anthrogeek1941 Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 I got my b.a. in anthro from columbia and know a lot of students and professors in the department (I also applied to the phd program this year). I talked to my advisor in the department last week and he said that all of the accepted phd students have already been notified. The only reason why the rest of us haven't heard anything is because columbia gsas is super slow at processing information. If you haven't already received a call or an email from columbia then you weren't admitted to the phd program. Some of us may be offered masters degrees but, unlike mapps, columbia doesn't give any funding or tuition waiver to m.a. students. those who have the option of doing an ma in anthro elsewhere should definitely go elsewhere! the columbia anthro masters program is TERRIBLE. I know a lot of people who completed the program and none of them have anything good to say about it. The m.a. program simply earns money for the department. There aren't enough course offerings for masters students, it's hard to get into classes, get attention from professors, etc. If you're offered an m.a. i would HIGHLY recommend either doing an m.a. elsewhere or simply taking a year off and reapplying to the phd program. For those set on getting into columbia anthro for a phd: for some reason columbia prefers students who do NOT already have a masters degree in anthropology. This is what my advisor as well as the dept head told me (don't ask me why, that's just how they are). This year was an exception. However, if you really want to get into Columbia anthro you should take a year and reapply directly to the phd program rather than do an m.a. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anth78 Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 Bad news but thanks for the info Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ann Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 thanks so much for the info. i really appreciate it. now, its time to really face the reality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthrogeek1941 Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 i know, it's depressing, I was rejected from all 9 phd programs (got into maps with 2/3 funding) I just want to clarify my statement about columbia's stance on students with ma's. This is definitely the way the department USED to be, but things may be changing. All I can say is that my advisor specifically told me NOT to get an m.a. in anthropology. That being said, they only accepted one student for south asia into the phd program this year and she had an m.a. So take what I say with a grain of salt :wink: I love Columbia anthro, they're wonderful, really and truly, but they do have an annoying tendency to be unclear about things like this... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anth78 Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 From what you know, is GRE important for international applicants?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthrogeek1941 Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 I'm assuming you're asking me. GRE is funny, it COMPLETELY depends on who you ask. I want to say that it's more important for international applicants than it is for others, but I'm not sure about that. All I know is, my advisor and one other professor at columbia told me that the gre was very important. My advisor told me to worry about the verbal and writing sections, that math didn't really matter. The other professor said that math mattered because if you have a good math score it could indicate that you're naturally intelligent (he actually said that, a little absurd if you ask me). Both professors said it also depends on the school, some care about GRE more than others (they mentioned harvard and u mich specifically but i don't know if there's any truth to that) In terms of columbia specifically, the department chair told me that as long as i get above a 200 i shouldn't worry about it. He said that the GRE doesn't matter at all (but obviously others disagree). He was on leave this year for whatever that's worth... I did pretty badly on the GRE but got a 6 on writing...who knows! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poetaguerrera Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 i heard this week. i was rejected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthcat Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Has anyone in this thread/forum been accepted to Columbia? I got my rejection too, which is the last of them and makes me 0 for 9... Oh, and I just got laid off, too. This has not been a good week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poetaguerrera Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Has anyone in this thread/forum been accepted to Columbia? I got my rejection too, which is the last of them and makes me 0 for 9... Oh, and I just got laid off, too. This has not been a good week. wow im so sorry to hear that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Has anyone in this thread/forum been accepted to Columbia? I got my rejection too, which is the last of them and makes me 0 for 9... Oh, and I just got laid off, too. This has not been a good week. Go to MAPSS...Work part time...you'll be good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahem Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 was anyone else waitlisted at columbia? i recently heard that i was and that the waitlist is short, but i have three other offers and i'm not sure if waiting it out, or keeping other schools waiting, is worth it anymore. when i first applied, columbia was my first choice, but after visiting some of the other departments, i'm not so sure anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ossuary goodness Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 Hello guys, Sorry to hear some of the bad news. I am also made more apprehensive by the reading, especially since I specifically applied for a MA at Columbia (Not such a good idea, eh?). Just wondering now, as no doubt probably a lot of you guys are, would it be a good idea now to write to them to ask what the outcome of our applications is? Surely we don't want to annoy them but later is almost like never. And if we agree, does anybody know the most correct contact the question should be addressed to? Top regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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