Fall 2015 Applicants

[katpatt1026]

Thank you for the kind words!  ASU was one of my reach schools but it still sucks to get rejected.  Hopefully the rejections will get easier from here on out, and you're absolutely right, it only takes one school to make it happen!  Good luck to you the rest of the way

Sorry for the rejection! If you don't mind me asking, what field were you applying for?? Because I also applied to ASU for bioarchaeology, but I have not received any word. On the website it states that they will contact applicants in march. Should I just wait for March to come around, before freaking out that I have not received anything?

[NOWAYNOHOW]

I wanted to pop in and introduce myself. Hai! I claim a Brown admit and a Princeton admit. This round is my second attempt at PhD programs (third by other counts), and I went through a lot of rejections to get to this point. When I first started out, there was so little concrete information (and that is still true), so I wanted to start contributing to the forum in a way that's helpful to people like my past self. The biggest thing I want to say is have hope. If you are in love with this field and give it the time, you'll get where you need to be. 

 

Congrats! I'd be curious to hear about what you think helped you this round, as it sounds like whatever it was certainly worked! I'm also curious about your area of interest. Again, congratulations! 

[Daisy123]

congratulations!!! Wow! so much good news, i hope some flies around me also

[daykid]

Hey HipposHippos, congrats. I'm currently at Brown if you have any questions.

[hipposhippos]

Congrats! I'd be curious to hear about what you think helped you this round, as it sounds like whatever it was certainly worked! I'm also curious about your area of interest. Again, congratulations! 

I'm an Africanist, focused on very current political processes--so, a hot topic. I have a lot of field experience in the region of interest but doing completely different stuff, and have actually not been to some proposed research sites. I don't have an Masters degree, a fact I have been obsessing over for a while. MAs are very tricky. You have no idea how much they'll help you and they're almost always out of your own pocket. Generally a big gamble that is probably best avoiding if you can. You can become exceptionally well read in your topic of interest on your own anyway. It's possible that shows a level of commitment too--learning and engaging outside of a MA program. 

 

I think a major difference between my previous apps and this year's apps is my own maturity level-- Intellectually and personally. I should have recognized a few years back that looking at potential POI profiles, seeing that they aren't working in Africa, and assuming we cannot have shared interests, was a sign of my inability to see more abstract intellectual overlaps. When I started to put together my SOP this time, it was clear I completely understood the range of shared interests I could have with the faculty, no matter where they worked. In retrospect, that was a good sign. So far, the places I have felt great connection to have felt the same way about me. But I have also had surprises. Still have a few more places to hear from too. I did not spend much time contacting POIs. Sometimes a little email, other times I didn't put out anything. I realize they can be annoyances. If any of your letter writers has specific connections, it would be pertinent to ask them to introduce you to respected colleagues at other universities. Anthro is a tiny universe; play up your connections.  

 

Apply to NSF. No ifs-ands-or-buts about it. It demonstrates your willingness to hustle for money (good skill in grad school, I hear). I applied in the past and got HM--which, I think, says to committees that there is high likelihood of actually winning next time or at the very least getting something else in the future. 

[NOWAYNOHOW]

 

 

I think a major difference between my previous apps and this year's apps is my own maturity level-- Intellectually and personally. 

 

Cool -- thanks for sharing all of this. Totally agree!

 

As for a MA degree, I think it depends. I might not get in anywhere this year, but I think an MA is crucial if you have been out of undergraduate for a while. How would people without MA degrees get LORs if they have been working as professionals for 5+ years? How would they have access to university resources to strengthen their applications? What about people (like me) who don't come to the discipline until after a completed BA? 

Edited February 5, 2015 by NOWAYNOHOW

[Kaitri]

Hey Toronto admits! From what I've read quickly, I understand that most (or all?) of you are archeologists. Are there any Toronto admits out there who applied to the Sociocultural track?

I'm claiming the remaining Toronto offer. I know of three other admissions offers from within the department (current Master's students). None of these offers are for arch, but I can't say more. I don't want to speak about classmates without their permission.

I'm also a current MA student at U of T, and my field is medical/sociocultural. So for those of you who are considering U of T, I can answer any questions you may have about the program beyond the info you've heard from POIs or read online.

EDIT: Oceanus, who was your POI? Are you Canadian?

Edited February 5, 2015 by Kaitri

[museum_geek]

Sorry for the rejection! If you don't mind me asking, what field were you applying for?? Because I also applied to ASU for bioarchaeology, but I have not received any word. On the website it states that they will contact applicants in march. Should I just wait for March to come around, before freaking out that I have not received anything?

 

I applied to the Museum Studies program at ASU, which is one of their MA degrees.  I was super excited for their program because I would have been working with pre-Columbian southwestern material culture as a grad assistant at the archaeology labs in the new Center for Archaeology and Society, but I guess it wasn't meant to be.  It's a separate program from bioarchaeology so I don't think you have any reason to freak out - my POI was Arleyn Simon if that helps clarify things.  Good luck with your applications!

[aptitude]

I'm claiming the remaining Toronto offer. I know of three other admissions offers from within the department (current Master's students). None of these offers are for arch, but I can't say more. I don't want to speak about classmates without their permission.

I'm also a current MA student at U of T, and my field is medical/sociocultural. So for those of you who are considering U of T, I can answer any questions you may have about the program beyond the info you've heard from POIs or read online.

EDIT: Oceanus, who was your POI? Are you Canadian?

Hey Kaitri, like Oceanus I was accepted into the PhD for Toronto in the socio-cultural stream! My POI is Michael Lambek. A couple of questions about the program/department; how does the tri-campus system work out? Does most of the department's work occur at SGC? What's the graduate community like in Toronto? 

Also, if you don't mind me asking, did you apply anywhere else? is Toronto your top choice?

[Kaitri]

Hey Kaitri, like Oceanus I was accepted into the PhD for Toronto in the socio-cultural stream! My POI is Michael Lambek. A couple of questions about the program/department; how does the tri-campus system work out? Does most of the department's work occur at SGC? What's the graduate community like in Toronto?

Also, if you don't mind me asking, did you apply anywhere else? is Toronto your top choice?

Hey aptitude! Congrats on the offer of admission!

I applied to another program at U of T, but not to any other schools. I want to stay in Toronto for a variety of reasons, so it wasn't worth my time to apply elsewhere. I also have developed a great rapport with my current supervisor, so I want to continue working with him.

The graduate community is surprisingly awesome. I know some people who did their undergraduate degrees at U of T and they found it very isolating, but I haven't had that experience as a graduate student. There are quite a few graduate students in the anthropology department, and everyone is really welcoming.

The tri-campus system is a bit odd. Most if not all of your graduate courses will be at STG, especially if you're taking primarily sociocultural courses. You will probably have to travel to one of the other campuses for TAing duties, though. I don't exactly enjoy it, but it's certainly not preventing me from wanting to keep studying at U of T for another 4 years. There's a direct bus from STG to the Mississauga campus, and you can take the TTC to the Scarborough campus.

Where are you studying now? Forgive me for not reviewing your post history if you've already mentioned this, but are you coming in with a BA or a MA? Is Toronto your top choice?

Edit: I should also mention that even if Lambek is officially affiliated with Scarborough, I've heard that it's only a formality, and he generally spends his time at the main downtown campus. I would guess that most of your work as a student will be done downtown, since that's where most of the graduate students and faculty have their offices. There are some notable exceptions, however (there are a bunch of archaeologists in Mississauga, for example), so I would absolutely recommend asking Lambek about where he and his other graduate students are based.

Do you know Toronto well?

Edited February 5, 2015 by Kaitri

[DigDeep(inactive)]

I'm an Africanist, focused on very current political processes--so, a hot topic. I have a lot of field experience in the region of interest but doing completely different stuff, and have actually not been to some proposed research sites. I don't have an Masters degree, a fact I have been obsessing over for a while. MAs are very tricky. You have no idea how much they'll help you and they're almost always out of your own pocket. Generally a big gamble that is probably best avoiding if you can. You can become exceptionally well read in your topic of interest on your own anyway. It's possible that shows a level of commitment too--learning and engaging outside of a MA program. 

No offense, but please do not offer advice about an Masters degree when you have not even acquired one. Any hopeful MA/MS etc. applicants would be wise to ignore this paragraph. A Master's degree is not "almost always out of your pocket", nor is it "a big gamble worth avoiding". It may not be right for you, but your experience certainly does not warrant a normal distribution. To imply that you can "become exceptionally well read" on your own, and that it would equate to the benefit of a Master's degree, straddles the fine line between optimistic naivety and ignorance.

Edited February 5, 2015 by DigDeep(inactive)

[brandnewshoes]

Hi all - anyone apply to Hopkins? Any idea what the timeline for responses is? The results history looks all over the place!

[have2thinkboutit]

No offense, but please do not offer advice about an Masters degree when you have not even acquired one. Any hopeful MA/MS etc. applicants would be wise to ignore this paragraph. A Master's degree is not "almost always out of your pocket", nor is it "a big gamble worth avoiding". It may not be right for you, but your experience certainly does not warrant a normal distribution. To imply that you can "become exceptionally well read" on your own, and that it would equate to the benefit of a Master's degree, straddles the fine line between optimistic naivety and ignorance.

 

I agree with you. I did do a Masters (out of my own pocket but that was luckily just before fees in the UK started increasing) and without the Masters I would not be were I am now. Yes, one can read a lot and further their knowledge but it is very different to approach a subject in "isolation" or to be able to work on it with a group of people. Also, the practical training I received during my programm has been really important for me. Because of the Masters I am now working as lecturer at a University. And without my working experience as well as my Masters I would probably not be as successful in my applications as I feel I am.

I am not saying that alternative experience in less important! It is just as crucial in your applications and can really help people find the right track for them! But I would be careful to call a Masters a gamble or discount its value when it comes to Graduate applications.

[Ajtz'ihb]

An MA is an expensive degree. Its value really depends on the maturity and focus of the individual involved. Somebody who doesn't really know what they want to do or who has very little background knowledge on the topic that interests them is likely to benefit from a Masters program. Somebody who has that focus and background knowledge is likely to find many components of a Masters program redundant when they do their PhD coursework, and would probably not be well served seeking out an MA program as a first step. 

[aptitude]

Hey aptitude! Congrats on the offer of admission!

I applied to another program at U of T, but not to any other schools. I want to stay in Toronto for a variety of reasons, so it wasn't worth my time to apply elsewhere. I also have developed a great rapport with my current supervisor, so I want to continue working with him.

The graduate community is surprisingly awesome. I know some people who did their undergraduate degrees at U of T and they found it very isolating, but I haven't had that experience as a graduate student. There are quite a few graduate students in the anthropology department, and everyone is really welcoming.

The tri-campus system is a bit odd. Most if not all of your graduate courses will be at STG, especially if you're taking primarily sociocultural courses. You will probably have to travel to one of the other campuses for TAing duties, though. I don't exactly enjoy it, but it's certainly not preventing me from wanting to keep studying at U of T for another 4 years. There's a direct bus from STG to the Mississauga campus, and you can take the TTC to the Scarborough campus.

Where are you studying now? Forgive me for not reviewing your post history if you've already mentioned this, but are you coming in with a BA or a MA? Is Toronto your top choice?

Edit: I should also mention that even if Lambek is officially affiliated with Scarborough, I've heard that it's only a formality, and he generally spends his time at the main downtown campus. I would guess that most of your work as a student will be done downtown, since that's where most of the graduate students and faculty have their offices. There are some notable exceptions, however (there are a bunch of archaeologists in Mississauga, for example), so I would absolutely recommend asking Lambek about where he and his other graduate students are based.

Do you know Toronto well?

That's good to hear about the community! I expected it to be large (as a 4 field program). Ah that is good to hear; I was a little worried about travelling to Scarborough to meet Lambek but I was hoping most of the activity in the department occurs at St. George. I'll definitely give him a shout (I checked the website and saw that he only has three other students). 

 

I did a Canadian undergrad in anthro (U of A) and then finished an MSc at Oxford in Social Anthropology last fall. Right now I'm taking a year off, teaching anthropology and working on applications. I haven't thought of Toronto as being my top choice (though Lambek is a very desirable supervisor, as his theory of ordinary ethics is a major part of my research). I'm wary of the kind of access to top tier British and American departments a doctorate from U of T would allow, as I haven't known of many researchers from U of T in other major Anthro departments (though I may just be poorly informed). In any case, both US and UK top programs that I have applied to appeal to me quite strongly, so it really depends on what offers I get (if any).

 

I've been taking my year off in Toronto, so I've gotten to know the city a fair bit (haven't lived here previously). It certainly is a great town so that would be a very positive aspect of doing the degree here.

[hipposhippos]

No offense, but please do not offer advice about an Masters degree when you have not even acquired one. Any hopeful MA/MS etc. applicants would be wise to ignore this paragraph. A Master's degree is not "almost always out of your pocket", nor is it "a big gamble worth avoiding". It may not be right for you, but your experience certainly does not warrant a normal distribution. To imply that you can "become exceptionally well read" on your own, and that it would equate to the benefit of a Master's degree, straddles the fine line between optimistic naivety and ignorance.

Hey, sorry. I did say "probably" worth avoiding because they are so expensive, but--as you said--I don't know, hence the "probably." This is only my own perspective on applying to PhD programs, and I by no means intend to imply that MAs are a worthless endeavor. I know a lot of people get very worried about whether or not MAs are de facto required to apply to PhD programs. I only wanted to say it is possible to pursue a PhD without one, which is a great relief since they are often expensive and unfunded. Everyone's path is unique. 

[oceanus]

Hey Kaitri, like Oceanus I was accepted into the PhD for Toronto in the socio-cultural stream! My POI is Michael Lambek. A couple of questions about the program/department; how does the tri-campus system work out? Does most of the department's work occur at SGC? What's the graduate community like in Toronto? 

Also, if you don't mind me asking, did you apply anywhere else? is Toronto your top choice?

 

 

I'm claiming the remaining Toronto offer. I know of three other admissions offers from within the department (current Master's students). None of these offers are for arch, but I can't say more. I don't want to speak about classmates without their permission.

I'm also a current MA student at U of T, and my field is medical/sociocultural. So for those of you who are considering U of T, I can answer any questions you may have about the program beyond the info you've heard from POIs or read online.

EDIT: Oceanus, who was your POI? Are you Canadian?

 

Hey folks! Congratulations to to both of you! aptitude, I did not get into Toronto, unfortunately I'm not sure whether I should remain hopeful until I receive a rejection though. I'm an international student with a Masters in Cultural Studies (and not a US citizen either, not sure if makes any difference), and I knew my chances of getting in were really low. I had exchanged very positive emails with three professors and for that reason hoped that it would somehow work out. Kaitri, I'm messaging you the name of my POI. 

[brandnewshoes]

Hey folks! Congratulations to to both of you! aptitude, I did not get into Toronto, unfortunately I'm not sure whether I should remain hopeful until I receive a rejection though. I'm an international student with a Masters in Cultural Studies (and not a US citizen either, not sure if makes any difference), and I knew my chances of getting in were really low. I had exchanged very positive emails with three professors and for that reason hoped that it would somehow work out. Kaitri, I'm messaging you the name of my POI.

Hey Oceanus - I'm in the same boat as you - non -US international student, but have had very extensive contact with two professors in the department who said they'd push for me to defy the odds. Ah well, this is not a lucky time for me!

[smg]

UCDavis where ya at?

[oceanus]

Hey Oceanus - I'm in the same boat as you - non -US international student, but have had very extensive contact with two professors in the department who said they'd push for me to defy the odds. Ah well, this is not a lucky time for me!

 

Hey brandnewshoes! Oh, so sad but yeah, you're right, luck plays extensively into these things. I hope we'll both get lucky in other schools! 

[eastcoastprimate]

On the topic of a Master's, I applied to a chunk of schools after taking a year off after undergrad and got in nowhere - I went for a Master's, which I will be finishing this spring, and have so far got really positive responses (2 acceptances, and an interview at my top choice) this round, including programs that had rejected me last round!

 

I didn't manage any publications between then and now, but I did have two more conference presentations, a ton of lab work, summer thesis fieldwork, and strong LORs. Sometimes getting a Master's really does make a big difference!

[brandnewshoes]

Hey there - Hopkins interviewee, did your POI mention when decisions will be sent out? Any idea if all shortlisted candidates are interviewed?

[snowswirl]

So, I saw there is a Hopkins interview on the results page. I guess it's safe to assume that if you didn't get an interview invitation you are probably not on the shortlist...

[oceanus]

I'm the Johns Hopkins interviewee and I am quite surprised actually. The email implies that all those on the shortlist are interviewed (although POI used the term "long list" to refer to the shortlist, confusing! so maybe the list is long? idk). POI wants to speak before Feb 10 so I assume that's around the time final decisions will be made. 

[snowswirl]

I'm the Johns Hopkins interviewee and I am quite surprised actually. The email implies that all those on the shortlist are interviewed (although POI used the term "long list" to refer to the shortlist, confusing! so maybe the list is long? idk). POI wants to speak before Feb 10 so I assume that's around the time final decisions will be made. 

Congratulations oceanus! And thanks for the info! At least knowing that I have been rejected is preferable to active agonizing!

I do hope your interview goes well