ashes_are_burning Posted January 30, 2015 Posted January 30, 2015 Yesterday, I heard from one of the schools I applied to. I have a BA & MA in English and applied to six communication PhD programs. This is the first school I have heard from. They said that I was declined admission to the PhD program because they do not feel I am ready (ostensibly because my background is not in communication), and then said I would be a great asset to their program and encouraged me to apply to their MA, with the option of petitioning after one year to begin a doctorate. BTW, I would not have to reapply and their MA is funded. My question is ... Does their interest in me sound genuine -- do they truly want me for their program -- or is this standard procedure (encouraging PhD rejects to apply for an MA)?
AdornoGray Posted January 30, 2015 Posted January 30, 2015 It sure sounds genuine to me. There are so many programs that don't even take the time to have a personalized response to application (or even respond!). I would tend to believe them if they said "great asset" - that's not a phrase you hear often. Could you email a POI there or even ask to have a quick Skype conversation to ask a question about the MA coursework? This might give you another chance to gauge their genuineness. roguesenna 1
roguesenna Posted January 30, 2015 Posted January 30, 2015 I know you already have one MA, but I am convinced my MA made all the difference. Without it, I was soundly rejected, with it, I was accepted to my top choice. It really does give you a chance to dip your toes into the field and it also shows the ad comm that you're serious and willing to work hard and do whatever it takes. ashes_are_burning 1
ashes_are_burning Posted January 30, 2015 Author Posted January 30, 2015 It sure sounds genuine to me. There are so many programs that don't even take the time to have a personalized response to application (or even respond!). I would tend to believe them if they said "great asset" - that's not a phrase you hear often. Could you email a POI there or even ask to have a quick Skype conversation to ask a question about the MA coursework? This might give you another chance to gauge their genuineness. I know you already have one MA, but I am convinced my MA made all the difference. Without it, I was soundly rejected, with it, I was accepted to my top choice. It really does give you a chance to dip your toes into the field and it also shows the ad comm that you're serious and willing to work hard and do whatever it takes. Thank you both! I realize it is promising that it was a personal response and maybe a blessing in disguise? The MA might make the difference -- we'll see. I still have five other apps out there, fingers crossed! ashes_are_burning and roguesenna 2
rising_star Posted January 31, 2015 Posted January 31, 2015 It definitely sounds genuine to me. Obviously, you should wait to see about your other offers first. But, a funded MA can be a great step to a PhD. I'm in a field where pretty much everyone does a MA before a PhD and I have to say that doing so made me a better PhD student. Good luck! ashes_are_burning 1
ashes_are_burning Posted January 31, 2015 Author Posted January 31, 2015 It definitely sounds genuine to me. Obviously, you should wait to see about your other offers first. But, a funded MA can be a great step to a PhD. I'm in a field where pretty much everyone does a MA before a PhD and I have to say that doing so made me a better PhD student. Good luck! Thank you for the encouragement! I am looking at this as a positive -- it's not an outright rejection, and it gives me a plan B if all the other schools reject me.
roguesenna Posted February 3, 2015 Posted February 3, 2015 I did not realize it was funded! If it's funded and you don't have a better option on the table, ABSOLUTELY TAKE IT (IMHO, anyway). Even if you don't want to go there later, it gives you some time to do more writing and research in the field without having to worry about working a full-time job on top of it. I mean... unless you have an industry specific full-time job. Then it's worth investigating which is better for your CV.
Kleene Posted February 3, 2015 Posted February 3, 2015 They would not fund you for an MA unless they were being genuine. Go for it, unless you find a funded PhD or MA that is a better fit. Some school recommend rejected PhD applicants for their MA's all the time, but only because those are cash-cows (and thus these people tend to be unfunded for the MA). That does not seem to be the case here! justastudent 1
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