bar_scene_gambler Posted December 9, 2013 Share Posted December 9, 2013 Besides trying to get away with the same pun twice, This is my second time going through the application process. I was rejected from all of the PhD programs I applied to last time, but got into a decent MA program. My GPA's are pretty low compared to other phil-majors. 3.4 undergrad (3.9 major though) and 3.8 through my MA program. I have fairly average GRE scores (V162, Q154, A4.0). 4 strong letters, two are from philosophers well respected in their areas (mind and ancient). I'm applying to 8 top 50 programs and 6 unranked programs (though, two are still very strong) and two specialty MA's. I'm interested in the analytic tradition of political philosophy and ethics (which means I'm also interested in Kant). I wish the best of luck to all of you. Just out of curiosity, what PhD programs did you apply to last time? And are you applying to the same ones this time around? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kant_get_in Posted December 9, 2013 Share Posted December 9, 2013 Just out of curiosity, what PhD programs did you apply to last time? And are you applying to the same ones this time around? I applied to 1 top five school and 6 fifteen-thirty schools. I was aiming for the ~twenty range. I'm being much less ambitious this time around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cottagecheeseman Posted December 9, 2013 Share Posted December 9, 2013 Like the Kant puns! - Best of luck! Stories like yours scare me - but we must move (and DRINK) on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar_scene_gambler Posted December 9, 2013 Share Posted December 9, 2013 Lucky for me I'm not applying to too many highly ranked programs. Hopefully you get in somewhere this time around kant. bar_scene_gambler and kant_get_in 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kant_get_in Posted December 9, 2013 Share Posted December 9, 2013 Lucky for me I'm not applying to too many highly ranked programs. Hopefully you get in somewhere this time around kant. Thanks a bunch. I'll definitely keep up with this forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattDest Posted December 10, 2013 Author Share Posted December 10, 2013 Good luck, kant_get_in. May the force be with you. Did you go to one of the "Leiterriffic" MA programs? I imagine it will greatly improve your odds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hopephily Posted December 10, 2013 Share Posted December 10, 2013 This one is official enough for me. I, too, struck out last year (15-0) and am giving it a go one more round. Best of luck to you all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AquinasDuo Posted December 10, 2013 Share Posted December 10, 2013 Hallo all! This is my fourth time through the mill. Time the first I had zero idea what I was doing and rightfully got in no where but my alma matter for an unfounded MA. I decided to get a second bachelors instead. Time the second I ended up going to St. Andrews, stopped after the MLitt because I couldn't afford the further year for the MPhil. Time the third I got on a few wait-lists, and into two programs. The better offer was from Missouri, but I ended up declining for exigent personal reasons. And here we are again. Better GRE scores, better statement, better sample, and (I should think) same or better letters (one from a big name). I also feel I've finally gotten the hang of finding fit and applying across the gambit the best way. At current I have applied to: Boston, CU-Boulder, Chicago, Cornell, Duke, Georgetown, Missouri, St. Andrews, Toronto, UC - Riverside, Virginia, Wisconsin, Yale. If I find more money I will be adding in some or all of: Rice, Syracuse, Utah, WUSTL, Cambridge, Sheffield, York, KCL, ANU. I know I should apply to Arizona, but I can't get myself to for some reason. My Undergrad GPA was 3.8, 3.95 in one major (philosophy) and 4.0 in the other (poli sci). My graduate GPA was distinction level (16.6 on St. Andrews system). My GRE is 161/161/5.5. I have a handful of publications (mainly graduate journals), and a half dozen presentations (mainly professional conferences including an APA). I've taught at Community Colleges, and through other programs. I had a lot of extracurricular laurels and a list of honour organisations, but I've had to leave them off my application for space reasons. Though, I wonder if they would have been better to list than my work experience (Thoughts?). Best of luck to everyone! The chatting and camaraderie of this thread/forum is one of my favourite parts of the process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelbyelisha Posted December 10, 2013 Share Posted December 10, 2013 AquinasDuo, stories like yours make me feel very inadequate Sometimes I think I need way more life experience and I shouldn't kid myself by trying to get into PhD programs. Oh well, the deed is done, we'll see what happens! Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AquinasDuo Posted December 10, 2013 Share Posted December 10, 2013 Bah! Kind of you to say, but even with all those 'experiences' I still get easily beat out by youngins with pedigree and better scores. I see Boulder on your list. It was my top choice in the U.S. four years running. I wanted little more than to study there. Sadly, this happened: "Due to a complex internal reorganization now in progress, the University of Colorado Boulder Philosophy Department will not be admitting any new graduate students for the 2014-15 year. We apologize for the inconvenience and we will refund the application fees for those who have already paid. Thanks so much for your interest in us. We expect to re-open enrollments for 2015-16." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cottagecheeseman Posted December 10, 2013 Share Posted December 10, 2013 "Due to a complex internal reorganization now in progress, the University of Colorado Boulder Philosophy Department will not be admitting any new graduate students for the 2014-15 year. We apologize for the inconvenience and we will refund the application fees for those who have already paid. Thanks so much for your interest in us. We expect to re-open enrollments for 2015-16." wait when did that happen? I have a friend who is applying there and he never told me that? I don't see anything on the website on a cursory glance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattDest Posted December 10, 2013 Author Share Posted December 10, 2013 *Fourth* time?! Wow, that's pretty intense. What are your interests, Aquinas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar_scene_gambler Posted December 11, 2013 Share Posted December 11, 2013 So, my first official deadline was yesterday. It was for U Chicago's Committee on Social Thought. I nearly had a heart attack because one of my recommenders waited until 8 pm to submit his recommendation, but it's finally in. One down, eleven to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AquinasDuo Posted December 13, 2013 Share Posted December 13, 2013 MattDest, I suppose my prevailing interest is in Applied Ethics, specifically animal (and to a lesser extent enviromental). However, through my first two rodeos I was a general Political Philosophy student; I hadn't refine my interests more than down to rights/duties and governmental legitmacy. Through my time in Philosophy many of my politics centered interests have been weeded out as generally out of place in Philosophy study (though welcome again once a professional, which bugs me a little). This processes, both in removing some foci and leaving me clutching desperately to others, left me in Applied Ethics, wherein I was able to rediscover and take as research my personal convictions. Then, my secondary has always been ancient. From my first semester through to today I have loved the stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfindley Posted December 13, 2013 Share Posted December 13, 2013 Personal convictions? Billy Goehring 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kant_get_in Posted December 14, 2013 Share Posted December 14, 2013 The 500 word limit on the SOP for Georgetown was an unpleasant surprise. There goes my afternoon. kant_get_in 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar_scene_gambler Posted December 14, 2013 Share Posted December 14, 2013 The 500 word limit on the SOP for Georgetown was an unpleasant surprise. There goes my afternoon. That sucks. I feel like one of my apps had a similar word limit. Penn State maybe? I can't remember. Anyway, I doubt it will impact your application too much. kant_get_in 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wandajune Posted December 15, 2013 Share Posted December 15, 2013 University of Illinois at Chicago has a 300 word limit. I was pulling my hair out trying to condense my statement that much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kant_get_in Posted December 15, 2013 Share Posted December 15, 2013 University of Illinois at Chicago has a 300 word limit. I was pulling my hair out trying to condense my statement that much. Ugh. Dreadful. Thanks bar_scene! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cottagecheeseman Posted December 15, 2013 Share Posted December 15, 2013 University of Illinois at Chicago has a 300 word limit. I was pulling my hair out trying to condense my statement that much. I want to go to grad school CAUSE philosophy. My interests are Islamic Philosophy, Plotinus, and Philosophy of Love. Please accept me into your program, because I'm really great. Also, I'll bring booze. ^use that, sure to work... philosophe 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar_scene_gambler Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Here are my stats: AOI: Ancient, Political/Social, Continental, History of Philosophy GRE: 168V/161Q/6AW Undergrad GPA: 3.98 Applying to: BC, BU, Columbia, CUNY, Cornell, Emory, Northwestern, Toronto, UChicago, Princeton, UWisconsin-Milwaukee, Georgia State, Vanderbilt, UHouston That's a broad AOI. And it looks like we're competing for position in over half of your school choices...lovely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfindley Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 pfft word limits are for dolts I sent the same two-page SOP ignoring that non-sense MattDest, ἠφανισμένος, Vardan_Mkhitaryan and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wandajune Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 dfindley, some programs with strict word limits claim that they will stop reading after X amount of words. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cottagecheeseman Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 This dfindley guy keeps getting better and better. It's fantastic. Best part of my day is seeing what he posts online. philosophe, wandajune, MattDest and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wandajune Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 ^^^Agreed. I've experienced a lot of self doubt throughout this application process, but I always feel a little better seeing posts from dfindley. I may not be the best grad school applicant, but at least I'm not totally delusional. Ryura, Cottagecheeseman, tpop and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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