Flailing by the seat of my pants attached to a hook suspended over crocodiles...

[Maveth]

I am the first in my family to go to college, which if anyone knew my family, is really no shock. Autism, Asperger's and ADD run heavily in the familial veins, and I'm struggling to not fall back on self pity and excuses why I can't be just as good as anyone else. I'm failing. I did wretchedly in high school, scraping by with somewhere between a B or C average, but I did extra work to get both technical and college prep course seals. I spent the next 5 years after graduation wallowing in crappy jobs that did nothing to further my ambitions and sinking more and more into a depressing hole. Unaided by my family who neither had the money nor interest in furthering my terrible track record of education, I eventually phased into the qualifications as a "independent" student at the age of 24 and was able to get loans without my parents' income being considered. I applied to my undergraduate college nearby, gambling on being accepted. If I wasn't, I decided, I wouldn't bother applying anywhere else. By some miracle-esque, skin-of-my-teeth sort of deal, I somehow got in. I thought maybe I was just pessimistic. My parents said "they probably lowered their standards"... prompting me to immediately sink into paranoia and wonder if maybe I wasn't actually good enough to be there.

 

My first semester was pretty much me struggling to understand how college works, having no friends and being too stupid to ask anyone for help. That pretty much encompassed the next four years as well. I switched majors within two semesters, which was not really too bad a setback. However, my college Anthropology department was suffering from a lack of faculty. My professors were nearly always temporary imports from overseas, one year contract professors that never came back, or about to retire and live in the Bahamas. If I had the foresight and knowledge to ask them for letters then, I doubt it would have helped much, since most college require a specialized form.

 

The ones that weren't either intimidated me so much I couldn't talk to them or had such high expectations that I felt it was futile to ask for recommendations with my horrid attendance, even if my work was above average, according to them. I made A's and B's on my papers, but they nearly always reduced the grade for being late or missed days, even with my doctors notes. The other problem was in exams, where if it relied heavily on memorization, I did horridly. I cannot memorize anything easily. It takes ten times as long to remember a fact and even then I second guess myself. Papers? I usually can comprehend things better when it's right in front of me and be able to argue it effectively in a research paper. I worked for the library for five years and I'm familiar with every aspect of research, but I can't really reflect that because I never had work published.

 

I did well for a few semesters, but then my depressive lack of self confidence started to take it's toll. I was struggling to keep my apartment, had no vehicle, was dependent on my student job paying minimum wage to make ends meet... my attendance tended to suffer because I was unable to manage a second job within the narrow space in my schedule and ended up oversleeping or being so sick from stress I gave myself ulcers. My GPA hovered around 2.6 after a drastic drop from one failed class, when I didn't realize I had the option to drop it. After that, it was all down hill. I lost all faith I was going to amount to anything. I ended up having to check myself into a clinic for two weeks to make myself stop feeling like a failure and a coward.

 

I finished my last class for my degree. I'm now in the limbo where I'm waiting for my graduation application to be approved. My advisor retired and since his classes were mostly geared toward memorization, I did pretty horribly on his tests and he pretty much told me to my face he couldn't write me a strong recommendation. He's one of the two anthropology professors remaining... The second professor told me he wouldn't write recommendations for people who didn't stand out, do community service or any kind of group activist participation, which unfortunately, with me struggling just to keep myself housed and fed working two jobs, was just not an option. I didn't have the time to picket the power company for the right to be worthy of his praise. I did manage one good recommendation from a professor in another field, but I doubt any Anthropology graduate program is going to look at my application if they see zero anthropology related recommendations.

 

I sit here with a GPA of 2.5 now, still waiting for my degree to be approved, and feeling absolutely hopeless of getting in anywhere without better recommendations. I attempted to get into an online program that didn't require the GRE, because that costs money, and was rejected because my application was weak. I know taking the GRE is a possible boost, but beyond that? What else? I am pleading... What can I do that doesn't cost a ton of money to make my application stronger? My loans are maxed out... anything more would be out of pocket. I don't qualify for any scholarships that I know of, thanks to a low GPA and lack of anthro-related references... Bottom barrel, last inch of rope... how do I pull myself out of this flaming ditch?

[rising_star]

Take post-baccalaureate classes somewhere and do well in them. It won't boost your GPA but it will show that you are capable of doing undergraduate work. Then, after you've done well in several upper-level anthro classes, try to take a graduate course and excel in that. Again, it won't erase your GPA from college but it will show people that you can do the work. Taking these additional classes will also give you a chance to get strong letters of recommendation, which you'll need to get in to a graduate program.

 

It sounds like your undergrad college may not be the best place for you to return to given all the issues you had there. Are there any other nearby colleges you could attend? Or, if you're planning to move for work, perhaps you could find a college/university nearby where you could take some anthropology classes in the evening.

 

Good luck! It IS definitely possible, as the "sub-3.0 GPA" thread on this forum shows.

[firewitch]

I had good grades and good references when I applied to graduate school anthropology programs, but in hindsight, I think what would have really helped me would have been to have a solid proposal for research, which seems to be highly valued in this field. This means really putting a lot of work into what you say you are good at:  read the literature on the subject you are interested in (especially current papers), identify a problem that needs to be addressed, and in your statement of purpose you will tell them a succinct but specific plan to address that problem, complete with research design. This is something that inevitably changes after you begin the program, but being able to demonstrate your ability to understand the literature, identify an issue, and design a research proposal will really impress people. This should, naturally, be sent to schools where the faculty are working on similar issues and share your theoretical approach.

 

Get recommendations from whoever you can. It can't hurt to ask those retired and absent professors, who you think have forgotten you. The specialized form is emailed to them as a link, and they can log in from anywhere and fill it out.

 

You are doing well to come here and ask for help - don't be so hesitant to ask people around you for advice, too.

[knp]

A late note, perhaps, but you have a flair for imagery and write with style. If you are able to follow rising_star's advice about further coursework at a different university, I think you could really tell a strong story about why you should be admitted to a graduate program. SOPs are what make successful applications, and I'm confident that you'll be able to create a compelling one.

[mutualist007]

A late note, perhaps, but you have a flair for imagery and write with style. If you are able to follow rising_star's advice about further coursework at a different university, I think you could really tell a strong story about why you should be admitted to a graduate program. SOPs are what make successful applications, and I'm confident that you'll be able to create a compelling one.

 

Does anyone have a good overview formula for a winning SOP. I swear I've read dozens if not a hundred, and still I must not be getting it.

[rising_star]

Does anyone have a good overview formula for a winning SOP. I swear I've read dozens if not a hundred, and still I must not be getting it.

I don't think there's any one particular formula for a winning SOP. I mean, there are some key elements, like addressing your research interests, any specific experiences that have led to those interested, showing that you have some of the skills needed (languages, field experience, etc.), and connecting all of those to why that particular department, its faculty, and that institution are the right place for you to pursue your research interests. How exactly you do that kind of depends on you. Some people go for more of a narrative that weaves everything together while others lead with their research interests. The other thing is that how you construct a winning SOP also depends on how long it can be. It can be harder to tell a big story in a 500 word SOP than it is in one that is 1000-1200 words.

 

See also: 

[mutualist007]

I don't think there's any one particular formula for a winning SOP. I mean, there are some key elements, like addressing your research interests, any specific experiences that have led to those interested, showing that you have some of the skills needed (languages, field experience, etc.), and connecting all of those to why that particular department, its faculty, and that institution are the right place for you to pursue your research interests. How exactly you do that kind of depends on you. Some people go for more of a narrative that weaves everything together while others lead with their research interests. The other thing is that how you construct a winning SOP also depends on how long it can be. It can be harder to tell a big story in a 500 word SOP than it is in one that is 1000-1200 words.

 

See also: 

 

That's just it. I've read every guide there is (I think) on how to write an effective SOP. I've read numerous examples too. The ones I read for Cultural Anthropology at Duke looked very much like my SOP except for the fact that I don't have as many experiences abroad nor do I have a personal background that is interesting or enriching for the program. My SOP has about the same level of detail and specifics for the research proposal and faculty fit sections.

 

I downloaded the examples from Duke and used the second SOP example for the quote below. The second example in particular is very similar to my SOPs in regards to the personal story and issues, and the level of detail and specifics outlined in the paragraphs on research and fit with the program.

 

 

Duke’s program in Cultural Anthropology would be the ideal place for me to develop my

research interests. The department’s—and the university’s—focus on Africanist scholarship,

development, and urban politics in the “global south,” and its encouragement of

interdisciplinary work would be an excellent match for my project plans. I would like to work

with two faculty members in particular: Charles Piot and Anne-Maria Makhulu. Professor Piot’s

work on development, charismatic politics, and the problems of producing futures in post-cold

war Africa is especially relevant to my own work. Professor Makhulu’s work on the politics of

place in apartheid and post-apartheid South Africa would offer an excellent vantage point to

pursue my own similar questions about the politics of place in post-genocide Kigali. I have been

in contact with both and they have encouraged me to apply. I am also drawn to the

interdisciplinary discussions in the Duke community at large and was pleased to learn that

anthropology students are encouraged to participate in discussions at the John Hope Franklin

Center and the Department of African and African American Studies.

 

http://culturalanthropology.duke.edu/uploads/assets/2011-2012GradStmts.doc

 

 

Since I am not applying to cultural anthropology programs, will my application suffer for not having a tapestry of volunteer work outside the US?