The_Last_Thylacine

Honestly, I think you can narrow down your list quite a bit. If you go to any of the solid MA programs - Tufts, NIU, UWM, Brandeis, GSU (in roughly that order?) - you will have a solid shot, provided you perform well, at PGR top 10-20 programs. So, if I were you, I would probably just apply to the terminal MAs and maybe a couple of good but realistic PhD programs, and drop all of the lower-tier ones (BGSU, Washington, ASU, SIU, Kent State, etc.). (Not that those are necessarily bad programs.)
This should definitely not be the case at any of the terminal MAs you're considering, especially not with a good sample and compelling personal statement.
Your wide reading will definitely help you, but I wouldn't, like, attach your reading list to your application or anything. My advice would be to cite the relevant stuff in your sample, and say something modest but informative in your statement about your independent pursuit of philosophy.
I hope this is helpful - please keep in mind that, while I am in a good terminal MA program and thus have some insight into the process (what kinds of people get here, what my profs say, etc.), I have never been on an admissions committee. Good luck!!

It'll hurt your application somewhat, only because it's not likely that your letters of recommendation will be written by anybody whose name carries much weight, to be frank. A sterling letter of recommendation from your CO, attesting to your work ethic, commitment to long-term projects, and intellectual aptitude, is likely to do you more good than a comparable letter from an online professor. 
However, being on active duty in the service is about the best reason one can possibly have for getting their degree from an online diploma mill. It's hard to imagine how this can be held against you, especially if you take care to discuss the point in your personal statement.
Even then, however, top-tier programs will want to see some evidence of successful work at a respected department before they admit you. So your best bet is to invest heavily in applying to terminal MAs: these are much more friendly to students who have nonstandard backgrounds, and they understand that many of their students are applying to terminal MA programs for the purpose of building their pedigree for future applications. 
Tufts has a long record of accepting students from the Army. These are commissioned officers posted to Tufts on active duty before being stationed as instructors at West Point, so their situation is a bit different from yours, but their experience with military students (who often were not undergraduate majors in philosophy, or are six-to-eight years out of school) is a point in your favor. Since Tufts is also the universally-acknowledged best terminal MA in the country, it should be very high on your list.
What is your MOS? It doesn't make a direct difference, but you're more likely to obtain a relevant letter if you work in a rear-echelon capacity than if you are a rifleman, simply because the work is more comparable to academic study. Again, though, being a grunt is about as good a reason to not have experience relevant to academic study as there is, so don't worry about this. 
Since you are only a junior: is there any possibility that you might be able to take night courses at a more well-regarded university during your enlistment? Even just auditing will help, since the important point is to build a relationship with someone who can write you a good letter. 

Wouldn't it be better to just have a google form or an open spreadsheet?
I'd rather not provide all that information (some of which might be sensitive) associated with my username here.
I'm not opposed to making this information available. I'm opposed to providing it in this manner (a way that does not promote useful data organization for analysis;a way that may reduce significantly one's anonymity). Make only a few fields required for submission.

Accepted: Boston University! ^^
Declined: Duquesne, Stony Brook, Boston College, Fordham
And took myself off the waitlist at Villanova. Excited to hear about where everyone ends up!

No, I'm not. Just a family friend who is a professor.

I hope that the April 15th deadline remains intact. I would also implore prospective students not to ask for an extension beyond the 15th to make a decision. If even one school grants an extension, it has the potential to complicate the entire application season for so many other applicants. Ultimately, I'm incredibly saddened that so many people have been/will be unable to visit campuses this season. Prospective students (and so many others) have forgone much in an effort to mitigate the potential consequences of this virus, but I think that sticking to the April 15th deadline is one (seemingly small but incredibly meaningful) thing that we can do to reduce the negative impact of COVID-19. 

Finally got my Berkeley rejection. I apparently made it into 'the last round' of whatever it was that took them so long. That was more of a consolation than I would have expected. 

Yeah, I've never heard of this. A prof will either have the time and willingness to help you, or will not & will tell you so. If they do help you, an appreciative e-mail is all that is expected. Likely, they'd be uncomfortable with anything more 

I don't know for sure, but I've never heard of this practice within philosophy. Sounds like the kind of thing upon which philosophers would frown...

Accepted University of Michigan! 
Declined: Marquette, Stony Brook, Villanova, Boston University, Fordham
Took myself off the waitlist: DePaul, UT Austin, Emory
(and, of course, rejected far, far more places than these)

Oh whoops, already commented this on another thread, but - corona permitting, I'll be heading to Madison, Wisconsin.
And just a quick note for applicants who have either been shut out or are still unsure they'll have a positive decision to make this cycle: everybody's position is different, of course, but this was the third year of applying to schools for me. Thirty-eight other applications before this one finally clicked. So don't get disheartened too soon! ❤️

Post here for offers you either decline or accept. 

Not sure if we have a decisions thread this year (?) but I've accepted my offer at UW-Madison.

As far as I know, no notable school accepts the LSAT in place of the GRE. I haven't looked at the requirements for all programs, obviously, but I've never seen this.

I've removed myself from the wait lists at UT Austin and Johns Hopkins. Hope this helps you sooner rather than later, Reader.

I hope that the April 15th deadline remains intact. I would also implore prospective students not to ask for an extension beyond the 15th to make a decision. If even one school grants an extension, it has the potential to complicate the entire application season for so many other applicants. Ultimately, I'm incredibly saddened that so many people have been/will be unable to visit campuses this season. Prospective students (and so many others) have forgone much in an effort to mitigate the potential consequences of this virus, but I think that sticking to the April 15th deadline is one (seemingly small but incredibly meaningful) thing that we can do to reduce the negative impact of COVID-19. 

(I'm going to treat this thread as a coronavirus-in-relation-to-apps thread, if that's all right.) Is anyone thinking about waiting another year (either re-applying next year or trying to defer acceptance for a year) specifically because of the coronavirus situation? It seems as if virtual school will be the name of the game for the rest of the year...and I could see that negatively impacting the grad school experience. I'm just wondering if anyone has been having thoughts about any of this. (Hope everyone's doing okay!)

I hope that the April 15th deadline remains intact. I would also implore prospective students not to ask for an extension beyond the 15th to make a decision. If even one school grants an extension, it has the potential to complicate the entire application season for so many other applicants. Ultimately, I'm incredibly saddened that so many people have been/will be unable to visit campuses this season. Prospective students (and so many others) have forgone much in an effort to mitigate the potential consequences of this virus, but I think that sticking to the April 15th deadline is one (seemingly small but incredibly meaningful) thing that we can do to reduce the negative impact of COVID-19. 

I hope that the April 15th deadline remains intact. I would also implore prospective students not to ask for an extension beyond the 15th to make a decision. If even one school grants an extension, it has the potential to complicate the entire application season for so many other applicants. Ultimately, I'm incredibly saddened that so many people have been/will be unable to visit campuses this season. Prospective students (and so many others) have forgone much in an effort to mitigate the potential consequences of this virus, but I think that sticking to the April 15th deadline is one (seemingly small but incredibly meaningful) thing that we can do to reduce the negative impact of COVID-19. 

CSULA does have a good placement record, although UNM's is pretty strong into programs I'm most interested in and I believe would be good into other programs I'd be considering (Northwestern, etc.). As far as faculty goes, UNM is very, very strong in most of my areas of interest. It's also a pretty small and new program (they've graduate roughly two M.A. students a year since 2005). 
CSULA hasn't updated placement in a while, apparently because the whole website is being redone at the moment (I emailed and asked). CSU LA's placement is a bit more diverse, which is nice. I'll definitely apply to CSU LA, as it makes pretty good sense to do so. Other schools that already had deadlines but are still accepting applicants... ehhhhh, maybe not. I've got enough options on my plate right now!
I've talked to students at both, and all were highly enthused about their respective programs. I might PM you later!

Hey! I'm a masters student at UWM. 
With respect to political philosophy, UWM is actually pretty strong.
UWM has two professors working in political philosophy: Blain Neufeld and Stan Husi. This translates to what courses we can take as graduate students. Last semester, for example, there was a graduate class being offered on political freedom (with Husi), and this semester there's a class being offered on public reason (with Neufeld).
Your choice is a tough one! I've no idea what's going on political philosophy-wise at Tufts. Your interests might also change over the course of your time there. Still, I hope this helps !
 
 

I am vehemently opposed to paying for an MA in the humanities. Pick a program that pays you, not costs you.

Long time lurker, first time poster...
I went to undergrad at Tufts, but it's been a while since I attended. I really loved the faculty, but my AOI was philosophy of mind. From my perspective it felt very much like the program was oriented around epistemology, mind, cognitive science, etc. There was only one professor who really focused on political philosophy, but he wasn't even in the department, Ioannis Evrigenis, and his only courses were cross-listed with the political science department. I would be skeptical of going there if that was your primary interest. Tufts does have a strong placement record and occasionally sends student to law schools, but it looks like most of its success has been with the core areas of philosophical study. Maybe current MA students would have more information...
Unfortunately I don't know anything about Milwaukee

Has anyone heard anything on BGSU or University of Arizona?

Looking at this department's website like:
If you change your mind, I'm the first in line
Honey I'm still free, take a chance on me
If you need me, let me know, gonna be around
If you've got no place to go, if you're feeling down