Anthropology PhD advice?

breathfire
Thu, 28 May 2009 14:02:27 +0000

Hi Guys, sorry I didn’t reply sooner! I’ve been finishing up college and now officially NYU alumna. :)

I know you suggested that I apply to a good number of programs, and I will do this. But I have a (stupid) problem that’s getting in the way of my sleep at night: my family doesn’t want me to leave NY. We’re a family of 3 people, financially disadvantaged, and rely upon each other. However, graduate school often means going out of state. They are sending me on a guilt trip about it, saying that if I leave that’s like disregarding them. It’s absurd but it’s family. In NY there’s New School, Columbia, and CUNY (not counting the lesser known, not-so-great programs like Fordham). They are pressuring me to “get into” Columbia, as though it’s totally up to me rather than the admissions people.

Do you guys have any thoughts on this issue? NS and CUNY doesn’t fund well either, so this really leaves Columbia…but from what my professorst at NYU ar saying, Columbia is not really that super for grad school in anthro.

Sigh, help?