Venting Thread - 2019 Applicants

[711fanatic]

34 minutes ago, Coconuts&Chloroform said:

Man, it is impossible to focus on schoolwork while waiting to hear back from these programs. I'm feeling more confident now that I have an acceptance under my belt, but confidence =/= patience...

You can imagine how i feel with 0 responses so far ? fingers crossed 

[ShadyCarnot]

who's ready for pain today? ?? get it over with already Berkeley.

[Quaaliaa]

Has anyone received official funding information from Marquette yet?

[Ikari Gendo]

Imagine people constantly getting news from programs they have applied and none that you have applied released any news so far zzzzzzzzzzzz

[platonetsocrate]

On 2/14/2020 at 11:18 AM, Quaaliaa said:

Has anyone received official funding information from Marquette yet?

I have not. 

[Quaaliaa]

17 hours ago, platonetsocrate said:

I have not. 

Glad I'm not alone in this!

[Coconuts&Chloroform]

So, these next few weeks should bring a lot of news for all of us - whether good or bad, I can't say. But the long weeks of hearing nothing are probably more or less over by now. I hope.

[Ikari Gendo]

Anyone else gets the message below on their UT-Austin application page?

"For Your Information:  If you are offered admission and employment at UT Austin, including employment as a GRA or TA, you must successfully pass a criminal background check. For information about how our office of Human Resources reviews criminal history background checks, please visit Human Resources website"

[Coconuts&Chloroform]

1 hour ago, Ikari Gendo said:

Anyone else gets the message below on their UT-Austin application page?

"For Your Information:  If you are offered admission and employment at UT Austin, including employment as a GRA or TA, you must successfully pass a criminal background check. For information about how our office of Human Resources reviews criminal history background checks, please visit Human Resources website"

Lol yes I have this too. Why they chose to notify us of this fact now, I don't know.

[BabyFarmer]

Other than the one post, has anyone heard from CMU?

[modals]

On 2/15/2020 at 11:15 AM, Ikari Gendo said:

Imagine people constantly getting news from programs they have applied and none that you have applied released any news so far zzzzzzzzzzzz

same boat. it’s blergh. 

[MtnDuck]

4 hours ago, TheCarbWhisperer said:

Other than the one post, has anyone heard from CMU?

It was confirmed via the facebook group but I think even over there that was the only person who has made a report (doesn't seem like a fellowship offer but who knows)

Edited February 20, 2020 by MtnDuck

[Eheydon]

17 minutes ago, MtnDuck said:

It was confirmed via the facebook group but I think even over there that was the only person who has made a report (doesn't seem like a fellowship offer but who knows)

That would be me and, no, they haven’t given me any details on funding yet. 

[BabyFarmer]

3 hours ago, Eheydon said:

That would be me and, no, they haven’t given me any details on funding yet. 

Hmm okay. I'm just n e r v o u s (and also didn't want to crash your congratulation thread on FB haha). Thank you!

[Ikari Gendo]

8 hours ago, modals said:

same boat. it’s blergh. 

still nothing, though it makes quite a bit of sense since most of programs I have picked have relatively late deadlines.

[modals]

4 hours ago, Ikari Gendo said:

still nothing, though it makes quite a bit of sense since most of programs I have picked have relatively late deadlines.

oh yeah? where’d you apply?

 

[Ikari Gendo]

13 minutes ago, modals said:

oh yeah? where’d you apply?

 

Just updated my signature.

[Mischief]

Real question that is going to come off as alarmist (hence, not asking in the FB group), but has been on my mind for a few years. I should also say upfront that I have heard and understand the "writing sample, writing sample, writing sample," advice--let me bracket that for a moment to discuss a specific aspect of the application that has haunted me.

Question: Just how much work can an MA (thesis, great letters, high grades) do to assuage a problematic undergraduate transcript? I ask this because my undergraduate transcript is highly inconsistent all the way through (I have a health explanation for this), and I am worried that I haven't been successful in making it through the first round of cuts--if this is the case, I am thinking about how (and whether it is possible) to deal with this problem in the future.

I have hopes that my MA grades and GRE scores will help treat any worries about my undergraduate record, but it may be that they don't (say, if the department is most concerned with undergraduate marks because of worries about grade inflation at the graduate level, or worries about a student being unable to win grant/fellowship funding without a consistent academic record). Even if this were not the case, one has to wonder just how far one can proceed given this kind of record when they are in a pool of applicants with straight A's not just in philosophy but in their cumulative GPA (and I take this from both Eric Schwitzgebel's blog, posts on GC, and elsewhere).

If it is the case that I can't make it through to serious consideration because of my undergraduate record, what can one do to deal with that? It seems that taking more undergraduate coursework after finishing an MA would be a bit silly (and perhaps not allowed), so perhaps the only answer would be take a second MA in Philosophy in order to have more success in graduate coursework on my academic record (again, there are other aspects of the application that matter, but I am here asking just about the transcript/GPA problem).

[legush]

2 minutes ago, Mischief said:

Real question that is going to come off as alarmist (hence, not asking in the FB group), but has been on my mind for a few years. I should also say upfront that I have heard and understand the "writing sample, writing sample, writing sample," advice--let me bracket that for a moment to discuss a specific aspect of the application that has haunted me.

Question: Just how much work can an MA (thesis, great letters, high grades) do to assuage a problematic undergraduate transcript? I ask this because my undergraduate transcript is highly inconsistent all the way through (I have a health explanation for this), and I am worried that I haven't been successful in making it through the first round of cuts--if this is the case, I am thinking about how (and whether it is possible) to deal with this problem in the future.

I have hopes that my MA grades and GRE scores will help treat any worries about my undergraduate record, but it may be that they don't (say, if the department is most concerned with undergraduate marks because of worries about grade inflation at the graduate level, or worries about a student being unable to win grant/fellowship funding without a consistent academic record). Even if this were not the case, one has to wonder just how far one can proceed given this kind of record when they are in a pool of applicants with straight A's not just in philosophy but in their cumulative GPA (and I take this from both Eric Schwitzgebel's blog, posts on GC, and elsewhere).

If it is the case that I can't make it through to serious consideration because of my undergraduate record, what can one do to deal with that? It seems that taking more undergraduate coursework after finishing an MA would be a bit silly (and perhaps not allowed), so perhaps the only answer would be take a second MA in Philosophy in order to have more success in graduate coursework on my academic record (again, there are other aspects of the application that matter, but I am here asking just about the transcript/GPA problem).

It depends what your MA Grades are and what your GRE score is. Where did you do your MA?

On a side note: Are you the person that just got rejected from Waterloo? 

[Mischief]

13 minutes ago, legush said:

It depends what your MA Grades are and what your GRE score is. Where did you do your MA?

On a side note: Are you the person that just got rejected from Waterloo? 

1. I did not apply to Waterloo.

2. Sorry to play coy on this but I don't want to share specifics--part of the question is also just whether the GRE and MA numbers can be thought of as offsetting other things (i.e. whether there is a threshold at which they can do that work). My MA grades are high. On the GRE: higher than what many posters have usually called the "can only help you application" range, though I have wondered if it would be worth aiming for a 337-340 to make the point. As far as the reputation of the department goes, not one of the Tufts/TTU/Brandeis set.

[legush]

4 minutes ago, Mischief said:

1. I did not apply to Waterloo.

2. Sorry to play coy on this but I don't want to share specifics--part of the question is also just whether the GRE and MA numbers can be thought of as offsetting other things (i.e. whether there is a threshold at which they can do that work). My MA grades are high. On the GRE: higher than what many posters have usually called the "can only help you application" range, though I have wondered if it would be worth aiming for a 337-340 to make the point. As far as the reputation of the department goes, not one of the Tufts/TTU/Brandeis set.

Did you already finish your MA or are you applying during it? Also is your MA a 1 or a 2 year program? Thesis/MRP?

In regard to Undergrad grades, usually the thing with transcripts is that the departments look for trends. Even if you have some bad grades, they need to see that there is some sort of upward trend. 

 

[Mischief]

1 hour ago, legush said:

Did you already finish your MA or are you applying during it? Also is your MA a 1 or a 2 year program? Thesis/MRP?

In regard to Undergrad grades, usually the thing with transcripts is that the departments look for trends. Even if you have some bad grades, they need to see that there is some sort of upward trend. 

 

In the second year of a two-year MA with thesis, applied this year and will apply next year if things don't work out this year.

[modals]

2 hours ago, Mischief said:

 

one suggestion is to become involved in workshops, conferences, summer programs, and colloquia. if you can pull off organizing one or more of these things, then that’s even better.

of course, maybe you’ve been there, done that. i mention it because networking outside your institution is one way to boost your odds of success in this chancy process. this is because name recognition - not only your letter writers’, but also your own - can be a deciding factor in surviving the first cut. if someone on one or more adcomms has a positive impression of you before even reading your app, this could push you to surprising heights despite a patchy UG transcript, unexceptional GRE, etc. 

anyway, it sounds like you’ve come far - well done!

 

Edited February 20, 2020 by modals

[legush]

36 minutes ago, Mischief said:

In the second year of a two-year MA with thesis, applied this year and will apply next year if things don't work out this year.

I would say that even if you don't get in anywhere this application season, definitely don't give up and apply again next year. This way you will have completed a degree and you will be applying with a full completed graduate transcript. Furthermore, try extremely hard in the courses you still have left to complete (not sure if you have any in the summer as well). Maybe take extra courses and graduate in Fall. Its kind of hard for me to say because I don't know the specifics of your grad program. Also work your ass of on the thesis. Remember, if you get any awards in your grad program, that will take you far. A lot of people say that awards don't matter as much. They do. Especially in cases where you have to make up for some worse part of an application, like a spotty transcript. Another benefit of applying next year is that you will have the time to study your a$$ off for the GRE. I don't know what your score is, but if you think you are capable of getting a better score by studying some more, do it. Schools appreciate trends in GRE scores as well. It shows the student is trying and improving. ON the other hand, if you're not confident of a higher score, then don't do it. There is always the risk of getting a worse score than you already have and the downward trend can work against you as well. However, what some schools do it that they consider you highest in each section if you submit multiple scores. So if you get like a 162/162/5.0 on first and then like a 168/160/5.0, they will take that increase to 168 in the second score.

[Friendinme]

2 hours ago, Mischief said:

Real question that is going to come off as alarmist (hence, not asking in the FB group), but has been on my mind for a few years. I should also say upfront that I have heard and understand the "writing sample, writing sample, writing sample," advice--let me bracket that for a moment to discuss a specific aspect of the application that has haunted me.

Question: Just how much work can an MA (thesis, great letters, high grades) do to assuage a problematic undergraduate transcript? I ask this because my undergraduate transcript is highly inconsistent all the way through (I have a health explanation for this), and I am worried that I haven't been successful in making it through the first round of cuts--if this is the case, I am thinking about how (and whether it is possible) to deal with this problem in the future.

I have hopes that my MA grades and GRE scores will help treat any worries about my undergraduate record, but it may be that they don't (say, if the department is most concerned with undergraduate marks because of worries about grade inflation at the graduate level, or worries about a student being unable to win grant/fellowship funding without a consistent academic record). Even if this were not the case, one has to wonder just how far one can proceed given this kind of record when they are in a pool of applicants with straight A's not just in philosophy but in their cumulative GPA (and I take this from both Eric Schwitzgebel's blog, posts on GC, and elsewhere).

If it is the case that I can't make it through to serious consideration because of my undergraduate record, what can one do to deal with that? It seems that taking more undergraduate coursework after finishing an MA would be a bit silly (and perhaps not allowed), so perhaps the only answer would be take a second MA in Philosophy in order to have more success in graduate coursework on my academic record (again, there are other aspects of the application that matter, but I am here asking just about the transcript/GPA problem).

Don’t despair. Your situation sounds a lot like mine, and I have been admitted to a very competitive program. If you don’t have the success you want this season, I would recommend working hard at ~3000 word papers, getting comments from as many people as possible (especially current faculty, with whom you should keep a dialogue going anyway), and submitting these papers to ‘serious’ conferences and APA meetings. My guess is that a couple conference successes helped me stand out and reassured folks who might’ve been worried about my inconsistent undergrad record.

Congrats on the work you’ve done in the MA program. Very best wishes.