How to kill the MA

[kretschmar]

Hi folks,

Headed into the MA. Aiming high for the PhD. Super motivated.

The bad news is, the MA is gonna be from an unranked PhD program. I happen to think its a really neat program, but I'm pretty sure the top 20 adcomms don't share that view. So how do I maximize the next two years? Obviously work like a maniac on my writing. But what kinds of things will most effectively burnish my resume? I'll be on fellowship, so I'm going to have time to be maniacally self-actualizing. 

What if I take a third year to do a Fulbright/DAAD before the PhD?

Hit me with it.

 

[hector549]

8 hours ago, kretschmar said:

Hi folks,

Headed into the MA. Aiming high for the PhD. Super motivated.

The bad news is, the MA is gonna be from an unranked PhD program. I happen to think its a really neat program, but I'm pretty sure the top 20 adcomms don't share that view. So how do I maximize the next two years? Obviously work like a maniac on my writing. But what kinds of things will most effectively burnish my resume? I'll be on fellowship, so I'm going to have time to be maniacally self-actualizing. 

What if I take a third year to do a Fulbright/DAAD before the PhD?

Hit me with it.

 

How unranked are we talking? What's placement like for your program? Are you applying to US PhD programs when you apply out? All-continental SPEP schools, or analytic?

Edited August 17, 2018 by hector549

[kretschmar]

54 minutes ago, hector549 said:

How unranked are we talking? What's placement like for your program? Are you applying to US PhD programs when you apply out? All-continental SPEP schools, or analytic?

Um, if I were to rank its unranked-ness I would put it closer to Oregon than to Appalachia State. Placement from the MA has been mediocre with flashes of glory, but they have *very* few MA students. Definitely shooting for US programs, though I'm interested in a few German and UK programs. My interests are developing, but are continental. Ideal programs at the moment are Georgetown and Columbia. SPEP is cool.

Edited August 17, 2018 by kretschmar

[hector549]

1 hour ago, kretschmar said:

Um, if I were to rank its unranked-ness I would put it closer to Oregon than to Appalachia State. Placement from the MA has been mediocre with flashes of glory, but they have *very* few MA students. Definitely shooting for US programs, though I'm interested in a few German and UK programs. My interests are developing, but are continental. Ideal programs at the moment are Georgetown and Columbia. SPEP is cool.

I've been thinking lately about what it takes to be successful coming from an MA, since I'm wrapping up my own this year. I have a few thoughts:

1. I think your choice of advisor matters significantly--way more than the rank status of your program. If you end up working with someone who doesn't really take the time to mentor you, you're not going to be able to produce as polished and nuanced a writing sample. One might also think that someone who isn't invested in your success might not take the time to write you as strong a letter. I'm lucky; my advisor is great. Not everyone fares so well, though. Take your time to evaluate the faculty before you pick someone to work with, and choose with your eyes open.

2. It can be tricky to do this in an MA, but I think it can be useful to try to get letters from faculty with whom you've done more than taken one class. Maybe you were also a TA for the faculty member, etc. Again--can be tricky to pull off in an MA, but if you can do it, it gives you a better chance to get to know each faculty member a bit more, and (hopefully) they'll write you a more informed letter as a result.

3. Don't be afraid to consult with your advisor (as long as you know she or he is in your corner) about your choice of letter writers. She or he may have better insight than you about who may be a good choice if you're trying to pick between several options.

4. Start your writing sample early (summer after first year at the latest, though it's not a bad idea to be thinking about what you might want to be working on before then).

5. Perhaps this goes without saying, but I've found that doing an MA first brings with it an extra burden; when you apply to programs the first time, many people apply to MAs as a backup. But when you're applying out of an MA, there's no MA as a backup. You may feel increased pressure on yourself. I think it's extra important as a result of that pressure to manage that stress well. So do something other than philosophy while you're doing your MA to keep yourself sane!