MaytheSchwartzBeWithYou

Exponential, I think perhaps you and a few other posters here are misreading my understanding of the applications process, as well as my expectations (this isn't my first applications rodeo, and I have an MA, so I know how to work with an advisor - I wrote my thesis with minimal advising). I recognize it's finals season and he doesn't have a lot of time to talk with me, and I appreciated that he reached out to me at all (I actually wasn't complaining that I didn't get enough attention - it's how he handled it that was the issue, not that he flaked). I in no way expect to be a priority for this person - I simply expect common courtesy. I think some posters here forget this isn't the first time I've interacted with him, so I have more experience with him than most people applying for a doctoral program. Honestly, this isn't a top-tier school we're talking about, so I don't think I'm jumping to any particular conclusions when I say his ego is over-inflated (I'm also not the only person that had that impression). Honestly, as some of you have said, deciding on this issue is partly personal choice - it depends on what you feel is right for you. I very much appreciate everyone's responses, especially so quickly. Listening to other perspectives has solidified my decision.

Hi all, I'm having an issue deciding whether to apply to a certain school, and though I probably already know the answer, I thought I'd reach out here and get other thoughts. I've been getting a vibe from a potential advisor at one of my prospective doctoral programs - namely, that he is full of himself and is likely difficult to work with. He is an acquaintance of mine, though I use the term loosely, as he couldn't be bothered to speak to me, or most other people, really, at a panel in which we both participated (I was a master's student at the time). However, I really admire his work and it fits well with my research direction. Additionally, I love the structure and philosophy of the department, and there is at least one other person who could potentially advise me. Long story short, I had a phone conversation with this person about a month ago, in which it seemed he hadn't bothered to read the materials he had asked me to send him, after he had twice flaked on the call entirely (he told me he was extremely busy). He wasn't rude on the call, and in fact answered all of my questions, but it was not at all what I anticipated the conversation to be. This and my other past experience with him have made me seriously question whether to apply to this school, especially since my understanding of application etiquette is that I can't just contact another faculty member if I'm not feeling the first person I contacted. While I want to be understanding about how busy professors are and don't want to make too many assumptions, I do NOT want to spend six to ten years of my life tethered to an advisor with whom I personally clash, regardless of how I feel about their scholarship. On the other hand, I'm torn as to whether that's enough for me to turn town a possible opportunity to study with someone who is contributing great work to my field. I haven't yet contacted the other person I could work with out of respect for this guy, and the application for this school is due VERY soon (I've really been hesitating to drop the school). Do you have any advice as to whether I should apply anyway, and if/how I might go about indicating I'd like to work with someone OTHER than the person I contacted? Thanks in advance!

No prob! It's still a great school. The collections you'd have access to...

Hey Brown_eyed, As a fellow humanities scholar struggling with writing the opening paragraphs of my SoP, I'm getting very confused about the best way to do so, as I have read conflicting advice (all of which claims to be successful). Any advice on how to make an opening paragraph like yours stand out? Thanks!

Just a small note, the highest degree awarded at the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) is an MA (oh, how I wish that weren't true).

Yes, that's why I said "if ANY of them are useful to an adcomm." :-) I've personally heard/read specifically that math scores are completely ignored, so - I suppose it depends on your sources. Either way, the GRE is by far one of the least important components of your application, with few school exceptions. I was simply trying to offer encouragement to the OP and anyone who hasn't taken the test. I also didn't have to buy an ETS book to practice the written part of the exam - you can download the topics directly off the ETS website for free.

Thank you, aherne and qwer7890, for your comments! (My apologies, I don't seem to be getting "pinged" when I get a response). As usual, I am probably over-thinking this. I will take your suggestions to heart. :-)

Thanks, artman! How is your first semester going? I'm feeling good about this year so far - applying to nine schools and am already getting some responses to emails. However, I have a lot of work ahead!

I agree with theartman. :-) What was your score on the written portion, may I ask? Of the three sections (if ANY of them are useful to an adcomm), I would say that's the most important because it shows your ability to reason, understand information and form a solid thesis statement and argument. I was terrified of the written portion at first, since I'm an anxious test-taker, but if you practice the writing ahead of time it just sort of happens automatically when you have to do it for real. For anyone who hasn't taken the test, I would highly recommend downloading the list of potential topics from the GRE website and challenging yourself to write a full essay (including a quick pre-writing outline) within the time limit. If you do 2-4 of these a day for a few weeks before the test, you should feel a lot better!

Hi all, I'm applying for doctoral programs, including one in Canada, and have been sending out email inquiries to potential advisors stating my overall research interests, etc. I received a fast, promising response from a university in Canada (one of my top choices) stating the professor is interested in my research in principle, but would like to see a research proposal (if I have one) and an outline of what I've already read, etc. This is something of a surprise to me, as I was under the impression you should not be too specific at this stage - it's important to leave room for your potential future school to have input in your project. While I have some good overall ideas of what I want to research and could certainly see myself writing a proposal, I have not yet compiled a bibliography or a specific thesis statement. I also plan in my doctoral research to expand my work in Jewish art, which was my Master's thesis field, to include African American works, which is a new area for me (so I don't have a ton of experience there yet). I had thought the soonest I would need a specific project outline would be my dissertation proposal. I'm feeling a lot of pressure to make this great, but don't want to overthink it! I also have a fair amount of work left to do on my applications themselves. I don't want to keep this person waiting for a response for too long, and am considering responding that while I don't have something readily available, I am happy to put something together if they will allow me a bit of time. Does this seem like a good response? Have any of you written a research proposal for admissions before, and if so, do you have any advice about length/content/etc.? I Googled it and found some good overall outlines, but I'm concerned there are art history-specific expectations I might be missing in using these formats. Thanks in advance for your advice!

Hi all, I'm planning to submit a book chapter proposal next month, which asks for a 500-word abstract and my CV (doesn't seem so bad, right?). While I've previously written abstracts for my Masters thesis and various presentations, this is my first time submitting an abstract specifically for publication, and I'm guessing the presentation of my concept may be a bit different from other types of abstracts. Can anyone offer good resources and/or tips for writing such an abstract? If it's helpful, my field is art history and the publication deals with representations of memory/commemoration in museums, media, and popular culture. Thanks in advance! Schwartz

I'd like to add that while I'd prefer to get into a "top-tier" program as much as the next art historian (mostly because of bias - real or perceived - toward scholars from lower-tier schools), school rankings really AREN'T everything, particularly if specialists in your sub-field are few and far between. In such cases, working with someone who practices and publishes in your research expertise is just as important, if not more important, than attending a top-ten school. Attempting to convince a POI your specific research interests will align with theirs when they really don't, just because you both happen to be modernists with marginally similar interests, will likely not get you into a PhD program. Would I like to list Princeton or whatever on my resume? Sure, why not. However, I had a mostly excellent experience in my Masters program at a state school, and much of my publishing/awards/conference experience and skill-building was directly a result of my committee chair's expert guidance. A majority of the time, I was the only Masters student among PhD candidates. Rankings aren't everything.

Congrats to the Stanford acceptances so far! May I ask if the department has given you any information regarding acceptance numbers, an admitted students' visit, etc.? I was trying so hard not to cave and ask but the wait is killing me. I was told my application is still under review and am concerned that is not a good sign. Thanks in advance!

All my fellow UChicago rejects - ouch, right? I knew it was a long shot, but it still stings! Hang in there. :-)

I, too, haven't heard anything either way. Strange that UChicago is referring everyone to the MAPH program (though there is a checkbox on the application where you can elect to have your app referred there if you are rejected from the PhD program). I wonder how many MAPH referrals already have a Masters?

Oh, dude, that is harsh! Ouch. I'm sorry.

I just want to throw out there that CAA was this past week, which likely contributes to the relative radio silence. I have a feeling things will pick back up again this week. :-)

Thanks guys - yeah, I figured it would be a bad idea. I just needed to hear it again because it was starting to sound tempting...

I know other people have asked this question on different forum boards, but I wanted to ask specifically about art history departments. Is it a really bad idea to contact the admissions person for your chosen departments and inquire about the schedule for releasing acceptances/interviews/etc.? I've read advice both for and against, and don't want to screw anything up by pestering the schools. Neither of the schools I applied to appear to have sent any notices, at least not according to the results (Stanford and UChicago). Help, I'm going nuts!

I just got that email, and my heart stopped for a few seconds! Granted, I don't think my department has made any announcements yet, but it was still a disappointment. Hoping you are just getting a late acceptance!

Hi Pastette, Sorry to just now be getting to this! Crazy week, and I'm a noob here. No problem at all - I'm primarily interested in working with W.J.T. Mitchell (dream on, I know!), as he's written so much about the study of the image/iconography, which aligns really well with my research. I'd also be happy to work with Matthew Jesse Jackson and Christine Mehring. I'm looking for an interdisciplinary program, too, so there are a number of scholars in the Center for Jewish Studies with whom I'd like to study. How about you? Who would you like to work with? :-)

Hi c m, Congrats on your first acceptance!! I wasn't one of the people who applied to Northwestern, so I hope I didn't misinterpret your question as being posed to the general forum. My area of expertise is American post-Holocaust art (generational theory/framework, identity, and the development of Holocaust iconography). I only applied to three schools: Stanford, UChicago and UCLA. Researchers in my specific field are kind of sparse (at least in art history), and I really didn't want to apply to programs I couldn't see myself attending. Aren't Visual Studies and Art History essentially the same thing? I thought the difference in names was mostly semantics/based on the university's choice of program description. :-)

BTW, Sheis, I meant absolutely nothing negative when I asked about you having a Masters. :-) I just wanted to clarify that. It was merely an investigative question!

LOL, it's all speculation, really - I have no idea. I was telling another poster my expertise is in American post-Holocaust, so it could be anything that determines whether you get "the email" - the program you apply to, your academic focus, your financial/academic standing, etc. etc. Though I'm confident I have a very strong application, it could also be that I simply don't qualify. :-/ Alas, that's life! Sheis, do you have a Masters? I noticed in your profile you are applying to a few Masters programs in addition to the PhD programs (I'm something of a newbie here, so could be reading something incorrectly). I understand UChicago accepts both BA and MA students for the PhD, and wonder if this makes a difference, as well.