Peace Corps & Grad School

[striped]

Hi all, 

 

I've posted before about resources in terms of applying to graduate school, asking for advice on which programs to apply to. I asked this bc I applied for the 2016 fall cycle and was rejected from every one of the 7 schools i applied to. I chalked it up to my low quant GRE score, not having contacted professors personally (I instead just read their work and wrote why i wanted to work with them), and lack of funding (UCLA, UCSD, and UCB being among the poorly funded). Now that I've been rejected from every school I applied to, I am scrambling. I honestly though I'd be accepted by at least one, and I would have attended any of them (i only applied to schools I really really wanted to attend). Now my lease is up in June and I have nowhere to go. 

I'm racking my brain to see what I could have done differently. I wrote a pretty solid SoP that my career academic professor helped me edit, and for the schools that required it, I wrote a pretty solid diversity/ personal background piece as well. Where did I go wrong? departments I've asked feedback from won't reply, and I have no idea where to pick up the pieces and begin anew. If any of you have some insight from your own experiences, i'd be truly grateful. 

lastly, in my undergrad, I really wanted to join the Peace Corps. That dream sort of sat on the back burner when I started a committed relationship and traveling became less of an option since he wasn't interested in joining the peace corps. Now that he is going to law school, and my dreams for grad school this year have fallen through, I considered applying to the peace corps and reapplying to grad school when I get back (in two years). Graduate school, and eventually a PhD, is my dream and I'll pursue it again no doubt. 

My questions are these: 

1. does the peace corps make an applicant more competitive? I'm considering peace corps for non-selfish reasons, but it would be great if it also helped me get into grad school later! 

2. is getting my MA at a less prestigious school the better route to take before applying for a PhD? Should I attend a state school in my state (california) and have a thesis under my belt before becoming a competitive candidate for a PhD? 

[AKJen]

First of all, sorry to hear about your application season.  It's brutal out there!

I've had a few friends in my program (and in others) that did the peace corps before heading to an anthro grad program.  I think it can make you more competitive, but not necessarily.  If you use that experience to demonstrate your familiarity with a region (language, people, possible research topics) and are able to frame that experience as adding to your ability to do independent research, than yes, it could be helpful for your application.  Remember, you don't necessarily have to carry out the project in your application, but the more complete and supported a proposal, the better.

On the other hand, you may go through your peace corps experience and decide to do something complete unrelated for your project.  The peace corps will still be helpful as it shows you have professional and personal experience living in a field site, but you'll have to make a different case for how the work prepared you to do a project in a different area.  Still doable, but all in how you frame it.

An MA could help too, if it's research experience/conferences you're missing.  I'd look at the costs as well though.  If you can get tuition waivers and a TA, an MA might be worth it, but you'll get paid (not much) for the Peace Corps.  The Peace Corps can also be good work experience, if you don't end up going into academia.  

So, I don't really have great advice for you, but good luck!

[farflung]

Hello! This is quite common. I didn't get anywhere I applied the first year (6ish schools), then was accepted to a Top 10 school the second year I applied, and am close to getting the PhD now.

I know it seems like the end of the universe not getting in anywhere your first application season, but it's just not. Have you considered... getting a job and extending your lease? Plenty of us just sit back and try to make a living while making another go in the next application cycle. You don't have to be working in something amazing & related to anthropology to get into a grad program... my cohort mates were making coffee, working at call centers, etc. when they were accepted to PhD programs. 

In my honest opinion, an MA at a less prestigious school will cost you time, money, and may not even help you get into the PhD program of your dreams. 

Peace Corps may improve your application if you can show that it's directly helped prepare you for fieldwork in anthropology, but keep in mind that is an ENORMOUS commitment, and will set you back another 2-3 years toward the PhD. At this point if you begin the rigorous application for PC you wouldn't actually start your volunteer service until 2017. As an aside -- I would say it's probably not a great idea to skip the Peace Corps for a guy -- you can make it work long distance, and if he can't handle distance, he can't handle you being an anthropologist! (just some unsolicited relationship advice from within the academic world).

California public schools have no money, so consider that as you re-work your list of potential schools for next year. You can apply to schools multiple times. Keep working on your statements. Maybe retake the GRE. Get work experience. It's mostly luck among truly-qualified applicants, so if you know you have the qualifications to get a PhD, and still want it, I say try again. Are you being realistic about which professors / programs might want to advise your project? Apply to departments that really 'fit.' Big-shot professors get a lot of applicants, aim to work with asst professors / associate professors trying to make a name for themselves. You should contact them in advance of applying. 

[striped]

5 hours ago, farflung said:

Keep working on your statements. Maybe retake the GRE. Get work experience. It's mostly luck among truly-qualified applicants, so if you know you have the qualifications to get a PhD, and still want it, I say try again. Are you being realistic about which professors / programs might want to advise your project? Apply to departments that really 'fit.'

Thanks so much to both of you who responded with your thoughts. It's very helpful! 

You definitely raise a lot of good points- and it's interesting that you were rejected from many schools your first year and then were admitted to top ten programs the next! That's certainly inspiring. The thing is, I didn't apply to schools that I felt were that extremely out of reach- maybe the UC schools were reaching just because of their lack of funding, but I honestly thought I had a chance at Northwestern and UMich (Ann Arbor). I felt that the professors I chose were not too high-profile and their work really coincided well with my intended project. There was one professor at UMich I was really hoping to be my advisor, because I had read her full works and she also was a more conservative anthropologist, which I really liked. It was a shame to get the acceptance email, only to read another email an hour later telling me that it was a mistake and I was actually rejected. 

Also, a little more background might help- I worked no less than two jobs all throughout undergrad (I live in SF and even with loans could not afford the living costs of the city), and I graduated early (in three years instead of four). I took that extra year off to think about what I wanted to do (I had intentions of going to grad school all my life but now that it was really time to apply, I wanted to give it a lot of thought). I worked at a vicious tech start up for a year, getting promotions and demotions. I hear you on the work experience - it's definitely valuable, and I have a lot of experience in the private and non-profit sectors. So, that's why I was so crushed when I was rejected- I thought I would be able to leave in June, travel a bit, and jump into grad school. I am tired of menial or cutthroat jobs. That's why I am disappointed to be continuing my time in the workforce - it's hard to imagine working another 1.5 years before waiting to see if I will be rejected or accepted again upon reapplying. 

That's when I considered the peace corps- after all, it had been a dream of mine for a long time. I'm almost 23 now- if accepted in the peace corps, I would depart January 2017 and return summer of 2019. I will be 26 when I return. Is that really too late for a PhD? Sometimes I think my age upon applying this cycle was a deterrent, as I felt the committees would think I was too young. 

[farflung]

2 hours ago, striped said:

That's when I considered the peace corps- after all, it had been a dream of mine for a long time. I'm almost 23 now- if accepted in the peace corps, I would depart January 2017 and return summer of 2019. I will be 26 when I return. Is that really too late for a PhD? Sometimes I think my age upon applying this cycle was a deterrent, as I felt the committees would think I was too young. 

It sounds like you have some important life experience under your belt, and I definitely understand the point about not wanting to continue in a crappy job. Info on your background is helpful. You are extremely young! No, 26 is not too late for starting a PhD, it's right about average in my experience. So if you think the Peace Corps would strengthen your fieldwork chops, it could be a good option! Definitely shows the kind of self-sufficiency, ability to adapt to local realities, language skills, etc. that you will need for a PhD program. My caution about MA programs remain, however, particularly since you have undergraduate debt, it seems you are prepped for the PhD without the MA first, and many MA programs are not fully funded. 

Don't be too hard on yourself. Often professors that really love your application are simply going on sabbatical, or can't take on a grad student at the moment for another reason. You are aiming for some of the top schools in Anthropology, and there simply aren't very many slots. But, once you get into one of those top schools, you'll probably be guaranteed funding and have a huge leg up on the job market! Application season is not a referendum on the kind of anthropologist anyone thinks you will be. For those that are truly qualified to be applying to top schools, it's a game of numbers and chance. No one will ever know you struck out on your first application season. I think I've been fairly successful as a grad student, fieldworker, and budding anthropologist -- and I was only admitted to 1 program, out of 12 I applied to over 2 years! People will only ever know of the one institution that will be printed on my diploma. 

 

[striped]

wow @farflung ! That's a really inspiring story. I hope to be like you and one day get into one - even if it's the only one- program of my dreams. thanks so much for all your insights. super super helpful! 

[sierra918]

On February 26, 2016 at 3:17 PM, striped said:

Thanks so much to both of you who responded with your thoughts. It's very helpful! 

You definitely raise a lot of good points- and it's interesting that you were rejected from many schools your first year and then were admitted to top ten programs the next! That's certainly inspiring. The thing is, I didn't apply to schools that I felt were that extremely out of reach- maybe the UC schools were reaching just because of their lack of funding, but I honestly thought I had a chance at Northwestern and UMich (Ann Arbor). I felt that the professors I chose were not too high-profile and their work really coincided well with my intended project. There was one professor at UMich I was really hoping to be my advisor, because I had read her full works and she also was a more conservative anthropologist, which I really liked. It was a shame to get the acceptance email, only to read another email an hour later telling me that it was a mistake and I was actually rejected. 

Also, a little more background might help- I worked no less than two jobs all throughout undergrad (I live in SF and even with loans could not afford the living costs of the city), and I graduated early (in three years instead of four). I took that extra year off to think about what I wanted to do (I had intentions of going to grad school all my life but now that it was really time to apply, I wanted to give it a lot of thought). I worked at a vicious tech start up for a year, getting promotions and demotions. I hear you on the work experience - it's definitely valuable, and I have a lot of experience in the private and non-profit sectors. So, that's why I was so crushed when I was rejected- I thought I would be able to leave in June, travel a bit, and jump into grad school. I am tired of menial or cutthroat jobs. That's why I am disappointed to be continuing my time in the workforce - it's hard to imagine working another 1.5 years before waiting to see if I will be rejected or accepted again upon reapplying. 

That's when I considered the peace corps- after all, it had been a dream of mine for a long time. I'm almost 23 now- if accepted in the peace corps, I would depart January 2017 and return summer of 2019. I will be 26 when I return. Is that really too late for a PhD? Sometimes I think my age upon applying this cycle was a deterrent, as I felt the committees would think I was too young. 

I doubt it's your age. I'm 30, and I was just accepted to Vanderbilt, which is a really competitive program! I believe it had much more to do with the fact that I have an M.A. and about 8 years full time experience in the field. I also contacted a professor before I applied, and we discussed my goals at length.

The Peace Corps sounds like an amazing opportunity! If you really want to Ph.D though, I'd try to get as much practical or research experience as I could before reapplying. You could certainly get that with the Peace Corps, but that doesn't have to be your only avenue! What is your subfield?

[striped]

@sierra918 congrats on your admission! Vanderbilt is an amazing school. So you do think that having the MA helped? Some people have expressed that an MA doesn't really help all that much, and can sink students further in debt versus jumping into a funded PhD program where you attain your MA along the way. I agree with you that one of the most important factors in being admitted is how much research you've done- and certainly, with an MA, you'd have more research done than those who don't have an MA. How did you manage 8 years full time experience in your field? I can't imagine how lucky I would be to have that. 

I also feel that I intend to spend the rest of my life pursuing academia- I am not naive and banking on getting to be a full-time lecturer or the ever-mythical tenureship at a school...obviously I will hope for those things, but I certainly don't count on them. This being said, maybe my early twenties would be better off spent doing something for another community, even if research is not directly related. I just wish I knew if this made me less competitive when I returned for my PhD applications. 

My subfield is sociocultural, but I also applied under psychological anthro at UCSD (one of the few schools that offers such a great subfield). I focus on modernity, identity, tech-culture, class, and neoliberalism. My main focus is how all of those things are affected and perhaps created by entitlement culture produced by technology within the United States. 

[sierra918]

2 hours ago, striped said:

@sierra918 congrats on your admission! Vanderbilt is an amazing school. So you do think that having the MA helped? Some people have expressed that an MA doesn't really help all that much, and can sink students further in debt versus jumping into a funded PhD program where you attain your MA along the way. I agree with you that one of the most important factors in being admitted is how much research you've done- and certainly, with an MA, you'd have more research done than those who don't have an MA. How did you manage 8 years full time experience in your field? I can't imagine how lucky I would be to have that. 

I also feel that I intend to spend the rest of my life pursuing academia- I am not naive and banking on getting to be a full-time lecturer or the ever-mythical tenureship at a school...obviously I will hope for those things, but I certainly don't count on them. This being said, maybe my early twenties would be better off spent doing something for another community, even if research is not directly related. I just wish I knew if this made me less competitive when I returned for my PhD applications. 

My subfield is sociocultural, but I also applied under psychological anthro at UCSD (one of the few schools that offers such a great subfield). I focus on modernity, identity, tech-culture, class, and neoliberalism. My main focus is how all of those things are affected and perhaps created by entitlement culture produced by technology within the United States. 

Thanks very much! As for whether my M.A. helped, I believe that it did. I think it's very program-specific though. I think what was most important was that I met with the professor I wanted to work with, and our interests were really well-aligned. I think having him go to bat for me made all the difference!

My subfield is archaeology, and I've been Working full-time for a CRM firm for 5 years, and then I have accumulated 3 full years of different archaeology jobs before that. This is where my age has been a benefit ?

If I were you, I'd personally contact the profs you want to work with, meet with them if you can, make sure they are taking students, and find out if they're interested in your research. Also, you can ask the POI what their competitive applicants look like and what you can do to get there.

 

[TheMagicMoment]

I know the PeaceCorps probably makes the most sense for an anthropologist, but have you also considered AmeriCorps? Depending on your research interests that might be an excellent way to gain some valuable experience and there may even be opportunities already available close to where you live.

[striped]

@sierra918 that's great advice. My boyfriend is going out east (same areas I applied to) to look at law schools, so maybe I like come along and request to speak with the professors whose work I am interested in. Thank you!!!

@TheMagicMoment yeah you're right. I've only briefly looked into americorps- but I had a friend who did it and loved it. I guess I immediately jumped to peace corps because it had been a dream of mine since I was around 17. I will give americorps more thought- thanks for the help!

[sierra918]

9 minutes ago, striped said:

@sierra918 that's great advice. My boyfriend is going out east (same areas I applied to) to look at law schools, so maybe I like come along and request to speak with the professors whose work I am interested in. Thank you!!!

@TheMagicMoment yeah you're right. I've only briefly looked into americorps- but I had a friend who did it and loved it. I guess I immediately jumped to peace corps because it had been a dream of mine since I was around 17. I will give americorps more thought- thanks for the help!

Great idea! Best of luck to you ?