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OHSP

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  1. Upvote
    OHSP reacted to dr. t in Decisions   
    First, smaller cohorts does not mean more attention. A more attentive adviser means more attention. But you can also be the change you want to see in the world. There was not much of a vertical cohort among the medievalists at my school when I showed up; there is now, but it took a lot of work.
  2. Upvote
    OHSP got a reaction from ashiepoo72 in Rejection Advice   
    Firstly, I second everyone's commiserations and the general advice to take care of yourself! Secondly, beyond ruling you out if they're terrible, stats really don't matter--cohort sizes are so small that basically no one is being admitted simply because they look good on paper (because too many people look good on paper)--it's really about making your project sound ~~~amazing~~~, which is also going to be true for every other thing you're asked to compete for throughout grad schools (internal and external fellowships etc). I know you mention fit etc but I wonder if you might be over-focusing on fit and under-focusing on "selling your project" in a way that makes you sound super special and exciting to work with. My applications were basically like, the project I have in mind is SO urgent, potentially FIELD-ALTERING, I'm **uniquely positioned** blah blah blah--it's v painful to go back and read that SoP now but it was frankly very effective. The importance of "standing out" is sometimes under-emphasized, even though it's vitally important. If you end up needing to apply a third time I'd be focused on totally re-framing the proposed project (though fingers crossed that you hear back from one of the remaining schools soon)!
  3. Upvote
    OHSP got a reaction from Strategos in 2020 application thread   
    Hopefully you get in anyway, but I wouldn't read anything into this--it's typically the case that you go through a manual procedure of setting up email access etc, and I can 100% believe that this would be a system glitch because they're pretty common. It's odd though--perhaps a reason to email the graduate administrator and ask when you might be hearing back. 
  4. Upvote
    OHSP got a reaction from jocelynbymarcjacobs in 2020 application thread   
    Hopefully you get in anyway, but I wouldn't read anything into this--it's typically the case that you go through a manual procedure of setting up email access etc, and I can 100% believe that this would be a system glitch because they're pretty common. It's odd though--perhaps a reason to email the graduate administrator and ask when you might be hearing back. 
  5. Upvote
    OHSP got a reaction from psstein in 2020 application thread   
    Perhaps fewer applicants / dare I (jokingly) say the words "dying discipline"**. 2 of the 40 students I'm currently teaching in a history class are history majors or minors, and that was roughly the same last semester. 

    **maybe hibernating rather than dying. 
  6. Upvote
    OHSP reacted to OmniscienceQuest in 2020 application thread   
    (OmniscienceQuest, to himself): "Gosh I haven't been over to the 2020 History applicant thread on GradCafe in a few days, wonder what's going on..."
    (He enters the thread)
    . . .
    (He exits the thread)
  7. Upvote
    OHSP got a reaction from IGoToWar in Decisions   
    Departments can/do/will hide attrition--ask students in 3rd year and above how many people were in their cohort when they started. Ask how funding has changed and how the department has handled it. Ask what kind of support there is when it comes to grants--personally, I cannot overstate how useful it has been to have substantial grant-writing workshops built into our requirements. Ask people what it's like to take exams (at schools where there appear to be regimented requirements around exams, ask around to find out if those are in fact more flexible--and ask if they're more flexible for some people than others [better to know this stuff now than to be overly optimistic]). Ask who's going to be the DGS in the coming years and work out how students feel about that prof. First years don't actually know much about the program but some will think they do (I realize this sounds harsh but I wish I'd had this word of warning before visits). Sometimes at a visit you will meet a lot of chuffed first years and it can be misleading, so try to talk to people across varying fields, in the various years. If there are social events then go to them and ask honest questions--grad school is a really weird job to commit to, and I strongly advise forgetting about your future dreams for a bit and asking what it's like, materially, spiritually, etc. (I like etc) to be in a given program--especially if you're going to move, leave a job, uproot your family...
     
  8. Upvote
    OHSP reacted to AfricanusCrowther in 2020 application thread   
    Longtime visitors to this forum are experiencing the strange feeling of deja vu...
  9. Upvote
    OHSP got a reaction from Sigaba in Decisions   
    I was just being super blunt to make the point clear--but didn't intend to make you feel more nervous! My advice is actually to try and get something out of it--it's also an opportunity for you to get to know more about the department (even just from the way they run these visits). There's plenty of useful advice that you can provide, especially re what the first year feels like, how friendly the department has been etc, the process of moving to the town/city/school, coursework you've liked/disliked, and how you're finding the stipend. I just remember visiting a school and taking seriously a first year's review of my would-be advisor and their rundown of the coursework/exams/prospectus system--that's not the sort of advice you can get from people who've only been around for 6 months, but it's not to say that first years can't offer valuable feedback based on their experiences so far. 
  10. Upvote
    OHSP got a reaction from Manana in Rejection Advice   
    Firstly, I second everyone's commiserations and the general advice to take care of yourself! Secondly, beyond ruling you out if they're terrible, stats really don't matter--cohort sizes are so small that basically no one is being admitted simply because they look good on paper (because too many people look good on paper)--it's really about making your project sound ~~~amazing~~~, which is also going to be true for every other thing you're asked to compete for throughout grad schools (internal and external fellowships etc). I know you mention fit etc but I wonder if you might be over-focusing on fit and under-focusing on "selling your project" in a way that makes you sound super special and exciting to work with. My applications were basically like, the project I have in mind is SO urgent, potentially FIELD-ALTERING, I'm **uniquely positioned** blah blah blah--it's v painful to go back and read that SoP now but it was frankly very effective. The importance of "standing out" is sometimes under-emphasized, even though it's vitally important. If you end up needing to apply a third time I'd be focused on totally re-framing the proposed project (though fingers crossed that you hear back from one of the remaining schools soon)!
  11. Upvote
    OHSP got a reaction from AfricanusCrowther in Decisions   
    Departments can/do/will hide attrition--ask students in 3rd year and above how many people were in their cohort when they started. Ask how funding has changed and how the department has handled it. Ask what kind of support there is when it comes to grants--personally, I cannot overstate how useful it has been to have substantial grant-writing workshops built into our requirements. Ask people what it's like to take exams (at schools where there appear to be regimented requirements around exams, ask around to find out if those are in fact more flexible--and ask if they're more flexible for some people than others [better to know this stuff now than to be overly optimistic]). Ask who's going to be the DGS in the coming years and work out how students feel about that prof. First years don't actually know much about the program but some will think they do (I realize this sounds harsh but I wish I'd had this word of warning before visits). Sometimes at a visit you will meet a lot of chuffed first years and it can be misleading, so try to talk to people across varying fields, in the various years. If there are social events then go to them and ask honest questions--grad school is a really weird job to commit to, and I strongly advise forgetting about your future dreams for a bit and asking what it's like, materially, spiritually, etc. (I like etc) to be in a given program--especially if you're going to move, leave a job, uproot your family...
     
  12. Upvote
    OHSP got a reaction from orchestraldreamer in Decisions   
    Departments can/do/will hide attrition--ask students in 3rd year and above how many people were in their cohort when they started. Ask how funding has changed and how the department has handled it. Ask what kind of support there is when it comes to grants--personally, I cannot overstate how useful it has been to have substantial grant-writing workshops built into our requirements. Ask people what it's like to take exams (at schools where there appear to be regimented requirements around exams, ask around to find out if those are in fact more flexible--and ask if they're more flexible for some people than others [better to know this stuff now than to be overly optimistic]). Ask who's going to be the DGS in the coming years and work out how students feel about that prof. First years don't actually know much about the program but some will think they do (I realize this sounds harsh but I wish I'd had this word of warning before visits). Sometimes at a visit you will meet a lot of chuffed first years and it can be misleading, so try to talk to people across varying fields, in the various years. If there are social events then go to them and ask honest questions--grad school is a really weird job to commit to, and I strongly advise forgetting about your future dreams for a bit and asking what it's like, materially, spiritually, etc. (I like etc) to be in a given program--especially if you're going to move, leave a job, uproot your family...
     
  13. Upvote
    OHSP got a reaction from psstein in Decisions   
    Departments can/do/will hide attrition--ask students in 3rd year and above how many people were in their cohort when they started. Ask how funding has changed and how the department has handled it. Ask what kind of support there is when it comes to grants--personally, I cannot overstate how useful it has been to have substantial grant-writing workshops built into our requirements. Ask people what it's like to take exams (at schools where there appear to be regimented requirements around exams, ask around to find out if those are in fact more flexible--and ask if they're more flexible for some people than others [better to know this stuff now than to be overly optimistic]). Ask who's going to be the DGS in the coming years and work out how students feel about that prof. First years don't actually know much about the program but some will think they do (I realize this sounds harsh but I wish I'd had this word of warning before visits). Sometimes at a visit you will meet a lot of chuffed first years and it can be misleading, so try to talk to people across varying fields, in the various years. If there are social events then go to them and ask honest questions--grad school is a really weird job to commit to, and I strongly advise forgetting about your future dreams for a bit and asking what it's like, materially, spiritually, etc. (I like etc) to be in a given program--especially if you're going to move, leave a job, uproot your family...
     
  14. Upvote
    OHSP got a reaction from TMP in Decisions   
    Departments can/do/will hide attrition--ask students in 3rd year and above how many people were in their cohort when they started. Ask how funding has changed and how the department has handled it. Ask what kind of support there is when it comes to grants--personally, I cannot overstate how useful it has been to have substantial grant-writing workshops built into our requirements. Ask people what it's like to take exams (at schools where there appear to be regimented requirements around exams, ask around to find out if those are in fact more flexible--and ask if they're more flexible for some people than others [better to know this stuff now than to be overly optimistic]). Ask who's going to be the DGS in the coming years and work out how students feel about that prof. First years don't actually know much about the program but some will think they do (I realize this sounds harsh but I wish I'd had this word of warning before visits). Sometimes at a visit you will meet a lot of chuffed first years and it can be misleading, so try to talk to people across varying fields, in the various years. If there are social events then go to them and ask honest questions--grad school is a really weird job to commit to, and I strongly advise forgetting about your future dreams for a bit and asking what it's like, materially, spiritually, etc. (I like etc) to be in a given program--especially if you're going to move, leave a job, uproot your family...
     
  15. Upvote
    OHSP got a reaction from Balleu in Decisions   
    I was just being super blunt to make the point clear--but didn't intend to make you feel more nervous! My advice is actually to try and get something out of it--it's also an opportunity for you to get to know more about the department (even just from the way they run these visits). There's plenty of useful advice that you can provide, especially re what the first year feels like, how friendly the department has been etc, the process of moving to the town/city/school, coursework you've liked/disliked, and how you're finding the stipend. I just remember visiting a school and taking seriously a first year's review of my would-be advisor and their rundown of the coursework/exams/prospectus system--that's not the sort of advice you can get from people who've only been around for 6 months, but it's not to say that first years can't offer valuable feedback based on their experiences so far. 
  16. Upvote
    OHSP got a reaction from time_consume_me in Decisions   
    Departments can/do/will hide attrition--ask students in 3rd year and above how many people were in their cohort when they started. Ask how funding has changed and how the department has handled it. Ask what kind of support there is when it comes to grants--personally, I cannot overstate how useful it has been to have substantial grant-writing workshops built into our requirements. Ask people what it's like to take exams (at schools where there appear to be regimented requirements around exams, ask around to find out if those are in fact more flexible--and ask if they're more flexible for some people than others [better to know this stuff now than to be overly optimistic]). Ask who's going to be the DGS in the coming years and work out how students feel about that prof. First years don't actually know much about the program but some will think they do (I realize this sounds harsh but I wish I'd had this word of warning before visits). Sometimes at a visit you will meet a lot of chuffed first years and it can be misleading, so try to talk to people across varying fields, in the various years. If there are social events then go to them and ask honest questions--grad school is a really weird job to commit to, and I strongly advise forgetting about your future dreams for a bit and asking what it's like, materially, spiritually, etc. (I like etc) to be in a given program--especially if you're going to move, leave a job, uproot your family...
     
  17. Upvote
    OHSP got a reaction from Balleu in Decisions   
    Departments can/do/will hide attrition--ask students in 3rd year and above how many people were in their cohort when they started. Ask how funding has changed and how the department has handled it. Ask what kind of support there is when it comes to grants--personally, I cannot overstate how useful it has been to have substantial grant-writing workshops built into our requirements. Ask people what it's like to take exams (at schools where there appear to be regimented requirements around exams, ask around to find out if those are in fact more flexible--and ask if they're more flexible for some people than others [better to know this stuff now than to be overly optimistic]). Ask who's going to be the DGS in the coming years and work out how students feel about that prof. First years don't actually know much about the program but some will think they do (I realize this sounds harsh but I wish I'd had this word of warning before visits). Sometimes at a visit you will meet a lot of chuffed first years and it can be misleading, so try to talk to people across varying fields, in the various years. If there are social events then go to them and ask honest questions--grad school is a really weird job to commit to, and I strongly advise forgetting about your future dreams for a bit and asking what it's like, materially, spiritually, etc. (I like etc) to be in a given program--especially if you're going to move, leave a job, uproot your family...
     
  18. Upvote
    OHSP got a reaction from gsc in Decisions   
    Departments can/do/will hide attrition--ask students in 3rd year and above how many people were in their cohort when they started. Ask how funding has changed and how the department has handled it. Ask what kind of support there is when it comes to grants--personally, I cannot overstate how useful it has been to have substantial grant-writing workshops built into our requirements. Ask people what it's like to take exams (at schools where there appear to be regimented requirements around exams, ask around to find out if those are in fact more flexible--and ask if they're more flexible for some people than others [better to know this stuff now than to be overly optimistic]). Ask who's going to be the DGS in the coming years and work out how students feel about that prof. First years don't actually know much about the program but some will think they do (I realize this sounds harsh but I wish I'd had this word of warning before visits). Sometimes at a visit you will meet a lot of chuffed first years and it can be misleading, so try to talk to people across varying fields, in the various years. If there are social events then go to them and ask honest questions--grad school is a really weird job to commit to, and I strongly advise forgetting about your future dreams for a bit and asking what it's like, materially, spiritually, etc. (I like etc) to be in a given program--especially if you're going to move, leave a job, uproot your family...
     
  19. Upvote
    OHSP reacted to Sigaba in Decisions   
    IME, ABDs who have had some time to recover from qualifying exams offer better / more balanced guidance than first and second year students who have not been asked to bury any skeletons (to say nothing of sodden burlap sacks that may or may not have something moving inside).
    Of course, I'm kidding. The sodden burlap sack will definitely have something still living inside. Because why else would you be asked to bury something other than so it could become a skeleton. Duh.
  20. Upvote
    OHSP reacted to Sigaba in Decisions   
    When asking these kinds of questions, please keep in mind that being told that you may do something differently may be unattached from guidance about the challenges that may follow.
    Too few historians are going to sit you down, walk you through the options,  and make sure you understand the potential long term consequences for picking the wrong door. Fewer still are going to keep you from getting in your own way. Instead, most professors will listen with mirth shining in their eyes as you fox yourself into this hole or that one. Later, you'll have a good laugh when you say "Oh, so THAT'S what you meant...!"
  21. Upvote
    OHSP got a reaction from FruitLover in Decisions   
    Departments can/do/will hide attrition--ask students in 3rd year and above how many people were in their cohort when they started. Ask how funding has changed and how the department has handled it. Ask what kind of support there is when it comes to grants--personally, I cannot overstate how useful it has been to have substantial grant-writing workshops built into our requirements. Ask people what it's like to take exams (at schools where there appear to be regimented requirements around exams, ask around to find out if those are in fact more flexible--and ask if they're more flexible for some people than others [better to know this stuff now than to be overly optimistic]). Ask who's going to be the DGS in the coming years and work out how students feel about that prof. First years don't actually know much about the program but some will think they do (I realize this sounds harsh but I wish I'd had this word of warning before visits). Sometimes at a visit you will meet a lot of chuffed first years and it can be misleading, so try to talk to people across varying fields, in the various years. If there are social events then go to them and ask honest questions--grad school is a really weird job to commit to, and I strongly advise forgetting about your future dreams for a bit and asking what it's like, materially, spiritually, etc. (I like etc) to be in a given program--especially if you're going to move, leave a job, uproot your family...
     
  22. Upvote
    OHSP got a reaction from Sigaba in Decisions   
    Departments can/do/will hide attrition--ask students in 3rd year and above how many people were in their cohort when they started. Ask how funding has changed and how the department has handled it. Ask what kind of support there is when it comes to grants--personally, I cannot overstate how useful it has been to have substantial grant-writing workshops built into our requirements. Ask people what it's like to take exams (at schools where there appear to be regimented requirements around exams, ask around to find out if those are in fact more flexible--and ask if they're more flexible for some people than others [better to know this stuff now than to be overly optimistic]). Ask who's going to be the DGS in the coming years and work out how students feel about that prof. First years don't actually know much about the program but some will think they do (I realize this sounds harsh but I wish I'd had this word of warning before visits). Sometimes at a visit you will meet a lot of chuffed first years and it can be misleading, so try to talk to people across varying fields, in the various years. If there are social events then go to them and ask honest questions--grad school is a really weird job to commit to, and I strongly advise forgetting about your future dreams for a bit and asking what it's like, materially, spiritually, etc. (I like etc) to be in a given program--especially if you're going to move, leave a job, uproot your family...
     
  23. Upvote
    OHSP reacted to gsc in Decisions   
    I'd also add that you pose these questions (and all of your questions) to students at different stages in the program. A lot of the time, the graduate students most heavily involved in "recruitment day" are first and second years, because they're around campus the most; while ABD students are harder to track down (I haven't participated in a recruitment event in four years) they'll have more "institutional knowledge" of the department and more perspective on these questions.
    You can ask about it. Most places will have shared office space for TAs and some may have shared office space for grad students on fellowship. At my program you can sign up for a desk-share in one of the basement cubicle dens; TAs get priority, but most people who ask for a desk get one. It's nice while you're in coursework and spend a lot of time in whatever building your department is in (waiting around for class, department talks, office hours) but since becoming ABD I've preferred the regular library (worth checking to see if the main library has graduate student only spaces). 
  24. Upvote
    OHSP got a reaction from TMP in Rejection Advice   
    The metrics point that @Sigaba stresses is very real -- my MA was advised by a prof no one knows at a university no one's heard of using methods that were frankly pretty random, but I think (importantly!!) guided by good questions. I really wouldn't worry about being seen as pivoting--tbh few people are reading applications closely enough to even notice a pivot. My proposed project was far away from my MA thesis in terms of topic and region, and my current diss project is lightyears away from my MA and my SoP--people are used to graduate students changing their focus--but I would say that, essentially, my core questions have stayed the same and they're probably what got me into schools. I'd be interested to know what your big questions are/what you are passionate about when it comes to research--what are the questions that would potentially stoke the enthusiasm of profs well outside of your field/period etc. 
  25. Upvote
    OHSP reacted to snackademic in Rejection Advice   
    Thank you all for your advice! It all means a lot to me.
    My application was very different first and second cycle. I got an MA and gained research fluency in the language that a professor giving me advice first round told me would be helpful for my project. I kept the broad periodization of my previous proposed project but changed the geographic emphasis and thematic emphasis somewhat, and also made my SOP far more focused on historiographical intervention and brought in some new angles (including history of science, legal research, etc.). I also learned and applied some big data skills that I used for my MA thesis, which was advised by a big name in my specified field (as opposed to my undergrad thesis, which was advised by someone who wasn't well-known). Sorry I know that's all super broad and not helpful; my topic is a little bit distinctive so I'm reluctant to identify myself too much on here in case I reapply.
    But suffice it to say that I changed a lot. Perhaps too much and it came to be seen as a pivot. Or then my project was too specific and my SOP came off as essentially a dissertation prospectus to be rubber stamped, which I've heard is a bad thing. I don't know.
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