PhD Applicant but willing to accept terminal MA?

[Chiqui74]

Some of the schools to which I am applying ask if the applicant is willing to consider a terminal MA.  I am not sure how I feel about it.  On the one hand, I'd like to go to a particular school regardless (assuming it's with funding) although I am most intersted in the PhD, so I'm inclined to select yes.  On the other hand, I'm concerned that by stating I'm willing to be considered for a terminal MA the committee would default to that or not take my PhD interest seriously.

 

If you have gone through this, or are currently going through it, how have you handled it?

Edited October 24, 2014 by Chiqui74

[TMP]

Eh, I just checked the box "Yes" to see what happened.  Didn't do anything for me at the end.

[maelia8]

If you check the box and don't get accepted to PhD programs anywhere but DO get into a school's related MA program, it's a good indicator that your application is strong, but not quite strong enough yet. I'd do it regardless, because if you get into PhD programs then it doesn't matter, but if you don't, you still have the choice of the (unfortunately probably unfunded) MA if you really want to get started that year, and if not, you might have a better idea of what you need to change or work on in the interim in order to beef up your application for the following year.