TheVineyard

Philosophers of religion are unlikely to get jobs. There is not much of a demand. That's the point, I believe.

Well-played.

They actually do have to make the student's position known by March 15. That position might be a waitlist position. Students then have until April 15 to make a decision of their own. The problem, and it really isn't avoidable, is that everything ends up happening on April 15 because that's when students find out of they got into the school that is better than their current one, so they can't leave their current one until then, and then they do it which opens up a spot for the person who was waitlisted at the other school, which opens up another position, so it just becomes a huge train wreck right at April 15. I see no way around it, especially if they do what you suggest and withhold for a long time! I believe students should turn down any offer that they don't consider a real possibility considering other offers. Getting those offers opened up for others makes April 15th less of a disaster.

I'm actually amazed that someone got into Duke with an a priori writing sample.

I wrote directly against one of the most famous philosophers alive, and attacked one of his/her most famous (and well-taken) arguments. Some schools love it and really take to it, and some don't like the style. The schools I have been accepted to or have shown interest in me pre-decision show a pattern of empirical-mindedness. In short, I believe my sample was high risk high reward, and the result bear that out.

A "good scout" is a scout that regularly promotes good talent, recommends the right people to the right programs, and does this with consistency, which is exactly the point I was making. Podunk State College typically won't have a professor who has a pipeline of sending great students to great programs.

Zizek is there a reason you made your acceptance row yellow and waitlist column green? Also, I would love to teach at a liberal arts college. I wanted to become a philosophy professor for the teaching, not the publishing.

The guy got accepted to Harvard. Obviously he is qualified to tell us that most recent posts in general from all schools are fraudulent. The waitlists to Fordham, the rejections to Virginia, acceptances to Western Ontario....they're all fraudulent. Harvard told him so in his acceptance letter, and who are we to doubt someone who got accepted to Harvard?

Think what you want. If the person reading your application has never heard of your letter writers, there is no inherent trust, no understanding of good judgement, no "pipeline" of excellent students coming from this letter writer, etc. If you get a letter from a very well known professor who has produced many great students who have gone on to be very successful, that letter doesn't need to say "OMG THIS STUDENT SHOULD BE A PROFESSOR RIGHT NOW HES GREATEST STUDENT NORTH AMERICA" it can simply say, "This student receives my full endorsement and recommendation. I fully believe he is ready to purse graduate school right away" and that will be enough because of the professor's strong track record. So no, it really isn't absurd. But it also isn't as comforting for those coming from schools without known professors. =/

Here is my thought on the GRE. Doing well on the GRE shows that you are dedicated to a task. It shows that you care. If you get an epic score on your GREs, you are the kind of person who is willing to dedicate a bunch of time to something in order to succeed. So, the way I view it, answering questions on the GRE really doesn't have anything to do with how genuinely good you are at critically reasoning or writing philosophical prose or communicating ideas. Instead, answering questions correctly shows that you were serious, you dedicated time to learning the tricks, etc. Maybe THAT is the part that correlates with graduate work. Well, what does this position imply? Reaching Master's League in Starcraft 2 is also a feat that requires serious problem solving and massive time investments, massive amounts of studying, etc...so that probably includes all of the same skills (plus some limited physical ability, but that is such a minor part of it). TL;DR: All hail our mighty gamer overlords.

I actually don't think this is true, to be honest. Maybe excellent from a person you have met and worked with before is better than mediocre from star-studded eminent lord of philosophy, but there is no way a bright shining letter from someone they have never heard of is any better than a polished turd.

So...did anyone else here apply to Pittsburgh HPS? I still haven't received any word after 1 acceptance and 4-5 rejections have been posted...

I think, therefore I am

Thanks for the info underdrag, and I'd like to see this question answered as well. Is it a top 20 institution generally or top 20 on the PGR?

I too am interested in the conflation of normative and metaethical positions presented in the poll. I have to consider myself an error theorist metaethically (so I chose nihilist), but I think that as a practical matter, encouraging a form of consequentialism is a nice cultural tradition that I prefer.

I also have info that the Michigan adcom is still at work. I have no idea if first round is finished or anything like that, but I do know that they are still meeting and making decisions; they are not just delaying notifications.

Yourself and Modal are obviously seen as special applicants and have clearly put together a couple of the absolute best applications that adcoms will be seeing this year. Could you two tell us what you are comfortable with revealing? Example question: Are you from a top 10 department? Top 5? Do you have letter(s) from philosophers considered eminent? Thanks for responding if you choose to!

Anyone else apply to Pitt HPS and has not gotten a rejection notice in the mail?

It is now a waiting game on the Pitt HPS rejections. They are coming by mail, so they could come any time this week. How long can I dodge them! Hopefully forever!

You may well be a qualified applicant, but the fact is that you aren't taking seriously enough the fact that they want new thinkers. Plenty of people don't get accepted to their home departments even with 3-4 letters from that department. Don't think that means you get in. They have also had tons of time to evaluate your flaws (we all have them). Anyway, there's nothing you can do. Stop worrying about it. You'll either get accepted to or you won't. I'll either get accepted to or I won't. We both hope we do, but again, there is no point in trying to play detective and figure out the possible decision making processes when we will find out in about 10 days regardless.

Its sad that some people think that this of all places would be a good one to troll. I guess the point is to get applicants nervous that they didn't get in to a top school? Well they're out of luck because guess what, we all expect rejection to top schools anyway. Seeing that they gave out acceptances actually made us more at peace.

Here is your answer: There is no doubt that your application will recieve special attention. They all know you. They will talk about you on a first name basis. Either they think that they can't afford to lose you, or they'd rather have new blood from someone from a different dept. You have no idea what they will do. The only thing you can be very sure of is that your application will not be overlooked.

Harvard rejection by phone.... I can't imagine how roller-coasterey I would feel during that. "Hello my name is Professor Importantguy and I'm DGS at Harvard University. I'm here to tell you about the status of your application. You're rejected. gg."

Another fail Monday.

Didn't the whole state of PA get shut down by winter weather in the last couple weeks? That could explain why we have seen only 1 HPS admit and 0 Philosophy from Pitt, and almost nothing from CMU either?