Fall 2015 Applicants

[trogdorburninator]

I wouldn't worry about using a paper that the head of the department has already seen especially if you can fix it up.  If anything they might be impressed with the newer cleaner tighter better version.  They can see growth, development, etc.  That could work in your favor.  

Thats what I'm hoping..... I also heard that in most instances your writing sample is going to get a cursory look over (this might be particular to that dept) and the SOP is what makes or breaks you, so I have been trying not to worry over it too much. but its time to get a little worrying/revising going. thats for sure. 

[DanJackson]

Just FWIW, all of my SOPs were fully cited. When discussing the work that I was contributing to, the way others have looked at what I proposed to look at, etc., all of that was fully cited. I had 5+ pages of bibliography for my SOPs and none of the programs were bothered by that. This included work by members of the departments at each school I applied to as well. It's one thing to say "Prof. X's work is relvelent to my topic" it's another thing to show them that you've actually read something by the people you're applying to work with.

[AKCarlton]

Just wanted to wish everyone the best of luck in moving forward in their careers! Especially you, NoWayNoHow...I remember you from last season! This year is yours!

[DanJackson]

NOWAYNOHOW, did you vote my advice down because you don't agree? I'm certainly interested to hear other opinions.

[innervisions]

Just FWIW, all of my SOPs were fully cited. When discussing the work that I was contributing to, the way others have looked at what I proposed to look at, etc., all of that was fully cited. I had 5+ pages of bibliography for my SOPs and none of the programs were bothered by that. This included work by members of the departments at each school I applied to as well. It's one thing to say "Prof. X's work is relvelent to my topic" it's another thing to show them that you've actually read something by the people you're applying to work with.

This advice seems exclusive to applicants with MAs. I don't think applicants out of undergrad are expected to namedrop dozens of contemporary academics and demonstrate in-depth understandings of the contemporary politics of subfields that interest them.

 

You of course have to read some work by POIs and frame your interests in a way that demonstrates fit with a program, but you also have to demonstrate individual intellectual ability/development/vision. PhD programs are professional development programs - I don't think committees expect (or even want) people to arrive pre-professionalized.

[NOWAYNOHOW]

NOWAYNOHOW, did you vote my advice down because you don't agree? I'm certainly interested to hear other opinions.

 

I don't agree. 5 pages of bibliography (single spaced) seems like quite a lot for a 2 page (single spaced) document. If you are citing with particular regularity, and if you did indeed cite for each professor you'd like to work with (about 4 per program, 1-2 citations each), I imagine it would break up the text structurally/visually and potentially make it look like you were compensating for not reading their work by using information available on Google Scholar. I mean, I'm not in a PhD program, but I do edit academic writing for a living and have published some of my own, and I know that the SOP shouldn't look like a lit review. It seems to me there is a difference between "fully cited" and citing too much. I think you can talk about, say, the methodological power of ethnography and not cite Malinowski, just as I think you can talk about discipline without citing Foucault. 

 

Perhaps I misinterpreted your use of "fully cited," but I know it is easy to get carried away with citations in a literal sense (being too thorough) and symbolic (check out all the stuff I know). 

[smg]

To cite or not to cite that is the question. 

[DanJackson]

First, it's important to note that an SOP is not a journal article. And it can be written as a personal statement or a research proposal depending on the program you're applying to, the supervisor you want, and the kind of applicant you are. But for a 2 page research proposal, 5 pages of citations is actually quite standard, there are many funding competitions that have a 2 page limit on the proposal and a 5 page limit on the references.

 

I do get the concern about the text, but I maintain that you are much better off over-citing than under-citing. Dropping in theory without citing is a red flag, and a real pet peeve for many faculty. Someone who uses words like "biopower" or "hegemony" but doesn't use them very specifically with context and citation, and clear understanding of their nuance (and ideally explanation of how you mean them) is percieved as either dropping in theory they don't really understand because they heard the word somewhere, or just lazy, or worse. So if you're talking about theory by naming theory, especially theory associated with people (e.g., Foucault, Gramsci) you need citations. Obviously if you're not doing that, you don't.

 

If you are coming straight out of undergrad, and you went to undergrad straight out of high school, you can probably get away with writing an SOP that is more like a "personal essay" but if you have any life experience, or time out of school and have had time to be thinking about your PhD plans - or if you're like NOWAYNOHOW, and work as a professional academic editor and have published in academic journals - then you might as well have an SOP that reflects that. In other words, one with a seriously well thought out theoretical framework that is explicit and cited, and a good statement on who has worked on your topic before and how you're going to add to that work.

 

You don't have to do that, you can submit whatever you want, but the other applicants you're competing against (those in your class of applicant) will have those elements. They will be submitting SOPs that look like professional research proposals for funding not college application essays. And if you're in doubt, ask a tenured anthropology professor to look at your statement and give you feedback. Or someone who is currently in a program, at least.

[fasboo]

How are you guys organizing your CV in terms of length - i have worked for several years, have many reports and publications and field work - so it fills up about 9 pages. But is the goal to be more concise or detailed.

[DanJackson]

How are you guys organizing your CV in terms of length - i have worked for several years, have many reports and publications and field work - so it fills up about 9 pages. But is the goal to be more concise or detailed.

 

CVs are standardized in the US, if you're in the US just follow these rules:

http://theprofessorisin.com/2012/01/12/dr-karens-rules-of-the-academic-cv

[fasboo]

thank you, thats helpful

[smg]

Anyone else driving themselves mad reviewing and refining their SOPs and/or writing samples? 

[trogdorburninator]

 pulling my hairs out. each of 'em. I'm actually looking forward to the day I have to stop and turn them in.

Edited November 19, 2014 by trogdorburninator

[smg]

I too am looking forward to having this whole application apocalypse out of my hands. 

[smg]

My writing sample makes me want to puke.  Its filled with tiny little turds I'm sick and tired of dealing with. How's the battle going folks?

[Meglet]

I am SO sick of looking at all of my application materials.  I'm hoping that's a good sign - that they're pretty much ready.

[NOWAYNOHOW]

The one thing I have been stubborn about is my writing sample. If it was good enough as a distinguished thesis, it's fine now.  I don't want to look at it. I've read it so many times that the "tiny little turds" don't even stick out, so the whole exercise is futile. I can't wait to submit my applications and pretend my life is not in the hands of a bunch of professors who don't know me from a log.

 

Speaking of, I had a POI meeting yesterday and it was totally weird! They invited me, first of all, out of the blue, saying there was a colloquium talk after I should attend. Our meeting was very pleasant, but they had no questions for me or anything to say regarding the department and its program. It was like getting in was an afterthought! I had to make conversation and try to direct our conversation either to my research or theirs, but it was bizarre to say the least. Very different from the other POI meetings I've had so far.  I mean, it wasn't bad. It just wasn't...anything? A nice enough professor though!

 

Anyone else have any totally bonkers POI tales?

[smg]

 

Anyone else have any totally bonkers POI tales?

 

Nope, mostly just non-committal non-negative possibly positive emails with a piece of advice or two. 

 

I wish I could suss out the competition.  Who am I up against? 

 

The profiles of current grad students look impressive but it may just be a volcano of verbiage.  I can dress real pretty if I need to. 

[trogdorburninator]

Nope, mostly just non-committal non-negative possibly positive emails with a piece of advice or two. 

 

I wish I could suss out the competition.  Who am I up against? 

 

The profiles of current grad students look impressive but it may just be a volcano of verbiage.  I can dress real pretty if I need to.

hah! I love this. and agree with it. sometimes I convince myself if I change out of my house pants when I work on applications it will filter into the system that i am a SERIOUS APPLICANT, not someone who generally just mainlines gilmore girls and has an offensive amount of recycling piling up. 

 

also, smg, working on my writing sample reminds me of why I put if off for so long............. its going to be a tense week until dec1.

[AKCarlton]

not someone who generally just mainlines gilmore girls and has an offensive amount of recycling piling up. 

 

 

Haha, I've been literally watching the entire series of Gilmore Girls one episode at a time in between my readings. I'll read a chapter, watch an episode...write a paragraph...watch an episode...eat lunch while watching an episode...it's my motivator at the moment.

 

Never watched it before, but I must say...it's a rather good and well-written series.

[NOWAYNOHOW]

Yikes! Just submitted my first application. One down, nine to go!

FYI, I only submitted early (early-ish) because I noticed my recommendation writers wouldn't get notifications until after I submitted. This was for UMass Amherst, so if you are applying there, here's your warning. Does anyone know of any other programs that have this weird feature?

Edited November 23, 2014 by NOWAYNOHOW

[Ajtz'ihb]

You guys have such classy taste. I watched all seven seasons of Sabrina the Teenage Witch on Hulu in one semester last year...

[AKCarlton]

You guys have such classy taste. I watched all seven seasons of Sabrina the Teenage Witch on Hulu in one semester last year...

 

Nice, that was my TGIF show. I plan to watch Breaking Bad next.

[smg]

I'm a total snob.  I don't dig bad TV.

[NOWAYNOHOW]

Last year I watched all 5 seasons of Fringe - highly recommend if you are looking for a pretty decent show and something engrossing enough to keep your mind from application results.