youinreverse

well, that really depends. up to 10 years for a PhD is extremely long in my opinion. I was accepted into a program that has a 5 year track which is something much more suited to my wants. however, it depends on what you wish to research and your POI. i might be willing to forego a shorter track and spend extra time at an institution if i was able to work with say, margaret schoeninger. if everything else is a perfect fit and you secure a good chunk of funding, i'd definitely say don't rule it out based only on that fact. while it is something to consider, your progress will also have a lot to do with factors solely related to you. your specific project, years you need to be in the field, labwork/analyzing, and of course how fast you're able to churn out a dissertation.

CONGRATS! that's amazing. my friend got accepted last year and her POI really had to go to bat for her to get funding, but was able to secure her for 5 years. PhD track runs long there however, sometimes 8+ years. i would definitely contact someone as it's different for each student and depends on the number of individuals they accept any given year.

@striped I know how you feel. I was advised to go straight for a PhD and not waste my time with an MA. After this application round, I definitely wish I would have applied to MA programs. Everyone else has given you really solid advice. Unfortunately, I don't know anything about funded MA programs, but if you have any other questions about experience at the BA level, or how to supe up your CV, let me know. For me personally, I only applied to 3 programs. I have only heard back from one, where luckily enough I did get invited for an interview this weekend. I haven't heard from any other of my prospective programs. So trust me, there is hope!! Try not to think so negatively about your qualifications, which I know is easier said than done. It is absolutely terrifying putting yourself out there when you know others with more advanced degrees are applying for the same spots as you. I have no doubts that you are capable of PhD level research, you have gotten this far. And especially considering all the adversities you have overcome to be where you are right now, you should be tremendously proud of yourself. You are exactly the kind of student any graduate program would be thrilled to have, especially in anthropology.

My friend started her masters program for forensic anthro at Mercyhurst this fall, she loves it! Ask questions about opportunities for students regarding conferences, publishing (co-publishing with students or with professors, etc.), how successful are graduates at securing jobs post-graduation, how many students are able to secure external funding, how many students are usually accepted each year, do many go on to earn PhD's, what classes are available, what are their theoretical focuses, etc. Definitely familiarize yourself with the research of your POI's and ask them questions about specific papers and overarching themes, talk about how your research aligns with theirs, etc. Just make sure to do tons of research on the program itself, the type of research they are doing, etc. Good luck!!!

My POI is on leave this year as well. Still haven't heard anything but I read that 10 students or so were chosen for interviews. We shall see! This waiting is absolute torture.

How did they contact you, if you don't mind me asking? I'm nervous because I applied as well but I just finished up my bachelors in June.....took a year and didn't even plan to get my masters. Pretty much have zero hope of acceptance at this point! lol Im really sorry about the result though, that is such a bummer. It's tough going up against applicants who already finished up a graduate degree. good luck with your other choice schools!