peppermint.beatnik

I was in a similar situation a couple of weeks ago. I decided against retaking the GRE. Too much stress and it's probably better to focus on the rest of my application.

I don't agree with the concept of a safety school, either, since there are so many factors in PhD admissions. Also, as an international student, there are no safety schools in the US, especially given the current conditions. I don't think much has changed from last year.

I had to do this for three of the four schools I applied to last year. One required the documentation only if you were admitted. The money has to be liquid, which is a major stumbling block is you're a student and not independently wealthy. Either a scholarship you have already been awarded or your parents/significant other/sponsor/etc. will suffice. For example, if the domestic deadline is Jan.1st, and the international deadline is Dec.1st, the school is using that time to vet you before your application even reaches the department.

I know someone whose Verbal score went up by 10 points on the official report.

It's not too late. I took the GRE Nov.15, last year, and still made all my app deadlines of Dec.1st (international student deadline) I received my AWA score in the mail after Dec.1st, but I just called the ETS score reporting line to get my writing score (to put on the on-line application). I think there is a small charge when you call.

I'm not sure whether you're intending to apply to the US or Canada. As someone else pointed out, there are a few Canadian schools that require the GRE. Most seem to be psych departments. If you intend to study in the US, yes, you definitely need to write the GRE. I am also Canadian, and I agree that we don't have the same attitude towards standardized testing. In my experience, however, a negative attitude towards the GRE will only hurt you. If you want to go to school in the US, it's something they require, so just do it like everyone else. Schools and departments vary on how the view the GRE, so don't assume the department you're applying at thinks it's a waste of time. gre . . . Book an appt. at a testing center, asap, so you have a deadline to work towards. You don't have to, but I took a GRE course and it was definitely worth it. The test requires you to move quickly, so you don't have much time to think. Courses also teach you various tricks that will increase your speed and effectiveness. If you don't want to shell out for a course, a book is more than adequate: Barrons, Kaplan, GRE Bible, Princeton Review, etc. Use more than one book. Do some GRE everyday. Expand your vocab (even if you think you have an extensive vocab). Do at least one CAT a week. After having said all that,. from what you said about just starting your MA, I would hold off applying until it's completed--thesis and all. I did my MA at a Canadian university where stuff like this was discussed at length. I'm very surprised your supervisor told you not to take a year off. Most faculty think it's all the better. I told my super that I wanted to pursue a PhD, but planned to take a year off, first. I remember my supervisor saying "well, it makes sense to finish one thing before starting another." US and Canadian applications differ, so they can't be seen, or written, the same way. Definitely spend some time understanding the process.

Does anyone have any experience and/or knowledge about application to Vanderbilt? I am interested in the PhD program in the College of Arts and Sciences, not the Divinity School. I recall several postings concerning Vanderbilt last year, but mostly about the Div program. I'm looking for information concerning the department as a whole, their leanings, etc. I saw this on the dept. of religion website: http://www.vanderbilt.edu/divinity/gradprograminternational.php and it is one of the reasons I am asking. As an international student, it made me question how they view international applicants.

I know Columbia is 1 per field. I will pm you will more details regarding Columbia

I'd like to join too (if you'll have me). I'm in Reli studies, but I checked the English threads a lot in February and March because you guys are way more helpful!

Was rejected from BU via post on Friday. I have wanted to work with someone at BU for a number of years, so I was really upset. Went 0/4 this year, first year applying. Will reapply. If anyone is willing to provide a successful SOP, please PM me. Canadian "Research Proposals" are a little different, so I would like to get a better idea of what's needed in an SOP. Good luck to all!

I'm sorry mconsul, re: BU. I was away for a week, but came home to no letter from BU. I'm in Canada, so maybe it will take a little longer. I am surprised only three people have posted on the results search re: BU. I was hoping to get an idea of how many they took this year. Hopefully, I will get some good news for them. This whole process has been really depressing.

I think this is a judgement call. If the rest of your app is stellar, and you only have one weakness, why draw attention to it in your sop? Unless, of course, it's something like you were debarred from a university, in the past.

Thanks for your story and I am happy things worked out I am feeling pretty down right now. Major crisis of confidence. Out at 2, 2 to go.

So, is BU a "no phone call, no admit school?" No one, in past years, has posted notification "via phone." Or, did a faculty member, with whom you have had personal contact, call you. I thought we were to hear by post? What's the deal? p.s. I am in the "Religion and Society" stream

I think politics are unavoidable. This was certainly my experience in my MA department, and I hear similar things from friends at other schools. I'm in reli studies, so this kind of thing comes up a lot. There was a grad student I shared an office with who studied Islam in Africa. They strongly disliked my friend, another grad student, because my friend studied a Christian group in an Islamic country in Africa. Even worse, there was a notable divide between the "marrieds," as we called them, and the "unmarrieds." The whole thing was ridiculous, to tell you the truth, but these things just seem to happen. As others have noted, there are departments that seem to be function around a dominant paradigm/ideology, though. Unless said ideology was my "thing," I would probably not go. On second thought, I probably wouldn't go to such a school at all.

This is EXACTLY how I feel. I sent this post to my SO and family. Does anyone have any positive stories about the admissions process? Along the lines of "I was rejected from my first two schools, but admitted to the remaining two?" I can't take any more bad news It breaks my heart that I may not be in school next year.

I've seen this issue creep up in other discipline's threads, but are there religious studies departments where having an MA (versus applying for a post-bachelor PhD) will hurt you?

ILikeCatsaLot . . . is it the entire GSAS at BU that isn't particularly fond of people with an MA, or just the English dept?

Food for thought (and comfort for some): http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/17/us/17university.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&emc=eta1

Thanks for that! I've been waiting since Dec.1 to hear from them. I know that they're always pretty slow.

I'm waiting on BU. Do you know if they cut down on their admissions this year? Or, are they still taking the regular amount? So, only expect to hear by post? No e-mail, website, or phone call? It's my favoured program, so I'm pretty neurotic. I apologize in advance!

My field isn't English [it is in humanities, though], but I wanted to offer some advice. I am Canadian, where it is very uncommon to pursue a PhD without an MA. This year, I am applying solely to US schools. I applied to four schools: rejected from two, two remaining. I had a blast doing my MA, and took every opportunity I could to broaden my horizons. I'm really glad I did, because, like the other posters who have offered you excellent advice, I matured, greatly, as a scholar. In fact, when a prospective student came to my school, I gave him this very advice, "do everything you can to make the most of your time at [university X]." However, I get irritated by "applicants," on gradcafe, that tell you that "you must have this, or must have that, and if you don't, you're pretty much never going to get into a PhD program." Whenever someone says this, I usually have done it, yet I know others that haven't, and get into the programs to which I am applying. For some perspective, here are a few of the things I have done: My undergraduate and graduate GPA's are very good and excellent, respectively. Excellent LORs. I was a TA for 2 years (during my MA). I have two publications: one, a chapter in a book, and two, an editorial piece I wrote for a National organization in my field. I have three conference presentations: two at National conferences, and one at a regional conference for a National organization. I have been an invited guest speaker in three university classrooms at two different universities. I won a grant competition during my MA, from an outside department, to complete an ethnography overseas. I was second, out of 11 people, in my MA cohort to complete my MA Thesis. I am super productive and disciplined. I have numerous awards from undergraduate schooling, too. I am fluent in French (I grew up in a certain region of Canada) and at a low-intermediate level in German (which are my two doctoral languages). Like everyone, my application isn't perfect, but I am not omitting any glaring weaknesses. Who knows what schools want? I think there are too many factors* at play, in doctoral admissions, many of which have nothing to do with you, or your qualifications, to be overly confident. In fact, at one school I visited, I think my experience/qualifications hurt me. A conversation I had with 2 graduate students (both of whom were post-bachelor PhDs, not post-MA) and the graduate coordinator, prior to applying, led me to believe that they like to "shape" their graduate students to their school of thought. This was the first school that rejected me. Long story short, who knows what schools want? Do what you can during you MA to make you a better scholar, not because you want an "edge" that may, or may not, exist. You'll get into the program that's right for you. I also made some great friends, that I miss terribly. *economy, potential super going on sabbatical next year, they are not taking anyone in your sub-field this year (to name a few) **and wish me luck on my two remaining schools. One is my dream program!

I've dreamt about every school to which I applied. My dreams have been positive, negative or complete nonsense that I don't know what to make of them. All reflect the inner turmoil I feel about this process.

As an international student, that question is already answered for me--I can't go . . .

Normally, it looks pretty bad to drop out of a PhD program. However, you said it was 10 years ago--a long time. I'm sure there's plenty you have done in the last 10 years that can attest to your current ability to successfully complete another program.