oroanthro

Hey there! I think this goes without saying, but a lot rides on which programs you decide to apply to and ultimately attend. I tell everyone who is thinking of applying to anthropology programs to read this article: https://anthrosource.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/aman.13158 Basically, the elite anthropology programs (Chicago, Yale, Harvard, etc) still place their students in good academic jobs. The chances for everyone else are slim to none, and getting slimmer every year as universities eliminate academic jobs. That being said, the elite programs might not have anyone you want to work with. So I think the first thing you need to do is come up with a list of programs you would consider applying to, then look at how successful they are in placing their students. Your decision might already be made for you

Current CUNY student and can confirm the above is true. While certain faculty are "nice," they can't help us with basic things like getting health insurance, which about a third of us don't have. And none of the faculty are being sympathetic or supportive during this pandemic, instead supporting budget cuts and other measures that eliminate our (grad students actually do the vast majority of adjunct work in the colleges) teaching positions, force the library staff to work in unsafe conditions, and make it impossible for international students to obtain visas. Very few are answering emails or doing things like showing up to their students' (zoom) committee meetings. At the same, we are being blamed for falling "behind" this year. Like I said, we have a few really nice people, and the faculty are, as you noted, diverse and working on interesting things. I do feel lucky to have been exposed to such great thinkers. But there is very little in terms of basic structural, financial or emotional support for students. Happy to message in private if you're still considering it.

Hi there, I just wanted to second what amlyn above says--there is much more weight given to your personal statement and your interview. I don't think I heard admissions committee members mention GRE scores once last year.

Have you checked out the work of S Low at CUNY? She and a number of others work on urban space, and there are a lot of people (including D-A Davis) who work on gender.

Hi there-- I don't have answers to your questions, but I do have suggestions as to how to find those answers. If you tried these already, my apologies. First, who are the scholars whose work resonates with you the most? Where do they teach and what do they teach? That should give you a list of universities, disciplines and programs. Which of these seem most interesting to you? Psychology is going to have a very different approach (and set of graduation requirements) from, say, anthropology or history. If there are no academic scholars whose work interests you, we might be in a pickle

I agree with your sentiment wholeheartedly. But--and I hate to say it--but I don't think we will find such a society in anthropology or archaeology--perhaps not anywhere in academia. Have you read The Professor Is In's blogpost on sexual misconduct? She outlines the way university policies are designed to protect harassers and abusers. If not, I would look at and bookmark the google doc she put together, then check it frequently to look for hints as to people/programs to avoid. At my own program, a professor who assaulted his students was allowed to attend an event on Friday night--one that first and second year students were technically required to attend. The New York Times and (I believe) the New York Post have both published extensively on the situation, and yet our school as an institution and our faculty in particular refuse to address his continued presence at our events and in our classrooms. We had no choice but to sit in this room with this man for two hours. Abuse in the academy is rampant.There isn't a single society, school or journal where this sort of garbage doesn't happen. We (people with morals and spines, allies of survivors, and survivors all) need to keep each other safe and not trust institutions to take care of us. The institutions are products of a patriarchal system and will be fine no matter what happens to us--if you decide not to go to SfAA or associate with the powerful people there, you will be the one to face the consequences. Not SfAA! Be careful out there!

I agree with the poster above--Hawai'i is not a well known anthropology program. You should check out Karen Kelsky (the professor is in blog) and read about her experiences coming out of Hawai'i--it was pretty traumatic. The status of their program has not changed since she left. Also, if you intend to apply to PhD programs in anthropology, it helps to have letters of rec from anthropologists connected to the top anthropology programs.Most people do not stay in the same program from MA to PhD, so I don't think you have to worry about "ending up" in the same place for 5+ years. It's perfectly reasonable to leave for another program in the same university or another university altogether. That being said, you need to think about your whole self. It sounds like you might actually want to move to Hawaii because they will fund you, you like the community around the university, it's Hawaii and it's beautiful, and you might be more inclined to stay for either a job or another PhD program in another field. Those are important factors! Ithaca is cold, it's isolated and while upstate NY is beautiful, it's not very diverse or welcoming. I could be reading into your post too much, but it sounds like you can't imagine making a home for yourself there. What's more, as someone who has settled for an unfunded degree and deeply regrets it, I can say that funding matters. If you take the unfunded route, you will be paying a lot of money to basically fund the kids in the PhD program, get ignored by your faculty (who will focus on those PhD students) and at the end of it all, have to leave for elsewhere. Funding signifies a university's willingness to invest in you and your future. Weigh out all your options carefully! Good luck with the decision!

I think this is a huge red flag and points to more than disorganization. Sending emails out late, no clear leadership, having a messy office, etc--that's disorganization. A strained relationship with the administration? How are you supposed to get external funding or permission to host events? What if you need your department's assistance in working something out with the university? Also--How can the "content" of a program be a good fit apart from the people who constitute the program? If the older generation are being forced to retire and the newer faculty can't seem to find a way to stay? Are the faculty you want to work able to stay? Do you really want to commit to a program that may not be able to commit to your project?

Hmm. It doesn't sound desperate--there are a lot of people here pointing out the negatives (as well they should) so you are trying to weigh your options. I get it. I GUESS if I had to say something, it is that you can take courses with really great instructors and meet really good people, keep up with current discussions in your field, etc while you apply to other programs. And hopefully get into another program. But as I believe someone above mentioned--you might not get the same attention as phd students, so you might not make those great connections you need. I personally find that in general faculty here are very nice and feel terrible but also powerless regarding the institutions funding and how the burden gets shifted to students. I would think they would give you the time and attention you deserve (after all, the only ones who know you are an MA student are the ones on admissions) but it is not a guarantee. It's a lot of money and a lot of risk. I know this is rough and I feel for you. Good luck with your decision!

Yes, I'm a student here--a friend works in one of these high-powered offices that approves these sorts of things. As the person above mentioned, it's a cash cow program. We are all well aware of it.

I'm not in philosophy but have heard about this new tactic some of the CUNY programs are going to try. They don't have an official MA--you come to the PhD program for three semesters and write something and go. It's a way for them to keep their attendance high so they can hire more faculty and offer more classes to their PhD students without having to shell out more money--their justification is: it's CUNY, we broke! Donnnnn't do it.

Current CUNY student here. It is not unusual to get off the waitlist (I did) but it is rare to get the GCF. My advice is not to email the chair of the adcomm because he will not give you your ranking on the wait list (everyone in my year and the year ahead of me received the same line "I think there is a good chance that you will get admitted with a GCF"or something like that--literally word for word, copy and pasted--and none of us did. There doesn't seem to be variation based on international/US based--they actually have a really complicated ranking system. I do have one friend who is in their fourth year who did get a GCF off the waitlist, though--so it does happen. What's more, the adcomm receives a lot of those emails and it annoys them. If you do interact with anyone at CUNY, be positive, say you are thankful to be considered and above all, be honest with yourself and them regarding your ability to handle a tuition-only admission. Tuition only is ROUGH. You can message me privately here if you have specific questions. I know how tough your situation is and really only found support here in the form of a current CUNY student I met on gradcafe. I'm trying to pay it forward this year

That's what I did too, and for much the same reasoning (older, limbo state, etc) but still wish somebody had told me about the less obvious pains of unfunded-ness. Now, even though I'm upset, I'm focusing on being the best damn student I can be: always participating, submitting everything on time, engaging my professors outside the class, and working a ton of side gigs or money. That way, if/when I ask for letters of rec and support, people will give them to me willingly. So whatever you do, however it makes you feel, just remember-- you are not alone in this situation! Best of luck, again, and my apologies for the unbridled wave of bitterness earlier.

Sorry if it came off a little harsh. I sometimes wish someone had been super blunt with me regarding the emotional and psychological toll of the unfunded position. I am constantly feeling less worthy of my funded peers--even though I'm getting better grades than a few of them. It's turning me into a mean, bitter person, I think. Please know I am cheering for you and hoping that you get everything you deserve.

a couple of things: 1. This field is not really that new, and the standards re: methods are not really that fluid. Sociocultural has been floating around since the 1800s (the first PhD program was established in 1899, I believe) and draws on authors from the Enlightenment and beyond. Considering how many new PhD programs are added to universities across the world every year, I think of sociocultural anthropology as old school at this point. There are of course, new subfields cropping up all the time (as someone above mentioned). I would suggest reading up a bit more on these to see what interests you before before considering the rest. 2. Your writing sample should be a conference paper (or the equivalent) that shows both your theoretical reasoning and your application to fieldwork. People of course get admitted without conference papers all the time--for example, an undergraduate research paper will also do. The point is, your ability to demonstrate both are equally important. 4. Fit. Is. Everything. If you want to talk about interdisciplinary experiences and goals in your statement, then you have to look for programs that support it. Specifically, find faculty that do the work you are interested in and email them about your research interests. Set up a time to talk. See if this is really for you. Good luck.

Agree with respondent above: there is, generally speaking, no such thing as a NSA funding package. If you are guaranteed RA or TA position every year, that is pretty standard. If, however, this is a truly unfunded position, I would advise you strongly against taking it. I, like you, was an older applicant on my second go around the PhD application merry go around. I decided, much to my regret, to take an unfunded offer (because #reasons). The truth is, it's not an opportunity. It's exploitation by the university disguised as an opportunity. Rather than pay for actual TAships, which usually come with things like health care (something to look into, by the way), they will get you to adjunct a class or three a semester at about half the rate, without health insurance or other benefits, and convince you to feel "grateful" for the opportunity. I know how terrible it is to be older and feel like your dream is slipping away from you. But the university is going to keep taking from you--taking time, energy, passion, emotion--on the basis of that dream until you are all used up, then discard you without so much as a non-TT position at the end to help you alleviate the massive financial debt or emotional damage you will accrue.

Current CUNY student here. Yes, they are behind schedule, and yes, you can be rejected after an interview. And no, they do not have an exact date yet. Hang in there!

I don't know if the aesthetic will appeal to you, but I love LL Bean bags. We got the backpacks when we were younger because you could walk home in an snowstorm backwards and your books would be fine. Their canvas totes are roomy, sturdy and easy to wash. I hope you find what you are looking for!

Agreed. Most programs have certain prerequisites that they urge you to take in order (for example, intro to theory or history of theory followed by contemporary theory). My advice: If you do find a program that lets you start in the spring semester/January, be sure to ask them how frequently people start with the spring semester (if it's very common, great. If you are the first one....not great) and what resources they have to help you compensate for missing those critical first-semester classes.

Oh, you are in a tough spot I would like to tease this out a bit because I think so much depends on other factors--some of which you hint at here. For example, you call Case your "dream school" and "dream program" but your admission to Alabama tells me that you did not focus exclusively on mph/phd programs this year. So what makes Case the dream? Is it just that it has a nice option of doing two degrees at once, as you suggest earlier in your post? Are there other programs which offer this option to which you could reapply next year? Are you able to wait a year, working on a publication or conference paper, and try again? If so, is it worth it to risk doing two degrees over multiple years with zero funding--or worse, getting as far as you can with zero funding, leaving with a terminal MA that you could have gotten elsewhere, and reapplying again while thousands of dollars deep into debt? Or is this your second or third time applying and you feel that this is the best offer you are going to get? Also, is the MA program at Alabama the kind of program that is going to get you into a better PhD program in two years? Is it well ranked in your subfield or area with a record of placing people in good PhD programs? Lastly, and most importantly, which school has the better advisor fit or lab group for you? What do your POIs at each program have to say? I had written a paragraph with my two cents but after noticing that the last bit (about the advisors) was missing, I decided I should probably hold back. I know you know this and I do not mean to lecture you in any way, but finding people that you are excited to work with is the perhaps most important part of any PhD program. That you didn't mention them so far makes me wonder what, besides finances and convenience, is pushing you towards either program. Perhaps the advisors at both programs are equally wonderful? But how? Just wondering.

I know the feeling! And you didn't sound selfish or anything, just really nervous. Good luck with your move and congratulations on your acceptance!

This is completely normal. As long as someone confirmed that they got your acceptance, you are fine (You did get an actual confirmation that they received your acceptance, right...?). Do not panic! They probably do not have anything like course offerings, teaching assignments or dates for new student orientations nailed down yet. They probably will not have any of that ready for you for another month at the minimum. It has nothing to do with you or how much they do/do not want you there. Furthermore, those details have nothing to do with your move across the country. You can and should start planning now without waiting to hear from your advisors or the department. If you need help figuring out the next steps for your big move, there are some really great boards here at grad cafe with plenty of helpful advice.

I had to switch advisors, so I understand a bit of your anxiety--though my circumstances were very different from yours and the support I needed was in a very different area. I find that faculty get a little (or a lot) frustrated when students come to them with open ended complaints and no specific request or plan of action. It's not that they are rude or don't care about you. They just don't know what to do for you if you can't identify what it is you want from them, so they make you wait until they have an opening in their schedule big enough to untangle your problems with you. If you can go to your advisor and say something like "I need ten minutes of your time to talk about x, y and z ideas" or "I would like feedback on these specific areas of the proposal, but I am also considering switching to this other topic and I have prepared an abstract of that potentially new proposal right here for you" you are more likely to get the concrete feedback that you crave. Nebulous, unconstructed commentary like "I feel I am not getting supported" results in equally nebulous, unhelpful responses. To answer your other question, some faculty get touchy if you recruit a new advisor before you talk to them. Others don't care. This would be something to ask of the other grad students in your department. You don't want to offend your current advisor (and chair of your department) by announcing that you found someone else before you've even had a chance to clear the air with her, but you also don't want to waste her time. It really depends on the faculty member and your relationship with her. Good luck!

I want to second what rising_star said. Most MA programs (especially in anthropology and related fields) don't have that much funding for summer research. A lot don't fund at all! I funded both of my MA theses with grants related to what I wanted to do--for example, arts councils, oral history, folklore and language grants, plus additional grants to pay for transcribing and archiving my interviews. For my first MA, I got hired by a cultural/human rights organization near the community I was working with, which not only helped me financially but also let me practice applying anthropological solutions to real world issues. At my second program, I found that the Graduate Student Senate had small travel grants available every year that covered all of my summer travel and conference expenses. (By the way, that second MA was supposed to be a fully funded PhD but the department "lost" its funding for cultural anth students halfway through my program...proof that even the best funding offers are not guaranteed). I guess my point is this: think outside the anthropology department box for funding! Finally, if your goal is to go on to a PhD, you should get used to applying for different grants, awards and fellowships now. Knowing how to find and apply for funds constitutes an important set of skills that will be valuable to you for the rest of your academic career. As you go forward, I think you'll find that even those programs or offers that are "fully funded" will give you just enough money to live on. It is really important to know how to state and restate the importance of your research for different audiences all the time and to constantly be on the lookout for new opportunities to fund your research or make your life a little easier.

No, I did my undergrad here in New York. I went to Oklahoma for grad school and can't say enough terrible things about the place. That being said, I ultimately was the one who made the decision to go there, so I think I'm apprehensive about choosing programs this time around. I messed myself up so badly last time by picking OU. This time I'll be asking for plenty of advice and input from other students and this forum before sending out applications and making decisions. I noticed you are in NJ. Will you be attending Rutgers or another area school in the fall?