bioarch_fan Posted December 4, 2015 Share Posted December 4, 2015 Oh ok. That's completely opposite of me. I am more interested in the Old World bioarch and I want to become a professor and researcher. I enjoy teaching and having the ability to show people what can be learned from studying skeletal material. I know plenty of people that do New World bioarch (mostly in South America too), so if you want some contacts let me know. I can see who I have been in contact with. It's hard for me to find bioarchaeologist that work in Europe here in the US, so I might have to do a PhD program with someone in a totally different region of the world or go outside of the US. The closest one I know of is McMaster University in Canada and they have 2 professors that work in my specific region. So the next stage will be very difficult. I have a full potential thesis project already laid out in my head and once I start talking to professors more and hear any acceptances come in, I can start talking to them about my ideas. Currently doing a search for field schools for this coming summer. I have yet to actually do one and one of my programs requires a field school for their archaeology/bioarchaeology students either during the program or before the program. This is becoming extremely stressful too since this school is one of top schools on my list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
austinbullet Posted December 5, 2015 Share Posted December 5, 2015 Hey Everyone! I just sent in my complete apps to the two schools I'm applying to! Both are PhD programs and I do not have a master's yet. I want to focus on bio anth, however the bio anth program were I got my undergrad is heavily focused on forensics. I don't want to be pigeon holed and while I like forensics, I want to maintain research in other areas. Do you think this will be my downfall for my apps? Good luck to everyone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bioarch_fan Posted December 5, 2015 Share Posted December 5, 2015 5 minutes ago, austinbullet said: Hey Everyone! I just sent in my complete apps to the two schools I'm applying to! Both are PhD programs and I do not have a master's yet. I want to focus on bio anth, however the bio anth program were I got my undergrad is heavily focused on forensics. I don't want to be pigeon holed and while I like forensics, I want to maintain research in other areas. Do you think this will be my downfall for my apps? Good luck to everyone! What are you mostly interested in and where did you apply, if you don't mind my asking? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meglet Posted December 8, 2015 Share Posted December 8, 2015 And done with my applications! This year I've had no time to spend on the forums while I worked on the applications, but I have a feeling I'll turn here for support/co-dependency now that the waiting has begun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthrostudentcyn Posted December 8, 2015 Share Posted December 8, 2015 kinda freaked out I won't get in anywhere, because I know that's very common, especially coming right from undergrad. Applications are mostly submitted but I feel like it's somewhat an exercise in futility Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busybee Posted December 10, 2015 Share Posted December 10, 2015 On 12/8/2015 at 9:40 PM, anthrostudentcyn said: kinda freaked out I won't get in anywhere, because I know that's very common, especially coming right from undergrad. Applications are mostly submitted but I feel like it's somewhat an exercise in futility Truly, the only place where I have seen any hesitancy about applying to graduate school as an undergraduate student has been this forum. Never has a professor said this to me when discussing graduate school with them, and current graduate students have assured me this is not a big deal--many students among their cohorts came straight from undergrad. Even if we don't get in anywhere, this application process has not been a lesson in futility. Personally I've learned a lot about myself as an academic, researcher, and person. Enjoy the holiday season, anthrostudentcyn, and try to relax! Maybe get off this forum for a little bit, and come back at the end of January. As an obsessive-perfectionist myself, and a great, passionate lover of anthropology and academia and research, my brain easily can go crazy on here with all of you other obsessive-perfectionists (with whom I really enjoy talking nevertheless, my peers!). Therefore, I limit myself to only a couple of hours a week, or else I can quickly fall into the rabbit hole and spend hours obsessing over stats for the past three years of who got into my schools, when decisions came out, did I screw up my chances by writing "Dear Professor X" in my email instead of "Greetings Professor X," because puppydog12345 said "greetings" in his email to the same professor, etc. etc. (just really nutty stuff). Instead of doing that, I am going to read a bunch of ethnographies and novels over my Christmas break, and maybe re-watch Arrested Development or Man in the High Tower. I may also work on my thesis, a bit, and turning it into a publishable article. If I don't get in come late January-February, I'll have spent my time being productive rather than obsessing about something totally out of my control at this point. By the way, it sure would make an interesting piece to study the superstitions and rituals of anthropology applicants while they wait to hear about graduate school admissions, don't you think? Anyway, cheers to everyone and happy holidays. Let's be proud of the work that we've done! I know I sure am. bioarch_fan, catcatcatdog and knp 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catcatcatdog Posted December 11, 2015 Share Posted December 11, 2015 16 hours ago, busybee said: By the way, it sure would make an interesting piece to study the superstitions and rituals of anthropology applicants while they wait to hear about graduate school admissions, don't you think? You want ethnography about admissions, I bring you ethnography about admissions (bless whoever this woman is): http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?cc=mdia;c=mdia;c=mdiaarchive;idno=0522508.0018.102;rgn=main;view=text;xc=1;g=mdiag But seriously, January can be one long mind game. So please do try to get off gradcafe and enjoy yourselves! You all definitely deserve it, regardless of the outcomes ahead. bananabear and amolang 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoseNenharma Posted December 12, 2015 Share Posted December 12, 2015 (edited) I know that if anyone is interested in doing primate DNA sequencing and/or studying primate neuroanatomy and the development of neurodengerative diseases in chimps, then Kent State is a good choice. Not very difficult to get into either. There are some people who do forensics related projects with a bioarchaeologist and some people even work with Owen Lovejoy on bipedality-related projects. As long as you have at least a combined 300 on the GRE and 3.25 GPA, you would be a competitive candidate. Edited December 12, 2015 by RoseNenharma misspelling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedAnth077 Posted December 12, 2015 Share Posted December 12, 2015 On 12/10/2015 at 3:38 AM, busybee said: If I don't get in come late January-February, I'll have spent my time being productive rather than obsessing about something totally out of my control at this point. Which brings me to a question I've had for a few days now... when do we normally hear back from schools? Most websites for the schools I am applying to say they'll let applicants know in mid-March... is that really for the folks who do not get in, though? Do we really hear back as early as late January? Busybee, I liked your comments a lot- many good points. I, for one, have turned to adult coloring books, homemade cappuccinos, puzzles, and some fiction books in order to de-stress after the application season. I hope everyone else is able to enjoy the holiday season and take a break, as well! (I also got about 15 ethnographies from the local library, but first, coloring!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catcatcatdog Posted December 12, 2015 Share Posted December 12, 2015 Every school has its own timeframe: I heard back from one the first week of February, and got funding confirmation from another a few days before the April 15th deadline. Mid-late-March seems generally reasonable to me, but you never know (which is precisely the frustrating part!). I wouldn't expect to hear anything in January, though. And if other people are hearing back and you've got silence, that's not necessarily a bad thing -- you might be on a waitlist, a second waitlist, etc (some schools last year clearly had multiple rounds of candidates they were dipping into). Of course, being on a waitlist isn't fun -- but way better than being rejected outright! amolang 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busybee Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 AH! I just submitted my final application! I am so amazed that I pulled this off--five applications to PhD programs and a Fulbright application all while studying abroad (and earning in my courses, most likely, all As to boot!). But I couldn't have done it without people on this forum, so thank you all so much for your advice and support. @catcatcatdog Thank you especially for all your advice and friendship. Good luck to everyone finishing their applications. Enjoy the holidays, relax, and reward yourself for all your hard work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catcatcatdog Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 Congrats, busybee! I hope you still managed to enjoy the last of your time abroad, despite the frenzy of application season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovekilledinos Posted December 18, 2015 Share Posted December 18, 2015 Oh man. Submitted my applications. Now it's out of my hands. #done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
austinbullet Posted December 19, 2015 Share Posted December 19, 2015 On 12/5/2015 at 11:20 PM, bioarch_fan said: What are you mostly interested in and where did you apply, if you don't mind my asking? I've applied to Penn State and UF Gainesville. I'm interested in Neurobiology and growth and development, their effects on each other, and how craniofacial anomalies arise. I don't have too much research in this area, given that its not available at my school, but I do use a LOT of 3D imaging programs and 3D printing technology, specifically to print skulls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bioarch_fan Posted December 19, 2015 Share Posted December 19, 2015 2 hours ago, austinbullet said: I've applied to Penn State and UF Gainesville. I'm interested in Neurobiology and growth and development, their effects on each other, and how craniofacial anomalies arise. I don't have too much research in this area, given that its not available at my school, but I do use a LOT of 3D imaging programs and 3D printing technology, specifically to print skulls. Both of those programs are pretty amazing period. UF, like your undergrad program, is VERY strong in forensic anthropology. Penn State is very strong in demography since it has the dual program. But saying that, just as long as you have faculty members at any university that you apply to that does research similar to what you are interested in, then you would be fine. Most departments will want to see that you have experience in all of anthropology though, so if you're accepted into a program and don't have specific classes (mostly the intro classes) then they'll just have you take those before you're taken off probationary status. I will say this though, both programs are extremely high on the list of best anthropology programs in the US. So if you get into either program and do well while you're there, then you'll be pretty set after graduation. I don't know much about your research interests since I'm the bioarchaeology and forensics side of bio anth, but if you're looking for more programs to apply to (which I honestly would suggest more than 2 schools) then I would look at your POIs from both UF and Penn and see where they received their degrees. Maybe their advisors are still there, if not then maybe they have other professors at those schools that might interest you. What I did when I was narrowing down my list was went through every single department in the US that had graduate programs and looked through their faculty list to find professors that did research similar to my own. If you're content with just applying to 2 schools, then I would say you shouldn't worry about your program being strong mostly in forensics. Just as long as you can state in your SOP why you would make a strong applicant for those programs and you have strong letters of recommendation, GPA and/or GRE (not all programs weigh the GRE that heavily), and possibly writing sample then you'll be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
austinbullet Posted December 27, 2015 Share Posted December 27, 2015 On 12/19/2015 at 0:22 PM, bioarch_fan said: Both of those programs are pretty amazing period. UF, like your undergrad program, is VERY strong in forensic anthropology. Penn State is very strong in demography since it has the dual program. But saying that, just as long as you have faculty members at any university that you apply to that does research similar to what you are interested in, then you would be fine. Most departments will want to see that you have experience in all of anthropology though, so if you're accepted into a program and don't have specific classes (mostly the intro classes) then they'll just have you take those before you're taken off probationary status. I will say this though, both programs are extremely high on the list of best anthropology programs in the US. So if you get into either program and do well while you're there, then you'll be pretty set after graduation. I don't know much about your research interests since I'm the bioarchaeology and forensics side of bio anth, but if you're looking for more programs to apply to (which I honestly would suggest more than 2 schools) then I would look at your POIs from both UF and Penn and see where they received their degrees. Maybe their advisors are still there, if not then maybe they have other professors at those schools that might interest you. What I did when I was narrowing down my list was went through every single department in the US that had graduate programs and looked through their faculty list to find professors that did research similar to my own. If you're content with just applying to 2 schools, then I would say you shouldn't worry about your program being strong mostly in forensics. Just as long as you can state in your SOP why you would make a strong applicant for those programs and you have strong letters of recommendation, GPA and/or GRE (not all programs weigh the GRE that heavily), and possibly writing sample then you'll be fine. Thank you! I didn't apply to more programs mostly because of funds. I'm working two jobs now and paying all of my own bills, so applying to more than 2 was too much for me. I greatly appreciate your help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dilemma Queen Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 On 11/19/2015 at 3:11 PM, 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! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthrostudentcyn Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 Me as well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steph_A Posted January 3, 2016 Share Posted January 3, 2016 Hi all, Is it too late to join the forum? I'm also applying to anthropology programs for fall 2016, and have already sent in my applications. I'm interested in studying deforestation in Central Africa (which contains the world's second largest expanse of tropical forests), and how it is impacting the indigenous forest dwellers living there. I've applied to Stanford, Cornell, UCLA, University of Virginia, and Notre Dame. I also applied to UC Santa Cruz's PhD in environmental studies program. I'm currently in a PhD program in political science (this is my 2nd year), but I've found that my research interests have changed drastically. I have a 3.85 GPA from my PhD program, and graduated with a 3.87 GPA and a triple major in economics, political science, and political economy from a working class state university. Like most of you, I'm incredibly nervous about the whole process, especially because I am seeking to leave one PhD program for another in which I have no undergraduate experience! Good luck to all of you, and can't wait to hear about who is getting accepted where Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jellyfish11 Posted January 13, 2016 Share Posted January 13, 2016 On the thread last year of this nature, there were over 10 pages by this time of year and people were regularly commenting every day. Are we a less stressed out bunch or just quieter? I know I'm going kind of nuts over here. I just want to know! It looks, from the results board, that the schools are beginning to notify. I just got a request from one of my schools for a different version of my transcript, so I take that to mean that the review process has begun! How are all of you doing? Are you nervous, excited, or successfully distracted? I've been trying to stay off grad cafe, but even with working full time, I check multiple times a day. Alas, the best laid plans... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bioarch_fan Posted January 13, 2016 Share Posted January 13, 2016 3 hours ago, jellyfish11 said: On the thread last year of this nature, there were over 10 pages by this time of year and people were regularly commenting every day. Are we a less stressed out bunch or just quieter? I know I'm going kind of nuts over here. I just want to know! It looks, from the results board, that the schools are beginning to notify. I just got a request from one of my schools for a different version of my transcript, so I take that to mean that the review process has begun! How are all of you doing? Are you nervous, excited, or successfully distracted? I've been trying to stay off grad cafe, but even with working full time, I check multiple times a day. Alas, the best laid plans... Oh I'm sure we're all equally stressed out. I know one of my applications is for sure with the department because the status changed to that a couple days ago...so I'm assuming I'll hear back from them in a couple weeks. Two of my other apps were due January 1st, so I'm assuming I won't hear anything from them until mid-February/early March. My other apps are due until after February 15 and they're not reviewing them until then. So I probably won't hear anything from them until mid-March. So I'm just keeping myself distracted with my last semester of undergrad and working. I'm taking 19 credit hours this semester and I'm going to Rome with the History department at my school during Spring break...so I think it's easy to distract myself right now. Lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sts4656 Posted January 13, 2016 Share Posted January 13, 2016 Hi everyone, I saw two acceptance results for UC Davis Anthropology through personal e-mails from POI. If you see my message, did you apply to the evolutionary or socio-cultural wing? Thanks in advance and congratulations.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthrostudentcyn Posted January 13, 2016 Share Posted January 13, 2016 (edited) hey all! Yeah I've noticed that this thread is quiet, lets make it not that way! Personally, I'm freaking out and after reading back my SOP's I handed in, not the happiest with them! Pretty sure I'll hear from all my schools in late february. Still haven't sent in applications to two master's programs I'm thinking of applying to as backups, because I'm frankly exhausted! Just got a new position as TA and will try to send an updated CV to all my schools. Otherwise, I've been making myself crazy by thinking about how common it is to not get in anywhere! ahh so stressful Edited January 13, 2016 by anthrostudentcyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bioanth Posted January 13, 2016 Share Posted January 13, 2016 I'm going crazy waiting. All of my applications are in, and I'm just waiting on my last professor to submit recs. I had two due on December 15th that are still waiting on his rec (well actually, he just submitted a rec for one of them this morning). I've been freaking out about his rec because he wasn't responding to my emails and the letters were almost a month late, but I'm just assuming he misread my emails and thought the due date was January 15th and not December 15th. I'm just waiting for him to submit the rest so I can breathe easy and be slightly less nervous. Can't wait until it's all over though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedAnth077 Posted January 13, 2016 Share Posted January 13, 2016 (edited) I am also feeling pretty anxious about this whole process. Still though--- last year, the earliest date anyone heard from any of the schools I applied to (or, at least, posted an acceptance on GradCafe) was the first week of February. So, even if things are relatively similar to last year, it's still a good three week wait for me. (Unfortunately, that school happens to also be my top choice). Trying to just take it a day at a time, tbh. :/ Edited January 13, 2016 by MedAnth077 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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