coyabean

Wow. How did I miss this?! Well, thanks. I have been quiet lately because my negativity has gotten me down, and I refuse to spread that around! I really just try to give back some of the kindness extended to me. Rising_star has been awesome. I've had folks respond to my messages with wonderfully detailed comments that no one could expect of someone in the midst of their own process (I'm looking at you vanishingpoint!). I continue to be amazed by how generous some people are.

What academy are you joining where discussing the strengths and weaknesses of disciplines and their respective methodologies will not happen? By all means, sign off. But discussing my issues with sociology AND anthropology is well within bounds of an intelligent conversation.

S/he wouldn't be the first or the last in the discipline. It's actually one of the things about the discipline of which I am NOT a fan. Not that anthro is any better but sociology strikes me as critical without being self-critical when it comes to issues of race or any of the -isms. Really? A common expression? I have, honestly, never heard of the "affirmative action card" so I wonder if I have missed a cultural or scholarly evolution?

LOL ditto

I'm giving it until Friday and then I'm going to consider it dead to me.

As they were trying to coerce me into pursuing an English PhD all of the profs in my dept stressed that the expectation at most solid programs WITH FUNDING was above 90th percentile on the verbal. I think YMMV just because departments and their priorities differ greatly. Some departments need TAs and warm bodies to read and if you are willing to do that then they are willing to be flexible. You have more options in English than some other depts. Call and ask. All the schools I contacted were pretty upfront about their GRE expectations.

You may also want to take a look at University of South Florida. They have a stated interest in activism and quite a few outreach initiatives and collaborations to support that.

eta: wrong post

I have an interview next week and this was very helpful, especially the details that some eschew as "minor", i.e. clothes, social aspects.

LOL at both of y'all!!! Now you see why I have no hope.

Why is this old woman from a crappy school with a crappy GPS trying to get promoted beyond her abilities?

I'm willing to bet they'd equivocate and I would equivocate in direct proportion. However, if they want to negotiate full funding, acceptance, office space, TAships and the like while I sit there and watch? And will put it in writing? Then sure. Again, I'm not very afraid of that happening.

Unfortunately, this. One should consider Arthur Levine's 2005 report on the quality of education programs: http://www.edschools.org/reports_leaders.htm. Excerpt: These degree programs, he declares, range from “inadequate to appalling.” They teach courses irrelevant to the needs of school administrators in an era of tumultuous change. They pursue a “race to the bottom” by lowering standards to lure new students, he charges. And, in collusion with state officials and local school systems, they feed a suspect economy that rewards salary bumps to teachers and administrators for getting fast-track doctorates whether the degree is rigorous and useful or not. Despite all this, he says, many schools and their leaders “continue to deny problems and resist improvement.” Anytime "free" money is involved you have lax standards and corruption. Many administrators and teachers use tuition reimbursement to enroll and the programs are happy to take them and the check. This bothers me for many reasons probably not appropriate here, but I will say that I considered this in my graduate school plans.

LOL

So I thought about this. "If we make you an offer would you absolutely, positively say yes?" "Is that absolutely, positively an offer of admission?" And there you go.

Unique name, interesting past. Before I applied anywhere I did a little online presence management. But you'll still find articles and books I've written over the years, pics of me doing the slam poetry thing, some really contentious letters to the editor. So, me being a politically active, verbose hell-raiser won't be a secret but I like to think they got that in my SOP anyways.

Great advice. I have my two mentors on standby for my interview next week. They know they are to respond immediately to any texts that say "i am in a bathroom stall and..."

I have considered this. It seems to me that if you are somewhere with decent health care that this could be a pretty good time. And for me, the last of times.

Sanssouci took my response. Unless you're very lucky you are teaching and saving the University lots of money.

I don't think it's malarky. I've been told by my mentors for it to be asked,but with a great deal more finesse than our example though. Everyone is hedging bets.

Ha ha, Jacib. I know a set-up when I smell one.

On Dec. 30 at 1 p.m., EPD responded to a report of a female Asian subject who has continued to come back to the University, specifically the Candler School of Theology, and has created problems by insisting that she be admitted to the school. The female subject was gone by the time officers arrived on campus, but she is described as having black hair and black eyes, is 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs approximately 130 pounds. There is a time when I would have thought her crazy, but now... http://policebeat.wordpress.com/

I honestly think this process is just YMMV enough to encourage everyone to buck the hard won wisdom that came before them. It just calls for those inclined to do so to try it their way. So, I doubt it will matter but I think I was saved alot of horror stories because I requested everything -- transcripts, letters -- early and I collected them all myself. I also requested extra letters from writers so I'd have back ups. I created a google site that letter writers could access to see my list of schools with all the deadlines. And I padded each deadline by at least two weeks. I also provided this in writing the first week of the semester in August. And then I just kept stopping by to check on them. I did not worry about annoying people. It's my life. I'll withstand your annoyance -- not that any of my folks got that way but I wouldn't have been too disturbed if they'd had. The worst anyone could say is that you are persistent, right? But, yeah. Start early goes without saying.

I got that same email although I know I'd attached it to my app, sent the email AND a paper copy. :/ I'm local and I work at the Uni part time and I've heard nothing of movement. A recent email from a prof there "wished me luck" but nothing about them being discussion mode yet. ETA: cultural anthro

Ditto to all of the above!!! No, no, no, no, no.