Fall 2016 Applicants

[lovekilledinos]

On 11/9/2015, 6:55:22, farflung said:

First, ONLY talk about experience that is immediately relevant to your graduate school research plans...

Truth. I only mentioned it in my SoP because that's basically been my motivation to go back to school. Let me tell you how much cooking is not what I want to be doing with my life. 

 

On 11/16/2015, 11:51:18, Ajtz'ihb said:

... but you can use work and travel as an example of why you're more prepared for graduate study than some random undergrad who's just graduated and never held a job in their life.

I didn't wax poetic about my trips abroad, but I definitely plugged in a sentence about BEING abroad. It tied into my research topic which is basically all I needed it to do. 

 

Would any of you be interested in reading it? 

[anthrostudentcyn]

10 hours ago, lovekilledinos said:

Truth. I only mentioned it in my SoP because that's basically been my motivation to go back to school. Let me tell you how much cooking is not what I want to be doing with my life. 

 

I didn't wax poetic about my trips abroad, but I definitely plugged in a sentence about BEING abroad. It tied into my research topic which is basically all I needed it to do. 

 

Would any of you be interested in reading it? 

I would! PM me!

[TheMagicMoment]

On October 25, 2015 at 6:27:10 PM, bioarch_fan said:

Actually many professors I've talked to prefer to accept students that already have a MA, this shows that they can tackle graduate level classes and other responsibilities associated with a graduate program (i.e. dissertation).

I hope that's true. I already have an MA (in anthropology) and I'll have another one (in public service) by the time I start a potential PhD program. It took me awhile to realize how bad I wanted an anthropology PhD and I've had some great experiences along the way, but I worry that it looks like I'm not committed to anything or that I want to be a professional student.

 

On November 15, 2015 at 9:31:02 PM, anthrostudentcyn said:

Hey guys, just wondering,how many programs are you applying to? I'm thinking of applying to 3-4 but I'm not sure if that number is way too low. 

I have a similar issue. I've only identified 4 programs I'm interested in applying to (due to time and money constraints), but two of those programs are at the same university. Has anyone else dealt with this issue and/or have any advice on how to proceed? I did a little research on the "etiquette" of this situation but couldn't find anything decisive or related to anthropology. I've emailed my POI in one of those programs about the situation, but no response yet.

[bioarch_fan]

Most people I've talked to said 4-5  programs is ideal...but I disagree with them.  I prefer taking the concept of casting your net wide when doing applications.  Who knows what I'll catch by applying to 7 schools?  I could get into no programs or I could get into all 7 programs and some of them with funding.  So I'm hoping that by applying to 7 schools it'll make my chances higher for being accepted into any of the programs I've applied to.

Honestly, it's totally up to you on how many schools you want to apply to in the end.

[Ajtz'ihb]

On 11/19/2015, 3:41:15, lovekilledinos said:

Would any of you be interested in reading it? 

Sure, I'd be happy to take a peek. Feel free to shoot me a PM.

[bioarch_fan]

How's everyone's application season going so far?  My first one is due on Tuesday.  Already submitted it...just waiting for my letter writers to send their letters in.  It feels nice to have my first application finished.  Plan on finishing more in the next couple of days.  The next one isn't due until January.  So I have time...but I wanted to get my letters finished sooner so my writers don't have anything else to worry about for me.

[anthrostudentcyn]

I've submitted 2/5, I honestly don't think I have a realistic chance of getting in anywhere, but I figured I might as well go for it. It's a relief to have the first few in, it gets easier after that! anyone else in their senior year? I'm also stressing out about finals

[bioarch_fan]

1 hour ago, anthrostudentcyn said:

I've submitted 2/5, I honestly don't think I have a realistic chance of getting in anywhere, but I figured I might as well go for it. It's a relief to have the first few in, it gets easier after that! anyone else in their senior year? I'm also stressing out about finals

You have a much better chance than I do.  I didn't do as well on the GRE because I'm horrible at math and when I see the type of math that was on the GRE I freeze up completely.  Just how I've always been.  But I did well on the verbal and writing...so I'm hoping that'll be better.  Thankfully most of my schools don't look at the GRE that much...they mostly look at my grades, letters of rec, and statement of purpose.  So I should be solid there.

And yeah I agree, after the first one it is easier...what took the most time was the SOP.  I went through 5 revisions until I came out with one that looked good.  I had a professor read over mine and tell me her opinion on it.  So now I just have to change very little things in the SOP itself...mostly about the individual schools.

Yeah...this is my senior year.  But I'm a non-traditional student.  So I'm hoping that also helps a little bit.  Finals will be coming up for us in just over a week.  This week I have presentations and papers to finish though.  :/  This is such a bad time for me to do anything.  Thankfully I have a while until the other apps are due.

[knp]

3/7! It's very exciting. The next one's due in two days, and it's the last hurdle, really. The last three should take like 4-5 hours more work total, maximum.

[busybee]

18 hours ago, anthrostudentcyn said:

I've submitted 2/5, I honestly don't think I have a realistic chance of getting in anywhere, but I figured I might as well go for it. It's a relief to have the first few in, it gets easier after that! anyone else in their senior year? I'm also stressing out about finals

I'm also in my senior year (and also a non-traditional student), and I'm studying abroad this semester (which was a HORRIBLE decision in hindsight--do NOT study abroad and apply to graduate school at the same time! I'm lucky I made it work, but I have absolutely no social life right now).

I feel the same way sometimes--that I have no realistic chance--but I've poured my heart and soul into my applications and essays and I am proud of the work I've done. I'm sure you all have as well. Even if I don't get in, I've learned a whole lot from this crazy process and I'm proud of myself (but of course I really really really hope I get in!). 

Still, I'm submitting 4/5 applications on Tuesday, and I'm terrified of letting go of the illusion that I have control over my fate. Soon we will all be at our most vulnerable and liminal states of this crazy emotional process.  

[AKCarlton]

Best of luck to you, busybee, knp, bioarch_fan and anthrostudentcyn!

soon all of you shall transition into the "refreshing of your inbox" phase  

You'll be fine!

[anthrostudentcyn]

@busybee I love your attitute and I totally agree! I literally never thought I could work this hard, so it's pretty cool. I feel like I so much don't feel like I have a chance that I'm not even going to be nervous during the waiting period, I've kind of already resigned myself to doing a program that I'm pretty sure I'll be accepted to that's not a PhD program (though that's the dream)

[MedAnth077]

Is it too late to introduce myself? 

I am applying to mostly PhD programs this fall, hoping to concentrate in medical anthropology. I'm applying to eight, which I must admit, I think is my absolute limit--- it's a lot of work! One of the programs is a MA program. I graduated in 2014, took some time off doing some not so impressive jobs but also volunteering a ton in my field, and hoping that *somehow* I will get into a PhD program this spring. I wanted to introduce myself because undoubtedly I'll be on here being a worry wort come January, and seeing others share their opinions or advice about waiting it out will surely be helpful. 

Best of luck to everyone! 

Edited December 1, 2015 by MedAnth077

[busybee]

3 hours ago, MedAnth077 said:

Is it too late to introduce myself? 

I am applying to mostly PhD programs this fall, hoping to concentrate in medical anthropology. I'm applying to eight, which I must admit, I think is my absolute limit--- it's a lot of work! One of the programs is a MA program. I graduated in 2014, took some time off doing some not so impressive jobs but also volunteering a ton in my field, and hoping that *somehow* I will get into a PhD program this spring. I wanted to introduce myself because undoubtedly I'll be on here being a worry wort come January, and seeing others share their opinions or advice about waiting it out will surely be helpful. 

Best of luck to everyone! 

Welcome, MedAnth077! Best of luck to you too! I am also applying for medical anthropology programs.

I just finished submitting my 4th out of 5 applications! Time to get back to my school work. Good luck everyone. :-) 

[anthrostudentcyn]

@MedAnth077 Welcome! I'm applying for med anthro too! I'd love to hear where everyone's applying, I'm still looking to add a school or two!

[busybee]

I have now applied to Berkeley, Brown, CUNY, and Emory. Working on my Chicago application still.  If I add anymore, they would be MA programs, and I wouldn't apply until I return to the States. However, I'm not even sure where I would possibly apply--they would absolutely have to be funded programs. What about you, anthrostudentcyn?

[anthrostudentcyn]

Berkeley, CUNY (top choice), Columbia Sociomedical Sciences, UCSD, and Princeton, as well as an MA in another field. Scary that everyone's going for the same few programs!

[MedAnth077]

Thus far I've submitted apps to Harvard, NYU, Princeton and McGill--- I wanted to get the most competitive ones out of the way (although in truth, they are all competitive). Still finalizing the rest of my list, with eight being the max. I cannot wait for everything to be submitted! 

Edited December 2, 2015 by MedAnth077

[busybee]

10 hours ago, anthrostudentcyn said:

Berkeley, CUNY (top choice), Columbia Sociomedical Sciences, UCSD, and Princeton, as well as an MA in another field. Scary that everyone's going for the same few programs!

Don't worry about it, anthrostudentcyn. We only have two overlapping programs, and Berkeley is one of the most competitive anthropology graduate programs in the country anyway (I have major doubts about my chances of getting accepted, but I really like the program, and it was my dream school for a long time so I went ahead and submitted the application). Did you apply for the cultural or medical program at Berkeley?  

I really like CUNY a lot--one of the few anthropologists in the States (the ONLY one I've found, actually) works in the country in which I'd love to work--but funding is a huge issue. If I get into CUNY as well as another school with a better funding offer, I would probably go to the school with better funding. (Unfortunately, funding will be one of my top factors in decision making.) That's in an ideal world, anyway--if I were to get multiple offers. I'm hoping to get at least one with funding. I love all my schools and currently have no top choice. Lately it has been switching from Emory to Brown to CUNY. 

[anthrostudentcyn]

ha I would be happy to get ANY offer, but I'm worried just because I'm coming straight out of undergrad and don't have publications or a ton of abroad experience, and only one invited talk.  On the plus side, the MA that I'm applying for is actually in what's been my dream city to live in so hopefully any way it goes, it'll be good. 

[bioanth]

Hey guys! I'm applying to biological/bioarch/forensic anthropology programs for Fall 2016, mostly masters programs. I've finished up 5 applications so far, and nearing completion on my other 5. I actually got my first acceptance yesterday (to a FUNDED master's program!!!) so I'm feeling a whole heck of a lot less stressed than I was a couple days ago. Even if my other nine schools reject me, I still have one!!!

 

Good luck, everyone!

[bioarch_fan]

4 hours ago, cefarrow said:

Hey guys! I'm applying to biological/bioarch/forensic anthropology programs for Fall 2016, mostly masters programs. I've finished up 5 applications so far, and nearing completion on my other 5. I actually got my first acceptance yesterday (to a FUNDED master's program!!!) so I'm feeling a whole heck of a lot less stressed than I was a couple days ago. Even if my other nine schools reject me, I still have one!!!

 

Good luck, everyone!

Congrats!!!  I'm bio anth focusing on bioarch and forensic anth as well.  If you don't mind my asking, which programs have you applied to???

And congrats on already hearing back from a program.  That's extremely quick and early.  I have fully submitted one with references all submitted, so I am just waiting on hearing back from them.  But still waiting on finishing the other program applications now.  Fully submitted 3 and waiting to confirm that all of the letters have been submitted to these schools too.

[bioanth]

3 hours ago, bioarch_fan said:

Congrats!!!  I'm bio anth focusing on bioarch and forensic anth as well.  If you don't mind my asking, which programs have you applied to???

And congrats on already hearing back from a program.  That's extremely quick and early.  I have fully submitted one with references all submitted, so I am just waiting on hearing back from them.  But still waiting on finishing the other program applications now.  Fully submitted 3 and waiting to confirm that all of the letters have been submitted to these schools too.

I'm applying to Penn State, NYU, SUNY Albany, SUNY Binghamton, Oxford, Edinburgh, American, USF, Mercyhurst, and Alabama!

[bioarch_fan]

Oh ok.  So we have literally no schools in common then.  Lol.  Was kind of worried that we'd have a school in common   But congrats on the funding decision already!!!

What part of bioarch are you interested in?

[bioanth]

I'm not 100% sure really but I really enjoy working with human remains (I've worked with Native American remains for the past two semesters that come from a nearby site) and it's just so much find re-articulating skeletons and identifying pathologies. I want to possibly work somewhere in South America and do some sort of analysis of remains across geographic areas using ArcGIS. I don't have any concrete ideas of what I want to do, which is why I'm applying mainly to Master's programs right now. I know I don't want to stay in academia forever though, so I'm trying to find programs that are more applied and can give me a better chance of finding a "real" job as opposed to just becoming a professor or researcher.