Fall 2016 Applicants

[MaytheSchwartzBeWithYou]

Has anyone heard from Santa Cruz or York (Toronto)? I haven't seen anything on the boards and according to trends, this is unusually late. 

I also, has anyone received a notification (other than wait list) from Bryn Mawr? Nothing there, either.

thanks!

[therealdealpikkel]

So...I need to share with people. I think I just got accepted to graduate school, and I'm sitting here in shock, afraid to tell my family, friends and coworkers in case I am wrong. I did tell my SO. I signed into the school's system to check my application status and it has gone from the little green circle that means pending to a small green check mark, which means accepted. However, I am still waiting for communication from the department before telling anyone else, or marking the results page. Also, I still have another interview, and one application pending. But either way, I'm really going to do this after years of planning for it, and Red Riding Hood's lyrics from Into the Woods keep running through my head, "and it [sic] made me feel excited; well, excited and scared." I may go cry and/or puke now...

[mxborder]

5 minutes ago, therealdealpikkel said:

So...I need to share with people. I think I just got accepted to graduate school, and I'm sitting here in shock, afraid to tell my family, friends and coworkers in case I am wrong. I did tell my SO. I signed into the school's system to check my application status and it has gone from the little green circle that means pending to a small green check mark, which means accepted. However, I am still waiting for communication from the department before telling anyone else, or marking the results page. Also, I still have another interview, and one application pending. But either way, I'm really going to do this after years of planning for it, and Red Riding Hood's lyrics from Into the Woods keep running through my head, "and it [sic] made me feel excited; well, excited and scared." I may go cry and/or puke now...

Congrats! The cry/puke feeling is one I know well...and I definitely thought I was dreaming when I got my first acceptance, but enjoy! I'm sure it's real

[Ancient Artisan]

To the McGill admits:

Let me know if you have any questions about the school in general and or Montreal - currently attending McGill.

[radredhead]

If anyone applied to UC Irvine's MFA in Critical & Curatorial Studies -
Deadline was extended to March 1 and graduate committee has not decided yet. Heard they should be getting back to people mid-March.

[HylianScholar]

On 2/19/2016 at 0:48 AM, vissidarte said:

Have it on professorial authority that Duke's PhD decisions have been made and offers will soon be extended to admitted candidates!

Do you know how soon?  I applied for that program and haven't heard anything yet.  I'm going insane!

[feelthebern16]

Out of curiosity, has anyone accepted or turned down any offers?  

[nutella]

Hi all. Long time lurker on this thread who would appreciate some advice. 

Long story short - I'm a few years removed from school and have a BA in art history and a MA in museum studies from a small private school. I've been working as a collections management professional for a couple of years and have realized that it's not my thing. I'm hoping to pursue a MA in art history and eventually become a competitive applicant for PhD programs.

I know funding is hard to come by in MA programs. So far, I have been accepted into the University of Toronto, George Washington University, and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. I've also applied to a few other programs that may offer funding if accepted.  Of the schools I have been accepted into, UW-Milwaukee has offered me a TAship with tuition and a stipend.  Obviously, UW-Milwaukee isn't prestigious in any way, but the program will be fully funded and the professor I've been talking to has been so supportive and communicative. If this ends up being the only program that offers funding, should I strongly consider attending it over a better program that doesn't offer funding?

Thoughts?

 

 

[lotte-laserstein]

2 hours ago, catsandmarathons said:

Hi all. Long time lurker on this thread who would appreciate some advice. 

Long story short - I'm a few years removed from school and have a BA in art history and a MA in museum studies from a small private school. I've been working as a collections management professional for a couple of years and have realized that it's not my thing. I'm hoping to pursue a MA in art history and eventually become a competitive applicant for PhD programs.

I know funding is hard to come by in MA programs. So far, I have been accepted into the University of Toronto, George Washington University, and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. I've also applied to a few other programs that may offer funding if accepted.  Of the schools I have been accepted into, UW-Milwaukee has offered me a TAship with tuition and a stipend.  Obviously, UW-Milwaukee isn't prestigious in any way, but the program will be fully funded and the professor I've been talking to has been so supportive and communicative. If this ends up being the only program that offers funding, should I strongly consider attending it over a better program that doesn't offer funding?

Thoughts?

 

 

I went to an incredibly un-prestigious MA program, but I had an unbelievable support system in my advisor and other faculty and administrators, and plenty of funding opportunities. The end result was I had more time and energy to focus my thesis, which is the main reason that I got into my top choice phd program. I don't know what would have happened if I'd gone to a more prestigious school, but there are bright spots in smaller, less well known programs. Ultimately a "better" program is impossible to judge until you've actually experienced it. It could be that your lesser known choice has a prof who is dedicated to mentoring you and going above and beyond, but the more prestigious program doesn't.

In my opinion, every program is what you make of it, and while a name can open some doors, it's not the end all be all of deciding factors. If funding will make your life considerably easier then that has to be one of your considerations, but don't count out going and talking to POIs in person and emailing current students. Gut feeling makes a difference too.

Congrats on your acceptances! 

[therealdealpikkel]

Has anyone interviewed with NYU Visual Culture: Costume Studies? I saw a few interviews listed on the results page and wanted to talk to someone. Please PM me. I have completed an interview with them, and would be willing to share my experiences, but I am looking to speak with someone else who has also completed their interview with this particular program.

[VideoGirl]

Perhaps this is a bit of a silly question, but in your opinion, how much does a school's name and ranking matter when choosing a Ph.D. program (especially when looking for teaching/curatorial jobs after graduation)? Is it better to choose 1. A program that is not very highly ranked but has good funding, faculty, and atmosphere or 2. A program that is more prestigious but not a great fit?

[Ancient Artisan]

5 minutes ago, VideoGirl said:

Perhaps this is a bit of a silly question, but in your opinion, how much does a school's name and ranking matter when choosing a Ph.D. program (especially when looking for teaching/curatorial jobs after graduation)? Is it better to choose 1. A program that is not very highly ranked but has good funding, faculty, and atmosphere or 2. A program that is more prestigious but not a great fit?

Unfortunately it does make a difference, if you are wanting to try to pursue a career in teaching.

I just sat on a hiring committee and the school you came from did make a difference. It is not the most important aspect but the better schools often lead to better connections which is the key aspect when in the job market following completion of your dissertation. 

[bosie_dearest]

47 minutes ago, VideoGirl said:

Perhaps this is a bit of a silly question, but in your opinion, how much does a school's name and ranking matter when choosing a Ph.D. program (especially when looking for teaching/curatorial jobs after graduation)? Is it better to choose 1. A program that is not very highly ranked but has good funding, faculty, and atmosphere or 2. A program that is more prestigious but not a great fit?

Although not a perfect list, someone on gradcafe made this a few years ago and I've found it to be very helpful: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1o_QkLZJIeWRhs-sPFUdSILwQBO5FzwMk6ayG7E756TU/edit#gid=0

Check it out to see where your programs fall in terms of job placement, and that can give you a better feel for what your future career might look like. 

[gggggoooooggggg]

To the person who posted about his/her stanford interview today, you are not alone! I think I totally screwed it up. Wish there is such a thing as a second chance.

[northeastregional]

17 hours ago, bosie_dearest said:

Although not a perfect list, someone on gradcafe made this a few years ago and I've found it to be very helpful: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1o_QkLZJIeWRhs-sPFUdSILwQBO5FzwMk6ayG7E756TU/edit#gid=0

Check it out to see where your programs fall in terms of job placement, and that can give you a better feel for what your future career might look like. 

How can anyone look at this list and start a PhD program with plans to teach? Right now, your odds of getting a tenure-track job are effectively zero. Invest six to eight emotionally draining years of being exploited for cheap labor... your odds might scratch 20%, if you're in a top program. And there are students taking on mountains on debt for MAs (very, very cheap programs for schools to run, by the way) to improve their odds of getting into top PhD programs... so they can improve their odds to 20%. A 20% shot at a job you cannot possibly know you will enjoy.

But if you're reading this, you're probably the exception, not the rule.

Edited February 27, 2016 by northeastregional

[MaytheSchwartzBeWithYou]

1 hour ago, northeastregional said:

How can anyone look at this list and start a PhD program with plans to teach? Right now, your odds of getting a tenure-track job are effectively zero. Invest six to eight emotionally draining years of being exploited for cheap labor... your odds might scratch 20%, if you're in a top program. And there are students taking on mountains on debt for MAs (very, very cheap programs for schools to run, by the way) to improve their odds of getting into top PhD programs... so they can improve their odds to 20%. A 20% shot at a job you cannot possibly know you will enjoy.

But if you're reading this, you're probably the exception, not the rule.

You are presumably also an academic in the field - why are you doing it?

[bosie_dearest]

I think a better question for @northeastregional is why they would bring that type of attitude to a thread full of people trying to commiserate about the stress of pursuing their passion/dreams. C'mon, man. 

[m-artman]

4 hours ago, northeastregional said:

How can anyone look at this list and start a PhD program with plans to teach? Right now, your odds of getting a tenure-track job are effectively zero. Invest six to eight emotionally draining years of being exploited for cheap labor... your odds might scratch 20%, if you're in a top program. And there are students taking on mountains on debt for MAs (very, very cheap programs for schools to run, by the way) to improve their odds of getting into top PhD programs... so they can improve their odds to 20%. A 20% shot at a job you cannot possibly know you will enjoy.

But if you're reading this, you're probably the exception, not the rule.

I think it's also worth noting that there are many institutions that have hired new PhDs who were not included in the survey. My undergraduate institution added three tenure track jobs during the time period, hiring from UNC, Penn State, and Harvard. But because my institution was not included in the survey, these hires do not appear on this list. I think these numbers are deflated due to the sampling. The list also doesn't take into account curatorial positions in the field. So cheer up everyone! There's hope after all! 

Edited February 27, 2016 by m-artman

[trewq]

Once accepted to an institution, is there a rule of thumb for how long it takes to receive information regarding funding, or a funding package? Obviously it's to be expected before April 15th, but wondering if there's a timeline? 

[ibnbattuta]

I urge those of you who were given offers of admission to input the stipend information, if any, at http://www.phdstipends.com/ .  Knowledge is power, and congrats to those who were accepted.

[lotte-laserstein]

Should I assume that I was rejected from Stanford, given that I wasn't contacted about an interview? At this point I'm just waiting for a few programs to give me an answer, since I want so badly to just be able to accept the offer I have without having to wonder if I'm jumping the gun. 

[northeastregional]

8 hours ago, MaytheSchwartzBeWithYou said:

You are presumably also an academic in the field - why are you doing it?

I'm a federal employee and a PhD is the fastest way to GS-13+. My partner is tenure track in the field (he's on that spreadsheet, actually) but I'm not sure he'd start over knowing what he knows now - he feels the ethical burden of taking on PhD he knows he won't be able to place on the job market. I would not advise beginning a PhD program on the basis of "passion/dreams" but if you are, these stats shouldn't bother you. 

[StarvingArchaeologist]

Waiting to hear back from UVA's Classical Art and Archaeology Program within their History of Art & Archaeology Dept. (in the McIntyre School of Art). I applied last year as well (Dec 2014 for Fall 2015) and was not accepted. Received notice about a week ago last year. Starting to lose my mind. help.

[aspiringarthistorian]

7 minutes ago, StarvingArchaeologist said:

Waiting to hear back from UVA's Classical Art and Archaeology Program within their History of Art & Archaeology Dept. (in the McIntyre School of Art). I applied last year as well (Dec 2014 for Fall 2015) and was not accepted. Received notice about a week ago last year. Starting to lose my mind. help.

I am also waiting to hear back from UVA so you're not alone. It seems that East Coast schools in general are late to the game this year. I've only heard back from one East Coast school so far. Waiting on the others is starting to drive me nuts as well...

[StarvingArchaeologist]

5 minutes ago, aspiringarthistorian said:

I am also waiting to hear back from UVA so you're not alone. It seems that East Coast schools in general are late to the game this year. I've only heard back from one East Coast school so far. Waiting on the others is starting to drive me nuts as well...

Phew. I'm not alone. I'm running out of fingernails to bite and overall sanity while waiting. Already got a rejection from FSU Classics and went through the whole post-rejection letter depression so now I just need to know.