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Nofia

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Everything posted by Nofia

  1. Did you really expect a "rough first draft" to be lauded by your professor? Criticism and heavy editing are just to be expected. It's not something you ace the first time through. If you don't understand some of the comments, ask for clarification. Otherwise, get into the editing process and make the changes required. When you turn in your next draft, expect there to be further critiques. I turned in at least 2-3 "final" drafts before my advisor signed off on my thesis. Be grateful that your advisor is reading it closely and giving you constructive criticism--when it's finished you should feel confident that it meets the standards of field and could potentially be published. You cannot let yourself be totally despondant over criticism like this--any piece of writing you submit to professors (and later, for peer-review in journals or as a book) will be subject to similar critiques. Your professor gets similar critiques on articles he/she submits too. It is to make your writing and your argument stronger. You don't have to agree with all of the criticism, but you do need to be ready to make serious edits to your work. Over and over again. So, buck up, get to work, and make the thesis as great as you and your advisor knows it can be.
  2. It varies by program. My cohort is extremely close--we go out pretty regularly for drinks/dinner and we're always there for each other in good times and bad--but I know that cohorts at other schools aren't close at all. If your school has a "boot-camp" kind of class that everyone has to take together, it's pretty likely that you'll end up getting close with your fellows, just because its a shared experience.
  3. I figured it was something like that and I so sympathize. Don't worry though--just put together a solid application package and those perceptions shouldn't matter 8)
  4. just keep in mind that the rankings vary by discipline. There are some schools that have departments that rank overall in the top 20, but have a specific field, like modern US or military history, that ranks in the top 10. It's not worth going to Yale if there is no one there to work with you, but you do want to go to as highly-ranked a school as you can get into that is a good research fit for you. As to your question, you do not need a published article (if you're coming straight from undergrad it is unlikely you'd be ready to have something published--not because you're not a good writer or scholar, but because it is unlikely that you have sufficient grounding in the historiography to really know what the gaps in the existing scholarship are--that's what you'll be getting in grad school). You do need a stellar writing sample, glowing letters of recommendation, a focused statement of purpose, and a decent GPA and GRE scores (emphasis on the first three though). Put together a killer application, apply widely to schools that have well-known scholars who do research in your area of interest, and hope for the best. Also, try not to worry too much about the 'caliber' of students at your current college...it comes off as condescending (which I know isn't how you meant it). Believe me, whether top-10 or top-50, there will be some people in your cohort who will dazzle you with their brilliance and others who you'll find yourself scratching your head as to how they got accepted anywhere. In general though, you'll find a fairly level playing field no matter where you end up.
  5. Not true at all, fewer than half of the people in my cohort came straight from undergrad. I maintain that taking time to work in the real world (in a history-related field) after finishing college and my other MA was the best decision I could have possibly made. Grad school isn't going anywhere, but opportunities like the one you've been presented with come along only rarely.
  6. What are the top books in your subfield? Who wrote them? Where do they teach? Start there...you want to apply to programs that have good scholars in your particular area(s) of interest. This will insure a good fit, which is a huge factor in where you get accepted. So, ask your current professors/advisors for advice on who some of the best people to work with in your areas of interest would be, read some of their books or articles, and then go from there. As an aside, UVA might be a good choice for you to consider.
  7. No one here can hazard a guess about anyone else's chances. This process is a crap shoot in so many ways...stories abound of people getting rejected by their supposed 'safeties' but accepted by their dream school. There are uncontrollable variables, like whether or not the advisor you fit best with at the school is taking any new students, or if the school has any funding available for people in your particular discipline this year. The best thing you can do for yourself is to apply as widely as you can. Forget about the whole idea of reach and safety...pick as many schools as you can where you feel you'd be a good fit, and apply. Don't cross anything off the list because you think its a "reach" for you, let the adcom decide that. Write a focused personal statement, submit a killer piece of written work, and get great letters of rec. Then sit tight and try not to drive yourself crazy (I mean, you will of course, we all did/do, but try at least)...but try keep it all in perspective. It's all part of the process. And if you don't get in anywhere, it sucks, but you can apply again. It's often beneficial to do something else between undergrad and gad school anyway.
  8. It's generally poor, abysmal in some fields (like, sadly, 20th century US, which is very oversaturated) and fair in others . It depends on what your specialty is...
  9. More than anything else you need to know what you want to study and who the best scholars are in your field. If you were, say, interested in colonial America, there may or may not be someone at Vanderbilt who is good in that field (I am just pulling this example out of thin air, I know very little about the school). If no one there is good in your field, you likely won't get accepted (fit is everything), and even if you do, it may be very difficult down the line to get a job if no one knows who your dissertation advisor is. Knowing that you want to teach at the college level isn't enough, you need to know what you want to study . You need a very strong statement of purpose, a good writing sample, and letters of recommendation from people that will attest to your abilities to succeed in a graduate history program. Having a publication is going to look good. As for approaching your former professors, it would help if you had some work you had done for them saved so you could include it with a letter or email, but since you don't I would just email and see if they remember you.
  10. nope. UVA is seriously strapped for cash and they can only fund a small portion of the incoming class. those who dont get funded pay for their first year then hope that they get a TAship to get a stipend, the tuition remission, health insurance, etc. in their second year onward. it really sucks.
  11. depends on the couple/your personality/the strength of your commitment. My boyfriend and I are doing fine, but we've been together for 7 years, and we're best friends. Our relationship was very solid before I moved. We obviously miss seeing each other, but we're both of the mind that the degree will benefit us, as a couple, in the long run. He is unflaggingly supportive--he probably believes in me more than I believe in myself sometimes. We're also both super laid-back about relationship things, and are both very busy, which helps. We talk on the phone a few times a day, email constantly, and see each other when we can, and so far so good. I can see a LDR not working out if one or both members of the couple are insecure in some way about the relationship or found that the distance impeded their sense of connection to the other person.
  12. Do you know if you got nominated? they are the most competetive fellowships UVA offers (probably since they provide so much funding), and I know not every department that nominates candidates gets them. There are lots of other UVA fellowships though, so it certainly isnt your only shot at a fellowship/acceptance...
  13. Look at the websites of archives, museums, and historic homes or historical societies in your area and see what sort of internship experiences they have available, and then apply like crazy because more likely than not, deadlines are fast approaching. If they don't have a website, write a polite email or make a phone call to inquire about internship experiences. in most cases, these internships will largely be geared around what the institution needs help with (digitization project, small research projects etc.), but often they try to include tasks that will appeal to your own interests as well. Read about what each institution does and see what about their collections piques your interest. As for the specificity of the training--its more the experience with working with the materials, seeing what archivists, curators, registrars and the like do; doing an internship at any place won't force you onto a specific path. And regardless, all are good potential careers for history majors (archivists and librarians are different by the way, and have different graduate training). internships build your resume, show your interest in the field, and give you some research experience, all of which can also be translated into a good grad school application.
  14. hold you tongue at work until you give notice. when I left last year I gave much more notice than two weeks, just because I didn't want to screw my projects/clients over since it takes a long time for my old company to hire new folks. I was worried if I gave notice too early, they might have just asked me to leave (I've had friends give notice and get told to just leave the office immediately). In retrospect, my company was awsome and never would have done that to me, but I didnt want to be left without a paycheck for 3 months if they had. It was hard not to tell anyone until the end, but it kept me from being a lame duck on my projects.
  15. yeah, I think if you have any other funding from your school, IHS cuts the amount of the fellowship to something very nominal, but I, like you, would be happy with anything extra ;-).
  16. The deadline for this passed already for this year, but I'm curious if anyone applied for an IHS fellowship? Or has anyone applied in the past? its one of the only fellowships in the humanities that I could find that offers funding for PhD students who aren't ABD already...I applied, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it works out.
  17. I went straight from undergrad to what amounts to a professional degree, worked in the field that that degree was in for a few years and then started my phd program (in a field that my professional degree is related to). It was the best decision for me; I came in with more work/life experience, self confidence, and a better understanding of myself, my goals, and how the PhD relates to those goals. I also know that if things don't work out, I have another field to fall back on, which takes some of the pressure off.
  18. When you interview for jobs outside of academia, they generally will want references (as opposed to a letter of recommendation); it is fine to list a professor as a reference, just make sure you ask your professor if they would be willing to furnish a reference if called. To be perfectly honest, most real world jobs are much more interested in your real world experience (internships, etc.) than what you wrote you thesis on, but if you have no work experience, highlight your academic experiences and relate them as clearly as possible to the expected responsibilities for the potential jobs. I wouldn't worry too much about being pigeon-holed either, just apply to a broad swath of jobs and see what happens...entry-level jobs aren't usually going to be to specific, and you can always move around if you don't like where you end up. Its also fine to emphasize your academic experience in X topic for a job in an X-related field and to emphasize your experience with Z topic in a z-related field.
  19. haha, in my fantasy world, the combination of economic stimulus and retiring professors is going to make the market better by the time I'm out there looking for jobs, but in my cynical, rational mind I imagine schools will just continue hiring lots of adjuncts while extending relatively few TT jobs in the humanities.
  20. My SO of 6 years, while incredibly supportive, is simply not yet ready to move or change his job (he would be leaving a nice big city where all of his friends and family are to come down South, where he knows no one, probably wouldnt find acceptable employment, and would be unhappy), and I'm okay with it, especially since I wouldnt have much time to spend with him even if he did move down here. I wish there had been good programs for me to apply to closer to him, but there weren't, and he understands that. The long distance thing thankfully works just fine for us; we talk on the phone and email regularly, and are always delighted to see each other when we can. I'm not sure he totally believes me that I probably wont be able to find a job up in his area when I'm done in 4-5 years, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Relationships take work; I'm hoping that we can successfully overcome the inherent challenges in our situation. I love him and hope that things will work out for us, but frankly if we can't overcome a little distance, we probably wouldnt be able to overcome other challenges later.
  21. I didn't have an interview when I applied, but when I went to meet with my advisor for the first time after being accepted, I wore a suit. Suits convey professionalism and in cases like that I'd rather be overdressed than underdressed. Plus they're warm in the winter! Of course now he basically only sees me in jeans ;-)
  22. one important thing you can do is find out where the superstar scholars in your subfield teach and then look into those schools. you want to try to get into a school that has at least one or two top people in the field for you to work with. your advisor will probably have some good suggestions about where to apply and who to work with.
  23. oh, as anese pointed out, a PhD is WAY more work than a full time job. I foolishly thought that I'd have more time to myself when I started my program then when I was working 60+ hours a week. Dead wrong. If I'm not eating or in class, I'm working.
  24. 35 isn't too old, though the turnaround time is quite tight. I say its worth applying to see how it goes this year since you're only applying to one school; if you don't get in you'll have time to consider whether or not you'd like to apply again next year. There are some concerns I would have about pursuing the PhD though. Would you have someone to watch your child while you're in class? there are several people in my program with small children/infants, but they have spouses who either help or handle the childcare. Also, are you willing to move somewhere in the future? If you're not, and you just want to stay in your area and teach, I'm not sure I'd go through the effort of getting the PhD if it were me. The job market is tough as it is; it can be impossible to find of job if you are really constrained geographically. If you can see yourself teaching high school english and being happy, you might be better off getting your teaching certificate and doing that. A phd is a long, serious commitment that offers no guarantee of employment. Would you be frustrated if after 5+ years of grinding effort, the only job you can get is another adjunct position? If you can only see yourself as a full professor and you're willing to make some sacrifices, by all means, go for it. Just make sure you're sure first though.
  25. I think you need to let it go--you've taken the test 3 times, and since your test anxiety has not diminished there is no reason to assume trying again would make any difference. Besides, GRE scores are not the most important factor in an application--they may be one of the least important factors actually. Your GPA is good, so make sure you write a compelling SOP that makes your fit with each individual school very clear, get outstanding LORs, and submit the best writing sample you can. Those are the important things, and since those are the factors over which you have the most control, do your best with those and just let your concern about your GRE scores go. Even if your scores were in the 700s, you'd have absolutely no guarantee of getting in anywhere. Its the other stuff that counts.
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