2021 Application Discussion Thread

[Bourbak1]

It's my first ever post here, but I'm sure I've read damn near every thread all the way back to 2014. I just finished up applying to about 17 schools (a few masters left to go). Now it's mostly waiting, which (unsurprisingly) sucks. I'm coming from an unknown public university with an unusual gap in my education, and, just for good measure, at least a dozen schools are halting or limiting their admissions this year. I know it's the longest of long shots to make into a top 20 program and I'm honestly kind of depressed whenever I think about it. But philosophy really is what I've always wanted to do (even in high school), and I feel compelled to try despite the job market, etc.

I guess I'm posting just to say hello and vent some of my anxiousness. I do have some things going for me, from what I can tell from this forum: 170 Verbal (can't take credit though... it happened on all three practice tests, without any study); a letter from one of the faculty at a top MA program (who I've met and whose work we discussed via email and over the phone); GPA 3.92 (major 4.0); writing sample... gee I really don't know. Maybe its good, good for an undergrad paper, but it's nowhere near publishable, and every time I think about it I realize that I should have changed one thing or another before I submitted it. Ugh. I need to forget about all this somehow for a couple months. It's funny, the process of applying to grad school in philosophy has left me with very little desire to actually read any philosophy.

tl;dr I'm anxious and depressed about my applications, how about you?

[eleatics]

@Bourbak1 I feel the same way! I'm applying to 20 PhD programs + a handful of funded MAs (including Tufts, which apparently isn't really all that well-funded apparently but they have a great placement rate). I still have a handful of more applications to submit before I'm done, but the anxiety from waiting can really feel overwhelming at times. I've been trying to pass the time/keep my mind preoccupied by working on some hobbies such as painting and making music! For what it's worth, your stats make you sound very competitive (170 in verbal!), and this is an especially difficult year for applying to graduate programs all around. Wishing you all the best!

[HomoLudens]

14 hours ago, Bourbak1 said:

It's my first ever post here, but I'm sure I've read damn near every thread all the way back to 2014. I just finished up applying to about 17 schools (a few masters left to go). Now it's mostly waiting, which (unsurprisingly) sucks. I'm coming from an unknown public university with an unusual gap in my education, and, just for good measure, at least a dozen schools are halting or limiting their admissions this year. I know it's the longest of long shots to make into a top 20 program and I'm honestly kind of depressed whenever I think about it. But philosophy really is what I've always wanted to do (even in high school), and I feel compelled to try despite the job market, etc.

I guess I'm posting just to say hello and vent some of my anxiousness. I do have some things going for me, from what I can tell from this forum: 170 Verbal (can't take credit though... it happened on all three practice tests, without any study); a letter from one of the faculty at a top MA program (who I've met and whose work we discussed via email and over the phone); GPA 3.92 (major 4.0); writing sample... gee I really don't know. Maybe its good, good for an undergrad paper, but it's nowhere near publishable, and every time I think about it I realize that I should have changed one thing or another before I submitted it. Ugh. I need to forget about all this somehow for a couple months. It's funny, the process of applying to grad school in philosophy has left me with very little desire to actually read any philosophy.

tl;dr I'm anxious and depressed about my applications, how about you?

This is my second round of applications, so I understand how you feel. It is good that you are applying to MAs. I applied only to PhD programs (four in total) two years ago, and I was waitlisted from all of them. Luckily I got into the MA program at one of them (Duquesne). Going to an MA program really helps you prioritize what aspects of philosophy really drive you to pursue a degree in the field. Going in, I had no idea what I wanted to study. Now, I have a very firm grasp of my interests and my own capacities. If I was trapped in a PhD program right out of undergrad, where no one was working on things that I am interested in, then I doubt I would want to finish my degree. Luckily now I know what I want out of a school. 

[HomoLudens]

How are y'all approaching the option to not send GRE scores? Since mine were not that great, I see this as a godsend. I am only sending scores to the two programs that require it (Texas and Bloomington). If they say that it is optional, then it ought not be a detriment to my application to not send a score, right? 

[eleatics]

@HomoLudens I chose not to submit GRE scores due to external constraints -- my test was cancelled twice by ETS due to the pandemic, and I moved out to a remote area of Alaska in early August to begin my year of service with AmeriCorps. We do not have any testing centers here, and the internet is fine but not reliable enough to take the test at home (I submitted most of my applications via cellular data lol). You're probably fine not submitting scores, or at least better off not submitting them than submitting not great scores. To my understanding in any case, GRE scores don't really play as much of a role in admissions decisions as they used to.

[Bourbak1]

I sent them unless I read something on the website to the effect that "gre scores will not be considered". (Pitt and some other places.) Annoyingly expensive, but since I'm coming from nowhere i thought maybe it would help me (more than it would help someone coming from somewhere with well known standards in philosophy.) Also, I've heard that even if they don't help with program admission they might help with funding, etc.

It seems to me, though, that it might be unfair to make them optional but still consider them if sent (i.e. what most schools seem to be doing.) 

[Kapol-in]

Did anyone else get those emails from UOregon today? Stuff about application being received and a scholarship portal?

[PhilCoffee]

What will happen if only 2 letter are submitted while the program requires 3? Will that simply get one turned down?

[PhilCoffee]

8 hours ago, PhilCoffee said:

What will happen if only 2 letter are submitted while the program requires 3? Will that simply get one turned down?

I mean a shere possibility, though.

[Marcus_Aurelius]

Not exactly answering your question, but heads-up that, based on what's been said here in previous years, programs are pretty understanding if letter writers submit late, or if there are other delays with documents (I had a delay in submission of a transcript, for instance, and had no issue). Try to get your letter writers to submit on time, of course, and remind them many times if necessary, but also don't panic. 

If your question is about having a third letter at all (if, say, one letter writer dropped out last minute), seems important to try to find another quickly (and explain the situation), but others might have better guidance from experience.

[Outer Heaven]

Now, we play the waiting game. Ahh, the waiting game sucks. Let's play Hungry Hungry Hippos!

[HomoLudens]

23 minutes ago, Outer Heaven said:

Now, we play the waiting game. Ahh, the waiting game sucks. Let's play Hungry Hungry Hippos!

Just submitted my last app yesterday. I am so freaking nervous ?

[Outer Heaven]

I submitted mine a bit earlier, just in case 'rona sneak up behind me. 

[HomoLudens]

How confident do y'all feel about your writing samples? I spent months and months on it (basically since last May). I am using a grad seminar paper on Kant, realism, and belief. I presented it at a conference, I had profs read and give feedback, I gave it to current PhDs for detailed feedback, and I had members of my MA cohort review it. It is also under review at a journal (it got rejected at one place, but the editor said that it reads like a high quality graduate seminar paper, which I take as a positive).

 

If I hadn't gone through all of this, I would probably be more of a wreck over applications. I know it is still a long shot, but I feel confident that if the ad-coms look at my sample that they will be impressed.

Where do all of you stand in regards to your samples?

[HomoLudens]

On 1/1/2021 at 5:49 PM, Outer Heaven said:

I submitted mine a bit earlier, just in case 'rona sneak up behind me. 

Where are you applying to? What is your area of interest?

[Outer Heaven]

1 hour ago, HomoLudens said:

Where are you applying to? What is your area of interest?

  My AOI is history of philosophical thought, epistemology, Phil of mind, Hegel, American pragmatism (Sellars) and German Idealism. 

[Potato Cactus]

9 hours ago, HomoLudens said:

How confident do y'all feel about your writing samples?

Oscillating confidence between "It's the best" and "His penmanship is excellent." 

[HomoLudens]

10 hours ago, Outer Heaven said:

  My AOI is history of philosophical thought, epistemology, Phil of mind, Hegel, American pragmatism (Sellars) and German Idealism. 

We pretty much overlap 100% in interests haha. Luckily we are only applying to a handful of the same schools, so we likely won't be competing for the same wierd German idealism/pragmatism/analytic philosophy spot.

[HomoLudens]

2 hours ago, Potato Cactus said:

Oscillating confidence between "It's the best" and "His penmanship is excellent." 

What do you think your strengths and weakness are that are causing you to oscillate?

[Potato Cactus]

Just now, HomoLudens said:

strengths and weakness

Grandiose self-conception and crippling insecurity 

[Outer Heaven]

2 minutes ago, HomoLudens said:

We pretty much overlap 100% in interests haha. Luckily we are only applying to a handful of the same schools, so we likely won't be competing for the same wierd German idealism/pragmatism/analytic philosophy spot.

Ope, I hope we are not pitted against each other. At least I am inadequate for any merit based qualification.  

[PhPhD Hopeful]

On 1/1/2021 at 5:43 PM, HomoLudens said:

Just submitted my last app yesterday. I am so freaking nervous ?

I finished submitting last week and thought being done with applications would be a relief, but I'm right there with you. My anxiety has shot through the roof now that it's all out of my hands. I'm hoping programs will be able to start issuing decisions in February as they have in past years so it's only one more month of nothing but dread, though I know that may be pushed back given increased volume of applications and the pandemic. 

[PhilgoreTrout]

On 1/2/2021 at 10:45 PM, HomoLudens said:

How confident do y'all feel about your writing samples? I spent months and months on it (basically since last May). I am using a grad seminar paper on Kant, realism, and belief. I presented it at a conference, I had profs read and give feedback, I gave it to current PhDs for detailed feedback, and I had members of my MA cohort review it. It is also under review at a journal (it got rejected at one place, but the editor said that it reads like a high quality graduate seminar paper, which I take as a positive).

 

If I hadn't gone through all of this, I would probably be more of a wreck over applications. I know it is still a long shot, but I feel confident that if the ad-coms look at my sample that they will be impressed.

Where do all of you stand in regards to your samples?

I'm extremely confident in my sample, but I think it may be a bit of an outlier. It's very specialized (philosophy of machine learning), which limits the number of places I can send it to a bit. However, I've received an R&R from my first choice journal and I already have an offer from Cambridge HPS so I am feeling like I'm justified in applying to just a handful of elite places that have faculty who can support my research interests. 

[Potato Cactus]

1 hour ago, PhilgoreTrout said:

I'm extremely confident in my sample. It's very specialized (philosophy of machine learning)

May God speed you to Cyberpunk 2077 to fix their awful AI. 

Jokes aside, that's amazing. This little potato is impressed and hopes more good things come your way (especially the opportunity to fix awful NPC AI). 

[polemicist]

2 hours ago, PhilgoreTrout said:

I'm extremely confident in my sample, but I think it may be a bit of an outlier. It's very specialized (philosophy of machine learning), which limits the number of places I can send it to a bit. 

Out of curiosity, which programs (or faculty) are best for the philosophy of machine learning?