hj2012
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Posts posted by hj2012
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OK. "Asia" is still huge. What country are you interested in? And what are your language capacities currently? FYI, in many places you would have better luck finding a teaching position after graduating from a university in the States.
That said, a PhD is a huge commitment - and a PhD in a different country is an even bigger one. If I were you, I would select the country of interest and apply to shorter-term fellowships (Fulbright, Princeton-in-Asia, teaching programs such as JET or EPIK, etc) to get a sense for the place and to start language acquisition.
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I think you'll need to say a little more. "Outside the US" hardly narrows things down. Where do you want to end up eventually? What do you want to do with your degree? Do you already have a master's degree? Are you looking to study in Asia?
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https://sweduc.wordpress.com/2009/09/13/msw-and-phd-admission-rates/
Mind you, the data is somewhat dated so take it with a grain of salt. But this should give at least a general idea of program competitivity.
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Hi,
While these samples are for anthropology, not sociology, you might still find it useful to read through for examples on how to organize a statement of purpose. A few thoughts:
1. Forefront your future dissertation research. Your introduction paragraph should give the reader a good understanding of the kind of research that you want to do, the methods you might employ, and why your topic is important. Why is the intersection of work/labor, gender, and mental health an interesting area of inquiry?
2. I wouldn't bash your undergrad education. Try to spin everything positively. Instead of stressing your dissatisfaction, say something like, "My undergraduate training in psychology at the University of X gave me the opportunity to become acquainted with A, B, C and furthered my interest in Z and Y. In order to strengthen my academic training and gain international experience, I continued my studies at University blah blah.." That you worked and saved up for two years to fund your grad studies is irrelevant, unless this work experience somehow contributed to your research trajectory (e.g. "After graduating from University of X with honors, I worked for two years as a health professional at Y hospital, an experience that furthered my interest in the intersection of gendered labor and mental health.")
3. You're changing fields from psychology to sociology. Why? This should be addressed. Why do you want to pursue a sociological line of inquiry instead of a psychological one? There's also very little in this statement that indicates that you understand the differences between the two fields, or how you might use your training in psychology to further an innovative interdisciplinary project in the field of sociology.
Hope this helps.
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25 minutes ago, 18thcenturytea&sucre said:
Hi Everyone,
This is my first time posting so please redirect me if I've posted in the wrong spot.
I'm applying to PhD programs in CompLit and English in the US. I'm wondering how important the GRE scores tend to be. I recently took the test and am considering whether it is necessary (or time effective) to retake it. Could anyone shed some light about scores and ranges? I'm sure it varies by school, but I have my eye on Chicago, Columbia, U Penn and Cornell to name a few.
Thanks so much!
Read earlier comments in this thread, and @complit cites the Columbia English dept website that advises students to have a 95% or higher on the verbal section. I'd say that is a good target for the other schools you've mentioned as well.
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You might be able to study education from a historical or sociological perspective, but I doubt that curriculum and instruction would be a good fit for any program outside of an Education department. Since Chicago closed their school of education nearly 20 years ago, it seems that education research is not the university's priority. I personally wouldn't waste the money to apply when there's absolutely no fit at all.
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4 hours ago, mdirgantara said:
Thank you for your answer, @hj2012!
To respond the points you raise. On the question of funding: I am not planning to pay for myself; I plan to apply for a government scholarship (Fulbright (US), LPDP (Indonesia), Chevening (UK)). As to the question of choosing MA instead of PhD: in Indonesia (where I come from), it is not the norm that one continues directly to a PhD program without having a terminal MA first. However, I want an MA not because I have a herd mentality; rather, because my undergraduate program does not prepare me for a direct PhD--likely as the result of the said norm. To give you concrete examples: I have little to no first-hand knowledge of English literature before 20th century and I can't read any relevant foreign language (German, French, Classical Greek, etc). To continue directly for a PhD, I--at the least--have to have this under my belt.
I want a terminal MA because I think it will give me a proper foundation for a PhD in the far future.
I see. Yes, as an international student I think it might be especially helpful for you to enter an MA program first. If you're relying on outside funding, I think Columbia, UVa, Northwestern NYU, Georgetown and Wake Forest would be good places to consider.
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Well, it depends. Some of the more "prestigious" places to get a master's degree in English would be Oxbridge in the UK and Columbia, Georgetown, and UVa in the U.S. But these programs are very expensive and offer little to no financial aid, so you would have to be independently wealthy to pay for the degree. There's also the question of your preparation. Why do you want an MA in English? Is it because of poor undergrad performance, because you're switching fields, etc? These factors will also impact "suitability."
Usually the recommendation is that an MA degree is not worth exorbitant loans, considering the limited functionality of the degree. There's a list of MA programs that give funding (usually through teaching assistantships) floating around here somewhere if you use the "search" function.
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7 hours ago, csantamir said:
After two months of reviewing and taking a zillion practice tests, I improved my score (marginally) to 158 V 151 Q. Should I even bother applying to places like Virginia or UMD? I’m definitely NOT taking the test again. Thanks
I actually think a 143 -> 151 is a substantial improvement, though you're right that the scores will not likely be the strongest aspect of your application. I would go ahead and apply if you feel that UVA or UMD is a really good fit for your research interests and the application cost is not a serious burden.
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Are we talking Master's or PhD programs? I don't think your GPA and GRE will keep you out of the running for either level, but if you're applying to PhD programs I'm slightly concerned that you have two industry letters and only one academic letter. Really, it should be the other way around -- and only if your supervisor has a PhD in your field.
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I have friends and colleagues who transitioned into PhD programs from Georgetown's Arab Studies MA program and UT Austin's Middle Eastern Studies MA program, so perhaps those schools will be of interest?
For PhD programs, the recommendation usually is that the writing sample supplements one's stated research interests, but I don't know to what extent that matters for MA admissions. My only concern with your stated writing sample is that it might not demonstrate your language skills nor your growing familiarity with the Arab World. I don't think a writing sample needs to be in excess of 10-15 pages; actually, that range sounds about right for MA applications. Are there other, more relevant papers that you might be able to revise?
Best of luck with your transition!
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23 hours ago, Franzkafka said:
Thanks. The basic idea is that I have to spend another 5+ years if I choose to stay at my current program. If I transfer to another program which allows me to transfer some credits, then it seems that I will also spend 5+ years in grad school. Though the completion time will be the same, there will be a significant difference if I can end up in a better program. In addition, my current program does not allow me to do many interdisciplinary work in other departments, which drives my crazy.
If you choose to reapply, I would definitely think strategically and tread carefully. It will likely be difficult for you to gain admission to "a better program" without a letter of recommendation from your current school attesting that you are not leaving due to your inability to flourish in doctoral-level work. Staying in your current program may become more difficult -- as you very well might strain relationships -- if they hear that you are trying to leave. I wouldn't take the decision to reapply so lightly.
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11 hours ago, Franzkafka said:
Thanks for the reply. To clarify, I don't intend to do anything immature. But I wonder if it's worthwhile to apply out?
When you say "apply out," do you mean apply to different PhD programs? Considering that you're concerned with time to completion, I can't imagine shifting to another program (with all the adjustment that entails) would somehow help speed things along. Switching PhD programs based on this one factor alone seems a bit crazy, assuming you don't have other significant complaints about your department.
FYI: there's nothing stopping you from making progress on your own. What are your program's qualifying exam requirements? Since you've already taken a significant amount of coursework, I imagine at least some of the work is review. Can you get a head start on putting together your lists and assembling your committee? In my department, there are always a couple enterprising individuals (many of whom come in w/ MAs) that take the QEs early.
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30 minutes ago, ba2923 said:
I have 8 years of french education but its pretty rusty right now, I had to read some french academic texts during my senior thesis research and while it wasn't like reading English, I could do it.
This is quite good. You'll have opportunities to brush up on French as a grad student, but you seem well-positioned to take a translation exam (and I would mention your French education in your SOP). I think you should definitely apply directly to PhD programs and throw in a few MA programs into the mix. Check out earlier threads for funded masters programs:
https://forum.thegradcafe.com/topic/40233-funded-masters-programs-in-art-history/
https://forum.thegradcafe.com/topic/39410-funded-masters/
In your SOP, I recommend that you emphasize one area of the world over the another, and since your senior thesis was on Yinka Shonibare it might make more sense to talk about African diasporic art & visual culture, though of course you can mention your interest in drawing parallels to other British postcolonies throughout the world. The conversations emerging from South Asian cultural and visual studies are quite distinct -- though related, of course -- to conversations in African/African diaspora cultural and visual studies, FYI.
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Great! Would you be applying to start a PhD program during the 2019-2020 school year? If so...
1. You're a few years out from undergrad. You'll need 3 letters of reference from professors for most programs. Do you still have the connections to ask for strong letters that can speak to your research potential? If not, you might think about re-forging those connections.
2. Do you have an existing senior thesis or independent research project that you could revise into a writing sample -- ideally a sample that connects to your future research interests? This is a time-consuming task, and I recommend that you start early and get as much feedback as possible.
3. I'd also take the time to really think about what you want to study and why. In addition to demonstrating your preparation for doctorate study, your PhD statement of purpose should (loosely) indicate a possible research project and what you see as the proposed significance of your research. In preparation for this, you might consider browsing top journals in your field to see which conversations interest you and which methodologies you might want to use.
You could also get a head start on studying for the GRE.
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Can you say a little more about your educational background/training and what your research interests might be?
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13 hours ago, Peanut said:
Thanks! I guess my fear is that I'd be boxed into a zone if I choose one place. Like I'd be "a China person" or whatever and that's a big commitment.
Grad school is all about the process of specialization. In fact, the whole point of PhD training is to become "a X person" with a deep, rigorous knowledge of a particular place, community, group, or way of life. You need to indicate in your SOP the rough outlines of a project that will entail site-specific fieldwork, and once you get in, you will need to build expertise in the area in which you will conduct fieldwork (through language, courses, etc) and prove it through qualifying exams. Most PhD programs will require you to do 3-4 fields in somewhat recognizable categories, one of which will likely be an area-focused list such as "Anthropology of China" or an outside list such as "History of Latin America & the Caribbean." If you can't commit to this process or you don't like the idea of specialization, an anthropology PhD is probably not right for you.
Also, I wouldn't base your SOP on the cumulative work of senior scholars, because it's comparing apples to oranges. You'd be hard-pressed to find an anthropologist whose dissertation research was about India, Mexico, and England, though their career might later encompass multiple places. Think about it this way: you are learning a method (which includes specialization and a commitment to local knowledge) that you can later apply to other sites you may wish to study. But you will never be admitted to a PhD program without demonstrating commitment to a first project -- the dissertation is difficult enough to complete, even for those with single-minded focus!
FYI -- multi-sited ethnographies are not usually comparative in nature. Building on @hats, they might compare the trajectory of a single group of migrants across multiple locales, track the production of commodity X, or explore the imagination and implementation of international governance code Y.
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It seems like you have some idea of the theory you'd like to use and the abstract questions you'd like to ask. However, from what you've posted, I don't get the sense that you know what your field site(s) might be, and that doesn't give confidence that you'd be able to successfully conduct an ethnographic research project. Do you have experience conducting fieldwork, perhaps for a senior thesis or through a field school?
Check out these sample SOPs from Duke Cultural Anthropology: https://culturalanthropology.duke.edu/sites/culturalanthropology.duke.edu/files/file-attachments/2011-2012GradStmts_0.doc You'll notice that they all are able to articulate their interests within the context of a specific location or geographic site, and they are able to explain how their past training (language, study abroad, etc) and experiences might help them successfully carry out dissertation research. The growth of pet-keeping in Shanghai (which might deal with consumption, class, urban space, etc) will be very different from the politics of iguana consumption in Nicaragua (which might deal with environmental law, post-socialism, land tenure, etc). Both of these projects might let you approach some of the themes that interest you -- but explaining your interests through a specific problem or phenomenon will make you a more convincing candidate.
If you are unable to explain your project contextually, then I would say that an MA would probably be best.
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9 hours ago, ba2923 said:
I'm focusing on Art History because I love finding ways to clarify and bridge the abstract world of theory with material culture as well as the positions that museums have in opening up knowledge to a general audience. For that reason I really am hoping to find a school where interdisciplinary studies is welcomed. Berkeley was on my list but tbh I am not sure about language requirements and getting into their PhD programs without knowing what kind of language I should learn right now. My guess is that German will be the most useful language for me to learn but I'm not sure. In the same respect I am unsure what area of the world I want to work in. That being said African/African diaspora, the Caribbean and South Asian areas are really something I am fascinated with in terms of locations dealing with coloniality and especially in terms of the impact on gender/sexuality through that colonial history.
While breadth is very important, I would encourage you to narrow your focus for the purpose of PhD applications and think about the language that will be most useful to that body of work. If you're thinking about pursuing jobs in the academy, they are still for the most part "divided" by areas of the world. Essentially all PhD programs are going to require some language component, so if you're starting with nothing I'd consider taking classes at the local community college or something. My sense is that French makes most sense for African/African diaspora/Caribbean, but you should confirm with your advisors.
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Are you only considering art history programs, or are you considering other disciplinary "homes" (e.g. comp lit)? Do you have a specific area of the world that you're working on (e.g. African/African diaspora, Latin America & the Caribbean, South Asian, etc)? You might also consider Chicago, Northwestern, Berkeley.
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I also agree that sticking to 12 pt font is best. 1.5-2 pages with 1" margins and up to 1.5 linespace seems reasonable IMO.
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Converting the 10-point ccgpa to the U.S. gpa system is a bit funky, and usually the "minimum gpa" requirement is on a 4.0 scale. I'd email the department grad coordinator directly to ask how they convert 10-point ccgpa to get a clear answer -- chances are that a 7/10 is an acceptable score, though I wouldn't take my word for it. For general inquiries, you could also message/visit your local Education USA office, as they tend to have lots of experience dealing specifically with students from your country and would have a good idea about how local gpa's are viewed by admissions offices in the U.S.
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This PPT presentation might be helpful: https://grad.uchicago.edu/sites/default/files/career-resources/DiversityStatement_Presentation.pdf
2 hours ago, joshw4288 said:I don't think the problem is really figuring out how one contributes to diversity but rather figuring out how one contributes to the specific forms of diversity that academia wants.
Rather than "specific forms of diversity that academia wants," it might be more useful to think of the reality of diversity within universities and how you will attend to challenges that diversity inevitably raises. Even if you do not have a demonstrated commitment to underprivileged communities, you will be (and likely have been) teaching, collaborating, and interacting with groups and individuals who come from enormously different backgrounds. Universities essentially want to ensure that you will not be a liability as a co-worker and educator, and that you have at least put some thought into pondering the very real challenges of teaching and researching across diversity. They want to make sure that you are aware that you will be teaching students and working with individuals who come from different backgrounds, and that a one-size-fits-all model is not always the most effective. The diversity statement is also a way to show that you are capable of considering alternative perspectives and can show some level of sensitivity, tact, and empathy.
What has equipped you to effectively communicate with individuals who are different than you, and what are some strategies to build connections across difference? How would you pedagogically approach a classroom with students who come from different linguistic, national, class, and racial backgrounds, and what steps might you take to ensure that everyone benefits from the diversity of experiences in the room? What is your approach to mentoring students who might not be as familiar with North American academic norms (e.g. first generation students, international students, etc)? These are questions that I think everyone applying to academic jobs should at least consider.
- hats and rising_star
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You'll likely get more responses in a law-school specific forum such as http://www.top-law-schools.com/. You can also browse statistics here: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/stats.php
Can I still expect fundings when I got off from waitlist from Georgetown MPP
in The Bank
Posted
Just ask. Explain that you have another offer and that while Georgetown is your top choice, the cost is prohibitive. The worst they can say is no, and you'll be in the same position that you are now. P.S. "funding" is not plural.