kindle)

Are you using e-readers like Kindle for PDF only? I've had a Kindle before but sold it because the print is too small. Are you guys using the bigger Kindle to read PDF? What do you think about iPad2? I'm also not sure about using Kindle to read books because it doesn't show the original page number, which makes citation a nightmare.

School A. From what you told us you're also leaning towards School A. If school A is among the top 50-70 universities in the U.S, you should go for it. I don't know where school B is so I can't comment, but I'd say a school ranked at the 50-70 tier is still pretty strong.

I've been researching for graduate housing at Oxford. Any comments on the following properties? * Walton St. Annexe * Castle Mill My preferences are: central location, good interior, ensuite. A full list of properties can be found here: http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/accommodation/graduate/single/index.shtml

I'm hoping to continue working as an interpreter/translator. The pay rate is about $22-$35 USD. The work is very flexible, perfect for PhDs.

I am not in the School of Geography and the Environment at Oxford but I know some students there. The department is very reputable, rated the first by the RAE (Research Assessment Exercise for UK research) in 2008. I also heard that it's a friendly and dynamic department. Oxford is the oldest university in the English-speaking world and it's a prestigous elite university. Studying at Oxford does not guarantee you a job when you graduate, but it will definitely open up lots of opportunities. Admission is selective, but with a 3.89 GPA you have a great chance. This is based on the assumption that you're studying at a decent state-school in the U.S. If you're in a lower ranked school that may be another story. Having said that, I personally think that it's easier to get into Oxford than to the ivies in the U.S. Feel free to PM me if you need advice on the research proposal. Also, I may be able to tell you more about the department and people when I'm Oxford.

I agree. If I were you and I didn't get into my first choice this year, I'd accept the funded offer from the third choice. Graduate admission to anthropology doctoral program is extremely competitive. There is no guarantee that you'll get in your top choice next year. In the meanwhile, do some more research about your 3rd choice. You might discover that it's actually more attractive than you thought!

gunlesswonder, your perception of the British pedagogy is pretty accurate. I've studied anthropology in both UK (postgraduate) and US (undergraduate) systems so I'll put my two cents in. I like the US undergraduate system, and I assume that you will receive more guidiance at the graduate level in a US school. There are few useful coursework in a British research degree. I've never studied for a taught master so I can't comment on the quality of teaching in the British system. The good thing is, the UK system really pushes you to be an indepedent researcher. Although my experience of the UK education system is not great, I've grown a lot intectually. I become very proactive in my study and I learn to create opportunities/network for yourself because nobody is here to guide me. I've had a very hard time at first (so are many Americans who are used to the American system) but I kind of get used to it. I'm staying in the UK to do my PhD because I was rejected by my dream school in the US, but forunately being accepted into the top program in the UK. My prospective supervisor seems fantastic, too. I'm also appealed to the fact that I may be able to obtain a PhD in 3-4 years. Eventually I would hope to do a postdoc in the US.

I don't know anything about U of Aberdeen, but I know the city is ranked as the best Scottish city in terms of quality of life. According to the BBC report, Aberdeen is the British city best-placed to grow out of the economic downturn. I've had a quick look at the anthro dept's website. It looks like it will be a fantastic place for you if you are interested in religion, environment and material culture. Not a bad option if you don't want to wait till next year to reapply. Are you in Egypt or in the US now?

Good advice. Try to apply to a few African studies programs next year. I don't know why admission to anthropology PhD is so darn competitive in the US. It seems harder to get into a doctoral program in anthropology than a professional program, especially in top-tier schools. Can someone tell me why?

Are you rejected by all in your second round? If you're accepted into a lower ranked but decent program such as Boston University, I think you should go. After all you applied to this school for a reason, right? This is my second round and my experience told me that graduate admission is really arbitrary and unpredictable. I know a person who got in Columbia with a very bad GRE (her score is much lower than the 1200 threshold). I also know someone whose scores are brilliant and have publications but didn't get into any top-tier programs. You sound like a very strong candidate and I think what you're lacking is some luck. If you are rejected across-the-board, try again next year but make sure you apply to a wider range of schools. Best wishes to you!