Am I too late?

[Ellaid]

Hello everyone,

I am currently very conflicted about my options.

I am finishing my masters in Art History and definitely want to pursue a PhD (hard choice it was). I am passionate about my research but due to personal reasons I lost touch with my faculty this year and doubt I’d receive full support from them in applying. My school is good but it is outside of the US and I don’t have recommendations from top people in the field.

Should I apply this year or work another year in making connections so I have good recommendations?

Would it hurt my future admission chances if I apply to top schools and get rejected?

I was also suggested starting another MA (Williams college) in the US in order to raise my chances to get into a top school.

 

What do you think is a good strategy?

 

Thank you 

Edited October 13, 2020 by Ellaid
spelling

[Artgirl87]

Just go for it!

[venusofwillendork]

I'm not sure if this answer is entirely helpful, but are you too late? No, but it may still be a wise choice to wait.  You could certainly start work now and put a lot of attention on your applications.  I would be very selective with your schools, and work to get your requests to meet with POIs out in the next two weeks.  I'd also start working closely with your previous advisors (get in touch ASAP, express your interest in the program) and speak with your current advisors.  Is your worry about not getting full support about getting weak recommendation letters, or about not getting as much hands-on help with the app itself?  The latter is manageable.  The former will take some creativity in finding some stronger recommenders.  As for application materials, you're in your MA, so you should have a decent writing sample, and hopefully an effective idea of what work you want to do in grad school (how will it differ from and extend your MA work?).  No, it won't hurt your chances to apply and be rejected, so long as you take the process seriously.  Many people apply across multiple years before they get into the right fit program.

Starting another MA is not a bad idea, though could be costly, especially as an international student.  What are your long-term goals?  How does the PhD fit into those goals? How would a second MA bolster or alter your existing MA research?

So the tl;dr of all that is that yes, you could still make this work.  There are applications due as late as January 15, and there may be better time flexibility this year for virtual visits than other years (I ran into Thanksgiving limitations in the US when I was trying to be in touch in November, but you may not have as much of a problem this year).

HOWEVER, it may be wise to wait another year or two, or even longer.  Many people get an MA and start working before they return to the PhD.  It's my understanding that this reads well -- you're still committed, possibly more mature, and with work experience that will help you get a position.  Adding to that, this year is likely to be a scant year for admissions due to COVID.  So many schools are not accepting applications (NYU, for example), so schools that are will have more applications, and may also not be able to accept as many people as in other years.  Faculty are generally more focused on their current students and dealing with teaching and research in a pandemic, and may not be able to offer you as much time in pre-admission meetings than in other years.  If you are considering waiting a year to bolster your connections, hone your new research plans, and wait out the pandemic, it might be a wise choice to save your application fees and avoid the stress of putting together apps in the next three months while finishing your MA.  A small caveat -- limited apps this year may result in a boom next year -- always something to balance.

Good luck!

[Ellaid]

On 10/14/2020 at 4:15 PM, venusofwillendork said:

I'm not sure if this answer is entirely helpful, but are you too late? No, but it may still be a wise choice to wait.  You could certainly start work now and put a lot of attention on your applications.  I would be very selective with your schools, and work to get your requests to meet with POIs out in the next two weeks.  I'd also start working closely with your previous advisors (get in touch ASAP, express your interest in the program) and speak with your current advisors.  Is your worry about not getting full support about getting weak recommendation letters, or about not getting as much hands-on help with the app itself?  The latter is manageable.  The former will take some creativity in finding some stronger recommenders.  As for application materials, you're in your MA, so you should have a decent writing sample, and hopefully an effective idea of what work you want to do in grad school (how will it differ from and extend your MA work?).  No, it won't hurt your chances to apply and be rejected, so long as you take the process seriously.  Many people apply across multiple years before they get into the right fit program.

Starting another MA is not a bad idea, though could be costly, especially as an international student.  What are your long-term goals?  How does the PhD fit into those goals? How would a second MA bolster or alter your existing MA research?

So the tl;dr of all that is that yes, you could still make this work.  There are applications due as late as January 15, and there may be better time flexibility this year for virtual visits than other years (I ran into Thanksgiving limitations in the US when I was trying to be in touch in November, but you may not have as much of a problem this year).

HOWEVER, it may be wise to wait another year or two, or even longer.  Many people get an MA and start working before they return to the PhD.  It's my understanding that this reads well -- you're still committed, possibly more mature, and with work experience that will help you get a position.  Adding to that, this year is likely to be a scant year for admissions due to COVID.  So many schools are not accepting applications (NYU, for example), so schools that are will have more applications, and may also not be able to accept as many people as in other years.  Faculty are generally more focused on their current students and dealing with teaching and research in a pandemic, and may not be able to offer you as much time in pre-admission meetings than in other years.  If you are considering waiting a year to bolster your connections, hone your new research plans, and wait out the pandemic, it might be a wise choice to save your application fees and avoid the stress of putting together apps in the next three months while finishing your MA.  A small caveat -- limited apps this year may result in a boom next year -- always something to balance.

Good luck!

Thank you for your detailed response, you have given me much to consider.

No, it won't hurt your chances to apply and be rejected, so long as you take the process seriously.  Many people apply across multiple years before they get into the right fit program

Would it hurt my application if I start a second MA in the US? I mean..It would look strange on a CV I suppose? 

My fear is getting weak recommendation letters this year but I also fear pushing my Phd another year or two away and losing time. I love my MA program but truly feel I got everything I can out of it. 

There are applications due as late as January 15, and there may be better time flexibility this year for virtual visits than other years.

Oh, I'm surprised, what programs are still open until January 15th? 

Very good point about there being an application boom next year! I guess it will be competitive no matter what? 

Thank you!

 

Edited October 19, 2020 by Ellaid

[venusofwillendork]

9 hours ago, Ellaid said:

Would it hurt my application if I start a second MA in the US? I mean..It would look strange on a CV I suppose? 

I think not!  In my experience, I've seen some people with two MAs.  Usually, they are in different areas, or somehow fulfill a different area of study than each other.  Like, some folks get a degree in Archaeology or Anthropology, and then in Art History, or in Art History, then museum education.  If you're planning to get a second MA in basically the same thing your first one is in, that might look a bit strange.  You'd need to make a clear case why a second MA is the right fit, as opposed to a PhD or something else entirely.  Besides the prestige of a different university, what would you hope to get from this second MA, and what would you do differently?  Just something to consider, both in the apps, and as you arrange them on your CV.

9 hours ago, Ellaid said:

There are applications due as late as January 15, and there may be better time flexibility this year for virtual visits than other years.

Tufts' MA in Art History and Art History and Museum Studies, UMass Amherst,  NYU is Jan 17, CUNY is Feb 1, (Williams' is Jan 5, Georgetown's is Jan 1 -- I think most MA's tend to be in Jan, while PhDs tend to be December). 

[Ellaid]

Thank you! This was really helpful. I am terrified but frankly, a Phd application it is...Even it must wait another year...I can only hope like the rest of us it won't be awful timing.