Andean Pat

I'm 29. Undergraduate studies here are quite longer. I did 5 years of coursework + 3 years of research for senior thesis.

One Berkeley admit and one Yale interview (when Yale normally doesn't hold interviews). The end is coming people!!!! The next two weeks are going to be a roller-coaster !!!! and we are all on it!!!

Thanks Nat!! Very insightful advice. I am more nervous now!

Thank you both! I'll go back to check the tips. The interview is with the Emory latinamericanists

I have my first interview next week!!!! I did not know they were holding interviews, but this is all good news! At least a piece of news from somewhere! any tips?

I would love to learn a non-Latin alphabet language, say Russian or Arabic, but since I am applying for Latin American history, I will only polish my French and improve my Portuguese. Boring....

I know that is a worn topic, but I want to know you historians say/expect from interviews. I feel that professors want me to expand on specific points of my SOP, for example, my research experience, my interests in connection to theirs, and my goals as a PhD student at their school. Any suggestions?

hahahaha I would quote several of your posts!!!! Really hoping for the best. I had made up my mind that I wouldn't hear from any school until late February-early March. In the mean time, I am TRYING to get a paper done for a conference and enjoying my holidays. Keep your nerves together!

Didn't know this existed. Thank you!

Hello everyone! International here as well. My POI asked me to send my transcripts (copy or original, "what ever you have with you") ALTHOUGH I have already uploaded the official translation. Dunno what it means. But for the time being I haven't been rejected, right?

Maybe you can sit for IELTS, many universities accept that exam as well!

Hi! I do take a lot of notes, but I am slow. I have done them both: hand & OneNote. this program is VERY comfortable, you can then edit it and save it as pdf, word, etc. I usually then add my own comments when I read the material. Hope it helps! Angie

Thank you for asking! I did not know either but figured it meant something of the sort.

I totally agree. Aim at scoring 100+, you'll impress them!!!

Hello Sheer! I understand your concerns. I am also an international student with a different scale of GPA who also sat for GRE and TOEFL. My first results were similar to yours in Q and V, but I did worse in AW (I did a course but they did not trained us very well, they only told us what the exam was about). Since I was doubtful about my scores, I asked the professors I had contacted in Graduate Schools. All of them suggested to sit for GRE again. Let me put it this way: we historians are going to write a lot thus our logical thinking is important and should impress the committee. I would sit for it again. I did. I hired a private teacher who trained me a lot and did better in all sections. Moreover, it helped me with my writing sample, since the original was not in English. I hope this helps! Where are you applying? Maybe we are future fellow students! All the best!!!!!! Angie

Hi!!!! I am an international student as well. Let me tell you my experience. I sat for the GRE in early October and did OK, but my AW was a 3.00. Since I am applying for a History PhD, professors advised me to sit for it again. I got myself a private teacher and scored better. I also did well in TOEFL but, as you probably know, they "measure" different things. Since your field is connected to languages, I would first ask professors and then analyse the pros and cons yourself. Take into account that if you redo an exam you must change something of your previous preparation. It is not just doing exercises. I hired an American teacher who helped a lot with logical thinking and thus scored more both in AW (5.00) and verbal (162). Good luck! Angie

Do explain it as something positive! In some application systems you are allowed to upload an extra document that may complete your package. In my case, my undergrad was a 4-5 years course of studies and it took me 3 more to research and write my thesis. In the American system, taking 8 years to graduate is not very well seen so I explained that. Nevertheless, most of my advisors are familiar with the university system here and thus understand my situation. Let me tell you something else, I also applied for a PhD program here three years ago. I remember I did for my tutor because I barely knew what to do for my undergrad thesis. It was a disaster, of course. Now that I am more "mature" in terms of intellectual thought I really know what I want and where. I am 29 and I do not feel old to apply. Best wishes!!! Angie

Me too, really newbie! I think we are all here because we need some action that is not given in the websites of our apps. See you around1

Hi Mocha! Hi everyone! I'm Angie from Argentina, currently applying for Fall 2013 History PhD and awaiting results. I've just graduated as a historian, undergraduates courses here, for those of you who do not know, are not "majors", we directly enrol in the course we want and the whole program is given by the faculty. There is some room for "minors" which I took from Politics and International affairs. Thus I underwent five years of course work plus three years of thesis research, writing, and defence. Right now I am on holidays from work until mid-February, while awaiting for decisions. Anxious? naaaaaa I hope you all get in your top choices! I mean it! Here applications are different, there are not many standardized requirements because very few people go into graduate school. Moreover, most of the requirements are based on your curriculum rather than your marks. The only people that truly "understand" my (our) concerns are people who have gone through the same process. Thus I am glad to have found this café! Where are you all applying to? I have noticed that some of you got interviews. Is this most common for American students? see you around! Angie