kaloskagathos

I don't know anything about either program, but this is basically the short version of how I narrowed down my options, so maybe it'll help you, too. I hope I don't come off as smug or condescending; I'm not sure how much you want decision process thoughts versus reputation of program thoughts, so I figured I'd give you what I have and you can chuck it in the bin if you want. Funding: Don't forget to factor in how much and what kind of teaching you'll have to do (and when). Would you be able to teach your own class? If you're a Hellenist, be sure to ask what the opportunities to teach Greek are like. Also, find out what kind of funding is available for travel, conferences, or summers (even if you have guaranteed summer funding). Resources: Also, depending on what you want to do (my own specialty is collections-driven), it may be worth considering what each university's specific resources are like. It does make a substantial difference to have on-campus access to manuscripts, papyri, or squeezes if you're into that. Faculty: To respond to your comment about the faculty being equally strong: yes, but consider where their strengths lie. What kind of scholar would they make you? What methodologies do they favor? Also, be sure to discreetly ask their more advanced students what they are like as advisors. Do they offer constructive criticism on written work? Do they advocate for their students? Placement: To add to Hanbran's comment, be sure to find out what the placement record for your prospective advisor(s) is.

Yes, that sounds much more substantial! Transcripts only from the summers might work if you can get to the level of taking CUNY courses, but I don't know what the grading on those is like.

In my opinion,* learning a dead language isn't something you can do just over the summer and expect to maintain through independent reading without a formal class structure. You won't gain nearly as much without a professor around to correct your mistakes and bad habits. I learned Latin from a summer intensive course, and while it did prepare me very well, it took easily a year of coursework before I really felt comfortable with it at the advanced level. The structure of summer programs is very different, and you'd be surprised how quickly those language skills fade if you don't use them constantly. Good French and German will count for more than you'd think! *in case it wasn't clear, this is my disclaimer.

Have you looked into joint degree programs? Many universities offer joint Classics and philosophy PhDs now. Yale has one that takes applications from Classics and Philosophy, so you could apply with your philosophy degree to a Philosophy department and still potentially transition to Classics. I think some other places have similar systems. And, no, you won't need to have Classics-major-level language experience. I'd like to reiterate everything hanbran said; he is spot-on. Consider Penn's post-bac, which is only a year (a little more palatable than a new MA) and supposed to be quite good and reasonably affordable. I'm sure a funded MA would also suit your purposes, but remember that you'd still be competing against Classics majors. (I do know someone who did a post-bac and a funded MA before starting their PhD program, though. It all depends on your patience.) To improve your application, consider learning to read French, German, or Italian. I don't love your summers-only language training plan (I don't think it'll prepare you very well, to be honest), but you could probably make it work.

I can confirm that the Greek and/or Roman History programs are definitely administered through Classics, not History. No cause to worry!

I'm not an English applicant, but I had a very similar problem a while back. I enrolled in a math class that I didn't put enough effort into (and wasn't very good at). I was on track to get a C before family problems gave me the impetus to just withdraw. Luckily, I didn't need it to graduate, so I didn't have to worry about retaking it. Here are the steps I would recommend: 1) Find out what the passing grade is to complete your chemistry requirement. (You have probably already done that.) 2) Do the math to figure out what your GPA would be if you got that grade. 3) Decide if you can live with that. I would be extremely hesitant to seriously lower your GPA for this if you can afford to retake it over the summer and think you will do better if you do. I also like kayrabbit's suggestion to take it pass/fail —but only if you know you can get a passing grade. However, if you really think it's your math background that is the problem, I'm not sure whether taking the class over the summer (which will inevitably be faster paced) will help you. It's also possible that a class taken at a different university won't count toward the GPA on your home institution transcript, which would be a plus. I know that's true at my college. Have you talked to your English adviser(s) and your chem professor about this? (Please don't feel embarrassed to ask humanities professors about this. Most of them couldn't pass a chem class to save their lives.) Oh, I should add that, although grad applications for my discipline aren't quite as high stakes as English (fewer applicants for one!), I was extremely successful this application cycle, even with that W on my transcript.

You have to go back quite some pages in the "0% Confidence of Acceptance" thread, and it's pretty horrifying and results in someone actually getting banned, possibly for their posts in the thread and possibly for harassment. That Art History tidbit does really make me glad that Classics has a very different attitude.

I'm so glad someone else does that! Lately, the Lit/Rhet/Comp applicants are just taking the cake for drama, although Art History was really excelling back in January. Reading all the other Humanities boards makes me so grateful that Classics programs don't get 400-odd applications. At least, we know our applications made it past the department secretary. (Okay, I just checked out the latest shenanigans from the LRC people. Wow.)

The best part of this is that UChicago does not have a good football team. In fact, I think there's a joke about their not even having one?

What, isn't that how everyone picks their grad schools?

Yes, that's exactly what you'll want to wear. A suit is too much, I think. We're not business students.

I think "recruitment weekend" is the hardest of the possible events to decipher the dress code for. And don't forget to bring something more casual in case you have to go out with current students.

Exciting! (Just scoping out to see if I'll be seeing any of you lot soon.)

Business casual, I think. (I would offer more advice re: details of what that means, but I'm a woman and, uh, frankly I relied on googling + friends' sartorial savvy.) Where're you headed?

friend: The thing is, as much as grad school will suck, it's kind of perfect for you. And you have people to pay for it. me: Well, my programs are funded, yes. friend: Also grandparents, no? me: The programs are fully funded. I'm not expecting to need it. friend: Huh. Well. me: I can live on [generous stipend], I think. My friend was also planning to apply for PhD programs this cycle until a couple months ago.

I'm planning to prep for diagnostic exams for the PhD and maybe travel to Europe, but mostly just hang out with my family. I can't wait to not do anything for a summer. Oh, and move. My new apartment better be furnished before I start classes, or it never will be.

Word on the street [read: department gossip] is that no one has heard back formally. And congratulations to everyone who's gotten good news lately!

I interviewed with IPGRH, so if you want to talk about what they asked in specific (not IPCAA but kind of close), feel free to message me. You're in rather a different situation, though, so I'm not sure how much help I'd be.

I don't mean to say that ancient historians shouldn't have strong language skills, hanbran. That's definitely not true! I think I'm just tired of being surrounded by people who work on literature. Sorry for not being clearer!

Yeah, I'm not sure I've ever heard anyone say they wished there were more philologists in the room. But maybe that's because I don't hang out with enough non-historians? (Don't get offended: some of my best friends are philologists!)

But a delicious one! (Also, re Cornell: I do think that sometimes no news when other people get news can be good news. Try not to worry too much.)

Oh my gosh, congratulations! And thank you for saying it was yours. Honestly, I just wanted to know for certain that it was real, so I can stop thinking about it.

Oh, I meant this result (no "classic" in any field): University Of Berkeley Ancient History And Mediterranean Archaeology, PhD (F13) Accepted via Phone on 26 Jan 2013 A 28 Jan 2013 At least last year, AHMA notified long after the Classics department, although I don't think it looks good.

Search for "ancient history." Should be the second result. (In my defense, I did actually have to check this; I don't know it by heart. Yet.)

Even though I'm convinced none of my statuses will change to anything good before I get an e-mail from the department, I insist on checking the sites. It's a bit cathartic. And, on a certainly-not-related note, does anyone know if the Berkeley AHMA result is real? I'm a little skeptical of an acceptance that gets the university's name wrong (and, well, maybe a little jealous, too).