wandajune

To chime in on the B.A. from unknown school situation -- I am applying with a B.A. from an unknown school, not ranked in the top 50 PGR or US news, and I have five Ph.D acceptances. I think the wise advice is to apply to several M.A. programs, but apply to Ph.Ds as well, you may get lucky. It may be a disadvantage, but they don't automatically throw out your application if you have a B.A. from an unknown school.

I think attempting to "do philosophy" is probably bad advice. It's a cover letter.
My statement was mainly an outline of my research interests and relevant background, with a short quip about how I got interested in philosophy. I also opened with a light joke, which admissions committees mentioned as a positive aspect of my application. (Not everyone can pull this off, however, so make sure you have others proofread your statement to ensure that you've achieved the right tone.) The best advice is to stay on topic, but if you can show a bit of your personality in the letter, that can help you. 

It's funny. When I hear "is it permissible . . . ," I first think about whether it's morally permissible. It looks like no one else went that direction. But I'll say that rejections after April 15 are disrespectful to applicants unless the department has wait-listed those applicants or given them some reason to believe that rejections might come later than April 15, or unless some very special circumstances arise. We're not talking about programs that aim to enroll dozens or hundreds of people. These are programs that aim to enroll fewer than ten people. If you're among the few people whom they wait-listed, then out of respect for you, they should contact you before April 15 to let you know that you're in that small group. Many of us have expressed frustration that some departments do not have their stuff together, and the burden falls on anxious applicants. I understand why that's just the way it works for larger programs of study. But in philosophy, again, we're talking about small groups. So I would say that, in general (see the conditions above), with regard to philosophy PhD applications, it's actually not permissible to send you a rejection email after April 15.

Oh my goodness. I just got off the waitlist at Pitt. I'm total disbelief, but I'm absolutely thrilled.

I think this feeling of "Could I have done better?" is pretty inescapable in graduate admissions, excluding those who are lucky enough to get into their top choice. "Could I have done better if I had only used another writing sample? If I had only applied to more top programs? Etc."  Attending the MA might give you the chance to do a bit better next time around (and it might not), but if you go with the PhD, my advice is to just be careful with that counterfactual thinking. Be happy and proud about where you end up.

I think this feeling of "Could I have done better?" is pretty inescapable in graduate admissions, excluding those who are lucky enough to get into their top choice. "Could I have done better if I had only used another writing sample? If I had only applied to more top programs? Etc."  Attending the MA might give you the chance to do a bit better next time around (and it might not), but if you go with the PhD, my advice is to just be careful with that counterfactual thinking. Be happy and proud about where you end up.

A few people in philosophy departments who come to mind and work on philosophy of education, at least as a secondary interest.  
 
1.  Harry Brighouse at UW-Madison.  He actually just started a center there that focuses on issues in philosophy of education.  
2.  Jennifer Morton at CUNY.  
3.  Rob Reich and Debra Satz at Stanford.  
4.  Harvey Siegel at Miami.
5.  Karen Detlefsen and Amy Gutmann at UPenn.  Gutmann is the president of the university, though, so I doubt she does much work with students anymore.
6.  Derrick Darby (and to some extent Elizabeth Anderson) at Michigan.
 
I don't know much about education departments, but I would guess that all but CUNY and Miami would be pretty solid (and they might also be fine).  If you are planning to get your degree in an education department and, presumably, try to get a job in an education department, then I think your pedigree probably matters less than it would in philosophy.  If you were to decide to get a degree in philosophy, then you'd probably be able to apply for jobs in both education schools and in philosophy departments, but your pedigree would matter a lot more.  But you'd be almost certain not to land a job in a philosophy department with only a degree in education, even if you focused on philosophy of education and worked with people in a philosophy department.  Just another thing to consider.  

I know two people who got PhDs at Missouri not too long ago, and both have TT jobs now. My impression is that the placement there is really quite good for a bottom-of-the-top-50 kind of program. Ideally one of those waitlists will materialize into an offer, but you should feel good about the Missouri option.

I turned down fully funded offers from Missouri-Columbia, UC Davis, Nebraska-Lincoln and Rochester over the last few days. I will be attending Wisconsin, Madison in the fall. 
 
It is finally over!!!

It's worth pointing out that Missouri is not ranked #50, but tied for #47 with SLU, Minnesota, and Rice. 

I know two people who got PhDs at Missouri not too long ago, and both have TT jobs now. My impression is that the placement there is really quite good for a bottom-of-the-top-50 kind of program. Ideally one of those waitlists will materialize into an offer, but you should feel good about the Missouri option.

There's also a very low probability that it would help us in any way at this point (decisions are made, we may not have applied to the same schools/AOI and there's no telling how many people don't read this site who we'll never reach with our "advice," etc.) and a much higher probability that we'll be told off and/or ignored. If we've accidentally posted too much info and someone connects us to our real identities AND our motivations are found out, that certainly wouldn't do our careers any favors. Plus, we'd have to live not only with being assholes, but with being assholes who probably didn't even accomplish anything with our asshole behavior.

For a better chance of successful subterfuge, we'd have to start during the application process. Try to reduce the number of applications to our chosen schools and/or spread rumors to get people to mess up their applications. ("I heard that the UChicago way involves not citing your sources. With technology now, they just know. Amazing, right?") ...But then someone would just correct you, and again you'd be an asshole for no gain.

The game might be rigged, but not by us. We might as well help and support each other.

I think this feeling of "Could I have done better?" is pretty inescapable in graduate admissions, excluding those who are lucky enough to get into their top choice. "Could I have done better if I had only used another writing sample? If I had only applied to more top programs? Etc."  Attending the MA might give you the chance to do a bit better next time around (and it might not), but if you go with the PhD, my advice is to just be careful with that counterfactual thinking. Be happy and proud about where you end up.

I think this feeling of "Could I have done better?" is pretty inescapable in graduate admissions, excluding those who are lucky enough to get into their top choice. "Could I have done better if I had only used another writing sample? If I had only applied to more top programs? Etc."  Attending the MA might give you the chance to do a bit better next time around (and it might not), but if you go with the PhD, my advice is to just be careful with that counterfactual thinking. Be happy and proud about where you end up.

I think this feeling of "Could I have done better?" is pretty inescapable in graduate admissions, excluding those who are lucky enough to get into their top choice. "Could I have done better if I had only used another writing sample? If I had only applied to more top programs? Etc."  Attending the MA might give you the chance to do a bit better next time around (and it might not), but if you go with the PhD, my advice is to just be careful with that counterfactual thinking. Be happy and proud about where you end up.

Oh yes, I definitely agree. I haven't visited the PhD program yet but a big part of my decision will hinge on the visit. If I am really happy there and feel I can accept the offer "wholeheartedly," as it were, I will do it. Decisions like this are painstaking but once they are made there is no point wondering what-if, you are right.

I think this feeling of "Could I have done better?" is pretty inescapable in graduate admissions, excluding those who are lucky enough to get into their top choice. "Could I have done better if I had only used another writing sample? If I had only applied to more top programs? Etc."  Attending the MA might give you the chance to do a bit better next time around (and it might not), but if you go with the PhD, my advice is to just be careful with that counterfactual thinking. Be happy and proud about where you end up.

Anybody visit University of Wisconsin, Madison yet? How did the department seem? Any ideas on whether you'll accept?

It is indeed my top choice.

Accepted at UConn!!! It feels so good, especially after last year's shut out. I hope to see you overoverover and reixis there!

I want to risk disapproval and voice a different view. I think your professor has a point. There are several issues conflicted here. First of all, just because someone isn't a philosopher doesn't mean their view cannot be of philosophical interest - and conversely, just because someone's view has the potential of eliciting philosophical interest, doesn't mean they're a philosopher.
Moreover, the exercise of "doing philosophy" is, of course, valued in proposing original views and investigating philosophical matters in discourses not previously investigated. But the purpose of an undergraduate education in philosophy is, in my opinion, to familiarize students with the way philosophy as an academic discipline functions, and in doing so equipping students with tools with which the student can then go on and make original contributions. As such, there is great value associated in restricting the course of study to a focused and well defined group of people, namely, academic philosophers.

My parents are coming with me to an admitted students visit, but while I am at departmental events, they will be touring the area and the school. I am SO happy they didn't expect to go to the talks, lunches, etc. that will be taking place, because I agree with your thoughts about them being a stakeholder. They're coming along to be supportive and see the area that could potentially be my new home, but also taking a backseat. I think it would be kind of weird if I brought them around with me to meet other graduate students and professors.

I suspect that the possibility of Scott Walker's $300 million budget cut to the UW system will make it tough for any new hires. Not sure if this played a role with Schafer-Landau's decision but he jumped ship at the right moment. 
 
http://www.politifact.com/wisconsin/statements/2015/feb/20/rebecca-blank/scott-walkers-300-million-budget-cut-looming-uw-ma/

I apologize for my inaccurate speculations (though it was certainly not my intent to raise any worries about some kind of 'mass exodus'). I don't know if the situation is as tidbits described for the faculty member I have in mind, but it is certainly possible. 

I'm also a current graduate student at UW-Madison. I'll just echo what Structural_Realist has said about the Walker budget having nothing to do with the departure. Incoming students shouldn't be worried that the budget is going to drive faculty away. 
 
I also really love the department and believe that Wisconsin is a great place to study philosophy (though it's not as strong in metaethics, now). I would be happy to chat in a PM with anyone who is considering the program.