Jump to content

subrosa

Members
  • Posts

    32
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Profile Information

  • Program
    History

subrosa's Achievements

Caffeinated

Caffeinated (3/10)

0

Reputation

  1. subrosa

    Offer Accepted

    Finally decided! Yale it is. If anyone is waiting on Harvard, there will probably be a spot opening shortly. Congratulations and good luck to everyone!
  2. Hi! I think there are a lot of good points here to ponder already, but I'd just like to chirp in with a reminder NOT to dismiss area studies MA programs, as some have suggested above. Don't diss the area studies MA programs, yo! They can be tremendously helpful in providing solid training and time to hone your skills and vision. Next cycle of History PhD admissions will be hard, unless there is a miracle boom, because even the best-endowed departments have already decided to cut down on admissions. And then who knows after that? A masters could really enhance your profile. Just be sure to take as many history courses as you can handle, and work as hard as you can, especially at identifying major unanswered questions in your field and finding that particular niche that only you can fill. I had next to no undergraduate background in "pure" history, did an area studies MA (with lots of history and very little sleep), and got into 2 out of 3 tip-top history PhD programs this year. It's not impossible. Good Luck!
  3. subrosa

    History 2010

    I've been waiting on Columbia alone for more than a month now, and have given up on it for good. The official rejection letter can take all the time in the world it wants (and, apparently, it is). Am trying to come to a decision this or next week, since I know there is a waitlist at at least one of my offers, which could make someone else very very happy.
  4. Ditto. Just get the official rejections over already! Ugh. I shouldn't even care at this point, but I still can't get over the anxiety.
  5. subrosa

    History 2010

    Oooo, ooo, happily seconded! Beer = joy!
  6. Yup, my fellow is still in Boston. He is also a bit older, and more settled into his job, etc. Just from what little I know about your situation - and please do take this with a good wallop of salt - it might indeed work for your "kareshi" to seek fulfilling employment in Boston. If he can drive, and if his labor work allows for weekends and occasionally long weekends, the distance isn't so bad. You'll be soooooooooooooo busy during the week at school anyway. (I can't emphasize the "soooooooooooo" enough.) Long distance can be miserable, but, looking at the upside of this arrangement, you can use the distance both to 'test' your relationship, as others have mentioned here, and to focus on your MA studies. Believe me, it is *hard* work! Then, with all your stellar accomplishments during your MA time, you'll be in better position to pick and choose where to go in a year. If your kareshi is still Mr. Right, you can join him, he can join you, or you can both ride off into some beautiful sunset somewhere else. Gambatte ne! I really hope everything works out well for you, and that you will be happy with whatever you choose.
  7. A very timely and difficult topic! When I did my one-year masters, my partner stayed behind in the larger city 2.5 hours away, where he had been at a great job for years. We agreed that it didn't make sense for him to follow me until I knew I'd stay somewhere for the longer haul. He'd drive down to visit me every other weekend, and I'd go stay with him during my longer breaks. It was not ideal, but we made it work, with the understanding that it was only a temporary arrangement. Now I'm ready to commit to a PhD program, and we once again find ourselves at a crossroad. I have a great rapport with the professors at my masters school - they are the most perfect mentors I could hope for, and I feel the tug of loyalty and sentimentality to return to them. But the school itself is in a smaller town with questionable employment opportunities for my partner, even though he says he is willing to explore options there. Alternatively, I could join him in his city, so he can keep his job. The program there is also very good, but I am uneasy about this choice, as it is simply an "unknown" - plus the faculty there have a reputation for being distant and always too busy - and I am loathe to part with my masters advisors. The third option is to continue long distance, but ugh! After two years of distance (one year 2.5 hours' drive away, the other trans-Pacific), I'm getting pretty sick of the feast-and-famine mode. In all likelihood, I'll end up going to the program in my partner's city, but I'm not quite ready to accept that yet. I'm terrified that I'll hate the city school, and that the choice will damage my relationships with my MA advisors, whom I all but worship. It's getting to the point that this internal debate is compromising sleep and work. All that said, I know I'm incredibly lucky, and very, very grateful to even have this choice to agonize over. ------------------------------------------ More specifically in response to the OP, hopkinsgirl, isn't the MA program you are considering a one-year (actually 9-month) program? If you already know for sure that you will be applying for PhD programs immediately in the next cycle, it seems like it would be wiser to save your "get to move your partner free card" until you know where you'll be later on. (Of course, this was my choice when I was in your position, and the distance from where my partner was was much closer than the distance between New Haven and Baltimore.) It also depends on your fiance-to-be - has he already graduated/is he graduating with you? Does he have work experience? What kind of work would he seek? Does he have academic or life ambitions of his own? These all factor significantly in regard to how easy it would be to move and find a new job, and how much of a sacrifice it might be.
  8. subrosa

    History 2010

    Actually, a potential advisor told me that next admission cycle is going to be unbelievably worse. Even schools with supposedly deep pockets are reducing their admit quotas by more than 10%. (Many schools are choosing to reduce number of admits instead of reducing the funding available for students.) Scary, scary. Any form of admission this year is something for which to be grateful.
  9. Congratulations to the Columbia admits! I had begun to assume that this long protracted silence from Columbia indicates an impending rejection, but I guess we'll find out soon enough. Must say, was a bit surprised to have not heard a peep either positive or negative for so long. This has been the last place I've been waiting on for quite a while now....
  10. This seems to be the case in my experience, too. One of my schools began recruiting aggressively early January, more than a month before official results came out. I didn't know about early admits then, either, and they kept saying things like "while official decisions have not been made yet" while obviously treating it like a foregone conclusion. I didn't post my results then, because the whole situation was rather confusing to me, and it didn't seem appropriate, given that people were still very jittery about the school in question on the discussion boards and posting about how there would absolutely be no decisions until months later.
  11. subrosa

    Harvard

    Probably. Usually Harvard has its recruiting days early-mid March, so it seems unlikely that they're going to work on the full admit list for another month.
  12. subrosa

    History 2010

    Congratulations!! As a recent product of the Yale MA program, I highly recommend it. New Haven isn't half as bad as its reputation makes it out to be. I actually quite enjoyed it. And, yes, having a stipend for MA study was a great privilege - what with family burdens and responsibilities, I'd never have been able to afford an education otherwise. Also, with their recent addition of Dani Botsman, the Japanese History faculty is getting pretty strong! It may be disappointing to be 'demoted' to an MA program, but it could be the best opportunity to come your way. It could give you time to really hone your skills and vision, and make your future PhD application all the stronger. That was certainly the case for me - I wouldn't have traded that MA year in New Haven for anything in the world, not even for a direct PhD entry elsewhere. (Then again, this is because the faculty was so perfect for my interests, which may not be the case for you?) (Please do feel free to email if you have any questions!)
  13. Hm, from what I hear each class varies quite a bit, as it is a small program. In recent years, there have been PhD-bound students, and there have been students who went on to careers in government, international relations (foreign service and non-profit), education, the arts, etc. I really lucked out in being admitted - my undergrad record was less than stellar, not at all focused, and had very little to do with East Asia. I did bring many years of life and work experience in Asia to the table, though, which I guess is mainly what got me through the door (along with lots of good luck). I get the sense I was something of an exception. Most other students seemed to fit more closely into the mold of the recent grad of an East Asian field - poli sci, anthro, history, EALC/EAS - with maybe just a few years study/work abroad experience. I will say the one major drawback of the Yale program (if funding is not a problem), is that it is only one year long. This means, if you want to advance directly into a PhD program afterwards, you'll have to apply and ask for recommendations before your first term is over, and before your new professors have had a chance to really get to know you. There are always some people who do that, and appear to succeed, but it's extremely stressful.
  14. Yup, I did the MA. It was a lot of hard work, but a wonderful experience. The faculty and students are very open, and everyone treats you like an equal. There was none of the "lesser citizen" kind of feeling some MA students get at other programs. And, of course, it was great preparation for PhD applications. They don't advertise it a lot, but there actually is funding available. My year, most of us had some fellowship or another. They'll tell you either when you get the admission letter, or shortly thereafter. Even if you don't get a fellowship offer at the very beginning, there are still teaching opportunities around. I'm studying in Japan now, and am returning to the PhD fold in History in the fall. (Not sure where yet, though. ) Good luck and best wishes!!
  15. From what I hear they just began review of MA applications last week. Good luck! As one of their products, I'd be happy to answer any questions.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use