AP

You will need official transcripts for enrolling. [Yet, I agree the whole GRE business is cruel]

It is clear that you'd prefer to go to this school rather than the other one, of finances didn't matter. If you don't have any information at this time regarding funding, I would wait until you do, and in the meantime you are waiting on the other school. When you have the information, then you can ask precise questions and negotiate a TAship. You could also contact the DGS thanking for the offer, reiterating your interest in the program, and stating you are waiting on other offers to make a decision. [BTW congrats on your offer!]

We can't possibly know how they will react. I think though that if they didn't schedule Skype interviews (at least at this stage), it is because they are either too busy, they can't find a time when everybody is free, they have little time available, they have too many applicants, or all of the above. Requesting a Skype session may not be aggressive but it is desperate and that it is never good. Yet, if you have been communicating with a POI, you may write something like "I enjoy recording the video interview. Should you wish to further that conversation, please let me know". I don't know your field, but in some disciplines the interview is not only a means to know someone better but to assess how a candidate addresses instructions, develops a concise answer, shows clarity, etc. I am not saying yours was the case, I'm saying that there is more to your responses than what you think -given the post you wrote-. Try to accept now that it is not in your hands, that you did your best, and move one to the next interview

I just googled "world university rankings by subject" and these are the first two results. It's weird you didn't find anything. QS World University Rankings by Subject 2016 | Top Universities https://www.topuniversities.com/subject-rankings/2016 Discover the world's top universities in 42 individual subjects, with the QS World University Rankingsby Subject 2016. World University Rankings by Subject | Times Higher Education https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/by-subject World University Rankings 2016-2017 by subject: results announced. Eight subject rankings reveal elite group of 14 US and European universities thriving ... Also, these are not rankings of PhD programs, which is what you initially ask, but they may serve your purposes.

Just remember that not all program have the same timelines. Some programs have interviews earlier so you can go visit in March. Others have their visiting weekends with interviews so they need to make a decision faster. Others have a more relaxed timeline that fits the department's needs and don't make decisions until March. The fact that many people are getting offers/rejections/waitlisted doesn't mean anything. Hang in there! (I wish I had better words of support though...)

Yes, just google world university rankings by program 2017 or 2016. QS and THE should have the option to filter by country.

I was about to make an initial statement in my post saying something along the lines of "I know some will not like my words because I'm already in...". @Peanut my post responded to @nixipixi need to vent about rejections, even though they got an acceptance. As you can see, I do not post on the rejections topics because it is not my place there to say "everything will be alright". In those threads, people just want to get it out of their system and I would be there for a friend who just wanted to be upset about a rejection. This post was different because it went beyond that initial phase. On a secondary note, I disagree with your statement that because I (or anyone) is already in, I cannot be in your shoes (even though I was). Human empathy does not require previous experience on the same exact matter or present-day experience on it. (And it is often the case that works better from people that have gone through what you are going through. Eg: any addict support group). The uncertainty of not knowing sucks for everyone. I wish I could tell you it is just a grad school admission thing, but it happens with every little thing around the world, and my post was aiming at that big picture. You are right to say that thatprecise uncertainty -the one of a particular person not know if they would get in anywhere- is daunting and too personal. I wasn't trying to minimize this feeling. I hope you understand that I was referring to rejections as a general fact of life. Finally, do I see an acceptance in your signature? Congrats! I hope it's one of your top choices.

I've had a good share of rejections so here are my two cents: Rejections, like coursework, are part of grad school and your academic career. You are going to be rejected so many times in the future that I can't even find a nice sugarcoat for it. You will submit articles that will get bluntly sent back. You will apply for grants that take months to prepare and one day you'll get the horrible letter. Every one of those rejections is going to hurt so, if you want to succeed, you will need to eventually develop some type of coping mechanism. I give myself chocolate. Rejections hurt right now because they are too personal. Academia is too personal. You will see that you will be trained to behave like a professional but at the end of the day, you are leaving things aside to pursue this. Everybody knows this. I don't have kids, but friends of mine do and I can see how much at stake they have in their hands. So, of course it hurts! It's natural, it bothers us, but wondering about it, unfortunately, does not make us any good. Take rejections as an opportunity. I was rejected from a program that I thought was the program. Great fit, great funding, and extended conversations over Skype with POI. I mean, I just knew it was my place in the world. I was rejected with that cold letter that gives no explanation. That pushed me to the program I am now and I couldn't be happier. I seriously doubt I would have come to this program if I hadn't been rejected in the other one. Also, a rejection is a chance to re-evaluate how you deal with life itself. In my case, I used to cry for a day or two. Then I figured that was a total waste of time so instead I would give myself a nice meal -any of my choosing- and tell my advisors once I had dealt with it. I am surprised of myself! Rejections are not shameful. I don't know about you right now, but I am always ashamed of telling my advisor that I didn't get a grant, again. I feel like the ugly duckling who never gets anything. She never made me feel that way and is always encouraging me to move on, but still, I am the only one of her students who didn't get even a tiny grant. This is the hardest part for me, but as I said, I learned to deal with it. Being hurt is an emotional response. We cannot control what makes us angry or happy or sad. But we can control how to react and what to do with it. Yes, take your time to be blue, but don't make it your sole response.

1. No big deal, this things happens. Just thank them for the invitation, but explain that for logistics/work reasons you will not be able to attend. 2. Err... I wouldn't, but I'm international so I am not soaked with the thank you culture of the US. (This means that I am both not expected and excused for not sending an expected thank you note). I didn't thank them, they just waited until I accepted to send me a "we are so happy" e-mail. And then we met when I moved there in the fall. Maybe you can send them the thank you once you accept/decline the offer.

In my program, the undergraduate coordinator would ask our preferred time and try to deliver. Yet, we were always warned that we couldn't have similar themes on the same time band (like African history survey and African history of 20th century both at 11am because of majors). Teaching at 6.30pm must have been really hard!

Granted. I hope it ends well, though!!!

I am one of those advanced students who comment in this or any other thread. I am paying it forward because people did that for me during the application process here and elsewhere in "real" life, and the years that followed. The anxieties that many feel now, I felt them at the time and feel them in relation to other applications (namely grants and postdocs). So although we are not on exactly the same boat, we kind of are. Applications can be frustrating, tiresome, and exciting all at the same time. If anything, giving advice here is a sign of emphaty. Personally, I like reading this thread because I am thrilled that so many people are excited about history. We are future colleagues and I might as well share your joy of acceptance and try to be there when rejections come.

You can mention them but you don't need to include the reference. Consider: "Benedict Anderson argued that nationalism in the Americas spurred from... My research expands this view by... (Anderson, 1983)" vs "My research expands Benedict Anderson's core argument on the building of nationalism by..." They are basically saying "do not use the limited space on names and years".

NO! I was a teacher for about 10 years before going to grad school. I know the guilt that you feel, and that has to do the way schools make us responsible for things we are not or expect us to put everybody else before our own happiness. I could give you a ton of examples when my department chairs or school principals passively aggressively suggested that I wasn't doing my job properly for taking days off when sick/sitting for an exam (totally legal here). Anyway, do not allow outsiders make you feel guilty about your own happiness. They have a bad time getting teachers? Their problem. Honestly.

Absolutely not. Your own professional choices do not (or should not) determine funding in a program. Even more so now, when many universities are trying to prepare us for a different job market than academia.

The best way to make argument for switching fields (other than the geographic argument) is to think of theme that attracts other professors. For example, my department's Americanists are all historians of labor and slavery, so it is fairly expected that anyone working labor or slavery will, at some point, approach them. One of the East Asianists has a great eye for the subaltern, untold history, difficult archives, memory, and the like, so basically all of us working on dictatorship, authority, and state terror go to him for advice. This is, as you said, department-dependent. If your advisor supports you, you can ask her to help you in this process, or you can even bring in the DGS and have the conversation among the three of you. Taking classes with the Americanists is a great start. Also try to attend workshops and small conferences around campus where they might be. In the Fall, ask them to register you to the AHA as their student (I mean, you will have built a relationship with them by then). Write your papers thinking of your comps and meet with the 'new' professors for advice. Do you have to TA/RA? Build rapport with them to serve in their courses. Our profession is 40% public relations and self-marketing, so go around knocking doors until a not-so-coward professor takes you in

Ok, I gave this matter a lot of thought and probably my suggestions are more for when you teach, especially your first courses. Organization Plan ahead. Not only the readings, but the types of questions you want to elicit from chapters, the types of activities that would suit different learners, and a good balance of assessment opportunities. Yes, think about extra credit. In my case, they had to watch a movie and write a report connecting the movie with topics in class. It was a two-week window in the middle of the semester, right after the term exam (when they usually panic). Remember introverts and students with disabilities. You don't know what disabilities they have unless they want to share with you. In general, I plan ahead for possible ADHD and dyslexic students. For introverts, I use very small group discussions and online posting. Start your sessions with a recap and end them with a conclusion/take away. You may need to change stuff in the syllabus. Give a week-notice. Your presence You are a figure of authority, act like one (which doesn't mean to be dictatorial!). You are not their buddy. Dress appropriately. That said, be kind, don't be condescending. Listen to their questions and give everyone an opportunity to ask questions, disagree, and interact. Be on time, plan ahead if you are going to be absent (it is ok to have a conference). Remember that you are a role-model on how to behave in the real world. Be available within your own parameters and teach them that you are not available 24/7. Teach how to write/respond to e-mails, how to address other people, how to politely disagree, etc. Don't be scared of silences. This may be a little controversial but don't be afraid of name-picking. I found this a very good way to learn names, to have students ready to contribute with class discussion, and to have students engage with each other. For example, if someone had been quiet for a while, I would ask "Sam, do you agree with John's point?" I've never had a complaint about this and I've always had good evaluations from professors about this because you kind of make sure that everyone chips in at some point. But I understand this depends a lot on your personality, your class size, and your students. Your content Be prepared. Read, imagine possible questions, imagine possible answers. Acknowledge that you don't know everything, it is OK. Personally, I am very comfortable with the "I don't know that, I'll happy to look it up, would you send me a reminder so I don't forget?" I was surprised that my highest score in students' evaluations was... subject matter knowledge! Be ready to give a lecture in case people did not read. ALWAYS have a plan B. ALWAYS. Record keeping (you know, roughly) Keep a record for attendance, even if it is not important to you/the grade. If someone asks something, you can check if they came to class and help them better (or direct them to first get someone's notes and then come to you with questions). Keep a record for in-class participation but remember that not everyone is comfortable speaking in front of everyone else. Keep a record for people that come to office hours. I had a student once complain at the end of the semester because I didn't him enough opportunities to respond to his questions. I had a record of how late he had been to class and how he had never come to office hours except at the beginning of the semester, how he didn't engage in class participation or in online discussions. So, he basically wasn't doing his part. Keep a record of the things that work and the things that don't.

You should think what the visit does for you. What new information will it contribute to your decision making? What are you willing to learn? I didn't attend my visits because of logistics (it was impossible for me to leave work at that time) and it turned out to be OK.

I found it strange when one of the admitted students to our program was an undergrad I had shared a seminar with. But he was accepted into a caucus within my department which is relatively new and (good) applications are scarce. I think this is more the exception than the rule, and I agree with the above that in general universities encourage you to expand your horizon.

Great question. As others have pointed out, there isn't a definite answer. This is not entirely true, and it is worth talking about the subtle differences. So far, this is the first time I see someone say there is an international applicant pools. This could be true in programs that receive state/federal funds and so their funding cannot spend in large number of outsiders. This happens in state universities. When I was applying, two POIs I reached out to said they did not have funding for me because I was international. State schools are accountable on how they use taxpayers money. If you apply to private schools, the story can be different and there probably is more freedom for admitting international students. In my subfield in my department we are all but one international students. How many per cohort? Half. This is one school, though. It may happen that the school next door wants to prioritize in-state or American applicants, which is fine. Further, you are required, like any US American applicant, to submit GRE scores (even if you have never sat for standardized tests), statement, LORs, etc. So you are also competing against the locals, which makes absolute sense. Where I'm from, we don't write SOPs in the same way that US universities require them, but whether we like it or not, they need to be at the same level. In my program, the admission process goes something like this: Everyone submits applications, half or a third are dismissed for not having all the materials, for not having a minimum GRE, or for weak LORs. Then, the adcomms sift through SOPs and get rid of some more. Then, the professors in each caucus read all the applications from their field and they make the shortlist for Skype interviews. After that, each writes an independent report on each interviewee and send it to a professor in the adcomm who is not in the caucus. For example, Africanists send their reports to East Asianists. Based on those reports, the decision is made. Again, this is my program, which is not a fancy one. For the interview, many schools fly you in. Surf the forums and you'll find a good number of international candidates trying to do one trip to the US to two weekends. I myself was offered a huge reimbursement for part of my air ticket but I still couldn't make it.

As an international student, I wished somewhere anyone had told me that stipends are before taxes. I know, it's pretty obvious but where I'm from you discuss salaries after taxes because, well, it's what you really get. It was funny when I got the first check and saw about $400 less than I thought!!

I don't think I thanked them... I mean, not beyond the spoken word. In the US you have a neat subculture of thanksgiving, I wish we had thank you notes back at home!

Not to worry. We got students visiting that got drunk the second night and could not do some activities on day 3. Not big deal. Just to clarify, it was recruitment weekend (they were already accepted into the program). One of them is actually a great student now! I'm not sure what you are asking. It seems you either thinking you have a lot of freedom or you actually have a lot of freedom. Let me tell you that in some visiting weekends I hosted we received students that had graduated from our college and now were applying for a PhD after a Master's somewhere else. They used the visiting weekend as a party weekend with friends. I knew many of these because we took some seminars together. I thought it was really unprofessional to do that. They skipped meetings and events. Granted, they new the department, but still. They did not accept the offer of coming here. So, from my perspective as an organizer of these things, please try to attend everything you can and to stay where they tell you. If you have your reasons not to do that (for example, you may live nearby), then that is absolutely fine. But avoid skipping meetings just to take a nap (I know people that have). It couldn't hurt to ask but I seriously doubt it. One of the best things of these visits is that you get a sense of the program, the department, the university, the city/town, and the environment in general. Disclaimer: I did not attend my student visit weekend but I couldn't have been happier. My experience is in weekends where students have already been admitted, there are no admissions interviews there. What we do is arrange interviews with other POIs, even from another department; invite students to a class, show them around campus, show them around town, have caucus parties, arrange meetings with librarians. All the labor is ours, the other graduate students, so you can get a sense of how awkward we are, how competitive we are, or how friendly because you simply spend a lot of time with us. They should know this. Be prepared because they may not cover all expenses (in my case they offered a refund of up to $800). Questions you could ask students: Can you survive on this stipend? Do you compensate with something else? Can you work on campus? Questions about health insurance: Have you used it? What for? Do they include...? etc. TA/RA responsibilities. What's your TA/RA experience in the department? Resources beyond the library: Do you have a digital humanities lab? Have you used it? How do they help? Are there internships/fellowships there? Do you have a media lab/3D printer/software services/etc? The unsaid resources: professionalization workshops, lectures, support for conferences, etc. Are there any resources for TA or instructors? (I found out later I could use the Teaching for Excellence resources on campus). To students with your same advisor: How is she on a daily basis? How are her classes? Does she read your drafts quickly/send you good feedback/etc? Life: Do you do any sports/belong to any clubs? Do you participate in any organization on campus? How do you keep healthy? Do you attend religious services? etc etc etc (I can't think of anything else)

You can write a thank you e-mail and reiterate your interest in the program (something like: "Based on our conversation, my interest in your program is renewed" you know, better written). I wouldn't write to clarify anything. That's childish. Stick to your answers, even if you've messed up. The interview is done. The only time when I would do something like clarifying an answer is in person, casually. I have done that plenty of times after my seminars. In the end, my advisors pushed me to be more precise in the seminars so that I didn't have to rely on our coffee breaks to say what I meant. Agh, sorry about the awful writing here, I am saving my eloquence as I am writing a chapter. All the best!!!!!!! I'm sure you were fine!!!!

Ditto. They are the specialists in helping with research.