timetobegin

I'm applying to PhD programs, and trying to keep my emails to potential supervisors short and sweet (so they don't get ignored!). I mention my broad interests (human osteology, paleopathology), how my background relates to these interests, and how they align with the broad interests of the professor, but I haven't said anything like "I'm interested in studying the effects of A on B, in rural Chinese communities, in order to understand C". I worry about narrowing my interests too much, so that I'm almost too specific to them. Broadly, I like what these professors research, and I want to see what projects are possibly available to for a graduate student to be apart of... but I also feel like maybe I SHOULD have narrow interests, at this point, if I'm applying for a PhD. I'd love some advice. (also, Should I be attaching a CV to the 'reaching out' emails, or do that later?) Thanks!

I'm finishing up my Master's thesis next semester, and only just realized that I'm interested in applying for PhD programs and continuing my education! Is it too late to apply for PhD programs next fall (Fall 2018)? Do professors and researchers already have their funding squared away and their potential students lined up? And, if so, when did you start reaching out to potential supervisors? And for Canadian applicants: How does funding (NSERCs, SSERCs, etc) work when they're due in early October, but most program application deadlines are Dec/January? Thanks!

Quick question if anyone has ever gone through this: I graduated from an anthropology degree at the end of 2013. I decided to take time off to work, and am now applying to Masters programs. I'm applying to a variety of schools, including the school I did my undergraduate degree. Many of the professors I'm planning to ask for letters of recommendation are also professors I would like to work with, as they're really the people who created my interest in these fields and the reason I decided to further my education in anthropology. Is there an ethical issue in asking a professor for a letter of recommendation...to their own department? Or asking them for a letter of recommendation, and also mentioning that I'm interested in working with them? I know it must be done all the time, but how does one go about this? It feels awkward to me, I guess because I haven't seen these professors in a year.

Yep, I'm attending U of A with a MPH Health Promotion concentration.

Anyone going to UAlberta?

They e-mailed me about 2 weeks ago and asked if I would like to be on the waitlist. So I'm assuming acceptances have been received.

Ouch. I'm Population Health as well. Thanks for the reply!

I applied for Population Health. I think I'll call next week, too. It's hard to make a decision about schools when you don't know where you stand on waitlists!

I e-mailed them to ask where I was on the list, but they never responded (though it could have gotten lost in the mass amounts of e-mails I'm sure they receive during that time). How about you?

Has anyone been accepted off the waitlist for SFU?

For those waiting on Memorial, I received an e-mail yesterday offering me a position on the waitlist.

What's really holding you back? Which one is the better program? Which one is the better city? What's really the most important factor for you? Which one gives you a better "overall" gut feeling, or do none of them? You can research and research, but sometimes too much research can be a bad thing. It'll give you false expectations, or you'll have trouble adjusting and going with the flow because you'll think "I researched this program and this situation/feeling/event wasn't supposed to happen". You have to stop looking for smaller and smaller scraps of information and just decide. I did the same thing as you - made a huge mistake selecting my first college (and my major), and it was costly, but I pulled it together and now we're both making decisions about grad school! All it means is that your life-track isn't set in stone, and sometimes you just have to go with the flow. It also gives us both positive experiences: our gut instincts have been right before, and we can bounce back if things don't go as planned. Been there, done that. Why fear it when we survived it? You won't pick wrong, I promise. Your indecision means all schools are good schools, or you wouldn't have applied. Maybe you're thinking that if you pick one, you'll lose opportunities the others will give you? It's sort of a false sense of security, because right now, you don't really have any opportunities. But by picking one school, you're going to get those experiences, and everything will suddenly be wide open. Stop comparing schools, trying to determine which one will lead you where. This sounds cheesy as hell, but think about where you plan to go with your degree, and then maybe the choice will be easier. My advice is to get some sleep, set your alarm for 5am, and then make your decision while you're tired and want to go back to bed. At 5am, your brain will decide what's really important, and you'll make a faster decision.

Mjmm, they sent it to both e-mails - my primary and ualberta. Congrats styrofoamboots! It's a hard decision, because I'm still waiting on MUN and UofT. What about you?

Just received an e-mail recommending me for admission to UAlberta's Health Promotion program!

Congratulations to those accepted to U of T's health promotion! Out of curiosity, what does your application status read as? Does it still say 'Under Review' or has it changed to 'Decision Made'?

Heard back from SFU for MPH Population Health - I've been placed on a waiting list. I wonder how many waitlisted people end up getting a letter of admission?

I'm sorry . Was it a paper letter or through e-mail?

Just out of curiosity, has anyone received a rejection letter from SFU? I haven't heard from them, and it seems like most acceptances into Population Health have been released... I'd like to know, either way.

I applied to Social and Behavioural, and mine says 'Under Review' as well.

Okay, cool! Thank you!

Hey Guys! New to the forum, and I have a few questions about the MPH applications: 1) For SFU, when I click "View Application Status", it gives me information about what I applied for, but nothing about the status of my application. Is this the same for anyone else? 2) For Memorial, I applied for MPH Pop'n and Public Health. My application status reads "Application Processing Has Begun", and lists that I need to send in "Confirmation of Degree - Bachelor's When Complete". Does this mean that I won't receive an admission decision until I finish my BSc (mid-April when I finish, probably no grades until May, and then sending the transcript takes at least a week...). I've heard from others that Memorial usually sends acceptances by early April? Any insight would be appreciated!