M.A. Students and PhD Applications

A great source of information for MA students looking for advice on going to a PhD.

Can applying from an MA hurt your Phd app?
1.  "It seems to me the only way an MA can hurt is if the student has done poorly in the MA program (thus revealing that they aren't cut out for PhD study), or if the MA program is quite poor."


How are parts of the application waited
2.  "As a general rule-of-thumb, I'd offer this:  GRE scores are probably least important, constituting a kind of floor (if they are too low, the school may be a bit nervous), but that's it--no one is being admitted to PhD programs based on their GRE scores.   GPA, and the institution the GPA is from, along with the letters of recommendation (esp. when they are from philosophers that the program knows), are very powerful screening devices, and will determine which applicants have their writing samples read carefully.   The statement of purpose can do more to disqualify than qualify a candidate for admission:   admissions committees to read it to see whether the student's interests are actually a good fit.  If they're not, an otherwise strong application can go by the wayside."


Lost of good comments on this post at the Leiter Reports site.
LINK: MA Students & PhD Applications