Anthropology 2011

[ohkristentree]

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.

Thanks, Peanut. The director of the program emailed me to tell me the same thing. The only thing that made that hard was he recommended the same things he did before: make contacts with professors, get to know the faculty, etc, which I did. And, well, I guess to keep doing it. I'm now just wondering if I should publish more papers, try to get a research position, re-take the GREs....I don't know. But the encouragement is uplifting!

[ejkert1]

Hi everybody.

I applied to three graduate anthropology programs (archaeology concentration), the University of Wyoming, University of Montana, and University of Oklahoma. I haven't heard back from any of them yet. Does anybody know anything about any of these programs?

[beb205]

Sorry to shift gears, but I was just wondering if anyone has received offers with no first year funding and what you think about them? I am thinking specifically about Indiana University-Bloomington's program. I received an offer saying that I would not be eligible for funding next year, but that I would be in the subsequent years. They told me this was pretty standard for most admits. Sadly, as of now, this is my best funding offer besides waiting until August to hear from Illinois. Anyone have any opinion on this system, or got a similar offer and are accepting it? I doubt I will be able to afford it, but was just wondering if it would even be worth it if I could, or if I should just accept the fact that I will probably have to try again with applications next year.

I know rejection sucks, but getting in to 3 of your top choice schools only to learn that you have no funding is just about as bad. ugh this process is stressful!

[Le Fleur]

I am in the same boat and would love to hear feedback as well. I really want to make it work with Indiana but can't take out any more loans. I would love to get some feedback as well.

Sorry to shift gears, but I was just wondering if anyone has received offers with no first year funding and what you think about them? I am thinking specifically about Indiana University-Bloomington's program. I received an offer saying that I would not be eligible for funding next year, but that I would be in the subsequent years. They told me this was pretty standard for most admits. Sadly, as of now, this is my best funding offer besides waiting until August to hear from Illinois. Anyone have any opinion on this system, or got a similar offer and are accepting it? I doubt I will be able to afford it, but was just wondering if it would even be worth it if I could, or if I should just accept the fact that I will probably have to try again with applications next year.

I know rejection sucks, but getting in to 3 of your top choice schools only to learn that you have no funding is just about as bad. ugh this process is stressful!

[inca2011]

I am in the same boat and would love to hear feedback as well. I really want to make it work with Indiana but can't take out any more loans. I would love to get some feedback as well.

What are the costs of living/tuition? Would you be able to get a part time job, or maybe a tutoring or teaching job at the university or community college (both in terms of your grad student contract and qualifications)? I know most fellowship deadlines have passed but there may still be some for things like foreign languages, etc. You may also be able to reduce your living expenses if you can find roommates, always cook for yourself, and reduce things like telephone/cable/internet spending to the bare minimum necessary. Would you be able to get help from family, maybe?

Personally, I would not go anywhere that could not give me at least some funding or financial aid. However, if this is the only place you got in and you don't want to reapply, I guess there's no choice.

[shaydlip]

I am in the same boat and would love to hear feedback as well. I really want to make it work with Indiana but can't take out any more loans. I would love to get some feedback as well.

Yeah.... if they were saying no funding for your first year, I wouldn't go. I might consider if they said, well you can have at least the first two years of funding or something, because then you are likely to get college-level teaching experience, and once you get to a place you can start to figure the ins-and-outs, and potentially TA for another department or something for funding.

But no funding right off the bat? What is their incentive for EVER giving you funding? A lot of places are hard up for cash right now, but if that's the reason they are accepting you, you don't want to go there. Particularly for a PhD. PhDs can become never-ending.

[Le Fleur]

Tuition is expensive 14,508 per year for non-residents. And get this, if you go to Indiana for the purpose of higher ed you can never become a resident. So I will always be paying that fee. My POIs warned me about the funding probs but I was hoping I would be the lucky one to get at least the first year. The problem is that it matches so well with my interests and I know that I could get a great job after working with my POIs. I just don't know if it's worth the risk. I am applying to a community college in the area and have lots of experience teaching at JCs but who knows if I will get it. Clearly I have some thinking to do. If anyone got a full funding offer to IU and doesn't want to go there please reject it!

[beb205]

According to what I was told, no one gets funding in their first year. Only about 30% of incoming students are funded and this is almost entirely from funding outside of the university. But it would be nice to hear from some if they were offered funding from the department!

I'm with you. I don't want to be paying for my PhD. I have gotten scholarships/fellowships for both my undergrad and MA degrees and don't think I want to start paying now. As much as would love to go, I just don't think I can swing it. I think I will accept Illinois' offer and wait to hear until August if any funds shake loose and if they don't ask to defer or just give up and try again next year. In the mean time keep applying for jobs and hope something turns up. It's super depressing but such is life.

Tuition is expensive 14,508 per year for non-residents. And get this, if you go to Indiana for the purpose of higher ed you can never become a resident. So I will always be paying that fee. My POIs warned me about the funding probs but I was hoping I would be the lucky one to get at least the first year. The problem is that it matches so well with my interests and I know that I could get a great job after working with my POIs. I just don't know if it's worth the risk. I am applying to a community college in the area and have lots of experience teaching at JCs but who knows if I will get it. Clearly I have some thinking to do. If anyone got a full funding offer to IU and doesn't want to go there please reject it!

[samjones]

Samjones, please please help me to understand what I've written that is so bewildering. Do I have a serious misreading of the academy? I have no problem finding out that I'm wrong, I just want to know how so.

bewildering? i don't think i would say anything you have written is bewildering. i would say that your online personality is fascinating!

[truc]

According to what I was told, no one gets funding in their first year. Only about 30% of incoming students are funded and this is almost entirely from funding outside of the university. But it would be nice to hear from some if they were offered funding from the department!

I'm with you. I don't want to be paying for my PhD. I have gotten scholarships/fellowships for both my undergrad and MA degrees and don't think I want to start paying now. As much as would love to go, I just don't think I can swing it. I think I will accept Illinois' offer and wait to hear until August if any funds shake loose and if they don't ask to defer or just give up and try again next year. In the mean time keep applying for jobs and hope something turns up. It's super depressing but such is life.

I don't know about U of I or IU's enrollment policy, but at some schools you only pay tuition if you are actually taking classes, so semesters/years of field work are not paid to the university (the catch being that field work costs money, but that is somewhat easier to find funding for). Other schools have continuous enrollment requirements where you pay tuition no matter if you are in residence or not, which would suck if you were unfunded.

I know this doesn't help with the first or second years at all, but it is something to think/ask about.

[newleaf]

bewildering? i don't think i would say anything you have written is bewildering. i would say that your online personality is fascinating!

elusive

[samjones]

elusive

so true! and on purpose, too!

[new mexico]

well, my first choice college accepted me: St. Antony's, Oxford. Still waiting on the Clarendon...31 March 2011 can't come soon enough...

[JMEnviroAnth]

Hey, for anyone still waiting on University of Arizona, I think they are gradually updating the Graduate College application status. I just checked and was rejected, which stinks, but it certainly makes my decision a lot easier!

[Mata]

Is everyone else still waiting to hear from Columbia and Michigan Anthro/History? I know both announced really, really late last year. My online status form for Columbia was finally showing that they received all my application materials today. Did they really just get them all together? I have to imagine there was just a lag in putting that stuff up online.

I have another offer, so it wouldn't break my heart if these were both rejections, but it'd be nice to know already. Anyone else hear anything about these two?

Edited March 17, 2011 by Mata

[anthro.fish]

That's great New Mexico.

well, my first choice college accepted me: St. Antony's, Oxford. Still waiting on the Clarendon...31 March 2011 can't come soon enough...

[JMEnviroAnth]

I also haven't heard anything from Columbia, but I don't expect to be accepted.

Is everyone else still waiting to hear from Columbia and Michigan Anthro/History? I know both announced really, really late last year. My online status form for Columbia was finally showing that they received all my application materials today. Did they really just get them all together? I have to imagine there was just a lag in putting that stuff up online.

I have another offer, so it wouldn't break my heart if these were both rejections, but it'd be nice to know already. Anyone else hear anything about these two?

[tanshp]

Columbia needs to hurry up. I think people who got into the PhD program already heard, but there's always the MA program. It's the last school I need to hear from and I just want this process to be over. I already have two other offers (both MA, not PhD sadly) but the endless wait is killing me. I would still go to Chicago over Columbia, definitely better for Linguistic Anthro.

I also haven't heard anything from Columbia, but I don't expect to be accepted.

[claypatterns]

I also haven't heard anything from Columbia, but I don't expect to be accepted.

I remember hearing that those accepted and wait-listed at Columbia have already received notice.

I guess we still have a chance at the MA program. Last year the MA/rejected results came out around the end of March.

[JMEnviroAnth]

My understanding is that they don't offer funding for the MA.

I remember hearing that those accepted and wait-listed at Columbia have already received notice.

I guess we still have a chance at the MA program. Last year the MA/rejected results came out around the end of March.

[tanshp]

Yea, it's completly unfunded. But I applied for the FLAS fellowship at Columbia as well, I may give a few to MA students, but who knows.

My understanding is that they don't offer funding for the MA.

[new mexico]

That's great New Mexico.

no funding. let's hope for the Clarendon.

[ghazal8]

Hi all,

Has anybody heard back from the FLAS one way or another? I got into Berkeley for an MA, but want to know about the FLAS in terms of funding.

Also, I got into the New School for an MA in Anthropology. I like the professors, but only received a 33% tuition scholarship, so you know, not the most lucrative deal. That being said, it is a masters, so maybe I should be calm and pleased with that.

I also got into the MAPSS Program at UChicago, with a full tuition scholarship. I am trying to decide between this and the New School. The MAPSS isn't specifically anthropology, but i know that I tailor my own curriculum and could emphasize anthropology.

Does anybody have feedback on either of these programs?

I'm having pretty much the same dilemma. I'm interested in a master's in South Asia and urban political anthropology. MAPSS is giving me a 50percent scholarship, and UChicago is one of the best places to study South Asia. But I also got into the New School's pol sci MA, which has an awesome cutting edge approach to their research, and is offering me 1/4 scholarship. I've been reading up on MAPSS here and although Chicago is a great place to study South Asia I've been a bit intimidated by what others have said.. I'm finding myself thinking that New School's smaller and more intimate programme might be a better fit for me, even if my research interests are a bit more interdisciplinary than a simple pol sci MA. Would love some feedback too, please!

[OtterWilde]

I'm having pretty much the same dilemma. I'm interested in a master's in South Asia and urban political anthropology. MAPSS is giving me a 50percent scholarship, and UChicago is one of the best places to study South Asia. But I also got into the New School's pol sci MA, which has an awesome cutting edge approach to their research, and is offering me 1/4 scholarship. I've been reading up on MAPSS here and although Chicago is a great place to study South Asia I've been a bit intimidated by what others have said.. I'm finding myself thinking that New School's smaller and more intimate programme might be a better fit for me, even if my research interests are a bit more interdisciplinary than a simple pol sci MA. Would love some feedback too, please!

Hey thanks for responding. Crazy that we are in such similar situations. Do you mind saying a bit more about the intimidating feedback you've received about MAPSS?

[tanshp]

I also got into MAPSS, half tuition. When I applied for the Anthro Phd program, I also applied for the FLAS Fellowship. On my MAPSS award offer it says that I didn't get the FLAS fellowship. Not sure if this is what you were looking for, but figured I'd share anyway.

Hi all,

Has anybody heard back from the FLAS one way or another? I got into Berkeley for an MA, but want to know about the FLAS in terms of funding.

Also, I got into the New School for an MA in Anthropology. I like the professors, but only received a 33% tuition scholarship, so you know, not the most lucrative deal. That being said, it is a masters, so maybe I should be calm and pleased with that.

I also got into the MAPSS Program at UChicago, with a full tuition scholarship. I am trying to decide between this and the New School. The MAPSS isn't specifically anthropology, but i know that I tailor my own curriculum and could emphasize anthropology.

Does anybody have feedback on either of these programs?