c m

Things can happen on weekends. Northwestern sent out their rejections on Saturday at 6:00am.

I second that bolded part. This is very important.

26. I love seeing the diversity of ages!

I cannot speak to MA programs, but most PhD Art History programs would want a writing sample related to your proposed project. At least the ones I applied to did. One POI even said that directly, and that was within a conversation about choosing between two AH papers. So, I would say that you should write a new paper. Now you can do this in a few ways. You could start from scratch on a topic that interests you and you want to continue into later studies. Or, you can take an AH paper you might already have and expand upon it and refine it. I would say you should target 15 to 20 pages, but look at specific program requirements where you intend to apply. It can swing dramatically, though all of mine were within that range. I know someone who wrote their writing sample after completing his undergrad (also a studio art person, I believe). He felt that having conducted that level of research on his own initiative and outside of an academic structure actually strengthened his application because it demonstrated his motivation and ability to research! As for format, I think you should start by reading the literature that is out there in your area. See what is being said, see how it is being said, and determine how you can fit your own thoughts into that conversation. Should give you ideas on the format. Do you know what specific area you want to study, generally or specifically?

I am of a mind with theartman1193 on this, as well. Placement afterwards is important, as well. I was just talking to a mentor of mine who did her PhD (in Art History) at a big name school. While she did fine, she said that it actually worked against some of her peers. Following qwer7890's advice, then, I think the PhD is a good option if your interests are focused, your POI there is respected in that field, and the funding package will support you throughout your studies.

Research programs! I only applied to PhD programs that fully funded their students. It isn't necessarily for "top applicants," but for the students that are admitted, which, granted, can mean top applicants. I think you will find many people on here who would discourage accepting an offer that is not fully funded. Now full funding can mean a variety of things, depending on if it is awarded via assistantships, fellowships, scholarships or some combination, so I do not know if a fully funded program would always/necessarily equate to your definition of "hefty." I would look at your programs-of-interest's website and perhaps email to clarify if unsure. So what to do to get fully funded is about the same thing as what to do to get into your program of choice. And that is discipline specific, but a strong SOP, great LORs, and a POI of interest with closely aligned research interests will probably factor in there.

Let me preface this by saying, I do not have a cut-and-dry answer for you. Ultimately, I think you have to decide what you want and what your concerns are. If your goal is to get into a better PhD program than the one you are currently accepted in to then considering an MA or another round of applications the next cycle is definitely something to think about. However, an MA from another school does not guarantee you acceptance into another/better PhD program the next time you apply. It might help, it might not, but it will definitely come with a price tag both in tuition and application fees the next time around. As for the PhD program, how well do your research interests fit with the program you applied to? How prestigious are they in this area? I am asking these rhetorically, you don't have to respond but you should consider. After graduation, prestige of the school certainly plays a factor but if the AH department you are applying to is known for what you want to study then that will help, as well. I am in a similar situation so these are the considerations that are running through my mind. However, I am very much inclined to the PhD program, because I won't take on more debt, it is a program that is well-known for the area I am interested in, and I know I want the terminal degree and this is a track towards that. There are no guarantees, so best to go with the option you feel most comfortable with and make the best of it.

Congrats and thanks for the update!

I am in a similar boat to MidwestAloha, though my partner and I are not married, we have been together for six and living together for two. His work is not flexible, nor would it be practical to follow me anyways, so we will be doing long distance. I think the keys to making it work are setting up clear expectations, managing emotions jointly and openly, and communication. The good thing I have good is my partner is not from the US, so all of his family is in his home country, so he is fantastic at maintaining relationships vis-a-vis internet and phone lines. Not ideal, but a good skill to have in this type of situation. Also, we are plotting out how we are going to visit. Weird thing for me, I think, is I am leaving my home, in a very real sense, behind. All my furniture will be there, he will be there, my cats will likely be there. So I am planning on living in the cheapest way possible so that I can afford regular flights home even if it is for the weekend. Granted, it helps that he will be working. As for being in the same place, I think the best way to deal with it is to re-frame your vantage point. From the ideal of being in the same place to supporting the other's goals regardless of where that leads. If things work out, then it will only be a temporary situation. And if this is a person you envision spending your life with, then what are a few years apart in the grand scheme of things? I have a friend who is doing her PhD half a continent away from her SO; they have been together for about five years and four of those have been long distance. Not ideal, of course, but they are happy. Enjoy the now and don't dread the future, in summary, is my advice. It sounds like you have a whole bunch of good going on

I definitely think it can help but I know from reading other people's experiences on here that it most certainly does not guarantee anything. I do not know about Asian Studies departments but I imagine that within Asian studies, there are a lot of smaller specialties. Am I right? Reason I ask, is that is the same for my intended program, Art History. And for Art History, you might have a POI pulling for you but if you are contemporary and they need to balance the admits between contemporary American, pre-modern Chinese art, Italian Baroque, art of the Americas, etc. specialities then sometimes it just is bad luck more than anything else. So basically, I am saying it is possible nothing went wrong. The process is opaque and the problem just might be as simple as interdepartmental research balance. And waiting for six more programs? That is still a good percentage to hear back from and means it is far too early to get overly discouraged. Rejections suck, but Cambridge wants you so clearly you have what it takes to be a considerable candidate. Good luck!

Thanks for popping in I really like that idea -- I printed a card that had images of different works of art I have dealt with during my undergraduate program and I really like how it turned out!

It isn't a lie. You would go there if you didn't get an offer from A, right? So I would say that is a top choice.

Yes -- congratulations! How exciting

Why not interview with University B before hearing a response from University A? It is fine to have two offers on the table, and you can still tell University B why you like their program and applied even without the response from A.

Yes, I noticed that. And seems like a lot of responses have been coming out this week. On an unrelated note. Is anyone getting a thank you gift for your letter writers? And if so, what?