TMP

These new scales certainly make me wonder if I should've re-taken the GRE to get a better Verbal score!

I'm going to say this over and over again. Old timers know exactly what I am talking about. You aren't going to like reading this but you will be glad that you did come..... April. It is absolutely normal to feel that you need to apply to more schools so you can get in somewhere. Everyone feels the same way. Even if you can afford more than 10 schools, i urge you to cut down your list to places you absolutely want to go. I applied in two cycles for a very, very small field (usually about 15-20 applications for one spot that hopefully exists for that year). First cycle, I applied to 5. That just did not go well (long story) but I ended up getting waitlisted at 2 of my top choices. I couldn't get off. So the following year (last year), I applied to 8 schools, thinking maybe it would increase my chances. I was wrong. I was accepted in one program without funding (and the funding structure was just inhumane) and waitlisted again at one of the top choices. I found the second cycle much more emotionally devastating than the first. Why? Maybe it was the resounding "no"... 6 times. It could've been worse- 8! really think about it, even if you don't want to right now. Moral of the story: Apply as much as you can emotionally handle... in the worst case scenario of not getting in anywhere at all. These days with rising applications and reduced classes/budgets, it is very possible. (if you want to make yourself feel a little better momentarily, think about all those poor English applicants!) When we were high school seniors, we could say "eh" if we didn't get into Harvard or Yale for undergraduate because those schools have less than 10% acceptance rates and thousands of applications. It's still the same deal, except it's not just one or two schools that have such low percentages. Most strong programs have less than 10%-15% acceptance rates. Even if you didn't try to apply to Harvard as an undegraduate, it's just like that. I thought I would die if I didn't get in anywhere but I didn't. I found other opportunities in which I've been able to use my passion for history, research, languages, and writing and am relatively happy. Will the PhD be off the table" No. I still want to get in and get my PhD very badly and I don't believe anyone is going to look down at me now for not sitting back to recover before trying again. If you made it this far, congratulations! You've heard the hard truth and I think you can handle this process from here on.

That's right. Your first page should be the introduction of some kind. Bib should not be included because you already have your footnotes (which should be Chicago or something very similar) that will inform the reader where you're getting your sources from.

No title page, no bibliography. Just the actual essay itself.

Careful though! A lot of professors will wait until much closer to the deadline to submit their LORs because they want as much time as possible to get to know you and your work. But there are SOME like *cough*oneofmyprofessors*cough* who "think" that they have to get their letters in ASAP even if you're still working on your draft or whatever. I remember freaking out when I saw some of my professors send in their LORs as early as early November for mid-December deadlines. Of course her letter didn't hurt but... it was discomforting and I thought "is she really sure that she knows me enough to write up a letter in a single night?" So... remind them that they should take the time to write a good letter, don't rush.... just remember to send them in around the deadline!

off topic, seriously, StrangeLight, what's with your internet browser showing codes on these threads but not in your PMs with me? So weird.

Everybody, not just you, feels that way! Everyone wants make sure that their houses, made with a deck of cards, is properly built to withstand a "no". I've been there. Many of us old-timers on these boards have been there. We can only do what's in our control, including finances. Sparky is right about languages. History shows (pun... unintended) on these boards that the more successful applicants have had strong language background and demonstrated competency through their writing samples or a semester/year abroad at a language school. When you do the latter, it shows serious commitment to your study. Professors know that reputable language schools aren't easy to sit through, day after day, and the immersion is just cannot be compared to the language classes in the US. Not only that, you do have competition from foreign students with good command of English and are native or very advanced in desirable research languages.

Just tell her. She might freak out when it all becomes a reality. If the love is there and both of you survive the application process and the first year (of possible separation), then it's meant to be. If you think you want to marry her, tell her now. If you don't do what you dream of, you MIGHT resent her (or yourself) later on for holding you back.

Haha Cooperstreet... my first thoughts when I started reading articles regarding law schools' practices, I thought, "wow... now who's more ethical? I think PhD programs in the humanities are..." Speak for themselves!

Don't. Just don't. Not worth spending $400 for a 30 minutes conversation. If you get in, you will have pretty much all-expenses paid trip to those schools. If you want to visit somewhere, choose those that you can get to very easily and cheaply. Or simply go to national conferences in your sub-field to meet the professors face-to-face (if they're attending). Professots don't expect potential applicants from across the country to visit.

I say wait a year or two and ask yourself again, do I still want a PhD in history?

It needs a solid argument, excellent writing, and a plethora of primary and secondary sources to support your argument. Topic doesn't matter as much as those three criteria.

From my experience, you really don't want to rush this most important piece of your application. You want to show off your very best research ability (including using primary sources, and lots of them) and understanding of the current historiography surrounding your paper topic. Not to mention writing. There are some professors out there who are truly nitpicky about that and will disregard the entire application based on sloppy, "this is only third draft" writing. Not just myself but I've seen applicants on this board do better in the admissions if they can take more time with their writing samples. Undergraduate seniors who succeeded on here, at least to my observation, have already written their drafts as early as September (because they had taken a seminar the prior spring or had summer research fellowship) and they just had more time. I wasn't one of those seniors... I was you. :/ I really do wish I had kicked myself and said "You have time. You CAN wait until next year." In retrospect, rushing through my writing samples (in the mist of writing a thesis!) created quite bit of sloppy work compared to my later revisions. You could try this year and see what happens as long as you gave your best or just hold off your applications and really polish that writing sample for the 2013 cycle. It really does have to be perfect (give or take a few typos).

You need to work on this. You will be asking for favors throughout your entire academic career and you'll have others asking you as well. You can't get ahead without help. LORs are part of the job and you will be writing LORs for your future students. Put yourself in your future student's shoes. What would you do, as a professor? You need to take the initiative- professors are busy with their lives and don't want to have to do everything for their students. Your LOR writers certainly can't submit the letters to grad schools without you signing them up! It's uncomfortable, I know, but trust me, it gets easier over time once you start seeing the results of asking for favors. They are amazing. Cooperstreet- I was just told this as well. You need some kind of...evidence, may it be in your writing sample, classes on your transcripts, or volunteer/work for an archivist... just something. I know one school in particular that is SO stringent in its language requirements that it actually demands a separate essay detailing your training history, including books used! That's because that program knows that this language isn't taught in a standard manner in the US and want all of its students to come in with fairly equal knowledge of that language.

I just wouldn't do it if I were you unless it was exceptionally well-written and reviewed. Do another review to show that you can do book reviews on a consistent basis because as Sigaba pointed out you you may be doing them on a continual basis in graduate school. Use this Yale book review as a mental exercise- professors will always ask you about books you've read and you may as well start getting familiar with those that influenced you work.

Double spaced, just like your SOP. Better to be on the safe side- as in make your paper easy to read on very tired professors' eyes.

What Sigaba just said. Remember Yale has hundreds and hundreds of applications for less than 15 spots. Is this book review worth the stress? I'm not trying to discourage anyone from applying to Yale but just more of helping to think about where your priorities should lie in terms of creating a strong application for each school you apply, not just Yale and would the potential result could be if you just concentrated all of your time on Yale.

1) Less than 10%. Way less than 10%. No kidding. Most programs aim to yield anywhere between 5 to 20 students out of 150-500 applications (with the 500 being Columbia's usual). It is freaking nearly impossible to get in a history program with funding although we comfort ourselves that English people have it way worse. 2) It's a conversation. Relax, just answer their questions about your research interests, language preparation, and questions about the program. And have some questions handy. Don't be afraid to say (after one or two questions) that you're sure that you have more and would like to follow up via e-mail. They're good about that and will answer in your follow up e-mail. 3) It's a good sign but it's not perfect because professors sometimes will encounter an applicant who never made a contact and has much more compelling reasons for attending that program than you do. So, who wins? Nonetheless, show yourself to be a good graduate student during the process. Listen to their feedback and accept criticisms. Maybe ask a question. Even if you had to cry when you saw all the red in the Track Changes.

You wouldn't know unless you tried to ask, wouldn't you? He may not feel comfortable only he hasn't known you for long and won't have much time to reflect on your abilities. Your LOR dilemma is something to think about in terms of moving forward with the applications. You really do need a historian to support your application- that you have the potential to be an excellent historian.

Honestly? I wouldn't bother following up with those kind of e-mails. They're obviously too busy to pay close attention to your e-mail even if the fit seems weird and they won't say so. That's just a standard response for professors who are just simply too busy to deal with potential applicants or don't want to get involved with your application until they actually see everyone's to make things a little fair (or their time is better used that way). Especially if they don't include "If you have any specific questions, I'll be happy to answer them." I know it sounds harsh but I've sent out more than 20 e-mails over two application cycles and realized the truth. It's up to you whether or not you really want to apply to this program. I've seen applicants who apply anyway (including myself). Sometimes they actually get warm responses when they were admitted, simply because the professor didn't want to get personally involved with an applicant before they see all other applications. Other times, well, the professors were just plain jerks as they were in their e-mails (this you can confirm with your own network contacts). So, in other words, don't fret. Decide if you really want to apply to this program. Then move on with the process.

I think the terminal MA is a better option than leaving the program before finishing. Unless, I'm thinking aloud here, those two professore will be kind enough to support your claim in their LORs should you be able to say that you had to leave the program due to family situation. Professors may raise eyebrows but if you can give very good reasons why you took that route, they'll take it for what it's worth. Usually the best examples are poor faculty fit or adviser leaving. I would definitely consult someone in the field about this terminal MA option vs. leaving now. If you leave the program without either of those, I think the situation will look very negative for future PhD applications. Definitely investigate your options and find one that will be the least damaging to your career. Employers don't care. They're already impressed enough that you did graduate school at all. Just don't say "I left a PhD program." Say "it was a terminal MA program."

Yikes. You are definitely in a lose-lose situation. If you paid your way into a PhD program, chances are that professors aren't going to be very responsive to your needs (in other words you appear more of a customer than a colleague). If PhD students in your department do actually TA/RA in their first year, then that makes stick out like a sore thumb. "Passing courses" is not enough. You need to be doing other things like summer research, languages, TA-ing, or whatever else to add to your CV. If you can't secure a TA position for spring semester, then get out of the program and take time off to think about this. Re-apply for Fall 2013 if this is what you really, really want to do... providing that your professors (at least 2) are willing to write positive letters and that you will promise not to pay for a PhD, ever.

Generally for those kind of things, you do want to have the best GPA and GRE scores possible. At doctoral granting institutions like Indiana, doctoral students get the first dibs at TA-ships and fellowships because those are part of their financial aid packages. It's possible to get them but... you'll have to ask for the real deal.