TMP

Depends what the instructions call for. Follow 'em. It's one of the biggest mistakes people actually make- not following them and they automatically go to reject pile.

And I just wrote a letter to the Powers To Be in the Grad School asking for a grant and put in the mailbox of the DGS to be forwarded to them. Several hours later, I found the typo ad e-mailed the DGS, completely freaking out, not to pick up that letter until I gave her a new one. When I saw her the next day with a corrected copy, she looked at me like I was nuts. She had reviewed the letter beforehand but didn't catch the typo. She couldn't even imagine where was the typo in such a perfectly strong letter when she looked at the first page (typo was on the second). It's the grammar mistakes that put off people. Not typos like "abit"/"a bit."

Indeed. There are trade offs. It is best to ask around in your field about your potential advisers. I would also be conscious of their potential for tenure if they are assistant professors. Make sure you have a second person in the department to be your co-adviser (sometimes there is a policy that a tenured professor has to supervise both of you). Your adviser's name does matter a lot in terms of connections. I sent an e-mail to somebody who manages this particular fellowship that both my MA and PhD adviser told me about (PhD adviser had the fellowship) and he e-mailed me to send regards to my PhD adviser among a few other things that I should know. More and more programs want MA students with projects in hand. But there are a few that want "raw potential." Wisconsin is known for that. But most programs want MAs because they finish faster overall given all these budgets cuts and pressures from AHA and universities to cut down time-to-degree. in my department, less than 25% come in with just a BA. In any case, don't fret because you will do whatever it takes to get that PhD! (Well, with little debt as possible)

Geez, thanks, Nat, for bringing back memories from last year. At least the early notifications worked out just fine... still in . The most agonizing part actually was waiting to visit the campuses, which didn't happen for about 10 weeks! I swear that was even worse than waiting for decisions Back to my advice a few pages back- talk to a close friend or mentor who is steady and can help you keep your eyes on the road- your truly top choice. (No, not that top choice who ended up giving you the best funding package but the top choice that FITS with a solid funding package.)

No Language Study Grant? I realize it's only just towards the end of January but...

This is the truth: http://www.phdcomics.com/comics.php?f=1492. Professors are interested in your ideas so share them as part of "tell me about yourself." Goldie had a really wonderful tip last year that just worked wonders for me: Before decisions roll in, take the time to breathe. Sit down with your list and think it through. Rank them and provide justifications for why School A over Z and why Z over S. And then share your list with a close friend or mentor who will keep you accountable. The point of this exercise is to be able to make a decision while your head is still clear because once decisions roll in, you will get very emotional. I did this with a colleague right when my first two decisions came in before the emotions really sit in. He kept me accountable throughout the WHOLE process (and that was like 2 1/2 months..). He reminded me every now and then why my current program was my top choice. He was my rock and helped me to keep my eyes on the road while my other offer tempted me with things I hadn't expected to see/hear/receive. So very glad for that tip, Goldie. Thank you!

Be sensitive to their areas of expertise. You would do well if you can draw connections between your new topic and their research. Sometimes (as human beings) they will forget the big picture and instead become obsessed with what they CAN'T do. Focus on what they CAN do and keep them right there. Once you've given them some reassurance and sense of confidence, they'll be open to your new topic and breathe. NEN is right- focus on "evolution" of your ideas.

@NEN and others- sorry I just noticed that my inbox was indeed full. I'm sorry. I've cleared out some so feel free to send me PMs again.

This is your thesis adviser? As in someone who supervised your thesis?

I will say this. Nobody is going to post anything less than positive about their departments. It's just not professional to do so in public. At the same time, don't take the lack of responses as "there must be so much negativity" but rather simply not enough posters are here that go to those places and check in on this site. You are better off waiting to be admitted and then asking graduate students for their opinions.

No worries. You explain your situation and they'll figure out a way.

I sent you a PM.

C is fail in graduate school. I'd look in the handbook to see what the Graduate School has to say about maintaining a minimum GPA.

Czesc, don't worry about either. jtu2tj- for Canadian universities, that might be something you'll want to research some more and call up the Graduate School. If the department guaratnees full funding packages with acceptances, then there is no need to fill out such funding applications.

Look at Ohio State and Wisconsin. PhD programs are going under revisions for their graduate programs so you would do well to read the graduate handbook and e-mail the DGS. PhD programs these days are now interested improving their time-to-degree from 10 years down to 6-7 so they are changing so students don't take three-four years to get to their exams. You'll have to figure out how you're going to justify why you failed your exams and trying a different PhD program. If you have a disability, it's something to consider in terms of working with the PhD program, your adviser, and the disability office. If this is for real, can you go back to your PhD institution and petition for a re-take?

I agree as well with everything you've said, SToF. As for future plans... um, ask me again in May. I'm just trying to get through my first year!

Apply for the PhD. If you don't get in and they didn't move your application to the MA, ask to be considered for the MA. No difference in the SOPs really. But the MA SOP probably should be a bit broader as you're going in to get the basics that you need for the PhD.

TGC Wisdom: Apply to both. My Wisdom: "Proper professors" don't exist. They vary greatly. You can find yourself in a top-notch program where professors don't care about their students, only their research. On the other hand, you could be in a less-than-stellar MA program where professors adore graduate students. Who knows. That written, choose a MA program that offers the best deal- cost-wise and resource-wise (meaning do they send their students off to top PHD programs?) I would just reach out to some programs and have frank conversations. Ask the questions- the Asianists will know of reputation of your MA program and can give you some guidance. Your MA thesis doesn't have to be a "mover and shaker" in your field- you're only just starting. The professors will see the potential in your thesis and determine if you have the talent, grit, skills, etc to succeed in a PhD program. If you are concerned about "time," you should re-think the PhD then. It's unstable. There are no promises of ANYTHING, including jobs and fellowships to keep you going. My adviser, while a PhD student herself, said that she would simply quit if she didn't get fellowships or a job to support her endeavors because she valued her time and there were other things she could do.

I cannot figure out the life of me. I did my MA in X and chose to study Y for my PhD in order to round out my graduate training. X and Y are subsets of my field and i intend to engage them throughout my PhD because that's A) who I am as a historian and how I envision my work and future teaching. Historically X and Y have been isolated from each other but there's a slow move towards some conversations. Here's the issue: Adviser a top-notch specialist in Y. But she does teach X (and is currently offering it) and engages some of X in her current book project. So it's not as if she's incapable of talking about X and Y in comparative or transnational terms. Yet, she told me that if i wanted to do more of X then Y, I should switch my major fields or programs. i told her I'd stick it out because i need that balance (and i adore her). Then I talked with faculty and students who can grasp the broader themes and ideas in X, at least were very capable of having fuller dialogue of ideas than I can with Adviser. These discussions have been fruitful and i learned from them. Yet, they'll say "you really should talk to Adviser if you want to continue talking about X. After all, she's teaching a course on X and is doing a bit of it in her book project." Then I tried to engage X in some of my readings with Adviser. I will admit that I used X to help me become familiar with Y but the same time there's a lot to be learned from such dialogues in terms of content, theories, and methodologies. Then Adviser slammed me last week- explicitly said not to talk about X in my reviews. Not to mention that she still "prefers" that I not to sit on her class on X despite my promises to sit in the back and observe quietly, even today when she teaches for the last time in this course. So I get it. It seems like, despite it all, she's anti-X. That's just my perspective. That said, when I am in her realm of Y, she's a dream. So I just feel very squeezed between the encouragement of my department and the push back from Adviser. I cannot even imagine putting books in X on my exam list if Adviser can't go along in our readings. i can't complain to the faculty about her resistance or lean on them for support because Adviser has one of the top positions in the department. They simply say "She should be able to talk with you about X . She's teaching a course on it!" And they won't hear of it anymore. I just don't even know how to have this kind of conversation with Adviser. I want to be engage in X besides my dissertation (which she is allowing to some extent, we just haven't hammered out just how much). /vent

I agree don't rush. I do think a solid SOP takes more than three months to write (and this also means thinking things through). You should definitely save up money if you can. You have a solid job. Why leave it now?

Unfortunately there is really no way of knowing.