TMP

Til the week of April 15rh when most people let programs know.

ReallyNiceGuy- I did my MA in an areas studies. I came in with intermediate level in Lamguage 1 but I would have to take a year of 300 level before I could get grad credit in the 400 level. My program require 2 semesters of language with credit. So I want really going to wait that long when I could start Language 2 with already gave read credit at elementary level and it was a bit more necessary for my subfield than Languahe 1. So I did a year of that, plus summer intensive course abroad on the school's dime and then just did independent study with a friend in my 3rd semester while writing my thesis and taking 2 seminars. (it was verrryyyy laid back)'. It was a stressful semester but extremely productive. I continues that independent study in my 4th semester. I'm that semester, I took a "LOA" so I wouldn't have to pay tuition or fees as I finished all of my credits but still needed to keep writing my thesis. Sincey workload was so much lighter, I sat in an intensive course for Lamguage 3. When I didn't get in anywhere. I took some time off to study Language 3 in intensive courses in Europe. It was just fantastic. It all depends how your MA program is set up and what level of languages the Grad School will accept for grad credit. So it is one thing to Invesriaw when comparing and planning in your MA work.

Goldielocks, do you know if Hogwarts are still accepting applications? Up 30%, seriously? That's really a huge number, especially that this recession (or, are we in recovery?) has been going on for a while that oit doesn't matter whether you go to grad school or find a job. Either way is tough. Kekei, I recommend that you pick up that hard-copy of your acceptance to Miami and sleep with it under your pillow tonight. Hold onto that very tight and cherish it. You truly deserved that acceptance and funding. Just think about it- a real chance to do your MA and then go onto your PhD without any debt! (like some of us...). StrangeLight would say exactly the same thing. Also, there's really nothing wrong with a MA. I really think that the MA gives you a chance prep for the PhD so you are much better prepared academically, emotionally and psychologically. I don't know if I can do well in a PhD program if I didn't go for my MA first, now that I look back.

teachgrad, I'm on EST. Oh, this means I should stay at work until 6 PM so I can keep refreshing the page? If I stay longer, this means I can get ahead on this project and sleep in a little on Monday.... *sigh* I was so looking forward to a weekend of relaxing knowing that one decision is down. Congrats to those medievalist acceptances! I wondered if it was just one person- if so... SO LUCKY! Definitely break the bank and go out tonight and celebrate!

Congrats Goldie! PM me if you want the down low on Buffalo in terms of life. What is making this a bit torturous is that my current work project involves looking at as many universities as possible in this gigantic country for our programming (and we're not talking only the top 100 in USNWR). So the possibility that I could get an academic job in places I've never heard of is beginning to sink in. At the same time, I'll tell myself "oh yeah, I know this place" when I'm on the market years from now. So, yeah, surfing the Internet. Whee!

Actually, Wisconsin really trying to cut things down. They absolutely screwed up their 2010 cohort. Last year they cut back quite a bit so that most people actually got decently funded. 60-70 is a lot but that's about a quarter of the total application pool. This year, I've heard that they're taking only about 20. Not sure if he meant only Americanists or in general. They're working towards truly offering fully-funded packages. My guess is that it's the latter- they want to offer about 20 fully funded packages. So out of 450 applications (as it says on the site), about So... the top 5% would be very lucky. Very lucky.

Smile? Not when you've been told that your fellowship materials are still missing or have yet to transfer to another department at one of your other top 3 choices and the deadline was um... Wednesday. I have a headache already.

Maybe I just had a lot more patience and didn't want to jinx my chances.

Gee, Dukelover, couldn't you have just waited another month to ask about your thesis? I'm pretty sure that they saw right through your e-mail that it was more of "where are you guys in the process" than "I need help with my thesis." When I was applying as an undergrad for the PhD, I really did want to ask my POI to help me a little with my senior thesis but I waited until the school's decisions were out. When I didn't get in, I just e-mailed her with my questions. Guess what? She replied very nicely and said a few things about my application and then proceeded to answering my questions very fully. Then I discovered that I could be considered for the MA in another department that she was affiliated with and I asked the graduate assistants to move my application over there. Within 2 weeks, I was accepted and my POI/now MA adviser had told my senior honors thesis professor a few weeks later at a conference how excited she was to meet me in the fall. She has said quite a few times since I graduated how glad she was to have fought for my application and supported me from the very beginning. There's a lesson to be learned here. Your questions can really wait if you really want to get into that school. You will have to revise your thesis down the road anyway and inserting their suggestions would've been fine. Remember, a good senior thesis is a done thesis.

As much as I think you guys are just nuts/crazy, this board is becoming dangerous for me to read in my super-quiet office. These conversations are making me giggle! *covers mouth* Whoever accepts you, the program will certainly be lucky to have people with a sense of humor!

One of my ever so wise professors was right. Third time truly is a charm. I just.. heard some good vibes from one of my top 3 choices... Not official for another week. Just got to be super quiet in my office... then I will scream when I go home. Congrats to all the good news!! Keikei- PM me if you want more details on Miami.

Wow, you are one heck of a sleuth. Anyone feeling little giddy that the History department is the top humanities department at OSU? (scroll down a few more pages)

What I think you need to do is really think about why you're so drawn to both Iran and India. Take some time to reflect on it. Thank about your personal and professional interests, even when you were a child (so much of our tastes and influences come from our childhoods). I promise you, it'll be worthwhile to push off your applications until you have that "ah-ha!" moment. It took me 2-3 years to figure out what was it about my interests that made me so interested in everything. It wasn't easy believe in it but once i had that clarity and understanding where my interests originated, it made for much more effective SOPs and conversations with POIs. They totally bought my case and thought my questions were just so interesting, they just had never thought about these topics in this or that way. As for "choosing" a primary region in programs that have yet to offer transnational focus/field, it will depend on which survey courses you'd rather teach as a TA, and eventually as a professor- the Modern Middle East or history of Southeast Asia/India. Look at some of the course offerings in various universities to get a sense of what you may be expected to teach when you apply for the job as a professor of Southeast Asia or Middle East, if it's not open to just "Asia" history. Even so, after you get your PhD and choose to take a non-academic job in a think tank or government, which country's policies would you primarily like to work on?

Well, did you Wisconsin applicants check off something on the funding for. That you would apply for FAFSA and loans?

That's because you guys are just absolutely nuts.

Congrats to tay and teachgrad and all others with good news. It's just the beginning of the process.

If there isn't anything in your application that says something like "if your application isn't considered for the PhD, would you like to be considered for the MA or have your application transferred to a more appropriate department?", then you may need to wait a little and see what happens. Some programs will consider your application excellent but just don't have the spot and yet the POIs still want you and they have a terminal MA, they may offer. However, if they don't, you can very well ask upon receiving a letter of declination to be considered for the MA program. They'll be reviewing MA applications at that point anyway.

Michigan does allow applications for joint programs in women's studies, anthropology and ancient history. Middle East strikes me as odd as the department doesn't have affiliations with MES/NES departments... I'm guessing spam.

Ugh, NYU. I did manage to hear from them in one way or the other by the end of March in the two times I applied there. The professors know what a huge bureaucracy the university/grauate school is and don't like it other. So they're understanding when it comes to the applications and admissions process. Like Strangelight, I still love and read my favorite NYU professors' works but meh, with my research interests, I have to be in New York so I will be there in any way. Re: my point about POIs on leave. Maybe I was just damn unlucky in my selections of schools that apparently don't care much for faculty on sabbaticals. Re: Contacting. I think most people were talking about contacting prior to submissions of applications. But if you've been fortunate to meet your POIs during a guest lecture or a conference during admissions process, it's certainly what you make of the interaction if the POI is open to a conversation. I've been able to have hour-long meetings with them and they were really fun and relaxing. So don't sweat it if you've heard nothing but silence since the fall.

A good point there about military and languages. I had no idea that the reason why my Japanese lit professor (who's white) wanted to study Japanese was because of his time in East Asia during the war. He had been stationed somewhere around east Asia (I forgot where exactly). It was the first time he and his budidies had been to that part of the world and were simply fascinated by the cultures and languages. They all came back to the US realizing that they wanted to go into East Asian Studies and they did.

I've been told that unless they're extremely powerful (politically), they literally have no say in the decisions. They have access and can read applicatiosn but don't get to lobby for an applicant. I don;t know anyone who's been able to get in when the chosen POI is on leave during the process. So yes, I'm sorry to say this but I wouldn't count very much on any application if the POI is on leave this semester. That's one of the purposes of contacting faculty prior to applying- to see who's on leave for the spring semester.

Ditto on the comments about the waiting game. Actually, med applicants are better to talk with. They have interviews! They have to wait months just like us! They have to make big decisions- whether or not to take out massive loans... Law applicants... meh. I had already told my friends and family not to bother me until March. And the family really doesn't. Friends.. well... they're just excited.

So Hotlanta asked for an interview from someone... that's a first I've seen from Emory after being on these boards for several years.

If it were me, I'd leave all my technology at home. I'd want to go tech-free so I can really enjoy nature... Bye bye phone.

*facepalm* Where are people getting their pre-college education?