Melian4

Hi Gladiatrix, I have no experience with Kent and Leicester, but I applied (and got into) UCL, Edinburgh, Oxford and Durham in classical arch. The biggest difference, at lead at the DPhil level, is the statement of purpose. It's essentially a detailed research proposal, not a list of your language skills and relevant experience. Although it is obviously important in any application you send, I got the feeling that the writing sample has a lot of weight in the UK application process (maybe more so than in the US). Feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions, I'd be happy to help!

I finally decided to accept Brown's offer as well (Joukowsky) -- not quite anthro, but we most probably will have class together at some point! Yay!

So after withdrawing my name from the waitlist two weeks ago, I just received a rejection email from UCLA! Strange...

Hi Fasboo! As I'm in a similar situation, I contacted the DGS for classical archaeology and he never answered. I also contacted the grad admissions secretary, who told me the the DGS was still reviewing the waitlist and respondants. I'm sorely tempted to contact my POI (whom I have on skype, as we talked a few times before I applied), but I lack the guts to do so! There's probably no harm in emailing the anthro DGS, but I have a feeling that they will let us know when they're ready...

As someone who went to Oxford for a Master's and who is facing the same choice as you for a Ph.D., I would suggest you choose Stanford. First of all, the fact that the program is longer will allow you to study abroad (at Oxford, if you'd like). Secondly, you have to take in consideration the training offered at both universities. Stanford will offer you a well-rounded education including coursework and loads of opportunities to teach undergraduate classes. Oxford, on the other hand, is purely focused on research: you get there on the first day, meet with your supervisor and go off to the library to start researching. By the end of your DPhil, you'll be a great researcher, very well-versed in one particular topic. An American Ph.D. might not allow you to specialize quite as much, but it is well-rounded and gives you the skills to teach and research different topics. At the end of the day, you will be a lot more employable in the North American job market with a US Ph.D. Oxford is amazing and it has some of the best libraries in the world. In terms of supporting its students, however, it isn't comparable to top American programs. Feel free to PM me if you want to discuss this further!

It does make one wonder why they keep such long waitlists!

I think both of the above comments are right in many respects. However, in certain situations (if you don't have massive undergrad debt, if you'll be able to work during your degree and get some kind of governmental support) partially self-funding an MA can make sense. I paid for part of my one-year MA in the UK, and it allowed me to gain valuable research experience, expand my network, and go on two digs. If i had applied for Ph.D. programs right out of my undergrad, I would most certainly have struggled to secure a spot at a good and well-funded program. It all comes down to your own individual situation, but I would say that under certain circumstances, funding an MA or a post-bac is not all that crazy.

I hadn't heard anything as of last Friday, when I withdrew my name from the waitlist. They did not even reply to my email! Oh well. Will you try contacting them? I'm crossing my fingers for you (and for all of those on this thread who have been waiting for so long!)

It's an amazing city!!! I could gush over the food, the music, the people, and the cultural scene for pages. The only downside is the weather, but even that isn't so bad as long as you invest in a decent winter coat and good pair of boots!

Hey guys, just a heads up that I will be withdrawing my name from the waitlist tomorrow or Monday. I really hope it bumps one of you up!

Congrats!!! Oxford is really a special place. Have you applied for external funding? If you have any questions about the city, colleges or anything like that, PM me! (I read archaeology at Lincoln)

I did not apply to McGill, but I studied there and know the city quite well. If any of you have any questions in terms of apartment hunting, places to eat, the campus, or anything else really I'd be happy to answer them!

Thank you! I am really surprised to have gotten in. I couldn't tell if the interview had gone well or not when I walked out of the room; they spent a lot of time discussing among themselves and completely ignoring me. It all went so fast! At the moment, Oxford hasn't offered me funding, so it'll be between Joukowsky and ISAW unless by some miracle I get a Clarendon or Ertegun scholarship. Where else have you applied beside Cornell and ISAW?

Unofficial email from one of my POI at the Joukowsky... Apparently I'll receive very good news soon!!! I'm incredibly excited and can barely believe it!

I'm sorry to hear that! Ithaca sounds like a good option though! Did you interview with ISAW two weeks ago?

That is pretty standard for Canadian schools. Classes end in late November or early December, and undergrads usually have exams scattered throughout December. If you TA, you'll probably be expected to be around until mid-December. Some universities have a reading week in the Fall semester, almost all have some sort of spring break or spring reading week. UBC's spring break was in February this year since classes end so early! (I'm not kidding) The schedule is really great for students who self-fund; you can have a decent summer job and work full time from late April to late August.

Do you know if the top school that accepted you would be willing to let you live somewhere else during the dissertation stage of your PhD? That would significantly reduce the amount of time you and your partner would spend apart. If you are considering studying at the university he has been accepted at, you could even make a case that they have resources you would need for your research. Is co-supervision at all a possibility between both unis? What anthopologygeek said makes sense up to a point; however, you have more chances of being able to pick and choose where you want to work after your PhD if you get the best education possible at the best school for your subfield, thereby increasing your chances of ending up in the same city. I hope you find a compromise that will make you both happy!

For those who have applied to ISAW (NYU) -- interviews were held over the last two weeks, and all offers came out yesterday.

This is really great Sarab! Thank you so much for setting up the survey and compiling all the answers, I'm sure it'll be useful not only to us, but also to students in future years!

For all of you archaeologists focusing on older periods, ISAW (NYU) offers: "All students admitted to our program are offered fellowships covering tuition, fees, and a twelve-month stipend, which in 2013-14 is about $36,000. Fellowship packages are for five years, with the possibility of a sixth year of funding where warranted" (http://isaw.nyu.edu/graduate-program/admissions-and-financial-aid) The stipend (which does not include any teaching obligation) will be $36,900 for students beginning next year. There is also a possibility to get summer funding for excavations, and to hold TAships and RAships.

Hey guys, I just got an offer from a NY school for archaeology and I was (positively) surprised by the stipend. Would any of you who got into Columbia, CUNY, NYU etc care to share the details of the funding packages you were offered? Feel free to PM me if you're uncomfortable sharing the info on here! (I should probably disclose that I completely agree with Canis that sharing this information between ourselves empowers students -- it allows us to see what constitutes a good funding offer, and to spot (and potentially fight) unjustifiable inequalities.

Same thing happened before when I was waitlisted at Stanford - a few people from cities around Palo Alto searched for me a couple of days before I got the email! I really hope it means good news are on your (our!) way!

Academia.edu's notifications are so incredibly stressful! I interviewed at a schoollast week, and someone from that city just searched me a few minutes ago. They're supposed to be making decisions right now, so I feel like my entire future is being decided at this very second. I know I must sound incredibly melodramatic, but I'm a ball of nerves right now! Anyone else obsessively checking who is looking them up on academia.edu?

Thanks for the info aarch!