GhostsBeforeBreakfast

Did anyone else applying to U Chicago get an e-mail about applying to their FLAS fellowship? Is this a good sign or is this a generic offering?

Ah, that list is from last year. I chickened out last year, hehe. Good Luck!

Thank you for the kind words, Tangerine. I actually didn't apply to Hunter. Does it say I did anywhere? I know I spoke about it being a possible safety in the past. The schools I ended up applying to drastically changed from my original list. I ended up applying to 7 PhD programs and 2 MA Programs!

I instantly broke out into tears upon submitting the application to my first choice program. I needed to share that. The immense stress that I am sure many of us have gone through is coming to a close as we now wait for interviews, acceptances, and the dreaded denied admission letters. It's early yet but I felt it was time to make this thread. Good luck, everyone. Let us know how you're holding up and keep us updated.

I'm confident in what they'll write. I spent a lot of time with these professors, to the point where I was told by one that they'd be insulted if I didn't ask. I guess the act of reading them is just an exercise in ego-masturbation and I should get over it . I'm glad I asked because I probably wouldn't have waived them; now I definitely will.

Yeah, I skipped the visitor services internship. The initial internship has its ups and downs but the art handling and registrar experience is really great. They do pay fully for my transportation (almost $400 a month) and lunch, so it could be worse. It honestly can't hurt my CV as well. Hopefully between December and graduate school, if I get in, I will find something paid and rewarding.

I feel like it has been quieter here this application year. Does this mean less competition for me? Good! All jokes aside, now that I've locked in three wonderful LORs, I wanted to know if it was more common to waive your rights to read these recommendations or not? Of course, I really want to read them but it seems fishy. All graduate applications ask for this and I wonder if it could look bad if you don't waive such rights? I remember waiving my rights for undergrad. What did you guys do when you applied? What are you thinking of doing if you are applying this year?

Thank you for the replies. I ended up taking it and, although I had to make a few sacrifices to make it work, I think it's worth it. I do feel exploited in certain situations but I am also learning skills that I believe will be highly beneficial in the future, in terms of actually working, not so much for academia. I am involved with tasks that excite me and that's what really matters. Also, I may also be taking an internship at the Guggenheim but the department that contacted me for an interview is not one of the three departments I said I was interested in. What's worse is that it's a department that I have paid work experience in, Visitor Services. I'm struggling to see how this would be beneficial to me and how it is not somewhat degrading to work in that department unpaid, especially with my paid background experience. Does it seem worth it?

Hi, everyone. I was wondering how many of you took an unpaid internship after finishing your BA, specifically in a gallery. Was this experience worth it and/or helpful for you? Do you think this experience helps in some way with MA and PhD graduate admissions? Are there better options for work in the industry for new graduates that are paid? I'm going to have to move back home to be able to do this and take a weekend job to make ends meet, so I'm just wondering if it's really worth it. To me, it seems almost impossible to get the attention of a gallery or museum for a paid position when you're fresh out of undergrad, that's not an internship.

I ended up deciding to take a year off but Pre-war 20th century western with a specific interest in German Dada and abstract animation.

I just took the GRE as well and scored a 165V and 145Q I haven't gotten my writing score back but I am pretty sure I scored at least a 5 out of 6. The quant score is, of course, quite low. I'm going to re-take the test and consider waiting until next season to apply. I've become quite overwhelmed with my senior year unfortunately. Since high school I haven't really excelled at math, so next time I will be shooting for a 150 at the very least. Coming from a public university I think it will be important for me to at least get an average quantitative score so that I can gain funding. Livcee, I think your score is just fine. You're at least in the 95th percentile for verbal, which is the most important, and your quantitative score is average for a humanities major and probably won't keep you from getting accepted to top schools if everything else is in order. I didn't realize Columbia's quant score was so high... that scares me a little.

Shucks.

I have another naive question; There's someone at a certain university I am interested in but oddly enough he is not in the art history department. Is it possible to have someone outside my department as an advisor? It's not the end of the world if this is not possible.

I'm starting to sign up online across the board. I'm excited but I'm starting to self-deprecate. I'm sure these mood swings are absolutely normal. It doesn't look like UCLA is up yet even though they have the earliest application deadline but basically everyone else is at least letting you make an account.

So, uh... is it a complete faux pas to mention more than one professor you're interested in as an advisor at a specific university? I suppose the answer would be to just contact up to three that I'm interested in and see who the best fit ends up being if they reply. Maybe that alone is a faux pas?

What would be, say, top 3 for modern and contemporary?

Yeah, I always said I would jump right in but I'm considering a year off now. I'm so stubborn. I might still apply because I don't know if I can help not applying and then consider deferring, though, I can tell you now, I'll probably end up just taking the offer, if it comes. I just registered for the GRE so everything is becoming more real. I might start doing paid work for an art-start up soon . God only knows why they want me but basically they hold private salons for art buyers and have Q and A talks with the artists while also circulating through different curators for each show. It's pretty cool and since I'd be writing their blog and helping set up salons I'd have something to show for it. It's all in the negotiation process right now though so I'm still holding my breath. I did find out recently that, I think it was UCLA, after tuition, you only make about $10,000 in pocket a year for lecturing. At the same time, I've wanted this for too long to not be a slave and hopefully my boyfriend will keep letting me pay 1/3 of the rent for the next 7-8 years, haha. We'll see though, I may take that year so I can make some full time money, become better at required languages, and write something that universities can't say no to.

Thank you so much, Condivi, what an amazing response. This makes me feel confident in my current position. I'm entering my senior year now and already have long term research under my belt as well as a good understanding of how to find the right research materials. I'll probably look back at the 20+ page papers I've written and shudder as well but I'm at least glad that I've learned how to construct them. I'm about to begin a methodology course that is split between ten seniors and ten first year masters degree students. Hopefully the methods course will help, as well as taking a graduate class in the spring semester. I have a really good understanding of where my interests lie and thankfully so does the main professor who I would ask to write my recommendation. Out of all of your advice, I feel the least confident about languages at this time. I do struggle with my understanding of French and German, though if I excel anywhere it would be in reading and translation, so thank god for that. It sounds like this could be the nail in the coffin though, when it comes to competing with MA students. I think I'm going to apply to all PhD programs except Hunter where I may apply for the MA program. I may end up not applying until next year though. This is quite the stressful time; GRE tests, finding POIs, work, classes, keeping sane, etc. Thank you again.

Out of curiosity, I was just wondering how many of you successfully applied to PhD programs without an MA? What do you think made you stand out when competing against those who were applying with MA degrees in hand? Any other anecdotes would be helpful as well.

Hi guys, I really wanted to know if the UCLA masters program for art history happens to be funded. Their website made it seem that way but it wasn't clear and I'd imagine it would be doubtful?

Seeking, Hunter's is fully funded?

I just wanted to let everyone know I was sent a very kind e-mail from the head of the internship department letting me know I did not get the MoMA summer internship but I should apply for the spring or fall which I unfortunately cannot do due to my class schedule. I was sent the e-mail without having to contact them which I also found nice. I hate the idea of an empty rejection. Maybe I should apply to the Met next time instead since it appears many of you were at least given interviews. Congratulations!

Someone on twitter said they were contacted by the Photography Department at MoMA.... Should I give up all hope?

The compositions in Moonrise Kingdom gave me goosebumps. Also, I mean...

Kurosawa's Ran Goddard's Pierrot le Fou I don't think anyone mentioned Frida and please, please, please if you haven't; Melancholia