newleaf

I think this is the way it works for many programs. Its pretty rare for the grad school to reject an applicant (its usually just meeting the minimum requirements like a bachelors degree, minimum gpa, etc.)

@MMkay tha Thanks for the update. I was hoping against hope that I would get one, but it looks like I didn't make the cut. It hurts less because I have heard better news from other programs, but I really wanted to dazzle them in an interview. I heard previously that the interviews for Yale were primarily about getting to know the student, but I guess that has changed this time around.

@MMckay when did you get the invitation for interview? Anyone heard a peep out of Stanford?

Have a kick-ass statement of purpose that really sells yourself and solid LORs.

The university of california system is pure gold, despite the divestments.

Just to say hi from anthropology, UCI is rising very quickly in our books too...

The good and the bad is that if you're accepted, you generally know way before March 15. ! indeed

Anyone got the scoop on Yale? I called them Friday and am too chicken to again and ask about interviews. I know they interview quite a lot of people (relative to other programs) but I want to knowwwwww...

Minnesota Emory Illinois Urbana-Champaign UCSB Northwestern UNC UVA Duke Washington University in St. Louis Cornell Cambridge Yale

Zillie, I agree with you about fit and advisor's research interests, and was responding to another poster's point on grades vs. research experience. Clearly I don't know what I'm talking about in general, and the prestige of one's undergrad institution isn't a silent contributing factor overall. If there is any merit to what I'm saying, when you go to UT's acceptance day, try to find out how many kids there are from schools that aren't from anthro power houses.

For PhD? That's really unique, I can't say I've ever heard of a program that does that. Im simply curious now, does anyone else know of programs that do this?

@anthropologygeek: what? edit from last post: You have so so so much working against you if you're FROM Boise state and want a PhD at Columbia, for example, even if it is the best fit for you, than you COMING FROM NYU.

Hi Armadilla, Im not sure where we got onto this trajectory, but I'll respond with how I've perceive things. I don't that agree that you need a letter from an undergraduate advisor with the same research interests as you to have a strong application. Most departments understand that kids' interests change from freshman year to senior year. Going from one feminist sts advisor to another would make things incredibly boring for...well everyone. I am also not sure about the import of "REALLY" knowing a student. I think a couple of courses and sustained contact over a year or so is all one needs to get a strong letter, but maybe not that phone call. That said, I don't really know what goes into writing a letter of rec and have never written one. You can't have the perk of NYU-star faculty (there are a lot of heavy weights in the department) and good grades in NYU caliber courses by working hard at a school that has less anthropological prestige. You have so so so much working against you if you're at Boise state and want a PhD at Columbia, for example, even if it is the best fit for you, than you do at NYU. This is how I see things, and maybe its totally off. Hello PhD apps round 2!

enlighten us?

Hi Cravingsunshine, I think we come from different trajectories and interests in the discipline, so we might be writing past each other. What I meant was (which I did not make clear), is that if someone wanted to earn a PhD in the UK and come back to teach at a research 1 in social anthropology in the United States, I do not think that those schools in question would be very helpful. One would have to work twice as hard to achieve the goal. You can get a great education at Ohio State University, and its one of the largest schools in the US by enrollment. Notice how few anthropologists emerge out of the school? Its because the academy invents itself in its own imaginary. That means that the undergrad from NYU with poorer grades and little experience but letters from Rapp and Martin will get into UChicago, and the undergrad with impeccable grades from Ohio state might not get his or her application read. That said, things are radically different if one is going to the UK for an MA, or is not in social anthropology. I can't speak for Texas A&M, but I don't see any reason why experience should trump grades, or vice-versa really. Applications as we all know are holistic, and 3 years of experience doesn't make up for the general consensus that poor grades in undergraduate usually don't indicate a strong graduate school candidate. One redemption for A&M's supposed priority on grades is that you can go to the field and get experience if you dont have it, and there is a clear-cut path for that even in timeline of a phd program. There isn't a clear-cut path for rehabilitating poor grades and making a lackluster student a better one. You're putting the program at risk of having a student who cannot get grant money because they cannot get good grades.

Yeah SNES (for the applicants' sakes) someone should call it in to confirm its false. Its just giving me anxiety. I was dealing w UCLA today, and was told "they're sort of starting to look at files", inducing another huge W T F.

Their app was due on dec 30th or 31st...I'm just flabbergasted at the turnaround.

Hey team I looked at the results section and someone already got an offer from Harvard? I didn't apply so im not so anxious about it, but school just opened today over there. Does that mean the committee met over the break and will be calling people this week? I find this suspicious, mostly since applications take time to get sorted, etc. OP, want to come out of the acceptance closet and update us?

Yaaaa buddy chill out. Not a single application gets read until Januara. Do not bug anyone else about recommendations until after the new. B E Z

I hope you ruthlessly failed each and every one of those students. I get really frustrated by anthropologists who give students Bs or Cs when they would get Ds or Fs if they demonstrated similar competency in the hard sciences. Sorry to be pissy.

Agree wholeheartedly!

It also depends on your undergrad institution. You can have a pretty shit gpa from a top 10 school and get into a higher-ranked grad program especially if you have letters from celebrity faculty. In your situation, I'd recommend an MA. I think I might be walking into a shitstorm by saying this, but there are such things as safety schools depending on your background. I think this is either some public secret in the social sciences or I'm just too blinded by elite institutions, but my feeling if you're an undergrad from NYU with a glowing letter from Appadurai et al, decent grades, and a solid project, Kentucky State is a safety. Unfortuntaely not everyone has that kind of access, which is what expensive masters programs are for.

What do I want to study? Your mom. (please laugh, we're all going crazy)

I understand your frustration, but I don't know any programs myself that design entire programs around cohorts taking the same courses, especially given the breadth of research interests that are supposed to be represented in a cohort. That said, every PhD program should in theory have at least 1 course that is 1st year cohort students only, so the fingerprints of the department are on their students. As for the undergrads, even in the hallowed classrooms of UChicago, about 1/3 of the grad classes in anthro are cross-listed. Then again, those are some crazy undergrads.

You're making good moves, I think! If you could describe your project or interests, it could help situate which programs are better for you. Also funding might impact your choice. As for the "top choice" deal and the advice of your law school professors, I think its a bit different in phd land, or at least is in my experience. You can tell both NYU and UCSC that they are "ideal" departments for your project. You dont have to tell one school "This department is the one that I am most interested in out of alllll the departments in the world please love me." People apply to a few schools and tailor their applications accordingly...a good application will demonstrate that you're serious about that department specifically, rather than in law school applications where its more about omg look at me, not omg look at me in relation to your faculty's work.