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Hi folks, I am an international student pursuing MA in AUS, and will apply for Fall 2020 PhD later this year, Physical Anthro or Archae track, depends on the program. Here's my question: Should I retake GRE for AWA its own sake? Other scores of mine are ok (i guess): 90th percentile above in both V and Q, 113 in TOEFL with 26 in Speaking, 3.8/4.0 undergrad GPA, Distinction in MA so far. But i only received 3.5 on AWA. As i am going to apply some top programs (UMich, Duke, UCLA, etc.), will this AWA score hold me back? Or, will a decent Writing Sample compensate it? No way I can tell my WS will be decent tho. Thanks for any feedback!

Hey all, I've been thinking of joining some new professional anthropology and archaeology societies. I've been a member of the Society for American Archaeology for a few years but was really troubled to read about what happened this past week at their conference: https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2019/04/15/archaeology-group-faces-backlash-over-how-it-handled-known-harassers-attendance I want to be part of societies that take sexual misconduct, looting, racism, and other issues that have been prevalent in anthropology very seriously. What societies are you a part of? What journals do you submit your work to? What are some other societies to be cautious of joining?

Hello! I got accepted to the WSAR track at Emory Religion. Any seniors/religion graduates here? How is the programme? The annual stipend is 31k. I wish to know how rigorous the programme is? How are their placements? My other option is the partially funded Masters in Social Sciences from UChicago. PS I have to make a decision by April 15!

Anyone on here applying to Tulane for Anthropology or Linguistics this year? I've applied to both Anthropology (cultural) and EEB for PhDs, and my partner applied for Anthropology (linguistic) and Linguistics. Tulane is our top choice, so I'm super nervous about getting in/getting funding! My GPA is okay (3.35 for unofficial transcript, probably gonna be 3.5 by final transcript - it's mostly my freshman year weighing me down), as are my GRE scores (QU: 150, QA: 160, W: 4.5), but I've got 2 major research projects, 2 internships, a small business (unrelated to the field of study), and even kinda-sorta a published paper under my belt! Plus my statement of purpose was good (I hope), and my LORs were amazing, or at least my professors thought highly of me... My POI showed significant interest (I think, he seemed to like my research ideas, interests, and what not, but just kept encouraging me to apply), as did my partner's, but I just don't know if I can make the cut! I just wanna know! It's hard enough hoping for your own spot, but I'm riding on my partner getting in too!!! Anyone else super stressed?

Hey all, It has been a long time since I've been to this forum, but I thought I would write this post to share my experiences as an anthro major in undergrad to getting my MA through the MAPSS program at UChicago, and where I am now, in case any of you are wondering if it's worth it, or are just looking for some perspective in a field that is only getting more difficult to make something of, both academically and professionally. Please note that this review/perspective is from someone who decided *NOT* to pursue a PhD, but instead chose a non-academic career path. Maybe you can relate to this feeling, but when I was in undergrad, friends and family smirked when I told them I was pursuing anthropology. "What will you do with it?" and all other questions ensued. I myself wasn't too sure what I was going to "do" with it; I believed college was for pursuing what made you feel whole, and the "job" aspect of it was only an afterthought. Immature and naive, especially for a student going some $25,000 into debt at an unremarkable California State University. I did it, and considered going into the Peace Corps and made it through the final interviews, but ultimately didn't go. I was working in customer service at a tech company, answering phones all day. Personal things in my life made me move from NorCal to SoCal and I was in my second round of applying to graduate school after being rejected by the seven programs I had applied to the year prior. That second cycle I was only admitted to UChicago's MAPSS program and after a month of anguish over whether I should take out more debt (I had 50% funding), I decided to do it. I'm not really a strong proponent for MAPSS. I had spent hours and hours researching the program, talking to professors before I accepted, to educate myself on what my day-to-day would be like there. I found that the experience did differ pretty significantly from what I was told. It really was a grueling time, but that isn't to say it wasn't worth it. Lowlights / Highlights of the Experience -While I wouldn't call the program a "Cash Cow" program like so many LOVE to quip, there were aspects that made it feel that way, like the forced "Perspectives" course. That was far and away the most useless university course I've ever taken. It is a surface-level course that goes over different major concepts/canonical works of the various social sciences. It's bad enough we had to waste 2.5 hours of our lives once a week in the dreadfully boring lectures, but to make it worse, the grading for the midterm/final is so severe that it is set up for students to fail. Out of my cohort of about 240 people who were forced to take the class, only 17 people received an A or A- on their midterm, and the figure was lower for the final. I was told that anything less than a B+/B in graduate school is considered to be failing, so a B+/B is considered a C or C- in terms of GPA. I have no idea what the program's logic is to forcing you to take a class and then taking a blow to your GPA right out the gate. Seriously. ????? The fact that students are forced to take this course makes it feel like the program does it just to make more money off the enrollment or something and then kicks you while you're down on top it all. -The MAPSS cohort is sadly what many have described. Most MAPSS students are not very intellectual--that's not to say they weren't "smart" in their own right, but they did not compare to the level of the other graduate students in terms of how intellectual they were. You could tell right away who was a MAPSS student in your classes versus PhD students. MAPSS students weirdly tend to have a sort of braggart, or pretentious, way about them when the things they would drivel on about were inane topics that you might find a newly-minted freshman undergraduate might talk about. I knew many MAPSS students who thought they were just so smart and would constantly, CONSTANTLY whine about the workload and how everything was so 'unfair'. It was insufferable to listen to because no one forced them to do the program, and the workload, while difficult, was not impossible (and, I had a part time job!). This being said, I made no friends at MAPSS. They lacked the maturity that I seem to find in PhD candidates or even some undergraduates. -I did very well academically only because I lived and breathed the program. I had a part time job, but I was able to work from home which was a huge part in why I could dedicate myself wholly to the program. I spent almost all of my free time in the Regenstein library and it got to be depressing sometimes, but I found ways to make it somewhat positive (like always treating myself to hot tea or coffee and taking little breaks to draw). I think to be successful in MAPSS you have to be very independent and self-motivating; otherwise, it will be easy to lose sight of what you're doing/why. I think others have mentioned this, but do make it a priority to go downtown and explore the other neighborhoods of Chicago. I would "treat" myself to a bus/El ride and just go anywhere, to see something new, to see something that wasn't UChicago. It helped immensely. -I had read about the difficulties of finding an adviser/establishing a relationship early on with a potential adviser, so in my first quarter I zeroed in on the faculty member I really wanted to work with. I made sure to take at least one class of his every quarter, participated in all discussions, did all the readings, and did very well when it came to group projects. He would take smoking breaks and I would join him, or I would walk with him to his office after class. I didn't ask him to be my adviser until much later; I just built a relationship with him and got to know him and his work, and allowed him to get to know me. If you aren't a go-getter in this way like I was, I think finding an adviser is very difficult. I knew many people who had to have preceptors assigned as their advisers because they couldn't find anyone willing. -One of the saddest moments I had in the program was during the office hours with said adviser of mine. He told me that he didn't expect much in terms of quality from MAPSS students, but was sympathetic to their plight (earning a master's and doing fieldwork//research/composing a thesis in 9 months) and sort of graded based on that, which was very disappointing to hear. I had hoped I would be treated like any other PhD student who was completing the MA portion of their candidacy, but that's not the case. He also revealed to me that he knows of some professors who ban MAPSS students from taking their courses because of the inferior quality of discussion that MAPSS students bring to the table, which was heartbreaking to hear as well. -While all of these things are really disappointing about MAPSS, I will say that the academics of UChicago seriously changed my life. I am also someone who takes academic matters seriously, so maybe this isn't saying all that much, but the classes I took were some of the most amazing and beautifully taught courses I've ever taken. I was exposed to wonderful academic literature that will stay with me forever. If you are someone who appreciates knowledge and academic inquiry for its own sake, I think you will be hard-pressed to find a more rigorous university than UChicago. If MAPSS is the only option you have at this moment to experience that, I would say it's worth it for that alone. Where I'm at Now All this being said, I did well and graduated in Spring with only 20% of my cohort (the rest graduated in August). I earned an A on my thesis, but it likely was inflated because of my adviser's sympathies to the MAPSS program, which I struggle with when listing that as an "accomplishment". After graduating, I worked full time for a bit for the company I had been working for during the program, and took 3 months off to live in Hungary. While abroad I interviewed for market research positions/firms and landed a position at a very prominent global market research firm, I'm 25 years old and my starting pay is 75k which exceeded my hopes and expectations for earning potential as someone with a "useless" undergraduate and graduate degree in anthropology. I will be able to pay off my student debt and live decently on that income, which is what I personally could only have hoped for in taking such a huge risk to pursue what I loved, anthropology. This is just one experience among many. I'm nothing/no one special, but I did work very hard in the program and I worked hard to secure a job that is related to my degrees and research interests. I did not "like" the program in the least, but I don't regret doing it. It was the most difficult academic year of my life and I did have to seek counseling in the Winter quarter which helped a lot- the student mental health services are very easy to access, so please avail yourself of that if you need it. I hope this review helped!

Does anyone have any experience with studying sociocultural anthropology at Brandeis? I've been accepted into their joint MA Anthropology / Women's Gender and Sexuality studies program. I'm curious to know of others' experiences or just knowledge of the program.

Hi all, All my applications are in for the Fall 2019 cycle (for MA programs), and I'm starting to get responses. I know this is weird, but I want to get a head start on my PhD applications, which I assume I'll be submitting around December 2020/January 2021. I know my research interests might change in the future, but I'm wondering if it's too early to start reaching out to POI at these schools. I think the general themes of my interests will still be similar to my interests now. There is one professor in particular that I want to email and the school is where I did my undergrad (I still live near the school). Would it be appropriate to frame it as, "I'll be starting my MA program out-of-state in August/September, can we meet and talk in person before I leave?" I'll also be out-of-state for the summer doing a language program. I have a feeling that I shouldn't send anything yet, haha. Thanks!

Hi all! Wondering if anyone is going to be attending American Ethnological Society conference in March, and is looking for a roomshare to save costs.

Anyone on here applying to Tulane for Anthropology or Linguistics this year? I've applied to both Anthropology (cultural) and EEB for PhDs, and my partner applied for Anthropology (linguistic) and Linguistics. Tulane is our top choice, so I'm super nervous about getting in/getting funding! My GPA is okay (3.35 for unofficial transcript, probably gonna be 3.5 by final transcript - it's mostly my freshman year weighing me down), as are my GRE scores (QU: 150, QA: 160, W: 4.5), but I've got 2 major research projects, 2 internships, a small business (unrelated to the field of study), and even kinda-sorta a published paper under my belt! Plus my statement of purpose was good (I hope), and my LORs were amazing, or at least my professors thought highly of me... My POI showed significant interest (I think, he seemed to like my research ideas, interests, and what not, but just kept encouraging me to apply), as did my partner's, but I just don't know if I can make the cut! I just wanna know! It's hard enough hoping for your own spot, but I'm riding on my partner getting in too!!! Anyone else super stressed?

I've deferred my enrollment to a PhD program to fall 2019. When should I start applying for funding? I also noticed that many of the fellowships don't have applications and you have to be nominated. In that case, what can I do as an incoming grad student?

I'm an international student with 2 years of work experience and an Integrated (UG+PG) MA in Development Studies, applying to US schools for a PhD in Anthropology. I feel the weak link in my profile is my undergrad GPA and I'm not sure what to do about it. II was in an inter-disciplinary programme and had to take compulsory courses in Economics and I ended up choosing a quant-heavy minor as well, which really brought my GPA down. These courses don't matter to Anthro, I guess and schools that I'm applying to have repeatedly mentioned that it's only one aspect of the application. But it still worries me. How does one address low GPA in undergrad as part of the application? I am choosing not to write this out in my Statement, but is there anywhere else I can talk about it, and even if I do, what do I say?

Anyone know of any good PhD programs that are very interdisciplinary with Visual Culture & Anthro?

I was just curious about who my fellow 2019 anthro applicants are. What subfield are you in? Subject interests? Thoughts on public anthropology? (this was a big thing a my uni last spring, at least) I'd love to know! I'm in bioanth, and I really want to how nonhuman primates move and groove. And if Alec Baldwin hosting the US release of Walking with Cavemen didn't make huge waves in public opinion of bioanth then I don't know what will. /sarcasm This is my second round, so I've been through the drudgery before. I'm wishing everyone the best!

Hello everyone, I am looking to apply to graduate school for this upcoming fall (2019). I would really like to find an M.A anthropology program with available funding. My academic interests coalesce around such topics as ethnohistory, ethnography, identity, cultural exchange, experience, and visual anthropology. The intersection between anthropology, critical history, and the dynamic human experience of the individual is central to my worldview and shapes what I envision for myself in terms of future study and research. I also have strong tilt towards South Asia, as I have completed numerous research programs in northern India. I also speak intermediate Hindi. Given these thoughts, I was wondering if people had any Master's programs in mind that they would like to recommend. I'm not opposed to hearing Ph.D program recommendations either, but it is the funded M.A programs I am having trouble finding. I am also open to considering non-anthropology programs that deal closely with the subjects I mentioned above. Thanks! Austin

One of the profs writing my letter of rec recently asked me if he would simply receive a link from the school to which I apply in order to submit his letter. I'm not sure. Does anyone know how professors go about submitting the letter? Thanks in advance!

Hey all, I have received a copy of my official transcripts from my undergraduate university. I am applying to 10 PhD programs. Could I simply scan a copy of my transcript 10 times and send the schools those or must I send each school an actual transcript in the post? Thanks in advance

So I applied to several graduate schools last fall and got into the University of South Florida and the University of Tulsa. However, I had to defer my enrollment for both to fall 2019 since I didn't get any funding. I only have a bachelor's degree but wanted to go straight to do my phd if possible. My GRE scores are 149 Verbal, 146 Quant, and 4.0 Writing. I'm planning to take the GRE again to improve my score. My field is cultural anthropology and I'm interested in Japan, sexuality, and religion. I wanted to apply to a few more schools, but Im not quite sure where to apply or what schools give good funding. All suggestions are welcome.

Hello everyone! I recently finished the first year of my phd program in Anthropology. My focus is in South India, and I was awarded a Pilot Research grant in order to go to India this summer and start making contacts/finding my future research site. Although I like the University I attend, and am grateful for this opportunity, I have not been given much guidance on what to actually do. I am leaving for India towards the end of August, and have selected a few sites to visit(my research has to do with Muslim's who participate in Hindu religious rituals), but at this time I do not speak the language necessary to properly communicate with people. One of the few things I was told is that I do not have to produce a paper or anything like that with this grant, but I would like to if possible. I have some friends in the area I will be going to, and it is through them that I have began to navigate my journey. I should note that I have already been to India 9 times, and so navigating around India is not my concern. Any advice would be great. Also, I do not have a background in Anthropology, and the Anthropology theory classes are not until next year, so I am also unclear on which direction to turn towards when writing about my upcoming experiences. Thanks in advance, Eugenio

I am a linguistic anthropology Ph.D student who does fieldwork on language contact, migration, and interaction in Southeast Asia and could use some advice on field equipment. I am mainly looking for a good camera that I can use for pictures (mostly street photography) and video (for interactional analysis), as well as a durable laptop that can run programs like ELAN, Praat, etc., and handle basic video editing. Advice on good audio recorder (I’ve been looking at Zooms But haven’t made any decisions yet) would also be appreciated. Thanks so much!

Hi everyone! I recently applied to sociocultural anthropology masters programs as well as east asian studies masters programs because I was interested in studying east asian countries through an anthropological lens. I was accepted into Duke (interdisciplinary), Columbia(socio anthro), Oxford (socioanthro), and UPenn(east asian). I already rejected UPenn because their east asian studies program seemed to be focused on history whereas I wanted to focus more on contemporary. To be honest though, I am not completely set on whether or not I want to study east asian cultures just yet and was hoping I could figure that out in the master's program before I apply for PhD in the US for anthro (which is the plan for the future). I've been getting different advice from different professors and different PhD students about their experiences so it's been really hard for me to choose, especially because I don't want to regret my choice later. On the one hand, Duke seems to be a good choice because I know they are known for race and gender within the anthro department and that's something I'm really interested in and would allow me to work with great advisors. Not to mention that the interdisciplinary would give me a chance to study race/gender in East Asian countries. But on the other hand, Columbia and Oxford would allow me to look at things in a broader perspective- afterall, I AM Asian American so wouldn't the interdisciplinary track kind of make me look like I tried to find the easy way out as a potential PhD candidate later? I'm so conflicted and would love the general opinions about the anthro masters programs in these schools. I really appreciate it everyone :) thank you in advance!!!!

Hi everyone! I have to make this decision by next Tuesday (3/27) and I’m at a loss. I applied to about 8 schools this round and didn’t fare so well with an undergraduate interdisciplinary degree in Global Studies, despite a high gpa and undergrad publication. I’ve been accepted to a one year non-thesis MA social anthropology program at Concordia university (MTL), which I’m hoping could be a launching point to help me reapply to some fancier programs. But I’ve also received full funding from my Alma mater, Temple University’s Anthropology full PhD program, which is pretty exciting!! What should I do?? The clock is ticking and I’m at a loss...

Hey everyone, I'm hoping to get some insight or guidance from those of you who either are, or have been, in my position. I will attempt not to drone on endlessly with this, so please hang in there! I finished my BA in Classics in Chicago last year, and have just about (two more weeks) finished the Post-Bacc Program in Classics at UCLA (did well, feel confident in some strong letters of recommendation). I will be applying to PhD programs this fall. From the get-go, I always intended on applying solely to Classics programs, but the Post-Bacc Program has served me very well in tailoring my research interests to what very well may result in applying to programs outside of Classics. I am a Latinist, and at the mid-point of fluency in Italian. Many of my research interests involve applying modern theory to the ancient world. To be candid, I do not enjoy Greek at all, nor do I really have any interest in pursuing Classics as a whole (I think?). What I am thinking of doing is taking more Italian and Latin courses while sending in apps for fall 2018. To give a better example of what I'm interested in, I am currently doing research and writing on the reception of Plautine humor among Romans during a time of political turmoil, its relevance to Freudian theory on humor, and the use of comedic violence as catharsis while still acting as a tool for maintaining social boundaries. In a nutshell, this is almost like a history of humor. I want to study things such as the transition from the Latin-speaking world to the Italian-speaking world, the evolution of combat sports in Rome through their reception an development in modern times, etc. BASICALLY: I love the Latin language, the Italian language, sociological theory being applied to Roman contexts, and the development of the Roman world into Italy. So...please, if you have any suggestions, I would love to know what umbrella you think this falls under. As of right now, I'm thinking of applying to anthropology, sociology, and classics programs. I'm finding it hard to see where I would fit. Maybe even a history program? Maybe Italian programs?? What do you think? I'm also reaching out to members in several departments to hear their input, but I'd love to find out what everyone here thinks, seeing as you may have been in this predicament yourself. Thank you!!

Dear all, I've been offered admission by two universities (UCSD and UVa). I am currently weighing these two wonderful options, and I’m considering a lot of factors including prospective advisors and mentors, academic culture, university resources, graduate placement, funding, and location. I know that the most important of these is my future supervisor. Now, if all other things were equal, I'd be left with what seems to be a Manichaean dilemma. My recruiter/prospective supervisor at UCSD has been simply great. Besides the fact that my research seems to be perfectly aligned with their* work, the current students at UCSD with whom I've had the chance to talk have had nothing but superlative praise for this particular professor. My prospective supervisor already has plans for me--for example, they're already including me in a panel session that they're preparing for the AAAs in San Jose this year. That being said, the said professor is young and is a very new hire in the department. I believe this is their first job post-PhD, and I also think I might be the first PhD student they will supervise. I can't help but worry about the possibility that my prospective supervisor might eventually want to move to another university before I finish my PhD there. The work of the other professors in the department isn't as aligned with my research interests, although I'm sure one of them would be able to supervise me if I were to stay there. My prospective supervisor and I are going to have another Skype session soon. What should I ask? My situation at UVa is quite different. While I'm not aware of any specific professor at UVa who really wants to get me in the program, I think there are more members in the faculty (than at UCSD) who can supervise me. One of them is a very famous scholar in the subfield of anthropology that I identify with, and I would definitely love to work with them. Current students there have told me that this professor seems like a likely supervisor for me. However, I know that because they are older and more popular, they are definitely busier and in greater demand. I am afraid that I might not get as much attention and support from them because of this and that this would somehow hurt not only my PhD but also my professional career. What do you think? Both universities and both professors are really, really great, and I am having such a difficult time deciding. I would greatly appreciate your thoughts! If anyone is interested in specific details, I would be happy to provide them in a PM. If you know anything specific about these two departments, please PM me, too! Looking forward to hearing from you! * I'm using the gender-neutral singular pronouns they and them.

I am wait-listed at my top choice (ivy league) and I'm wondering where everyone has been accepted, what your subfields are, and which offer you may accept. Thanks!

Hello, So I have been admitted into a top PhD program in anthropology at one of these northeastern ivy league schools that I never thought I would actually get in to. The program seems great, the funding is amazing but there are no professors really related to my topic (in the broad sense). They are some professors related to my secondary field of interest (environmental anthropology) and to the region I want to work, which is what my potential advisor's research is on but my main field of research is not represented. The other schools I got into have professors more linked to my topic but are not top programs (and sometimes with less good funding), so I don't know if the main criteria should be to have professors in the department linked to one's field of study.