scholarlypartier

Find your to-be advisor and have him critisize your "Program of Study".

I think you're making a lot of assumptions based on very little information.

I do not think that will change much. You were waitlisted, and I am sure UofT has a large waitlist with other candidates just as suited and willing to accept without funding. Not to minimize the accomplishment in you admission offer, but I don't think UofT will suddenly offer you funding just to get you as a student; if this was the case, they would have done it first instance. Just being honest. I would pick the program that suits your future aspirations, and one that will have a compatible thesis advisor for your research interests. Funding should have little weight in your decision; there is so much more to consider.

It sounds like you're struggling with the classic dilemma that many grad students face, myself included!  There are many things you should consider, in my opinion.  First of all, I wouldn't solely trust the reviews of Calgary you find on the internet.  With universities -- and especially graduate programs -- it's a unique and personal experience.  Even at the best universities, there will be stellar and terrible departments.  I think that, when attempting to make your decision, you should take your funding and departmental opportunities into consideration first.  To me, that says Calgary.
 
Now what are the hard facts between Vancouver and Calgary?  What's the difference in cost of living?  What's public transportation look like?  What's the crime look like?  Do they have resources for your favorite activities?  What's the weather like?  It's your job to arrange questions like these in order of most to least importance.  What's more important to you: living in a beautiful city where you may be hard-pressed for cash, or living in a smaller, less exciting city where you'll have extra money (taking into consideration the potential difference in cost of living and your funding offer)? 
 
I too applied to UBC.  I think it's really a wonderful school.  My concern for you is that you'll be dissatisfied with the direction of your department.  You know it well, as you're already finishing your Master's there.  Take your gut instinct into consideration here.  It sounds to me like you're leaning toward Calgary but are afraid of how it looks.  I've been where you are, and I know how hard and frightening it can be.  My advice is to consider what I've said above... and if you really need somebody to tell you where they think you should go, I'll tell you: I think you should go to Calgary.
 
Best of luck!

I applied to six schools for PhD,of them, U of T and Carleton rejected me, Calgary and McGill accepted me and I havn't heard from Ottawa and York yet. I am not waiting for the last two, as I have already confirmed McGill's offer which was my first choice.
 
With getting into McGill my dream came true, and I wish everybody else best of luck with their applications!

Hi focaultmania,
 
I am originally from Toronto and did my undergraduate degree at York. York is actually on the outskirts of the city but they are building a subway that will serve the campus, which I think will be completed by 2015. You can find cheap housing near the campus and while Toronto is generally a safe city, York is located in an area that is known for crime. If you would rather live downtown or in a different area, cost of living can be high. It depends on your standards.  The commute might also be long (45 minutes or longer).
 
Hamilton is a university town and McMaster is well known. Cost of living is significantly cheaper but overall Hamilon is not a very nice city. Toronto has more to offer.
 
This all depends on your interests, both academically and personally. It seems that York is your dream program, you applied last year and you really wanted to go. Now the opportunity has presented itself!

Can't celebrate properly before I have decided where to go But I'll def get an iMac for my office. And, if time allows, a month backpacking around Iran before my knack for exploration will be confined to the realm of research for the next five or so years.

i'm gonna get drunk and stoned. woo!!!

I just received my rejection from U of Saskatchewan for MPA , my first rejection, well my first anything actually. The letter said my grades weren't good enough as compared to the competition. Which is probably true. I have a 3.0, but I am an international student and that 3.0 is from the top, literally no.1 university here. But I guess that doesn't matter. Makes me wonder it would have been better if I had graduated from a relatively low standard university with a higher GPA .... trying to stay positive... it just wasn't meant to be... there is a bigger plan for me

My honest first impression is that the language is WAY over-the-top. I feel you're trying to impress with how creatively you can write - there's lots unnecessary words, roundabout ways of saying things, the dramatic stand-alone single-sentence paragraph, precious words in your word count spent on emoting, and the overall effect is just strange. For example: "I've nursed an immense penchant." Even the opening two sentences: "It all began with the electron. For me, that is how it started." ...are redundant.

Avoid colloquialisms - you've got quite a few ("bitten by the bug," "bagged third place," "packs a punch"). Speaking of which, if this 3rd place award is recorded on your CV, don't mention it in your SOP.

Eliminate phrases like, "I was ecstatic to say the least" and "everything and more than I could ever hope for." You can still convey enthusiasm and direction without being overly emotive. I think this is especially important in sciences.

I hope the above does not come across as so nit-picky and harsh to be off-putting. But, I do want to convey that the effort you've put into the language, the odd turns of phrase, the forced conversational feel, in order to "stand out"...may not have the desired effect. Look, part of the SOP is to demonstrate that you can write clearly, specifically, and persuasively. You're basically trying to build an argument as to why you should be admitted, and what makes you more unique, more driven, and more productive than other candidates - not necessarily the most passionate or ruminative about formative experiences. So much of our time as academics will be devoted to securing competitive fellowships and grants. I think most AdComms are going to have their radar out, even subconsciously, for writing that's going to construct a solid, persuasive, specific argument. They will hedge their bets on these types of writers, because those are the students likely to win awards, garner outside funding, and get published.

Some resources I would recommend you check out and hopefully convey why I reacted so strongly to the writing style - these are good examples from the sciences:

Katherine Sledge Moore's breakdown of writing a good SOP. Be sure to check out her own SOP example on the Downloads page.
Forum member unlikelygrad's successful SOP

Both, I feel, convey a great deal of specifics about their experience, a sense of career direction, and solid familiarity with the program they're applying for...while still being to-the-point.

From the perspective of a professor: Female Science Professor's "My Grad School Application Essay"

If you haven't seen this thread, it's been evolving for some time - pages and pages of great advice here:



Good luck and hope this helps!