Emerson

You'd probably want to contact them, since I was under the impression that all decisions were made and sent out.

History_PhD: here's an example. I got an acceptance email from them yesterday for their PhD program, but they said I would be offered zero funding.

Besides just saying "amen" to the comments above, I will just add that even if you have lots of publications it doesn't assure you a spot. I have a dozen academic publications (three in "mid-tier" journals, one in a "top tier" journal, and the rest in student, local, or specialized journals), over a dozen conference papers (including a half-dozen at major conferences), and my admissions season has been, to say the least, a disaster. EDIT: Sorry, reading over this a few minutes later I realize that it came across as far more bitter than it should. It's been a stressful week.

I'm hanging my head in shame for not getting the joke.. Must not have had enough sleep last night. /cowering in corner.

Meo: if you look at the previous conversations, UVA has restructured their program and now fund every incoming PhD student rather well. Now ever admitee gets a $25,000 stipend (see their website). Also, beyond the financial aspect, it is a very reputable program.

Who do you think you are coming in here and talking reason and sense, trying to make us less antsy? The nerve...

Seems really quite today, and that acceptances for most major programs are out. What schools are you still waiting on? Personally, I'm still waiting on UVA, Boston University, and Harvard's History of American Civ Program. I'm also waiting on hearing back about continuation status here at Cambridge.

Yeah, I would continue to call them "Professor [blank]" until they literally ask me to call them by their first name. I just like to be on the safe side.

Does anyone want to claim the Harvard acceptance for history of American civilization? First of all, major congrats. Second, did they call you because of confusion over your postal address, or are they giving up the postal acceptances this year? By the way, my envy is large enough that I may kidnap you and take your place...

Rejections from both UPenn and William & Mary today. Together with the rejection from Harvard on Friday...not the most optimistic week.

Back on the topic of waiting nervously: today seems to be the day that Virginia sends out acceptances. Glancing over the results page, Virginia notified its admits on the third friday of february going back a few years. Not to make anyone any more nervous, of course.

Bless my wife's heart, but we (meaning my wife, our two kids, and myself) have learned to live poor as well. My only fear is that we'll be headed somewhere next year only getting around $15,000, which is like a single person getting $6,000...

Bless you, bless you. There is hope (however vain).

Prof. Pincus was, as expected, brilliant and informative. The seminar he took part in is elite and intense, and he took all the criticisms and suggestions in stride. His pre-circulated paper was on the Whit/Tory debates over imperialism during the early 18th century, a brief slice of what will eventually be his next book. There were a handful of notable British historians of the period present, so the give-and-take during the Q&A portion was worth the price of admission. Most interesting to me was the tensions between the different approaches to history amongst those in the discussion. Here at Cambridge, there is a particular methodology of intellectual history that dominates, and Pincus does not exactly fit that bill so there was some fascinating debate over how to interpret different themes; it was a general and cordial debate over political history vs. political culture. Further, Pincus represents what one of my mentors out here identifies as a "American East-Coast Whig" interpretation of British history, something that several historians out here are hesitant about, so there was some great dialogue on that. Fun times all around.

For those of you with interests in early British history, Steven Pincus is about to speak to my program in a few minutes. Though I'm primarily an Americanist, I have enough Atlantic interests to be excited.

Fabulous!

By email or post?

So jealous. Her book was one of the best I've read in years.

Many congrats! Can I ask what period of America you work on?

A Yale acceptance today, anyone want to claim it? Major congrats!

My sincere sympathy, and I'm sure I'll be joining your sorrow soon! Though I imagine you'll be getting good news in these next two weeks.

So with Northwestern being the first school to send out mass rejections, I think it is safe to say that the period of waiting is starting to peak. Sure a lot of schools will be waiting till the last week of February, and a small handful will wait until March (*cough*Boston*cough*), but I think these next two weeks are the most intense. Any predictions on how it will all roll out? My guess is that Wisconsin will send out their mass notifications tomorrow, if not today. The rest of this week will include Yale, Stanford, and Berkeley, in that order. Next week will go UPenn, Harvard, Chicago, and then Virginia. What are your guesses? (Note: I have no insider knowledge, and I would not bet even $1 on any of my predictions. I checked the results page from last year for a rough estimate, then pulled the rest out of my arse.)

It looks like the Harvard acceptance is from a separate program, the "History and East Asian Languages" PhD program (see here), which is an interdisciplinary blending of History Department and the East Asian Language and Civilization Department. So, while not necessarily a strict "history" applications---like I imagine most of us here are hoping for---it does show that the ball is rolling in Cambridge, MA. I guess the same could be said of the Stanford acceptee, who is likely in the Classics department. Major congrats to the two acceptances though!

Yeah, in all seriousness, both Oxford and Cambridge would be a phenomenal experience. As Badgerhopeful said, follow the funding, advisors, and whichever program is better suited to you individually.

Another vote for Cambridge---it's really no comparison As for an Oxbridge masters degree making you more likely to get into a US PhD program---I'll let you know how that works out over these next few weeks