Neither Here Nor There
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Posts posted by Neither Here Nor There
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what is up with all the rejections coming out before acceptances?
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Who else applied to CUA? I find it odd that the person already received a rejection when the department website says they accept applications until Febuary 1. I also applied but the application website simply says my application is under review. I'm not sure if I'm just missing something, or maybe the department did a "pre" committee process, where they, for example, eliminated anyone without a master's degree or did GPA or GRE cuts. Weird behaviour.
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Which programs tend to send out offers in January?
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2 hours ago, Nickybert said:
Who's applying to Simon Fraser Uni and York Uni, Canada for their MA philosophy? I am an international student with a BA Hons first class in philosophy. I have spent 2 years working as a research assistant in a top business school here in Africa. I have four article publications and an upcoming book chapter. I tried writing a good statement of interest and submitted an excerpt from my Bachelors project for my written sample. I have good recommenders, I think, all PhDs. In spite of these, I am still very much apprehensive. The wait is a quiet purgatory of its own. Do I stand a chance? Reading through the thread, I see that the process is quite competitive. I need some reassurance, goodness me.
I have not applied there, but you have a good chance. York is good about accepting non-Canadian applicant. International students do pay a higher tuition rate; I don't know what kind of scholarships they offer to off balance that. But you should be competitive for admissions. I don't think the publications will put you ahead of other students, if its not in North American journals, but it would clear up any doubts that they could have about having a BA honours from a North American university. Good luck.
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I am applying for phds. I have degrees from Canada and feel very nervous about applying to the States. Its a whole new world for me. I'm also working full time right now, while doing last minute thesis edits for my MA, so I am frustrated that I cannot just get the applications in (I am using a chapter of my thesis for my writing sample, but it requires editing so that it can be short, concise, and clear).
I have high grades and a strong background in philosophy and I feel like an outstanding writing sample (but don't we all?) I'm most nervous about the GRE and having Canadian degrees (and not from U of T). I am also still studying for the GRE, hoping to bring the Q score up. The math section is ridiculously basic stuff in the scope of things; back in high school, I would have scored high. And right now I just get frustrated all the time studying for it, because my heart is in my writing projects, not math.
As far as where I am applying, I am applying to a number of universities that I consider medieval philosophy friendly, both in Canada and the States. -
On 9/25/2017 at 12:14 PM, maxhgns said:
The PhD programs with which I'm most familiar in Canada all require around 6 courses, plus whatever other requirements there are (comps, logic and language, prospectus, etc.). Similarly, my MA was six courses plus a thesis; two-year non-thesis MAs have more courses, of course. Remember, however, that an honours Bachelor's in Canada is typically 20-22 courses, compared to around 10 for most American institutions. And since it's still common here for students to get a Master's degree before the PhD, that means that they've been through a lot of courses, even if they take fewer as PhD students (which I'm not sure they actually do).
I'm also not sure what you mean by 'contact potential supervisors directly'. You certainly can do this, as you can in the US, but it doesn't make any real difference to the outcome. At least not officially, and it's certainly not the norm to do so. It's not like the UK or some European countries, where admission is closely tied to supervisor say-so/grants.
AS for the OP: If time to degree is really that big a concern for you, then I'd forget about transferring and just buckle down, get my work done, and start working to cultivate relationships outside my department. Set your sights on spending some time as a visiting student somewhere really nice and fancy, figure out what you need to do to get that funded, and reach out to the people with whom you'd like to work. The most important part of the PhD is just getting it. It's (at least in theory) the start of your research career, not its culmination. Just get it, and position yourself so that you'll be market-ready when it's all over: pubs in hand, some teaching experience, at least one external letter, a postdoc proposal that's ready to go, etc.
Yes, I agree with what you said. At my university, a phd is 5 courses, but I do not know that many phds are 6 courses, some even 9 (U of A may be 9). But ever bit helps; I'd take 6 courses over the 10 or 12 in the States. And yes, non-Canadian readers should know that a Canadian phd is slightly shorter ( but only slightly), because many if not most successful applications have an honours BA and a master's (and master's with a thesis at that).
I don't mean send supervisors a research proposal, but I would consider a 2-sentence email. I recently sent an email about a funding question to a graduate coordinator or department chair, and the chair put me in contact with a potential supervisor. In another case, I had emailed one prof, and as he had retired recently, he inadvertently put me in contact with another professor, at which point a conversation was sparked and a prof said he'd love to supervisor the project. This might not be the best approach, however. Maybe a random application is better. But it is acceptable to send a short email. It could save you a $100 application if the prof is saying he isn't taking any new students. -
I feel your pain so much. I have two master's degrees, one interdisciplinary, one in philosophy, both with almost all the coursework in philosophy. As I am in Canada, I figured out recently that I have completed more philosophy courses than their phd students (since MA + phd in Canada = less courses than two MAs). I know my AOI well, have published a paper, and while I am an immature scholar for all intents and purposes, I still navigate myself fairly independently and find the coursework draining, to say the least.
If you really really want to take less coursework, apply to Canadian schools. Its not uncommon for unis here to only require 5 courses for a phd. (U of T may be different because they compete with the US so heavily) Its quite possible to do the phd in 4 and a half years. And in Canada you contact potential supervisors directly, making the admissions process somewhat less arbitrary.
But then you may join the unemployed philosopher ranks that way, as the placement record in Canada is even worse, I'm afraid., probably especially for Americans. This too is my predicament right now. I much prefer Canada, but the better job placements leads me to the States. -
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Yea that's the thing. My math score may be embarrassingly low. I am doing the practice, but I can only "remember" math so fast, and the deadline is coming shortly. I did two master's degrees in Canada, so we did not have to do the GRE. So basically, I've not had any math in over ten years.
I intend to try to ace the verbal. I wish we did not need the math section. I kind of understand it for analytic students, but I do hermeneutics. -
You know that if you had a death in the family that is a really really good excuse, right? That kind of thing naturally leads to emotional and mental challenges. Its traumatic. Its what lead me to take extra time finishing my MA thesis, really! Your letter writers can explain that. And if you end up getting an MA, the Ws will get further and further to the past anyway.
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About the bleak job prospects here in North America, the above poster may or may not be looking for a job in North America, and in his country of origin the job market may or may not be as bleak.
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I am finally putting in my phd applications this season, and I'm pulling hairs and half-way screaming over the math section of the GRE. I have not had math since high school 10 years ago (did it for dual credit), and it was algebra.
My AOI is in theology and medieval philosophy and some contemporary Continental issues as it relates to med. philosophy. I am applying to continental schools and theology programs. The other part of my application should not be weak. I have a 4.0 grad GPA, 4.0. institutional undergrad GPA (had a couple Bs in piano from the CC; go figure, I had a high A in algebra and chemistry and now can't remember either), strong letters, strong thesis, good sample, a lot of conferences, a publication.
But the damn math section of the GRE.
Any tips on how to improve this besides hitting my head against the desk? I want to cry because I would not make a bad application if they could just ever see my application. I know there are many others who make just as good of an applicant, but I still want mine to be seen with the others. -
On 2/28/2016 at 8:21 PM, offyerhst said:
My only advice is apply to more schools than you think is necessary.
I'll take that advice. It will be so expensive.
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On 2/28/2016 at 8:10 PM, iamtheother said:
As someone who was shut out this season, I'll be happy to answer your questions after I meet with my MA adviser. We'll see what she says about these.
Great. send me a message if you find out anything. It could have been the randomness of it all. Good luck next year.
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On 2/26/2016 at 1:24 AM, anonphilgrad123 said:
Here's some general advice for being the best possible PhD applicant, in no particular order of importance. You should: be a woman from a highly-ranked undergraduate institution who went on to attend a highly-ranked MA program, has strong letters of recommendation from professors who know her well, like her, and are famous and likable, has an excellent writing sample that makes a substantive argument within a relatively small and recently popular corner of one of her stated areas of interest, does ancient philosophy, has perfect GRE scores, has a statement of purpose that makes it clear that she is up to date on recent developments in her field, but has long-term projects beyond those, and has presented and published papers in reputable venues. If you do all of those things, I think you can be sure you'll get into a top 10 PhD program. The extent to which you fail to meet all of these criteria, combined with the inherent randomness of PhD admissions, will determine how much worse you do.
Thanks everybody. That helped clarify things for me. In my case, there is nothing I can do about my undergrad. The rest of my application should be strong (I'm not saying I'm more brilliant than any of the other 99,000 people, but I do have some strengths in my application, in form of letter writers and papers).
This quote though made me laugh. I appreciate the tips on the SOP.
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Hi, all,
I am a 2017 phd applicant. I am wondering if previous phd applicants, successful or unsuccessful, have advice for those of us applying next year. I am especially wondering things, such as:
(1) Did you submit the same writing sample with all your applications, or do you think it's generally bad advice to submit different writing samples?
(2) Do you have any strategies for helping earn strong GRE scores?
(3) Is it bad that at least 3 students from my department are applying to the same school?
(4) Anyone have experience placing in a phd with a no-name undergrad but a known MA program?
(5) How much detail did you go into regarding your research interests on your SOP? Is it good to be specific or vague? That is to say, for those of us who know our main area of interest, is it detrimental you think to be specific?
(6) Did anyone contact professors in their AOI before the application season? Did you feel this is bad or good?
Feel free to answer any or none of these questions. Any advice or general encouragement is good. I'm already freaking out over all the rejections (securing a funded MA was stressful enough!) -
People considering applying to Toronto should contact current students to see how well continental is being received these days over there. Since Franks and Schlosser left, I hear there's been a sea change.
Good to know. I am going to go ahead and apply there, but for the MA program only. I don't think coming from a small university, I would be directly admitted to their PhD, but if I got a good funding MA offer, I could apply another year for PhDs at more continental schools like McGill.
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Thanks. Some of these I've had recommended, but some I had simply overlooked. I now see that there are a couple faculty working within the continental tradition (and feminist philosophy) at Alberta. Good to know.
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I am trying to compile a list of Canadian graduate schools friendly to continental philosophy, whether that be MA programs or Phd program. What universities do you recommend?
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they also limit your employability to the handful of universities and colleges whose philosophy departments are amenable to continental philosophy. philosophers are a lot cliquier than philologists (largely why the philosophy programs are harder to get into), and continental philosophy, at least on this side of the atlantic, is SO not in vogue.
Very, very true. Sadly. =(
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I think the difference is for me I would be happy only studying theory. I would much rather read Foucault than a novel. I am also going to apply to some continental philosophy programs. They are harder to get into than English PhDs, however.
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My degrees are from religious schools, so I'm not likely to get into a top school. I'm certainly working to boost my application in anyway I can (writing sample, conference papers, GRE score), though
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I am wondering if you all have suggestions on Phd programs either in theory and criticism, or programs that specialize in critical theory/lit theory. I love it all, but especially poststructuralism.
2018 Acceptance/Rejection Thread
in Philosophy
Posted
Yup. And I noticed a CUA rejection but no word on acceptances/waitlists.