Gambaosaka1

Yeah, I think most of us here are in the same boat. I am sure you will get in...you just wish the acceptance letter would come before the rejection! I spread my net wiiiiide as hell: Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, Princeton, Wisconsin, Michigan Ann-Arbor, UC SB (EALC), IU-B, UNC Chapel Hill, Cornell, UW Seattle and UCLA-East Asian Studies (MA-acceptance). UCLA and UNC based on my research area are my top choices. Both professors are UCLA were interested in my research but the Japanese historian felt that my Japanese wouldn't be good enough to start a PhD there and recommended a funded MA. It is a great option that I am considering seriously despite the fact I already have an MA in Japanese Studies. At UNC I had a 50 minute informal Skype interview with my POI which went great and I would love to go there. He said final decisions come out 3rd week of Feb. He was really nice and we seemed to get along...I really hope I get in there with funding, it would be brilliant.

They would all be great places to go. Good luck with the others...with your profile I am sure you will get some positive results soon.

Sorry to hear that! I am still waiting on columbia and the others to start rejecting me. Where else did you apply? good luck

I have the same thing.

congrats

It sounds brilliant. I've been a few times and really liked the look and feel of the place. My brother lives in Indy and and has taught a few classes there + know quite of a few of my friends who studied there (one is actually a graduate student at the moment). In all honesty, I haven't really met anyone who went there who didn't speak highly of the experience of studying there. Despite my brother living there and being a hardcore Hoosier now, Bloomington is probably the only place I would like to live in that State (no offense to any Hoosiers out there).

Haha, thanks. How are you enjoying life as a graduate student? And life in Bloomington in general? It's a gorgeous campus.

Thanks again! I emailed my POI 5/6 months back and he responded positively saying he liked my idea but maybe we should have a phone conversation to discuss things further and asked if I was in the US. I was in the UK but said I could still arrange a time. He never got back and was on research leave I think at the time. I don't mind him not getting back at all but I am hoping that wasn't a bad sign. I didn't want to bug him too much so left it at that. I am over-thinking it aren't I?

Sorry, I'm on crack. "History and Philosophy of Science" have had a couple of notifications not History PhD! Phew

@catandcarves when do you think everyone will hear back re IUB? I know some have already got in. Cheers!

Damn! Well I hope you get yours today then. Good luck

I know some universities (at least) have periods between acceptances. I am guessing the ones that are dead-certs get in at the beginning and then there is another wave of acceptances after further committee meetings and then wait-lists. So I am guessing the bulk will go out in a couple of weeks. Curious to hear what the others think.

Good luck!

Hey, I have an MA as well in (Japanese Studies) although I will probably be somewhere between N3 and N2 (closer to the former in all honesty by the fall of 2015). I am currently enrolled in an immersive language course in Tokyo. I would love to work with Prof Marotti (and Nile Green, the South Asian historian, in the future) which is the real reason I am considering another MA (if fully funded of course). Although I have also applied to 11 PhD programs as well and have so far had an interview with UNC (the other place where the faculty fit is great for my research). Good luck with everything.

Hey! I was told to switch before application as they said my language proficiency wouldn't be at the level required for a PhD but a funded MA would get me there. Might see you there! What is your area if you don't mind me asking?

Congrats to all the Stanford admits! I applied but haven't heard back. I could try and convince myself it is because I am abroad and cannot be contacted via phone atm but not sure it would work. Not a good fit with the dept. and it is tough as hell getting in there. Hope you all love it!

Cheers! Got into the one MA program I went for (UCLA)...still waiting on funding details. I was told I'd be "in line for recruitment funding" so fingers crossed that comes through! Congrats on being 3/3! Guessing you are far less anxious now than you were a few weeks ago eh?

This is a bit late but I am starting to get nervous about this year so am stalking these pages religiously. My area is Modern Japanese History and have spread my net pretty wide: UNC- Chapel Hill, U Wisconsin-Madison, IU-Bloomington, UWA, Cornell, Harvard, Stanford, Princeton, Columbia, UCSB (EALC), UCLA (EAST ASIAN STUDIES MA, after advice from POI there), and Michigan Ann-Arbor. So far: just a long informal Skype conversation with my POI at UNC which went great. Emailed 5 POIs prior to applying and got great responses from them all re my project/profile but I know loads of people get that. Not sure how I am going to be survive this wait!

Hi, I have been working on my SOP to study (East Asian) History and was wondering if anyone would be able to review my current draft for me by any chance? I am assuming PM'ing it to people would be better than just posting the whole thing here? I would really appreciate the help from History graduates/former graduates in particular.

Sorry, I mean the applications for MEXT 2015 open April this year not next year.

That is something I have considered but not really looked at closely as of yet. I am up for keeping all my options open...I have started emailing professors in Japan that are looking into similar research to me in case I have to go for the MEXT scholarship. I think the applications for the 2015 scholarship open (April) after the decisions from US universities come out. Have to look into that properly, will start reading into MEXT guidelines soon. Although I find the Tokugawa period fascinating my area of interest is in migration into Japan 1980s-present. I am assuming this is regarding the need for understanding Classical Japanese? I am assuming it is even tougher than modern Japanese. Is that right?

@maeldoin and kyjin Thank you for the advice. And no need to apologise or feel bad...I am here looking for views from those who are in the same situation, or have been in the past. And this is all helpful...not looking for cheerleaders! Please send over any other books you think I should get for self-study. I met up with a former professor of mine the other day and his perspective is that language is not the most important aspect for US universities. He thinks the "story" in the SOP is the most crucial along with recommendation letters, followed by the writing sample and then language and GREs. While he is working here in the UK, he has taught in the US and goes back there quite often. That is not to say that I do not need to work on my language! He thinks my plan of looking to apply at the end of this year for 2015 is right. While I should have a better chance in 2016/2017, it would be good preparation and he says some departments may not be as worried about language as others because, unlike here in the UK, you get a lot more time. Despite all that, I doubt I will get in anywhere in 2015 but considering I left my job to focus on a PhD, I might as well put in some applications. @elisewin: I've moved back to the UK this month and spend about half my time in London commuting in from my parents place. It would be great to get your thoughts over some tea. Shall send you a message now with my email to see if we can work out a time that works.

Thevillagersid No, that makes sense. I think you have answered the question already but would 2 months of self study, 6 month immersive/intensive course, followed by 5 months of nothing but self study get me anywhere near upper intermediate level you think? As my year leading up to (assuming by some miracle I get in somewhere) uni starting I will be doing nothing but focusing on Japanese. Then followed by spending summers of my university time in Japan learning the language too hopefully. I will look into Fullbright to see if that might fit. I was thinking of applying to MEXT scholarships and Japan Foundation grants as backup in case I don't get what I want for 2015 admissions. Not sure I have the money to fund too much more than 6 months study in Japan. Thanks for the advice and good luck with the Korean.

@elisewin I am hoping I can reach intermediate level by April 2015 and departments will think that I should be able to get to the level I need by the end of the 2nd year. Not sure they would want to risk it though as there must be 100s of candidates. Good luck with the applications. At one point I was thinking of casting my net incredibly wide and go for 10-15 programs but I think I might cut that down to something like: Harvard, Princeton, IU-Bloomington, UC-Berkeley, Chicago, and Duke along with adding a couple more realistic options as back up. I'm wondering though whether I should give myself more of a chance and go for 2016 instead. I see you got into Ohio State. I might check out their Japanese History program too. Good luck with the rest...must be nice to know you are definitely in somewhere for this year.

Thanks for the response, that is really helpful. I am going to go for an immersive Japanese language school in Tokyo (October 2014-April 2015). That would mean I would only be two months into the course. Could I lie and tell there where I think I will end up in terms or proficiency? I am fluent in a South Asian language but that won't help me here though! What is your view on whether journalism experience? I was told by a couple of academics that it would look good but I wasn't sure whether I should look at it as a positive or negative/neutral?