Grunty DaGnome Posted December 3, 2011 Posted December 3, 2011 (edited) Has anyone else glanced over the current PhD candidate's specialty areas at the Universities where you're applying? I chose faculties that had professors teaching in my area of specialization, but for those who list their current PhD candiates, there are few or none who are interested in my area. Is this a legitimate way to predict my "fit" to a department? Or is this one more way for me to convince myself I have a chance and make those fantasies or the admit phone call seem even more plausible before the inevitable disappointment in the spring? All of you already in a PhD program who still glance at these boards, your comments are especially welcome! Edited December 3, 2011 by Grunty DaGnome
lolopixie Posted December 3, 2011 Posted December 3, 2011 I somewhat did that with my schools. There are a few programs I'm applying to that I didn't look at that because I want to go to that program regardless. However, for the other couple, I did try to see how many, if any, candidates were working in my field in that department. Departments want to diversify their portfolios, so that was a contributing factor to how I narrowed down my list.
lyonessrampant Posted December 4, 2011 Posted December 4, 2011 I remember doing that for some of the programs I applied to last year. Perhaps the overlap in research topics between current candidates and your own work might not be as important as the number of people working with someone you want to be your advisor. Most advisors don't work on more than a few dissertations at a time, so you can look at those kinds of numbers to see if people you want to work with are overburdened, ready for new blood, etc. However, a lot of that information may not be posted on the websites or be as transparent to a department outsider, so in short, I wouldn't put too much stock into it, but if you've submitted all your apps and have time, looking at that info can't hurt. The anxiety is awful. . .particularly in January and February, so if it helps calm you, certainly do it!
ZeeMore21 Posted December 4, 2011 Posted December 4, 2011 You always want to make sure there are faculty members working in your field for sure. I did contact current graduate students when I was applying who were in my field, but I only did this to get more information about the program and resources, However, I would not based your admission chances on current graduate students lists; what admissions committees are looking for changes from cycle to cycle.
wintergirl Posted December 4, 2011 Posted December 4, 2011 (edited) This is my predictor: http://web.ics.purdu...n/eightball.cgi 100% accurate. Edited December 4, 2011 by bespeckled and...and...and..., Tybalt and Two Espressos 3
Grunty DaGnome Posted December 4, 2011 Author Posted December 4, 2011 Ok, I'm posting my score from the above test, since that's what we do best around here: Q: will I get in to brown? A: sources say no. Q: will I get in to columbia? A: maybe Q: will I get in to NYU? A: yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! All hail the magic 8-ball!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Two Espressos Posted December 4, 2011 Posted December 4, 2011 Following the last two posts: Question: Will I have success applying to graduate school? Answer: Definitely. Question: Will I be the next Judith Butler? Answer: No way! Question: Will I ever get a tenure-track job? Answer: No way! Question: Will I be an adjunct for the rest of my life? Answer: Absolutely! I'd wager that this magic 8-ball knows its stuff. It's certainly aware of job market prospects! Thanks for the lulz, bespeckled! Two Espressos, ecritdansleau and jakebarnes 2 1
Two Espressos Posted December 4, 2011 Posted December 4, 2011 Also, Question: Are you simply a non-sentient computer program? Answer: Yes. At least it's honest! haha Safferz and jakebarnes 1 1
0000000000AAA Posted December 4, 2011 Posted December 4, 2011 Question: Is New Historicism new anymore? Answer: Try again later. practical cat, Two Espressos, silentskye and 2 others 5
lolopixie Posted December 4, 2011 Posted December 4, 2011 haha! Q. Will I get into Miami? A. Definitely Q. Is there light at the end of the tunnel? A. No way! Q. How dare you? A. Definitely
lolopixie Posted December 4, 2011 Posted December 4, 2011 Question: Is New Historicism new anymore? Answer: Try again later. HAHA!
bdon19 Posted December 4, 2011 Posted December 4, 2011 Q: Will I get into grad school? A: Yes Q: Will I get in this year? A: Yes Q: Will I get into one of my top choices? A: Definitely I think this thing is broken...
ecritdansleau Posted December 4, 2011 Posted December 4, 2011 (edited) Question: Should I stop wasting my time doing this and polish my writing sample instead? Answer: Absolutely! Question: Should I really? Answer: Outlook not so good. The certainty of yes or no answers is so tempting and satisfying in times of doubt and contingency, regardless of reliability or truth. Edited December 4, 2011 by ecritdansleau
Mistral Posted December 4, 2011 Posted December 4, 2011 Okay, I was lured by your positive answers, so I decided that I was game for some feel-good delusions. Here are my results: Q: Will I get into grad school this year? A: Outlook not so goo. Q: Will I get rejected from every grad school this year? A: Yes I was starting to feel pretty desperate: Q: Are you sure I won't get into grad school this year? A: Definitely Technically, I won't hear back until next year: Q: Will I get into Indiana U? A: Yes Q: Will I get into grad school next year? A: Definitely Whew! I will never use that thing again.
bdon19 Posted December 4, 2011 Posted December 4, 2011 I am suffering some major procrastination issues right now. Therefore, I am asking the all-knowing Magic 8 Ball for what it alone can know: Will I get into Brown? Outlook not so good. Cornell? Ask again later. Duke? Absolutely! Indiana? Ask again later. Princeton? No way. Rutgers? Yes. Michigan? Absolutely! UNC? Yes. UT-Austin? Absolutely. Toronto? My sources say no. Looks like I have a few options, at least.
HaruNoKaze Posted December 4, 2011 Posted December 4, 2011 Q: Will I get into Berkeley? - Yes Q: Will I get into Princeton? Definitely! Q: Will I get into WUSTL? Ask again later Q: Will I get into Baylor? Ask again later Q: Will I get into NYU? No Way! Q: Will I get into SMU? Outlook not so good Q: Will I get into UT? Definitely? Q: Will I get into UfoH? Yes. Um... I think it's broken, b/c I know I'm not getting into all those school... lol... but I can dream, can't I?
perrykm2 Posted December 5, 2011 Posted December 5, 2011 This is my predictor: http://web.ics.purdu...n/eightball.cgi 100% accurate. I hope this is accurate. I asked if I will get into any of my schools, and it said "absolutely!" I asked if I will ever have a real job, and it said "yes." I've never wanted anything more than what this digital magic 8-ball has just promised me.
user_name Posted December 5, 2011 Posted December 5, 2011 Will I get into Brown? My sources say no. Will I get into Madison? Definitely. Will I get into Ohio State? Maybe. Will I get into WashU? No way. Will I get into Penn State? Definitely. Will I get into Oregon? No way. Will I get into UW-Milwaukee? Yes Will I get into into Delaware? Outlook not so good. Will I get into Carnegie Mellon? Yes. For the Phd program? Definitely. Will I get into Rutgers? Outlook not so good. I guess this contraption really takes into account program fit and who's on the adcom much more than just ranking... Two Espressos and MrBrooklyn 2
Enzian Posted December 5, 2011 Posted December 5, 2011 Q: Are you the magic eight ball? A: Ask again later Q: Are you the magic eight ball? A: Ask again later Q: Are you the magic eight ball? A: Ask again later Q: Are you the magic eight ball? A: No way! Q: Are you the magic eight ball? A: Ask again later This thing clearly has a time-contingent identity so be careful - you may be asking when it isn't the magic eight ball but something else entirely. Like, a magic meat cleaver. Or a magic Franklin Pierce. coffeeplease, indalomena and Ablukhov 3
Grunty DaGnome Posted December 5, 2011 Author Posted December 5, 2011 Oh, that's a relief! I thought magic 8ball answers were final and unappealable.
Enzian Posted December 5, 2011 Posted December 5, 2011 Well, they are. But if you got a magic psychedelic frogfish instead, you may have a case.
HaruNoKaze Posted December 6, 2011 Posted December 6, 2011 I've never wanted anything more than what this digital magic 8-ball has just promised me. OMG I COMPLETELY AGREE!!!
coffeeplease Posted January 8, 2012 Posted January 8, 2012 Question: Do I need to get off the computer and stop obsessing over my apps? Magic Eight Ball: My sources say no. ....oh. Well. Alright then. vertige 1
vertige Posted January 8, 2012 Posted January 8, 2012 (edited) This thing is great. Will I get into Princeton? No way. Will I get into Yale? Ask again later. Will I get into Yale? Ask again later. Will I get into Yale? Absolutely! Those were my top two choices -- say no more Magic 8 Ball, I'm all set!! In all seriousness, insofar as chances are concerned, I've asked friends I know at certain schools to snoop around and see if they can get an idea of how many people have applied to my program...every year it kind of ebbs and flows, so if I know I have a ton of competition, at least I can feel somewhat realistic about my chances (though that makes no sense because no one can ever really tell the quality of applicants a priori...). Le sigh. P.S.Equally as important: Will Obama win? Ask again later. Will Obama win? Ask again later. Will Obama win? My sources say no. Will I have a fulfilling relationship when I move back to the U.S.? No way. Will I have a lot of sex when I move back to the U.S.? Outlook not so good. Will I die alone in a pile of cat feces? Yes. Fail. At. Life. Edited January 8, 2012 by vertige
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