Jump to content

Maple1eaf

Members
  • Posts

    3
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Recent Profile Visitors

The recent visitors block is disabled and is not being shown to other users.

Maple1eaf's Achievements

Decaf

Decaf (2/10)

7

Reputation

  1. I had a similar conversation with my undergrad advisor back when I was in my second year. I am currently in a master's program for some perspective. I never brought up my interest early on in eventually applying to phd programs, but my prof could tell i was very intellectually interested in film studies. So when I did eventually tell him, he wasnt surprised though he did give the caveat that he would never advocate for anyone to get a PhD in this academic climate. That said, he has been encouraging and was one of my letter rec writers when i was applying to master's programs. I think after seeing my full intellectual growth, he seems more supportive and encouraging in my interest in applying to PhD programs. I have other friends who are currently in PhD programs and/or just recently graduated, and they've all been pretty honest about the harsh realities of attending. Mind you, they are in top ivy league/ivy league level programs and even then, they seem to paint a very drastic picture of what it means to actually attend. My friend who just graduated from MIT a year ago is currently doing his post-doc in Europe, and he has had trouble getting any job interviews. Like most humanities programs, film studies is very interdisciplinary meaning anyone hypothetically could apply to a PhD program in film studies. One of the professors in my undergrad film department did her undergrad and masters in a STEM related field but ultimately moved to film. This was probably uncommon during her time but not quite so these days. Because of this growing trend of interdisciplinary work in the humanities, we're seeing an influx of applications in nearly every films studies program. And mind you, this is already competitive when the top programs are accepting 3-5 students per cycle. At this point, it really is a big responsibility of the applicant to be as informed as possible of the pros/cons of attending given that a doctorate/graduating from the best program does not equate to receiving a job in academia. But I do think this needs to be stressed. I have not seen this specifically in film studies, but in other forums online, there are always a couple stories of students being in denial of being unable to attain a job in the months after they receive their doctorate. I do question whether these kinds of students were responsible enough to really do their hw and see the harsh reality of academic life...
  2. Maple1eaf

    Fall 2021

    Yes, multiple rounds. Usually some applicants receive interviews in january and then get acceptance in early Feb. There is another uptick in mid February and then again at the end of Feb/beginning of March. This usually happens because programs are trying to gauge how many accepted applicants will immediately respond vs. those they reject/put on the waitlist.
  3. I’ve enjoyed reading the comments on here in as far as it gives light to all the different opinions there are in this given topic. For one, it is telling that those within current programs are not even cautioning us but rather persuading us not to apply. This just highlights how out of touch institutions are to the world. It is sad that future scholars are advising current applicants not to apply. This kind of sentiment is not unique to academia. Lawyers have the highest rate of alcoholism in any profession, yet there are still many people going down that track even knowing the amount of stress and unstable financial return. This probably ties into what the poster above mentioned. We all do certain things for our own reason. Every profession has its exploitative side as well. Does that stop people from doing it? No. There are social workers who are severely underpaid and overworked, yet they still find a reason to help others. Should they get paid more? Yes, without a question. Academia is unique in that it is held up by powerful institutional pillars. And in the past 20 years or so, we've only really seen this institution open up and accept scholars from non-traditional backgrounds. By its design, academia is supposed to uplift a heteronormative, homogenous white space. Because of this, most scholars within undergrad/grad environments don't see beyond these walls. And really, I am talking about the elite of the elite schools. Most people getting into the top schools have been pipelined into getting there, whether it be coming from a top prep school/boarding school, going to a top 30 undergrad, and then getting a place to a top grad school. This is no mistake. Does it erase the amount of work the person experienced to get there? No. But it does put into context when you start having applicants from low-income backgrounds who have faced more adversity on their way to getting to one of these top schools. Many of these new scholars have already realize that though they have achieved a great feat, this degree is still not a means to an end for them. Simply getting a degree from harvard or yale will not make things easier if you are a black or brown phd holder applying to further white institutions. So in this context, it does still feel as though certain ideas echoed here are gatekeeping those same very underrepresented scholars who by design as well have had to overcome many obstacles and jump through similar gatekeepers just to get a similar spot where you stand. I really do believe these underrepresented scholars are the ones who are paving the way in creating a new reimagined institution. With Covid having destroyed nearly every field, it's hard to even gatekeep something we all know is going to majorly change in the coming years if not sooner. Gatekeepers telling certain applicants not to apply because they are being foolish of their career prospects may seem harmless and just "advice", but there are many who do not look at this from that perspective. And we all see how exploitative this profession is even before we get there. From the application process to being a grad student to entering the field. It never ends. But does that mean we accept this cynicism that one should stop trying? These kinds of conversations touch on certain aspects of our current society. And who is facing the discomfort right now? In short, the very same homogenous white space that for the first time ever is feeling the same pressure and discomfort that certain minorities have been feeling for quite a long time now...
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use