The Waiting Game - Fall 2014

[fasboo]

I would also like to add to that. I have been working in development programming and research in South Asia for about 7 years, have a masters in dev studie and now wanto move on political anthro of dev. Over the last two and half years, I have had doctoral anthropology students from Yale, Columbia and Harvard referred to me for help in- literally from these schools- that didnt know shit about setting up a field site, designing a research or any experience with qualitative research - i can give many other examples of their limitations.  Over the years i have helped them set up their field sites, train their field teams , advise them in managing research and then also give them a chance to work on our qualitative research to gain experience in fieldwork and help them with qualitative data analysis - i didnt do it out of some effort to gain anything, they came to me because they lacked something and needed help and i was busy with my own commitments. Now naturally I would think - 'hey, i can do this, i have the experience and capacity' and would like to gain better theory training and set up my research, transition into academic career. ..hmmmm, i dont know maybe didnt work hard enough? didnt know what i was doing? But im helping their doctoral students when they land on the ground, mentoring them etc etc. so alot of this doesnt make sense for me and i see alot of people here with amazing experience, that deserve some explanation for why they are not offered position, at least for the simple respect of the pursuit of knowledge which everyone is committed to.

 

sorry, but especially for younger people in their career - i maybe a bit experienced than the average - this is very discouraging and i really think against the spirit of scholarship.

[catsrgods]

It's largely a self-fulfilling prophesy as well. If you're frustrated with applicants who are clearly unprepared and don't know how to properly craft an SOP, how do you imagine that ignoring their inquiries about how they could improve their applications will result in higher quality applications?

Seriously! So much snark from these pseudo-elitist. Cannot. Even. Handle. It. But I loved reading it all even if just to let my jaw drop in horror.

[ENMC]

I would also like to add to that. I have been working in development programming and research in South Asia for about 7 years, have a masters in dev studie and now wanto move on political anthro of dev. Over the last two and half years, I have had doctoral anthropology students from Yale, Columbia and Harvard referred to me for help in- literally from these schools- that didnt know shit about setting up a field site, designing a research or any experience with qualitative research - i can give many other examples of their limitations.  Over the years i have helped them set up their field sites, train their field teams , advise them in managing research and then also give them a chance to work on our qualitative research to gain experience in fieldwork and help them with qualitative data analysis - i didnt do it out of some effort to gain anything, they came to me because they lacked something and needed help and i was busy with my own commitments. Now naturally I would think - 'hey, i can do this, i have the experience and capacity' and would like to gain better theory training and set up my research, transition into academic career. ..hmmmm, i dont know maybe didnt work hard enough? didnt know what i was doing? But im helping their doctoral students when they land on the ground, mentoring them etc etc. so alot of this doesnt make sense for me and i see alot of people here with amazing experience, that deserve some explanation for why they are not offered position, at least for the simple respect of the pursuit of knowledge which everyone is committed to.

 

sorry, but especially for younger people in their career - i maybe a bit experienced than the average - this is very discouraging and i really think against the spirit of scholarship.

 

Fasboo, I’m curious on how you did with your applications. I have a similar background and was discouraged from applying to some programs because, you know, I didn’t match their usual student profile. That is, I didn’t major in anthro, I have a masters in international non-profit management, and despite the fact that I’ve worked on research, having worked for 6-7 years sounded like a problem. I’ve been rejected by 5 of the 6 schools I applied to and I’m wondering if it’s even worth it to re-apply next year.... I’ll always be competing with people who majored in anthro and have a more linear trajectory. Feel free to PM me if that’s better. 

 

BTW, after my rejections I requested feedback on my applications and only one of the five schools responded - alas, it was a generic, not very useful "too many applicants for few slots” message. 

[pears]

I always take offense to being called a part of the "entitled" and "lazy" generations. I have worked so hard to get to where I am today. I am self-motivated and give everything academic related, 100%. I'm not trying to sound pretentious, but I don't take lightly to being lumped into that category...

 

Agreed! & if we're "entitled" & "lazy," I'd hate to see what these armchair social pundits will be calling the kids born from the late 90s through.. well, now, pretty much. Lord knows I don't have too many nice things to say about them!

[jmu]

It's easy to pile on the hate here but I think it's worthwhile to take a step back and think - maybe these people aren't talking about you? Schools get hundreds of applicants a year. They accept some, they like some but don't accept them, and they hate others. Let's not invalidate their experiences because you are taking something said on a forum four years ago personally.

 

We can see it in the comments here all the time -- not really in anthro or geography per se, but elsewhere -- where students complain about not getting into programs, asking how they can manipulate the school into changing their mind, demanding refunds because they weren't accepted to the program they applied to for the brand and not the fit. We can call those people irrational here but, on the other side, are people who have to be careful with what they say. Assistant Professors who very well could have to uproot their entire lives if they say the wrong thing to the wrong person. They deserve a space to vent.

 

Academia is a place where you have to take risks, you have to put yourself out there, and you're going to get hurt if you're going to make it. It's easy to say that it's unfair and that it shouldn't be that way, and I'd agree if you were to say it, but realize that what you are doing here is no different from what they are doing there: venting to someone at the same stage in the process as they are.

 

It doesn't stop here.

Edited March 8, 2014 by jmu

[jmu]

Now I feel like I killed this thread.

 

Who all is still waiting and where?

Edited March 9, 2014 by jmu

[letmein14]

jmu- I am anxiously awaiting a decision from Yale. I think this week should be the week but who knows? They went on spring break yesterday so I am hoping decisions were at least submitted to the graduate school. 

[lackingpatience]

I'm still waiting on UPitt, Boston U, and a couple of Canadian Masters' programs (UofT and UBC). My POI at BU e-mailed to let me know that the committee recommended me for admission (yay!!) but I haven't received official word yet. I know Pitt has made their list, but I haven't had the guts to call and find out if I'm on it yet. I think if I don't hear by wednesday I'll call...ahh!! 

Edited March 9, 2014 by lackingpatience

[CulturalAnth]

I'm waiting for a (probable) rejection from WUSTL, so I'm deciding between Washington State and UNLV. Leaning towards WSU, due to the fact that it's PhD, and more likely to get funding. Also, I've recently become really excited about my research possibilities that I'll be doing there: http://cas.wsu.edu/connect/archives/jan2014/breastmilk.html 

The only thing that I am hesitant about, is I really don't want to live in Pullman, WA. It's so isolated, in the middle of nowhere.. I would LOVE to live in Vegas. 

[ecologaia]

Since I'm very curious for feedback, I'll ask this here, too:

 

Anyone have thoughts about UNC Chapel Hill, area or doctoral program? 

 

I love rural, small towns, farmers markets, intellectuals, hills and trees, fresh air, heady conversations, people who won't stab each other in the back just to add three letters after their last names... 

[CulturalAnth]

Since I'm very curious for feedback, I'll ask this here, too:

 

Anyone have thoughts about UNC Chapel Hill, area or doctoral program? 

 

I love rural, small towns, farmers markets, intellectuals, hills and trees, fresh air, heady conversations, people who won't stab each other in the back just to add three letters after their last names... 

 

I've never been there, but I've always wanted to visit. It sounds like a town I would very much like  

[Canis]

I'm waiting for a (probable) rejection from WUSTL, so I'm deciding between Washington State and UNLV. Leaning towards WSU, due to the fact that it's PhD, and more likely to get funding. Also, I've recently become really excited about my research possibilities that I'll be doing there: http://cas.wsu.edu/connect/archives/jan2014/breastmilk.html 

The only thing that I am hesitant about, is I really don't want to live in Pullman, WA. It's so isolated, in the middle of nowhere.. I would LOVE to live in Vegas. 

 

Pullman would actually be amazing. I'm actually from eastern oregon originally, and I think you'll be really surprised both by the varied landscape, the incredible mountains, high mountain desert (which doesn't look like a desert at all), proximity to things like North Cascade National Park, and also by the social and cultural scenes that develop among those towns out there. It won't feel like the middle of nowhere when you live there and get to know the area.

 

And WSU has campuses and research centers in all corners of the state. In the eastern side of the state you'll have so much sun, and a beautiful solid four seasons. I know writers and thinkers and others who live out there in WA, and also in eastern oregon. Lots of californians with money escape out to eastern oregon and washington to get away from the sprawl, pollution, and such.

 

A really cool thing about the pacific northwest is that you can drive a short distance and be in completely different ecosystems and cultural regions. Just going into the cascades and suddenly it's like you're in a rainforest - go a little further and you actually are in the rain forest.

 

If it were up to me, I'd avoid the sprawl and endless suburbs and malls such of LV. Now if the classes were held in the pool at the Bellagio, that might sway me, but outside those fake little tableau, that area is just awful to me. It's not a real city like NY or SF, but it's not the country either. But that's just me!

 

But aside from that - the research looks amazing. To get a PhD and work with folks who have solid NSF grants on a project you love, that's the jackpot.

[CulturalAnth]

Thanks for your input Canis!

 

I'm sure I'd be fine living there.. I've been living in a Pullman-like-town (albeit not as cool, because I'm in Utah!) and have been itching to get away from a place like this.. and experience something completely different. There is nothing to do in my current, little, college town, the winters are long and cold, and my dietary restrictions make it even harder to get out in a place like this. 

 

It is totally possible that when I start my PhD work, after my MA, I can move to the Vancouver campus, and I would be much, much happier there. Being close to Portland is my ideal location, or sunny Southern California  

 

That research is completely up my alley.. the kind of research I REALLY want to be doing- it is perfect for me. (And summers in Ethiopia, paid for! AND, I can take my family!)

[Canis]

That all sounds incredible!

 

I've lived in Utah too - and I know what you mean about the small towns. But Washington definitely isn't Utah!  You'll also have all the resources of a second college town in Moscow just over the border. And, when you're doing a PhD, you usually only have 2 years of residency requirements anyway, at which point you could move to Seattle, Vancouver, Portland, or wherever you want while you do your write-up - and use their west side campuses as resources. Not to mention all the great universisites in those west side cities for collaboration, conferences, etc.

[casscan'tsleep]

Hi all! I have posted a little here but mostly just listened in....You guys have helped keep me sane during this crazy process. I am still waiting to hear from three schools. It seems so late in the game to still be waiting but I hope that at least some of those come in this week. Good luck to everyone else still waiting!

Edited March 10, 2014 by casscan'tsleep

[m929]

Does anyone know when Columbia is releasing, if there have been any interviews, other news, etc? I did see that one acceptance posting, which is sort of mysterious.

[FaultyPowers]

Dark and sullen here,

In the ignore-o-sphere.

I wait, dejected.

 

Now my waiting has a haiku. 

[Forsaken in LA]

Does anyone know when Columbia is releasing, if there have been any interviews, other news, etc? I did see that one acceptance posting, which is sort of mysterious.

 

There have been several acceptances listed. From what I have gathered from different people is that candidates who were accepted to the PhD have all been notified. GSAS apparently has the decisions, and as to why they have yet to be released is up for debate. I emailed the department today because I'm an impatient asshole. Realistically, I know that rejection is likely.  From the results search, you can see that mid April tends to show a history of MA offers to those rejected. I am under the impression that those who did not receive an offer of acceptance are under review for the MA program. I also hear it is a notorious cash cow for the university. Either way, I'd like to know one way or another if this indeed is the truth. 

[novacancy]

Hi friends! Is anyone else still waiting on CUNY?

[emmaatquoins]

My final rejection came in this evening. This will most likely be the end of my PhD attempts - there's a studentship in Iron Age hoards at Leicester but history does not favour me and I'm not holding out any hopes for it. Thankyou to everyone who's been on / still on this journey and who have been sharing their experiences and encouragement. I wish you all the luck for your degrees.

 

If I'm good enough for it, I might try to quit my job as a waitress and spend the rest of my life in an office cubicle.

 

Good luck to those still waiting, and congratulations to those with offers x

[sarab]

My final rejection came in this evening. This will most likely be the end of my PhD attempts - there's a studentship in Iron Age hoards at Leicester but history does not favour me and I'm not holding out any hopes for it. Thankyou to everyone who's been on / still on this journey and who have been sharing their experiences and encouragement. I wish you all the luck for your degrees.

 

If I'm good enough for it, I might try to quit my job as a waitress and spend the rest of my life in an office cubicle.

 

Good luck to those still waiting, and congratulations to those with offers x

 

I'm really sorry to hear that Emma. Know that you still have our support. I send you many hugs and good vibes.

[CulturalAnth]

My final rejection came in this evening. This will most likely be the end of my PhD attempts - there's a studentship in Iron Age hoards at Leicester but history does not favour me and I'm not holding out any hopes for it. Thankyou to everyone who's been on / still on this journey and who have been sharing their experiences and encouragement. I wish you all the luck for your degrees.

 

If I'm good enough for it, I might try to quit my job as a waitress and spend the rest of my life in an office cubicle.

 

Good luck to those still waiting, and congratulations to those with offers x

 

Sorry! I must say, though, looking at your stats in your signature, you are highly qualified to get a PhD (yours are much better than mine, and I got accepted into a PhD program!).. maybe try again next year for less "prestigious" schools? 

[fasboo]

hey anyone getting off waitlists, why does every day feel like decade when ur waitlisted??

[lackingpatience]

I told myself I was going to call Pittsburgh if I hadn't heard anything by Wednesday...totally chickened out!! Looks like I'm in for another century-long weekend of no news. Anybody else in this boat??

[laurissimo]

Lacking- I'm in a similar boat. Nothing from Penn State or UPenn for me yet... :\