PorchlightPhilosopher

I too am interested in hearing from some current BC phil grads. I feel like with 48 PhD students, they probably have very little time for MA students.

They probably don't want to send out rejections before their spots are all filled. That way, if too many of those whom they accept go elsewhere, they can still make late offers.

Accepted into the Continental Philosophy MA at University College of Dublin!!! Feels good to start off with an offer, but more importantly I have a home!

The first day of February is almost over and it's been quiet... too quiet.

Smoke pot, drink beer, and fish.

I think, at this stage, even an "innocent" question about their work comes across as oily. If a person is interested in their work, there's a good chance they're applying. These people have probably seen this sort of thing before around the time applications are submitted. In this case, I think you're better off being seen (as in your application is simply viewed) and not heard (via email).

Yeah, at this point it might seem... oily.

I'll forward some advice from a professor of mine: Don't apply anywhere you couldn't see yourself attending, and that means spending 5-7 years there. That being said, I can certainly imagine the things you've been told being true. Then again, I'm basing that off of those things 'fitting' the New York (City) state of mind.

...Will they angrily decry us as self-absorbed heathens who are unwilling to follow directions if our writing sample is roughly 1,000 words over in the context of being 8,000 words when "about 7,000" is what is asked for?

Choose, that is, invent.

I don't think anyone would get thrown out of contention with a 157 verbal and 5.0 AW. I am a native speaker and got 160/5.0 and I'm not worried about my GRE affecting me at all. You'll be fine. I really do think students are far too concerned with the GRE. Adcoms are philosophers, not number-crunching Nazis.

I think the GRE just gets you past the first cut... I don't think it can help you, I think it can only totally fuck you in the sense that it can eliminate you off the bat. That being said, I got a 160 on my verbal, 155 quantitative (still waiting on AW score) and I'm not worried about being cut anywhere because of my GRE.

This is a very good point. In addition to my writing sample having much more to say about my continental competency, I think there is also something to be said about analytic philosophers holding a (very) continentally inclined in high regard. Not to mention they've been teaching much longer than the adjunct, so their opinion also probably carries more weight in that sense.

Thank-you for the input, all. It seems that my original question has been answered: no need to send four to schools that specify three (which, seems a bit more obvious in retrospect). The choice is a bit tougher than I may have initially let on, however. The unknown adjunct arguably knows me the best, the only other one who knows me as well would be the very well-known professor in Continental philosophy. The two well-known analytic philosophers I've had only one class with, but they both enjoyed me as a student very much (one offered to write me a letter before I even asked, so I already penciled him in as definite; I also find it good that we agreed on just about nothing in class yet he still has very good things to say about me). The adjunct I've had one class with thus far, but he knows me much better because of things like philosophy club (which the others didn't attend at all), a great deal of time in office hours, as well as a reading group this summer that he organized (the other continental specialist was also involved in the reading group, though he pulled out as the semester neared and he became busier). We've talked at length about various philosophers (not class related) and he's even given me a couple of books. I'm also applying to his alma mater (which is a very well-respected continental program) and a couple other programs where he knows one or two people. Unfortunately, his alma mater is one of the schools that specifies only three letters. We've also talked at length about grad school, and he's even suggested what are now three of the programs which I am very interested in. The other potential option is very well-known, but for work in analytic philosophy (though her course that I took was a special topics course, and the topic was one that I could very much envision continental philosophers being interested in). She's very enthusiastic and is always full of positive things to say, but she's also very busy. My only interactions with her outside of class were at an in-house conference where we spoke at decent length and department events such as lunches or coffee hours. Though a choice must be made, I'm not sure how easy of a decision it is. I very much appreciate everyone's input, but as there is a lot of local knowledge involved in this decision, I may be better off consulting with my one professor (the well-known continental) with whom I'm doing an independent study. Thanks again, everyone!

Greetings all, I have a question and would very much appreciate the thoughts of others on it: I am wondering whether or not is is a bad idea to send four letters of recommendation to schools that specify three letters? Some schools specify three, some 3+, some 3-5, etc. In the same light, some schools want a writing sample of 10-15 pages, some 15-25, some 20-25, etc. From what I've gathered, adcoms generally understand the differences in requirements and aren't bothered by a writing sample that is outside their specific parameters, so would the same apply to sending four letters of recommendation to a school that specified "three" as opposed to "3+"? I have four professors who would write great letters on my behalf, but they all have their unique pros. For instance, I come from a predominantly analytic department and am applying to predominantly continental departments; of the four professors two are continental and two are analytic, three of them are VERY well-known but it is one of the two continental professors who is an unknown adjunct, though he came from a well-respected continental program. It'd be nice to have two writers who are continental philosophers, but it'd also be nice to have three writers who are all very well-known and respected. It'd be nicest to be able to submit letters from all of them to every institution (since I will be asking all four for letters for the schools that specify that they accept more than three), but I also understand how that could be interpreted as pretentious or trying to "cheat" by sliding a little something extra in, and I certainly would rather have to make a tough choice about which writer to be the "extra" than convey any sense of pretentiousness about myself. Thoughts? Thanks EDIT: It occurred to me about 10 minutes after posting this that schools who specify three letters probably have in place some sort of technological safeguard in place (i.e. only have three "upload slots" for letters of recommendation per applicant, so once three professors have uploaded letters for a particular applicant no more can). This may not be the case, and for conversational purposes we should either investigate further or assume it to be not the case, that in fact it is possible for four letters to be uploaded.