Dear 2015 applicants, here is what we have learned from the 2014 season

[MorganFreemanlives]

idk if people would be interested in this idea, but i will put out there.

 

woudnt it be cool to have the list of the top 50 programs and people can put somewhat factual information about 1.interests 2.atmosphere  3. size 4.useful informal information (prefers applicants of this type, doesnt look much at gre, diverse or homogenous ect)

 

now i know not everyting will be agreed upon unanimously but it will certainty lead to discussion and im sure many of us can benefit from such inside information for the places that we decide to apply. its not information that is likely to be put on a brochure or at least not easily.

[The Pedanticist]

idk if people would be interested in this idea, but i will put out there.

 

woudnt it be cool to have the list of the top 50 programs and people can put somewhat factual information about 1.interests 2.atmosphere  3. size 4.useful informal information (prefers applicants of this type, doesnt look much at gre, diverse or homogenous ect)

 

now i know not everyting will be agreed upon unanimously but it will certainty lead to discussion and im sure many of us can benefit from such inside information for the places that we decide to apply. its not information that is likely to be put on a brochure or at least not easily.

 

I think that would be a good idea.  More specifically I think it would be helpful to get information about the atmosphere at each school.  

[NathanKellen]

idk if people would be interested in this idea, but i will put out there.

 

woudnt it be cool to have the list of the top 50 programs and people can put somewhat factual information about 1.interests 2.atmosphere  3. size 4.useful informal information (prefers applicants of this type, doesnt look much at gre, diverse or homogenous ect)

 

now i know not everyting will be agreed upon unanimously but it will certainty lead to discussion and im sure many of us can benefit from such inside information for the places that we decide to apply. its not information that is likely to be put on a brochure or at least not easily.

A new post would be best for that, I think.

 

I'd be willing to contribute some info for UConn (and have already chatted to several people via PM).

[Kantianisms]

That would be extremely helpful, especially since that type of information is so hard to find and/or to know who to ask or how to ask them. Not to mention that contacting multiple people from multiple schools would be quite time consuming.

[MorganFreemanlives]

very well , i will try to assemble such post.

[PreciselyTerrified]

I hacked away at my paper with an axe to get down to 19 awful pages for U Penn. My arguments. My darlings. It's so depressing.

[isostheneia]

Cutting out sections is so emotionally distressful.

• I don't need this discussion of this part of the secondary literature, right? I mean, who cares about making the paper seem relevant...
• Let's shorten this exegetical section! Everyone can understand Hegel's argument in four pages, right?
• Who cares about this framework section! Everyone will surely already know the jargon that I use...

Ugh. Why did I use such a long paper. I think it worked well as a 35 page paper directed toward those with heavy background knowledge, but I can just see adcoms looking at the 20-25 page version and being like "What the hell is this kid talking about."

 

After acceptances/rejections, I'll post my writing sample. I truly have no idea whether it's a great paper or totally incomprehensible, which is terrifying since it's the most important part of the application.

Edited December 23, 2014 by isostheneia

[alethicethic]

Great advice, Gnothi Seauton! I endorse pretty much everything he said, and we were admitted to many of the same schools.

 

Don't worry too much if you have a lower GPA--it was definitely the weakest part of my application, but I still managed to get into terrific programs. The rest of my application was (apparently) solid enough to be successful. My undergrad transcript looks pretty bad--I am really embarrassed every time I have to show it to someone--but I was working full time, and had a professor explain this in a letter. There was also a marked improvement in my final years, and then I went to an MA program, where I earned stellar grades.

 

I highly recommend MA programs. You get more of a chance to develop philosophically, which comes out in all sorts of ways in your application. You also get to meet lots of terrific people who are passionate about philosophy and headed for different PhD programs.

[Gnothi_Seauton]

I fully endorse alethicethic's emendation of my comments about GPA.  I should have added that doing well in an MA program is a great way to dispel worries about a low undergrad GPA.  We had several applicants last time with low undergrad GPAs who went on to MA programs, did well, and were admitted to several really good doctoral programs.  I guess I was thinking of my advice as applying especially to those coming straight from undergrad.  I will say that my cohort at UNC has 8 students, 5 of whom came in with a Master's degree of some kind.  The three coming straight from undergrad went to very good schools with great reputations in philosophy.

[Euromaniac]

Cutting out sections is so emotionally distressful.

• I don't need this discussion of this part of the secondary literature, right? I mean, who cares about making the paper seem relevant...
• Let's shorten this exegetical section! Everyone can understand Hegel's argument in four pages, right?
• Who cares about this framework section! Everyone will surely already know the jargon that I use...

Ugh. Why did I use such a long paper. I think it worked well as a 35 page paper directed toward those with heavy background knowledge, but I can just see adcoms looking at the 20-25 page version and being like "What the hell is this kid talking about."

 

After acceptances/rejections, I'll post my writing sample. I truly have no idea whether it's a great paper or totally incomprehensible, which is terrifying since it's the most important part of the application.

I also have a Hegel section which is dreadfully short in a paper which is dreadfully long. What's your writing sample about, if you don't mind me asking?

[isostheneia]

I also have a Hegel section which is dreadfully short in a paper which is dreadfully long. What's your writing sample about, if you don't mind me asking?

 

It's both about the "Self-Consciousness" chapter of Hegel's Phenomenology, which contains the master/slave dialectic, and about the way the secondary literature on the chapter has developed. Basically, there are two overall readings of that sections - master/slave as distinct individuals and master/slave as parts of one individual's mind.

 

I argue that both readings have significant merit, but interpreters are wrong to think that these readings are contradictory. So I provide a strategy for reading this chapter (really for reading the book as a whole, but I'm only concerned in this paper with the one chapter) that allows us to see these readings as consistent, and in fact as interdependent. My strategy focuses on the role of logic in the relation between stages in the Phenomenology.

 

I see that you've started a writing sample exchange thread. I was initially nervous about making my paper (and identity) public before admissions decisions, but in retrospect, I can't really think of any good reason for that. So I suppose I'll share mine in that thread once I finish (or "finish") tweaking it.

[Euromaniac]

It's both about the "Self-Consciousness" chapter of Hegel's Phenomenology, which contains the master/slave dialectic, and about the way the secondary literature on the chapter has developed. Basically, there are two overall readings of that sections - master/slave as distinct individuals and master/slave as parts of one individual's mind.

 

I argue that both readings have significant merit, but interpreters are wrong to think that these readings are contradictory. So I provide a strategy for reading this chapter (really for reading the book as a whole, but I'm only concerned in this paper with the one chapter) that allows us to see these readings as consistent, and in fact as interdependent. My strategy focuses on the role of logic in the relation between stages in the Phenomenology.

 

I see that you've started a writing sample exchange thread. I was initially nervous about making my paper (and identity) public before admissions decisions, but in retrospect, I can't really think of any good reason for that. So I suppose I'll share mine in that thread once I finish (or "finish") tweaking it.

That's interesting! I'd be excited to read it. I remember once asking the professor who I was working with about this very question, and her answer was basically "idk, either? both?" I also haven't read as much secondary lit on Hegel, so it'd be a question I'd be interested in reading more about (and especially who you cite!).

 

Mine, as you might have seen, is about the chapter on sense-certainty. I feel like my confidence with my understanding of the phenomenology basically diminishes the longer the book goes on, so I thought the first chapter would be appropriate!

[isostheneia]

That's interesting! I'd be excited to read it. I remember once asking the professor who I was working with about this very question, and her answer was basically "idk, either? both?" I also haven't read as much secondary lit on Hegel, so it'd be a question I'd be interested in reading more about (and especially who you cite!).

 

My paper's now on the other thread. In terms of secondary literature, I cite a lot of the major commentators who address the issue. I think the one noteworthy one I skip is Stephen Houlgate. He has a couple responses to McDowell in which he emphasizes the Spinozan aspects of Hegel's project. I didn't find it particularly useful for my paper, but you may find it interesting.

[Euromaniac]

My paper's now on the other thread. In terms of secondary literature, I cite a lot of the major commentators who address the issue. I think the one noteworthy one I skip is Stephen Houlgate. He has a couple responses to McDowell in which he emphasizes the Spinozan aspects of Hegel's project. I didn't find it particularly useful for my paper, but you may find it interesting.

Cool! Thanks man, appreciate it!

[Infinite Zest]

Woooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo done with grad apps!

 

Cue the fireworks.

[Euromaniac]

Woooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo done with grad apps!

 

Cue the fireworks.

Grats yo!

[dgswaim]

Woooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo done with grad apps!

 

Cue the fireworks.

[Edit_Undo]

Please stay on topic, otherwise create or use an appropriate thread for your comments. All of these off-topic comments make it harder for someone who is looking for relevant information in this thread.

[Infinite Zest]

Please stay on topic, otherwise create or use an appropriate thread for your comments. All of these off-topic comments make it harder for someone who is looking for relevant information in this thread.

 

Sorry!

[overoverover]

There's the 2015 Applicants Assemble thread that can easily serve as an anything-goes thread!

[cestbon]

Is everyone mentioning the names of the professors that they have taken classes from?

I saw the example statements of purpose on The Splintered Mind blog, where two people had mentioned the names of professors that taught their classes. I wondered if you guys are mentioning the names of professors that you have had classes from in your personal statements (or if you think it is a good idea to do this). Thanks! 

[Infinite Zest]

Is everyone mentioning the names of the professors that they have taken classes from?

I saw the example statements of purpose on The Splintered Mind blog, where two people had mentioned the names of professors that taught their classes. I wondered if you guys are mentioning the names of professors that you have had classes from in your personal statements (or if you think it is a good idea to do this). Thanks! 

 

I just mentioned a particular class I've taken, not the professor.

[isostheneia]

Is everyone mentioning the names of the professors that they have taken classes from?

 

I'm mentioning the name of a professor who taught one of my grad classes. I don't think there's any general benefit from mentioning particular names, so I certainly don't think you have to. I'm only doing so because I think that having taken a class from this professor in particular lends credibility to my claim that I have some expertise in this area.

[Infinite Zest]

I'm mentioning the name of a professor who taught one of my grad classes. I don't think there's any general benefit from mentioning particular names, so I certainly don't think you have to. I'm only doing so because I think that having taken a class from this professor in particular lends credibility to my claim that I have some expertise in this area.

 

Yeah, I don't think it would hurt at all. Naming professors at the institution you're applying to... well, that's a different topic.

[overoverover]

I think it makes sense to name some relevant profs you've formed relationships with in some way. E.g. I mentioned the name of a prof from a course I audited, since the course was at another institution and I had actually done everything for the course, including writing a term paper that became my sample. So I said something like "I audited course X with Prof Y at Z University, and the term paper for that course became the basis of my writing sample."