Calling all Smarty Pants FOTs (Ph.D. program advice)

[jed]

I am thinking of becoming a Doctor of All things.  Any of you who did this, how did you choose the school/exact program to apply to?  Right now I have made a short list of people I think I would like to study with and coupled that with a few places in the area that would allow me to not move to the midwest for the next six years.  Should I email faculty I am interested in studying with before applying?  Also, how much should I have/pretend to have a specific area of research planned out?  I mean, I have a few ideas but am not set on any and each program would probably lead me to different areas.  Any other advice?

[Oogie]

Where's the Shameful, off-the-record responses to non-FOT Chan posts thread when you need it.

[Emily]

Congratulations on your plan.

Maybe you could go to open houses for nearby med schools - NYU School of Medicine and Columbia? Might be more general info than what you're looking for, but maybe they could answer your more specific questions too.

[jed]

Congratulations on your plan.

Maybe you could go to open houses for nearby med schools - NYU School of Medicine and Columbia? Might be more general info than what you're looking for, but maybe they could answer your more specific questions too.

Just to clarify, I don't want to be a medical doctor.  And now I am imagining me as an MD for the first time and realizing that it would be the worst thing I could ever try to do.  I would be the world's worst doctor.

[jed]

Where's the Shameful, off-the-record responses to non-FOT Chan posts thread when you need it.

You are right.  I'm going to go post something about celebritities.

[Emily]

oh . . a doctor of all things. got it.

[Spalding]

Do you have a masters?

I don't know about the sciences, but in the humanities, look at the sub-disciplines within the larger field you're interested in and you'll probably be able to ID the 4-5 schools that focus in that area. You'll also want to look for scholars whose work you're interested in and could serve as a mentor & dissertation committee person. After doing internet research and phone calls to the department chairs, I'd highly recommend making visits to 3 or 4 potential schools. Getting to sit in on classes and talk with current students can really help figure out which school would be the best fit.

If money's a consideration, some schools might be able to make stronger offers (assistantships, in-state tuition wavers, etc), which could help make up your mind.

And the Midwest is a fine place with many top-notch institutions, so don't rule it out. Once you're done with your coursework (2-3 years), you can go back home and write your dissertation.

[Sarah]

"Master of all" sounds much more impressive than "doctor of all."  In fact, a doctor of all might as well be a pizza slave.  Way too much work.

[jed]

Do you have a masters?

Yes.

If money's a consideration, some schools might be able to make stronger offers (assistantships, in-state tuition wavers, etc), which could help make up your mind.

Money is no object.

Yeah right.  Is it possible to do this with a wife and kid and not take any more student loans on?  As far as scholarships go, I'm smart, but not the smartest.

[Shaggy 2 Grote]

It might help if you were a little more specific about your area of study.  I am merely a Master of Mystic Fine Arts, but I do know that programs vary wildly.

[yesno]

I've got a friend who is working on a degree called "master of taxation."

[Emily]

if you can find employment with a university, you are sometimes eligible for tuition remission.

[jed]

It might help if you were a little more specific about your area of study.  I am merely a Master of Mystic Fine Arts, but I do know that programs vary wildly.

This is a good question because it has made my process a little more difficult than maybe it would be otherwise.  I have a Master's in Divinity with a historical theology emphasis.  I basically want to continue down the American intellectual history route.  A lot of University History PhD.D. programs don't work for me because they focus almost entirely  on social history.  If i go with their philosophy departments I usually find a bunch of people immersed in Postmodern Continental philosophy that is beyond my focus.  UPenn has a guy that would be perfect for me to study with but I probably can't get in (should I email him and introduce myself?).  Universities with theology faculties are ideal (e.g. Fordham, Notre Dame, Yale) but I am concerned with cost.  I wonder if I would be better off trying to get into a small and/or local school that will let me do what I want even if it doesn't fit what they are used to.

[Spalding]

What about the religious studies program at UVA?: www.virginia.edu/religiousstudies/  Charles Marsh is doing some interesting stuff - don't know if it's as far back in history as you're interested in

[Sarah]

should I email him and introduce myself?

Why not?  What do you have to lose?