U Chicago MAPH

[MonkeyPants]

Congratulations! I'm also thrilled to see that MAPH is now offering full tuition remission. I think that will really help to alleviate the prevalent opinion of MAPH as simply a cash cow. I did MAPH in 07-08 and had some funding, but no one had full tuition remissoin. It's great that is changing. I would agree that MAPH is what you make of it. Like the previous poster, I networked, attended all department functions, took multiple graduate seminars in my area (including 8000 level courses) and had very positive experiences with faculty. I got 5 great offers last year, and I know MAPH made me a better writer and scholar. Getting to work with the medieval and early modern profs I did was amazing, and they were all very supportive of me, keeping in contact and doing new letters for me when I applied to just a few schools in fall 08 and then when I applied to a bunch of schools last fall. However, a lot of people in my cohort were quite discontented. Yes, MAPH grads get some awesome placements. A friend in my cohort is at Cornell, another is at UT-Austin, another at Fordham, another at NYU law, etc., and I was very nearly at Duke last year (sigh). BUT for every happy MAPH-er there are a few unhappy ones. Especially if you don't have any funding, know what you're getting into.

Honestly i had no idea they offered full tuition. I applied because a prof from my undergrad days is at UChicago now, and when i asked him for a LOR, he basically said, "Yes, but only if you apply to my program as well." I'm pretty well convinced that the funding was his doing entirely. If i hadn't gotten the scholarship, i definitely would have taken the Div School's 50% offer. But- a chance to take courses from all over UChicago and not have to pay for it is a blessing, and i couldn't turn it down.

i'm a little confused over the preceptors vs advisors system they have set up. can you possibly enlighten me? i'll be attending the campus visit in April but any information would be hugely appreciated.

[Swagato]

Preceptors are current advanced PhD students who lead small discussion groups on a very regular basis through first quarter, and by appointment subsequently. They are your first level of contact. Frequent questions about logistical issues, or even relatively smaller research/graduate issues go to your preceptor. They will structure your MAPH career. Advisors are faculty members who serve as your thesis director. In the first quarter, you're assigned one, but you are expected to research faculty and departments and, in coordination with your preceptor, approach and decide on your final thesis director (advisor). Of course, your advisor and preceptor ultimately become anchoring points in your post-MAPH expectations, should you choose to pursue doctoral studies.

[MonkeyPants]

Preceptors are current advanced PhD students who lead small discussion groups on a very regular basis through first quarter, and by appointment subsequently. They are your first level of contact. Frequent questions about logistical issues, or even relatively smaller research/graduate issues go to your preceptor. They will structure your MAPH career. Advisors are faculty members who serve as your thesis director. In the first quarter, you're assigned one, but you are expected to research faculty and departments and, in coordination with your preceptor, approach and decide on your final thesis director (advisor). Of course, your advisor and preceptor ultimately become anchoring points in your post-MAPH expectations, should you choose to pursue doctoral studies.

Thanks! I was a bit worried about the "assigned advisors" bit- it seems pretty arbitrary. But seeking out a specific thesis advisor is more in line with what i was expecting to do.

[Swagato]

Typically the assigned advisor is just someone you meet once or twice early in the first quarter. They will likely be in your field. They can be excellent resources to structuring your first quarter.

[lyonessrampant]

I would echo most of what Swagato said. However, I didn't care much for my preceptor, so other than the required weekly meetings for the first quarter, I didn't have much to do with her. First quarter you have a MAPH Core (theory based) and weekly breakout sessions with your preceptor (sort of like general lecture with the MAPH directors and then discussion groups with a TA/preceptor). I had an idea of whom I wanted my advisor to be going in, so I met with him early in the first quarter and regularly throughout the first and second quarter because I had a thesis project in mind. He helped me extensively on it over the year. Basically, I add this only to say, don't be shy about seeking out an advisor. I found all of the faculty very responsive to initiative. Also, don't think your funding isn't special! I'm sure one prof wouldn't have sway over that, and I think the ad comm for MAPH is mostly the directors, and they would decide the funding, too. It just means you're extra awesome! Good luck!

[MonkeyPants]

So it's been a few weeks, and several people from MAPH have been in contact with me to suggest faculty, workshops, etc. It seems like i'm getting one of these emails every day- and it's slightly overwhelming. Is this normal for admitted grads? Do they do this for everyone, or just those they've offered full funding to? Any insights, anyone?

[Swagato]

You'll receive contact emails from 1) a faculty member, close to or in your expressed area of interest, 2) some administration person, maybe the dean, 3) one or both of the program directors, 4) maybe a current student, 5) one of the program mentors, 6) probably your preceptor.

I'd create a GMail filter for MAPH emails. MAPH uses listservs that are shared with the main university, so you will be kept up to date on job opportunities, informational interviews, campus events, MAPH-specific events, etc. Yes, it can get overwhelming so filter them and you'll be fine.

By the way, I'm curious as to whether you know how many MAPHers received full funding. I wasn't aware they even did that.

[Bill H.]

Hi, all. As a current MAPHer, I thought I might weigh in on the program. I applied to several top-tier PhD programs (interdisciplinary programs, like Berkeley Rhetoric, UChicago Social Thought, and Stanford MTL; and straight philosophy programs, like Boston and DePaul), and got close to a few but eventually rejected from all. Then came the mysterious and unexpected letter from MAPH. I accepted because I wanted to stay in school and because my girlfriend was doing an MD/PhD at UChicago.

In short: it was one of the best decisions of my life.

Before I accepted though, I looked at all the MAPH comments on GradCafe, which resulted in some serious nail-biting and gnashing of teeth. So many people seemed intent on hating it. In retrospect, after two quarters in the program and heading into the third and final quarter, I can say that the 90-plus percent of the people who wrote in the forums hadn't even attended MAPH. Sour grapes abound: beware of them. Most heard about it from a friend-of-a-friend or their cousin's professor, or what-not. Most derided it, saying a) it's a cash cow for the university, that MAPH students aren't taken seriously, and c) it's impossible to get faculty attention. To which I would reply on all three counts that in real life experience, those are (by and large) nonsense. Real live MAPHers, of which there are a few on the forum have said different.

As those other MAPH posters have said, you get out of it what you put into it. If, in your undergrad, you were used to professors patting your back and telling you how smart you were, that's not going to happen at U of C. EVERYONE here is pretty damn smart. Profs won't go chasing you for overdue papers, won't cheerlead, and won't hold your hand. They WILL respect students who, as my thesis advisor says, "work your bloody ass off."

One poster suggested that:

"it seems like it would be better for someone more laid-back. someone who doesn't necessarily want a career in academia or who wants to keep their options open."

The latter part I agree with -- many MAPHers who enter the program convinced they want a PhD are confronted with a huge workload and elevated expectations. I would guess that somewhere between 40 and 60 percent decide NOT to pursue academia. That's because MAPH is incredibly serious and the program is onerous. If someone is "laid-back," MAPH will crush you. Into tiny little pieces. But if the idea of working with some of the world's top faculty members in an environment profoundly dedicated to higher learning and giving aspiring academics the boot camp-style training needed to get ready for the PhD programs you weren't granted admission to, then MAPH is a dream come true. But it's also grueling, exhausting, and you will have never worked harder in your life.

If you decide not to do academia, MAPH bends over backwards to give students occupational opportunities, with tons of internships, externships, and professional development workshops. The MAPH staff are some of the most encouraging folks I've ever met, regardless of your post-MAPH goals. Do I sound enthusiastic about the program? Damn right I am. It costs an arm and a leg, and I am saddled with a massive amount of debt as a result of attending. Do I regret it? Never. Not once, not for a second.

PS: It's very worth checking out the blog of a friend and fellow MAPHer at MAPHmatically Yours.

Edited March 24, 2012 by Bill H.

[MonkeyPants]

You'll receive contact emails from 1) a faculty member, close to or in your expressed area of interest, 2) some administration person, maybe the dean, 3) one or both of the program directors, 4) maybe a current student, 5) one of the program mentors, 6) probably your preceptor.

I'd create a GMail filter for MAPH emails. MAPH uses listservs that are shared with the main university, so you will be kept up to date on job opportunities, informational interviews, campus events, MAPH-specific events, etc. Yes, it can get overwhelming so filter them and you'll be fine.

By the way, I'm curious as to whether you know how many MAPHers received full funding. I wasn't aware they even did that.

Thank you. I'm definitely a bit astounded. I've accepted the offer for several reasons- because my favorite prof from undergrad is teaching there now (and has been immensely generous with his time and opinions through this process), and because a full scholarship to UChicago simply doesn't fall from the sky.

That said, i have no idea how many MAPH admits received full funding. i was not aware that this was something they offered- i was actually told when i applied that "there is no funding."

[Swagato]

Yeah, that was my impression as well. I -think- that was the case as well in my year (that is, no full scholarship, just a half at best), but I know MAPH has been expanding, so this could be a new initiative. In either case, you are extremely fortunate, and it is a very clear judgment on your potential as a future scholar. I am curious as to whether there were any other fully funded MAPH admits, so if you're able to post some news about that later on, it would be appreciated. Make the best of your time!

[MonkeyPants]

Yeah, that was my impression as well. I -think- that was the case as well in my year (that is, no full scholarship, just a half at best), but I know MAPH has been expanding, so this could be a new initiative. In either case, you are extremely fortunate, and it is a very clear judgment on your potential as a future scholar. I am curious as to whether there were any other fully funded MAPH admits, so if you're able to post some news about that later on, it would be appreciated. Make the best of your time!

Thank you- reading MAPH student blogs has given me a clearer picture of the workload (cue freakout!) and what's expected. It seems massively compressed- i was warned before i applied that it's "lots of work, lots of pressure." And of course i responded, "Bring it on!" Will probably kick myself for that soon...

I'll see what i can find out about other fully-funded admits. I don't know if the funding came from the program itself or from the University. It was phrased as a University scholarship in the letter, and my admit letter from the Divinity School used the same phrasing.

[MonkeyPants]

Hi, all. As a current MAPHer, I thought I might weigh in on the program. I applied to several top-tier PhD programs (interdisciplinary programs, like Berkeley Rhetoric, UChicago Social Thought, and Stanford MTL; and straight philosophy programs, like Boston and DePaul), and got close to a few but eventually rejected from all. Then came the mysterious and unexpected letter from MAPH. I accepted because I wanted to stay in school and because my girlfriend was doing an MD/PhD at UChicago.

In short: it was one of the best decisions of my life.

Before I accepted though, I looked at all the MAPH comments on GradCafe, which resulted in some serious nail-biting and gnashing of teeth. So many people seemed intent on hating it. In retrospect, after two quarters in the program and heading into the third and final quarter, I can say that the 90-plus percent of the people who wrote in the forums hadn't even attended MAPH. Sour grapes abound: beware of them. Most heard about it from a friend-of-a-friend or their cousin's professor, or what-not. Most derided it, saying a) it's a cash cow for the university, that MAPH students aren't taken seriously, and c) it's impossible to get faculty attention. To which I would reply on all three counts that in real life experience, those are (by and large) nonsense. Real live MAPHers, of which there are a few on the forum have said different.

As those other MAPH posters have said, you get out of it what you put into it. If, in your undergrad, you were used to professors patting your back and telling you how smart you were, that's not going to happen at U of C. EVERYONE here is pretty damn smart. Profs won't go chasing you for overdue papers, won't cheerlead, and won't hold your hand. They WILL respect students who, as my thesis advisor says, "work your bloody ass off."

One poster suggested that:

"it seems like it would be better for someone more laid-back. someone who doesn't necessarily want a career in academia or who wants to keep their options open."

The latter part I agree with -- many MAPHers who enter the program convinced they want a PhD are confronted with a huge workload and elevated expectations. I would guess that somewhere between 40 and 60 percent decide NOT to pursue academia. That's because MAPH is incredibly serious and the program is onerous. If someone is "laid-back," MAPH will crush you. Into tiny little pieces. But if the idea of working with some of the world's top faculty members in an environment profoundly dedicated to higher learning and giving aspiring academics the boot camp-style training needed to get ready for the PhD programs you weren't granted admission to, then MAPH is a dream come true. But it's also grueling, exhausting, and you will have never worked harder in your life.

If you decide not to do academia, MAPH bends over backwards to give students occupational opportunities, with tons of internships, externships, and professional development workshops. The MAPH staff are some of the most encouraging folks I've ever met, regardless of your post-MAPH goals. Do I sound enthusiastic about the program? Damn right I am. It costs an arm and a leg, and I am saddled with a massive amount of debt as a result of attending. Do I regret it? Never. Not once, not for a second.

PS: It's very worth checking out the blog of a friend and fellow MAPHer at MAPHmatically Yours.

Indeed- i never got the impression that MAPH was for people who are "laid-back." Exactly the opposite. And thank you for the blog link, it's fantastic.

[aldousarendt]

MAPH does sound quite intense, especially the first quarter. I was accepted to MAPH without any funding, and struck out on all the other programs I applied to this year (my first round and first year out of undergrad).

I have read a lot about the program on this forum and I got really disappointed when I read the opinion of the haters. When I still had hope to get into some other programs, I kind of agreed with the crowd of haters calling MAPH a scam, especially unfunded. Now that I've gotten word from all the programs I applied to, I have started to reconsider the MAPH program because I am not really keen on waiting another year for grad school. Of course, the problem is the money. Part-time is an option, but it would just end up costing more in the long run.

I feel like I am one of the students who could really benefit from the MAPH program. I know what I want to study, and I feel like I will really try to take advantage of the resources available at Chicago. I just get a little down and apprehensive when I think of the money I have to borrow. I applied for a FLAS fellowship (Foreign Language and Area Studies), but apparently they are not applicable to the MAPH program, even though I will be studying Arabic and Arab society if I decide to go. I am financially independent, with no savings, and no one to help me with the financial burden. My partner will help me with rent, but tuition would be my responsibility of course.

It's nice to see people posting about the positive aspects of this program, though. I am emailing some professors that I am interested in to see what they are planning for the next year in regards to course schedules. I have a month to deliberate!

I wish I could go to campus days, but I am currently working in Japan...

Edited March 30, 2012 by aldousarendt

[lilysoul]

Is it a bad idea to take MAPH if someone with no work experiences is planning to go to work, instead of doing PhD afterwards?

[vosemdesyatvosem]

I did my undergrad at UChicago, and I can say that among undergrads, there was always general frustration with the quality of MAPH students. The program seems to me more like a glorified version of Chicago's undergrad core curriculum combined with a few more specialized courses but I can't say I examined it very closely. Do realize that you'll often find yourself in class with a lot of self-consciously obnoxious undergrads (most, though not all, humanities graduate courses are open to undergraduates in some way or another) who've been reading Foucault in the original French since Autumn quarter of freshman year and aren't afraid to let you know that.

I can say I wasn't deeply impressed with the handful of MAPH students I personally got to know but my experiences aren't necessarily representative of the program as a whole. If Chicago is offering funding for the program now, it may very well be worth it. Chicago's faculty is top-notch in most areas and Hyde Park hits the sweet spot of being both beautiful and cheap to live in.