tomjonesy517

Yeah...I am suspicious.

As someone who has not received a Fulbright but who has been in a very similar situation before: leave. You've been at it for months and it's not getting better. Leave especially if you don't imagine things getting better at all. Sorry, Fulbright awardees might get better jobs, but you're talking another four months of misery for you. In my opinion you shouldn't go through life miserable for stepping stone status. Don't feel pressured because of prestige; you should do what is best for your mental and emotional health.

Personally, I know Spanish fluently, good German, intermediate Italian and some French, Ancient Greek, and Arabic (I love me some languages ). Instead of seeing languages as a "research" thing, you should also consider how many fellowships and opportunities can open up for you when you have even an intermediate language ability. I'm thinking especially of opportunities in Germany and France, but also Italy to a lesser extent. You're generally casting a bigger net. Of course, if you're going to be a professor at a foreign university, you have to know the language rather fluently. But there are some opportunities to teach in English, more than ever actually.

10 page writing sample is not exceptionally short.

Yeah, I am a proponent of not going into debt for a graduate degree. Master's programs in Europe aren't free.

Is there anyone here who has applied to get a master's funded? Does anyone know if that significantly changes chances at acceptance, assuming a strong and clear study plan was submitted?

I think someone deleted the entire fulbright spreadsheet. Jeez.

What's the notification date for research/study in Germany? I mean the date we know whether our apps will be sent to Germany for consideration. I read late January.

Also, not to double post here, but does anyone know the page range for the writing sample? Is it shorter than for PhD programs or still around 20 pages?

If you are selected for a DAAD based on a master's proposal, is it okay to take the funding to do a year of research? must you enroll in the master's program, or can you simply affiliate with the university, take some courses but not for credit?

Hi! I lurked here for a while as well. I was wondering if anyone else was applying to Germany for a research/study grant. I am a recent graduate interested in a philosophy master's degree at a top German university. I was wondering if anyone knows of others who have studied for a master's degree. I feel a bit anxious having to wait so long! My project was strong and precise (I thought), and my personal statement also seemed good. Good recs from professors I took graduate courses with. Graduated magna cum laude from a top 5 university. So, anyone in a similar boat? Waiting...waiting....

no, your scores are fine. continental programs put a lot less focus on the gres. they really don't care.

Hi, I am very interested in Miami Ohio's philosophy MA. Do they accept people whose undergraduate majors were not in philosophy, but who would like to continue their education into philosophy? I want to get my MA before heading into a PhD program. Are there any admissions statistics available?

I am in contention for a couple of fellowships (Fulbright being one of them) to study philosophy in Germany. I am interested in completing a fully funded MA there, but I am a bit concerned about grades and work level, as my German is strong but not perfect. If I study in Germany and pass my classes (but not get highest marks, for instance), will this be a problem for admissions in the USA? Will they consider in looking at any transcript/grades that course work was done in German?

Hi, please consider Miami University Ohio's master's program. Their department is almost entirely continental and they guarantee funding for master's students. It's a real gem that's often overlooked. Also, you'd have a good chance of securing a teaching grant from U Oregon if you get accepted to their MA. That would cover tuition and give you a stipend. However, I have been told that there will be fewer of these given out in the next couple of years.

Hi I'm in a similar boat--somewhat. The problem is that people don't read the Frankfurt School philosophically (at least seriously). Maybe the texts are too radical or impenetrable, but most people...just don't work on them. You're not going to find much if Adorno's your project. Comp lit might be better for you. However, you should look at Stony Brook and Emory. They have professors who actually work on FS and regularly have courses on FS philosophers.

I think it's also important to have in mind that the way Nietzsche is handled in continental v. analytic schools is very different. People talk about there being no true difference between analytic v. continental, but the effacement of actual differences is just another way of silencing particular modes of thought as poorly done. See: http://fordham.bepress.com/phil_babich/6/ It's also important to keep in mind that you want to be surrounded by people who aren't going to ridicule your major interests. There are some topics you can touch in the analytic appropriation of Nietzsche, and some that will get you laughed at.

Continental + ranked? According to whom, Leiter? Most of the actually continental programs refuse to be evaluated by him, for good reason.

Your application looks pretty strong. You have a huge mix of schools on that list. I think you should think about what kind of environment you want. For instance, Stanford and Emory have radically different approaches to philosophy. Stony Brook and Fordham would both be good based on your course lists if you want a continental education. It all depends on what kind of scholar you want to be molded into. I'd also say only go for funded MAs.

You need to look at Stony Brook. Very strong in feminism, plus Mendieta is a translator of Dussel.

b_s_g: Are you looking at continental schools? There are people who work on Nietzsche at analytic schools, but the quality of instruction may vary without larger departmental support. You might consider Babette Babich at Fordham.

Hi again, I was wondering if any of you know the importance of GRE AW scores for admissions. I'm looking at Miami Ohio and U Oregon for MAs, and Stony Brook and Emory for Ph.Ds). I'm not worried about verbal or math, but I fear I could dip into 4.0 territory for the writing (looking more like 4.5-5.0). I'd just like to gauge how worried I should be about this prospect. Thanks for any information.

Hi there, I've been looking on this forum for an answer to this, but I was wondering around how long the issue gre response should be. I just did a practice test and managed 582 words in 30 minutes. I added the essay below (whether or not nations should standardize curricula). I am wondering if this length would be considered enough for a good score, since I understand that longer essays tend to do better. If the length should be greater, do you have any strategies for writing faster? I tend to think while I write, and I find it a bit difficult to realize points upon first glance. Thanks! (And any opinions on the essay below would be good. I didn't get to write a conclusion because I ran out of time! Still practicing...) --- The standardization of secondary education is a contentious issue because it raises questions of what to include and exclude in curricula taught to a heterogeneous student population. The heterogeneity of the student population comes in two significant forms: background identity and personal interests. The imposition of educational standardization thus threatens to negate essential differences of both interest and need for a population brimming with difference. As such, a nation should not require all of its students to study the same national curricula if it imposes on the students’ ability to exercise personal autonomy in making educational choices that will affect their futures. Indeed, different skills are required for different vocations, while standardization in no way guarantees the equalization of educational quality for students with learning disabilities or other hardships. Firstly, students subjected to standardized curricula may bemoan learning from this model if it does not allow for freedom to explore personal interests through class selections. Over recent years, a variety of charter schools have developed across the country. While many adhere to traditional pedagogical methodology, a number of them promote and foster the individual interests of students to create personal plans of study. If a standardization curricula demands full attention to a set of predetermined learning objectives, there remains a risk that individual student interests will be effaced, or that students will not have the opportunity to find their passion in learning. Basic skills needed to function in society, whether the ability to read and analyze, or the ability to use mathematics in daily operations, could still be fostered under these individual-focused methods, but they could be applied to a variety of curricula that piques student interest. For instance, if a student is interested in carpentry, the use of mathematics as applied to carpentry could foster interest in the subject, that standardized curricula could otherwise squash. Secondly, the standardization of curricula may presume, spuriously, to equalize educational opportunities, when teaching quality is not necessarily improved through standardization. In Massachusetts, my home state, the standardized MCAS test demands students to learn from fixed curricula. However, results from such exams show time and again that students from wealthier communities fare better than students from urban or poor areas. As such, the standardization of curricula threatens to impose educational objectives onto students of lower educational backgrounds that do not match their material needs in the classroom. Finally, the standardization of curricula is a problematically “ableist” institution for threatening the needs for students with learning disabilities and behavioral problems. In the United States, a variety of specialized high schools exist to cater to these underperforming students, whose social worth would be unfairly measured with measures used to judge the “average” student. For instance, the Higashi School of Boston serves deaf students who may experience difficulties adhering to standardized pedagogy. Indeed, the issue of standardized education might also assume that teachers teach their lessons to “average” students, when in reality there exist a number of students who cannot adhere to such instruction. Rebuttals to these points may be that the standardized curricula could include technical skills, or perhaps athletic pursuits. Additionally, rebuttals could argue that the curricula could be flexible or amenable depending on community results. However, these points fail to show why curricula that are focused on individual community and individual student needs are no less equipped to foster educational excitement and basic skills needed for social survival. In admitting the need for amendment, proponents of standardized education reveal that one curriculum for all cannot fit.

Famous radical feminist philosopher Mary Daly received PhDs in both theology and philosophy. Her first PhD came stateside, and she received her others in Switzerland. Perhaps someone can mention the benefits/possibilities of getting that other PhD in Europe.

I am looking for continental-focused programs (phenomenology, German idealism, history of philosophy) in Germany. It was suggested that I look at Freiburg, Frankfurt and Wuppertal. Are these good unis for someone interested in Hegel and Kant? Where else would you suggest looking?