Ancient_DNA

I kind of get the feeling but I don't. It's more of a feeling that I'm missing something, not that I'm somehow a fraud. Everyone else in my cohort appears to be busting their balls, and even my office mates are running around working like hell, and here I am with my max 2 page proposal due at the end of October twiddling my thumbs. My supervisor advised me to take it easy this semester since all of my TA hours are first semester, but I still feel like I could be doing something else. So I guess I'll get my independent reading course all squared away and my topic locked down for next term and start writing my SSHRC/NSERC drafts. Am I missing something, or was grad school overhyped as very difficult?

New University of Toronto here. So far so good. Haven't started research yet, (awaiting ethics), so once that gets cleared away my ample free time will likely quickly diminish.

That right there is the confusing part to me. Here in Canada, it goes Masters, then PhD, then post-doc, in a natural progression. In very, very, very rare occasions do people skip MA entirely and go straight into a doctoral program. They have to be the cream of the crop, I know of only one girl in my group who did that. She had A's across the board, did a double major in Physical Anthropology and Life Sciences (a general science degree that covers chem, physics, biochem, math etc), ran a field school in her undergrad, did two undergrad summer research projects, wrote independent studies with the top two profs in my department, volunteered in labs, and the list goes on. It did not surprise me that she got boosted to a PhD. I guess my other question is, in the US, is a Master's frowned upon, instead of a PhD? I see a lot of people ignoring the MA level entirely on this board and shooting right for PhD. Is this normal, or is there a lot of delusion out there, like you hint at in your post? My older sister who lives in Oklahoma and is married has a friend that is doing his PhD in Boston (what school, I have forgotten). At any rate, my sister tells me that in the US, Master's programs are like an extension of your Bachelors, and "grad school", like the grad school that I know of, which is like a job interview, doesn't really start until PhD. Any truth to this as well? I looked into some US MA programs, and it seemed they were primarily course work (at least for the Forensic/Physical anthro programs I examined), is this true as well?

That makes a lot of sense, thanks for taking the time to provide such a detailed reply. I'm a Canadian, and I guess it is different here than in the states, we don't really seem to push the "big" schools so much. Then again, I didn't really learn much about grad school until my 3rd year anyways. Maybe I sheltered myself from the process, but all the stat comparisons and test scores and top-10, top-20 rankings etc. is just mind boggling to me.

This thread is quite depressing. I was rejected from my home school, twice, both by profs I had taken many classes with, gotten all A's in their classes, and done independent research with them, and they wrote my LORs. I also got rejected from a school I was very excited about attending, but then I found out I never had a chance to begin with, since my POI there hasn't taken a new grad student in over 5 years. Both of these rejections came on the same day, so I was a little bummed to be honest. However, I got into the school I was rejected from last year as well with a killer funding package with two amazing supervisors, and I got into my never-thought-in-a-million-years school too. Keep your heads up, but I know how much it sucks since I was rejected all around last year too. I also wanted to touch on the subject of eligibility for grad school. This thread (and the results page) has had a lot of students saying how they figured they were shoe-in's, great fits for programs, etc. I guess I question the authenticity of that. Not to be hostile or rude, but I am confused why so many people apply to long-shot schools? I applied to one (for two programs mind you), but the application was free to do, and I was able to use the all of the same resources like letters and transcripts for both. Why needlessly put yourself through torture of applying to strictly Ivy League grad programs, or only with rockstar profs when many of you have self-admittedly low(er) test scores, GPAs, or have little research commonalities or experience with the school/dept/program/prof in question? If the application is fee is so expensive and you know they only take less than 10 students per year, why bother applying if you know your research isn't even in the realm of possibility for acceptance? Does this problem extend from both ends I guess is another question to ask. To profs and departments have a hard time saying "No. Do not apply, you will not be a good fit here" for fear of offending someone or losing on that extra $100-$200 application fee, but crush the dreams of a budding student in the process? I have only ever heard of two people being told not to apply to certain programs, myself for a project before I changed it, and was then encouraged to apply (and got rejected anyways haha) and by my friend. I think undergrad educations push higher level degrees to freely, and it has become the "new" standard of education everyone has got to have. I know so many people who have no business even applying to grad school with very low GPAs, low independence, low work drive, etc. But they apply because it's the next step in their education, or so they're told. I feel like now it is a push like we see in high school where "everyone must go to University, it is a must" when so many students would excel in trade schools or colleges and be much happier. The same goes with grad school now. There is a large push towards getting an MA, PhD, Post-doc, etc., when so many students would be much better off holding onto their BA and going out into the workforce since they lack the most basic requirements to even be admitted but they just have to go because it's what is done. Any thoughts on this?

That is really strange. Mine was similar to everyone else's, I just had to show proof through an official transcript that I was a) not fudging my marks and I was continuing my "good grade standing" after having been admitted. I have heard of your scenario though, but it's usually not Scholarship = accepted no scholarship = rejection. The one's I've heard are scholarship = money and accepted, no scholarship = still funded but you're on your own for everything. Also, the weird thing to me is how strapped these profs are for cash. Personally, if it were me, I would not take a grad student I could not fund, as in they would not even get accepted under me if the grant was going to make or break their chances of getting in. It is just down right unfair to the student.

I know from experience last year that McMaster (at least for Anthropology) sends their yes's out by mid-March. Last year I got rejected by checking my status online and it said not successful a full 3 MONTHS before I got my e-mail saying no. Let me time frame this for you, I applied Jan 1 like they wanted. I waited until very late March and was fed up with waiting so I happened to check my status online, saw "Not successful". I finally got my "official" no in late June/early July through e-mail. So maybe I was on some weird wait-list, I don't know, but I just have a feeling that the department grad secretary forgot to send my email. This year, I emailed my grad chair in early March because one school (that does rolling admits, and I was admitted in January) wanted to know what I was going to do. I got an unofficial no from her, then a real no about 2 hours later in my email. So check your status online first, for a not successful, and then just call/e-mail. They definitely know by now. Sorry.

Yeah, that is what I was thinking. I'm not too worried about it.

I am an alternate at one school, and then got rejected everywhere else. I will not be getting a CGS-M this year then for sure, since I will be declining the offer as I have already accepted U of T. I talked to my supervisors at Toronto, and they are actually kind of happy I didn't get it this year, since I'm fully funded. They are hoping I get it for next year when I need to find the majority of my funding from outside sources.

Mine changed to not offered this morning to the two schools I had been rejected from. So I'm still waiting on the alternate, which is awkward because I already sent my acceptance to Toronto. So here's hoping I get one for U of T! It still says received by administrator so, I'm happy.

That's so weird. All I get is this: Organization Status Field of Research Date of Offer Offer Expiry Date Updated Action Memorial University of Newfoundland Alternate social sciences and/or humanities 2014-04-01 06:32:35 University of Calgary Received by administrator social sciences and/or humanities 2013-11-28 22:24:13 University of Toronto Received by administrator social sciences and/or humanities 2013-11-28 22:24:13 McMaster University Received by administrator social sciences and/or humanities 2013-11-28 22:24:13 Sorry that came in so odd looking, I couldn't find a way to link a picture.

Just a question, I went to the site as it stated too but there has been no change. Did it say beside the school that there was an option? I was sure I wasn't going to get one, so I'm not bummed, I was just curious what it looked like for you. Thanks.

I think everyone just needs to calm down. Grad school waiting is nerve-wracking but, I think some of you are over analyzing or reading into things far too deeply. "Our apologies for the long wait. Your email was forwarded to the program director. He will be in contact with you shortly," simply means just that. Hang tight, you'll have your answer soon. And to the above poster, just because they went silent after sending out an acceptance does not mean they have revoked you. They don't have the time, energy, or resources to continually hound or keep in touch instantly with the students they accept/reject/waitlist.

Just a follow-up, got my package in the mail today. Funding info was correct, but it's only for one year. I have to reapply for a second year. Also the chance of getting an RA/TAship if I apply. So, looks pretty good so far. I also got my official letter from Memorial yesterday, I have been accepted under my POI but also co-supervised by a guy I never thought I would even have a chance with. Funding is close to $12k a year, plus TA once a year for a semester. I have some serious considering to do now.

Accepted by U of T as given advance notice by my POI through e-mail. Funding appears to be $15k + tuition + health plan + incidental fees (whatever those are), and a bonus top up if I get some prestigious awards. I'm not sure if this is standard for everyone, but she seemed pretty confident telling me that the letter she attached to the email was indicative of what I, and others, would be getting.

Accepted by U of T as given advance notice by my POI through e-mail. Funding appears to be $15k + tuition + health plan + incidental fees (whatever those are), and a bonus top up if I get some prestigious awards. I'm not sure if this is standard for everyone, but she seemed pretty confident telling me that the letter she attached to the email was indicative of what I, and others, would be getting.

I really streamlined my Statement of Intent. Even though I had had help in crafting it with some mentors/profs before, it was fairly bland and didn't show much structure. It basically read like: "genetics are cool, so are isotopes, bones are neat also. Pick me." So I sat down and really focused on the two sections of research that interested me the most, aDNA and isotopes. I knew that I "got" those topics and they made my want to learn more, plus I did well in those study topics during independent thesis topics during my undergrad. My LORs were also more positive, I feel. I had more of a personal connection to my writers, and they seemed excited to be helping me. It amazed me because my letter writers previously I had taken loads of classes with, but they were kind of wishy-washy in their approach to me, while these profs were very gung-ho even though I had only taken 1-3 classes with them. Lastly, I applied for funding. Last year I had gotten some bad advice (by one of my hands-off-approach writers, interestingly enough) that you didn't really need to apply for funding until you were in grad school and that applying for funding was not really expected until you were in the program. That came as a shock haha. I am much more prepared this round, for sure.

As others have said, yes and no. One of my advisors, well really my MAIN advisor, the one I went to for virtually everything, always told me I was "better than the average student at XYZ university" and I should do well in grad school apps. So I applied to the big powerhouse anthro/archaeology schools in Canada and the UK where I felt my research interests would fit best. Then she told me that I had applied to some of the hardest programs to get into and don't be surprised if they say no, but she was still hoping for 5/5. I got into the one that she and I both thought I would be rejected instantly, since I have a low cumulative GPA (as you can see) and the POI is a rockstar in the archaeological sciences. Then my home school rejected me for the second time in a row, and I for sure thought I had that in the bag. Then another big school rejected me. Then the smallest but probably most inviting of the schools accepted me, and now I'm just waiting on the BIG one in Ontario. All in all, I'm running about 50% right now, which is a little lower than we had predicted. But I also found out that the big out of province school that I applied to, the POI I requested hasn't had a new grad student in over 5 years. So that made me feel a little better, but also annoyed slightly because I wasted my app fee when I could have applied to a different prof with similar interests and maybe could have gotten in. Oh well. I would say that there is a lot more at play than what really meets the eye, and nothing, absolutely nothing is certain.

I heard directly from my POI that I was in, as for the official offer from the university, I have not heard anything yet. I heard from my POI almost a month ago and have yet to even get a status change or email from the uni directly saying I am in/out.

Yes, I am waiting for Anthro results. I got an e-mail from my POI last night around 10pm (she has been surprisingly forthcoming and remained contact throughout this whole process without too much nudging from me) that "official" offers will go out by next Monday and the next few days. She said I am on the provisional recommend list, but nothing is 100% until Monday/Tuesday. So, we will know in less than a week's time! Thanks for the advice. I just sucked it up and waited, killing time with Season 2 of House of Cards. Lo and behold, I came to an e-mail from my POI telling me position. Funny, every time I have emailed for status, I got rejected, every time I have waited, I have gotten in. Coincidence? Odd luck? Who knows.

Has anyone contacted U of T about their admissions? I have been holding for about 2 months in answering one school, and I think they are starting to get a little annoyed. I am getting frequent e-mails (at least once a week now) asking what my decision is. If they have, do you contact SGS directly or the graduate chair of the program?

Accepted to the University of York (UK) and Memorial (Canada) for the Archaeology streams. So far rejected by McMaster and University of Calgary for Anthro/Archaeology streams. So I'm 50/50 so far. Still waiting on Toronto (fingers crossed for multiple, multiple options!).

I got a rejection e-mail last night (Toronto time) so it would have been about 3-4 in the afternoon Calgary time. I hadn't seen any results, save for one acceptance, on the results page for my program. So it is possible that different programs send out e-mails on differing days, or they send out the yes's and the flat no's immediately and the rest come in as spaces fill.

Rejected from McMaster and University of Calgary today, within about 2 hours of one another. It kind of sucks about Calgary, I was really pumped for their new integrated bioanthro program. This is year 2 for McMaster rejections, so needless to say, I will not be re-applying even for a PhD. I have no clue what they want, and I went their for an undergrad.

Thank you for your responses. This is killing me!