Acceptance Thread

[alethicethic]

Accepted to Utah! Phone call from Cynthia Stark.

[philosophe]

Congratulations!

 

thanks :]

[PhiPhiPhi]

Accepted to tufts! Now seriously thinking about the pros / cons of doing an MA and deferring my Phd offers... 

Can you defer those? Typically schools won't let you unless you have a family emergency or something.

[Cottagecheeseman]

I was just accepted into VA tech's MA program but without funding. This is both absolutely great but also a huge blow, because without funding I won't be attending.

[Establishment]

I was just accepted into VA tech's MA program but without funding. This is both absolutely great but also a huge blow, because without funding I won't be attending.

 

You might eventually be given a funded offer.

[Cottagecheeseman]

You might eventually be given a funded offer.

According to the email that's very unlikely.

[bar_scene_gambler]

According to the email that's very unlikely.

I'd just sit on it. Let them know that you're very thankful and that you're very interested in attending, and let them know your need for funding, and then just sit and wait. They might come up with more money or someone might drop out at the last second. You never know.

[Cottagecheeseman]

I'd just sit on it. Let them know that you're very thankful and that you're very interested in attending, and let them know your need for funding, and then just sit and wait. They might come up with more money or someone might drop out at the last second. You never know.

That's the plan. But since he said it's unlikely I'll get funding, and I won't go without funding, I think it's unlikely I will attend.

[Monadology]

Sorry to hear that, Zizeksucks. Still, let's hope you get that funding after all.

[Cottagecheeseman]

Sorry to hear that, Zizeksucks. Still, let's hope you get that funding after all.

Thanks. There's a (very) good chance I'll get into Florida's MA program with funding, which at the moment I'll probably accept.

[Dialectica]

That's the plan. But since he said it's unlikely I'll get funding, and I won't go without funding, I think it's unlikely I will attend.

I'm in the same situation regarding Virginia Tech. I would really like to join their program, but funding is a big deal for me. 

 

I'm also in the sticky situation (get ready for it, this will annoy some) of a fully funded offer (with a GA) at Wester Michigan, but I have two other offers, though unfunded, whose placement is slightly better.

 

If anybody has any information about NIU, VT, or WMU, feel free to PM me; I need help weighing these options. 

[Establishment]

If placement is slightly better, then it probably doesn't make sense to go to the unfunded option.

[Cottagecheeseman]

I'm in the same situation regarding Virginia Tech. I would really like to join their program, but funding is a big deal for me. 

 

I'm also in the sticky situation (get ready for it, this will annoy some) of a fully funded offer (with a GA) at Wester Michigan, but I have two other offers, though unfunded, whose placement is slightly better.

 

If anybody has any information about NIU, VT, or WMU, feel free to PM me; I need help weighing these options. 

I think it makes sense to go to the funded offer, unless the placement at the other place is remarkably better. This crazy competitive field isn't something you want to enter into with a ton of debt.

[PhD applicant]

I think it makes sense to go to the funded offer, unless the placement at the other place is remarkably better. This crazy competitive field isn't something you want to enter into with a ton of debt.

Too late.

"ton of debt"

[Cottagecheeseman]

Too late.

"ton of debt"

Me too. But MORE debt is just as bad.

[Platonist]

I think it makes sense to go to the funded offer, unless the placement at the other place is remarkably better. This crazy competitive field isn't something you want to enter into with a ton of debt.

I was wondering if admissions to philosophy programs are more competitive than other fields in humanities like literature, history, etc. I was told that philosophy was not as much as competitive than many other disciplines of humanities for many reasons. But now it seems that philosophy competition is very difficult too, though I have no idea if it is more so than other fields. 

[Establishment]

I was wondering if admissions to philosophy programs are more competitive than other fields in humanities like literature, history, etc. I was told that philosophy was not as much as competitive than many other disciplines of humanities for many reasons. But now it seems that philosophy competition is very difficult too, though I have no idea if it is more so than other fields. 

 

I don't know about other fields. I could see other fields in the humanities being as competitive, but it is literally unimaginable to me that PhD admissions could get any more competitive than how philosophy is right now. I'd be willing to put down a significant amount of money onto that bet.

[PhiPhiPhi]

 

If anybody has any information about NIU, VT, or WMU, feel free to PM me; I need help weighing these options. 

My school has accepted two students from NIU this season (out of the three offers that I know we've extended), so I'd agree that their placement is pretty good.

[DHumeDominates]

I don't know about other fields. I could see other fields in the humanities being as competitive, but it is literally unimaginable to me that PhD admissions could get any more competitive than how philosophy is right now. I'd be willing to put down a significant amount of money onto that bet.

 

Exactly. There's no facet of the philosophy PhD admissions process about which I could imagine myself thinking "Oh yeah, that could be a tad more competitive than it already is."

[PerpetualApplicant No More]

My school has accepted two students from NIU this season (out of the three offers that I know we've extended), so I'd agree that their placement is pretty good.

Three offers seems really low for UConn compared to past years--do they not have many spots this year, or are they planning to make another round of admits prior to sending out wait-lists?

[PerpetualApplicant No More]

Exactly. There's no facet of the philosophy PhD admissions process about which I could imagine myself thinking "Oh yeah, that could be a tad more competitive than it already is."

It's not a humanities program, but Medical Scientist Training Programs (combined M.D./Ph.D.) are actually even more competitive than philosophy. My father works on the adcom for a fairly high-rated program, and says that to be admitted, one needs three letters from eminent faculty at a *very* well-reputed undergrad institution (no second chances by doing a MA) that basically say the student is God's gift to science.

[TheVineyard]

It's not a humanities program, but Medical Scientist Training Programs (combined M.D./Ph.D.) are actually even more competitive than philosophy. My father works on the adcom for a fairly high-rated program, and says that to be admitted, one needs three letters from eminent faculty at a *very* well-reputed undergrad institution (no second chances by doing a MA) that basically say the student is God's gift to science.

 

Well...I wouldn't say that's any different than Phil, except the fact that we have one MA program that consistently places its kids top-10...Acceptance rates for Harvard M.D. and Harvard J.D. are much, much higher (around double) than Harvard PhD in Philosophy, this was posted a couple years back and remains true.

[PerpetualApplicant No More]

Well...I wouldn't say that's any different than Phil, except the fact that we have one MA program that consistently places its kids top-10...Acceptance rates for Harvard M.D. and Harvard J.D. are much, much higher (around double) than Harvard PhD in Philosophy, this was posted a couple years back and remains true.

1) My impression is that for top ten phil programs you don't need letters from Block, Fodor and Jesse Prinz saying you are the best undergrad they've ever seen. Maybe a letter from one of them saying you are great, and a letter from someone slightly less well known saying you are the best? But I'm honestly not quite sure on thish point.

 

2) MSTP programs are distinct from--and more difficult than--MD and/or MD/JD admissions.

[L13]

1) My impression is that for top ten phil programs you don't need letters from Block, Fodor and Jesse Prinz saying you are the best undergrad they've ever seen. Maybe a letter from one of them saying you are great, and a letter from someone slightly less well known saying you are the best? But I'm honestly not quite sure on thish point.

 

2) MSTP programs are distinct from--and more difficult than--MD and/or MD/JD admissions.

 

Two points, based on my experience as an history undergraduate at a liberal arts college that does extremely well in graduate school admissions, including in philosophy:

 

My school has a very strong philosophy department, but it is by no means an NYU or a Rutgers. Yet graduate schools trust its recommendation letters and accept its students. (I think by one reckoning my school is the LAC with the best acceptance track record at philosophy grad schools, in fact—and one of the few Leiter deigns to mention on the PGR website.)

 

It seems to me that people on this board may sometimes overestimate the importance of having a recommendation letter from a big-name philosopher. Sure, having letters from reputable philosophers/departments whose background and achievements the adcom can quickly look at is important, but the actual content of the letters is surely weighted far more heavily. Which is not to deny the existence of an unfair prejudice against faculty from departments which aren’t “on the map,” because I’m sure that has worked against many an applicant in the past. But as long as you come from a recognizable department at least, I think the names of your letter writers are less important than the actual letters themselves.

 

I suspect there may be a slight bias at play here; because applicants don’t, for the most part, read their recommendation letters, but they do know who wrote them and where those people stand in academia, when looking for reasons they were rejected, applicants assume the deciding factor was the one they are familiar with, rather than acknowledging the possibility that their letters were simply not that convincing. (Or, which is more likely, that their application was perfectly good, but admissions were so competitive that good applications were denied and only stand-out applicants got in.)

 

Do let me know if you think I’m underestimating the unpleasantness of philosophy grad school admissions. As someone with an interest in philosophy and many friends in the phil department at my school, I have been following this website, Leiter Reports, and other philosophy blogs for a long time, but of course that is no substitute for living through the actual experience of applying.

 

2. I get the sense philosophy grad school admissions are more competitive than history grad school admissions. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a single person applying to history grad schools from my school getting completely shut out. In all fairness, I haven’t heard of that happening to a philosophy student either, but looking at this board makes it seem like it is a very common occurrence.

 

Good luck to all who are still waiting to hear back from schools or hoping to get off the waitlist somewhere! And sorry for invading your space on Grad Café! I have been following your fortunes with interest and trepidation (in no small part because I'll be applying to grad school this year myself) and could not stop myself from commenting, but I will understand if you find my interjection unwelcome.

Edited March 8, 2014 by L13

[philosopheme]

Three offers seems really low for UConn compared to past years--do they not have many spots this year, or are they planning to make another round of admits prior to sending out wait-lists?

 

I see four on the survey (one under U Conn Storrs, one under UConn, two under university of connecticut, storrs). I also see that the dates of notficiation ranged from 1/23 to 2/12.

 

It's really hard to believe they only have a few spots, considering how many faculty they just hired.

 

Unfortunately, in years past, it looks like they don't do a waitlist. Instead, it appears as if literally every applicant is on an undisclosed waitlist, and will not be notified until april 15 (or later). To make matters worse, it looks like those who emailed the DGS in the past to inquire about the application were told they were 'very high' on the waitlist, and it's unclear if they got in or if that was the form response to all inquiries.

 

So, my guess is that more offers are probably coming iff people in the first round decline. And they already know who they're going to make those offers to. But we won't know if we're one of those people until we're getting a call or a rejection on april 15. Such a good system...