betsy303

Also, for what its worth the ranking game is ridiculous. It doesn't really take into account student outcomes, funding situations, and satisfaction. This list seems more comparable to the one US News came out in 2013 for history programs. Also, one should look at related departments for a potential doctoral minor. A place like UW-Madison has the Nelson Institute and a killer history program. This could be helpful for someone interested in performing historical analysis. Even smaller department like WashU have some really fascinating folks working at them as well...its a shame it comes down to these ranking politics. One program's strength is another weakness. Stay nice kids.

Dear Megan Mullarky, This is not to say that you should write them off. Programs such as Northwestern, USC, and UC Santa Barbara, are just as competitive. There are some other programs out there to me that seem less competitive, you might want to check out then. You will need to make sure you have other strengths in your program to stand out as well - like a demonstrated proficiency in a few other languages, a senior thesis, and advanced research skills. I think more than anything, a solid statement of purpose with a thesis project in mind would be helpful to you as well. You should nonetheless get moving fast, since application season is right around the corner....