G_speed

Welp, got the expected rejections from NYU and Harvard. NYU was just not a very great fit so no surprise there. Some mild disappointment about Harvard, as the fit was actually quite strong, but obviously it is not really a shock. 
Basically, I am waiting to hear back about one admissions decision (where it seems as though I've been waitlisted) and two funding decisions, but fortunately I was admitted to one of my better fitting programs (UCSD) so I'll be happy if that's where I end up. 
Just for those who haven't gotten any admits: this is my third time going through this process. I think it's quite common for it to take multiple applications for this to pan out, and even though it's a brutal process, my willingness to have gone through this process so many times (rather than just losing interest after the first or second) really showed me that this is in fact something I care about doing. So if possible, try and use all this as a litmus test for your commitment to this endeavor. Maybe you find out you're really not that into it and pursue other things that you deem to be more worth your time, or maybe you find that you are, and you use the next 6 months to bolster your application package in ways that make you more attractive to an even wider array of programs (I moved back to my geographic area of interest after my first rejection, which was great for both my application and quality of life). At the end of the day, these outcomes are both ok.   
 
 

Welp, got the expected rejections from NYU and Harvard. NYU was just not a very great fit so no surprise there. Some mild disappointment about Harvard, as the fit was actually quite strong, but obviously it is not really a shock. 
Basically, I am waiting to hear back about one admissions decision (where it seems as though I've been waitlisted) and two funding decisions, but fortunately I was admitted to one of my better fitting programs (UCSD) so I'll be happy if that's where I end up. 
Just for those who haven't gotten any admits: this is my third time going through this process. I think it's quite common for it to take multiple applications for this to pan out, and even though it's a brutal process, my willingness to have gone through this process so many times (rather than just losing interest after the first or second) really showed me that this is in fact something I care about doing. So if possible, try and use all this as a litmus test for your commitment to this endeavor. Maybe you find out you're really not that into it and pursue other things that you deem to be more worth your time, or maybe you find that you are, and you use the next 6 months to bolster your application package in ways that make you more attractive to an even wider array of programs (I moved back to my geographic area of interest after my first rejection, which was great for both my application and quality of life). At the end of the day, these outcomes are both ok.   
 
 

First of all, congrats on the acceptances!
Generally, I would say that you couldn't really go wrong with any of those choices, though of course research overlap is an important factor, and that's something you'll want to figure out just by digging deeper into the specific work being put out by your potential committee members. Without considering your situation in that regard, though, I would go with Stanford. Personally, I think Tanya Luhrmann is one of the best in the business, and it would be massively cool to work with her. You'd also be in good hands med anth-wise with Angela Garcia. I am not very familiar with the med anth folks at UofT and Chicago (though you might want to check out faculty in Chicago's Comparative Human Develoment program, with whom you could potentially work). The Bay Area, while expensive, is generally a really pleasant place to be, so quality of life wouldn't be a problem (I am a Californian, and have reservations of relocating to a bitterly cold part of the continent - a decision that I myself may have to consider). Good luck with your decision!
And while I'm here, I'll throw out a question of my own to the thread: how dissuaded should I be by a program/university that is not very well-represented at all in terms of work being done in my geographic target area? A potential university is -really- strong when it comes to one of my main research areas, but not country-specific scholarship in the place where I would likely be carrying out fieldwork. I am open to potentially pivoting to another country, but this still is a little concerning. What do people think?