Fall 2017 Applicants

[terraaurea]

56 minutes ago, Archaic_Smile said:

I'm the IPCAA interview. It was an invitation to the weekend on campus, sent over email by the prof I was in touch with last year (when I was unsuccessful in the process). Very excited and nervous! So happy to make it even this far this year.

Congratulations! I'm glad you're getting to go this time around!

[terraaurea]

7 hours ago, Archaic_Smile said:

I'm the IPCAA interview. It was an invitation to the weekend on campus, sent over email by the prof I was in touch with last year (when I was unsuccessful in the process). Very excited and nervous! So happy to make it even this far this year.

Also, if you don't mind me asking, what did you do to strengthen your application over the year before your second app? I'm just curious because if I don't get in to places I want to think about options for fortifying my app, etc. If you don't get in will get send you an email with tips? Thanks!

[Archaic_Smile]

20 hours ago, terraaurea said:

Also, if you don't mind me asking, what did you do to strengthen your application over the year before your second app? I'm just curious because if I don't get in to places I want to think about options for fortifying my app, etc. If you don't get in will get send you an email with tips? Thanks!

Hey,

Feel free to message me (this site does that, right?) for my email if you'd like an in-depth description of what I did. However, here are the big takeaways:

- I did not have German and I took an intensive reading academic German course.

- I started volunteering at a museum.

- I totally re-edited my writing sample and my statements.

However, I think German was the biggest one. My recommenders all told me to take German after I didn't get in.

[terraaurea]

2 hours ago, Archaic_Smile said:

Hey,

Feel free to message me (this site does that, right?) for my email if you'd like an in-depth description of what I did. However, here are the big takeaways:

- I did not have German and I took an intensive reading academic German course.

- I started volunteering at a museum.

- I totally re-edited my writing sample and my statements.

However, I think German was the biggest one. My recommenders all told me to take German after I didn't get in.

Awesome, thanks! I'll PM you.

[likeavirgil]

It's a shame that Gradcafe seems to be dying (at least in Classics), because there just isn't enough data anymore to draw inferences about admissions. With only one reported IPCAA interview invite from a POI, it's hard to know whether there might be a more general official invitation from a DGS or whether individual POIs will continue sending out emails (or maybe they already have!). I see that there were two IPCAA interviews reported last year with very different dates (1/12 and 1/22), but it's also pretty likely that these things differ each year.

I didn't even apply to IPCAA, but all the uncertainty is making me anxious on behalf of those who did! 

[likeavirgil]

Although, to be fair, there has never really been enough Classics data to make any real judgments -- just enough to fret over helplessly!

Edited January 18, 2017 by likeavirgil
typo

[ciistai]

49 minutes ago, likeavirgil said:

It's a shame that Gradcafe seems to be dying (at least in Classics), because there just isn't enough data anymore to draw inferences about admissions. With only one reported IPCAA interview invite from a POI, it's hard to know whether there might be a more general official invitation from a DGS or whether individual POIs will continue sending out emails (or maybe they already have!). I see that there were two IPCAA interviews reported last year with very different dates (1/12 and 1/22), but it's also pretty likely that these things differ each year.

I didn't even apply to IPCAA, but all the uncertainty is making me anxious on behalf of those who did! 

I was the one who posted that my POI called me (in last year's app cycle). POI was interim director of the program, which I didn't know when I posted that, since the current director was on leave for that term. It's always the director who reaches out and not the POI. Three years previously I'd also been contacted for an interview by the director at the time, not by my POI. 

Edited January 18, 2017 by ciistai

[terraaurea]

1 hour ago, likeavirgil said:

It's a shame that Gradcafe seems to be dying (at least in Classics), because there just isn't enough data anymore to draw inferences about admissions. With only one reported IPCAA interview invite from a POI, it's hard to know whether there might be a more general official invitation from a DGS or whether individual POIs will continue sending out emails (or maybe they already have!). I see that there were two IPCAA interviews reported last year with very different dates (1/12 and 1/22), but it's also pretty likely that these things differ each year.

I didn't even apply to IPCAA, but all the uncertainty is making me anxious on behalf of those who did! 

Yeah, the lack of data makes it more nervewracking, I think. Info is pretty scarce for other classical archaeology/classics programs too. I'm just sitting like around refreshing my email like a silly person...

1 hour ago, ciistai said:

I was the one who posted that my POI called me (in last year's app cycle). POI was interim director of the program, which I didn't know when I posted that, since the current director was on leave for that term. It's always the director who reaches out and not the POI. Three years previously I'd also been contacted for an interview by the director at the time, not by my POI. 

Ooh, that's interesting! My only worry is whether or not they send out the emails all at the same time or at different times. 

[terraaurea]

It's been a couple days. Any of you lovely people had any luck hearing back from prospective schools? I haven't yet, but there is plenty of waiting time left! 

[the gadfly]

1 hour ago, terraaurea said:

It's been a couple days. Any of you lovely people had any luck hearing back from prospective schools? I haven't yet, but there is plenty of waiting time left! 

I have received an offer of admission to the PhD program in classics at Toronto.  I am absolutely thrilled.  I applied to the program with expressed interest in the University's collaborative program in ancient and medieval philosophy.

[likeavirgil]

Congratulations @the gadfly!!

I got an interview request from Columbia's CLST yesterday! Hopefully it'll go well.

(In more general news, I've finally stopped checking the Results page all the time. My nervous system thanks me.)

[ciistai]

15 hours ago, the gadfly said:

I have received an offer of admission to the PhD program in classics at Toronto.  I am absolutely thrilled.  I applied to the program with expressed interest in the University's collaborative program in ancient and medieval philosophy.

Congratulations! Great program and a great city

[terraaurea]

Congrats @likeavirgil and @the gadfly!!!

[Archaic_Smile]

I just posted in results, but I'm the one who got into UNC Chapel Hill  Very exciting

[ploutarchos]

I seem to have been accepted by Ohio State, but I only found out through checking the website and I've heard nothing from the department.

[terraaurea]

Congrats to @Archaic_Smile (man, I dig that username--those smiles make me giggle every time) and @ploutarchos! 

21 minutes ago, ploutarchos said:

I seem to have been accepted by Ohio State, but I only found out through checking the website and I've heard nothing from the department.

Did you apply for their MA or PhD? I applied to the University of Cincinnati and am still a sitting duck--though their apps weren't due until Jan. 15th. 

[ploutarchos]

@terraaurea Thanks! I applied for the PhD. 

[likeavirgil]

Just got invited to a campus visit at Yale! Is anyone else going?

[terraaurea]

1 hour ago, likeavirgil said:

Just got invited to a campus visit at Yale! Is anyone else going?

Oh my goodness, you're on fire! Congratulations! 

[the gadfly]

Thanks all!  My wife and I visited Toronto (on holiday) for the first time this past fall, and loved it.  have a phone call later with morning with the Graduate Coordinator to discuss the details of the offer.  

Congrats to @Archaic_Smile on UNC, @ploutarchos on OSU, and @likeavirgil on the interviews!  It's good to see this thread booming with good news.

[Spiro Spero]

Archaeologists: What are your thoughts on Harvard for classical arch,  especially those of you who didn't apply? It's my top choice right now due to relationship/family limitations, but I've seen mixed things about it (particularly in comparison to its strengths in other fields). 

Edited January 26, 2017 by Spiro Spero

[terraaurea]

7 minutes ago, Spiro Spero said:

Archaeologists: What are your thoughts on Harvard for classical arch,  especially those of you who didn't apply? It's my top choice right now due to relationship/family limitations, but I've seen mixed things about it (particularly in comparison to its strengths in other fields). 

I can't speak on behalf of how good the department is/isn't, but I decided not to apply there because the faculty in Roman archaeology wasn't there/was nonexistent. It seemed like they had a much, much stronger literature presence in Classics--and some Greek archaeologists. Where else did you apply? 

[Spiro Spero]

45 minutes ago, terraaurea said:

I can't speak on behalf of how good the department is/isn't, but I decided not to apply there because the faculty in Roman archaeology wasn't there/was nonexistent. It seemed like they had a much, much stronger literature presence in Classics--and some Greek archaeologists. Where else did you apply? 

Ah yeah, that's a deficiency. I'm into Roman arch but also Magna Graecia/pre-Roman southern Italy, so I was interested in their profs in that area. I also applied to BU (art history), Tulane, SUNY Buffalo, and Cambridge, and have offers from Trinity College Dublin and Uni. Sheffield (arch dept) for MAs.

I'm pretty early on in my process of narrowing my research interests and am coming from a different undergrad major, so only two PhD programs - they're reaches but I've got my fingers crossed, haha. 

It's tricky trying to find a suitable department with such an interdisciplinary field! At some places it's classics, at others it's art history, others archaeology... If I end up just doing an MA this cycle, I'd really like to apply to IPCAA when I finish it. 

[terraaurea]

6 minutes ago, Spiro Spero said:

Ah yeah, that's a deficiency. I'm into Roman arch but also Magna Graecia/pre-Roman southern Italy, so I was interested in their profs in that area. I also applied to BU (art history), Tulane, SUNY Buffalo, and Cambridge, and have offers from Trinity College Dublin and Uni. Sheffield (arch dept) for MAs.

I'm pretty early on in my process of narrowing my research interests and am coming from a different undergrad major, so only two PhD programs - they're reaches but I've got my fingers crossed, haha. 

It's tricky trying to find a suitable department with such an interdisciplinary field! At some places it's classics, at others it's art history, others archaeology... If I end up just doing an MA this cycle, I'd really like to apply to IPCAA when I finish it. 

Yeah, if you're into Magna Graecia you'll be fine there I would think. Same with pre-Roman Italy. I applied to BU for Archaeology. I have a friend who goes to Sheffield for Greek arch. and he really likes it! What is your undergrad major? And you never know! I definitely feel you. I'm surprised I'm not applying to any art history programs for arch. All of mine are in classics or archaeology. I've applied to IPCAA for their PhD and still haven't heard anything, so I'm going to just assume that's a rejection for me. 

[terraaurea]

I just got a call from the University of Cincinnati. They said the read my app, really liked it, and want to fly me out there for the interview weekend in late February (starting Feb. 23)!! I'm so pumped!