2018 Philosophy Applicants, Assemble!

[thehegeldialectic]

Hello everyone, my name's Colin and I was a 2016 applicant. Now, my M.A. is almost done, and it's time to reapply for Ph.D.

 I've been through this process once, made some mistakes, hopefully learned from them, and am happy to offer you any help, advice, or assistance you need!

But first of all, who all is applying in 2018? How far along in the process are you? 

[eigenname]

Me. Got massively destroyed in this year's application cycle, so will be planning to apply again this year while starting a MA either at my current university or somewhere else (depending on how funding turns out). 

I produced two 4000-word essays this year for my exams, and am hoping to expand one of them into a writing sample for my apps this year, depending on how public feedback at conferences turns out. One of my essays was accepted at the Aristotelian Society/Mind Association's upcoming joint session and a conference in Italy, while another made it to a graduate conference in Canada, so we'll see how they turn out. In the meantime I am still trying to get references from the more 'brand-name' profs at my university, especially since one of the references I have so far is from what one other faculty member, somewhat rudely, called 'probably someone no one in the USA would have heard of'.  

 

 

[necessarily possible]

I'll be applying too. I'm an international student, and very nervous about the process. I'm just about through compiling my list of 15-20 schools that I'd like to attend.

[thehegeldialectic]

18 hours ago, eigenname said:

Me. Got massively destroyed in this year's application cycle, so will be planning to apply again this year while starting a MA either at my current university or somewhere else (depending on how funding turns out). 

 

 

Wouldn't you be applying in 2019, then?

[eigenname]

1 hour ago, iunoionnis said:

Wouldn't you be applying in 2019, then?

The MA program I got into is a year long (more specifically it is an MPhil program), though I am planning to apply for another MA program which is 2 years long. 

[thehegeldialectic]

Well, I luckily have a writing sample ready to go. I wrote it my first year and it won a department award. Hopefully it will be published before applications!

However, I am still trying to put together my list of schools. I'm married, so I am limited in some degree. No out of state, no New York City, and it needs to have an anesthesiology program nearby.


I will definitely get my transcripts started much sooner than last time!

[Naruto]

Feel free to message me if you want some information/opinions on Cincinnati, Georgetown, Western Ontario, Memphis, Miami, or UMass!

[XinluLee]

I am an international applicant from China, and I am working on pursuing master degree in US first, then i will apply for PhD I suppose. I have to say that I am now worrying and terrified for I don't know what program I might have more opportunities to get into... Also, I am now engaged in taking TOEFL and GRE tests, have not start to write the writing sample yet.

I wonder could anyone recommend some programs that provide master degree (I may not have to consider the funding)? Really appreciate that. And I heard that some best-known universities would provide MA but they are indeed cash cows, is that true? But why?

My current interest are meta-ethics and applied ethics (bioethics), and probably religious philosophy (Buddhism).

[necessarily possible]

3 hours ago, XinluLee said:

I am an international applicant from China, and I am working on pursuing master degree in US first, then i will apply for PhD I suppose. I have to say that I am now worrying and terrified for I don't know what program I might have more opportunities to get into... Also, I am now engaged in taking TOEFL and GRE tests, have not start to write the writing sample yet.

I wonder could anyone recommend some programs that provide master degree (I may not have to consider the funding)? Really appreciate that. And I heard that some best-known universities would provide MA but they are indeed cash cows, is that true? But why?

My current interest are meta-ethics and applied ethics (bioethics), and probably religious philosophy (Buddhism).

There is some info here about MA programs: http://www.philosophicalgourmetreport.com/maprog.asp

Edited April 14, 2017 by necessarily possible

[Ikari Gendo]

Shortly I got destroyed as well so most likely I will attend to one of top 3 MA programs in my country. I might consider to apply to one-year MA programs for the next application cycle. Any place worth to consider for a mind/metaphysics/epistemology guy except CEU?

[ThePeon]

Another 2018 applicant here!

I have never applied before (I intended to apply in 2017, but I decided it would have been a bad idea for various reasons), and honestly I am nervous. Though my application is far from complete, my undergrad is a PGR ranked school and I am pretty confident that every piece of my application will be strong... except for the transcript. I have a low cumulative GPA (3.3) and even my philosophy GPA is not as high as I'd like it to be (3.6-3.7). Worse, the only C I got in a philosophy class is the class I took in one of my big AOI's (I got an A on the final paper, but my disorganization at the time led to some late assignments that dragged my grade down).

A mix of bad decisions (mainly biting off more than I could chew on multiple occasions when I should have known better), bad study habits, and a little bad luck led to the low GPA and the C. I take full responsibility for it, but I do feel I have learned from these mistakes over the past few years and that I would be a good graduate student if I get the opportunity.

I do have two questions if anybody is willing to answer them:

Should I just apply to MA programs, or do I have a shot at PhD programs that are worth attending?

If I retook that class I got a C in this coming fall and got an A, would the application committees get to see that before they looked at my application?

 

Edited April 19, 2017 by ThePeon

[Nichi]

40 minutes ago, ThePeon said:

If I retook that class I got a C in this coming fall and got an A, would the application committees get to see that before they looked at my application?

 

Depends on how fast fall grades get into the gradebook. A lot of applications are due in January, so unless your school's fall goes late or takes a very long time to update your transcript, yeah, they'll see it.

If I were you I'd see if a letter can explain away the C, make the writing sample show you in fact can do good work, and apply to some PhD programs that look like a tight fit.

[rphilos]

21 hours ago, ThePeon said:

Should I just apply to MA programs, or do I have a shot at PhD programs that are worth attending?

If I retook that class I got a C in this coming fall and got an A, would the application committees get to see that before they looked at my application?

What do you mean by "PhD programs that are worth attending"? If you mean PGR top 20--even top 40--the answer is almost certainly no. Many of those programs get literally 200-300 applications for 5 or 6 places. Even if you can make a convincing case that your GPA doesn't reflect your potential, admissions committees are unlikely to even read your application when there are dozens of others with near-perfect GPAs. If I were you I would try to get all As at a good MA program before applying for a PhD. Then you won't have to say that you learned from your mistakes--you'll show them.

[be.]

6 hours ago, rphilos said:

What do you mean by "PhD programs that are worth attending"? If you mean PGR top 20--even top 40--the answer is almost certainly no. Many of those programs get literally 200-300 applications for 5 or 6 places. Even if you can make a convincing case that your GPA doesn't reflect your potential, admissions committees are unlikely to even read your application when there are dozens of others with near-perfect GPAs. If I were you I would try to get all As at a good MA program before applying for a PhD. Then you won't have to say that you learned from your mistakes--you'll show them.

This is a bit harsh. ThePeon, you likely have a better chance of getting into a respectable program than this comment would suggest, especially if you produce a stellar writing sample. That said, I agree that focusing your applications on MA programs would be wise. However, it couldn't hurt to apply to a couple of PhD programs as well.

[hector549]

On 4/19/2017 at 1:15 PM, ThePeon said:

Another 2018 applicant here!

I have never applied before (I intended to apply in 2017, but I decided it would have been a bad idea for various reasons), and honestly I am nervous. Though my application is far from complete, my undergrad is a PGR ranked school and I am pretty confident that every piece of my application will be strong... except for the transcript. I have a low cumulative GPA (3.3) and even my philosophy GPA is not as high as I'd like it to be (3.6-3.7). Worse, the only C I got in a philosophy class is the class I took in one of my big AOI's (I got an A on the final paper, but my disorganization at the time led to some late assignments that dragged my grade down).

A mix of bad decisions (mainly biting off more than I could chew on multiple occasions when I should have known better), bad study habits, and a little bad luck led to the low GPA and the C. I take full responsibility for it, but I do feel I have learned from these mistakes over the past few years and that I would be a good graduate student if I get the opportunity.

I do have two questions if anybody is willing to answer them:

Should I just apply to MA programs, or do I have a shot at PhD programs that are worth attending?

If I retook that class I got a C in this coming fall and got an A, would the application committees get to see that before they looked at my application?

 

A low GPA will be a strike against you, but you can make sure everything else is as perfect as you can get it (GRE, sample, letters, SOP) to help offset that.

I'm not sure about the utility of retaking a class; you could, however, see if the department will let you take a graduate course. That would probably look better. I'm not sure if you've already finished your degree. If not, perhaps you can still pull up your GPA. If you're already finished, I'd get the other parts of your application as perfect as you can, and talk to your letter writers; they may be able to address the lower GPA in their letters in a way that makes it a little less problematic.

As for how competitive you'll be, I'd agree that applying to MA programs is a good idea, but it's very difficult to speculate about your competitiveness for PhD programs. If you dig through old threads, you'll find stories of acceptances by students with low GPAs. Apply widely, in any case. 

[ThePeon]

6 hours ago, rphilos said:

What do you mean by "PhD programs that are worth attending"? If you mean PGR top 20--even top 40--the answer is almost certainly no. Many of those programs get literally 200-300 applications for 5 or 6 places. Even if you can make a convincing case that your GPA doesn't reflect your potential, admissions committees are unlikely to even read your application when there are dozens of others with near-perfect GPAs. If I were you I would try to get all As at a good MA program before applying for a PhD. Then you won't have to say that you learned from your mistakes--you'll show them.

Sorry, that was a loaded phrase. What I meant was less strong than that, really just any PGR ranked school, or a school that isn't ranked but is notably strong in my AOI's.

36 minutes ago, be. said:

This is a bit harsh. ThePeon, you likely have a better chance of getting into a respectable program than this comment would suggest, especially if you produce a stellar writing sample. That said, I agree that focusing your applications on MA programs would be wise. However, it couldn't hurt to apply to a couple of PhD programs as well.

11 minutes ago, hector549 said:

As for how competitive you'll be, I'd agree that applying to MA programs is a good idea, but it's very difficult to speculate about your competitiveness for PhD programs. If you dig through old threads, you'll find stories of acceptances by students with low GPAs. Apply widely, in any case. 

Thank you for the responses! What you all have said confirms what I had suspected: there's enough unpredictability that I should apply to a few PhD programs just in case, but that I should focus more on MAs.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

[To φ or not to φ]

Go ahead and apply to some PhD programs, if you'd like to. I didn't have a C grade but I did have a couple of B- grades in Philosophy courses (albeit introductory classes) and I received a PhD offer from a good program (also, I wasn't from a top institution).

[soproperlybasic]

I'll be applying in the fall! I'm an undergrad and hoping to get lucky in terms of a straight acceptance into a masters or PhD right out of my BA. I'm finishing up my writing sample, have a list of 15-20 schools I'm interested in, and will be taking the GRE this summer/going to one of the APA approved summer diversity institutes that I was accepted at. My overall is a 3.5, while my philosophy GPA is 3.8 right now-- I think the low overall GPA is due to my other major. I'm pretty sure I know who 2 of my 3 letter writers will be, not yet settled on the third.

I have all A's and A minuses in my philosophy courses thus far, but anticipate one B+ this semester, which I hope won't hurt me too much...

My areas of interest are philosophy of religion, metaphysics (specific interest in free will), and epistemology.

Edited May 5, 2017 by soproperlybasic

[Ibycus]

Hey 2018 applicants! I'm a 2017 applicant heading to Boulder this fall, but I don't have much to do before that.  Please let me know if you have any questions I might be able to help with! 

[évariste]

Hello!  I'm currently finishing up the junior year of my undergrad, and am interested primarily in logic and formal epistemology.  I'm probably an oddball applicant--I'm a fairly nontraditional student who went from taking one class per quarter in community college and double-majoring in math and computer science, to transferring to a TGR-ranked university, taking ten philosophy classes this year, majoring in philosophy (potentially also math), and doing research in logic this summer.

But, a couple of questions: is a Ph.D too much of a long shot, given I'll only have had one year of philosophy (and only one year of "real" college) at the time of application?  I'm only two classes short of finishing the major right now, but don't have much evidence of longitudinal philosophical interest.

And--does diversity help (gay + transgender + person of color...)?  I can definitely talk about how those identities have impacted my academic journey in my SOP, but I don't know how much of a difference it might make.  (I'm pretty quiet about being trans, otherwise.)

Anyway.  Évariste is a lousy attempt at anonymity, not my real name--but it's nice to meet you anyway!

[Ibycus]

Nope, PhD is not too much of a long shot. I got into a PhD program this year without having majored in philosophy ("Liberal Arts" major technically). Almost everyone is a philosophy major, but you will be too. A lot of programs will probably see the math and logic stuff as a significant plus. If you have the grades, letters, and (especially) sample to back it up, you can apply to top programs with your background. 

Diversity definitely helps, though I am not certain exactly how much. 

6 hours ago, évariste said:

Hello!  I'm currently finishing up the junior year of my undergrad, and am interested primarily in logic and formal epistemology.  I'm probably an oddball applicant--I'm a fairly nontraditional student who went from taking one class per quarter in community college and double-majoring in math and computer science, to transferring to a TGR-ranked university, taking ten philosophy classes this year, majoring in philosophy (potentially also math), and doing research in logic this summer.

But, a couple of questions: is a Ph.D too much of a long shot, given I'll only have had one year of philosophy (and only one year of "real" college) at the time of application?  I'm only two classes short of finishing the major right now, but don't have much evidence of longitudinal philosophical interest.

And--does diversity help (gay + transgender + person of color...)?  I can definitely talk about how those identities have impacted my academic journey in my SOP, but I don't know how much of a difference it might make.  (I'm pretty quiet about being trans, otherwise.)

Anyway.  Évariste is a lousy attempt at anonymity, not my real name--but it's nice to meet you anyway!

 

[Right on the Marx]

I am a fellow 2018 applicant. Just finished up my 2L year at law school. My undergrad wasn’t anything special (private northeastern university). Likewise my undergrad GPA was normal (3.58) and my LS GPA is likely going to be around 3.2X, tough to say given the arbitrariness of law school exams. GRE scores are 162V 148Q 5AWA, I plan to study over the summer and retake in September to get them as high as possible.  

 I am looking to apply to around 15-18 programs, both PhD and MA. My areas of interest are philosophy of law, political philosophy, 19^th Century Continental thought, and philosophy of language. Given my interests I feel as though my ideal landing spot would be UChicago, though I know the odds are very low.

Hopefully we all get to where we want to be, look forward to seeing how this cycle pans out.

Edited May 10, 2017 by Right on the Marx

[évariste]

On 5/5/2017 at 8:48 AM, soproperlybasic said:

will be taking the GRE this summer/going to one of the APA approved summer diversity institutes that I was accepted at.

Ooh, hey, which one?  My school is hosting a diversity-in-philosophy conference next Friday...

[thehegeldialectic]

So it looks like my wife's only willing to live in places with beaches or in the South. Guess my list of schools just got a lot shorter!

[évariste]

3 hours ago, iunoionnis said:

So it looks like my wife's only willing to live in places with beaches or in the South. Guess my list of schools just got a lot shorter!

Then I don't think we will be competing at all, haha--I'm wary of living outside of blue states...
(CMU really matches my interests, but...swing state?  Thank god there's no scarcity of universities in New England...)