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Wicked_Problem

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  1. Upvote
    Wicked_Problem reacted to westcoag in Fall 2013 Applicants?   
    Re: OSU, I heard that they admitted fewer students in the first round this year because last year more students accepted their offer than they had anticipated and they found themselves overcommitted. I believe they are waiting for students to reject their offers before admitting any more students so the same thing doesn't happen again. So, it is in effect a waiting list, though I don't know that they are calling it that.
  2. Upvote
    Wicked_Problem got a reaction from amoryb in University of Washington   
    I'm a UW rejectee, but a wide-ranging GradCafe user. There is a really great thread on Seattle in the City Guide area. I would start about here:
    but the discussion goes back years.
  3. Upvote
    Wicked_Problem got a reaction from shamajuju in My PI got fired....!   
    I can't offer any advice, since I have no relevant experience. Just know other people are reading your post and commiserating with you.
  4. Upvote
    Wicked_Problem got a reaction from semperfi101 in Ph.D. in Architecture Application / Acceptance / Decision Thread   
    A deus ex machina Latin: "god from the machine" is a plot device whereby a seemingly unsolvable problem is suddenly and abruptly resolved, with the contrived and unexpected intervention of some new event, character, ability, or object. Depending on how it's done, it can be intended to move the story forward when the writer has "painted himself into a corner" and sees no other way out, to surprise the audience, or to bring a happy ending into the tale. (Source: Wikipedia) Yes I did: UCI Criminology, Law and Society. Also Drew University for Intellectual History and Stevens Institute of Technology for Enterprise Systems. My research is focused on incarceration, but I am a jail and prison designer, so Architecture is my field. Confusing to me, too!
  5. Upvote
    Wicked_Problem got a reaction from semperfi101 in Canadian Schools   
    I will follow you through all of these threads until I finally catch up to you. You are my James T. Kirk. Signed Kahn. ;{
  6. Upvote
    Wicked_Problem reacted to gagozapalka in Fall 2013 Applicants?   
    What I heard about OSU admissions is that it does not necessarily mean you are waitlisted if you have not heard anything from them yet. They prepared a list and they are waiting for additional budgetary info before they announce these admission decisions. In other words, even if you are accepted, you are not going to hear from them until they are able to offer you a fellowship or TA'ship together with that acceptance.
  7. Upvote
    Wicked_Problem reacted to lafayette in What is "hot" in history today?   
    I don't know, but things are 'hot' for a reason, I think. As in, it hasn't been done too much before, and now there's a whole new route of possibilities. I think someone who is up-to-date on scholarship will to some extent be naturally interested in at least one 'hot' topic. It might be a new route to explore their pet project, or a new set of ideas give way a new project to look at within a particularly beloved period / region. I think it's a matter of, as it always, not doing what has been done before. I don't think you're reasonably going to be able to cover all the 'hot' topics, and some topics might be a little more fleeting, so you might not want to throw all your eggs into that basket. But for instance, environmental history has really inspired my work, because I think it's a refreshing new(-ish) way of looking at the environment, urban environments included. But am I going to write strictly an 'environmental history' 4 years from now when I'm working on my dissertation? Probably not. But it still helps me think in different ways, and yeah, maybe I could teach a course on this area.

    But I am an Americanist -- this might be different for say, a Medievalist, who might feel their whole broad era is not particularly popular (as in, not hiring). My leaps to new inquiries are not so big.

    By the way, this is where academic job seekers go to worry: http://academicjobs.wikia.com/wiki/History_2012-13 . It's a good place to see what sort of jobs are being posted and in what fields.
  8. Upvote
    Wicked_Problem reacted to Laguna Niguel in Fall 2013 Applicants?   
    Do you all let your POI know when you accept an offer from a different school, or do you just let the DGS know?
  9. Upvote
    Wicked_Problem reacted to theregalrenegade in Fall 2013 Applicants?   
    After careful analysis of the board through past years  (yes, I actually did this) and UCSB's calendar, it looks like decisions should go out by this Thursday. According to the board postings there haven't ever been decisions past March 23 - and since they are in the midst of finals, their quarter ending on March 22, with an administrative holiday on the 23rd, I would think they would get decisions out before they go on break. 
     
    That's my guess - but because I think I figured this out, they'll probably change it up. Let's hope they don't and that I'm right!
  10. Upvote
    Wicked_Problem reacted to MadScience in One POI - how dangerous?   
    I am doing this right now actually - choosing my school based off of one lab. It is risky, and I don't like risky, so here's what I did. After the visiting weekend I emailed my POI and several members of his lab that I spoke with.
     
    In the email to the students, I sent a simple "thanks for talking to me" and then brought up some of the topics we discussed that I found interesting. I also mentioned to them that I would love to join their group in the fall.
     
    In the email to the POI, I also thanked him for talking to me and then brought up some of the topics we discussed. I made sure my excitement about his work was conveyed in my email and told him it was precisely where I needed to be. I told him also that I enjoyed talking to his students to further show my interest in his group and brought up some topics I discussed with them. I then mentioned that if I could know for certain that I could join his lab, that I would accept the school's acceptance offer immediately. It was my ultimate dream lab - after speaking with him and his group, I knew I would never be happy in any other lab at any other school - so I laid it all on the line. And it worked! I have a guarantee from him that I will be in his lab for my graduate studies. POIs want to find students that are excited and passionate about their work so make sure they know that you are. I read somewhere once that often times students won't get in their top choice lab because they came off too casual about joining the lab and so the POI didn't think they were sincere. If you want it, let them know!
  11. Upvote
    Wicked_Problem got a reaction from GGT in 2013 Acceptance   
    The sad thing is that our broken immigration system precludes the possibility of these brilliant skilled graduates from staying in the United States in most instances, and that is OUR LOSS. Everyone benefits from having the most talented and knowledgable people at universities, no matter where they come from, and no matter their immigration status. Funding should be based on merit and merit alone, in my personal opinion.
  12. Upvote
    Wicked_Problem reacted to phigirl in Good Sign, Omen or Hallucination - All Are Welcome!   
    Sunday morning I dreamed that I was accepted via email back to my alma matter for an MA in history-was super disappointed when none of the 7 emails I had were about that
     
    but I just got my email accepting me to the program with funding!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  13. Upvote
    Wicked_Problem reacted to lafayette in Fall 2014 Applicants   
    Exactly. Who knows, and it doesn't help to compare yourself too much to another, especially since you don't know exactly what was going on in her application/at the institutions to which she applied. I remember when I was in my MA program and lurking around here, I became terrified that I had neither conference presentations nor published work under my belt. I thought for sure compared to others I would be doomed in these categories, but it didn't matter much in the end, as far as I know. Which isn't to say that having experience in these areas wouldn't help boost someone else's application. But nothing is ensured, and trying to measure if it is via someone else is only going to drive you nuts and offer you little. (Instead, perhaps focus that energy on a research project or improving your writing -- little things that can only help you).

    Also, as I think I've mentioned here before, I went to a public institution for my MA in History after playing around in an interdisciplinary program in undergrad. My MA program has no reputation whatsoever -- although I found out after enrolling though that it did have some rocking faculty, since that's the nature of the job market at this point, and their recommendations were definitely key. I think it was getting a little better bit by bit, but no one that I knew of from the Master's program went on to any top PhD program (there was a better track record for undergrads). Mostly its existence was premised on providing additional education to social studies teachers (our classes were all at night). My coursework was amazing and challenging, but really, it was not a program whose name one would brag about. ALL this said, I just want to encourage one NOT to ever dismiss one's chances totally on the supposed prestige of a school. Granted, you're really going to want to try to stand out in such a program, but don't panic too much over what you can't change. And by the way -- the schools I got into seemed particularly interested in gathering cohorts from a diverse range of educational institutions, and I'm grateful for that.
  14. Upvote
    Wicked_Problem reacted to Simple Twist of Fate in 2013 U.S. News and World Report History Rankings   
    vtstevie, in an effort to avoid derailing this thread, I've sent you a PM.
  15. Upvote
    Wicked_Problem reacted to vtstevie in Fall 2013 Applicants?   
    Although literally as I was typing that I received an email from Temple asking for a tuition security deposit to reserve my spot in classes next Fall, so I guess they really have accepted me, which is nice
  16. Upvote
    Wicked_Problem reacted to LeatherElbows in Fall 2013 Applicants?   
    I had a very pleasant and quick conclusion to the program search today. I've decided on University of Washington. 
     
    Again, congrats to everyone who has made their decisions and the warmest, best wishes to anyone still waiting. I'll probably stick around here though, at least for a while, due to the good company.
  17. Upvote
    Wicked_Problem got a reaction from lafayette in Fall 2013 Applicants?   
    From much earlier:
     
    lafayette, on 25 Feb 2013 - 13:29, said:
  18. Upvote
    Wicked_Problem got a reaction from Zephyr99 in 2013 U.S. News and World Report History Rankings   
    After months of reading posts about people's insecurities in the face of the application process, this thread has really gotten meaty once those insecurities have shifted onto placement issues. I appreciate this level of discourse. I also appreciate the generally civil tone of the discourse and the fact that most if not all of those posting have considered their positions and arguments thoroughly. Basically: Bravo!
  19. Upvote
    Wicked_Problem reacted to lafayette in Fall 2013 Applicants?   
    Well, everyone, it's been a wild season of ups and downs, but I've now received responses from all the programs to which I applied, have finished up my campus visits, and have now accepted my offer at Princeton (a wonderful department -- New England Nat does not lie!). I hope everyone who hasn't heard back yet hears in the positive soon, and if any 2014-ers have any questions about the process, don't hesitate to reach out at any time and message me. I'm no expert, but I think I did a couple things right (and probably just as many wrong). Thanks for all the support, history grad cafers! Y'all are the best. So glad to be done with this process. Now on to the real work -- which I wish you all the best of luck in, as well.
  20. Upvote
    Wicked_Problem reacted to PhDreams in 2013 Applications   
    Just got back! Pretty big cohort- 15 or so. Equally divided between definitely will attend and weighing other offers. Program seems well-funded. All students are guaranteed TAships, health insurance, and access to student housing. close to 100% placement rates once degreed. newer office spaces. great weather. doesnt seem there was a waitlist of any sort.
  21. Upvote
    Wicked_Problem reacted to erikmoorelaw in 2013 U.S. News and World Report History Rankings   
    I respect the rankings in that perception becomes reality. However, when discussing with faculty in my current school the doctoral programs to which I should apply, opinions of "rank" were all over the place. I got the impression that people generally have the same top 10 or top 20 and then schools seem to fall into tiers after that, but even those tiers get fuzzy and the ranking within the tiers gets even more imprecise. Grad students may be stunned to read this, but I am not sure a lot of history professors have the U.S. News and World Report memorized like we do. What I have been told by history professors from top 10 schools and bottom 100 schools is that the job applicants must distinguish themselves from the rest of the pile of CVs before a hiring committee. Committees want a reason to throw out applicants. A top school may help keep an applicant in the pile while a lower tier school may cause an applicant's CV to be tossed. After that, it's still a pile of CVs. The applicant must distinguish himself or herself on an individual basis and rise above the school label, whether that label is Ivy League or lower tier. No doubt, that process of distinguishing oneself is made more difficult without the Ivy League branding, and opportunities may come easier at first with that branding. But I have witnessed too many horrible job talks by the so-called Ivy League to lose hope in the compelling work being done by grad students at places like South Carolina, Temple, and Tulane. If you do great stuff, you do great stuff. We need to worry about that and not rankings that we have no control over.
  22. Upvote
    Wicked_Problem got a reaction from semperfi101 in 2013 Applications   
    I am another, but who knows how many there are. It is easy to think of GradCafe as the whole universe, but there are plenty of applicants who don't even know it exists and an awful lot of lurkers who never post and then sweep in with post number one when they can't stand it anymore, even if they are concerned that the boards are monitored by the grad school police. No disrespect to anyone is intended, by the way! Everyone has their reasons. Few people post their scores when they post their results is one salient example.
     
    I am not holding out too much hope for UCI at this point, but won't email or call the graduate coordinator because I don't want to jinx it or hear bad news until I am psychologically insulated by some more acceptances. Ha Ha.
     
    If they do approach me with an offer, I have decided I will not let "not being in the first tier" prejudice me against the program when making my decision. My POI wasn't on the AdCom; nor are departmental agendas in her control, nor are they anything personal. So we wait...
  23. Upvote
    Wicked_Problem got a reaction from semperfi101 in 2013 Applications   
    Quite correct. Just got back from a road trip and the rejection letter was in the mailbox. No hard feelings. Anyone who gets into this program and attends will be well served. I really liked everyone I spoke with including the graduate students who took the time to talk with me.
  24. Upvote
    Wicked_Problem reacted to CageFree in Offer holders, how do you make your final decision?   
    There's truth in both of these statements.
     
    During my application season, I was interested in several programs here in CA.
     
    Prog 1. Prof seemed super friendly at first, asked me to drive down for coffee, and when I replied saying I'd love to, I never heard anything again. It was strange. I went over that reply a thousand times wondering why and came up with nothing.
     
    Prog 2. The prof. basically said, "I am gone half the year every year for research." What's worse, the email was addressed to someone else but it came to me. 
     
    Prog 3. Prof replied back super enthusiastically and asked a bunch of questions. I replied back and heard NOTHING. 
     
    I was thinking something was very wrong with my emails... like I was turning everyone off. I got a really bad vibe from #2 so I didn't bother emailing again. I emailed #1 and #3 a few weeks later to ask if they'd gotten my responses.
     
    #1 never replied. I didn't apply and to this day I don't know what happened. I didn't apply. $80 savings.
     
    As for #2, a friend of mine was an UG at that program and basically confirmed my bad vibe. Another $80 savings.
     
    #3 responded very apologetically. Turns out this person was a) on leave and b ) dealing with family stuff. #3 is now my adviser and is absolutely FANTASTIC to work with.
  25. Upvote
    Wicked_Problem got a reaction from schlesinger1 in Fall 2013 Applicants?   
    FROM THE RESULTS BOARD:

    UCSB History, PhD (F13) Accepted via E-mail on 8 Mar 2013No mention of funding. Still in shock. Thought I struck out this season.

    CONGRATULATIONS!
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