Emma

Hi, I am canadian too. Going to Ph.D at U of T in HUmanities with full funding and merit scholarship. Something that grad students don't always understand is that EVERYBODY HAS GOOD GRADES AT THE GRADUATE LEVEL !!! We all have outstanding references, plus research experience, etc. But this stuff just doesn't get you disqualified, it does not open the doors per se. It is all about research and politics. From my experience, there would be 2 explanations for you: 1) Your research interests are not a good enough fit with forthcoming publications (or present interests of advisor/department) or 2) It is a good fit but your potential advisor is not very powerful within the department and other students get chosen in front of you even if they have weaker academic background. This is not a fair world my friend. I have seen SSHRC funded students who never had an original thought and weaker grades than me. Whatever, don't give up. I know this is frustrating but remember your strengths, why you are doing this at the first place and If you are serious about this, just go for it until it works out. Don't let this alter your self esteem. You will experience this kind of politics your hole life.

This is all fascinating but lets come back to your application: If your statement of purpose was too "cutting edge", you might want to alter it and make it more pleasing; Never underestimate the politics of academia. You might be offending or irritating people on the admissions comittee! Once you are in, you can do whatever you want (well, as long as you can select a cool enough advisory committee). I would just do 3 things then if I were you: 1) Retake the GRE (not that I agree with what it is), 2) Rewrite your letter of intent to make it an easier "fit" to most departments and the tradition of your field. Maybe you can keep your cutting edge part as open questions only at the end?, this would not be as threatning as a small burgeoning thesis! and 3) Contact potential supervisors, try to meet with them in person if possible or ask them to direct you to the better specialist for your project. I totally agree that a good fit for your interests is much more important than the rank of your University. Although when comes time to get a job, you might be at a disadvantage...the ideal is to have both. Anyway, I really hope you get in next year. I am also coming back after 2 kids and 6 years off. Some programs, I was not even short-listed and some, I was offered funding and Fellowship. Go figure! It is all a matter of politics and fit with a faculty! ps. English is not my first language so sorry for simple syntax.

My undergrad GPA was not as bad as yours but I was also young and crazy and in the habit of droping courses post limit. The thing is they did not count in my GPA but appear in the transcripts, so it looks really ugly; a bunch of really good grades mixed with Fs. Weird. But I did get it back together for my Masters and made it to the Ph.D with full funding and merit Fellowship! Try to focus on what really matters; your statements (proposal and writing sample) and the profs (the ones who recommend you and the ones you plan to work with). I am not shy when comes time to ask for advice (to everybody I can get my hands on in the field, respectfully of course, not like a sociopath) and it paid well. I certainly would not waste time doing another Masters (I think this will just look weird, unless you enter a 1 year program that leads directly to the Ph.D). First, put together a short research proposal, then ask your former profs where they think you should go. Do your own research via internet. Then, send emails to profs with similar interests with just a short paragraph of what you want to work on and ask if they could meet with you, and/ or redirect you elsewhere. If they redirect you elsewhere, send the next email saying that prof recommended contacting him/her. Name droping, when done tacfully can help. As long as it is done subtely, without pressuring them and without making anything up. Keep the focus on the research always. If you are still doing your masters, try to TA if possible. Good luck. Ps. Some of my former profs admitted having terrible grades during their undergrad. Even the ones coming from the best Uni and who rae really top in their field

You really need to contact a POTENTIAL SUPERVISOR. This is so much more important than your academic records. I am shocked your friends in academia did not tell you this. Good luck. I am sure next year will be the one

I was accepted this year for my ph.d with full funding and Fellowship. I submitted a chapter of my MA thesis that was not the most original but that was easy to read and showed I mastered my field's vocabulary and concepts very well. I made sure it could not possibly offend anybody; I would not submit the same sample for other departments. I don't know what part of my admission was considered the most important but I have a friend who was accepted at Stanford (not in religion) with full funding and they told her it was because they loved her writing sample. I am not sure the CV is that important, unless you published and have research and TA experience. I never published anything and my GPA is not even fabulous for undergraduate study (3.6), so I put all the emphasis on communicating enthusiasm and showing my promise as a future scholar through my project (I also made sure it was a good match for the departments' specialty) and my writing sample. It worked for me. Good luck for next year.