samjones

the anthropology department at the CUNY Graduate Center (which is the only CUNY school that grants their doctoral degrees in Anthro) does offer a full stipend. it's about $18,000 a year for five years and they also cover tuition (the amount of tuition covered depends on residency). the Graduate Center's Anthro department is fairly competitive in that they usually shoot for a class of 15 out of 200plus applications AND only half of that 15 are offered departmental/university funding. the program is also attracting and retaining a lot of big names such as David Harvey, Fernando Coronil, Leith Mullings. I'm biased because I plan to attend this Fall but the program seems pretty strong and the requirements for teaching after the first year throughout the CUNY system seems to help develop the competitiveness of program graduates. in addition, writing for grants and other types of funding often seems to be a positive in terms of building relevant skills for the future. it seems that many of the skills developed out of the tight funding/teaching responsibility aspects at CUNY become assets on the market. CUNY was going to be the only school to which I would apply this cycle because of the type of research being conducted by the professors and students. if you're interested in counterhegemonic social movements, critiques of capitalism and neoliberalism, and peoples' resistances toward systems borne out of capitalist/neoliberal ideology, it's a great program. when I was looking at the only schools in the NYC area, I was disappointed. when I stumbled upon CUNY, I realized I wasn't as "off" as some of the other schools made me feel (in terms of what's relevant). regionally, they have a bunch of profs working in Latin America, Eastern Europe, Africa and the "Middle East."

you are right that more goes into the process of being accepted than just applying yourself to a program/department with a packet of grades, writing sample, sop and lors. for example, i was waitlisted at one of the three schools i applied to. i had been interviewed (via phone) by the school with all the other finalists but there was something about my application and level of promise that didn't get me invited for the fall 2010 term. in order to know, i emailed the person who shared with me the news of my rejection. i asked them what I might improve upon for the next round of applications (it turns out that i was accepted to another school, by the way and so i won't be reapplying next year). their response stated that while i was obviously a strong enough applicant to get as far as i did in the application process (i mean, really, to be a finalist in a competition of dozens or hundreds is a feat!) they wanted students who might bring in funding. i took that to mean that i did not convey my focus well enough and/or in a way that demonstrated that i could apply to fellowships,grants, whatever successfully. i also hadn't applied to any outside funding this year so i wasn't going to be bringing in money for next year for sure. money is tight and they want folks who have it and/or will probably be able to get it. the person also added that they only offered three university/program-funded spots this year... so yeah, money is tight. if you're looking for advice on what to do next year (if you plan to reapply), i'd say that you ask the programs (IF they have/do reject you this time) how you could improve for your next round off applications. it may just be that you need to tweak your focus discussion in a way that demonstrates that you know what you want to study/research and/or know how to design something to study/research which is achievable in their program (and achievable in their program is key!). this proves that you would be able to convey such a message to funding sources in a successful manner as well as that you would finish the program in a timely manner (the latter because you can design a line of research focus that you won't get stuck on in the middle of conducting research or writing the dissertation). i think promises of timely completion of the program is also something that programs/departments are looking for when they are reviewing applications and research discussions.

i wish i had seen this thread so much earlier. it's great to see so many other folks coming to NY for school. i'll be starting at the Grad Center this fall but I have been in nyc since august last year. i second all of what Jillybean had said. also, as shady as craigslist could be, i found some really decent sublets for the first month or two that i moved here last fall. i subletted in order to give myself more time to do a thorough apartment search and also because when i finally found the perfect apartment, i had to wait for renovations to be completed. in brooklyn, flatbush and lefferts-gardens is a really great area right near prospect park (which is HUGE) and there's a property management company going through a bunch of the buildings and renovating them with some really great details and amenities (dishwasher, microwave, light wood floors, marble floors in the bathroom and kitchen). seriously amazing. i recommend the area. i subletted in williamsburg and bushwick and i wasn't as impressed with the area. in terms of finally committing to an apartment, jillybean is right- many places require making 40-80 times the rent or that you have a guarantor who does. if you don't meet either of those terms, they may still rent to you but you will have to put several months of rent in their hands. as has been said, train rides from the non-manhattan buroughs to manhattan can be fast (for example, i live off a q and b stop and can get to the CUNY Grad Center in about half an hour to 45 minutes). from some parts of brooklyn though, it's hard to get to queens quickly.

maybe "search engine" isn't the right word... it was site and you could search within it to find syllabi. it's not like Google for syllabi... more like a website that has compiled lots of syllabi. unfortunately, i hadn't been able to find syllabi online for the intro courses at the school i'll attend, which is why i thought about the search engine. also, i wanted to look at reading lists for multiple schools so that i could have lots of options for getting familiar with the field. i'm trying to avoid having to go to random schools to see if they have anthro programs and then see if those anthro programs have intro courses that have syllabi uploaded for those courses. but maybe that IS what i'll have to do. =( it just seems like an adventure of "random shots in the dark" or "blind shooting" as compared to finding this website. both of your ideas are great, i'd just really like to remember what/where this site was. d*amn.

i'm not in the same field but maybe their page on funding might help you if you haven't seen it already: http://www.gc.cuny.edu/admin_offices/finaid/GC_aid.htm otherwise, i will be starting in a different department and field at the Center next fall but i can tell you what i went through for funding: in the acceptance letter that, it said that i was up for a university fellowship (which are explained on the page i linked above) but eventually i was awarded an enhanced chancellor's fellowship. obviously your department might handle funding differently but my department at the Center had limited awards, accepted more people than they will fund, and the folks who haven't gotten word on funding probably will not be receiving funding. you see, i think i was up for some university fellowship but also waitlisted for the enhanced chancellor's fellowship and the latter fellowship came through first. either way, i was notified that i would somehow be funded. i hope this isn't the case for your sake but i think if you haven't been notified that you're at least up for some funding competition, you're not going to be funded.

I'm overly excited and anxious for my first term in a new discipline and want to get familiar with some of the texts folks are reading in intro courses and general courses in my field of interest. To that end, I remember stumbling upon a SYLLABUS SEARCH ENGINE at some point and thinking, "This would be a great resource to start a personal reading list!" And although I went back to the site a few times, I don't have it bookmarked and can't remember how I found it and can't seem to find it again. Does anyone know what I'm referring to? Does anyone know the web address? *and yes, i feel silly creating a whole topic for this simple question. maybe there should be a question/answer thread for random little questions like this somewhere.

i'm going to a particular country in latin america for two months of this summer and i am hoping to work with a scholar from the country in hu's organization. i'm hoping to advance my spanish-speaking skills as well as get more familiar with the region and the subject matter that the organization is focused on. i hope to integrate as much as i can from my time and experience there into whatever projects i end up committing to in my phd program. i'm really excited to be going! i don't have an epic move (i made my epic move at the end of last summer from the midwest to nyc) so i will just have to settle back into my apartment when i get back from latin america.

i was hoping this thread would result in loads of political wisdom for us first gen PhD students. no such luck, i guess! i suppose the timing might be off since things slow down around here after decision season. but anyway, i recently started working full-time for an advocacy organization in new york city. and i'm starting to realize that my boss plays a cunning game of politics with colleagues and other persons of interest, and it's a game i could definitely take notes from. my boss is a committee member for a un commission, a member of various impromptu groups that meet every once in a while and the director of our division which conducts research on certain issues in various countries and allocates grants to projects and organizations that work to confront certain issues. what i am just beginning to glean is that it is VERY important to know (really know) who you're talking to you and how you can present your position in a way that they want to hear and/or can be made receptive. also, hold your cards a little closer to your chest with most people and don't pass too much judgement around (aloud). i feel like both of these things can be applied to making it through grad school successfully in ways that help you make it in academia in general. and when i say "make it," i don't just mean slide by and i hope that employing those skills mentioned help a person do much more than slide by. like you, i will probably have to wing my first couple of years. oh, also: presentation. my boss hardly takes care of much besides presentation and it seems to have worked VERY well for her in her profession. it's amazing.

sure, i'll share. like you, i have a political science background (along with a sociology-type background; i double majored) and philosophy was a minor that has played a huge role in my thinking and approach to issues. to push my case for doctoral study in anthropology in my SOP, for example, i discussed my past work in ways that highlighted my interest in the impact my research interests/topics have on people/certain groups of people. i also weaved in a few relevant names of anthropologists of whom i have found useful in exploring my interests. i also put in a sentence that directly addressed why i figured anthropology would be the best discipline for my interdisciplinary and people-oriented research questions. my transcript also demonstrated my interest in people and the impact certain things have on their lives. i highlighted some of the courses i took, the paper(s) i wrote for the higher level courses that were relevant, and the fact that while my background is interdisciplinary, it has been focused around only a couple of big topics that relate to each other and can be explored through an anthro program. GOOD LUCK!!

i think this is a great thread and its one that i can relate to. i'm really interested in learning the politics of grad school (i.e., networking, getting published, collaborating with other academics). i think knowing how to study and staying motivated are totally valuable topics for the thread but i also feel like those are skills that have been well-developed in college for most people making it into graduate school. that is, at least for me, as a first-gen PhD student in the social sciences, the skills that i didn't necessarily need to get through college (i.e., academic politics) are the skills i would be interested in hearing advice on...

*slow clap* seriously.

cuny (full funding).

i got the impression that students were discouraged from applying to PhDs whilst in the program because those students (probably) wouldn't have made much of an impression/developed much of a relationship with the UofChicago profs for it to matter that they are in the MAPSS program. if you wait until after you've gone through the program, the relationships you developed would be stronger and better sources for solid recommendations. said another way, the longer you give yourself to develop solid relationships with key profs of UofChicago through the MAPSS program, the fuller your recommendations may be considering they will know you for longer than two months, which is about how long they would know you if you applied in the same year you begin the MAPSS program. you'd also have all your grades available for the application as opposed to MAYBE having your first semesters published early enough for the december/january deadlines that most PhD programs have (in the US).

how far away is the alma mater school from rutgers? a trip from NYC to new brunswick is about 2hours... is the alma mater school that much closer that $6-8 thousand dollars more debt will make him going to the alma mater school worth it? if i were him (in this same situation, of course), i'd go with the cheaper school. it just makes more sense. you'll both have more money (or at least less money owed) for your futures if he just went with the cheaper school. and i think the poster above makes a good point- waiting out the economy by being in a longer program might also be for the best.

in another discussion in this community regarding the MAPSS, a student/graduate of the program stated that students of the program were encouraged to take a year off after earning the MAPSS degree. this student/graduate of the program stated that there is institutional/program support for getting a job during the year off. essentially, you would apply to PhD programs during this year off after earning the MAPSS or whatever subsequent year you've finally worked out and can clearly communicate your interest in a specific topic and region (if that's what your field looks for in your background and SOP).

The Twin Cities of Minnesota are gay friendly. i did undergrad in St. Paul, which is a little more conservative than it's counterpart, Minneapolis. Minneapolis is where all the cool queer events happen, especially over in the Seward area/South Minneapolis. North Minneapolis has a lot of community organizing going on and lots of people of color but it's not especially populated with queers. I'd say South Minneapolis is the queerest and then there pockets of S. Minneapolis that are what it the queerest. Unfortunately, the only lesbian bar closed a year or two ago due to ballooning loans (and it had only been around for a couple of years, anyway). many of the gay and a few of the straight bars have ladies' nights and those can be fun! There's one that usually happens at this place called the Kitty Kat Klub once a month and it's always PACKED. The Klub is usually a performance space/bar. I've never been there outside of the ladies' night, which is called Twilight (but was developed before those lame vampire books!). I've been all over the country and honestly, lesbians don't fare well in terms of having established places to hang out/bars/neighborhoods. i went on a road trip of the west coast this past summer and found that Portland seems to have the strongest and largest number of events for lesbians throughout the month. i don't know how many lesbian-owned/geared bars, clubs or restaurants Portland has but is currently dubbed the mecca of lesbians because of the high number of lesbians who live there. when i was there, i did notice a lot of queer women and i was surprised that i felt more of community there than i did when i was in the Bay Area in California! i lived and came out in the Bay Area during high school and recognize that many people believe that it's a GLBT hub but... so much seems to be geared towards gay men. it's really frustrating! it's especially frustrating because it's not just one or two places where lesbians lack established space for themselves... it's all over the country. i wonder if it's something about lesbian communities or if it is more so a symptom of societal exclusion?? it's really interesting either way.

i tend to agree with the general advice to follow the money. on top of funding from school B, it looks like the fit and location are better for you. i think that's just as important as the fact they've offered you funding for your first years there and expects you to apply for funding following those years. well, i've heard that the experience of writing for fellowships and grants for subsequent funding gives you an edge on the market, too, especially if you're successful. while there may not be many interdisciplinary jobs (now) on the market, interdisciplinary departments and the number of them are growing. but regardless, you could make sure to have a strong background in a particular discipline that is more traditional in order to ensure you marketability in the event that interdisciplinary departments remain uninterested in hiring students of their own programs. in your shoes, i'd go with school B because location, funding and fit are really important to me and, in those regards, I think school B outshines school A. i also tend to agree with the general idea that it is not the program/department/school that matters when compared to what you do with it. you could make sure you do what you need to do for your career at either place but school B sounds most appealing.

yeah, i saw that. i've responded in kind. lol.

babelhead, have you heard more details about funding yet?

hey, have you gotten your acceptance from the program yet?

Many of the train lines in Brooklyn have a stop that let's you off one block away (34th and Herald) from the CUNY Graduate Center. In my humble opinion, Brooklyn is amazing! Some areas are all hipstered out and can be avoided (unless you like that sort thing/lifestyle). For example, East Flatbush is still pretty awesome and is right off of Prospect Park, which is a HUGE park with off-leash hours for dogs everyday (9pm until 9am). In East Flatbush (and this new neighborhood that developing companies/rental agents are calling Prospect-Lefferts Gardens) a lot of apartments are being gutted and renovated by a developing company that seems to value quality and space. I mean, when I moved here this past fall I was certain I was gonna be living in a matchbox but was pleasantly surprised that even by Brooklyn standards the apartment I found was equivalent in size to the one I left in my midwest state. The apartments are amazing and still fairly affordable (I promise I'm not a rental agent feeding you lines. lol.). All in all, I've found Brooklyn to be great and there a lot of amazing gastro opportunities. I'm in the habit of walking around aimlessly while hungry until I find something interesting and it's never very hard around here (or anywhere in New York).

congratulations to cat26 and kristen!! it's especially great to hear that you both have confirmation that you're in because today i was finally able to sign in! my heart dropped a little when i saw the "waitlisted student" bit but realized that it's to do with housing?? whatever. i really hope being able to sign in truly does relate to being admitted. woohoo!! again, CONGRATS to you both!!

i've been accepted without funding to CUNY's Anthro program. on the one hand, i've completely ecstatic because i feel the department is perfect for me and it's only 40 minutes away from where i live by subway train. on the other hand, i know i'll have to turn them down if i don't get funded. they've told me that i'm up for a university-wide fellowship (and the posts about some of the best candidates being nominated for these are totally boasting my academic confidence. lol. in addition, i've been contacted by two random faculty now that have just wanted to see if i have any questions and to encourage me to join next year's cohort. i'm hoping it's because it really is the case that they see me as a pretty strong candidate who can earn a university-wide fellowship) but i'm worried that i won't get that funding and don't know if i can/should be applying for assistantships... Anyone have any advice or knowledge about such a situation, especially at CUNY?

damn! then that means although i have a net id and password i am not admitted. every time i've signed i get the "Sorry, your NetID and NYUHome account have not been activated. Please begin by activating your NetID at the ITS start page." boo! thank you for being so helpful, though! =)