rkg2012

It looks like UCLA may have changed some things since my application round. For what it's worth though: they had an interview/visit weekend (for which I was out of the country) and they decided funding after that. The funding wait list from that was ranked and I received funding rather late in the game. Before offering me funding, they did pay for me to visit after I was stateside for Easter. I got the impression they only had funding for 5-6 split across all regions for Archaeology, and they want a diverse group. I ultimately chose another university.

I only had one (rather short) season before getting into several PhD programs, but it was a reasonably intensive season and came with an awesome recommendation. You need some experience to prove that you can cut it in the field, but I don't think it has to be that extensive. I'd hesitate to say that Americans have a lot more excavation opportunities. I have a number of British/Italian/German friends who had lots of opportunities with some funding as undergrads and several had an excavation component/requirement for their degree. It's a lot more expensive for us to fly to the Mediterranean and even some of the top universities only have limited funding for their undergraduates to pursue fieldwork.

In past years, shortlisted applicants were invited for a weekend, which was basically all about competition for funding. I don't have first hand experience, but it sounded like a lot of people were caught off guard and not 100% pleasant to each other. Best of luck to all of you attending.

I would suggest emailing the department at Melbourne and explaining that you are waiting to hear back from another school here. I had to get extensions on my UK decisions a couple years ago while waiting to hear back from US programs. They were all flexible. Good luck.

I really like OneNote for taking notes in class. It's pretty easy to keep your notes organized and they're all searchable later. Also, I don't know about you, but it's way easier to read my typed notes than my own handwriting. I also thankfully type faster than I write. I usually keep a notebook with me just in case I need to draw a diagram or something - then you can just scan it and add it to your notes. As for dealing with articles...I'm also struggling with that. I've gotten more accustomed to reading on the computer since printing is such a hassle. I have Acrobat pro, so I OCR everything to make it easy to annotate. I keep intending to go back and summarize the articles and put that into my OneNote tabs for the class, but I seem to inevitably run out of time. There are also these pens you can get that automatically turn hand written documents into digital files. I know one person who used to swear by that. Apparently the text recognition software gets accustomed to your hand writing and actually does a pretty good job.

I don't do underwater archaeology, but I'll make a few suggestions: * Get some experience (coursework and preferably fieldwork) with on land archaeology, since there is much more of that and there will be some overlap in theory and practice. The AIA (Archaeological Institute of America) has a good fieldwork bulletin (http://www.archaeological.org/fieldwork/afob), which has opportunities around the world. There seem to be a couple of underwater excavations in the Mediterranean. Also, www.archaeologyfieldwork.com and www.shovelbums.org have fieldwork opportunities. * Develop a regional/chronological specialty (or more like broad preference at the stage) - It's not necessary that your fieldwork is in the same area. (It may be cheaper to work near home or wherever someone from your university works). * look at under water archaeology journals to find out who is doing what and where (e.g. International Journal of Nautical Archaeology, The Bulletin of The Australasian Institute for Maritime Archaeology (AIMA) and the recently launched Journal of Maritime Archaeology - pulled from wikipedia) - That might give you an idea of what schools you should think about applying to later. * Google is your friend - I just found this site that seems to post jobs/opportunities including a summer internship: http://underwaterarchaeologyjobs.wordpress.com/ * I suspect having diving certification/experience would be a good thing.

You need a letter from someone at your MA program. Not having a letter from there implies that you didn't make important contacts and/or didn't do well. Do what you can now to get the best rec possible from your adviser. Try to meet with him to discuss your future plans and provide him with as much information as possible - SoP, CV, and writing samples or other application supplements.

To talk to your old mentor, try to email and set up a skype appointment or pay for skype calling credit to phone him. It's a lot cheaper than travel. Perhaps ask to talk about your career plans and then bring up the letter in your actual conversation. I applied from overseas, but thankfully all of my letters were electronic. Perhaps you could ask the university if the professor could email them directly. I would worry about pre-paid envelopes overseas, since you REALLY don't want the letter to get lost. Two out of five hard copies of my transcripts got lost in the mail (or simply not processed correctly by the university)... and I sent them by an upgraded, but not perfectly trackable method. Usually overseas mail is much more than just a few stamps worth.

I have to blatantly disagree. I strong personal letter from a not-so-important person means MUCH more than a half-hearted letter from a big name. Also, most programs won't have 2k apps. Did the profs of the classes you got Bs in know about your issues? If they can talk about your potential and explain what was going on, that could actually help you. Regardless of who you ask, send them your SoP, CV, your writing sample or a piece of coursework from their class. Help them to help you. Whoever you did research with is an obvious choice. As for others, whoever knows you the best and is happy (not just willing) to write for you would probably be the best bet. Perhaps you can vet them out by arranging a short phone conversation to talk about the possibility... or to talk about your career path and then bring up the letter if they sound like they might do it.

I agree with dendy. Profs can be quite absent-minded. I had one prof close to me simply forget to respond to me and leave me paranoid for several weeks...for no reason. I was over-thinking things. Another had to be constantly prodded to get my recs in (and several were submitted late), even though I'm pretty sure he had excellent things to say about me.

I would write a follow up email. One of my profs (who I was reasonably close to) just completely forgot to respond to me because there wasn't a rush at the time and he had other important things on his plate. He was very apologetic when I emailed him again, but I spent several weeks unnecessarily agonizing over what the silence meant first. Chances are 10:1 that you're over-thinking things. Adjuncts aren't ideal, but if it's only for one fourth recommendation and the person is well known/respected, I can't imagine that it would be damaging to your app.

That reads more like a contrived autobiography than a personal statement. Three (four?) paragraphs about your pre-college enthusiasm is quite excessive. I put my research interests up front and then tailored my SoP to highlighting particular aspects of my education/work/previous research that showed something in particular about me that would make me a good graduate student and/or showed why X university was the best for me. The SoP should be professional...more like a cover letter for a job than like a story. My two cents.

Your final UG GPA is set by the school from which you graduated, and everything is averaged out at the end of your transcript. Taking classes at a different school later, regardless of level, will not change that. Getting great grades can, however, prove that you are up to the challenge of graduate coursework. I don't know about your field, but you will need stellar recommendations, GREs, personal statement and writing sample to make up for the low GPA. Higher grades toward the end are looked at favorably, but < 3.0 may still be considered weak...I've known several schools to have 3.0 (or higher) minimum GPAs to be eligible for admission and/or funding, so you should look into that.

I've always had the impression that such strict guidelines were to deter the faint of heart. You won't be so far behind someone with such a degree by the time you apply. In fact, you'll be at a higher Greek level, which should work to your advantage and I don't remember Arizona having super high language requirements, but then again, I'm an archaeologist. Have you had any history/archaeology/civ courses? Or did any of your philosophy classes deal with ancient philosophers? If you're worried about whether you will be able to come close enough to meeting requirements, you can contact any of the schools and talk to someone about it. If you do it this cycle, then by the time you apply, they won't even remember that you thought your application would be weak. Just sell yourself in the personal statement when the time comes.

I don't know of any list of Museum Studies programs, but I know that UCL and Cambridge are both good UK schools, and I suspect there are others in the UK. In the US, I think GW's program is pretty well regarded. But definitely do think about just what you want to get out of a program and see whether programs will work for you. Y

If there is a good reason for the Ws, I don't think it will hurt your chances down the road. You can mention it in your personal statement, but don't dwell on it and don't make excuses. It's best if you have a recommender who can address the issue so you don't have to...it's more credible coming from a prof. I had 2Ws one semester and some rough grades before that and got into several very good PhDs in my field. I would recommend approaching your instructors NOW about what problems you are facing and see if they are willing to accommodate you in any way. Depending on the university/prof, sometimes you can take incompletes and finish up the work over the next semester. DON'T resign yourself to failure. You are obviously a good student, so don't let whatever is going on in your life get in the way of your future. If you want to take time off and do work/volunteering that is relevant to your interests, that shouldn't hurt you. GradHooting - I would suggest you talk to your recommenders about your application. Half-hearted recommendations can be killers. Your personal statement is also more important than the numbers. (I'm not sure about writing samples in your field).

I would add Arizona to Andromache's list, since I know it's funded and they have a pretty good record at getting MAs into PhD programs. Vanderbilt also has a good funded program, but it's very competitive to get into. Not every university asks for a 'works read' list, but you could attach something like that as an addendum to your CV. Honestly, modern languages are really just icing on the cake. Getting more formal Latin under your belt is vastly more important than starting German. I got into great programs with no real formal German or French (and zero Italian). If you want to start German on your own, I used Coles & Dodd, "Reading German," which was pretty good. If you work through that on your own, you can stick "intermediate reading ability" on your CV with no problem. Sadly, I know nothing about the Latin exam, but I can't imagine it would hurt.

I've heard mixed reviews, but how you fit into a department does have a lot to do with personality. If the program sounds like it can meet your expectations, it's certainly worth applying, but if you're accepted, I would recommend visiting if possible.

I second this opinion. Although you've done well, more language courses are always better. As a potential philologist, only 1.5 years of Greek isn't that competitive against all the other applicants with a post-bac or MA. Furthermore, with the limited coursework, I would guess that you've only read a limited range of authors. The two years for and MA would give you the time to explore more authors and really think about what direction you want to go in. Also, as a heads up, post-baccs often have later deadlines, so that could always be a back up plan. If you want to end up at the University level, it's better to take your time and get into a good PhD program, then rush into a mediocre one. If you want to teach HS Latin, than an MAT might be a good route.

Perhaps try asking for recommendations relating to some specific aspect if you need help. You shouldn't expect to be handed a complete bibliography, but I have always found professors/advisers happy to point me in the right direction. You could also come up with a preliminary bibliography yourself and send it to your adviser asking if he has any recommendations on what's missing or what's not worth your time. (but don't put it like that!) Interestingly, I've studied both in the US and the UK, and I found UK profs to be much MORE coddling on the whole. In either place, if really depends on the professor and their expectations.

UPenn appears to have Sanskrit in their South Asia Studies. I'm pretty sure grads can take classes outside of their home department and the Classics program is certainly strong.

I didn't study abroad as an undergrad and am definitely not great with modern languages (I'll take a dead one any day), but everyone I know who studied abroad thought that it was a great decision. Mostly though, I want to point out that grad school is NOT necessarily expensive. PhDs are usually funded, and, at least in my field, there are a few funded masters programs as well. The study abroad program would likely help your chances of getting in and getting a good funding package if your field is looking for bilinguals.

Post-baccs are not just for those "lacking undergraduate classics degrees." Personally, I did one because I chickened out of applying my senior year. I had plenty of both languages on paper, but I needed more for my confidence. Furthermore, it was an opportunity to take other classes that could supplement my application. Several students boosted their modern languages or took graduate level courses. Anyway, I'm not a historical linguist, but here's my $0.02: Look at the requirements and flexibility of the Linguistics and Classics programs and see which is better suited to what you want to do and what classes you want to be able to take. Your ancient languages don't sound like they will put you at a disadvantage. How much linguistics have you done? Do you have enough coursework there to be competitive to Linguistics programs. If your thesis will be your writing sample, to which program does it cater? Also, where do you want to end up? Although the title of your degree will not dictate what departments you can get hired in later, it will play a role. As for other languages, I didn't have a whole lot (French in middle school and an academic reading German course this year), but I wouldn't be surprised if they are more important to linguists (I have no idea though). If you want to learn other ancient languages, pick schools that offer them. Few people learn Sanskrit, for example, at the undergraduate level, so you shouldn't be at a disadvantage there, or at least not much of one. Most Classics programs should have enough flexibility to let you take another language, but I don't know about more than one. It might be worth inquiring with profs in the Classics departments. GRE scores are honestly not super important so long as you don't bomb it. Most people seem to say 90%ile, but don't know what that is on the new scale. Obviously try to do well, but your personal statement, writing sample, and recommendations will carry a lot more weight. Overall, I would recommend applying to PhDs this fall. I think you have a shot, but remember that all of the programs are incredibly competitive. There aren't really easy schools to get into, and you shouldn't want that anyway, since those programs would leave you with less employment options. That being said, I'm not an advocate of the idea that it's Ivy or nothing. You should probably also look into MA or post-bacc programs as a back up. I don't know about linguistics, but there are certainly funded classics MAs (WashU, Arizona, Vanderbilt, to name a few). I know Penn's post-bacc let's you take any regular course at a reduced price. Post-baccs are NOT degree programs though. Some are certificate programs, but they are not the same as an MA. They are usually less time than an MA though. Penn is one year unless you want to stay for two (which a couple people do every year). Unfortunately, the only funding you can get is government loans. Sorry this got so lengthy, but I hope it helps.

Hi, I was accepted to UCLA's Archaeology IDP with pretty good funding. I decided not to go, but it certainly wasn't fear of the program disappearing. I talked to both Classics and Archaeology Profs. Basically, it sounded like the UCs are in decent shape; it's the lower tiered schools that have taken the biggest hit. I was told that UCLA lost some state funding, but they've been able to make it up through fundraising. If you think a program is a good fit for you, I would go ahead and apply. If you're accepted, just make sure you visit (if possible) and be very direct about your concerns. In cases where programs do stop accepting new students, I think they still honor your funding package and help you finish. Obviously, that's not a situation you want to be in, but I don't think you would be unable to finish a program because of changes in budgeting. Regardless, I don't think that the big programs are in danger of going anywhere in the very near future though. I have no idea about the smaller/less well known programs.

I know you posted this awhile ago, but I thought I would add my two cents. Don't sweat the Bs. My undergrad record was way less than stellar, and included a C+ in second semester Greek and several of A-s/B+s in the Classics courses. I did a post-bacc year, with much better marks and chose to do a master's abroad (non-language based). After all was said and done, I had several very good options. Granted, as an archaeologist, the languages are somewhat less important, but even so, I don't think that a couple of so-so grades will hurt you. As for addressing them, I was advised not to. I did, however, have a recommendation from someone who knew about the extenuating circumstances which account for some of my short-comings, as well as my later improvement. She told me that it is much better to come from the recommender than from the student. Also, you can always add hours/week to the employment section of your resume/CV, so it will be obvious to anyone who looks that you were working more than the average student. As for the GRE, study and do well, but I don't think it will make or break you. I know several people who have gotten into good schools with mediocre scores, and some schools only use it as a get a minimum bar ( e.g.1000 total for funding), sort of like a pass/fail system. The most important things: ~Personal Statement: What you want to do and why x/y/z is the place to do it. Sell yourself on a couple of clearly defined (even if broad) interests. At the same time, don't appear to be inflexible. ~Recommendations: Get them from people who know you well and will say great (not just good) things about you. You don't want a generic letter though, so help them get to know you better and provide them with your statements/writing sample/ etc. If someone can vouch for your difficult year with too much on your plate, that would be good. ~Writing sample (duh): The most important thing is to show that you can have original and critical ideas. I felt that mine was mediocre writing but had a strong argument. I'm also my own worst critic. Strangely, it didn't come up in my interview or any of my campus visits. Good luck!