anthropologygeek

Grad school means priority: research>publications>adviser projects>classes>assistantship. Research and publications is how you get jobs and a job with your adviser contacts/recommendations. So if this means you don't sleep for say two nights so be It. It's gad school. About half of all students drop out. I fact I came in with 4 other students with my adviser and there's only two of us left. If your having trouble now reevaluate where your time is going because next year year you will at at least be putting together your reading this for comps, and the comps animal is much worst than any class load could ever be

Grad school means priority: research>publications>adviser projects>classes>assistantship. Research and publications is how you get jobs and a job with your adviser contacts/recommendations. So if this means you don't sleep for say two nights so be It. It's gad school. About half of all students drop out. I fact I came in with 4 other students with my adviser and there's only two of us left. If your having trouble now reevaluate where your time is going because next year year you will at at least be putting together your reading this for comps, and the comps animal is much worst than any class load could ever be

Grad school means priority: research>publications>adviser projects>classes>assistantship. Research and publications is how you get jobs and a job with your adviser contacts/recommendations. So if this means you don't sleep for say two nights so be It. It's gad school. About half of all students drop out. I fact I came in with 4 other students with my adviser and there's only two of us left. If your having trouble now reevaluate where your time is going because next year year you will at at least be putting together your reading this for comps, and the comps animal is much worst than any class load could ever be

I have a lot on my spreadsheet -- over 15, but I know I have to cut some off the list.  I'm concerned because I am geographically limited and also coming from outside the discipline, so I feel like I have to apply to ALL the schools within a reasonable distance.  I am going to try and cut it down to 12, because I'm not sure about fit and my ability to juggle so many apps!  Still, I don't think 12 is excessive.  With funding being the way it is, and schools taking very few students from large applicant pools, why take a chance on 5 when you can increase your odds with 12?  It costs more to apply, but if your goal (like mine) is to be SOMEWHERE by fall, then it might take that many applications...

I wouldn't put it on my cv. It makes it look like you don't have any relevant stuff so your trying to cv pad. I once saw where someone in a phd program had their high school diploma on their cv. You can have whatever but I save my cv for peer reviewed publications, awards and fellowships I have received, relevant experience aka teaching courses at junior college, my bachelors and masters degrees.

I wouldn't put it on my cv. It makes it look like you don't have any relevant stuff so your trying to cv pad. I once saw where someone in a phd program had their high school diploma on their cv. You can have whatever but I save my cv for peer reviewed publications, awards and fellowships I have received, relevant experience aka teaching courses at junior college, my bachelors and masters degrees.

No, there is not a MA thesis requirement, since as someone pointed out, the MA and PhD programs work together. There is instead a very rigorous MA exam (72 hours and roughly 45 pages of writing, which is about what most MA thesis page counts are). Adding a thesis requirement would not only force students to stay in the program longer (given the reading and writing demands of classes), but would also be useless for those who are going to get a PhD anyway, either at NSSR or elsewhere. Yes- not all students who do the MA will get into a PhD, but that is not a guarantee at ANY anthropology MA program and at all the others there is no funding and students are generally treated like second-class citizens next to PhD students. At NSSR, virtually all students get some degree of funding guaranteed for two years, plus many also get RAs and TAs in their second year. If you only applied to MA programs or did not get into PhD programs, you have much better chances for getting into them coming from the New School than from other anthropology MA programs. Finally, if you do get into PhD programs elsewhere, you can usually transfer at least a year of credits, and can often negotiate for more, but you come in with a leg-up since other students will tend to have much less developed projects and know less about the state of the art in the field. If you're comparing the potential PhD at NSSR versus acceptance into a PhD elsewhere, you should definitely take the bird in hand, as they say. However, if you are comparing the NSSR MA to an MA in anthro anywhere edlse, NSSR is a better bet unless you get superior funding, which is highly unlikely at Columbia, Chicago, NYU, LSE, etc.

Radio- I am perfectly happy even though I second guess myself all the time.

I just wanted to add no matter where you choose you'll always have second thoughts even a few years later like me? It's the curse of having multiple offers.

Sweet pearl-I'm at a relative new phd program and at least one student under my adviser has gone on to a tenure track job after the first five years of the program. So I don't think it matters how young a program is as long as the reputation is there with the adviser

I could not find my old one so I decided to start a new one. This is just what worked for me plus what I wished I would of known when I applied:
1. Do your homework on where you should apply. Only you can judge if you fit into a program. I recommend going to the results page, sort alphabetically, and going to every school website and seeing what each prof does there. And then look at any other school you can think of.
2. Once your list is done, you should know what each school requires, or recommends which is the same,on the gre and study to obtain that. For masters almost all require 1000 and above and phd they almost all require 1100 and above. There are exceptions, some require lower and a lot of schools require even higher. These scores should be a minimum to you to strive for. Every school I looked at had this info online, some where just a lot easier to find than others.
3. You can make contact through email if you like. I have been accepted to programs I never even emailed and rejected from programs I visited and vice versa so it's up to how you feel. There is no right answer. However, I do recommend you visit your top 3-5 schools. My top choice when applying to phd programs got eliminated and I didn't even apply to it afte I visited. Just think if I never visited and got accepted and went there. I would of been miserable. Not all schools are the same and you won't be happy at everyone.
4. Recommendations should come from your field for phd. Most anthropology profs have no idea of profs from different fields. Plus if your applying to phd programs you should have no problem getting three awesome recommendations from anthropology profs. Master hopefulls might be different. I know I got into 3 of the 5 programs I applied to with only 2 anthropology profs and 1 prof from a different department. Also, if any prof has any hesitation doing it move on, it won't be a great one and your chances of being successful in the bid goes down. In today's market all three should be great ones. Most profs won't come out and say no but they will say, well I'm busy I don't know if I have time or maybe you might want someone who knows you better. If you get a response like that move on to a new one.
5. Personal statement should be awesome. This is one of the few things in the app you can control. You will become OCD about it because you have the control of it. This can make or break you. I know profs who will accept or reject people solely on this. Try to not have spelling or grammar errors. Have non anthropology friends read it for you. Have profs read it for you. But remember take the profs advice with a grain of salt. What works for one doesn't work for others. But they will correct any grammar mistakes for you. But then again I know profs who put little weight on this. Like I said every prof is different.
6. GPA should be above three for all programs and above 3.5 for most. But this is already done for you.
7. Transcripts are costly at some schools cheap at others. If only I knew I should of factored this in where I went. My undergrad required 50 dollars per transcript while my masters school is free. You should send them out way ahead of time, then a month before the deadline call or email the grad secretary and MAKE sure they have it. I had to resend one last minute because the school claimed they never got it.
8. I always made sure my apps where in way ahead of time. Doing this allows you to check with the school and make sure they have everything. I never wanted to et rejoiced or never hear from a school due to some clerical error or something being missing.
9. Have fun. Your signing up to have no life for the next fiveish years. You control where you apply. Right now you have some control. You won't have control again until the spring. Enjoy it.
10. Once the app is in and you checked they have everything try to forget about it. Try not to stress about it. Now I know this is impossible and everyone will stress about decisions and I am so glad I done applying to programs for the rest of my life. Man it is stressful.
11. Decisions time is even more stressful. What if I chose wrong? Your have these doubts forever I think. I know I still wonder wht if I accepted a different offer. If possible I wouldn't make it about money. Now if your 100k in debt it might be different but I find you can find funding within 6 months and any school. It might be more effort than being handed funding, it does excist. And sometimes you get better funding opportunities than the people just handed it. Also, funding has nothing to do with how much an adviser wants you and everything to do with the politics in the department, I know departments who will never fund certain profs students. So to say if you don't get funding right away the prof really didn't want you is not correct. Plus how much is funding worth in the grand scheme of things. If it meant you made 40k less a year in your career was the 100k worth it when it really cost you 300k in a ten year Span.
Good luck everyone an I hope everyone reading this gets accepted by the program you want.

I don't know for your subfield but I know for mine, my current non ivy school will get me the better job than an ivy school would but I think it may be case by case basis

Panicattacks in my interview they said they said they had 18 finalists for a total of 6-7 spots. This is socio-cultural and medical anthro.

I remember when I was applying 3 years ago. I was so unsure about everything. Since I have obtained some insight into the process and thought I would share to hopeful.

1. Start early and stay organize. Know who you recommenders are for each school (yes some schools require different numbers of recommenders) and how much the application fee is. Along with transcripts, personal statements, writing samples, and anything else they require. I found doing a spreadsheet was most beneficial. It along me to stay organize and have one less thing to freak out about. Make sure you don't miss the deadlines.

2. Should you visit before applying? I got into some I didn't visit and I got rejected from some I visited. It mainly depends on the program but they won't tell you. So when in doubt, visit especially if it is your first choice.

3. Personal Statement and writing samples are the only thing fully in your control. Spend some time on them, and make them the best and unique to every school you apply to.

4. Emailing them to see if they are taking students. If you don't do this by the end of the month don't worry about doing it at all since by then you should of already started applying to the school. Also, with this economy I would be shocked if any school said they weren't taking students since they need the Application Fee. They might not be taking students but they might is how they justify it. Also, they have no idea who they are taking until they see all the applicants so don't get to low or to high based solely on the email before the decision can be made.

5. School secretaries have no role in the decision. It will take as long as it does. This site can give you a good idea when to expect it based on past years but it does vary. Maybe one prof is on sabbatical and holding up the decision. Generally someone else on this site applied to the same school and will post on the results page. This will allow you to be ready for it.

6. People lie on this site. Human nature is to stretch the truth in both their profile, their results, and any inside information. Relax when someone post something you don't like until it is either proven right or wrong.

7. LUCK plays a role a lot. How is someone suppose to really decide between two equal candidates? They accept one and not the other. I hope everyone here gets into the school of their dreams and are happy once there. I remember the anxiety I experience and I am sorry each of you will be going through it, but I ensure you it is worth it when you are at the right school.

Also, does anyone know what the deal is with that Berkeley rejection?
 
Have more people gotten these or just the one person?

Lapp- I geuss a student one prof rejected cornered them at the conference and starting balling their eyes out and made them very uncomfortable.

Lapp- asu has contacted people both ways according to results board so if you haven't heard I'm pretty sure your on their unofficial wait list since I know they have one because when applying for masters I was accepted off of it in march. OSU generally does mid-late feb and MSU generally sends out results the last week of febuary due to profs not liking confrontation at conferences. When I was applying to phd programs, UNLV contacted me first week of march through email about an acceptance, which I had to turn down. UNLV also sends the acceptance throug snail mail but mind you the was a few years ago.

Just started a new thread on interviews!  Might be useful for future applicants as well to have the information on hand.

Well, where your parents went to college has nothing to do with your app so I would leave that out. And yes you should generally know what you want to do for your thesis.

My school is in the process of review and should be sending out replies why end of the month if their history is any indication.

Actually this was a nice letter by your department. I put in about 80 hours and my free time is spent reading up on the literature. 2 articles should be the min. Everyone should thank your department for this letter and it shows they care about your future. If they didn't care they wouldn't of sent it. But to get jobs this is what it takes and you think it gets easier after school? A phd should be your passion and should always be on your mind. Even when I'm not working I'm thinking about my subject

Actually this was a nice letter by your department. I put in about 80 hours and my free time is spent reading up on the literature. 2 articles should be the min. Everyone should thank your department for this letter and it shows they care about your future. If they didn't care they wouldn't of sent it. But to get jobs this is what it takes and you think it gets easier after school? A phd should be your passion and should always be on your mind. Even when I'm not working I'm thinking about my subject

Actually this was a nice letter by your department. I put in about 80 hours and my free time is spent reading up on the literature. 2 articles should be the min. Everyone should thank your department for this letter and it shows they care about your future. If they didn't care they wouldn't of sent it. But to get jobs this is what it takes and you think it gets easier after school? A phd should be your passion and should always be on your mind. Even when I'm not working I'm thinking about my subject

Actually this was a nice letter by your department. I put in about 80 hours and my free time is spent reading up on the literature. 2 articles should be the min. Everyone should thank your department for this letter and it shows they care about your future. If they didn't care they wouldn't of sent it. But to get jobs this is what it takes and you think it gets easier after school? A phd should be your passion and should always be on your mind. Even when I'm not working I'm thinking about my subject

Most guys were Jean and a t-shirt.