ToomuchLes

Certain programs are interested in other programs I am applying to, should I fill in this section or leave it blank? I dont understand why they're interested in this. Please don't say 'yes, fill it out.' Rather explain why I should and why the programs care. Thank you!

I was filling in University of Michigan Ann Arbor's Graduate application, and on page 8, LOR, it asks for an address for each writer. Do I list the department's address, or do I specifically need my LOR writers address? That would be weird if I need that. Ha.

Thank you for the elaboration, surefire. That was what I was looking for. Im going to pass along this information to one of my LOR writers, and get their opinion on the matter. Likewise, I will meditate on how to approach my primary POI with this new information; obviously, I need to be careful cause, like you mentioned, I wouldn't want to get Prof Y in trouble, if my primary found out Y is warding off potential students. Honestly, this is truly disappointing news for me. I've been in contact with three professors at this particular institution, all of them interested in my work and, I, interested in theirs, but then one professor throws up a red caution sign >.<! Ugh. EDIT : When I inform my LOR writer, should I specifically say who said this, and which institution? Also, should I email 1-2 graduate students in that program asking for their advise?

It sounds exactly how you illustrated, but I found myself coming up with counterarguments. Professor Y is a new professor, and not exactly in my area of interest, so maybe SHE is in a position that is changing; while my primary POI is tenured. Thats a simple counter that I thought of, immediately, after reading both their responses, but yes, you may be right, that Prof Y might be directly honest with me. I noticed that youre already attending graduate school, do you know what these "changes" might imply?

Over the last few days, Ive been coming into more contact with all my POIs by inviting them to a phone appointment to discuss relevant information about their Graduate programs, get better acquainted, discuss our research interests and so. For one particular institution, I talked to my primary POI and she said only positive things about the program, but she also informed me that I should email Professor Y cause shes doing similar things like I am, albeit a different time period. I emailed Prof Y, and in her reply she said : "That said, I'm sorry, but I'm not accepting students for next year. Our graduate program is going through some changes, and I'm not sure that I'd be comfortable bringing in U.S. history graduate students at the moment. I would not want to encourage you to consider our program unless I fully thought we would best serve your needs." My primary POI did not mention any of these "changes," nor am I aware of this means for potential graduate students. Should I still apply to this school? I was thinking that during my next phone appointment with my first choice POI (we had to cut it short cause she was going to class) I ask her to elaborate regarding what these changes are, and what they mean. Do you think its too audacious of me to ask?

To be honest, I was not aware that LOR writers customize their letters for each individual school. I was under the impression that they write an overall description of your capabilities, positive attainments, pros/cons and if they have an acquaintance at the university that Im applying to, they will say "oh, hey Professor Buddy. I worked with this student and I think you and him would get along fine." (of course professors dont talk to each other that way, but you get the point). Truthfully, there aren't alot of professor that study my area of interest. I would like to focus on 19th century childhood slavery in the US. Theres only a handful of professors that touch upon this theme; therefore, I expanded my POI search to include historians that study gender history, plantation society, or the African diaspora experience. I thought about working with Wilma King, THE expert on this topic; however, and this will sound so rude, shes 73 years old, so I fear she might retire before I complete my studies. The other 11 or so programs are mostly higher tier schools, and in my time on these forums, I learned that its best to apply far and wide and see what you reel in, in the end. Anyways, as always, great advise fuzzy! Many thanks

Title says it all. A lot of forum posters say around 10-15, and originally, I was going to apply to 12-14 different programs; however my adviser suggested four to five programs - 2 programs, I'm very interested in and 3ish that I can fall on as back-ups. Comments? Suggestions? If the info is needed: I hold a BA in History/Linguistics, decent GPA, stellar GRE, research experience, and three of the best LOR writers I could have dreamed for. Truthfully, my number one fear is my GPA is holding me back. Yes, I've thought of doing a MA and already have a few programs in mind; and yes, I know adcoms look at your whole application, so long as you pass the early GPA/GRE filters.

The Graduate Department homepage discusses that your PS will qualify you for certain fellowships/scholarships, as you have mentioned. In addition, while perusing the application section on their website, they discuss the importance of student diversity; basically everything you mentioned. However, Im still fuzzy on what they WANT to see on a PS. Of course, they want you to discuss your major personal achievements, hardships blah blah blah, but I do want to critique the essay in favor of their expectations. In my PS, (if you'd like to read it, youre more than welcome to) I talk about my immigration to the US following the collapse of Communist Hungary, briefly living in a refugee camp, my new life in the US, working while in school, and what all this has amounted to, in regards to my research topics and why I am pursuing graduate school. Im curious, but is the program you're referring to UCSB? Im applying to UCI, and I noticed alot of UC programs have the same instructions in terms of SOP/PS.

I am aware. Below I will copy/paste the instruction for this particular institution's Personal Statement, but I am still curious how adcoms look at it, what theyre looking for, does it funding, etc. I want to better understand what a Personal Statement is. My Personal Statement is already completed, and I am satisfied with the content, however if i better understand what it is used for, maybe I can add/remove certain things. __________ Applicants for our graduate programs are selected using a holistic evaluation system. This essay will assist both the admissions committee and fellowship review committees to evaluate your background and motivation for graduate study. In your personal history statement, please describe how your personal background informs your decision to pursue a graduate degree. Make sure to address the following topics: Any educational, familial, cultural, economic or social experiences or opportunities relevant to your academic journey Challenges and/or obligations you have had to address in order to achieve your educational goals and how you addressed them Employment while an undergraduate How your perspectives or activities contribute to social or cultural diversity and/or make you sensitive to the experiences of underrepresented groups This "Personal History Statement" is required for all applicants who are US Citizens or legal US Permanent Residents and is different from the "Statement of Purpose" that is required for all applicants. The "Statement of Purpose" is expected to focus on your academic/research background and interests while the "Personal History Statement" is expected to focus on your personal background.

Can someone elaborate what adcoms look for in Personal Statements? When they look at it? Why - as in, why do only American citizens/greencard holders need to write one? Does it help you to get funding? And lastly, should you focus on information that is pertinent to your research, or do you discuss your major personal accomplishments? Thank you

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Ill trade you too. Ill send you mine.

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Check the university's website and see the average GRE scores. That should be a good indicator. Im not in your field, but I think your Q score needs to be 165+ for Berkeley and Stanford. For me (I'm a history applicant), my subject emphasis would be towards V, and at UCLA the average admitted scores were over 165. What was your AW score? Also, keep in mind, that GRE is one part of your application. I'd suggest contacting your POI, introduce yourself, but also emphasis why you want to work with him/her.

I am very interested in their History Graduate Program! Theres two professors I would love to study under; however my undergrad adviser mentioned that graduate students dont receive alot of attention from their grad. advisers at UCLA. Something I've been meditating on, regarding the pros and cons. Moreover, I dont think my GPA is stellar enough for acceptance =/ I have alot of extra curricular activities, three of the best LOR Id ever hope to achieve, a high 165V/164Q/5.0AW GRE score, but its that GPA thats discouraging me. Im currently working on my SOP now. So far, its going well but theres always room for improvement. Then again, with some 2 months left, Im sure I'll perfect it by then. How was the informational session? Did you learn any new information thats not available online? Do you meet with professors, or is it mostly administration? I live less than 20 minutes away from campus, so do you think its worth attending a session? Oh! And is it free? ha.

I am currently in the application process. One of my Professors of Interest, unfortunately, will be on-leave next fall, the semester I'd (supposedly) start at this particular institution. A few background information: this is 1/12ish schools Im currently applying to; and, in regards to this particular professor, there are other scholars at this institution pertinent to my own area of interest. Therefore, he is not the primary professor I'd like to work with (but it would be nice if I could). My questions are: Can I mention him in my SOP? Can I list him as a POI I'd like to work with in my application? Will his absence effect my application in anyway? Last question seems silly, but Im still curious. Thank you =) EDIT: Since he will be on leave next year, should I still email him introducing myself?

I enjoyed reading this. Lol. Thank you

another bump =(

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I got your PM. Thank you for your help. If anyone else can insert some of their own suggestions, and tips, I'd truly appreciate it! The more, the merrier.

Below is a copy of my SOP. I decided to work on my shortest SOP (max 800 words) and expand on my subsequent SOPs that have a much higher word count limit. If there are any questions, please post here. Please, please provide constructive criticism by completely tearing apart this SOP. Im not at all sensitive about my work. This is still a rough draft. __________ Ambition and curiosity is the driving forces that compels my further historical research. As an immigrant, raised in a predominate, lower-class neighborhood, I was integrated into a peripheral society of, presumably, non-American stigmatized individuals, including African-Americans and Eastern Europeans; which, consequently, birthed the many questions I'd like to research in graduate school. At a young age, I was introduced to slave narratives, and an infinite amount of slave stories by my best friend's mother. Supposedly, her family during Antebellum America was shackled into the peculiar institution, and her great-grandmother was cleaved from her parents at a young age as a byproduct of the burgeoning domestic slave trade. Fortunately for me, I was introduced to this particular history through a personal connection. In my first week at the University _____, I introduced myself to Professor _____, an expert on social and political slave history, becoming a regular visitor, debater and conversationalist in his office. Our friendship flourished, and he independently supplied the academic nourishment that I needed to answer the many research questions I had. Moreover, by joining a variety of student clubs, historical organization, and networking with professors from other institutions, a picture of this particular history became more vivid. In return, I organized student discussions, guest lectures, and introduced new themes as a Phi Alpha Theta officer for eager history majors like myself. Additionally, the assortment of seminars, numbering close to a dozen, improved my historical research methodologies, introduced new perspectives concerning historical objectivity, modified my approach to primary source documents, but more importantly, I became familiarized with the logistics behind the composition of a research paper. Nevertheless, as an immigrant, I still held onto my non-native views of American history, and in addition, my personal connection to this history has also produced a different perspective. This has all amounted to the research topics I'd like to study at University____ under the guidance of Professor ____. Growing up in a confusing childhood, I sought for self-discovery by listening to those slave narratives. Independence is a concept all slaves yearned for, and so do children today; however, once grasped, a state of shock consumes the individual, and confusion, over what to do with this new freedom takes over. By investigating certain legislative patterns that led to the burgeoning of the domestic slave trade - a complete transformation in the nature of this traffic in human slaves - I would examine the experiences, social roles and relationships enslaved children had in their new environment, away from their families. I would explore the treatment of orphaned slaves by other enslaved families, and their relationship with their, supposedly, paternalistic white masters,while studying the struggles adolescent runaways had once they obtained freedom. I'd meticulously study the effects that the domestic slave trade had on children, their sale in slave markets, but also, the responses abolitionist groups had towards child divisions from their family. By studying this one aspect of the southern slave system, I believe it is possible to gain a greater understanding of not only the Antebellum South, but also of American society as a whole. Through my own curiosity, I came across Professor _____ research, and her similar interests in early America, gender and slave history. Her work on the sexual exploitation of slave women, and more recently, her study on the manumission laws of enslaved mothers, and the relations with their children would be invaluable to my own research. Likewise, Professor #2_____ study on the experience and fate of the African diaspora, and the obstacles to emancipation for African peoples would guide many of my research ideas. Finally, historians like #3_____ and #4_____, although not pertinent to my own area of interest, would also provide additional guidance since their own research following similar questions, but dwell on different time periods and geography. Research like theirs, combined with the strength of the overall program in my area of history is a major part why I'm interested in University______. In attending this program, I will be able to answer all of my research questions, contribute to the historical community, and grow as a historian. For my career, I will return my new aforementioned studies to members of a growing group of historians that are currently examining how legislative actions in nineteenth century America effected subsequent slave generations. Likewise, I will be able to provide a new theme for students, and draw more attention to a particular history that, for the most part, has remained ignored. University______ History Graduate Program provides all the necessities that I need to achieve these goals, and in return, I would bring a new area of thought to the department. (767 word count / 800 [still need to include names])

Sorry for the silly questions, but I meditated on them for two days now, and Im not satisfied with the answers I keep coming up with. Therefore, I want your opinions on what a certain institution means in discussing "Academic plans" and "future career goals" in your SOP. In regards to the future career goals, do I blankly say, I want to work in academia? Cause that sounds very silly, when said aloud. Likewise, in terms of academic plans, I think its simple - I want to go to grad school, study my research topics, publish and get a degree out of it. Maybe, I need a break from my SOP (been working on it everyday for the last month X.X). Lastly, when I discuss why this particular department would be a good intellectual fit for me, how in-depth do I talk about POI's work? How many professors do I list that would benefit my research? And, do I mention that I've been in contact with them via phone & email? EDITTED: Oh, and also, can I use a quote from a pertinent primary source document that was authored by a famous individual, or at least, he's recognizable in my field?

Excellent replies! Thank you so much everyone. Unfortunately, her CV is not available. Likewise, while perusing the profiles of graduate students, I noticed that she was not advising for anyone; however at the very bottom of the website, it says this page was last edited in 2013. Maybe its outdated? I guess, come first week of October when the semester starts, I will send her a self-introduction email about myself, research interests, and whether she is accepting graduate student(s) to work under her. Regarding finding a full tenured professor as an adviser, for this particular institution, this assistant professor's area of interest is dead-on to my own. There are three other professors (one assistant, and two tenured) that are close but not in the same ballpark. For example, one tenured professor's area of interest is the Atlantic Colonial World, and the African Diaspora, while my interests focus more on late 18th, early 19th century African Diaspora. I read two of his articles and they focus on similar aspects to my own research, but again, different time period, different ball park =P. The other two professors are similar. Any opinions on the matter?

This question is more towards graduates, of whom are familiar with their department politics and the relationship between student and professor. Is there a rule of thumb that dictates the type of professor you're striving to work with - associate, assistant, or tenured? I've often heard whispers that when you apply, you should apply to work with a tenured professor versus an associate or assistant, but then I heard counterpoint arguments that it does not matter. On a personal note, I would like to study under a certain professor; however after reviewing her bio on the university's website, I noticed that she only recently published her first book, and in addition, shes only an assistant professor. Does that mean, theres a possibility she might find a better, possibly tenured-tracked position in another university (Im not sure if shes on a tenured tracked presently), and if so, what would happen if she left while I was her graduate student? Personal anecdotes, online articles or any kind of guidance to better understand this, would be appreciated =)

I decided to write my SOP based on the school with the lowest word count, which is 800 (crazy huh?). Obviously this will be the hardest to format since I have alot of say but not alot of room to do so. I figure once I am pleased with this SOP, I can tailor and add more information for schools that have 1,500 word count cause by the time Im done with the 800 word count SOP, I've already included all the important aspects and now I can add embellishments and added perks into my 1,500 word count SOP.