qualiafreak

I know this thread is very old, sorry, I just thought I'd respond in case anyone is reading this and losing all hope because of a low GPA. I have a 2.75 undergrad GPA from a small university with an even smaller Philosophy department, and my major is not Philosophy. So far I've been waitlisted with funding to two pretty good PhD programs and accepted with full funding into a great terminal MA, which I think will give me a springboard to get into a better PhD than I can get into now. So, all hope is not lost if even I can get waitlisted to PhDs

Don't do it. 

I'm at Uconn for mind/cogsci, let me know if you have last minute questions before you make the final decision to decline! Congrats on your offers!!
 

I started playing Fallout. I figure now might be the last time I'll have this much free time in awhile (if I actually get in anywhere). 

They definitely have re-opened for applications because I applied last year. There are risks to attending a program that is being massively restructured for a few reasons. If you're concerned with ranking, that can change a lot as faculty shifts around. It's just difficult to know how the restructure will affect the department, and reputation matters a lot. Also don't underestimate the importance of a program with a good and supportive climate. Of course their restructuring was supposed to fix the climate issues but it's hard to know whether that has been effective.
That being said, I personally don't see any problem with at least applying. There is a cost/benefit analysis for applications but the best advice I got applying to graduate school was cast a wide net and apply to as many places as is feasible. If you get in, you can visit and decide for yourself if you see yourself there.
I got on the wait list when I applied and I probably wouldn't have gone if I got in (because the program I'm in now is a better fit for my research interests)- but honestly I considered going there just for the location. This photo of campus was included in an e-mail telling us that all wait listed applicants could attend the MA program (without funding of course):
 
 

Thanks for all the useful suggestions and perspectives. It's definitely intimidating going from being out of school for a year with only an undergrad degree and going into a PhD program, and since I'm the type who needs a lot of down time, I'm glad to hear work-life balance being emphasized so heavily here.
 
I won't start grad school till fall so I can't give any advice on that yet, but I am a big believer in taking time to recharge. I meditate daily, sometimes just for 15 minutes if that's all I have and sometimes a full half an hour. I know that it has made me more focused and engaged in various areas of my life, so I'm betting that will be a big part of maintaining my sanity in grad school. I can definitely be a Type A and want to go from one thing to the next, so meditation is a way to force myself to slow down, really pay attention to how I'm feeling physically and emotionally, and refocus myself. Plus there's pretty much a new study every week touting the benefits of mindfulness meditation - from increasing compassion to improving sleep quality and reducing depression. 
 
Grad school is very important to me, but I think it's also really important to devote time to the things that really matter most to us. I will not sacrifice my relationships on the altar of scholarship; my loved ones need to know I'm there for them, just as I know they'll be there for me. I hope that I'll continue to volunteer with kids once a week, making time for something beyond myself. I won't give up cooking myself nutritious meals. Being a student will be a huge part of my identity, but it can't be all of it. When I'm struggling on a project (and I'm sure that day will come) I want to know that I am worth more than that project. At the end of the day, it's just school! I want to do my best, but I don't think that has to come at the exclusion of everything else. 

Are you implying that Boulder is prettier than where you are now?????

I am, but unfortunately my schedule in grad school makes it pretty much impossible to take on extra work, so I won't be able to commit to looking at anything. Sorry!

I have just gotten accepted to LMU's mathematical philosophy program!

Congrats! Though I'm glad I'll be seeing you at UConn in the fall!

FEMALE METAL FANS NEEDED AS PARTICIPANTS FOR A STUDY ON THE POSITIVE EFFECTS OF METAL MUSIC
 
As a graduate student in Educational Psychology and Special Education (University of Saskatchewan) I am interested in the positive effects of metal music on female metal fans. Under the supervision of Dr. Jennifer Nicol (registered Psychologist) I invite you to participate in a study called “The perceived positive effects of metal music for female fans”.
 
In order to participate, you must:
 
a) identify as female
 be a metal fan                                                                                                               
c) be 18 or older                                                                                                                                    
d) believe metal music had positive effects on you                                                                                 
e) have enough knowledge of English to provide detailed written answers
 
If you meet these requirements and are interested in participating, then you are welcomed to fill out an anonymous (no tracking of IP address, and encryption of information will be added) online questionnaire that should take up to 30 minutes to 45 minutes.
 
If interested, please follow this link for the survey:
 
fluidsurveys.usask.ca/s/positive-effects-of-metal-music-on-female-fans/
 
For questions about the study please contact my supervisor Dr. Jennifer Nicol (Registered Psychologist) by email: jennifer.nicol@usask.ca or by phone: 1-306-966-5261
 
Thank you for your time and participation.
 
Anna Noura Kuhlmann
M.Ed Candidate
School and Counselling Psychology
University of Saskatchewan
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
 
This study has been reviewed by, and received approval 
through, the Research Ethics Office, University of Saskatchewan.

I understand everyone's perspective and I would give the exact same advice, had I not personally experienced the administators at A. It would be difficult of me to commit to B without certainty that badmouthing would not occur. At the same time, I cannot imagine spending the next two years with these people.

What exactly are you afraid A is going to say to B? Because this is getting ridiculous. I don't know what you want to hear...

I feel angst because I usually keep to all written agreements, and spoken ones too for that matter.
 
If the path was clear, yes, then definitely B is the wisest decision. And the advice is very rational. Unfortunatley, I kind of got into this mess by doing the rational and straightforward thing. Once I got into B, everyone told me to let A know the situation in a polite and open matter. Had I not let A know, I would not have to worry about angry and unstable administrators in order to switch to B. In effect, I feel like I am being punished for being honest and straightforward, and I finding the situation with A patently unfair.
The next two weeks are going to be tough . . .

I think I'm going to step away and think about things. I wish the administrators at A had been more civil. I don't like taking risks like this.

I just feel like humanities students are the most pathetic forms of people. Humanities are easy and pointless and that's why the field is so flooded. Sciences (such as physics) are what really impacts the world and changes things and helps people. What do humanities really do?

The students are pathetic too. They are miserable because they tried to do what they loved but society hated it. Society hates them because they are just writers and 99.9% of writers are pathetic too. Even the Simpsons hates grad students. Those poor grad students, they can't even watch the simpsons to escape their woe!

Idk, I loved humanities and thought they were great but now I realized that I was wrong to enjoy them and that writing, and humanities are bad, their practitioners are pathetic and that sciences are the only way, even if you don't enjoy them, because they are the only way to actually do things.

Maybe I'm just cynical.

I don't know about typical, but a friend of mine was the chair of the admissions this year at a PGR50 and gave 5 days.

YAYYY OVEROVEROVER so happy for you! I was hoping my acceptance wouldn't leave you out. How exciting!!!

Attending UConn!!

Turned down Fellowship offer from GSU, funded offer from UMSL, and wait lists from CU Boulder and UW Madison

YAYYY OVEROVEROVER so happy for you! I was hoping my acceptance wouldn't leave you out. How exciting!!!

Oh my goodness. I just got off the waitlist at Pitt. I'm total disbelief, but I'm absolutely thrilled.

Attending UConn!!

Turned down Fellowship offer from GSU, funded offer from UMSL, and wait lists from CU Boulder and UW Madison

Attending UConn!!

Turned down Fellowship offer from GSU, funded offer from UMSL, and wait lists from CU Boulder and UW Madison

Attending UConn!!

Turned down Fellowship offer from GSU, funded offer from UMSL, and wait lists from CU Boulder and UW Madison

Attending UConn!!

Turned down Fellowship offer from GSU, funded offer from UMSL, and wait lists from CU Boulder and UW Madison