CulturalAnth

Sorry! I must say, though, looking at your stats in your signature, you are highly qualified to get a PhD (yours are much better than mine, and I got accepted into a PhD program!).. maybe try again next year for less "prestigious" schools?

Forsaken- I would wait until all decisions have been sent to you. If you got an awesome package at Tulane, but already accepted at Chicago, it wouldn't be good for your reputation to change your mind after accepting. Just be patient and wait a little while longer. You can do it!

If it were me, I would pick USF.. the money and teaching/research experience is invaluable, IMO. Also, if you are in a personalized program, you will have better LORs later for your PhD.

Thanks for your input Canis! I'm sure I'd be fine living there.. I've been living in a Pullman-like-town (albeit not as cool, because I'm in Utah!) and have been itching to get away from a place like this.. and experience something completely different. There is nothing to do in my current, little, college town, the winters are long and cold, and my dietary restrictions make it even harder to get out in a place like this. It is totally possible that when I start my PhD work, after my MA, I can move to the Vancouver campus, and I would be much, much happier there. Being close to Portland is my ideal location, or sunny Southern California That research is completely up my alley.. the kind of research I REALLY want to be doing- it is perfect for me. (And summers in Ethiopia, paid for! AND, I can take my family!)

I've never been there, but I've always wanted to visit. It sounds like a town I would very much like

I'm waiting for a (probable) rejection from WUSTL, so I'm deciding between Washington State and UNLV. Leaning towards WSU, due to the fact that it's PhD, and more likely to get funding. Also, I've recently become really excited about my research possibilities that I'll be doing there: http://cas.wsu.edu/connect/archives/jan2014/breastmilk.html The only thing that I am hesitant about, is I really don't want to live in Pullman, WA. It's so isolated, in the middle of nowhere.. I would LOVE to live in Vegas.

Interesting topic... I go to a pretty decent public university, and have been accepted into pretty decent public university grad schools. So far been rejected from 1/2 private universities, and I am expecting 2 of 2 prestigious school rejections. So, I can't speak for everyone, but that's been my case so far. I can tell you, however, that one of my profs went to a public state university and got accepted to both Harvard (for MA) and Case Western (for PhD).

That is amazing!! Congrats!

That's tough. I would pick going to the same school, in my own case, but we have kids and a family, so that would make the most sense to me (and I really hate being without him! He used to be in the military so I know what being without him is like!)

I had no idea about acknolwdgements. One of my profs always puts my name in his acknowledgments (well, at least for the last 3 years since he's known me and I was his research assistant). I didn't know I could cite that on my CV.

I have a section called "Research Projects" that includes a broad description of my research. I would put it there.

Upon a little bit of research in the results search .. it appears that historically most people who have received rejections from WUSTL got them around this time of year via postal mail. I guess there is no point obsessively checking my email, huh. I'd really just like a quick answer. No need to waste a stamp on a rejection for me. Would be nice to start planning the next phase of my life....

haha.. I sometimes find myself thinking this way in a class I am a TA for.

I think that if you have taken several months of corresponding with e POI, and are then rejected, it's totally acceptable to send an email asking if they could give you advice on improving your future applications. I did this with my Notre Dame rejection, and got a very nice, kind, and positive response from my POI. I wouldn't want to work with any of those professors who would treat their applicants like that.

I'm still waiting on two, WUSTL and Oregon State. I guess since it's spring break for many, I might be waiting a little while longer? OSU's spring break is still in 2 weeks, but I am less concerned with that one than I am about WUSTL.

One of my professors told me she got into Harvard with a GPA less than 3.0 because she rocked the GRE. So, it's possible!

Still waiting on my final two here... (WUSTL, Oregon State).. and still waiting for funding offers from the 2 I've been accepted to. I emailed my POI from WSU and she told me she'd let me know when they plan to send those out. It appears I'm still in the middle for WUSTL, since some have been interviewed and some have received rejections. So, I am very impatiently waiting!

I agree with this.. congrats!!!

I agree that fit is very important. I really think that meeting my POIs in person, before I applied, also helped me. And, my letter of recommendation from an anthropologist who is very known and respected in my area. No one has ever mentioned my poor GRE scores (although I also told them what they were before I applied). So far, though, I have not gotten into a "prestigious" university though (STILL waiting to hear from WUSTL), but I think I will do just fine at either of the 2 I've been accepted to. It was more about fit than ratings for me.. although my 2 favorite anthropologists are at the 2 prestigious universities I applied to.

congrats! awesome news!

Good Luck! That would be so hard to coordinate acceptances for both of you! I hope it works out for you BOTH and you can stay together!!

I wish there were more programs for what I want to do, located in warmer climates! I'm totally jealous of those going to San Diego!

It seems I am somewhere in the middle with WUSTL.. some have been interviewed and accepted, others have been rejected. So.. I didn't make the first cut, but I also didn't get rejected yet either. Also, I was told by WSU that they might not be able to send funding decisions until the summer (!!!) unless I was in their top picks for funding. Ack! What I do know, from my POI, that most people are funded.. it just takes a while to notify.

In my case, I feel like I made some good friends and allies in my field with the POIs I have corresponded with and have met in person. I do plan to tell them where I'm going, and what I'll be studying, and also let them know that I hope to be able to work with them on a research project someday in the future, etc. I sincerely like all my POIs and my heart hurts a little that I will have to decline offers from them.

Congrats! I wish there was a program near me that had what I wanted... the closest is UNLV. I love that about California... there are sooooo many colleges and universities there.