Albert

Amelapay-I PM'd you. Thanks!

Hello, I just browsed through this forum and I found a lot of great information on Columbia TC; however, I just want to ask a couple of general questions. I just graduated from Fordham University last May with a degree in English & philosophy. Overall, my GPA is a 3.6, and I have spent this year working at a law firm. While law school is certainly an option of mine, as I recently took the LSAT, teaching has always been on the back-burner. I am applying to the MA in philosophy and education at TC. I spoke to an admissions counselor yesterday, and she told me that the average GPA of an admitted student is a 3.4. Clearly, though, GPAs are not the only factor when accepting a student. So, I'm not banking on an acceptance into a highly reputable program simply because my GPA is higher than the average. There is no GRE requirement for this program, so my assumption is that the GPA, LORs, and personal statement are the biggest (perhaps only) factors when making a decision. I am submitting 2 LORs-one from a professor of theology whom I took multiple times and received an A in every class of his, and another from the chair of the philosophy department. So the LORs and my GPA seem to be in my favor. Now I just have to work on the personal statement. I really want to try to be as succinct and persuasive as I can be in this statement, but I'm not sure if I'm approaching it well. I started it recently, and I don't foresee it exceeding 2 pages. Personally, I don't see why any personal statement would be longer than that, because I know several people who sit on admissions committees (one from Princeton and another from JHU) and they told me that they cringe every time they see a statement longer than roughly 3 pages. I don't want to start a whole debate on that, so I sincerely apologize for any offense I may have raised with that previous remark. My statement discusses my experience with philosophy as an undergrad, my areas of interest in the subject of philosophy itself, my experience as a tutor and academic grader, and my plans after I obtain this degree (certification in NY and I am strongly considering entering a PhD program in philosophy). I want to add something else into the essay, but I'm stumped as to what that would be at the moment. Any suggestions? Also, do you think that a 2 page personal statement for Columbia TC would put me at a disadvantage? Ultimately, how do I sound as a prospective applicant? My GPA/LORs are strong, and my personal statement (pending your feedback) will also be in my favor. What do you think? I noticed that a number of people who write in this section have been accepted into TC. Would you mind sharing your credentials so I have an idea of the people I'm applying with? I apologize for the ramble, but this forum seems to be very active and healthy. Thank you in advance to anyone who is kind enough to reply and help me out. -Al

Thanks for the feedback, everyone! I just want to clarify that I do not intend on going straight into a doctoral program. In point of fact, I was admitted into Fordham University's MA English program. American studies has been eliminated from my options. Sorry, AmSt people, but I turned it down once in undergrad and that leads me to believe that I shouldn't pursue it at the graduate level. So, I am down to two choices: An MA in English, or an MS in engineering and management of technology. Am I to really assume, based on things that I have read on the web, that an English MA is not viable in terms of employability, or is the MA a respectable degree amongst the employers? If you answer the ladder, I would like to know why. Fordham's tuition is $1,190 per credit, and if I am about to amass a debt that is more than double of the MS degree, I would like some exterior confidence. Thanks again, everyone. I'm glad I found this forum.

Other than what I posted, what sort of information are you looking for?

I'm not quite sure how to articulate this without sounded sacrilegious. As an undergraduate, I studied English literature and philosophy. As you fellow literature and philosophy buffs know, it was a terrific and fruitful experience! Still, I am a bit torn about graduate school. During my undergraduate years, I presupposed that whichever subject(s) I chose to study, I would still go to graduate school. With that in mind, and before I truly developed an academic passion for my subjects, the simple logic was to immerse myself in the humanities as an undergraduate before I go on to graduate school to study something outside of the humanities. It was inevitable, though, that I would reach a point in academia where I may have to part with either English and (or) philosophy as I make my way into graduate school. I applied to several graduate schools over the course of my last year as an undergraduate, and I am fortunate to say that I was accepted into all of them. I have spent more than enough time narrowing my decision, but I am still having some trouble finalizing it. My three choices include: English literature, American studies, or (the contrary) management of technology and engineering. Since I am posting in the humanities section, I wouldn't be surprise to receive an overwhelming amount of feedback that is devoid of the last option; however, I think it's something to seriously consider. As I said before, I'm uncertain about abandoning my study of literature, and I have also considered becoming a professor of literature or philosophy as a career. Yet, if I ultimately decide to not earn my PhD, I do not know which degree (English or American studies) can be more marketable. After all, both subjects are very similar, and I will be honing in on similar skills with each. It is that logic that leads me to believe that both degrees are practically synonymous. I suppose I need to be less ambiguous when I use the word 'marketable' before one can adequately respond to that question. I have an array of career interests, ranging from book publishing, public service, governmental sects, business, etc. I know that each degree will be able to point me in those directions, but which one do you think will be a better fit for my career alternatives to academia? If they are one in the same, should I simply just go to (a) the university that is the most affordable, or ( the university that can provide me with better networking and connections? For the record, I applied to a management of technology and engineering program because technology and computers have always been a hobby of mine, and I strongly believe that it has the potential to transcend into a career. I think we can objectively agree that this program, a division of business management and engineering courses, is one that can provide me with great career and financial security. A number of publications have rated this field among the top career choices regardless of any economic status, in point of fact. Thank you for reading this post. I'm sure I have blogged on the topic superfluously. I have reached the point where I need to finalize a decision very soon. I would rather not spend the rest of my summer fretting over graduate school. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you! Albert