Looking for advice: Terminal MA

[KOHR]

Hi everyone,

I know this is an overly asked question around these parts but this is the only community of people I know are in an even remotely similar situation to me, so I figured I would come to you for your opinions.

Here's my situation: I've recieved an offer from a terminal M.A. program in the UK, which I've already deferred last year. Now its time for me to decide if I should accept the offer for enrollment this coming fall. There is no funding for this program, but it is only one year so it would be about half of the cost when compared to most other similar programs.

I have not applied to any other programs because of a couple reasons (the first year, I was only applying to the school through the Fulbright, and this last December I was teaching English abroad with very little money or time to apply elsewhere).

That being said, I am very attracted to the program because the faculty focuses directly on my interests. The program is one of the top ranked in its particular field, and hosts two of the major scholars writing on my philosopher-of-interest.

My biggest concern is that I would be going into debt and that I may be able to avoid that debt by just waiting and applying to a domestic Ph.D program directly this coming winter. My stats are decent, I believe:

Graduated Summa Cum Laude from large state school

GPA: 4.000

GRE: 590 verbal, 730 quantitative

I know have three excellent rec letters that could be redrafted for new applications

My biggest concern is that I don't have a writing sample I'm happy enough with for applications. I do have my undergrad thesis but it's about 2x longer than what most schools want and I don't think it would cut down nicely.

So I guess I'm looking for people's thoughts on whether taking out loans to do a terminal masters is practical or if I have a decent shot at funded domestic ph.d programs. I should reiterate that I am interested in working with the faculty at this MA program, but I just don't know if 20k+ loans is a good idea for the service that it offers when there is a possibility of going directly into a ph.d program and taking out no loans.

Thanks! I look forward to any advice y'all may be able to offer me.

[Gnothi_Seauton]

For what it's worth, I did a one-year master's program in the UK and loved it.  I think the answer to your question depends at least partially on the reason the UK program attracts you.  If you are only looking at the program as a bridge to a Ph.D program, it might make more sense to wait around until the next application season and apply to some Ph.D programs and some funded US terminal MA programs (depending on which UK school you are talking about; Cambridge and maybe a couple others would be a different story).  If you really want to experience the UK, live abroad for a while, and maybe travel a bit, then it might be worth going into a little debt to have that experience.  

 

I don't think we have enough information to know whether you would be competitive for Ph.D programs.  It depends on which Ph.D programs you are interested in, which "big state school" you attended, who is writing your letters, and how good your writing sample will be.  

[KOHR]

For what it's worth, I did a one-year master's program in the UK and loved it.  I think the answer to your question depends at least partially on the reason the UK program attracts you.  If you are only looking at the program as a bridge to a Ph.D program, it might make more sense to wait around until the next application season and apply to some Ph.D programs and some funded US terminal MA programs (depending on which UK school you are talking about; Cambridge and maybe a couple others would be a different story).  If you really want to experience the UK, live abroad for a while, and maybe travel a bit, then it might be worth going into a little debt to have that experience.  

 

I don't think we have enough information to know whether you would be competitive for Ph.D programs.  It depends on which Ph.D programs you are interested in, which "big state school" you attended, who is writing your letters, and how good your writing sample will be.  

 

Thanks for the reply Gnothi_Seauton!

 

My apologies for being a bit vague. One of my bigger anxieties regarding ph.d applications is that, while all of the people writing my letters were fantastic philosophy professors, they are not exactly well-known by any means. While a couple of the professors at my undergrad institution were actively publishing, I don't believe we had any "big-hitters," nor did any of my letter writers mention any affiliation with the programs I am interested in attending. Speaking of which, I'm primarily looking into the following ph.d programs:

 

U Chicago

Stony Brook

CUNY

Loyola Chicago

Vanderbilt

Penn State 

 

Hopefully that helps a bit. Again, I'm happy to hear anybody's stories about attending a standalone MA program in philosophy and what their feelings were about it. Thanks!