Fall 2014

[monfemme]

Also, did anyone visit a school before applying or during the process? I was planning on visiting one right before I turn in the application, but was not sure if that was advisable and I should wait until after I potentially get in...? Any thoughts?

[mesoarch]

Also, did anyone visit a school before applying or during the process? I was planning on visiting one right before I turn in the application, but was not sure if that was advisable and I should wait until after I potentially get in...? Any thoughts?

 

As far as I know, there's nothing wrong with visiting before submitting your application.  I visited the two state schools I'm applying to and both departments said they've had a pretty steady flow of visiting applicants already.

[monfemme]

hey, thanx for the feedback! I guess I just assumed that profs/departments are swamped and discourage visiting. But I'll go ahead with it.

[widefellow]

Not sure if this is the right place for the post, but since we are all potential anthropologists, I figure we are sort of experiencing the same thing: I am getting more uncertain about my application now. I have written the personal statements for so many times, and I had professional editors to proofread it since I am not a native speaker, but I constantly feel that those essays I have are not good enough. I hope I could just submit the application and go ahead to do something else, but I can't help thinking that maybe I could get the writings a little bit better before the deadlines. Ah, this is just torturing! 

[Canis]

Thanks for your help and best of luck!

 

If anyone has CUNY questions, I did the four field MA there, and would be happy to answer them.

[abitstartled]

Hey, glad to see that this thread is still alive. I am applying this season (and turning in some apps in a few days!) and am super nervous/excited. Am planning to do research on concepts of the body in modernity and cosmetic surgery in East Asia. Yes, my SOP was a pain; I had to rewrite it four times before my advising professor would o.k. it. She told me to write it according to the guidelines posted on the berkeley website (http://grad.berkeley.edu/admissions/state_purpose.shtml), which helped a LOT.

 

GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE!

 

Woah! Your research topic sounds really interesting -- I'm currently living in South Korea and have definitely seen the impact of cosmetic surgery on the way the body is conceptualized.

[novacancy]

If anyone has CUNY questions, I did the four field MA there, and would be happy to answer them.

 

Thanks, Canis! I will definitely let you know if I come up with any questions! I submitted my CUNY application about three weeks ago... now for the waiting.

[Canis]

Thanks, Canis! I will definitely let you know if I come up with any questions! I submitted my CUNY application about three weeks ago... now for the waiting.

 

The MA is at a different school than the PhD - but I know the faculty at both, the cultural faculty anyway. A few have joint-appointments. Good luck!

[laurissimo]

Fall 2014 nail-biting has commenced! It's my 3rd time applying, but 1st time applying with a post-grad degree (hopefully) in hand. I'm at NCSU for bioarchaeology now, and am applying to 5 places for a PhD in physical anthropology: OSU, PSU, UPenn, UTK, and UNC. Fingers crossed for everyone!

[monfemme]

Woah! Your research topic sounds really interesting -- I'm currently living in South Korea and have definitely seen the impact of cosmetic surgery on the way the body is conceptualized.

 

hey, thanx! i bet you have loads to say on the subject then. do you work in a school?

the idea was partially inspired by taking trips to s. korea from mongolia while i lived there.

[NoSleepTilBreuckelen]

Oh my goodness, has anyone else been checking the results page like crazy?!

 

For a 22-sec break from the waiting, I offer:

 

Edited December 15, 2013 by NoSleepTilBreuckelen

[NoSleepTilBreuckelen]

Disclaimer - I obviously don't agree with his 'big discovery' 

[jellyfish1]

To get some discussion going:

What do you ask your POIs when (or if) you contact them?  Do you feel as awkward as I do knowing that it is primarily a formality?  Sure, sometimes there are legit questions not answered by department websites, or sometimes profs will ask potential students to contact them, but most of the time I feel a little silly.

 

 

Hi! One of my undergrad profs suggested that I read an article from a POI, and lead the e-mail with a question about it. Then, I usually connect it with my own proposed research topic and explain why I'm interested in that question. So far, no one's actually answered my question about their work, but they seemed to really appreciate that I was familiar and asked. One even complimented me on having an "insightful" question, though she did not have the time to fully respond to it. Overall, the responses to this type of e-mail have been super positive. My undergrad prof also mentioned that she gets a million generic e-mails asking general questions about the requirements for the grad program, and she said she dislikes this, so I'd stray away from asking questions that can be easily answered via the website.

The e-mailing is so nerve-wracking and awkward though, I agree.  But I think it can really help them pick your application out of a bunch if it jogs their memory of a previous e-mail!

[anthropologygeek]

Archeo- I agree avoid asking questions that are easily answered by yourself

[HrdyWordy]

Fall 2014 nail-biting has commenced! It's my 3rd time applying, but 1st time applying with a post-grad degree (hopefully) in hand. I'm at NCSU for bioarchaeology now, and am applying to 5 places for a PhD in physical anthropology: OSU, PSU, UPenn, UTK, and UNC. Fingers crossed for everyone!

Hi Laurissimo, Mind if I ask who you're hoping to work with at PSU? I know quite a few of the profs in the Anthro department

[laurissimo]

Honestly, I would be ridiculously happy to work with anyone in the department. Specifically, I applied to work with Drs. Milner and Richtsmeier... but there are several more I'd love to do research with

[HrdyWordy]

Honestly, I would be ridiculously happy to work with anyone in the department. Specifically, I applied to work with Drs. Milner and Richtsmeier... but there are several more I'd love to do research with

Both Dr. Milners are great! Very different, but equally awesome. Claire is very friendly and always busy. George (the dept head) is an amazing prof, he really brings the material to life. And he's a perfectionist, which I like.  I know Joan from colloquium, but I don't know much about her research. Dr. McClure is doing some really interesting research in Croatia, and if my focus weren't Bio, I'd love to work with her.