KTLady

Congratulations to the new generation of incredible historians admitted to those amazing institutions!! Especially with funding!! Ohhh, funding! :-) Now that your panic is alleviated, have patience with the rest of us crazies here!
 
 
Awaiting the University of Oklahoma here. Nervously awaiting a response!

Well done everyone on staying sane! And congratulations on your interview(s) KTLady!
 
I don't *think* any of my programmes interview, but I'm not taking anything for granted. Trying to desperately renew my passport this month 
 
Well... good luck to everyone with exams/thesis/marking/teaching... and fingers crossed we all get where we want to be eh?! And who knows, perhaps some of us will end up in the same place one day! (*eyes you all suspiciously*)

This is the truth: http://www.phdcomics.com/comics.php?f=1492. Professors are interested in your ideas so share them as part of "tell me about yourself."

Goldie had a really wonderful tip last year that just worked wonders for me: Before decisions roll in, take the time to breathe. Sit down with your list and think it through. Rank them and provide justifications for why School A over Z and why Z over S. And then share your list with a close friend or mentor who will keep you accountable. The point of this exercise is to be able to make a decision while your head is still clear because once decisions roll in, you will get very emotional. I did this with a colleague right when my first two decisions came in before the emotions really sit in. He kept me accountable throughout the WHOLE process (and that was like 2 1/2 months..). He reminded me every now and then why my current program was my top choice. He was my rock and helped me to keep my eyes on the road while my other offer tempted me with things I hadn't expected to see/hear/receive. So very glad for that tip, Goldie. Thank you!

Hello, all! I'm an applicant from last year, just popping my head in because I remember this experience far too well. A year ago, I was in the same boat as all of you, and it was... excruciating. The waiting, waiting, and more waiting. And then it gets even more excruciating because (if you're lucky) you have to face decisions.
 
Just wanted to stop by and say that I really wish I'd not let myself get so stressed about applications, when I was going through this. It felt like life or death, even though I knew that it wasn't. I guess I'd just like to offer a very small reminder that this is just a stressful phase, it will pass, and your value as a human being/intellectual will not be determined by the admissions decisions which should start rolling in within a couple of weeks. I wish someone would have reminded me of that more when I was in this boat -- hope this helps someone to put things in perspective.
 
Though I've gotta say, I read through part of this thread, and you all seem far less neurotic than we were this time last year. So kudos to you! And best of luck to all of you in the exciting months ahead.

Congrats on submitting the application to Oxford! It's suppose to be gorgeous - or so people keep telling me. I haven't visited yet. :/

I got an email from one of my recommenders today saying sure he'd send me the letter but he doesn't really want to. I said, in the most polite terms I could manage, "That's fine. But you have to print it on letterhead, pay international postage and it's NOT what the school WANTS". We'll see how he responds. Hopefully with an attachment and then I can submit my last app. *sigh*

Keep our heads up fellow troopers!

Congrats!
 
I just finished an entire day of interviews (SEVEN!) at a prospective school.
 
I reviewed questions from various websites I found by googling "grad school interview tips", but the whole strengths/weaknesses-career goals-extracurricular activities-most influential book-stuff never came up.
 
I'd practice:
 
"So tell me about yourself."
 
"Why did you apply to ____? How are you a 'good fit'?"
 
"How did you become interested in ______?"
 
"How does your interest in ____ provoke questions about the larger topic of _____?"
 
AND definitely:
 
"Do you have any questions?" <---you'll hear this a million times! Prepare a substantial list. One of my 15-minute "interviews" was just an open Q&A, so be ready to do some interrogating yourself
 
Of course, I had seven 15-minute interviews and rarely made it through all of the questions above with each prof before our time was up; you might have a longer interview and want to prep for other "fluffy" questions. But I'd definitely recommend running through these ones so you can answer confidently and concisely under all the pressure you'll inevitably feel.
 
Finally, I'd bring a water bottle, an extra copy of your CV, a list of questions, a nice padfolio, printouts of the dept website info (to quickly match names with faces, make sure you're not asking questions covered on the website, etc.), and a campus map.
 
Strike a power pose (http://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are.html) and you'll be set!
 
Best of luck, and congrats on making it this far

Congrats!
 
I just finished an entire day of interviews (SEVEN!) at a prospective school.
 
I reviewed questions from various websites I found by googling "grad school interview tips", but the whole strengths/weaknesses-career goals-extracurricular activities-most influential book-stuff never came up.
 
I'd practice:
 
"So tell me about yourself."
 
"Why did you apply to ____? How are you a 'good fit'?"
 
"How did you become interested in ______?"
 
"How does your interest in ____ provoke questions about the larger topic of _____?"
 
AND definitely:
 
"Do you have any questions?" <---you'll hear this a million times! Prepare a substantial list. One of my 15-minute "interviews" was just an open Q&A, so be ready to do some interrogating yourself
 
Of course, I had seven 15-minute interviews and rarely made it through all of the questions above with each prof before our time was up; you might have a longer interview and want to prep for other "fluffy" questions. But I'd definitely recommend running through these ones so you can answer confidently and concisely under all the pressure you'll inevitably feel.
 
Finally, I'd bring a water bottle, an extra copy of your CV, a list of questions, a nice padfolio, printouts of the dept website info (to quickly match names with faces, make sure you're not asking questions covered on the website, etc.), and a campus map.
 
Strike a power pose (http://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are.html) and you'll be set!
 
Best of luck, and congrats on making it this far

Congrats!
 
I just finished an entire day of interviews (SEVEN!) at a prospective school.
 
I reviewed questions from various websites I found by googling "grad school interview tips", but the whole strengths/weaknesses-career goals-extracurricular activities-most influential book-stuff never came up.
 
I'd practice:
 
"So tell me about yourself."
 
"Why did you apply to ____? How are you a 'good fit'?"
 
"How did you become interested in ______?"
 
"How does your interest in ____ provoke questions about the larger topic of _____?"
 
AND definitely:
 
"Do you have any questions?" <---you'll hear this a million times! Prepare a substantial list. One of my 15-minute "interviews" was just an open Q&A, so be ready to do some interrogating yourself
 
Of course, I had seven 15-minute interviews and rarely made it through all of the questions above with each prof before our time was up; you might have a longer interview and want to prep for other "fluffy" questions. But I'd definitely recommend running through these ones so you can answer confidently and concisely under all the pressure you'll inevitably feel.
 
Finally, I'd bring a water bottle, an extra copy of your CV, a list of questions, a nice padfolio, printouts of the dept website info (to quickly match names with faces, make sure you're not asking questions covered on the website, etc.), and a campus map.
 
Strike a power pose (http://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are.html) and you'll be set!
 
Best of luck, and congrats on making it this far

Yeah I thought it sounded a little ridiculous....

I think the rumor stemmed from the fact that English is his second language, which affects his grammar in anything he writes (such as an LOR). I would think this is the same as any other language barrier from a foreign language professor though and wouldn't make the LOR worth any less. Just wanted to double check....Thanks everyone!

Sigaba may not have said directly that race/gender should not be mentioned in the personal statement, but I think the OP is responding to other posters on the thread that actually have made this argument...there has been some suggestion that the inclusion of one's background doesn't belong in something so formal as the personal statement or the academic talk. Some have even pointed to the inclusion of one's identity as controversial and over the top. So, I disagree that the OP's argument was misplaced.

I also don't think the OP was suggesting that someone like a white male couldn't study African American history....the OP was only stating that his research interest is strongly linked to his personal background, and that he has a personal stake in what he is studying. However, I do agree that anyone can study this field and anyone can have the passion for it.

ok, gotcha. I didn't say the OP's argument was misplaced, but the heated discussion born out of the mere assumption over Sigiba's post. Sigiba was told he/she should remove the post, and that request was as provocative and controversial, I think, as Sigiba's original statement.

I actually applaud the OP's goals and posts and don't disagree with his original post. I'm actually responding to the arguments that, again, are based on assumptions and misunderstandings.

Understood, definitely. I was one of the posters who did have a problem with Sigaba's post, given that it did nothing to help the OP in my opinion. I did see his/her post as going on an assumption that the OP was somehow trying to use his race/gender as an additional qualification rather than just assuming that the OP was just trying to give basic information.

While I did initially come off strong, and perhaps did get a bit too passionate, I did ask in another post if Sigaba could clarify his/her initial statement and apologized if I did misinterpret it. However, instead of clarifying, he/she sought to argue that I didn't belong on this thread since I am not in a History program, as if none of my advice or expertise was valuable. That Sigaba couldn't simply just clarify and continued to have an accusatory tone ( and also even proceeded to argue that anyone who does have a problem with the tone of his/her posts wasn't cut out for academia) just confirmed for me that he/she intended to be inflammatory with the initial post. I do agree with you that one shouldn't assume things about a poster from his/her comments, but Sigaba's comment was way too brief and blunt...and it left people wondering what the poster was trying to get at with that kind of statement and tone...especially when someone seems to be asking for genuine advice.

I am the last person who has a problem talking about issues of race/gender/identity...I go into these issues on a regular basis as a minority and one who does research in African American studies. However, I just don't think that the OP intended to have this discussion focused on him being a black male. He was asking about his qualifications and went on to talk about possible professors he could work with. I came upon this post because of the OP's research topic, and I was actually looking forward to reading the discussions about the field of African American history in this thread.

But to end my rambling, talking about race and gender can be a touchy subject, and again, while we shouldn't quickly make assumptions based on someone's post, I do think posters do have the responsibility to be as clear as possible when commenting on such touchy subjects so such misinterpretations can be avoided. And I do apologize for initially getting on the defense with Sigaba's post. As other posters mentioned, there is a reason why minorities do have their identities at the forefront, I did understand what the poster was doing on a personal level. I do hope that there does come a time that mentioning one's race/gender/sexuality doesn't always have to be seen as controversial, provocative, or politically motivated. The OP simply was proud of his background and wasn't afraid to let that be known.

@Sigaba: I too offer useful guidance, and no, I don't see these threads as a "playground"....I find that remark insulting to my aim to help others and my expertise/experience. You are not the only one with an agenda to help others. Like I had said earlier, I actually came across this thread by entering African American studies into the search forum...and luckily I spotted SBP's thread. I actually never posted on the History sub-forum, but I figured I could help SBP out given that I do study African American history. Fields are not as rigid as you think they are....yes, I am in English, but I could never understand African American literature without being grounded in African American history. Again, you can continue to state the obvious that I am not in History....however, I am sure I have as much to offer as someone who did specialize in History as an undergraduate and continues to study African American history at the graduate level. If you took the time to read my posts carefully and see where I am coming from,instead of automatically discounting what I am saying, you wouldn't have overlooked my background.


@ SBP...I will be rooting for you, glad to see that you will stick to your principles.

ok, gotcha. I didn't say the OP's argument was misplaced, but the heated discussion born out of the mere assumption over Sigiba's post. Sigiba was told he/she should remove the post, and that request was as provocative and controversial, I think, as Sigiba's original statement.

I actually applaud the OP's goals and posts and don't disagree with his original post. I'm actually responding to the arguments that, again, are based on assumptions and misunderstandings.

ok, gotcha. I didn't say the OP's argument was misplaced, but the heated discussion born out of the mere assumption over Sigiba's post. Sigiba was told he/she should remove the post, and that request was as provocative and controversial, I think, as Sigiba's original statement.

I actually applaud the OP's goals and posts and don't disagree with his original post. I'm actually responding to the arguments that, again, are based on assumptions and misunderstandings.

I don't know how telling this forum really is in the need for more research... conversations not face-to-face can (obviously) lead to false assumptions and misunderstandings. For example, Sigiba simply asking about the OP's mentioning of race/sex in the very first line (one can argue, a prominent position in a post) can be interpreted differently. It may have been meant to offend, or it may have just been a curious observation; only Sigiba truly knows. And Sigiba never said OP shouldn't mention his race and sex in his SoP, so that argument was misplaced.

I have a feeling that if I started a post with "I'm a white female" that some people might wonder about it. It's totally my prerogative and there's absolutely nothing wrong with it, but I know that it might strike some people as an unusual opening sentence (unusual, however, doesn't mean "bad"!) My left-handedness is a defining characteristic I think is pretty cool, and I know if I mention it as an opening on here that people will ask... fine with me : ) I'll reply. Like ZeeMore said, I, like everyone else, have the right to identify myself any way I'd like.

Just as Zeemore has the right to post on this history forum, though not a history grad student, Sigiba can ask a question and shouldn't be pressured to remove it simply because others may have misunderstood it.

And any passionate scholar, including white males, can contribute important work in the study of African American women (though personal connections ARE awesome, I agree).

Good luck on applications : )

others can advise you on specific people to work with much better than i can, because this is outside my field, but i'll throw this out there for anyone:

i am not sure how wise it is to mention personal details or life history as a motivation for subject of study in your SOP. i'm not saying it's bad, i'm saying i'm definitely not sure if it's a positive or a negative. some professors and programs probably like to see some sort of personal connection between the applicant and the topic, but in my limited experience in grad school (two years in), saying "this is important to me because it's part of my family history" is usually taken as a negative in an SOP. not because we shouldn't or can't have those personal connections, but because it seems unprofessional and less serious than "i hope to contribute to and alter this historiographical debate."

i've seen far more applications crash and burn on the "this is my personal history" SOPs than i've seen succeed. that's not to say you can't mention it in an SOP or that it's a death knell, but... i think the more cautious approach is to include that sort of information in private conversations with PAs and to leave it out of the SOP itself. just my two cents on that.

as far as the OP identifying himself, i took sigaba's comment to mean that it was interesting that the OP chose to identify himself at all. those details don't change any of the advice or the shape of his project or his desired academic aims. at the same time, most of these threads are filled with superfluous information. to the OP in particular, there are probably university fellowships reserved for minority applicants (i know this is the case in my own program) so i think mentioning race and/or gender should occur somewhere in your application so that you're eligible for these, but i would strongly avoid including this information in your SOP. you can study the impact of the civil war on black women's rights while being black, white, male, female, etc. my sense is, again from my own limited experience, that adcoms will react to the inclusion of this material in your SOP more like sigaba did ("why is this information relevant?") than how many others have.

so... in sum... any personal or identity-related connections to anyone's topic are valid and legitimate and probably worth mentioning in an informal setting, but i'd strongly discourage including any of this information in an SOP.

And also...I doubt that if the OP did decide to include his background in a personal statement that he would start his personal statement the way he started his original post. There are ways to discuss your background creatively and intellectually in your personal statement, where you are drawing interesting connections between your background and your research interests.

And Strangelight, I definitely do understand what you are trying to say...I just think that Sigaba came off very rude. Race and gender actually took up one short line in the OP's initial post...there was no reason to accuse the OP of filling up his entire post with his identity. That clearly isn't true. If Sigaba was actually curious about why the OP introduced himself the way he did, there could have been a non-accusatory way of asking a question...and I am sure the OP could have provided an explanation if he wanted to.

ZeeMore21--
A key question that aspiring historians on this BB might ask themselves is: "What are you doing to build your identity as a credible professional academic historian?" Subordinate questions include: "Is your expertise in a field going to be based upon the work you've done or on your gender and skin color?"

If aspiring historians decide to address questions such as these, they will soon realize that they will most likely not receive direct guidance from established professionals on how to answer. Many of you will find that opportunities to receive hands-on / behind closed door mentoring from tenured professors will prove to be the exception than the rule of your coming experiences. Many of you will find that your professors will allowed you to make otherwise avoidable mistakes. They will do so for reasons ranging from teaching philosophy, to disinterest, to dislike, to legitimate ethical reasons, and to the fact that sometimes, older adults like to watch younger adults fumble around looking for the light switch. (Once you find the light switch, you will have the option of telling others where it is or letting them find it for themselves.)

Consequently, much of your professional training will thus require you to pay close attention to how established historians do things. In my experiences, I've not encountered a professional academic historian in any field who uses gender and race as the lead indicators of expertise or as qualifications. These experiences include: undergraduate and graduate coursework, and reading academic journals, monographs, and dissertations. I've also interviewed established historians in support of historiographical research, attended endowed lectures, "book talks," and attended invitation-only "job talks." (These invitations should come as you advance along in a program.) I've also had the good fortune of having excellent mentors (and the misfortune of having one really bad one).

Yes, historians do talk about the overlap between their personal experiences and their professional development, most notably in introductory graduate seminars on historiography, closed door conversations, published interviews, and in autobiographies/memoirs. Even then, such comments do not come anywhere close to being the leading point as they are in the OP.

Insofar as some members of this BB taking umbrage with my perceived tone, I say "How about that." Those members of this BB who make it into a graduate history program will find themselves in an environment of intense debate. They will find themselves in wide-ranging conversations that focus on all aspects of history and historiography. These conversations will include what one studies and why as well as what a historian says and how he says it. (I know of a highly reputable historian who was not offered an endowed professorship in no small part because faculty members of the hiring department took exception with his use of a single word in a presentation.)

Consequently, if a direct question about why someone describes himself a certain way strikes you as too strident, you may want to reconsider your field of study. Otherwise, you might prepare yourself for the possibility that, somewhere along the line, someone is going to ask you a question you dislike, you don't understand, you don't know how to answer, or you don't find relevant. How you address that question (or avoid answering that question) is going to shape how others regard you as a historian.

I actually don't believe I need to rethink what field I am in, I will be just fine. Yes, I do find connections between my identity and what I study, and I also have the academic credentials to establish myself in my field.

Like I said in the post you just quoted, I was curious as to why you felt that race and identity "figured so prominently" in the OP's post...though the OP only mentioned it briefly. I thought your statement was a gross generalization of the OP's post. The main point of the OP's post was to ask for advice about his qualifications, perhaps he used his identity and gender as a simple introduction....I have seen countless posts on this forum where posters new to GradCafe introduce themselves giving basic, personal information.

To add on to what you just said, I also think that how you ask a question is just as important.

ZeeMore21--
You have, again, misread a post. My comments were directed at those members of this BB who want to study history at the graduate level in a history department. (Hence, my emphasis on the word "history".)
Why are you offering advice/guidance in a forum for history and in a thread asking about admissions to a doctoral program in history?
Is it your actual experience that getting into a doctoral program in English is the same as getting into one in history?
Do the conventions on an internet BB translate into the 'best practices' of professional academic history?

Given that your last post was headed with "Zeemore," I understood your entire post as directed toward me, my mistake.

Given that this is a public forum, I can give advice anywhere I feel like I am able to. It is because I disagree with you that you now have an issue with me being in a field outside of History...and you have yet to explain why you made such a generalization of the OP's post. Because the OP is studying African American history, and I study this in combination with African American cultural studies, yes, I am qualified to give advice.Because I am familiar with the professors the OP mentioned, again, I thought I could be helpful. And since I have had a successful admissions year, I am very eager to give any tips I can to help others in any way. Obviously, people don't have to take my advice if they don't think it would be helpful, but that doesn't mean I won't give advice in the first place. I actually don't see how my advice is less helpful than yours, if we can even call that your initial post advice in the first place. I responded directly to what the OP was asking. I don't think you would disagree with advice I gave in a previous post to the OP, that one's personal statement and writing sample is important. Whether it is a English graduate program or a History graduate program, this is advice can be helpful.

I am not saying that what is found on this forum is the model for how one should conduct themselves in an academic setting. However, I do understand that this is pretty much an informal setting, and people usually let down their guard here.

re


Not trying to come off rude, but because you weren't on any of the admissions committee that rejected me, I don't think you can assume that it must have been my inclusion of my heritage that was the root cause....i am hinting that you are trying to imply that. If so, I kind of take offense to you using my rejections as a way to prove that identity must be hidden in a application. If I am misinterpreting what you are trying to say, then I do apologize.

This issue definitely makes me think of racial privilege in this country...anyone who doesn't fit the white/male mold always has to hide who they are just to make the privileged group feel "more comfortable." And again, I really don't understand why, because someone mentions their race/gender, they are trying to be controversial or trying to make a political statement. What about someone including their identity because they are proud of it? What about someone including their identity because they are trying to be truthful to themselves and those around them? I think it is those that automatically feel uncomfortable and accusatory when issues or gender or race arise that need to do some introspection.

Like I said in my post, my background was definitely a foundation for my intellectual and academic development....my background as a child of West African immigrants did spur my decision to study black migration studies. That is definitely not anything that has to be hidden to make someone else feel better about themselves.

you have misread my post, perhaps intentionally. you can fight a strawman if you want to, i won't stop you.

If I have misread your post, I do apologize. If you could clarify your statement, that would be helpful. I don't know how I am misreading your post intentionally, I genuinely was confused by it. Like I said it seemed as though you were trying to draw some connection between my rejections and the argument at hand and I was looking for some clarification. The reason why I brought up my admissions season in the first place was not to point out that my success proves that it is okay to include racial/gender identity in one's personal statement....I was only suggesting that I could be of help to the OP despite not being in a History doctoral program. With this in mind, I was really confused by what you were trying to suggest by bringing up my school rejections.



If you look back at my post, I said that if I misinterpreted your text, than I do apologize. But again, it looked like you were trying to make a connection between my school rejections to the fact that an incorporation of my heritage may have alienated someone on the admissions committee.