DartmouthTrav

Didn't get in. Got a really nice letter from POI. Stings like hell though. I have to wait another cycle to begin phd. ugh.

No I didn't post about an interview. I met with faculty early on. I saw that one though and another in the English dept who claimed that they got a yes already from English AND Renaissance. The DGS said that Renaissance was last to decide out of all the YGSAS depts. So I don't know how the English person was able to already know. When that leaves decision notification for all else is still a mystery to me. Best luck to you though! I hope we both make it! Travis

Hi there, It's a serious question you ask and one that I was not entirely prepared for entering Dartmouth. Thankfully my wife and I worked out a system whereby I would go to classes / library like I would a job. When I came home I was Dad. It was very hard to try to do work for my masters while trying to stay active as a father. We lived in Dartmouth's grad family housing and there were spaces in the neighborhood that allotted study space outside of each unit. There was so much reading I did as a History student that time with family and school did end up overlapping. In those cases I treated it like I was casually reading on any other "normal" day not in school, but my kids were priority. I also ended up traveling overseas to Oxford for a summer. THAT was difficult but FaceTime / Skype is a gem that shouldn't be overlooked. Also time with grandparents helped in my absence. All in all it's doable if you make your work and your family two separate things and afford yourself ample time for being a parent as well as a student. Learn to shut off the student when your child really needs you and conversely ....learn to late-night-cram your ass off. I wrote 40 page papers in one sitting while my family slept. Yes I was a waste the next day and I edited and re-editied, but the bulk was accomplished by a pot of coffee and some serious work ethic. In truth, I found being a parent of an 8 and 3 yr old prepared me better for sleepless nights and the ability to work through being sick or tired or frustrated. Nothing EVER compared to a screaming colicky baby, so I felt good about my mental endurance throughout it all. Simply: parents make damn good students. I ended up with all A's in every class. It meant more at this phase of life and being a Dad provided a daily perspective for why it was important to do my absolute best every time. Good luck to you !!

I just heard that 34 applied and only 3 are chosen this year - down from 5 last year. *the sound of dice rolling* Any one of those other 34 on here?

I look at QS and Times Higher Ed rankings for world ranks. US NEWS only considers the American school model and isn't (frankly) worth a damn to the rest of the globe. It paints a skewed picture honestly. It puts some of the Ivy Leage colleges in the top ten when they wouldn't make the top 100 globally. As far as worth of them I'd say look at what you plan to do with your degree. If you wish to teach in the USA you should aim for top 20 institutions. Most colleges out there will search to staff their faculties with the members of top 20 universities. But you can still work at a uni without needing to review rankings. If you do original work and find a way to interact with the field (members in other universities that are top scholars) then you will remain relevant and seen as such. The school's rep only extends so far. But if you are motivated and engaged with current scholars that are in you particular field you should be way way better off. It's bold and gutsy to do this but if you reach out without ego and in an inquisitive and respectful manner you may be surprised how readily available some profs and leader scholars are. The rank then of your institution comes second to your own motivations and work produced. Cheers.

Hello, I just received my Masters from Dartmouth College at age 35. I was surrounded by top notch ivy league students more than 10 years younger than me and was in some classes with 18yr olds. The expectation was for me to present myself more like the professors do but with a focused and flawless study ethic, as their thoughts were that undergrads and some grad students would look to me to see how to behave and what the academic standard was. In turn I was able to navigate the students and faculty equally with some ease. I even went for beers with some profs. My Undergrad was finished in 2002 so I had more than 10yrs off from any school. I found that EVERYTHING was easier than it was during my own undergrad. My focus was wholly on getting top grades and I did. Pounding out 40 page papers was difficult (I won't lie) but I was able to do it twice every term for 6 terms including a symposium and a study abroad to Oxford. I ended up with excellent recommendations and serious research experience. I got into Oxford's Exeter College last fall and declined late due to extreme expense. Now looking to Yale or Brown for PhD this cycle.

Hello, I'm a current applicant to the Renaissance / History combined PhD at Yale. I'm interested in others' experiences, thoughts, the admission process, and time of results etc. Cheers and good luck to all!

I'm also awaiting word on PhD app. I applied to Renaissance / History so things may be a bit different I hear. From the looks of previous year results, decisions went out (in the affirmative) around 20th February. Rejections seemed to come out afterward. I am chomping at the bit to know. I met with Head of Grad Studies and another relevant faculty member, had numerous emails and phone conversations. This is my second attempt at admissions. Last year I was denied at Yale but I gained admission to Oxford ....which was strange to say... I chose to not go to Ox due to extreme expense with children. So, this year I really hope it works out at Yale. Any thoughts as to the process for Renaissance / History (combined PhD) would be greatly appreciated. Feel free to follow on Twitter as well. (@travisshores1)

Thanks for the clarification. I have only ever met or spoken with faculty prior to applications, so that I know if it is a good match and worth my time applying. Figuring out that piece after applying is foreign to me and probably the source of my confusion. Cheers all and good luck to everyone!

I see a few PhD results stating that people have an interview scheduled...or got an interview via email...or something else? What exactly is this? No narrative was associated with these posts. Can someone clear up what this means? I would love to know if there is the need for a future interview or is there some form of written interview that folks are getting. It's really unclear. I've only ever got a YES or NO email link.