TMP

That's the wrong attitude. You cannot ever compare yourself to your professors. They will always know more than you do until you have passed your comprehensive exams (if not, your dissertation defense). They work with you for a reason: to teach you how to build up your knowledge independently as a budding scholar. You will find yourself wanting to ask a lot of questions for the first few years that can very well be found within your exam reading lists. Your job is to keep your head down and work, demonstrate intellectual curiosity, about the discipline and your chosen fields, and participate in the academic life of your department as a good citizen. Most importantly, these eminent scholars know a lot but they don't know everything and they are flawed humans. I have had conversations with people top in their fields and while they are quite knowledgeable, the very gracious ones will want to hear your ideas of why/how/what happened in history and demonstrate inadequacy in their knowledge (particularly in specific areas of your dissertation research). They may be grounded in their own reasons but are open to hear others' thoughts based on their interpretations/findings/experience. Just relax, enjoy the opportunity and listen, and ask questions. Graduate students who don't ask questions make professors wonder what they're doing with them in the first place. It's those with gigantic egos who don't care and you'd do well to minimize your contact with them.

Most of my undergrads were split between Germany and Austria when asked to place the blame for starting WWI after a well-done, well-balanced lecture by the professor. Two put out brilliant arguments for Britain, namely Britain's claim to imperialism I don't think a single person blamed France. But the book lists above by other posters are good. WWI is so large that you need to figure out the precise question you want to ask and discuss in the podcast.

To the OP: As others have said, there's no need to be *in touch* with your primary adviser unless s/he has said something about needing to be in touch before the semester starts. S/he may decide to wait until the week before once his/her schedule is set for the semester so the two of you can set up a time to meet. If you mean other professors whom you'd like to take a class with, feel free to introduce yourself and your interests (briefly!). S/he may appreciate hearing from you and tailor the reading list appropriately to make sure that there's at least one book you might like (it's fairly common in my department). As for courseload, ask the Americanists in your field. If everyone takes 3 reading seminars (because they don't have to take languages), then so be it. Research seminars take up a lot more time so you might want to arrange for an independent study as one of other credits. If there is a research seminar in your area of interest in the fall, please do e-mail the professor for a syllabus and find out the expectations. Do you have to have primary sources on hand right then and write an article/chapter (25-30 pages) or can that semester be used for research itself? #bitteraboutthoserequired12credits

You are fine. The combination of Civil War military historians and the 19th century American historians no doubt have at least worked together on behalf of students with interests like yours. A strong 19th century American history program will do well for you in preparing for the PhD, including the thesis. The fit isn't super important at the MA level as it is at the PhD level, where you are stuck with relatively same faculty for a long time. And you're getting tuition waiver for your MA? Great-- it's a good decision!

Agreed with the above. Let your adviser brag about it in his/her letter of recommendation.

Before entering my PhD, in that summer, I moved to my school's town and then went to Middlebury to improve my language (happily, my adviser accepted this as part of my language requirement fulfillment). I'd just focus a bit more on reading up books in your primary field if nothing else. I wish I had done that to save me a lot of grief in my first semester.

Rule of Grad School (and life): Do not assume the worst. Try to see the best in people. Stay positive. Rule of Grad School: Academics don't deal with the processing of money. The university bureaucracy does aka those who actually have access to the university's bank accounts. The administrator person you spoke with has absolutely nothing to do with your relationship to your POI or other faculty members, s/he is your liaison for all bureaucratic paperwork, including finances. You'll be amazed what a good company you're in-- the faculty are just as frustrated and clueless as you are about where the reimbursements are. The faculty's job is to focus on the classroom, research, and service to the department/university/profession/community. University bureaucracy and academia work on similar pacing but usually the latter is even slower (journal articles can take up to 2 years to publish for example...). Do not worry, you will get your money back but "when" is hard to tell. Grad School Rule: Everyone makes mistakes. Including admin because there is so much paperwork and many layers of bureaucracy. Be forgiving. You're likely not the only prospective student wondering where the money is and has been in touch with the same admin (you x however how many people showed up on that weekend = annoying).

What do you need Italian for? It sounds like an intro level course... which is going to be a LOT of work. I'd choose between Italian or grad school. I mean, unless it's one of those pesky requirements for graduation...

At this stage, it's called buyer's remorse. If you are 1000% sure you'd rather attend the MA program and you don't need the PhD for whatever you want to do, then by all means contact the MA program to see if the funding offer is still available. But it might not be-- it's probably already contacted someone on the waitlist. If it's just for the MA (and you don't want to finish the degree), you will survive at this location. 2 years does go by very, very fast. Who knows, you might decide to stay on because you've enjoyed the time and company of the people you're around.

I am going to be blunt to say this: Move on. Take a break from the admissions process for several months and do something else. I know it's going to be really unnerving but you will come back in August utterly refreshed. I have been in your shoes twice (before getting accepted on my third cycle) so this is a sage advice, not meant to be condescending. If a program contacts you with an acceptance, then great! Otherwise, just start walking forward. Start something new unrelated to any of this.

Generally, you'll be given a few days. No worries-- always ask for specific deadline.

Pick one. Ask the Chair of the MA program but it's not likely that the funding will still be there when you return from China.

Not really. People find out reputation by word of mouth.

It sounds like a tough decision there and I can appreciate that. All things equal, where do you want to go? It sounds like you do want to go to School B more than School A. As for School B's bureaucratic nightmare, how helpful is the graduate coordinator? Is s/he able to work through many kinks on behalf of the graduate students? Do you feel that you can reach out to graduate students further along who can give you insights to help you avoid many of the problems? Dissertation research topics can change, even in small ways. It sounds like either program will suit you just fine; you learn to network outside through conferences, workshops, and guest speakers who come to the university. My topic hasn't change much since i entered butt my program's strengths certainly influenced its direction. How have folks at School A responded to your ideas for research? Do seriously consider the availability of summer research funding as they are crucial for moving your project along so your application can be competitive for major dissertation research and writing fellowships.

Your potential adviser is confident with your language skills that s/he is willing to take you now. Ask about opportunities to advance your Chinese skills during the MA program. Re-apply to that language program if you still want to do it after you finish your MA. Your Chinese will improve while you use it for your research (but not as much as if you were devoted to it full-time). OR, Go to China on this funding and do not look back to this MA program. Then apply to different MA programs (and do apply to PhD if that's your eventual goal).

Take the offer at Miami. I have colleagues at Maryland- one a PhD student and the other a MA and they both have had different academic experiences (and interactions with professors). Living in Oxford may not be much but if your eventual goal is the PhD, then go there. You need all the money you can get to fund your education and research so you do not need to use any of your previous time to find jobs to keep you afloat. DC has become quite expensive, even if you find housing in Silver Spring or near UMD, the life there is quite hectic. However, if your long-term goal is to get a non-academic job or work around DC area, UMD may be a better option. Remember, if you use your student loans, factor that in your post-graduate life budget. Not quite find when you realize that $500 is going towards your loan payments when you could use that for something else.... more immediate

Yes, I mean OSU in "We"

We had an unusual situation with our admissions this year and so we haven't sent out any rejections. It's likely that you won't hear until much closer to April 15th.

Look up Lilia Fernandez at Ohio State University. While her geographical focus is the Midwest, she does deal with some of the borderlands/identity issues. It is true that you would need to apply either as a Latin Americanists with Mexico focus, or US historian with focus on American West or Latino history. It'll depend on your larger questions and through which lens you wish to examine.

I actually needed to mention other graduate appointment opportunities to the prospective students on a panel the other day. Not that these opportunities aren't bad or anything but... that's how pathetic the academic job market is that one might want to consider developing skills through non-teaching graduate appointments.... The ones who I did talk to directly were delighted to hear about them. And our advisers are totally on board for grad students to develop skills in non-teaching graduate appointments.

I have a colleague who is writing a dissertation about Lebensraum in Norway. She's working with German historians and I imagine that she will find an outside committee member who is a Norwegian historian.I know of another person also engaging with Norway and her advisers were related to her by thematic field and European history. Be creative, but also be prepared to be resourceful and network! Generally, you'll want to work with a German historian interested in occupation and find a Scandinavian studies program on campus who can offer Norwegian language classes and intellectual support.

For the MA, get as much funding as you can get for it. Make sure you have faculty who can reasonably direct your MA thesis topic (but not need to be a great match as for the PhD dissertation).

The uathor's likely to be flattered that you want to read his/her dissertation. But of course, there are some that have put the dissertation on embargo and may not share until the book is published.

Unlike undergraduate admissions, there are no "safety" schools in PhD programs. Even low ranked programs have their pickings of the applicant pool. They can be quite selective-- for example, the History Department at George Washington receives about 100 applications annually and they have 5-7 admits. The chances of getting into GWU is just about the same as getting into Yale. Most important thing is finding the right intellectual fit and you do so by reading historical scholarship and find people whose ideas you really like and match with yours.