reed155
-
Posts
29 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Posts posted by reed155
-
-
TMP, thanks for such an extended and helpful response! This is very helpful!
Rising-star: visiting archives - that's what I was thinking at the beginning, but I agree with TMP that will make much more sense after reading existing historiography.
Anyway, both of you - thanks! -
Interesting. Thank you. In your program, when do people start taking exams? Can you choose exam fields?
-
Hello everyone!
I am about to begin my PhD program in September. While this summer I keep myself busy preparing to move to U.S. and reading some of the key works in my field, I am curious what kind of work graduate history students usually do in summer, especially when they are still at the coursework stage? Do people prepare for conferences? Try to get published? Visit archives? -
Can anyone give me a feedback on living at Axis? It's a student dorm/ apartment building: http://www.universitycityaxis.com/about.asp
I am considering it as a temporary living option, for 2 or three months.
Thank you! -
I didn't see it. Thank you!
-
Hello everyone,
I was wondering how do you people take notes? This is a question primarily to those of you who are in humanities/ social science disciplines.
When I read scholarly articles/ books I come across with a lot of factual info (names of important historical figures, names of scholars who work in my field, dates), I think I have a trouble taking notes so that I could go back to my notes when necessary to use this info for my work...Any idea how to fix it? Is their any software, for instance, that you can recommend? Also, how do you keep record of ideas/ concepts of other historians/ political scientists/ social thinkers, etc that are relevant to your work?
Thanks everyone for your input!
-
Emdave, thanks much! I even printed out your post because there's lots of helpful info I will def need should I go to NW (still debating my choice). Wow, looks like life is rather inexpensive in Evanston and its nearby places.
-
Hi everyone!I hope to rent an apartment in Evanston or Rogers Park starting this fall. I am not an American and I am rather confused by all the apartment hunting process. How far in advance would you advice me to arrive to Evanston/ Rogers Park to make sure that I am not left homeless?
-
Hello everyone! I have a question to those who are familiar with Chicago (especially Evanston) standards of life. What amount of money would you consider a minimum to live in Chicago or Evanston?
-
Thanks for your response!
-
Thank you, New England Nat. By saying "nice" I obviously expressed my thoughts in a wrong way. By "nice" I meant helpful.
Would you consider a poorly-organized and unhelpful DGS to be a red flag? -
Also, what do you guys think about the importance of a nice, well-organized, well-disciplined and understanding DGS? To what extent does your success at the program depend on your communication with DGS? How does the way DGS performs her/his functions affect each grad student individually?
-
Sorry, everyone, I didn't thank you for your advice on dealing with my taciturn prospective graduate school. I am calling the administrative assistant today.
Btw, I visited another school I was admitted to. I was taken aback by the warm and friendly atmosphere! -
Czesc (I am sorry I misspelled you name in my previous post), thanks for advice. I'd be so relieved to know that abrupt e-mails with the lack of definite answers are explained by age/ busy schedule. Will have to remind her again...although I feel extremely awkward each time I have to write to her. Jeez, I hope if I accept their offer and will be studying there I won't have to communicate a lot with her.
-
Hello, everyone! I really need advise on getting financial assistance for campus visits. The DGS at one of the schools that I am going to visit mentioned the financial aid available and redirected me to a very obnoxious administrative assistant to settle all logistics-related matters. The ad assistant gives very rude (no greetings, no sign off) and unhelpful replies (I asked about possible funding in a similar way that Czech suggested). She simply ignores my questions about "any chance the department can offer a subsidy for my travel expenses" and answers other questions related to the program on my visit...I really don't know how to interpret this!
-
I agree with your friends, to a certain extent. While I still recommend weighing the POI match heavily in your decision, it's good to have a "backup POI" in your mind. If there is only one person at a school you want to work with and no one else remotely connected to your focus area, this might be trouble down the line. That said, if the professor is well-established at the school and not going to retire, you are probably safe.
This is potentially a good thing to sound out with the POI or a grad student, although I would mention it in an offhand manner. Maybe also check how long the POI has been at that school, if they are heavily involved in research groups or other responsibilities, how many grad students they have currently, and how much they have published recently to get a feel for their stability.
Thanks for your input! I will.
-
I have friends warning me against choosing a school because of a POI. The say that a POI can leave a school or can get an administrative position that would leave no time for them to supervise graduate students. Instead, I was told I should look at how many faculty members have interests that somehow overlap with my interests, i.g. how many "back up plans" I'll have in case my POI leaves the school or gets overwhelmed with administrative work.
At the same time, of course, I understand that a good academic overlap and good personal relationship with your POI are crucial for your success. I guess, it would be ideal if we all end up at a place with both POIs that we like both as scholars and just as people and other faculty members who would also be interested in some aspects of our work.
-
LeatherElbows, thanks for the input. As for adviser, I think my research interests match very well with potential advisers from both of the places. However, while both of them have extra administrative responsibilities, the one from a non-Ivy actually manages to find the time to communicate with me. The one from an Ivy school doesn't.
-
To a New Yorker, Philly's cost of living is quite low. It's slightly more than chicago's according to http://money.cnn.com/calculator/pf/cost-of-living/. HTH!
Thanks for the link! Very helpful!!!
-
Hey, everyone! I was admitted to two PhD programs: one in Philadelphia, another one in Chicago. The fellowship package from a choose in Philadelphia is slightly bigger than the one that was offered by a school in Chicago. Could anyone advice me on the cost of living in Philadelphia? I am thinking that perhaps, given the living standards in Philadelphia, the bigger fellowship from the school in Philadelphia is equal to the one from Chicago school.
-
New England Nat, as a current grad student, do you think it is ok to e-mail the students at the program even though neither DGS nor POI put me i touch with them?
Czesc: Agreed. The brighter the professor is the more she/he is busy. And, yes, Ivy status of the school does not guarantee the excellence of each of the program.
-
Anyone have any advice on this: Last week I was admitted with full funding to one of my top choices (in the top 3 I would say), and whereas professors from every other school have reached out via email offering to talk on the phone/skype, I haven't heard a thing from any professor at this particular school. I feel like these conversations have made a real difference for me so far in trying to come to a decision. I'm tempted to contact my POI and ask if he has any time to talk, but I don't want to be pushy. I should also note that because of work, I likely can't attend this school's visiting day/weekend. Any thoughts on what to do here? I'm afraid my neuroticism has taken over my ability to use common sense.
This sounds exactly like my situation. I was accepted by two schools: one if them is Ivy League and another one is a VERY good school but not Ivy. Professors from that good not Ivy school are extremely helpful. They answer all my questions, initiate skype conversations, e-mail their recent articles. As for the Ivy school, its unfriendliness worries me. I have a friend who chose to go to a #1 school in her field and she is very unhappy there. She admits that she had noticed arrogance from the very beginning of all the communication with the department. However, she didn't pay much attention to that because she was too taken aback by the status of the school. Now she says she can't thrive in a place where she feels miserable...
I understand that the best way to see what the department is like is to go and visit the campus. However, I might not be able to do that: it's hard to afford traveling from a different continent.
-
I'm thinking Stanford decisions should come out this week.. No?
I contacted their grad program coordinator on Thursday. He said they would notify the applicants within next two weeks.
-
I'm also waiting to hear from OSU. Pretty nervous that no acceptance so far means...rejection. I see that Elynn applied to American History. Andreuccio, which field have you applied to? I'm planning to study Russian History.
Perhaps, those who have received an acceptance simply applied to a different field...
Terminal Masters Programs for European Intellectual History
in History
Posted
Hello, Babeuf!
Have you thought about Columbia's MA in History and Literature? I know it is particularly focused on France, and since you are interested in Intellectual History, the literature component might be worth doing.