despejado

Or you could marry me. Just a thought.

Or you could marry me. Just a thought.

Yeah, this. My thesis is suffering pretty badly, although I think it's mostly because I'm excited to get started at my program rather than using procrastination as a poison to get through the season at this point.

I actually created an entirely new email address for my PhD applications so I wouldn't have to experience the stress of panicking with each new message. I highly recommend it.

I'm sorry that you're in a stressful situation, but it really is a great thing to have to stress out about! Viable options!

Congratulations, that's awesome

my "poison" has switched from food to procrastination. i know i need to work on my thesis and i know i need to make a decision about a program. so i pull up everything needed to make progress on either of these tasks and then pull up an even bigger internet window and proceed to spend hours reading about the history of california, articles from buzzfeed and zergnet, browsing etsy, looking at maps of random locations among other things. But I excuse it because I'm always "just about to get off the internet and start working".  I need help.

I suppose the dark-haired are my type! But not all of them

Hey all,

I been so busy with finals and haven't been on, but I got into the Rochester MA with 50% tuition. I'm quite excited. Thought I would share the news.

Any other Rochester people??

Got my rejection today so I was able to make my acceptance at Villanova official this afternoon very excited.

I'm seriously so excited. I booked a flight already and am going to look for apartments in early April. I really think an MA was the right path for me, even though I am a little disappointed I didn't get into any PhD programs. And I know; that fellowship is going to make my life much easier. It was totally unforeseen.. I've been so lucky. Thanks for being so excited for me

Got my rejection today so I was able to make my acceptance at Villanova official this afternoon very excited.

Got my rejection today so I was able to make my acceptance at Villanova official this afternoon very excited.

Got my rejection today so I was able to make my acceptance at Villanova official this afternoon very excited.

Hahaha oh Bowties. You're endearing.

Thought I would inform you all that I am currently sitting three rows behind Shaquille O'Neal at the Texas State High School Basketball Tournament. That is all.

Thought I would inform you all that I am currently sitting three rows behind Shaquille O'Neal at the Texas State High School Basketball Tournament. That is all.

I personally have a spot in a funded MA with a stipend more than the 10,000 in Starbucks tips, so I won't be missing them. The paths are different for everyone, and everyone, in the end, makes their own choice and evaluation of worth. It's not fair to superimpose opinion onto circumstances that are unclear, although I agree that unfunded MAs should be given much more deep thought and consideration than funded ones before commitment.

Submitted & Paid. Will take that as a further reason to become more emotionally attached to Villanova.
 
But again, CONGRATULATIONS BG! That is so wonderful.

I can't tell you what to do. I find it odd to say that going to an MA program would prove a waste of time and money. From a purely financial point of view (so setting aside the educational value just for discussion), people with a master's degree enjoy a significant advantage in both income and unemployment rate over those with a BA. It's true that you will earn an MA at most any program that accepts you as straight from undergrad. However, getting your MA first allows you the flexibility of deciding if you want to continue on the PhD track after several years as a professional student (and hopefully teacher). This is an important benefit, particularly if the decision will be to pursue a PhD with the intention of going on the academic job market afterwards. It's a major commitment to decide that you want to be a life-long academic without ever having been a grad student. Also, while it varies widely from department to department, don't assume that going straight into a PhD program means a fast track of two years of course work and straight into prelims/dissertation. It's not at all unusual for programs that don't require an MA to extend coursework. You likely will finish sooner than if you get a separate MA first, but that doesn't mean you'll finish two or three years sooner. 
 
If you want to pursue particular departments, investigate them specifically. Some departments don't allow students with just a BA apply for the PhD program; some will only accept MA students into a terminal MA program; and some only accept students who don't yet have an MA. Beyond those requirements, there's also schools that technically allow either but are much more likely to take one or the other. You really have to investigate individual places. Write emails to the DGS or grad program assistant; they'll likely be very forthcoming. Or investigate with current students or on here.
 
For me, personally, my MA was a no-brainer. I really learned so much in the program that I was able to put together a far, far better set of applications for PhD programs than I had before, in large measure because I knew much more about my field and my place within it. I also made connections that helped me in a variety of ways. But people certainly can and do go into PhD programs without an MA and succeed. Since you framed it this way: personally, given how competitive it is out there, if the choice was between taking a less-prestigious PhD program with worse hiring numbers and getting an MA with the intention of applying to more competitive programs in the future, I would go with the latter. But that's just me, and there's likely no one right option for you. Good luck.

Accepted to Nova with their Liberal Arts Presidential Fellowship and a tuition waiver. HELL YEAH.

No wallowing! You are amazing. 

Absolutely willing to offer my talents here. My job is 90% graphic design and I can't think of two GCers more deserving of a sweet academic superhero comic. Fighting for truth, justice and amazing writing samples.

Yes, their MA. I'm still bouncing off the walls. Someone wants to pay me to be a student!
 
Congratulations AC! That's so wonderful.

HOORAY DESPEJADO!!! Best news of the day. I’m thrilled for you!!!!