skaikru
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Posts posted by skaikru
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Just now, Dialectica said:
Why the sad face? That's a good thing, yeah?
Yeah! It was a painful decision to make! But I should be fine by tomorrow (I hope)!
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2 minutes ago, Dialectica said:
If I may, you should probably decide soon, as your declination will likely result in some significant movement, whichever way you decide to go. That said, I know this is by no means an easy decision.
Hi Dialectica! I have just made my final decision.
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7 hours ago, MickeyRay said:
Let us know what you ended up choosing, please!
I'll most likely choose the MA option.
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Thank you all for your advice!
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6 minutes ago, hector549 said:
UC Davis just offered me admission to their PhD program! Very unexpected, since they told me one day ago that I was rejected..
Congrats!
But what...
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1 minute ago, Glasperlenspieler said:
Was your undergraduate major in philosophy? Was it from a well known university and/or one reputed to be strong in philosophy?
If the answer to both of these questions is yes, then I'd be skeptical about how much your chances will improve with an MA. If, however, the answer to one or both of these questions is no, then I think the MA could have substantial positive benefits for your chances at top PhD programs. There are of course other factors involved here. A spotty undergraduate record may benefit greatly from an MA, and so on.
Yes. No. Yes, I have a spotty undergraduate record although my final two years' grades in philosophy were good.
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20 hours ago, hector549 said:
What do people who know you and your work think? How much work did you put into preparing for this round of applications?
I'm in a somewhat similar position to you. I also got into some strong MAs with funding. I'm on wait lists at two PhD programs. One is in the top 20, the other is #31. I'm considering removing myself from the wait list for the program ranked 31 after consulting with one of my professors who knows my work. Is it risky? Yes, I suppose, but I feel like I have to try.
However, if I am offered admission to the top-20 program, I will certainly take it.
If I were in your position, I might consider accepting the offer, and aiming to apply out after 2 years. It doesn't seem to be extremely common, but I know people do it sometimes.
I think that they think I could do better with an MA. A few months on the writing sample, some last minute studying for the GREs.
I've considered that option before but I'm not sure if I'm comfortable enough to enter a PhD program with a mindset of transferring out.
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18 hours ago, MickeyRay said:
I mean I guess my perspective is different because I'm continental, but I think coming up with original ideas, publishing, and networking is really a huge part of it.
One question that hasnt been brought up yet:
Do you feel ready for a phd program?
Two years is a long time. If you really feel like you could benefit from two years of really learning how to do academic work then the MA would be a good idea. You definitely want to feel ready to kick ass and stand out.
Honestly, no. But I'm not sure if this is just imposter syndrome kicking in early. Yes, I agree with you that going through an MA program first might better enable me to perform well in, and not merely survive, the PhD program.
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6 minutes ago, Duns Eith said:
I am one such person.
Why on earth isn't PGR 20-25 good enough????
Perhaps I should have emphasized that my concern is largely with its placement record, rather than its ranking.
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Anyone here who have turned down, or will be turning down, all their PhD offers?
I've been lucky enough to receive a fully-funded offer from a program whose Leiter ranking is between #20 and #25 (and a couple of fully-funded MA offers from strong MA programs). However, I can't help but to think that if I were to be a little bit more patient and apply again to PhD programs in two years' time, I would have another shot at programs whose placement records are much stronger. One thing to note, though, is that the program in question is one of the top 3 programs in the area of my intended specialization. This last fact is what makes my turning down their offer especially difficult. Any advice?
Edit: FWIW, the MA program that I'm considering almost always places its applying students into the T25 programs (and their equivalent).
Turning down all your PhD offers?
in Philosophy
Posted
One of the best three MA programs in the country. Sorry! I'm a very private person by nature and would prefer to preserve my anonymity.