Ph.D programs- Do I stand a chance?

[clashingtime]

So, I've put the final touches on all my applications, and after listening to some of the grad students at my university talk about how hard it is to get in, I'm super terrified I'm not going to get in anywhere. So, here's the basic rundown of my stats:

Double major in Anthropology and history

Overall GPA: 3.626

Anthropology GPA: 3.888

History GPA: 3.80

GRE: 1070 (not so great, but I actually brought it way up from my first go around).

Experience:

Undergraduate Research junior year- topic focusing on paleopathology and relation to health today among Zuni

Summer internship at a museum

Selection to participate in Honors research scholars program- goal is to write a thesis, publish it, and present in a public forum. My topic concerns reconstructing ancient diet.

Team member of Ft. Hood cultural resources contract

The schools I'm applying to:

University of Tennessee

University of New Mexico

Texas State

University of Texas

[anthropologygeek]

Graduate school is tough to get into. Masters is easier than phd but then again I was the only one out of 26 to get into grad school six years ago for my masters and now I'm in the process of getting my phd. I would recommend applying to 8 schools with 1-2 reaches and there aren't any safety schools out there. Your gre is low if you want funding.1200 is a good goal if you want funding and below 1100 does exclude some schools that you can apply to. What's your focus? Maybe I can suggest some schools for you. But every school accepts by different standards so hang in there. No one can tell you either way until you hear back from the schools.

[new mexico]

So, I've put the final touches on all my applications, and after listening to some of the grad students at my university talk about how hard it is to get in, I'm super terrified I'm not going to get in anywhere. So, here's the basic rundown of my stats:

Double major in Anthropology and history

Overall GPA: 3.626

Anthropology GPA: 3.888

History GPA: 3.80

GRE: 1070 (not so great, but I actually brought it way up from my first go around).

Experience:

Undergraduate Research junior year- topic focusing on paleopathology and relation to health today among Zuni

Summer internship at a museum

Selection to participate in Honors research scholars program- goal is to write a thesis, publish it, and present in a public forum. My topic concerns reconstructing ancient diet.

Team member of Ft. Hood cultural resources contract

The schools I'm applying to:

University of Tennessee

University of New Mexico

Texas State

University of Texas

i just received my ba in anthropology from UNM. which subdiscipline are you interested in? ethnology, archaeology, or evolutionary anthropology? it's a fun school, and new mexico is a great place to live and VERY cheap. i know the evo anthro is a bit more difficult to get into than the ethnology.

pm if you have any questions.

best,

nm

[clashingtime]

Eugh, I actually thought I had a good chance since I've been doing independent research, I've interned, my GPA is higher than the requirements, and I've been selected to do an honors thesis. I hope to focus on paleopathology. Tennessee is my top choice since some of the faculty have research interests which overlap with mine, but from what I've learned, that probably won't happen.

Anthropologygeek- I'm getting married next June, and I've applied to places where he can get a job (i.e places with a national lab). Luckily, there are a lot of great schools in those places. I don't really have the money to apply to 8 schools, so if I don't get in to anything (which is very, very likely it seems) I'll take a year off, and find a way to get experience in the field and apply again.

[anthropologygeek]

That's a good attitude to have. Just do your best because what I have notice luck both self made and random play a role. I hope you get into Tenn.

[clashingtime]

Thanks anthropologygeek, I hope so too! My advisor thinks I have a good chance, but luck does have a lot to do with it from what I've seen. From what I've been told, you can't really be 100% about grad school admissions. Tenn is my top choice, so if I don't get in, taking a year off to relax, recuperate from a hardcore undergrad career and gear up towards working towards a Ph.D might not be a bad idea. However, I won't really know anything until I send everything in and wait to hear back!

P.S. Anthropologygeek: Since I noticed that you were successful in getting admitted to a grad school, do you have any tips for someone who is applying? Feel free to PM!

[samjones]

i think you should apply to the schools you want to be at. i don't think we know for sure that you wouldn't get into those schools because of one lower-than-you-would-hope number. i think that your other application attributes (like the involvement in indy research, competitive gpa and such) could demonstrate your potential despite the gre (which i think is holding less and less power. idk know for sure but maybe no one besides those who have been on admission committees knows for sure). i think it woud be foolish to come here, ask potential and/or current students with a sprinkling of the RARE actual prof. (it's happened in the poli sci thread! idk if it has happened elsewhere), get responses, and decide to pull your application from one school or another that you really wanted to apply to before you ever came here! don't sell yourself short, let them tell you no if they;re going to tell you no, you know?

again, i think your other attributes are strong and importantly relevant for the program and subfield you're planning to apply to. GOOD LUCK!!

[clashingtime]

Thanks everyone, for the advice and encouragement! One thing I forgot to add is that next semester after I've collected all the data for my honors thesis, my advisor is putting me in charge of a short forensic study to look over some bones, get some data, write a short report, and then return the remains to the Caddo Nation. I don't know if this will help my chances at all...but I hope so!

[shaydlip]

Given your GRE score, you should DEFINITELY contact professors before hand. You should also make it clear (if they respond back, and seem encouraging, etc) what your GRE score is.

Faculty may tell you not to apply. Then you don't have to waste your time.

[clashingtime]

Given your GRE score, you should DEFINITELY contact professors before hand. You should also make it clear (if they respond back, and seem encouraging, etc) what your GRE score is.

Faculty may tell you not to apply. Then you don't have to waste your time.

I've had professors tell myself and other students that GRE scores aren't the main focus and are becoming increasingly less important- I've looked on TN's site, and haven't been able to find anywhere where they mention a specific GRE score they want you to have, and New Mexico's site gives a really wide range of scores that successful applicants had. TX State even sent me a letter based purely off my score, urging me to apply. Sure, it's not as stellar as other people's, but I do have some good attributes, you know. I don't think they'll throw out my app immediately or tell me not to apply just because of that one number.

[shaydlip]

I've had professors tell myself and other students that GRE scores aren't the main focus and are becoming increasingly less important- I've looked on TN's site, and haven't been able to find anywhere where they mention a specific GRE score they want you to have, and New Mexico's site gives a really wide range of scores that successful applicants had. TX State even sent me a letter based purely off my score, urging me to apply. Sure, it's not as stellar as other people's, but I do have some good attributes, you know. I don't think they'll throw out my app immediately or tell me not to apply just because of that one number.

Well, like anything with graduate schools, it will depends on the program (i.e. the past experiences of the faculty members). Last year, for admission to the program I am at, I know faculty put applicants to lower down on the waitlist and eventually not admitted because their GRE scores were not high enough. However, my understanding is that it was because there were enough other applicants with the whole package- good grades, SOP, LOR, previous research experience.

I am not saying that to scare you. But the GRE can keep you out. As I mentioned in another post a very successful recent graduate of my program (now happily employed) she visited schools beforehand to address her low (below 1000) GRE. She found a faculty member who she clicked with at my program and the faculty member wrote letters on her behalf to allow her admission. One faculty member at a university she visited before the app told her not to apply.

So, I am not saying that you must go visit these places, you are above 1000, but not by much. I am saying you should contact faculty beforehand, see if they are taking students, etc, and try to see if you can address your GRE score.