UndergradDad

Looking at 3 different Chicago area Universities and wondering if any of these are in a safer area than the others? They are: Northwestern Loyola Depaul Any input would be appreciated!

Getting the Words Right: Theodore Rees Cheney Not specifically academic writing but covers non-fiction as well as fiction.

Thanks-good to hear! On a related note, how does McGill compare to Toronto overall in program strength, stipend etc?

I know Canadian universities don’t typically offer great funding to American students (or any international students) as far as I’ve heard. I’m wondering if Toronto might be better with funding since I’m guessing they have better endowments etc. Is that the case, or do AmericanPhd students there come out with debt? They have a respected philosophy program so thought it was worth asking.

It sounds like you would be fine for these programs but I will let someone currently in a program answer these questions for you. Best of luck on your journey!

The Phd program requirements I have reviewed did not state a need for fluency upon application for 3 languages for comp lit so I think you may be over-stressing about that, but you may be looking at programs that require that. What programs were you looking at specifically?

Great, good to hear that! Thank you both!

Does your sample paper (especially one written in an MA program) lock you into that AOS once you enter a Phd program? Is it considered a “breach of etiquette” so to speak to change interests once you are in the program?

How safe is the area around Georgetown and also the area around Catholic University of America? I know Washington is listed as high in violent crime but didn’t know if all areas are bad.

For those who get shut out, a funded ( or unfunded if you can afford it) MA is a possibility. The acceptance rates for PhD programs are generally better for MA students than undergrads, and it’s often the case that getting shut out of PhDs happens to undergrads from smaller or more unknown colleges, but they gain acceptance to a funded MA. It’s not ideal obviously, but it can be a way to see how much grad school is a fit for you and how well you might do in a PhD program. 4.0 students, national merit scholars etc all can get shut out of PhD programs. Top law schools base there admissions mainly on grades and LSAT (now also GRE) scores, so you might have been accepted to an Ivy League law school but shut out of all PhDs you applied to, so don’t let it change how you think about yourself and your talent and intelligence.

My thought is: Every year of your PhD ask yourself “do I want to keep doing this rather than something else even if I won’t end up in academia?” and decide if you want to keep at it, keeping in mind that even in grad school there are ups and downs.

Undergrad GPA, even for those going directly into Phd from undergrad, does not seem to matter beyond a certain threshold, and I don’t mean 3.8 or 3.9. Quite a few with a 3.8 and even 4.0 get shut out completely from Phd programs. Undergrad pedigree (meaning also who your letter writers are), and writing sample are far more important, if a perusal of the past results board and comments from previous applicants are any indication.

Thank you!

Hi HomoLudens, thank you. What spreadsheet are you referring to?

Does anyone know if there is a full list anywhere of programs that require interviews (since more do not, hoping someone has gathered that info somewhere).

Thanks Potato Cactus and HomoLudens, your advice makes sense. Much appreciated!

For anyone who got into an MA but not a Phd program and then subsequently got into a Phd program after the MA, did you use the same sample paper you used for the MA acceptance or a totally new one? If you used the same paper, how much did you change it and what steps did you take to improve it? Hoping to hear from someone with this actual experience.

There are no Phd safety schools: that is an undergrad thing. Closest thing to a grad safety school would be an unfunded MA.

Try dividing it into sections so you can focus more easily in smaller bites.

There really isn’t a great up to date list. As Olorin (sorry don’t know how to do the accent mark!) noted, the SPEP guide is a good one, but they list some programs that used to be more continental but no longer really are. What philosophers are you most interested in or what topics? That should be your guide.

I would encourage the OP to look at the placement pages of the Masters programs. If the interest is definitely Continental some of the programs mentioned would not be a great fit, especially noting an interest in Deleuze, Derrida etc. Look at the placements but also the the grad student areas of focus. UW Milwaukee for instance is an analytical program as is Brandeis. Miami of Ohio is a good continental feeder program. There are fewer continental-focused funded MAs so it takes some research. I would also suggest looking at Continental Phd programs and seeing where their students in the Phd programs got their MAs and then cross- reference with the funded MA links.

Also Carnegie Mellon, and guessing MIT although I havent checked that out.

University of Pittsburgh

Personally I would only do that if I were wealthy and not worried about finances or employment at all. Both are difficult areas currently to find employment and unless you get a great scholarship law school is very expensive. But you may be in a situation where that is not a concern.

In terms of acceptance rates, unfunded Masters definitely have higher acceptance rates. For Phd programs, you are usually looking at a 5-10 percent acceptance rate in general, versus some unfunded Masters have 30 percent or higher acceptance rates. Funded Masters are fewer in number so harder to get a good read on those acceptance rates Hope that helps.