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JerryLandis

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Everything posted by JerryLandis

  1. I don't know if it would be worth it if you already have a Masters degree. The impression that I got was that MAPSS is for people whose interests aren't yet narrowed enough, and who need to pursue some more advanced courses in their chosen topic in order to strengthen their background knowledge. It seems like a great program, but quite foundational and not necessarily suited to everyone. I suggest emailing the program director and asking to be put into contact with current students. Keep in mind, of course, that they will probably encourage you to attend and will be deceptively positive about the program. Still, they'll give you some very helpful information and, in my experience, are very friendly and accommodating to individual concerns and questions. If I were you though, I'd probably take some time out and work in order to pay off some of my debts before going back in to another expensive program. Depending on where you live and what you study, you could take evening/not for credit classes at a nearby university to improve certain parts of your application.
  2. Sorry if this question is kind of vague, but I was wondering what other people have been asking current students in emails/calls/recruitment meetings with them. I suppose I'm interested to see what other people's important issues are, and if I am neglecting to ask any important questions. I've been in contact via phone/email with a couple of current students. In working on my decision between 2 MA programs, and I was kind of hoping that someone would respond to me saying "don't attend this program; your other choice sounds way better." Of course I'm sure the graduate coordinators purposefully choose representatives who would NOT say that to prospective students, but it was the least I could do to hope. Mostly I have asked about the positives/negatives of the teaching approach, be it interdisciplinary or more specific, the social atmosphere of the university especially for those not living in university accommodation, the general success rate of those applying from the program to PhD programs, and what their impressions were of certain classes I would be interested in taking. Anything else?
  3. I am facing a choice between two MA programs, one in an area where I have quite a number of family members I have not lived near for some time, and another in an area where I know no one, and, to make it worse, my significant other would have more difficulty moving along with me. I change my mind ever 5 minutes about where I think I should go. The second program is perfect for me, but the first one is good enough (excellent program, just not great for my specific interests) and I think that I would be much happier in the familiar location. I know that I'm young and shouldn't be so worried about this sort of thing, but I know that once I apply to PhD programs after doing one of these MAs, I will have to choose between very random locations and, who knows, I may never get lucky enough to move somewhere based on location instead of institution. Any advice would be appreciated.
  4. JerryLandis

    Toronto, ON

    Everything I've read about Toronto life seems to come with a warning about pests, especially roaches.. whats the deal with that?? Since I'd only be living in Toronto for a year, I would quite honestly just prefer to live in student accommodation and not bother with an apartment. However, I do have a pet bird so I'm sure that makes me ineligible for student housing. Are there any university-managed apartments that allow pets, and/or is it difficult to find apartments that do allow pet birds? I'm sure it's possible since it's a big city, but I've never had to deal with the landlord+pet issue.
  5. Heard back from three programs today... now choosing between two great MA programs!

  6. If I were you I'd tell him that he can go to Chicago, but he will have to come see you on all his breaks, not the other way around. It sounds to me like you're not really comfortable with just breaking it off - if that's what you think would be best, obviously do it, but I don't think it's my place to advise something like that. In any case, it's not acceptable for him to drop the ball and just up and decide to go to Chicago. He at least should have mentioned it to you when he applied, so that you could have applied there as well. So, if he wants to go there, then you should make it clear that you will not be the one suffering the burden. I've been in a long distance relationship where the guy graduated, moved back home (another country) and expected me to visit him all the time despite only once visiting me! Be straight with him and let him know that if he goes, any problems that arise will likely be his doing and it will be his responsibility to straighten them out. Hate to be sexist here, but in my experience when it comes to stuff like this boys need to be told things very simply, many times over, e.g. "If you do not do this for me, I am going to break up with you." Whether or not you actually want to break up with the man in question, sometimes things just need to be phrased that way in order for the other person to understand how important a certain situation is to you. PS... where the hell did you hear that about a laid back atmosphere at Chicago? All I've ever heard about Chicago is how competitive and soul-crushing the student environment is there - they even sell t-shirts joking about it!
  7. After waiting this long for these silly emails, I definitely don't dawdle before opening them! I click the link right away. Today, though, I got an email from a program that I've known would reject me since early February, when they notified their admits. Since visiting the campus, I don't even have any interest in ever going there, so I don't really care that they don't want me. By now, I was assuming they just weren't even going to bother notifying the reject pool. But to my surprise, they emailed me today and advised me to click on a link heading to the application page. I wondered to myself, "Maybe I should just not check it. I know they aren't accepting me, so if I don't check it, then I've never really received the rejection and I don't have to feel so insulted..." I ended up just reading the rejection letter in case it said anything informative about the decision, which it didn't. Ah well. Telling people about rejections is quite annoying because you just know you're going to get that "aw, I'm so sorry" reaction which only makes you feel worse. I've gotten over my rejections very quickly, within seconds (since I knew to expect them), but people's pity when they hear about it makes me feel worse than receiving the actual letter!
  8. I'm half hoping I get rejected at my remaining few MA programs so that the decision will be made for me, and I can just go to the one I've been accepted at without hesitation or second thoughts. But, if you feel like acceptances are wasted just because you don't take them, just keep in mind how much of a compliment it is to be given one. If you were accepted by your top choice but rejected everywhere else, that would be much more depressing, as rejections are a big blow to the ego. So, those unused acceptances still have SOME purpose - stoking the ego.
  9. Seadub, your decision to make a post on this website about where I live verifies my reason for being "paranoid."
  10. Jerry Landis is not my real name. It bears no resemblance at all to my real name.
  11. PS the fact that you got waitlisted at two places shows your potential for future success. With a resume that's even only slightly improved, and perhaps with better economic luck in the future, I'm sure you'll be capable of nudging yourself up that little extra bit to full acceptance.
  12. I'd suggest improving your GRE, whatever your score is, simply because it's a more tangible part of your application that you can improve. But, as others have said, definitely work on your SOP. My personal plan of action for the next round of PhD apps is to formulate a less specific idea of what I'd like to study, then look for programs with that more general idea in my head (say, Civil War history instead of Alabama Civil War history... not my actual subject but just an example). Once I've found a large number of potential advisers at schools of varying rank, I'll check out their books and articles so I can get a better idea of who these people are and where their interests and opinions lie. Then I'll formulate research proposals specific to each one. This year, I think I was a bit too sure of myself, in that I applied to places with my own independent research ideas, assuming someone would appreciate their intersections with their own work. I was looking for people who could fit my specific interests. Next time, I'll alter my presentation of my interests to fit THEIR specialties. Maybe it's not the most honest way to go, but it sure should beat giving up altogether, or stubbornly clutching to my own ideas no one seems to be interested in supervising. Anyways, I hope this helps you. I still don't know if it's the best advice because I haven't put it to use yet, but it's what I'd do if I were in your position (and I kind of am). Good luck! Stay positive.
  13. When I encounter smug people like seadub in real life, I never make direct comments about their attitudes but sometimes I'll make subtle snide comments if I get too impatient. Arrogant people who attempt to make others look stupid do so as a means of getting attention, so I figure that denying them that attention is the best way to proceed when possible. However, things get a bit different on the internet (or when I get a few drinks in me). I don't have to deal with the consequences of my actions (except when, for example, seadub stalks me on Google and broadcasts personal information like where I live to everyone reading this board) when making anonymous posts. I don't have to deal with the awkwardness of having to see someone I argued with on a regular basis, and of everyone around me witnessing it. I get to express all the frustration that comes from dealing with smug people in real life, as well as that is generated by this application process, by being slightly bitchy towards seadub. Thankfully he is a truly worthy vessel for me to fill with this bitchiness, otherwise I would feel pretty guilty. Perhaps seadub is a complete gentleman in real life, just as I consider myself to be much nicer in real life than I am being at this moment in time. However, I think it's safer to assume he's not. Just because he has been accepted at institutions he has applied to does not convince me that he is particularly intelligent, not least mature. If anything, it highlights the sorry state of the admissions process in its dependence on statistics. Obviously we are in different fields, but I can safely say that in the arts, admissions committees do indeed have much more important and decisive information than GRE scores with which to judge candidates. These are writing samples, letters of recommendation, and statements of purpose. To discourage people from applying to competitive programs simply because their statistics are not ideal is disgraceful. GRE scores can be an obstacle for some applicants, and we should all certainly be warned about this. However, that does not necessitate telling people that they are hopeless idiots who will never be accepted anywhere. It's not simply your "harsh delivery," seadub, it's the underlying message of condescension and discouragement.
  14. As others have said, it sounds like you have already made your decision and are leaning towards the second program. I'll probably be facing a similar choice, except with MA programs. I'm leaning towards the better fit program in the less desirable location, but I think that that's a decision more appropriate for deciding on MA programs, as they are so much shorter. You're going to be living in this place for a long time, so if you can't see yourself living there I'd be wary of attending the university. You don't want to find yourself in a situation where you're wishing away your youth, waiting for the years to pass so you can finish up and move somewhere better! Like you, I have also moved around quite a bit and look forward to my future PhD experience as a chance to finally settle down in an environment I like.
  15. Well, in response to the original question, I guess I would just be honest about things. If he's applying for an MA and not a PhD, it's okay for his previous experience not to be directly in line with his proposed area of study. Having a background in archaeology can probably help him out, as long as he specifies that he's interested in learning how to take a more textual approach in his studies. I guess I would discuss the positives of having a degree in archaeology, but also explain to the admissions committee why having a more traditionally textual and "history" based educational experience would be beneficial and useful for his future studies. I've been told by several historians who work primarily with primary texts that archaeology is very useful to bring into a wider understanding of an historical issue or period, but that people with backgrounds in archaeology can be too hasty in explaining broad historical changes with physical evidence because often there are alternative, less obvious, or unseen ways of interpreting the same evidence. So I would keep that in mind in whatever he writes in his application. As far as your plans are concerned, I guess it wouldn't hurt to apply, just to give him something to do in the coming year or two especially if he is unable to find work due to the current economic climate. But I don't exactly see how getting another MA would really help him out unless he is actually planning on switching fields in future PhD applications. Granted, I am no expert on this (if I were perhaps I'd have been given offers!), but it seems like it would be more beneficial for someone in his situation to seek employment while waiting to apply again. Perhaps he could even teach at the high school or community college level, and thereby gain teaching experience which he could list as an asset on his CV.
  16. I think it is common for people to have that one professor or TA who says something like "You clearly have no idea how to write and will have serious difficulty passing your classes." This happened to my brother when he, in his senior year, was taking a first year course for some reason and was getting A's in every other, more advanced, class. So the guy making the comment that he was doomed for failure in college was obviously full of shit! I had a similar experience in which someone grading my essay told me that I really needed to work on my writing skills, that I would never hack it in more advanced classes. Really, asshole? That's interesting, considering I got record high first class marks on the essays from all my other courses, and, a couple years down the line, am still doing quite well in my more advanced courses. I've half-jokingly decided to look up some of his published work and dedicate myself to disproving his ideas in my own publications to make him look like an idiot. It's funny how brief encounters with certain individuals can cause deep, long-standing resentment, and how that resentment can inspire you to do your best work out of spite. I too wish that more professors would tread that middle ground. I only discussed my plans with professors who I knew liked me, so I didn't get any mean comments. Being told that I would "definitely get in anywhere" was really not helpful. I really appreciated that one professor gave me his honest assessment, saying that chances of acceptance were slim but at the same time not insulting me personally. It's a shame that more people aren't capable of delivering that message.
  17. I've often wondered about this myself. I've been meaning to ask an older faculty member whether there's been any discernible difference in the quality of students' work since internet and Wikipedia usage became more widespread. Since information is so much easier to find, it's not really as "precious," i.e. it does not need to be memorized, simply bookmarked in Firefox, and it does not need to be hunted down quite so vigorously. I'd imagine, though, that the general increase in easily-discovered facts in many students' essays must be matched by a less thematically coherent argument. I personally find that some of my best essays are those that have less impressive bibliographies, because instead of trying to glean every index I can possibly get my hands on, I spend more time mulling over individual texts and arguments. I definitely understand the author's frustration with his apparent disadvantage, working at an institution that does not have quite as useful resources. The library at my university is, frankly, a disgrace. The benefit, however, of facing extreme competition for books and/or needing books that the library does not own is that one becomes much more organized in his approach to research. Since I know that I cannot expect to check out the necessary books when the deadline is fewer than 2 weeks away, I end up doing the bulk of my research 3 weeks in advance, allowing me to absorb the information and think about the issue in advance of the deadline, instead of just checking out all the books and zipping through them the night before. Faster and more efficient research tools are definitely very useful, but they don't necessarily result in the production of better work.
  18. Admissions offices should check their phone messages regularly, and respond to phone and email messages if they have a policy of never answering the phone. (It bothers me that whilst applicants must be consistently professional in their communications with departments, there seem to be no standards for how applicants are to be treated - remaining polite while desperately trying to get the answer to a simple question from a department is very awkward and difficult!) Applicants who are not accepted should be notified of their rejections. Universities and programs with minimum GPA or GRE requirements/cutoffs should state these clearly on their websites so as to prevent those with no chance of acceptance from wasting time and money applying.
  19. Something to keep in mind when using these flashcards is that writing things out is a great way to learn them better. Whenever I have made flashcards for studying in the past, the actual act of making them has always really helped me, almost as much as using the flashcards itself has. So I'd avoid simply using online flashcards or book-based vocabulary lists. Obviously you should make use of those resources, but transferring the info by hand onto your own flashcards can really help lodge the information deeper into your brain. I also intend to re-take the GRE, but am going to be absolutely SWAMPED for the next year (not exaggerating, I hope I don't have some kind of nervous breakdown!) and cannot foresee any possible time to take the test. I really hope it doesn't change first, since I'm accustomed to the present format!
  20. I don't consider it an insult. They could easily have rejected us without batting an eyelid, as every other university seems to do with ease. Almost every MA program is there partially to raise funds for the PhD program, but you actually have to apply to those!
  21. I imagine that many people on this website received a similar email to the one I got about 20 minutes ago. Rejected from PhD, admitted to MAPSS with a partial scholarship. Personally, I'm quite relieved to have been accepted SOMEWHERE, although I'm still waiting on some other MA programs that would be better suited to me. I was wondering, though, how personal the email may have been. The email I received said that "the faculty admissions committee was very impressed with your preparation and statement of purpose, and with the fit between your ambitions and the opportunities MAPSS provides at this stage of your career." I'm assuming that, because they seem to have sent a similar email to a lot of people, this is a stock statement they have sent to everyone. Did everyone else who was accepted to MAPSS receive this same compliment? I'd like to know because I will have to re-write my SOP when I reapply in a year or two, and if they were genuinely impressed by my SOP then that would be useful feedback to have received!
  22. Am I correct in assuming you're from England? I find it quite annoying that they don't seem to acknowledge the difference between honours and sub-honours. Since sub-honours classes (2 years instead of 1 in Scotland, due to the 4-year degree) are not really seen to "count" as part of a graduate's qualification, I found that the marking at that level was much less sympathetic - concerns about grades and grading were simply not taken seriously because everyone assumed no one would ever be seeing that part of a student's transcript. Everything was about preparing for honours level, NOT doing well at sub-honours level. I still did okay, but factoring those first 2 years into my roughly-calculated GPA did bring my GPA down. I think that 3-year degrees are generally accepted as valid Bachelors equivalents. Someone with a 4-year degree may have taken more classes in total than you, but coming from a more specialized system you will probably have taken more classes in your specific field/major than they will have. My understanding seems to be that the UK final year modules are more advanced than American ones, but it's balanced out because we take fewer classes and simply focus more intensely on them instead of getting the broader experience. For me the hardest part about applying was seeking advice about where to apply and how to sell myself to the admissions committees. Aside from the skeletal descriptions of graduate expectations listed on the websites, I had no idea what would be expected of me as an applicant. That's where this website comes in - if you plan on applying next year, I highly recommend that you continue browsing this site for advice, because no matter how intelligent, qualified, or committed your professors may be, its highly unlikely that they'll be able to help you very much at all, aside from writing recommendations letters of course.
  23. I tend to dress rather formally, and often worry that I look like I'm trying too hard. I don't care what people wear, but I really don't understand the thinking behind going to an interview in casual dress or with an untidy appearance. Rolling out of bed and sliding into whatever clothing happens to be lying around on the morning of an interview gives off the impression, in my opinion, that the person could care less about the interview, which is kind of an insulting impression to give. It is difficult, though, to balance your look to a achieve a strong first impression. I don't want anyone thinking I'm a slob, but I also don't want anyone thinking I'm a vain bimbo. Just involves a little more thought when you prepare for these things I guess. As for unbrushed hair, where I live it's considered fashionable to look like you just woke up after a drunken hookup, threw on your pants and the guy's shirt, and strolled into class. Part of this look involves back-combing your hair (a time and labor intensive process, as my Halloween experience taught me) to give it that carefree look. Ridiculous! Re dreadlocks: I don't think you'd be disrespected for having them, at least not by your students. Personally I tend to find people with dreadlocks rather intimidating. I don't look very distinct or interesting all the time, tend to blend in with the crowd. But people with dreads are ALWAYS advertising their confidence/personality just by having that hairstyle. Same with with short-haired women. They're more intimidating because they have a more bold hairstyle. When I had short hair, people listened to me more and took me more seriously. I'd imagine it would be similar with dreads, as long as you dressed somewhat professionally and not like Jesus or something.
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