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mmsw86

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    Art History

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  1. Hi, philo-gal, Have you made any decisions yet? I'm in a similar situation myself, questioning whether I've chosen the right field. I'm in a two-year master's program, so there is not that level of commitment. But I am debating how long I ought to give this a shot ....
  2. To those of you who emailed BU, how long did it take to receive a response? I emailed the director of graduate admissions (NOT the DGS) three days ago and haven't heard back.
  3. Anyone else considering Notre Dame or UNC for the M.A.? As I've received equally generous financial offers from both, I'm having some trouble deciding. My intended concentration is 18th/19th century French, British, and American art.
  4. Thanks for the advice, everyone. I was told by my first-choice school that I'd receive something by email soon - maybe this week. I think I'll ask my second choice for an extension if I don't receive a letter/email by Wednesday. Depending on what sort of extension I get, I might have to politely nudge my first choice school.
  5. Thanks for your input, Jae B. I don't know that this makes any difference, but the school from which I'd be requesting an extension has provided the details of the award in writing. It's the other school (my current first choice) that hasn't. Sorry if that wasn't clear.
  6. Okay. So do I ask for an extension from the one school? Or prod the other school to put everything in writing, letting them know that I'd like to decline other offers? NB Although this school is presently my first choice, there is the slightest possibility that another more attractive option might come through. Is it inappropriate to ask for an offer in writing if I can't make a commitment to the school right away?
  7. So, I've received two offers for full tuition and stipend. One of the schools has asked that I reply by April 2nd. The other has informed me of the financial award over the phone and said that the offer would come in writing soon. Should I make sure I have the second school's offer in writing before saying "no" to the other program (which would be my second choice)? Or should I just trust that what was said over the phone will come through? I mean, the professor I spoke with talked as if things were pretty much set/guaranteed, and it would be pretty bad if a school took an offer back. Right? Maybe I'm a little paranoid at this stage, but I don't want to pass up my second choice and then learn that my first choice isn't quite what I thought it was. Thoughts?
  8. I'm hesitant to name the schools. I will say that, according to the most recent NRC rankings (from 1995, unfortunately), there is about a 25-school gap in the PhD program rankings of the Ivy and the school offering full tuition and stipend. The third school, which has offered me full tuition (no stipend), does not have a PhD program. While the university to which it belongs is highly ranked nationally, it is difficult to say how the art history program ranks. I'm planning to consult some of my former and current professors regarding my particular situation. In the meantime, it may be worthwhile to ask the schools about the placement of their MA students. (Thanks for the suggestion!) I'm also still waiting to hear from a few schools on admissions and one on funding. In answer to your last question, I think financing the Ivy degree would require my working full-time for tuition benefits or my taking out loans and getting a work-study job or a more time-and-energy-consuming part-time job.
  9. It looks like there's a consensus here... Honestly, I'd have a hard time passing up the full ride and stipend. I was just wondering if anyone could convince me to go for the unfunded Ivy. A few professors have hinted that reputation/ranking matters when choosing an MA program. I could work full-time and get tuition benefits to cover the tuition, but I think this would be very stressful. Not working full-time would leave me with a good amount of debt though, and I do hope to pursue the PhD (either to curate or to teach on the college level). I'd love to work with one of the faculty at the Ivy. In general, the department is very warm. It also offers a greater variety of courses than the other programs. At the same time, there are faculty at the other institutions with whom I could work. The departments are smaller, so there is less choice. But I work very hard and would have time to really focus on my studies and hopefully produce some good work (something I might not have if I were to go to the Ivy and work full-time or even part-time). I just want to make the best decision, all things considered.
  10. Here are my options (at the moment) ... keep in mind that I have about 10k undergraduate debt remaining ... 1) terminal MA at an Ivy league school - the department does not offer funding - I could either work full-time at the university for tuition benefits or work part-time for a salary in the hopes of taking on lesser debt than the 75-80k the degree would otherwise cost (how much debt would be too much for this Ivy league MA considering I have 10k from undergrad?) - I'd be living with my parents, so I wouldn't have to worry about rent 2) terminal MA at a lower-tier institution - two such schools have offered me full tuition (one has offered a decent stipend as well) - I don't know if a "step down" like this would hurt me if I decided to apply for PhD programs afterward though Opinions welcome! Thanks!
  11. It is an art history course. I work full-time and take post-bacc classes part-time. When I submitted the transcripts, I was deciding amongst courses (2 art history vs. 1 art history and 1 fine arts ... I opted for the latter). Probably not a huge deal, but maybe it would be best to notify them of the change now? for transparency's sake?
  12. do I inform the schools to which I've already been accepted asap? or just sent the transcript when grades are available in May?
  13. I've received a very generous financial offer from a terminal master's program, and the faculty have invited me to visit. Doing so would cost about $400 (after reimbursement). At the moment, I'm still waiting to receive decisions from 3 schools and financial information from a fourth. Do I make arrangements to visit this program before hearing from the others? Better to hold onto my money for now and visit only if the program remains a top choice after I've heard from the others?
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