Neist

I always found this odd. I guess it's because those emails are just too expensive to send out? They do require a measure of time. If memory serves, aren't Anthropology departments fairly competitive?

It's placeholder text used in graphic design (I'm sure in other things as well) that helps with page layout if you do not have a body of composed text yet available. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greeking That's esoteric thing I know #82. I know a lot of esoteric things.

I tell them about myself? This question never really stirred up fear in me, but I've been managing people for the last decade, so I've asked and sat through that question hundreds of times. I'm probably not the best person to answer this. Sorry. Same here. My one acceptance was very, very early. A week after the deadline, in fact, but that application had been submitted for probably a month before then. The program I was accepted into is a good program (Drexel STS), but the funding is on the weak aside, and Drexel certainly isn't a cheap school. Hope I get some funded offers, otherwise I might be stuck between taking out a lot of loans or not going to grad school. Or waiting until next cycle, I guess. Congrats! I imagine a lot of these programs read through so many applications that even they miss some of the typos. Once, when I was hiring a new batch of employees at my job, someone had left in several paragraphs of 'greeked' text in their cover letter. Whoops!

I agree! My bigger concern was whether I accurately portrayed my abilities and potential within my application materials. I spent a good deal of effort preparing them, so I think I have. Even if I did portray myself accurately, there's probably a dozen reasons why I wouldn't be accepted. Those reasons have nothing to do with me (applicant pool size, quality, etc.). Let's just hope that all of us get really lucky.

Yup. Congrats! Looks like there's updated results for a second JHU acceptance and promising-sounding email contact to Columbia. Maybe history results will start rolling out soon. Yay.

Well, the thing about advice is that you don't have to follow it, or that it's even good advice. Of course everyone should at least consider advice.

Good to hear! I even have the poverty lifestyle down. I'm drinking Taaka. It's 7 dollars per liter.

Sounds like you're in a similar situation to myself. Library school is a quirky animal. I would never suggest a MA program without experience. Experience seems to weigh quite a bit, but given how much experience both of us have, I think the degree would help us. I'm not sure how it is on the east coast, but I don't think MLIS programs tend to be overly competitive, at least no where near as competitive as other disciplines. Like I stated, I'd be shocked if I didn't get into the program I applied to. What do you mean exactly by phasing out specialties? Do they still separate technical from public service librarians? Or do you mean positions like subject catalogers?

The world of hard science graduate programs has always amazed me. I can't imagine any history program flying me out before I've even applied. Then again, in my specific sub-discipline, interviews aren't very common, either, so I save some money. I guess it has it's perks.

Tonight's menu consists of two fried eggs, a bagel, and a very, very large glass of pink gin. Mmm. Pink gin. I'm an admitted lush.

Hm? I don't think I follow. Is my interpretation screwy somewhere along the line? @cttabye I'm not sure which school you're applying to, but if it's a well-known school and a well-known program, I'd bet money that it's highly unlike they would break their commitment to the resolution. Even so, I'd definitely keep in constant contact so they know where you currently stand, as @lewin stated.

Only if they choose to adhere to their stated commitment to the resolution. So, maybe? They are supposed to, at any rate. But they aren't legally obligated to.

Hm. First, I'd look to see if the school you're applying to is on this list: http://cgsnet.org/ckfinder/userfiles/files/CGSResolution_Oct2015.pdf Read the resolution, as well. If they have agreed to follow it, I'm not sure if they're supposed to do what you say they're asking of you.

As someone who comes from a writing heavy discipline, I can tell you that there really isn't enough time during a course to thoughtfully edit a long paper. I think most faculty members realize this and give some leeway. To be completely confident in a thirty page paper, I'd have to edit it for.. dozens of hours? More than one typically is allotted at the end of a semester. Thankfully, many of my professors have afforded ample feedback and revisions, as long as they have a "final" paper by the due date listed on the syllabus. The one thing that terrifies me about writing a history dissertation isn't writing it; it's editing it. Can you imagine editing 500 pages of text? Once a paper approaches a certain size it gets difficult to maintain perspective if a specific section goes through serious revision. You nearly have to let it sit for a week or two and come back to it, rereading all sections to make sure they still agree. I shudder thinking about it.

Have you listened to Serial? If you like Making a Murderer, you should give it a listen. I'm somewhat of a podcast snob. I've been listening to close to 8 hours a day for nearly a decade, and I believe Serial is one of the finest podcasts in a number of years.

I refuse to re-read my application materials. That's inviting anxiety. Oh, I know there's errors in there. I know it. I'd also rather not know about them for a while.

History of Science and STS really is no better. But I'm glad my applications went in later. Gave me time to polish up my writing sample after the semester ended. I used my capstone paper, and I just finished it this December.

I must concur with the previous responses. I'd definitely visit school B, assuming you can afford to do so. If school A fell through for any reason, wouldn't it feel horrible if you hadn't arranged a back-up plan? Besides, school B's interview should go over really smooth if you're in no way stressed about absolutely getting into school B.

Of course I would. They'd have to dazzle me to make the absurd cost of living worth it. Now, if it was the only decent school I was accepted into, that's an entirely different matter.

Just a head's up. Your post is titled "2015 Predictions." Should it be 2016? Edit: Ah, I see where I went wrong. A little confusing, but I figured it out.

I'm a bit bored, so I'd dug up the historically-reported times which people received acceptance letters to programs I applied to. This will be a dry post. I'm not deluded to think it will not be. Cornell - Appears to be late Feb. to early March. RPI - Looks like responses are anywhere in Feb. and up to early March. Bowling Green - Late Feb., which is inline with what I've been told by the program. OU - Early to mid Feb. Guess I have a while to wait a while. I'm not necessarily stressed about my responses, but that doesn't mean I want to wait a month or more. Ergh.

To be fair, we've all probably made some horrendous, embarrassing typos at one point or another.

Part of my issue is that I fit better into Science, Technology, & Society programs over History of Science, and there's simply not many of the former. I'm applying to three, and there's maybe six dedicated graduate programs in the US? Besides Cornell, RPI, and Drexel, there's Arizona State, MIT, and... maybe that's it? I'm sure I'm missing a couple. Several schools have graduate certificates, but very few have dedicated programs. It's a very similar situation as Egyptology programs in the US, which I think we have three.

Nothing wrong with not applying to safety net schools. I really didn't, either. What's the point attending a program for years and years if you won't be happy with the result? I concluded that I'd rather reapply next cycle instead.

This has always been understanding as well. Your letters really do matter, especially if your letter writers are colleagues with your POI. As noted by others, scholars who atop their field tend to work at prestigious universities, but that's definitely not always the case. Likewise, some universities certainly have programs which are ranked far higher than their overall average. The University of Oklahoma certainly isn't among a short lists of exceptional universities, but our meteorology program is certainly world-class. I think my suspicion is that it does matter, but only because networks of scholars within top-ranked universities are more intertwined.