[Sh*t people say when you are applying to grad school]

My least favorite question and why I never really talk to my parents about this stuff:

 

"So how are you actually going to afford going there?"

 

DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT

[What's the story behind your avatar or username?]

It's just me saying what me name is, lawl.

 

And my avatar is just me with my niece.

[SOP revision - MA History]

Hi all,

 

Yesterday I finished up a rough draft for my statement of purpose and was wondering if anyone would mind looking it over and offer tips on improvement, what should be taken out, what should be put in, yada yada yada. I'll just post it in this thread so whoever wants to look it over can do it right here. Thanks!

            

When I was a student at [redacted] High School in [redacted], I had a European history teacher named [redacted].  There was a general consensus among many of my fellow students that he was by far the best teacher the school had to offer.  His love and passion for his field of study was immediately recognizable, and the way he ensured that every student had accomplished something was inspiring.  During my senior year, I took AP European History with him, and from the moment we began to cover the Renaissance, I knew that the study of Europe was the profession I was to pursue.

 

            Since the fall of 2010, I have studied history at the [redacted].  For all of the recognition the school receives for its engineering and nursing programs, the department that goes the most overlooked is the history department.  After taking various classes with various professors, I can say with absolute certainty that there was no class which I did not enjoy, and each professor has been nothing short of welcoming and understanding, regardless of whether you are a freshman on your first day or a senior on your last.

 

            While I wrestled with the idea of entering the field of education after graduation, I realized that research was a much more fulfilling calling after I took my capstone seminar on fascism and totalitarianism.   The sense of accomplishment that I received upon completing my research paper (see writing sample) and earning high praise was a feeling like none other.  For this reason, I chose to pursue that passion of research in hopes that I may display the same passion to others that endeared me to history in the first place.

 

            The research process can be a daunting task, and I am glad that I was given the opportunity in my undergraduate career to be a tutor at the [redacted] Writing and Reading Center in order to help fellow students with this process.  My duties entailed helping with each stage of the writing process, from thesis development to that final sentence that wraps it all up.  It has been a rewarding experience and it has been very humbling to be able to extend my research strategies to fellow students.

 

            My research interests lie with Italian history.  When I originally enrolled at [redcated], my goal had been to study classical history, but over time, my interests shifted towards the history of the Italian Renaissance in particular.  I have become enamored – and one might even say obsessed – with the Renaissance period, from the intellectual revolutions that occurred therein to the change in social history to the art and architecture.  I have a specific interest in the prominent families of Renaissance Italy, such as the Borgias, the Sforzas, the Medicis, and others.  While my transcript does not reveal any strong foundation in Italian history, I can promise that I am a very capable student willing to meet the requirements established by [redacted].  I have been recognized on the Dean’s List during every semester of my undergraduate career, and I am due to graduate Magna Cum Laude in the spring.

 

            History is such an all-encompassing subject, and receiving the opportunity to study it at [redacted] would be an amazing opportunity.  Upon seeing the variety of subjects and professors available at the university, such as Dr.[redacted]’s research in Renaissance history, Dr. [redacted]’s work in early modern European history, and Dr. [redacted]’s studies in Venetian and intellectual history, I think it is safe to say that my academic interests will coincide with those of [redacted].  I am eagerly looking forward to a career in the field of history and I am certain that graduate study at [redacted] will make it all possible.

 

 

[Italian History Graduate Programs]

Hey all,

 

Well, I'm in that rush mode to send out some applications for Master's Programs. My focus is going to be Italian history, but I feel like the list I have may be a bit slim. Here are the schools I'm already in the process of applying to:

 

Brown

Boston University

Tufts

McGill

UC Berkeley

Edinburgh

 

So, does anyone know of any other Italian history programs which would be worth checking out?

[155 Verbal, 150 Quantitative - European History]

Hi guys, thanks for your replies.

 

I haven't looked at minimum scores for many schools, though Brown does not have a minimum requirement, which is good.

 

I know I'll have at least two great LORs to send in: one from a professor who I took a seminar on fascism and totalitarianism with this past spring (with my thesis paper being an examination of the cult of personality of Benito Mussolini), and the other professor being someone who I've aced two classes with and with whom I'm doing an independent study on Chechen history. I just need to figure out a third professor for an LOR. Would the academic adviser for my school's history club suffice? I've been the treasurer of the club since last fall, so while I don't have class experience with the guy, I do have other experience with him which may reflect in a positive LOR. Would that be a good idea to go for, or no?

 

Other than that, I fear that my resume isn't as impressive. I'm likely starting a position as a conversation partner for non-native speakers at the Academic Resource Center at school, and I'm also going to start an internship at the campus archives either in the fall or in the spring, but other than that, I don't think anything would jump out. I don't have much work experience in any history field, so I'm a bit panicky about that.

[Fall 2014 Applicants]

Hi everyone,

 

This upcoming spring, I'll have graduated from UMass Dartmouth with a BA in History, so naturally I've been looking deep into possible Master's programs. I've been quite stumped as to what schools would be best for my interests, though. What I want to study is social and intellectual history during Renaissance Italy. I'm also particularly fascinated in the more prominent families of the time period, such as the Medicis, the Borgias, the Sforzas, etc.

 

So, what schools have good Master's programs for European history? One of my top choices was Brown, but from what I've read, there are probably better choices than Brown as far as European history goes. I've also looked into Penn and UC Berkeley but I'm stumped otherwise.

 

Recommendations?

[155 Verbal, 150 Quantitative - European History]

Hi folks,

 

I took the GRE this morning, wound up with a 155 on verbal and 150 on quantitative. As for the writing I'm predicting somewhere in the 4.0 to 5.0 range; I feel like I did pretty well on that portion.

 

I was looking at past percentiles and was just curious because these scores seemed pretty average to above-average to me. HOw would these scores affect my chances of getting into a top-of-the-line school? I'm looking into European history, and my top schools are probably Brown, Penn, and UC Berkeley. Are the scores a bit too modest by their standards?