lovephil

I completed my MA at one of those "thriving" Canadian MA schools and it was the best decision I ever made. I'd be happy to offer my insights and advice on this if you have questions!

Thanks everyone. I'm REALLY wishing I didn't follow the Splintered Mind Blog advice right now.

Hey everyone! So, my writing sample for my application to one of my top choices was a few pages too long, and one of my letter writers told me it should be fine. But then, I read on Splintered Mind Blog that it's good to apologize for too-long samples in an abstract. I'm not freaking out that the note I included at the beginning of my sample makes me sound douche-y, and I'm terrified they will be thrown off by it. Does anyone have thoughts on this? I'm not sure if this makes a difference, but the paper I'm using got an R&R with a really good journal, so I was super hesitant to cut it down. It really is my best work as the longer version. Here's the "note": Note: I have eliminated a section of this paper on “sharing resentment,” in which I attempt to show that individuals can share the emotional experience of resentment, for the purpose of length. I apologize that my writing sample is still slightly over 20 pages, but I think that shortening the paper further would take away from the quality of the sample. If the faculty would like to focus on just a few sections, pages 5-10 demonstrate my theoretical contribution to resentment, and pages 11-21 apply this contribution and illustrate its practical significance.

Should University of Arizona applicants assume rejections at this point?

Yeah, the email felt like getting like getting punched in the stomach. Now I'm just paralyzed and can't get work done.

Are there another other Arizona acceptances out?

Hey, so it looks like one person has been accepted to Arizona. Anyone else want to claim an acceptance? I applied, but it seems unlikely that they would just accept one person so far... Anyone have thoughts or info?

I chose most schools based on fit, and some for more strategic reasons (e.g. my letter writers are good friends with profs at those schools). I was told by a clever grad student who is coming out of a top 10 program that the best way to do it is to not stress too much on the specific people at each school, but aim high (and in his words, "aim high or go home"), apply to at least 10 schools, and then narrow based on specific professors after you get accepted. This advice helped me a lot.

Is anyone hearing things on weekends? Gradcafe results posts go up on weekends, but I can't imagine people are receiving emails on Saturdays and Sundays.

I hope so too! I'm sure you're fine. I had to order transcripts from three different institutions from Canada, and I'm almost sure a bunch of them arrived late. I attached scanned copies of transcripts for every school that allowed me to upload them, so hopefully that suffices until the original ones arrive. I have to give a guest lecture tomorrow morning that I'm a bit nervous about, so hopefully no bad news until after that's over! Standing up to lecture to 100 students after a rejection would be the worst. I'm really hoping we start hearing back from some places this week. I can't wait anymore!

I wouldn't suggest enrolling in a PhD program in philosophy unless you are interested in those other areas. Philosophy of Aesthetics is a small part of the field. It sounds like a PhD in Art History might be better for you!

Thanks for the advice about the GREs everyone. I hope it makes a difference that I usually get exam accommodations, but couldn't get them for the GRE. ETS required a super updated doctor's note for accommodations and that's just not possible in Canada. My letter writers spoke to this issue, and my grades are high (perfect MA GPA and 3.9 undergrad) and writing sample is an R&R with a great journal. But my GRE scores are REALLY unimpressive: 5 analytical writing / 160 verbal / 145 math (I know, the worst). In my defense Canadian schools put much less emphasis on learning math in high school and it was never ever been my strength. Combined with the health issue, impossible for me to overcome.

I'm Canadian, and I would say you have a good chance at getting into UBC. Although, to be honest, whether or not you should go there if admitted really depends on your ultimate goal. Do you want to be a philosophy professor? If so, I would suggest aiming higher and referring to the Philosophical Gourmet Report for advice on various schools. The job market is just too bad to settle if you can get into a top ranked program.

Yep- I'm checking these discusison threads and gradcafe search results an unhealthy amount. It sucks to not know where you'll end up in September, if anywhere! I'm stressing over my GREs. Question: schools say that they don't make GRE cutoffs, but is this true? Or, is it possible that some schools with eliminate students with poor GREs without looking at other parts of their application?

Schools: UNC Chapel Hill, Arizona, MIT, Texas Austin, Yale, Harvard, Columbia, Michigan Ann Arbor, Toronto, Maryland, Boston, CUNY Area: moral, social and political philosophy Background: Math GRE score: I don't want to talk about it. Verbal: 160 Analytical Writing: 5 **I usually have exam accommodations, so my letter writers are speaking to this - could not get them for GRE. Current PhD student: A+ from one class taken (the other is pending) Master's GPA: 4.3/4.3 Undergraduate GPA: 88% last 2 years (Canadian school) **First 2 years of undergrad, all Bs - extreme health concerns that prevented me from going to class and doing well Publications: One revise and resubmit with very good journal (used as writing sample) Presentations: One colloquium presentation One grad student conference One professional international philosophy conference One guest lecture Other: TA for 3 courses Editorial assistant for two books being published Research assistant currently and in the past (diff schools) Tutor at Writing Centre currently and in the past (diff schools) Referee for undergraduate journal Chaired an undergraduate conference Essay awards: 2nd place in university wide essay competition Tied for 1st - best MA student essay in philosophy

To those who have indicated you have peer-reviewed publications, what kind of journals are they from?

I had a dream that my boyfriend, who is applying too, got in everywhere and I was rejected from every school I applied to. The rejection letters came in the ocean on tiny toy boats, and Harvard's rejection letter came with an ugly rejection hat - just to mock me.

Canadian applicant: "I can't wait for you to be in the States next year so we can go shopping." - My mom assuming I'll get in somewhere.

Thanks so much for your help everyone! Fockatar, I am scoring exactly the same as you on the Barron's quantitative. I'm also scoring in the 140s in the MyGREtutor tests. It's ruining my life. My Princeton Prep score: 152 Verbal, 149 Quant (ughhh) Powerprep score (last night): 156-162 Verbal, 151-159 Quant (???) It's like slaving away learning math for two months with very minimal improvement. Also, I'm in a PhD program with three jobs (TA, bioethics research, and tutoring), two classes, and applications to prepare. I'm exploding. Also, I take this test on Wednesday. I would be happy with my powerprep score, but I'll die if I get less than 150 on quant (and it's looking pretty bleak...) I'm Canadian, and do NOT understand standardized testing. It's ridiculous.

Okay- secured a pc for the practice test. Doing the MyGRETutor ones until then.

Thanks! Unfortunately, I have a mac and the powerprep won't work on it. Perhaps I should track down someone with a pc and use their computer before the test.

Has anyone been admitted to a top philosophy PhD program with an average/not so good GRE score? I have had test accommodations for anxiety for my entire undergrad and Master's degree, but couldn't secure them for the GRE. I'm also terrible at math and multiple choice exams in general. I have taken the Barron's practice tests, and keep hitting around 158-160 verbal, and 149-152 quantitative. If I score around the same on the real thing (in 5 days), am I screwed? This is particularly frustrating because the rest of my application is really good, and all of my professors are pushing me to apply to top 10 schools. Other stats: Master's degree from a Canadian university I'm currently a PhD student (I was asked to stay on for an extra year and start my PhD studies with full funding, but the faculty knows I'm applying elsewhere) I presented a paper at two conferences in the past year, including an international philosophy conference I have a paper under review with a reputable journal My writing sample is my paper that's under review I have outstanding letters 4.3 GPA (perfect) GPA in my Master's year, and 85% cumulative GPA in my final two years of undergrad (my sociology grades brought down my average, and my first two years were a write off because of serious medical concerns- but I have documents and letters to back this up) I have applied for external funding I won an essay award in August, and came in second place university wide for another Will the above GRE score absolutely kill me for applying to schools like UNC Chapel Hill, Harvard, and Columbia?

Hi all, I have lots of things working against me trying to prepare for the GRE, which I take on November 28th. I am currently in a doctoral program in Canada, TAing, tutoring, and working as an RA- which means I am juggling all of this, plus studying and PhD applications! I'm applying to transfer somewhere in the States. I am also terrible at multiple choice exams and didn't take math in high school past the absolute minimum requirement. So, I purchased the online Barron's prep, and have been studying for just over a month. I'm scoring okay on the verbal practice sets, but not on the practice tests for either verbal or math. I'm scoring around 145 for math and 157 for verbal - I know, terrible. But I will probably score highly on the analytical writing section, and I know I can pull up my verbal in the next month. Math has always killed me. 1. Does anyone know what I can do to prepare for the 28th? I'm terrified that I'm going to bomb it, destroying all chances of getting into a good program. 2. How important is it that I score highly on the GRE? I'm applying to PhD programs in philosophy, and will NOT be specializing in logic. I'm in moral, political, and feminist phil. Other stats: Master's degree in philosophy with a 4.3 (perfect) GPA for all 6 courses. 85% cumulative average in my undergrad years 3 and 4 (with Bs in 1st and 2nd year, which I have medical documentation to explain) Almost all 90s in undergrad philosophy courses. Paper under review with reputable journal. Conference experience, including an international conference. Research assistant/teaching assistant experience. I work at a university Writing Centre. I won an essay competition this year (in phil. department), and came in 2nd for another one (university wide). I have incredible letters, and am using a writing sample in my area of interest- and this is the paper that's under review. I helped edit two books forthcoming with Oxford Press and McGill-Queen's. What should I do if I bomb the GRE?