studyordie

Regarding philosophy I have so much more to learn that it's hard to get my bearings in the field, however, from where I am it seems Georgia St. is big on German philosophy whereas (and I don't think I mentioned this) I'd like to become conversant in contemporary French philosophy (phenomenology, immanence vs. transcendence in ontological debates, the gift, etc. ...). Please correct me if I'm wrong. To that end I've come to be interested in Memphis, Kent St., and Duquesne. American looks less interesting but would be geographically convenient. At the same time, entry into an actual Ph.D. program would at least allow my wife a glimpse of the light at the end of the tunnel so I'm plugging away at the apps on my list and have added Vandy. Vandy has absolutely the most considerate application arrangement I've run into, it is much appreciated. If I may wine for one moment, it appears UVA does not send out its recommendation emails until you submit the on-line app. What idiot thought that up?

Thanks deamondeac, not to be the theology student on the philosophy forum but I did pray beforehand. I didn't see the how did you prepare question. I had a crap load of books (Kaplan comprehensive, Princeton "Cracking...") and I also went to snipe.com and downloaded some mostly older material that people from southeast Asia and India will scan and then upload (it's all free). The best thing that is there is the "Big Book" verbal tests that go for like 150$ on half.com (you don't need the quant b/c its old and it's way harder now), my buddy bought the current ETS book and he said it is the same thing, but you get more tests with the Big Book. A good vocab tool I think is dictionary.com's archives of their "word of the day." Some of them are way out there but if you've already got the Barron's list down it is a good place to keep working (Barron's list is on snipe.com). Snipe.com also had GRE NOVA, and I thought their quant stuff was very helpful because it is hard, yet realistic. If you do start downloading stuff from that website run virus checks on everything before you open it and stay away from executable files (I came across some bad ones), but then again if I had to tell you that your computer is probably already screwed.

That's interesting information regarding Chicago, the guy I know that did a one year MA there is in church history, and that was a few years ago now. I also found out today that Duke has a Master's through the religion department that their website says can be completed in one year. I definitely see your point with the philosophy master's, it sounds appealing to be more fully conversant in contemporary philosophical conversations before going on to the next level, but I'd also like to get a job (read, my wife would like me to get a job) before I'm 40. I heartily agree that the "postmodernism" discussed in many practical ministry courses is nauseatingly inane, that segment of my M.Div. education is the weak spot in my current program's curriculum, and I would argue they're usually describing more of an ultra-modernism than anything else (and even then it's not described very well). UVA has Kevin Hart. He publishes a good deal in the field I'd like to move into (philisophical theology). They also have a good Patristics faculty and one of their NT guys told my buddy they are looking for somebody with a big name to replace R.L. Wilken, who has recently retired (or will soon retire, not sure which). Chicago has Marion, who would be interesting to work under when he's there and not in Paris, plus they seem intent on their students getting out into the rest of the University, and then it just gets insanely awesome (the head of their Germanic Studies department published a book with Zizek and they have some good Heidegger people in the Philosophy dept.). I actually went to UVA a few weeks back to hear Marion give a lecture there (at Hart's invitation after I emailed him to introduce myself). Marion seemed really friendly and he talked for a long time to many students after the lecture, Hart was very busy playing host so I didn't get to talk to him that much. I was a bit disappointed he never offered an office appt. but that's life. After reading more of last year's conversation I am realizing just how good your idea of a second master's in philosophy is. Are there any philosophy MA's w/ a good continental emphasis that are known to give full-tuition scholarships if they want somebody? (I know that's rarer at the MA level than at the Ph.D. level). Given that I have a family it would be hard to justify another degree that's not terminal, but I could pull it off if I didn't have to drop any $ for tuition. I did well on the GRE's. I don't think that will get me in to a Ph.D. program, but I imagine it could do a lot to get me into an MA program, since "fit" wouldn't be as important there.

Just like amazingtomatoes, I was uber happy with my percentile scores, especially verbal, but horrified when I got my AW score, 4.5. Are you kidding me? I got a bit creative on one of the prompts and I guess that hurt me. I'm currently debating spending 55$ to get the thing regraded (as well as debating with my wife whether or not we actually have 55$). I'm not going to take it again because I got a 790V and a 770Q and I don't want to bring those down at all, they are both signifigantly higher than where I had been testing at only days before the test (on Powerprep, Princeton Prep, etc. ...). I'm in theology, but I'm sure philosopy is similar in that we send in a writing sample. They can see how well we write within the discipline, so unless they want the dissertation as a series of in-class essays to inane prompts I'm hoping they look past my AW score. I also read that schools can look at your actual AW responses, that is the way they should really "grade" AW.

I am still applying to programs so I can't say I have success behind me as can Rising Star, but I've read and heard from proffs that a brief explanation of one sentence (maybe two) toward the beginning of a personal statement can help, especially a situation like your''s where there is a noticeable break from the norm. That's just my thought though.

I am in the same boat. A proff. I have had a good many classes with and teaches within the field I am going into will be one of my LORs. Right now I'm preparing for one of his exams and the study guide has at least three or four typos. I'm friends with his TA who I know checks his stuff for publications and what not. So I'm going to ask him if there's anyway he thinks he could check my letter. It's enough to make me consider picking another writer even though I like this guy and he knows me well. The translator thing would not work because the guy is fluent in English, he would be insulted if I asked him to write it in a different language. I don't think there is an easy way around this one.

Wow, I've been looking for a sight like this for a long time! So I'm definitely applying to UVA, Chicago, and Fordham and probably Catholic and Nottigham (Ph.D. Systematic Theology or whatever a given program wants to call it). Two questions: 1.My list is small because I read some book on grad school admissions (not specific to religious studies/ theology, etc.) and the guy said to keep the applications uber focused if you want to get in anywhere. My advisor is a Notre Dame Ph.D. and recently told me to definitely put in there, but of their systematic theology faculty Cyril O'Regan seems most exciting to me and I don't want to read Hegel for the next five years of my life (though one or two would be O.K. ). My question is that in reading the posts from last year (which were the most helpful things I've run into in several months of on-line looking) the whole "who have you contacted from our faculty?" (which I interpret as "who are you interested in studying with?") part of the apps did not come up often, have I blown it out of proportion? Should I put in everywhere and anywhere I wouldn't mind studying at, which was my original take on the matter before i read that book? What changed my mind was that the author made a convincing argument that even a less-than-competitive program wants to see applications totally catered to them, complete with faculty contacts and all. Maybe I just email way fewer scholars I've never met than everybody else, who knows (it does make me feel self conscious). 2. Reading last years posts and talking to my proffs has given me a realistic awareness that one of the most important decisions other people will ever make for me can sometimes be an utter crap shoot. Thus, I'd like a nice, well-respected 1 year master's program (which would be in addition to the M.Div. I'm currently wrapping up) to fall back on if I don't get into any Ph.D. programs. Ideally this program would be at a prestigious school (since my current school is not so much) and in a place where my wife could get a public school teaching job to pay for my habit. Chicago has this (I think), maybe I ought to put in for it instead of their Ph.D. This would make me sad, but not as sad as leaving academia would make me were I to come up dry this Spring on acceptances (I love school as much as I hate real jobs). Are there any other such 1 year programs I don't know about?