TMP

Go to the library and look up books on Yugoslavia-US relations in the catalogue....

a few things. Indeed, frame question is, "I'm interested in strengthen my application for the next cycle. What might I be able to improve on?" The POI and the DGS will say something. Your POI, I can almost guarantee you, did read your application and is more likely to remember it than the DGS who has seen a lot more applications that things become kind of blurry. Both will have application on their computers for reference. CC on another. I've done this before and it worked out just fine. They will usually stress the statement of purpose, language training or experience. GPA and GRE, they know, just need to be above minimum Graduate School (3.0 GPA and I don't know the GRE these days) and those hard to raise. I highly doubt that they will want to see "credits" for language training; you can simply show your proficiency through your writing sample. What I have learned is-- don't ask just one school, ask a few to find a bit of common pattern. I do want to believe that many will try to be honest with you.

Hate to burst the bubble here but kindly remember that while you are in graduate school, you are expected to write clearly and concisely and for academic audiences. You won't quite be able to get away with writing like Cronin or Boyle until you have tenure. Stick to well-edited academic monographs. Journal articles do tend to be a bit more jargon-y because of limited audience whereas books need to be accessible to upper-level undergraduate history courses or, at the very least, first year graduate students.

"Flexible" could be anything. Just ask how the waitlist works, especially if it's dependent on the field (in an effort to keep the cohort balanced).

You won't be the first to ask for details, particularly whether the waitlist is set in stone or flexible (depending how the faculty voted). Thank the director for the notification and that you still hope to attend the program and ask for a timeline. And then follow their instructions exactly. If s/he tells you not until April 15, don't bug between that e-mail (other than "thank you and I look forward to hearing from you on April 15"). Also, e-mail your POI that you have learned of the decision and that you are still hoping to get off. If the waitlist is not set in stone, stress what makes the program such a good fit for you and you can't see yourself anywhere else. Make sure both are CCed.

By staying with the students, I don't think I had to pay more $ out of my pocket. I have heard of POIs finding ways to help cover a bit more. It'll also give you a chance to see what Charlottesville looks like and where grad students live (it is quite stressful finding housing in a new place!) and what you'll need to survive (a car?). Don't be afraid to let the program director know and point out the location of your university as a reason for expensive airfare. Good luck!

Absolutely. This can be quite common and departments are used to it. Just explain your situation to each department and eventually you'll be putting both in touch to arrange reimbursements. There are no secrets to keep here.

Agreed with @KLZ, the more you demonstrate in your conversation with the school that you are gathering information to make an informed decision, the less the Dept and POI will be turned off by your eventual decision to decline. But be aware that you may not apply there again next year, even if you change your mind over the summer. There is a way to write a polite letter of declination. However, first, ask the hard questions. After all, everyone knows that you are going to 'give up" 5-8 years of your life and don't want you to regret it.

Have you visited the campuses yet? Don't make a decision until you do. You'll need to see if you get along with the faculty and students in person.

To be straight, "European intellectual history" in general is not desirable unless it's tied to the transnational and had real impact on the society (i.e. migration, colonialism, science/technology). Human rights is definitely big right now. Those are where the hot areas are. Be sure to read the job descriptions from H-Net and search for the "winners" of the last 2 cycles. It should give you a good sense of what departments want these days. While you can teach a survey, how many undergrads are going to really want to sign up for "European intellectual" history? FWIW, I'm an Europeanist as well and I specialize in transnational migration. 44% is pretty average if I can recall this on study. The real question is, where are these 44% of students getting their tenure track jobs? Those are your clear indications of where you are most likely hired (My guess, mostly in the Midwest, simply because it's a regional thing). If you want a job in Florida, there is no reason why you can't try to apply. Minnesota is certainly better known nationally than University of Florida. Remember the difference between teaching and research institutions- Research institutions have a course load of 2-4 courses a year whereas teaching institutions can press for 6-8.

That's the question you should be asking BU people-- both graduate students and professors. Where are they getting jobs? Do you want those jobs?

I feel your pain. I was waitlisted at IU for 2 years straight! I never got off. But really, unless you have a very, very good reason to go to Kent State over Indiana, I'd wait. It's hard but I'd wait. Kent State doesn't have the same reputation as Indiana.

I'll agree with @psstein. It really comes down to resources, quality of dissertation, and the student's willingness not to take anything for granted. I truly stress that because the student's attitude and approach to the resources available at his/her university matter. If students are in a state of mind of knowing that although resources are there at the moment, they can suddenly not be available due to a donor forgetting to write the check for next year or state budget crisis forcing the university to cut the department's budget that might mean cutting that fellowship for a writing semester or the Fed decided not to grant FLAS to one of the area centers at the university or any other possible reason. With the landscape of declining funds in the public arena, there is an incentive to find scholars who know how to find funds and write outstanding grant applications (thus able to continue research if the university's going through a rough time). To do that, one must be able to mold the dissertation in multiple ways to appeal to a broad audience. Ivy League students do have the benefit of having visiting scholars but the question is, do they take advantage of the time with the scholar to network and pick their brains for ideas and insights in their research questions and projects?

I'd take CUNY if the offer is funded (which I understand is a good package) over a UGA master's. Why else would you apply to CUNY for PhD? I would hope that you gave your application to each PhD program a careful thought that you would go there if it was the only PhD option before moving to the MA programs.

It may be that the profs in the program thought you might be a better fit for the other program. It does happen, but not always.

Health insurance is very important so if UMN offers that as part of your package, it is not bad at all and totally on par for Midwest schools (except expensive Chicago). I would talk to the current graduate students to get their thoughts on the funding that they receive. Is the stipend livable for them? Ask them if they have roommates, pets, and cars. Those are "add ons". Remember, these funding packages are generally aimed at single peopple without pets and cars (and any other huge regular expenses).

This was exactly my concern all along, @khigh. I understand that you love the state of Minnesota, but you really need to think long and hard about how important it is for you to work with people who have the expertise to guide you in the coursework years to help you develop a strong dissertation proposal and eventually the dissertation. You need to be able to create and write a dissertation that can actually be proclaimed by the very senior scholars as making serious contributions to Dutch and Mediterranean histories, which you won't necessarily know until you begin applying for research and dissertation writing fellowships and need outside letter of support by an expert. If a PhD program is not big on Dutch or Mediterranean in the early modern period, it's a very long shot. You may be best off seeking other EM programs with real strengths in those areas like Johns Hopkins or some of the California schools with Dutch language/literature folks on campus. When I looked at programs relating to the Holocaust, I more or less stuck with those that had strengths in both in German and US history. Prior to applying, I spoke with French and Russian/Eastern European historians in programs with solid US history faculty and no appropriate German historian, I could tell that they'd be open to working with me on my proposed ideas but my dissertation would simply not be as strong. Nowadays, when reading this board and guiding y'all with the admissiosn process while doing my dissertation research/writing abroad, I realize how my trajectory would have been different had I chose the other program with a POI who was strong in US history with an interest in Russian history as opposed to my current POI who's on top of her game with German history with an interest in US history. You will need to choose what's most important to you: excelling in a PhD program outside of Minnesota and come out with a strong dissertation or settling in Minnesota and pursue a different trajectory. I have met/talked with people in similar circumstances so you are most definitely not alone.

Whatever you do, keep those notes in a safe place (like the cloud).... you most definitely will refer to those notes later as you start on your dissertation, go about teaching your own course(s), and attend a range of academic talks. it's not silly, it's smart. I can guarantee you that you will find more than a few faculty members who have their gigantic binders from their comps somewhere in their offices.

My experiences are a bit similar to @pudewen. In the first four years or so, my adviser asked the right questions and made up my exam reading this in a way that now I realize how intuitive she was. I received so many grants and fellowships last year because, I also realized after receiving her letter for something at the university by accident, she knew exactly how to write about my project proposal. All that said, I still learned tremendously from other professors and applied them to my work, in ways my adviser isn't for her current project. She was very deliberate in her encouragement to seek feedback from all sorts of people so that I could remain intellectually flexible. I also learned over time that she has other questions that interest her that doesn't interest me but I could learn from them. What do other people think? Most are excited as it seems because it's a tremendous privilege to have someone who *gets* you. A few worry but I have to highlight the ways she's made a difference in my intellectual growth. Senior scholars have had no qualms and as long as my senior mentors don't see anything wrong, then I don't. Agreed on this. My adviser strongly encouraged having multiple mentors as I mentioned above. One of my POIs said to me, "It takes a village to raise a graduate student. I can't do everything. With whom would you want to work with besides me?" I've been fortunate to find a few other professors who really complement my adviser both professionally and personally.

I maintained good relationships with various POIs during the course of the cycle. What I have learned over the years from hearing various stories from admitted students is that everyone is different in how they want to showcase their program. Some POIs communicate much better in person than over e-mail and will wait until you get to camps and then blow you away (Their students will definitely confirm this!). Others are excellent at e-mails and keeping in touch. Remember, academics are awkward people like yourself! For me, I weighed the following (in no particular order): 1) How excited are they about your project and ideas? 2) What kind of financial support have their students received? (Track record) What's their approach to applying for grants? (You need a go-getter) 3) How do they imagine your trajectory in the PhD program, especially in the first 3 years (up to your candidacy exams)? 4) What do their students have to say about their advisers-- the good and the bad? (Remember to ask for both as some people will find "bad qualities" to be an advantageous to them, i.e. "too involved" may preferred by some than others who desire tremendous independence) 5) If you are in a small field, how does your adviser plan to support you? Will s/he do independent studies? 6) What part of their job do they like the best and the least? 7) What is their advising philosophy and what kind of advising did they have in their PhD programs? I thought this much because my two options kept canceling each other in various categories that it came down to choosing between POIs at the end. I got along with both but answering these thoughts tipped the scale. Also, it is important to know that there is usually other faculty members who can compensate for the adviser's weak areas. For example, if the adviser is often MIA but really gets students jobs and money, then there is usually another faculty member or two who will jump in and be available for day-to-day issues. The key is to talk to the current students about the faculty dynamics and where the POI fits within those dynamics. The Grad Coordinator is also an excellent source of information (s/he is basically a double spy!)

Actually, a very good friend of mine graduated from Oregon State University and came to Ohio State for her PhD.... she was perfectly happy just to keep saying "I go to OSU"!

If you want to be completely factual, it's in the FAQ https://library.osu.edu/find/collections/the-ohio-state-university-archives/digitalcontent/faqs#1 But legend on campus is that Urban Meyer the coach makes a 'effing deal out of it because Ohio University also has a football team. Between Meyer and the state legislatures (mentioned in the FAQ), it's just a way to differentiate the "real" OSU from Oregon State, Oklahoma State, and Ohio University in national standings, academics or football. And it's the truth, we are so much better than those schools!

oh yeah... it's definitely so. When my now-adviser read a draft of my SOP, she put in "THE" in front of Ohio State University.... At the time, I couldn't understand what the big deal was. Until I got to the campus and heard all about Urban Meyer the football coach behind the "THE" campaign.

If the POI says that you're been admitted, s/he should mention that an official letter from the Graduate School or the DGS should be forthcoming. Don't believe it until the letter is actually in your hands (particularly if funding details are included). As for OSU, good grief, learn to say "Ohio State" or "OSU" as to keep us separate from another university called "Ohio University" which has no PhD program in History... Anyway, I'm here to answer any questions! (Except for admissions process as I'm out of the country and thereby not there to badger the grad coordinator on your behalf )

Who invited you? The POI? Ask for clarification-- have you been admitted? You should be receiving a letter from the DGS or the Graduate School that you have been accepted. Also the letter should also include some line of "financial support available"-- which means you really are in!