Carthage32

Ah I see, that makes sense. Thanks, Konstantin!

Thanks for the encouraging words, guys! Stupid question: How do we know what committee / category we're in? Does it say on the letter, or is this something we indicated on the application? I don't want to pin too many hopes on the wait list, but I'm just curious to know where I am in relation to other people. Going by the score alone, it seems like mine is very close to the scores of some successful applicants. But, it sounds like that may not be a comparable figure.

I came home to find some mixed news: I've been wait-listed. So, barring some miracle, I guess I will be trying again next year. Thanks for all the support and kind wishes on this thread. Congrats to all the successful applicants and best wishes to everyone!

Congrats Safferz! I'm glad you got the good news before going into your comps! Now, I'm tempted to rush home and check my mail because it's likely that my letter arrived today too. Unfortunately, I have a dinner thing and won't be home until quite late. So, I still have to wait for a few more hours before finding out!

Ah, I see. That makes sense. Thanks so much!

Congrats everyone on the good news! And best of luck to those still waiting. Sorry, if this is a dumb question: what is the difference between fellowship and CGS? I thought the only difference was that successful applicants in Canadian universities receive $35k and successful applicants from in US universities receive $20k.

Ah, yes, I think you're right. My envelope is also postmarked the 11th and I received it on the 18th.

Hey all, checking into this thread after many weeks, and I see that a lot has happened! Congrats to everyone who's had good news so far! Safferz, like you, I'll be waiting for that mail to slowly make its way south of the border. Maybe if it's mailed out today, conceivably we could get it by Monday (or even Saturday, if we're being optimistic). Reading this thread, I wondered why I have so little anxiety about this, and I realized it's because in my mind I have already made peace with the fact that I won't get it.

Congrats! That's a good choice to have. I guess it comes down to the differences between a British PhD and an American PhD (which have probably been discussed in more detail on another thread). But, in a nutshell, in an American PhD, you get to take classes for at least a couple of years before starting dissertation research. In comparison, in a British PhD you jump right into the dissertation. So, you should think about where you are academically, and what your needs are: do you feel like you need course work, or are you ready to start your dissertation work? Then, there is the job market to think about. Do you see yourself working in the US or in Britain/Europe? Which program is right for you will depend on the answer to that question. Another issue to consider is teaching. Generally, in an American program you can get TA experience (though not always), whereas in British programs it is rarer to come by. So, you should think about whether teaching experience is something you are keen on developing or not. Finally, apart from all of these differences, a big part of your decision will come down to your individual field, adviser, and department. You didn't mention what your field is, but maybe one of these departments/advisers is stronger than the other for that particular area? Good luck with the decision!

There is a fantastic new edited volume called Re-Thinking Modern European Intellectual History, edited by Sam Moyn and Darrin McMahon. I highly recommend it because it will not only tell you what the current state of the field is, and what kind of work is being done now, but will also introduce you to some of the major (or soon-to-be major) names in the field. (As a side note: I actually don't think Harvard is a great or obvious choice for intellectual history. The really path-breaking newer work has mostly come out of Columbia/NYU (and Chicago, Berkeley, etc). But, others may disagree. Having said that, as czesc said above, it really depends on what your area of interest is. 18th to 20th century French or German is fairly broad. A place that is really good for, say, the Enlightenment may not be the best for, say, the 20th century continental theory. So, you should think about what kind of intellectual history you want to do.

Thanks everyone for the encouraging words! All the best to you guys too! Mistralesque, they sent a letter directly to my address. If you haven't heard anything yet, it might be good news for you, as their website says that finalists will notified around mid-March. So, you may be hearing from them then. Good luck!

Thanks Nerd_For_Life!

In some non-SSHRC related news: I found out this week that I was turned down for the Trudeau scholarship. It was always going to be a long shot, so I'm not particularly disappointed over it. But, it has managed to dash my confidence completely for the SSHRC! It's going to be a looong wait till April!

Me? Thanks! I was going for the nerdy history theme, rather than the badass theme, but I'll take it.

Yeah me too. I am not at all hopeful about the Trudeau award because it's such a long shot. It would be nice just to get a decision and move on.

That's a tough one, ccc376. My feeling is that if someone wants you to call them back or get in touch, they will leave a message or call again or send an email. So, personally, I would be hesitant to call them up on the basis of a missed call. However, I can understand that you must be feeling very anxious about it. You mentioned in your other comment that NYU is your undergrad institution. Is there an informal, unofficial channel from which you can find out more? Were you able to tell whose number it was?

During my application cycle a few years ago, NYU had the most confusing and long-drawn out process. I was invited to a phone interview, but not to the visiting day. I subsequently heard that some people who were invited to the visiting days had not been interviewed, while others had been interviewed. It was also a bit unclear what their criteria was for inviting people because not everyone who was invited got an offer. Eventually (quite late into the process, I think), I found out that I had been wait-listed. But, by this point, I had already accepted another offer, so it didn't really make a difference. All of this is to say: hang in there, NYU applicants!

Mistralesque, I think I remember seeing somewhere on the Trudeau website that they send out interview invites to finalists around mid-March. So, I guess if one doesn't hear back till then, it might be safe to assume the worst. I wonder if they will notify everyone, regardless of whether one makes it to the final stage or not. Good luck!

My letter just came too! Forwarded to the national competition. Congrats and good luck to everyone! Now begins the wait till April...

And, Congrats oxforddphil! All the best for the final round.

Safferz, I'm an external candidate from the US too, and I haven't received anything either. Let's look on the bright side, and just hope that our mail is late! Does anyone know if they send you a letter either way, or do they only send you a letter if you move to the national competition?

Great advice, Lafayette! I had a Skype interview during my admission cycle a couple of years ago, so I will add some thoughts about that. First, this almost goes without saying, but get a quiet, comfortable place in which to do the interview. You want to make sure that you won't be disturbed during it. If you're going to be in a room on campus or at work, put a "Do not disturb" sign outside the door. If you're going to be at home, make sure it's a place that is free of distractions. If the wall behind you still has your playboy bunny poster on it that will be visible through the webcam, you'll want to take that down. Second, test out your computer / internet connection beforehand! Nothing is more frustrating than having your computer freeze up two minutes before the interview. Obviously, technical problems can't always be anticipated, so make sure you have a back-up option. Maybe provide your phone number when you're setting up the interview, in case there are technical difficulties, so you can continue over the phone instead, if need be. In terms of the content of the actual interview, I pretty much agree with everything lafayette said. It's a great idea to create concise "narratives" about your research interests, previous academic work, etc and have them ready to go. Writing things down that you may forget is a good idea too. Obviously, in a Skype interview you don't want to be seen reading off a sheet. But, having something there to glance at quickly does provide a sense of safety, at least for me.

Just to chime in on this question... My school also provided Glacier for free, and I found it a breeze to use (really user-friendly and easy to navigate). Will definitely use it again.

You should ask the FLAS coordinator at your school what kinds of letters they expect. I applied for a language program last summer (not FLAS), and their requirement was two letters from professors and one from a language teacher. I think having one from your adviser is almost necessary because he/she can put into context why this language work is needed for your research. It's also my feeling that it looks somewhat odd if you're applying for funding as a grad student and your adviser isn't one of your references. For what it's worth, I was also told that, if possible, I shouldn't use undergrad references unless absolutely necessary because programs are more interested in seeing referees talk about your graduate-level work and skills.

Hi everyone, just checking in here after a while. Congrats to all moving ahead with the process! So, for those of us who made a Direct Application from outside Canada, we shouldn't expect to hear anything for a while, right? The only thing I heard was the application acknowledgement, and that was it.