hipposhippos

So, did Columbia send out all its rejections? Silence on my end.

Ahh I just watched Totoro! Congratulations!!!

Any word on Columbia? Does anyone know if all finalists have been interviewed? Thanks!

Thank you!!! I'll PM you.

Yes, that sounds like it's out of their hands at that point, and they aren't technically allowed to disclose admissions decisions--probably only the Grad Division or whatever is.

I know that decisions and admit processes are highly decentralized at certain schools. Sometimes, committees within departments meet to decide who to admit. Then, those names get sent to some administrative people higher up for processing or whatever, and then to the Graduate Dean for funding approval, and then to whoever it goes to in the university who presses the button to send you the email notification. I think faculty have no power whatsoever to change your status in the online portal...that's someone else's job in the university. I think it feels better to blame crazy internal bureaucracy for all this waiting, but it's still very irritating and inefficient nonetheless.

So you had an interview a while back? Why is it that Harvard says on their website that they "do not conduct formal interviews"? "Formal" "informal" psshh.

I, too, had a pretty devastating rejection sweep 2 years ago. In the end, it was all for the best. I wasn't ready to begin a PhD program. Take the time to delve deeper into your interests and be sure to familiarize yourself with the questions that are actively being asked within that topic. Knowing the literature and how you plan to contribute makes a huge difference, especially if you are already well-qualified in the GRE and GPA departments. Apply to NSF--It not only shows that you're serious, but it's a great exercise in putting together a real research proposal. Better yet, it's due in November, so you'll have a great proposal written far before your first PhD app.

Saw that. That was poetic.

Nope. I'm squarely soci-cultural. I don't know how interviews play a role in their process...whether they interview all "finalists" or only some. Thanks for the luck!

I had a Michigan interview 2 weeks ago and have heard nothing since. They called it an "interview," not just a conversation with faculty.

Don't be too pessimistic. NYU can still very well accept you; an interview is extremely promising. Also, from what friends and I have experienced, interviews in anthropology seem to be "not competitive," ie. are very strong indicators of getting accepted (as opposed to being used as a major weeding-out tool). So you're pretty damn strong to get an interview at all! But, even if things don't work out in your favor, think of it as a good thing. Departments can tell if you're ready/make a good fit for them. A good friend told me applying to grad school is like putting out bids into the universe; there's nothing you can do except wait for the "universe" to respond and take things as they come. You'll be far more prepared next year if it comes down to it!

You sound well positioned to argue that you are prepared for graduate work. What is most important is your ability to articulate a particular research question or questions. You'll need to be well-versed in your area of interest and have an idea of where you want to dive deep. This needs to match up with your qualifications and also appeal to faculty with similar interests. But you sound like you're well on your way to figuring these things out! Good luck!

AWESOME! I've been following your blog-- you're finally catching your break!

Hey, sorry. I did say "probably" worth avoiding because they are so expensive, but--as you said--I don't know, hence the "probably." This is only my own perspective on applying to PhD programs, and I by no means intend to imply that MAs are a worthless endeavor. I know a lot of people get very worried about whether or not MAs are de facto required to apply to PhD programs. I only wanted to say it is possible to pursue a PhD without one, which is a great relief since they are often expensive and unfunded. Everyone's path is unique.

I'm an Africanist, focused on very current political processes--so, a hot topic. I have a lot of field experience in the region of interest but doing completely different stuff, and have actually not been to some proposed research sites. I don't have an Masters degree, a fact I have been obsessing over for a while. MAs are very tricky. You have no idea how much they'll help you and they're almost always out of your own pocket. Generally a big gamble that is probably best avoiding if you can. You can become exceptionally well read in your topic of interest on your own anyway. It's possible that shows a level of commitment too--learning and engaging outside of a MA program. I think a major difference between my previous apps and this year's apps is my own maturity level-- Intellectually and personally. I should have recognized a few years back that looking at potential POI profiles, seeing that they aren't working in Africa, and assuming we cannot have shared interests, was a sign of my inability to see more abstract intellectual overlaps. When I started to put together my SOP this time, it was clear I completely understood the range of shared interests I could have with the faculty, no matter where they worked. In retrospect, that was a good sign. So far, the places I have felt great connection to have felt the same way about me. But I have also had surprises. Still have a few more places to hear from too. I did not spend much time contacting POIs. Sometimes a little email, other times I didn't put out anything. I realize they can be annoyances. If any of your letter writers has specific connections, it would be pertinent to ask them to introduce you to respected colleagues at other universities. Anthro is a tiny universe; play up your connections. Apply to NSF. No ifs-ands-or-buts about it. It demonstrates your willingness to hustle for money (good skill in grad school, I hear). I applied in the past and got HM--which, I think, says to committees that there is high likelihood of actually winning next time or at the very least getting something else in the future.

I wanted to pop in and introduce myself. Hai! I claim a Brown admit and a Princeton admit. This round is my second attempt at PhD programs (third by other counts), and I went through a lot of rejections to get to this point. When I first started out, there was so little concrete information (and that is still true), so I wanted to start contributing to the forum in a way that's helpful to people like my past self. The biggest thing I want to say is have hope. If you are in love with this field and give it the time, you'll get where you need to be.