batata

Hi everyone, It's been a while since anyone posted in this thread so I hope there are still people reading it who can weigh. Similar to Onwarrdz, I'm kind of dreading having to move to Ann Arbor from NYC. I'm afraid that it'll be boring and socially isolating. I also don't drive and probably can't get a car. I'm also afraid that Ann Arbor will be homogenous. I know projecting a lot of stereotypes, and I'm sure it's quite lovely. But if you've any more words of encouragement (especially from "big city" folks), please do share! It also seems like Ann Arbor isn't that cheap re: rent? Thank you!

Hahahahah yes there seems to be a MAPSS debate every year! And the perspectives are so extremely different that I've come to the conclusion that MAPSS is just entirely what each person makes of it. My admission letter said that around 200 people matriculate in the program every year and that's a lot. A lot of opinions from which it's quite difficult to extrapolate an accurate perspective of the program (maybe that's actually one of its major drawbacks--too many people). I agree with you that doing this program might be a delay of 2+ years to start a PhD when I can just apply again for fall 2017 but I'm terrified that a repeat of this year will again play out in the next. My research interests are so darn specific that I applied to only 4 schools (I really wanted to apply to only 2 but added the other 2 to be "reasonable"). I know that this could certainly change as I read and explore more before the next application cycle and learn about other scholars who I'd like to work with. Chicago is a great school, and I appreciated that they offered funding for an MA. Last year and this year, I was admitted to the MA at Columbia and that was just a joke (last year I actually applied to the MA myself and this year it was a consolation admission). They offered no money at all and so rejecting the offers was automatic (though painful because Columbia is my dream school). Aside from the delay in starting a PhD, my two concerns with this program is what some people have noted as the dismissiveness with which some professors treat MAPSS students and how intensely competitive it is. I don't mind working hard to prove myself but I don't want to grovel or have to worry about "keeping up" rather than learning. In other words, I don't want a possibly negative experience through MAPSS to put me off from grad school entirely. But again other people like @jellyfish11 had such a positive experience that make MAPSS seem like it's worth it. Ugh. Thank you guys for weighing in; I really appreciated reading each of your opinions.

Congrats to everyone who was admitted thus far! Do any of you know anything about the MAPSS program? I've been scouring the forums for some insider deets and have gotten a mixed bag of information. Someone a few days ago posted that they were admitted to MAPSS in lieu of phd but that they will be declining because they've heard bad things about the program (thought I'd add that this post was later deleted). Was it one of you guys on here that posted that? If so, it'd be great if you could PM me to explain why you think it's not good or from where you got your info. I was also admitted to MAPSS with full-funding so I'm actually considering it seeing that no PhD admissions are happening for me this year and all I've gotten are some unfunded consolation MA admissions instead of PhD (thank you Columbia!). Anyone with any opinion on MAPSS would be awesome! And if those of you who did an MA prior to applying to a doctoral degree could weigh in with some opinions about their experience that would also be wonderful. Congrats again to everyone! Come back again to tell us how your first year of PhD-life is like:)

I think decisions have already been made as someone posted last week that they were wait-listed. It's unclear whether or not he or she had an interview with them. No one admitted however posted anything so it's rather odd that not a single one of them is a gradcafe regular or at least occasional poster. Congrats to all the latest admits!

Did anyone hear ANYTHING from/about Columbia? Complete silence about them this year. Congrats to all the admits! And please keep the profiles coming--you're all so fascinating.

hahahahaha, that's how I'm introducing myself these days at all social gatherings---telling people my GRE scores and academic interests. Seriously though, so much anxiety I just want to know and be done. The grieving period is more bearable than the waiting period. Like you, I'm 25 and already feel like I'm inching up there age-wise and so don't want to wait any longer to start grad school. Ugh. My interests are very random: the Arab World, critical theory, globalization, media ethnography (and the list goes endlessly on). My GRE scores are pretty average: V:166, Q: 149 (shitty but I suck at math and there ain't no way around it), AW: 5 Do you have the slighted idea what you would alternatively do if, God forbid, you don't get in anywhere this year? Would you try again next year?

Hey Everyone! Yeah I also was fine until up to 2 days ago. Anxiety is kicking in full gear and like you @intellect954 I'm freaked about not getting in this year because otherwise what in God's world will I do with my life??!! I don't know if I can handle another round of applications for fall 2017. The applying is fine. The waiting, a killer.

Hey everyone! I also was a more obsessive lurker last year than I am this year but starting to get nervous. I applied to 4 schools but I'm absolutely unclear on whether or not interviews are part of the process. The schools I applied to are: Columbia, NYU, Berkeley, and Chicago. I remember last year I was completely shocked when some people said they have interviews at Columbia because the year before that (crazy stalker, I know!) nobody said anything about interviews. Ugh. Do any of you know if these schools always conduct interviews or not? Also, as much as I wanted to, I didn't establish contact with any POIs. Is this a point against me? I just felt really awkward about emailing them when my research topic was rather nebulous and by the time it was focused and concrete, it was already October. I'm rather chill now but anxiety will commence on February 1st on the dot.

Thanks guys that makes feel so much better! There are certainly alternative ways for me to sharpen my application for the next around without going into crippling debt for an MA. Come back to let us know how that first year of grad life is like--as brutal as people say it usually is? All the best to you both with everything!

I totally agree! I guess I just don't foresee myself getting into a Ph.D. without an MA because I've no anthro background and kind of have a sub par undergrad record. I graduated 3 years ago and so if I apply again next year, all my application materials will be quite dated. I have a question especially for those who took a long break between undergrad and Ph.D.-- what did you use as your writing sample? Research you subsequently worked on after finishing school? Or just a revised paper from undergrad? All the help/advice would be much appreciated because I'm epically lost and need to make a decision soon!

Congrats everyone! One question: were any of you admitted to the MA in socio-cultural anthro in lieu of Ph.D. at Columbia? Are any of you at all familiar with the MA program? Is it a bad idea? Too much debt for nothing? Thank you:)

I third the frustration. It's so weird and annoying and just mean.

I don't have any background in anthro so I'm considering just going for an MA but they are tragically unfunded--what do you guys think? Is it worth it to pile up 50K+ loans for an MA in anthro just because you want to go back to school and engage the scholarly environment directly and perhaps figure out if you actually want to go the doctoral route? Or is one better off sticking to their brain-dead job and just reading/learning on their own? Uggghhhh. Congrats to everyone who was admitted this cycle:)

Yeah it seems like they've all been notified but without a clear-cut, slap-in-the-face rejection, my heart just wouldn't let me sever all hope. I wish they could've just told me I've been rejected when I emailed. They just said that faculty haven't yet posted their final decisions. bleh. Or maybe they're going to pull a "you were admitted to the M.A. program instead." May we all be set free a-freaking-sap!

Hey everyone! I'm a long time lurker and all your posts have been such a comfort to me! It's great to know you're not alone with your feelings/thoughts/desperation. I'm wondering if anybody knows if all Columbia admits have been notified? It looks like they have but I'm not getting a straight response from them and I honestly cannot wait until mid-March writhing in agony until they finally tell me I've been rejected. I just want to know and move on!! So does anyone know? I'd be forever grateful if someone can just put me out my misery!