2018 Applications Thread

[phdthoughts]

Hi everyone. I haven't seen an applications thread for this coming cycle just yet, so I thought I'd start one. My interests are health/environmental and social interaction and culture. I applied to four schools last year and was waitlisted by Purdue and Amherst so I'm trying again with those schools and a few others. 2018 applicants, where are you all in the process and how are you feeling about this cycle?

[mintless]

Hi all! 

Applied a few years back to enter in fall 2015. Sent apps to four schools, two rejects (Texas and Pitt), one interview that resulted in rejection (Iowa), and one waitlist that didn't pan out (Colorado). I also sent out an app to Texas State University's mass communication MA program and ended up enrolling there and completing the degree with a digital media concentration. My first MA is from Colorado with a rhetorical focus. I'm working as a lecturer this year and will be sending out apps to begin Fall 2018. Casting a much wider net this time around; ideal programs have a faculty with expertise across rhetoric, media studies and performance studies. Cherry on top if they have journalism expertise as well. Looking at 10-13 schools, but top choices are Utah, Minnesota, and Amherst.

[phdthoughts]

4 hours ago, mintless said:

Hi all! 

Applied a few years back to enter in fall 2015. Sent apps to four schools, two rejects (Texas and Pitt), one interview that resulted in rejection (Iowa), and one waitlist that didn't pan out (Colorado). I also sent out an app to Texas State University's mass communication MA program and ended up enrolling there and completing the degree with a digital media concentration. My first MA is from Colorado with a rhetorical focus. I'm working as a lecturer this year and will be sending out apps to begin Fall 2018. Casting a much wider net this time around; ideal programs have a faculty with expertise across rhetoric, media studies and performance studies. Cherry on top if they have journalism expertise as well. Looking at 10-13 schools, but top choices are Utah, Minnesota, and Amherst.

Hi mintless - welcome! I'm in the process of retaking the GREs as well in the fall. Anything to get a little more of an edge this time around. Are you going to narrow down the 10-13, or stick with that number?  I'd also like to broaden my selection this year, but still trying to figure out what that will be aside from my two that I think I got close to. I feel like the second time around I feel like I know what I'm doing at least a little more than I did last year. 

Edited August 21, 2017 by phdthoughts

[mintless]

Eeek! I'm retaking the GRE as well because my scores expired. Very nervous about that; it has been many years since I have even looked at serious mathematics. The number of schools I apply to will probably end up being driven primarily by finances; I'd love to apply to every school I'm interested in, but that probably won't be possible...we'll see. And yes! I also feel a bit wiser this time around. Of course, some days I still feel like its hopeless...

[lisajd]

Just stumbled across this forum and thought I would join in! I am taking the GRE in a few weeks and will apply for about 12 programs this year. I am looking into applying for PhD programs in Organizational Behavior at business schools. I've been studying for the GRE nonstop for a couple weeks now. It is the last thing I feel I really have control over before sending off applications! Best of luck to everyone! 

[phdthoughts]

6 hours ago, lisajd said:

Just stumbled across this forum and thought I would join in! I am taking the GRE in a few weeks and will apply for about 12 programs this year. I am looking into applying for PhD programs in Organizational Behavior at business schools. I've been studying for the GRE nonstop for a couple weeks now. It is the last thing I feel I really have control over before sending off applications! Best of luck to everyone! 

Welcome lisajd! Good luck with the studying. I'm beginning with all that again (scheduled for Oct.) and standardized tests are really not my thing - but, gotta do it right?

[phdthoughts]

7 hours ago, mintless said:

Eeek! I'm retaking the GRE as well because my scores expired. Very nervous about that; it has been many years since I have even looked at serious mathematics. The number of schools I apply to will probably end up being driven primarily by finances; I'd love to apply to every school I'm interested in, but that probably won't be possible...we'll see. And yes! I also feel a bit wiser this time around. Of course, some days I still feel like its hopeless...

Mintless - I hear you. I've been out of school for a while so it's not easy. There's so many unknowns that you face when you prepare to send an app off it's hard to get a handle on what to focus on sometimes.

[GreenEyedTrombonist]

Hey all!

I'll be applying again this season as well. I've improved my explanation of my research interests and how they apply to Comm and am working on the SoP now. I am also looking at applying to more programs and have been researching colleges that might be a good fit. I am reducing that list now so I get to a good set.

I have finished my MA, so I'm hoping that helps my applications this year. I am also redoing my webpage to include my grad report and links to other important writings I've done. I am concerned about my SoP (weakest part of my application last year) and about how to make it clear that, although I have a background in anthropology, I would do well in a Comm program.

[DBear]

1 hour ago, GreenEyedTrombonist said:

Hey all!

I'll be applying again this season as well. I've improved my explanation of my research interests and how they apply to Comm and am working on the SoP now. I am also looking at applying to more programs and have been researching colleges that might be a good fit. I am reducing that list now so I get to a good set.

I have finished my MA, so I'm hoping that helps my applications this year. I am also redoing my webpage to include my grad report and links to other important writings I've done. I am concerned about my SoP (weakest part of my application last year) and about how to make it clear that, although I have a background in anthropology, I would do well in a Comm program.

Hi all - just wanted to say good luck!! This forum was a god send last year and wanted to say that I'm here to help

@GreenEyedTrombonist I know what you mean about how to communicate that you can do Comm even though you come from a different background. Remember I applied with 2 BAs and 2 MAs NONE of which were remotely related to Communication. That was might greatest concern in writing my SOP as well. In then end, I tried to kind of not mention it and focus on what I want to study and hope that would show that my research interests are very much in the Communication world. What you do need to show is that you have the aptitude to be a scholar in general, and now that your MA is done, it'll be easier to communicate that. This is just from my experience, others may disagree

[GreenEyedTrombonist]

@DBear Definitely think I've entered the nervous stage. I did a big long "what can I improve" post over on the anthro side, haha.

[phdthoughts]

22 hours ago, GreenEyedTrombonist said:

Hey all!

I'll be applying again this season as well. I've improved my explanation of my research interests and how they apply to Comm and am working on the SoP now. I am also looking at applying to more programs and have been researching colleges that might be a good fit. I am reducing that list now so I get to a good set.

I have finished my MA, so I'm hoping that helps my applications this year. I am also redoing my webpage to include my grad report and links to other important writings I've done. I am concerned about my SoP (weakest part of my application last year) and about how to make it clear that, although I have a background in anthropology, I would do well in a Comm program.

Good to see you again  I'm rooting for you!

[GreenEyedTrombonist]

hey @phdthoughts ! Good to see you again

This year I've really been trying to explore as many schools as I can to give myself the best chance of finding the perfect fit. I'll be emailing schools starting Monday and currently have a list of 27 (between anth and comm). My goals today are to start sketching out those paragraphs that will be similar in my SoPs (I'm going to use a different master SoP for anth and comm and, of course, personalize for each school) and going into deeper research on each school to see what I can discover about methodology/goodness of fit.  I did send an email to U of O's program a couple days ago and was "highly encouraged to apply" so I'm hopeful this season.

 

How is everyone else doing?

[phdthoughts]

On 8/25/2017 at 1:43 PM, GreenEyedTrombonist said:

hey @phdthoughts ! Good to see you again

This year I've really been trying to explore as many schools as I can to give myself the best chance of finding the perfect fit. I'll be emailing schools starting Monday and currently have a list of 27 (between anth and comm). My goals today are to start sketching out those paragraphs that will be similar in my SoPs (I'm going to use a different master SoP for anth and comm and, of course, personalize for each school) and going into deeper research on each school to see what I can discover about methodology/goodness of fit.  I did send an email to U of O's program a couple days ago and was "highly encouraged to apply" so I'm hopeful this season.

 

How is everyone else doing?

Sounds like you have a great start! I received really encouraging email from one of my schools on Friday, so I've been super motivated this weekend to do GRE and SOP tasks - kind of reaffirmed I'm on the right path. It's funny how sometimes that's all you need to keep going!

[GreenEyedTrombonist]

That's awesome @phdthoughts ! Basically all of the replies I've gotten from Comm programs have been positive and all of the replies from Anth programs have been, "have you thought about Comm?" Guess the writings on the wall, haha.

I've been working on my SoP and actually came by to see if anyone wants to do a review exchange.  

[Tyler on The Road]

Hi there,

I'm also applying for phd programs this year. to be honest I'm absolutely stressed about the whole process. Currently I'm doing my second masters in a great university in Turkey. B.A and M.A in English Literature, and now studying Media and Visual Studies.

I hope we stick together till the end of applications, and hopefully celebrate our success here.

Edited September 24, 2017 by Tyler on The Road

[phdthoughts]

11 hours ago, Tyler on The Road said:

Hi there,

I'm also applying for phd programs this year. to be honest I'm absolutely stressed about the whole process. Currently I'm doing my second masters in a great university in Turkey. B.A and M.A in English Literature, and now studying Media and Visual Studies.

I hope we stick together till the end of applications, and hopefully celebrate our success here.

Welcome! Don't worry, if your stressed, you're in good company here - we will all be that way at some point until we get all those apps in!

[GreenEyedTrombonist]

@phdthoughts @Tyler on The Road and then we'll all be stressed waiting for results, haha.

[Pencilvester]

What sorts of writing samples are y'all thinking of including in your applications? I know I'm going to submit a chapter or two from my dissertation but I'm not really sure which would be best... Lit review to show my ability to engage with theory? Methods/results to show I know my way around empirical investigation? Discussion to give little sense of both?

[GreenEyedTrombonist]

@Pencilvester I'm definitely pulling from my MA work as well (two of my programs require it either in part or whole and 3 have no length requirements). For the others I'm not sure. I can't do my entire Findings chapter because it's over 30 pages (my other two have "no more than 30 pages" and "15-20 pages" as their requirements) unless I reduce it to single space (it's 1.5 now). I could submit my Contextual Information, but that doesn't really show me engaging as a researcher. I could submit my Research Design and Methodology, but that's not as interesting. Deliverable Design is nice, but doesn't make sense for a doctoral program that's not applied. Reflections kind of just...gives the end, but none of the steps of the project so meh.

This is something I plan to figure out next week, haha.

[DBear]

@Pencilvester @GreenEyedTrombonist I used a chapter from the body of my MA thesis which 1) I felt most confident about 2) was the crux of my argument. I added an abridged version of my intro to fit the overall length which I used to discuss the context of the work and a bit on the approach. Also had an abstract that expressly stated this was part of a larger work.

This worked for me

[GreenEyedTrombonist]

Thoughts on including a link to the larger work as part of the abstract? @DBear

[DBear]

19 hours ago, GreenEyedTrombonist said:

Thoughts on including a link to the larger work as part of the abstract? @DBear

Like a digital link? I wouldn't do that... Most likely these materials will be printed out... Maybe you can stick it somewhere in your resume?

[GreenEyedTrombonist]

Embedded link, like this (the link here is just for grad cafe, haha) @DBear

[GreenEyedTrombonist]

How's everyone doing? Anyone pulling their hair out yet?

[Pencilvester]

Dang... writing a statement of purpose is hard. I'll write something that I think is good only to read it days later and feel like it ought to be changed.