MickeyRay

What is your primary focus?

Omg girl, haha your stats say otherwise. Having a huge name feminist may have helped, but knowing all of those languages and having a badass writing sample is probably all it took. Also, I am sure there is something to the fact that you had a big name feminist rec and a focus outside of feminist philosophy. It kills me that feminist philosophy is only considered supplemental to other canonical work. I think its dangerous for the discipline.

So from the underground I have been hearing about specifically feminist oriented and "friendly" departments not taking in feminist scholars this season. I was wondering if anyone has experiences to support this and what your thoughts are. I am specifically thinking more so about applicants that are not just women, but interested primarily in feminist philosophy (although you can have other interests too!) and if you have had any trouble selling yourself as a "feminist philosopher." What would this/does this mean for the discipline?

I'll be interested to see how your viewpoints have changed or maintained after visiting. Honestly, I think their grad students are pretty happy.... but I would nto go to a school without a Plato scholar if that's what you wanna study. Especially with so many choices. That'd be silly. However, I have also heard villanova is pretty good for women. Idk about the others. Good luck

Actually, Vanderbilt is the best place for women hands down. From what I've heard.

A lot of my information is hear-say but someone I know presented at a conference at that school (I'm trying not to spread rumors, but I am failing horribly) and was being recruited hard by everyone there.... but apparently female students told her not to come and that it was a rough environment for women. I would definitely consider directly asking the students their about their experiences of gender and the climate of the department. I would encourage this for any student about any program though. (:

Well, since you got into one program so far (Congrats!!) I definitely wouldn't write off a program because of a couple of assholes. Especially since they may just be insecure about incoming kids showing them up (and god forbid if that new all star doesn't even have a penis). Feminist scholar doesn't always translate into good feminist practices, but a good proportion of female students may be okay. Ask them how they feel in the program and ask them how involved they are in feminist theory as well (chicks can be misogynists too). I would be super wary about the girl/guy ratio of faculty moreso than students though. Having female full time profs really does change the way that female TA's and instructors are viewed by students (especially undergrad, but grad as well). If we envision "philosopher" to mean dead white guy then its going to be harder for non-white non-guy individuals to be taken seriously regardless of merit.

@lisamadura and @MVSCZAR

I am formally declining my rejections from: Emory, MSU, Oregon, U New Mexico, and Villanova. Hope this helps someone out!

Maybe theyre going alphabetically?

Anyone else apply to Penn State and not get a rejection?

I did not explode. I wasn't even the person to point it out. I just wanted to talk about your response, because I'm disappointed and interested in collective vs. individual responsibility. I am not saying that as a philosopher you should be forced to do anything. I am saying that as a philosopher that you should know better. The language we use reflects, perpertuates, and performs social injustices. It's also a clear and public way to draw attention to and change linguistic (social) structures. Look at the way that drawing attention to the word "retard" has changed mindsets or what the reclaiming of queer has done. Finally, I would expect a philosopher to actually indulge the idea and read the literature we are talking about before blindly rejecting the position that we have.

This was my next cycle. I should probably go find something else to do now...

Alright. So I'm closing this season with 0 acceptances, 0 waitlists, 11 rejections. I need back up plans. Help?

I'd accept you guys if I had a phd program. Get ready to read a lot of Freud and Irigaray though...

I wish I knew why I am not getting in anywhere...

I saw that post during class and I was so hoping it was gonna be yours. I'm so happy for you

My arm has been up since last year, and its getting pretty tired...

Keep those hands up if you still haven't been accepted anywhere.... ?

I think that this is fair. I would definitely not expect another wave of acceptances, but maybe one or two straggler acceptances coming late in the season (which I think is usually expected). I do think though that it is useful to note that the stragglers might be compounded, because so many schools appear to be accepting the same few candidates. It looks like there are a handful of (rather than the typical one or two) exceptional candidates that really stand out this year , and for that reason I think that things will be a little bit more iffy for a longer period of time. Also, I'd like to point out that one of the terminal MA programs had an issue last year of working their way far down the list (of unusually strong candidates compared to previous years) and due to the fact that they weren't getting responses from people for such a long time they ended up taking people to whom they had previously sent official rejections. So start withdrawing applications or declining as soon as you begin to rule programs out please!!

I mean it doesn't seem altogether like my position will change drastically, but I think that its fair to say that this season overall will be less "finalized" up until the end compared to past seasons. Just from looking at gradcafe, it seems like the overlap of top candidates getting accepted at all of the continental departments is pretty extensive. These departments all seem to want the same (and specific) things (phenomenologists, critical race, etc.). And each candidate can only go to one school! So I may be wrong, but I think that departments may be dipping further into their rejection pile then we've been expecting.

That's a plot twist!

I mean...can't you just leave the PhD after the two years with a masters and go to a different PhD if you're unhappy with your performance/changed interests/think you could get into a higher tier/etc? And yes, a LOT of it is a lottery aspect.

I knew who you were the minute I saw the user name.

Does anyone have any idea about Memphis??