Philodoxia

I should mention something about NIU. Even if you don't get in with a graduate assistantship, your expenses will be far lower than if you got into Tufts, the BPhil, and it will be comparable to getting minimal funding in the form of an assistantship from GSU or VTech. People who go to NIU shouldn't be paying more than $6000 a year in rent and utilities. It's more likely to be $4500. I pay around $3900, though I'm guesstimating. Fees are about $2400 a year after the tuition waiver. So if you get the tuition waiver, your expenses will probably be less than 12k a year. And that's part time job + small school loan money. But if you get an assistantship, you'll actually be making more money than you spend as a full time student! But let's say you get an assistantship, half or full time, at another MA program where CoL is much higher. You might not be able to cover most of the expenses unless you have a tuition waiver and the funding definitely exceeds CoL. So if you think not getting an assistantship at NIU is a deal-breaker, though you got a tuition waiver, do think again!

UW-Madison is well known for overworking and underfunding its students. But it's a well ranked school because PGR doesn't take that into account. Arizona's the same way. They offer very little. But it's highly ranked -- again, because faculty there are top notch. It is true, however, that some prestigious departments around high cost areas do fund very well. But even then it's not that great. I'm being given the "average" you think departments offer and, tbh, though it's great, a big chunk of it will go to housing and that's disappointing.

Anyone waitlisted at Amherst yet? No postings on the gradcafe, though Amherst usually sends out their waitlists right after their admissions.

Did UCSD send out waitlists, or perhaps they're not doing that this year? They seem to usually do it the day after they announce admissions.

Has more than just one heard back from UM-Amherst?

"It is also worth pointing out that UC San Diego Philosophy does not operate with a waitlist (as do some other programs); this makes our acceptance rate appear slightly higher than programs that do." From the horse's mouth. So now I'm not confident in my belief. Or maybe they just need to update their website.

It looks like they changed their application deadline to January 19th this year. Though I am sure it was January 2nd. In any case, this might be the reason why they're taking long. Though I hardly understand it. Moreover, it seems like there are just a lot of applicants this year to programs. Or so I've been told from many programs similarly ranked to UCSD. Here's hoping they come by the end of this week. I am expecting the same for UM-Amherst. Worth mentioning is that UCSD departs from the tradition of having an explicit waitlist. They'll probably offer admission to more than usual in the belief that some might not come, even though they'd really want them to.

My predictions: We'll hear back from Amherst by this Wednesday. I bet today. We'll hear back from UCSD by Friday. My money's on phone calls tomorrow,, though.

Speaking of pointless anxiety, anyone know anything about either UCSD or Notre Dame? The former's usually released earlier than this week, whereas the latter should come out by next week.

My impression is that the Philosophy Department is strong in foundational epistemology and applied epistemology, early analytic philosophy (From Husserl to Wittgenstein), with specific strengths in (analytic) phenomenology (David Smith) and the epistemology of Moore and Wittgenstein (Coliva & Pritchard). But I am only confident in these assessments. It may display strengths in other areas, but I am not competent to judge that strength's intensity.

Frankly, let's be more specific. If you're reading this, and you think you will be applying for graduate schools next cycle, I highly recommend you do these things: 1. . You want a federal tax return or status form that shows you didn't make a lot of money this year. You send these to schools and, in the hopes that the admissions officers won't stow away your information to ruin your financial identity in the future, you'll receive a fee waiver almost immediately. 2. Apply for an LSAT fee waiver. These are much easier than GRE fee waivers to acquire. Obtain this with your tax return, and use it as further evidence that you qualify for waivers from other reputable academic institutions. Some schools don't accept tax returns. Strangely, however, they provided fee waivers when I showed them this. 3. Earlier in life, I remember that my mother often mentioned or showed that she received food stamp benefits in order to prove that she was low income. For some schools that won't accept tax returns or fee waivers, but need other (government) documented proof, this often suffices. 4. https://www.btaa.org/resources-for/students/freeapp/introduction This one gets you fee waivers for a lot of programs. There's no verification process. And if you're worried you don't qualify, just lie. If this seems unpalatable, then just imagine being a professor and having to tell two bright students, one who got an A-, and another an A, that there's really a strong, robust reason for the minor difference in their scores that may impact their future. And then realize that we often lie. Good luck all!

In total, I paid less than three hundred USD to apply to twelve schools. Nine of these schools waived my application fee. I was reimbursed for my GRE expenses by a third party, public interest group.