kungfuzi

This isn't accurate, seeing as none of my letter writers knew anyone on the Columbia admissions committee; as I stated in an earlier post, none of them even work in my PhD field. It certainly helps if your letter writers have contacts in the graduate programs you're applying to, but it isn't necessary to get admitted.

Languages are very important, especially if you're doing non-US history. Consider enrolling in intensive language classes before you apply, and see if you can tailor those classes to focus on reading and translation. You need not have published anything (I haven't) in order to get admitted into a top program, although I'm sure it helps. Nor need your undergraduate thesis be in the field that you're hoping to pursue in grad school. I wrote my thesis in medieval history and will be specializing in international and global history (I actually found a way to broadly link my thesis to my grad school interests). None of my references were from faculty in my field. One was from my thesis advisor, an up-and-coming medievalist, the other was from a (permanent) visiting prof who teaches modern European history, and the third was from a retired English professor. All three have known me since freshman and sophomore year. So you should get to know your undergraduate professors well: talk to them during office hours, take them out for meals, send them postcards when you're traveling, etc. For those interested in international and global history, this comes from a Columbia professor who emailed me right after I was admitted there: "One of our primary considerations in choosing candidates is their ability to attract the interest of a wide variety of faculty across the fields." Read books and articles by the profs at the schools you're applying to, and see if you can integrate their ideas into your statements of purpose. Get people to critique these statements. The best piece of advice that I received was to replace the term "Cold War," at least initially, with "that period which policy-makers and -thinkers objectify as the Cold War." It seemed unnecessarily pedantic at first, but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense in the context of what I was trying to do. The bulk of my statements of purpose was about my research interests and how they complemented those of specific faculty members at the schools I was applying to. I did however have one paragraph on myself and how my personal background (namely, being an international student who studied in the US) shaped my belief in studying history from a global perspective (though not my specific research interests). If you're still in college, consider taking a few years off before applying to grad school, unless you're exceptionally well-prepared and absolutely sure you want to be an academic (there's plenty on the perils of grad school in the humanities -- go and read articles by Thomas Bender / William Pannapacker and Tim Burke). See the real world, travel, learn some languages, pursue jobs related to academia (e.g. teaching, journalism, government work, etc.). I think grad schools like it when you possess a certain worldliness. I had some contact with faculty from the schools I was applying to. Two gave standard, non-committal replies and said that they were looking forward to reading my application. The third -- from Columbia -- had some encouraging words for me, but that was about it. === I'll be meeting with a bunch of Columbia faculty and grad students this week, and might have more insights after then. Looking back, and seeing just how well-qualified some of the people on this forum are, I feel humbled, not to mention incredibly lucky, at having gotten into where I have. Hope the above's useful in some way to all those applying this year. Best of luck!

Applied to Harvard, Columbia, Yale, UPenn, and Chicago for International History. Waitlisted at the first, accepted with full funding at the second, rejected at the last three. (Was also accepted by two MA programs, but they were backups.) So my decision's probably going to be quite easy: 80% sure it'll be Columbia, possibly even higher after I meet with some profs and grad students next week. (Am on my way to NYC, from halfway around the world, as I type this!!)

Hmm, disturbing stuff, especially since I'll probably be going to Columbia. I do believe that its financial aid policy's changed recently though. I guess I'll have to find out more when I visit later next month...

Agreed, a superb book. If you're super dedicated (unlike me) and do one chapter every two days or so, you can finish it in 42 days. Which reminds me, I'd better get back to finishing it... There's also German for Reading, written by the same guy!

Hey there Mertonian, sorry to hear that, although I imagine you're not too disappointed given the Columbia result. I guess we'll be seeing each other in New York in the fall then (80% chance I'll end up at Columbia)...

Rejected: I guess Gaddis and Kennedy didn't like what they saw! But no matter...

Possibly something on transnational anti-communism during the Cold War, centered on the World Anti-Communist League; I'm hoping to shift the focus away from the US government's actions and examine the agency of non-state actors and other, non-Western governments in tackling Communism. (This was what I talked about in my personal statement.)

Thanks, and same to you for Yale. What's your field? I'm in International and Global History. I suspect that different fields may get back to candidates at different times...

Not sure -- I was waitlisted by Harvard and am still waiting to hear from Yale, Chicago, and UPenn. Columbia's IGH program is very attractive however. Almost certainly won't be attending History Day, alas: first, it's a ridiculously long trip from here, and second, my ex-students' A-Level results will probably be out on 4 March. Gotta be there for them!

Congrats! What field are you in? Going for History Day?

Yes, I've just been admitted into Columbia's IGH program! Am still deliriously happy!

Yep, they do. Have just been placed on Harvard's.

Nope. Heard from Harvard (waitlisted) and Columbia (accepted), but not Yale.