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Derpus

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  • Location
    Boston, MA
  • Application Season
    2015 Fall
  • Program
    History

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  1. I'm doing a one-year MA program in history and I feel like I'm floundering and barely able to keep up, no thanks to my advisor. My first semester went by okay, and he was able to give me a lot of good advice about where I should start my research and how I should frame it. The first few weeks went all right, I got some very good research done, and I was starting to write my paper sample. I met with him every week to give him an update on my research, how my paper was going, and paper updates. He seemed to be okay with this until a week before doctoral program deadlines were due. During that meeting, he expressed frustration that I was meeting him every week when I should be writing or at the archives, tossed my recent paper draft across the table towards me, and explicit stated "you've been sending me these papers every week and I've had no idea what to do with them." A week before my first doctoral program deadlines and that's when he tells me (not during the weekly meetings two months prior) to provide him with cover sheets telling him what I want him to do with my paper and how he should guide my research. Then he offers me next to no help on my SOP. The only thing he did do was write me a LOR, God knows what he put in it. Fast forward to yesterday (Thursday the 4th of February). Since he flat out told me not to bother him unless I had an important question or something substantial to give him with a detailed cover letter, I go on doing my research and don't bother him. I had nothing to give him, no questions, and generally nothing substantial to say. I also had my laptop die. Thankfully, I had all my thesis data backed up - but all the notes I took in and out of class for the Spring 2016 semester was (and still is, as of writing this post) stuck on a SSD. Figuring that he didn't want to hear me ramble once again and deciding that salvaging my laptop was more important, I spent the morning setting up my new laptop, installing programs, and doing my damndest to get all my data onto my new machine. Then I decide to check my school e-mail. He sent me a message (halfway through his office hours) politely suggesting that I visit him. Since I got the e-mail hours after his, I reply with an apology, I explain the situation that had befallen me suddenly, and write (an admittedly long) e-mail updating him on my situation with the laptop, my research, my thesis, and some of the problems that I was happening. Later that day was a job talk that I was required to visit because of a class that I was taking with my advisor. After the presentation, I tried to approach him to apologize and try to briefly touch on the e-mail. He flat-out told me "no, I don't have time," joked about how my e-mail was too long, and said "we'll talk about it next week." He refused to set up a time to talk about my research and told me to visit him during his assigned office hours, which also happens to be the day before he expects me to present my official thesis proposal. It seems that he is trying to sabotage my entire project. He didn't read my papers, now refuses to read my e-mails, and refuses to give me any time outside of his allotted office hours which are shared with undergraduate and graduate students. On top of this, he's the history department chair for the entire school. To add insult to injury, there have been times that he forgot what I was researching and has repeatedly mistaken where I did my undergrad. I am going to talk with the director of the graduate program ASAP, but I really don't know what to do at this point.
  2. Lucky. I start on the 27th of this month. I've been in touch with my adviser through e-mails on summer reading in preparation for my own research and I have definitely encountered the "one word e-mail" of sorts. I remember spending an hour or two writing, re-writing, editing, and re-editing an e-mail to my adviser, only to get a single sentence back that he clearly wrote in one minute.
  3. The impression that I've gotten is that, yes, there's no denying that someone from an Ivy League or a top 10 school is going to have a better chance than someone in the 20's or 30's ranking because of prestige. However, many universities help place their graduates, and also networking on top of putting yourself out there will give you a better chance. If you're applying to a program and you're from a mid-ranked school, but your CV is much bulkier than someone from a top 20 school, you may win out because you have already established yourself and shown that you'll be able to not only survive the program, but continue to produce work.
  4. I'm "crazy emotional" in the sense of I'm sweating bullets about the workload. I didn't get into my dream program or any doctoral programs, but one of the schools liked my application and offered me admission to their one-year MA program, along with some free money to boot. It's a pretty sweet deal and all of my undergraduate professors have expressed their confidence in me, but I'm just sitting here thinking "goodbye, fun." I'm on top of my things - I've already met with the director of the program and will be meeting the professor who will likely be my adviser about course suggestions, research topics, and so forth - but in between that it's me trying to gauge how much free time I can squeeze out through time management.
  5. Thank you very much for your comments! Here is another draft for this school. For this program, the limit is 700 words, but without the "this is why I'm choosing X program," it's still around 400 words and leaves some room. I still have to proofread a bunch of times and do some tweaks, but here is a new version for anyone that's willing to review it. ------------------------------------------------- My goal is to earn a PhD in the field of History from the University of ****, which I know will prepare me for a professional career of scholarship and teaching that I am determined to pursue. I wish to continue my studies into early US Cold War policy, as well as the proxy conflict and insurgency in Vietnam between 1946 and 1975. I always found Vietnam interesting due its legacy of disillusionment in American society and my father, a former history teacher and two-time draft dodger, was always happy to discuss this topic. At **** College, I obtained a well-rounded education in history, covering many topics. I studied the oppression of minority groups and the rise of fascism in Europe, Native American civilizations and their conflicts with Europeans, Western intellectual history, and what Walter LaFeber aptly describes as the “American Age.” This led me to my focus on the rise of America as a superpower, as well as my most satisfying research project: analyzing thousands of State Department documents between 1946 and 1954 to show how US Cold War policies led to intervention in Indochina. My academic interests focus on US foreign policy and containment strategies in the early Cold War, particularly the First Indochina War and the American counter-insurgency in South Vietnam. I feel personally connected to these topics through my grandfather, who was a member of USAID and a participant in the counter-insurgency. Academically, I believe that understanding the causation, substance, and impact of these topics adds greater depth to understanding US history. For example, if one understands containment policy, the USA’s fear of communism, and the circumstances surrounding the First Indochina War, the Vietnam War seems inevitable. Being able to analyze information and explain past events keeps me drawn to historical inquiry. When studying the Cold War, I wondered how the US got involved in Vietnam and found most explanations of “containing communism” to be unsatisfying. This led me to the First Indochina War. How this little-known conflict locked the US into a protracted attempt to combat communism leads to the analysis of early containment policy, exemplifies the shift from diplomatic to military containment, and stands as an example of how similar strategies can lead to catastrophe. Furthermore, studying US Cold War policy is essential to understanding US history in the 20th century as it flexed its superpower muscles for the first time. I believe there is still much to be discovered about the First Indochina War, as well as the impact of early US Cold War policies and strategies. I feel that I would be a good fit at the University of ****, specifically with Dr. ****, whose extensive background in the Vietnam War and American foreign policy appeals to me. I find his work especially, ****, to be fascinating as it presents the French and British perspectives on Indochina. My own understanding of the French and British approach to Indochina was from the perspective of the Americans at the time. **** explains France’s determination to hold onto Indochina and their intransigence towards American insistence on autonomy, influenced by French pride, economic concerns, and distrust towards American goals and anti-colonial sentiment. While this is just one of Dr. ****’s significant publications on Indochina and Vietnam, it is one that stood out to me. My own professional goals are to contribute to the field of history and to cultivate an appreciation of it in others through teaching. I have always found teaching to be a fulfilling experience, assisting peers in chemistry, writing, history, and even driving. With a PhD I would be able to teach in a vibrant intellectual setting. It would be a great privilege were I to be accepted as a graduate student at the University of **** and be allowed to pursue these goals.
  6. Coming in to show off a more complete SOP I just finished. Any feedback is appreciated! ------------------------------------------------------------ My goal is to earn a PhD in the field of History from the University of ****, which I know will prepare me for a professional career of scholarship and teaching that I am determined to pursue. From a young age, I have always been interested in how and why things happened in the world, as well as why governments and people would act as they did. With the help of my father a former history teacher, I turned to history to get answers. At **** College, I obtained a well-rounded education in history, covering many topics. I studied the oppression of minority groups and the rise of fascism in Europe, Native American civilizations and their conflicts with Europeans, Western intellectual history, and what Walter LaFeber aptly describes as the “American Age.” This led me to my focus on the rise of America as a superpower, as well as my most satisfying research project: analyzing thousands of State Department documents between 1946 and 1954 to show how US Cold War policies led to intervention in Indochina. My academic interests focus on US foreign policy and containment strategies in the early Cold War, particularly the First Indochina War and the American counter-insurgency in South Vietnam. On one hand, I am personally connected to these topics through my grandfather, who was a member of USAID and a participant in the counter-insurgency. Academically, I believe that understanding the causation, substance, and impact of these topics adds greater depth to understanding US history. For example, if one understands containment policy, the USA’s fear of communism, and the circumstances surrounding the First Indochina War, the Vietnam War seems inevitable. Being able to analyze information and explain past events keeps me drawn to historical inquiry. When studying the Cold War, I wondered how the US got involved in Vietnam and found most explanations of “containing communism” to be unsatisfying. This led me to the First Indochina War. How this little-known conflict locked the US into a protracted attempt to combat communism leads to the analysis of early containment policy, exemplifies the shift from diplomatic to military containment, and stands as an example of how similar strategies can lead to catastrophe. Furthermore, studying US Cold War policy is essential to understanding US history in the 20th century as it flexed its superpower muscles for the first time. I feel that I would be a good fit at the University of ****, specifically with Dr. ****, whose extensive background in the Vietnam War and American foreign policy appeals to me. I find his work especially ****, to be fascinating as it presents the French and British perspectives on Indochina. My own understanding of the French and British approach to Indochina was from the perspective of the Americans at the time. **** explains France’s determination to hold onto Indochina and their intransigence towards American insistence on autonomy, influenced by French pride, economic concerns, and distrust towards American goals and anti-colonial sentiment. While this is just one of Dr. ****’s significant publications on Indochina and Vietnam, it is one that stood out to me. My own professional goals are to participate in this rich topic in the field of history and to spend my years teaching. Although I originally pursued secondary education, I made the decision to pursue a PhD in history when I became disillusioned with strict curricular demands and the life of a high school teacher. I realized that I wanted to research and present my ideas, contributing to the scholarship, and to cultivate a love for history among students by teaching with the freedom and passion I found lacking in secondary education. It would be a great privilege were I to be accepted as a graduate student at the University of **** and be allowed to pursue these goals.
  7. Here is a revised version. Ashiepoo's advice was helpful, as was the advice from a former professor of mine. I'd appreciate any comments once again, and thanks to everyone who reads it! I have removed the portions discussing specific professors because I have yet to revise them effectively, but what I have here is essentially a working "master SOP." ----------------------------- My goal is to earn a PhD in the field of History from **** University, which I know will prepare me for a professional career of scholarship and teaching that I am determined to pursue. From a young age, I was always interested in how and why things happened in the world, as well as why governments and people would act as they did. With the help of my father, himself a history teacher for many years, I turned to history to get answers. At **** College, I obtained a well-rounded education in history, covering many topics. I studied the oppression of minority groups and the rise of fascism in Europe, Native American civilizations and their conflicts with Europeans, Western intellectual history, and what Walter LaFeber aptly describes as the “American Age.” This led me to my focus on the rise of America as a superpower, as well as my most satisfying research project: analyzing thousands of State Department documents between 1946 and 1954 to show how US Cold War policies led to intervention in Indochina. My academic interests focus on US foreign policy and containment strategies in the early Cold War, particularly the First Indochina War and the American counter-insurgency in South Vietnam. On one hand, I am personally connected to these topics through my grandfather, who was a member of USAID and a participant in the counter-insurgency. Academically, I believe that understanding the causation, substance, and impact of these topics adds greater depth to understanding US history. For example, if one understands containment policy, the USA’s fear of communism, and the circumstances surrounding the First Indochina War, the Vietnam War seems inevitable. Being able to analyze information and explain past events keeps me drawn to historical inquiry. When studying the Cold War, I wondered how the US got involved in Vietnam and found most explanations of “containing communism” to be unsatisfying. This led me to the First Indochina War. How this little-known conflict locked the US into a protracted attempt to combat communism leads to the analysis of early containment policy, exemplifies the shift from diplomatic to military containment, and stands as an example of how similar strategies can lead to catastrophe. Furthermore, studying US Cold War policy is essential to understanding US history in the 20th century as it flexed its superpower muscles for the first time.
  8. Thanks a lot for your help, and sorry for not mentioning my gratitude earlier! I'm working on a new draft that I'll submit in due time.
  9. I'm up to bat. This is going to be my "master" that I shall tweak as necessary for different universities, especially since I don't have the time to write totally distinct SOPs for 6 different schools. Please also indicate where I have used passive voice and how to correct it - I'm bad at recognizing it and I've been told passive voice is frowned upon. Please also give any advice on how I should end the statement, keeping in mind that the limit for this particular institute is 500 words and I'm already at 440. -------------- My goal is to earn a PhD in the field of History from **** University, which I know will prepare me for a professional career of scholarship and teaching that I am determined to pursue. Specifically, my academic interests focus on US foreign policy and containment strategies in the early Cold War, emphasizing on the First Indochina War, as well as the American counter-insurgency in South Vietnam. At **** College, the freedom with which I allowed to meticulously study many different historical topics and themes in the modern era cultivated an in-depth, well-rounded body of knowledge in US and world history. Having such broad knowledge gave me an advantage as I was able to draw profound historical connections between different topics. Furthermore, I learned to utilize many different historical perspectives and themes which taught me crucial techniques of analyzing and synthesizing historical data in a comprehensive fashion. All the while, I honed essential skills in conducting historical research and in critical writing which I believe are reflected in my undergraduate academic achievements of magna cum laude and distinction in the field of history. While I did not obtain an internship during my undergraduate career, and did not participate in many research projects directed by professors, I nonetheless channeled my passion into developing personal discipline, working 10 hours or more per day, and self-directed research abilities that are necessary for graduate studies. Most of my research has centered on US foreign policy in the early Cold War and its application in the First Indochina War. I am deeply interested in understanding the cause, content, and impact of not only this conflict, but of other Cold War proxy conflicts. I find this concentration to be fascinating because analyzing and understanding how different policies and strategies were developed and executed adds remarkable connections into how historical events unfurled. I want to continue my scholarship to better understand the successes and failures in the Cold War period, to contribute this knowledge to the field of history, and use the skills I build in **** University’s program to teach at institutions of higher education. I know that my academic and professional skills will flourish at **** University, especially with faculty members share my interests. Dr. ****, with his background in US foreign policy from early America to Cold War America, and his emphasis on individual historical figures, interests me greatly as my own research interests are in US foreign policy post-WWII, along with its major and minor players. Dr. **** and Dr. **** are also two significant scholars that appeal to me with their strong backgrounds in the study of foreign policy.
  10. All right, thank you for your input. I really appreciate it!
  11. I still have to fully craft my SoP, but I'll have people look at it before I decide on a final draft. As for research experience, I'm pretty sure my paper will prove it - I have an incredible amount of citations, the vast majority of which are primary source. I think my essay will be my strongest suit because it shows I know how to conduct and synthesize primary research into a strong, coherent paper. My verbal falls under 80th percentile and my math between 8-11th, depending on the source I'm looking at. For the schools I want to get into (BU and GWU), I fit into their average verbal score but I am basically 8-10 points below their average math. Since I'm doing foreign policy, math won't play a huge part. Even then, the reason I did poorly on the math portion is because I do poorly with lots of variables. On the questions regarding data analysis, I know I answered them correct. I've always had the impression that my GPA, LoRs, essay, and SoP are way more important for history programs.
  12. Hello everyone, I recently took the GREs - 159 verbal, 141 math. My verbal is pretty average and, of course, I tanked the math portion. I studied mostly for the verbal portion and didn't spend much time on the math, but I'm applying to history programs and wasn't terribly worried about it. However, 141 on the math is pretty bad. My undergraduate GPA is very high (3.86), I feel very confident about my LoRs, and I know that my essay is excellent, but I'm worried my math score will shank me. The highest ranked schools I'm applying to are Cornell (which I don't really expect to get into) and University of Texas at Austin but, honestly, my target schools are BU (#50 in history) and GWU (#60). Does anyone with similar experiences have any advice? I don't have the time to re-take it and meet my deadlines, unfortunately.
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