[Fall 2017 applicants]

3 minutes ago, Calgacus said:

@NCAtlanticist I just want to say, given your use of Trumpian language and your location, that this kind of attitude is not going to be very well received in most places in academia. This is not meant to start a political debate, but is merely stating a fact about the culture of the profession you're seeking entry into. On a side note, it is often not professionally productive to personally berate those who are more experienced in your field, such as @Sigaba, when they are offering free advice. This is rule of thumb is applicable to basically any profession, but is especially relevant to academia because it's so small and reputation-based.

Congrats to all the admits so far!

I was not arguing with his professional advice. Obviously you should be polite and courteous to admins, that's a given. I only commented that admins should not be short in response (life is hard for everyone, that doesn't give them the right to be rude). I was pointing out a hypocritical statement Sigaba made to another poster. Sigaba ASSUMED he/she had been rude to an admin in their email. My only points were 1) that Sigaba had no idea what the user had said and 2) that making assumptions then reprimanding someone on those assumptions is wrong. As for Trumpian language, I am not sorry for saying "snowflake." It is kind of ridiculous, instead of engaging to my point about assumptions, to then pull the "I go to a Cali school and I know buzzwords" routine. I am sure that even if I said I was a liberal Democrat that it would not make much a difference. Sigaba has declared him/herself as the pinnacle of excellence and is morally superior. I am sure there is a discussion here about Foucault and the power of words (though that can be saved for another day).

[Fall 2017 applicants]

11 hours ago, Sigaba said:

Since you went this route, I'll play.

You want to be a graduate student in history.  Yet you decided not to do any research on this BB to gather accurate information about where I currently work. Instead, you made an assumption that is not supported by evidence that is readily available.

You also failed to read my post correctly. The use of bold face in first quote was to indicate that the email in question came from an admin--something that you should have noticed before popping off on how "shitty" Columbia is.

Yet you insist your situational awareness isn't an issue. I disagree.

By the bye, as you say you're not an ass and as you're clearly a person who doesn't say anything on line that you'd not say in person, here's a question.  Since you feel so strongly about this matter, how did the conversation go when you shared this view with the admin in question and told her how she should do her job?

Before you respond to this post, I recommend that you check your temper and read this post. 

If you still want to stay on this path, I suggest that you take it to PM --especially if you're not going to reconsider your tone.

Or, if you prefer, the discussion can shift to the ups and downs graduate students' relationships with departmental staff or dealing with the disappointment of rejection in sustainable ways.

It is your call.

Hey, I did not email any admins. I was commenting on your assumption that the person who did receive a cold response must have been rude. YOU in fact are being presumptuous and hypocritical (to say the least). And to my point, you are continuing to assume an air of moral superiority. Your attitude and cockiness are two of the things that are bringing down academia as a whole. You are truly the epitome of snowflake. Also, I would have no problem telling you that to your face.

[Fall 2017 applicants]

@Sigaba I love your comment:  "If you don't find it in yourself to dial down your attitude and increase your situational awareness, the staff will figure you out and extend to you none of these courtesies." By saying that the admin's comment at Columbia was "shitty" has nothing to do with "situational awareness," it has everything to do with not being an ass. Also, you assume that the person who sent the first email had an "attitude." Judgemental much? The admin could have just said "letters of admissions are coming out in x days" or not responded. I would appreciate if you could make the trek down your ivory tower and drop the air of moral superiority.

[Fall 2017 applicants]

8 minutes ago, wjd said:

News from Columbia's graduate admin:

"Dear _______, notification to admitted students was sent out yesterday. If you did not receive any notification, you may assume that you were not admitted. Formal notice of non-admittance will go out beginning next week.
 

Best,
 

Sharee"

Thats pretty shitty of Columbia. I just got denied from UGA and they sent three paragraphs about my rejection. More or less no one wanted to advice a dissertation on African American history... all about the Civil War.

[Fall 2017 applicants]

For those of you who finally broke down and emailed your POI, what did you say? How was your admissions inquiry worded?

[Fall 2017 applicants]

4 hours ago, OHSP said:

Hi @NCAtlanticist, I received an offer from Duke last week and I've since received an invite to their admitted students weekend - there are 14 people on the list. I don't know whether Duke wait-lists or sends out offers in rounds but it might be worth emailing a POI to check? Re numbers, I've pretty much heard from most POIs that, after a certain cut off point (and I'm sure your numbers are above the cut off point), it's really just about the writing sample, fit, and your past work - my UGPA is 3.85, GGPA is not calculated yet because it's 100% dissertation, and my GRE numbers are V-166, Q-150, AW-5. I also have publications in relatively highly-ranked journals which helps - even if it just proves that you are "serious" about being a professional historian. Hope this is helpful - sorry to be the bearer of slightly bad news re Duke, but hopefully it's not over yet. 

Thanks for the response. Only time will tell, I will maintain my cautious optimism. Congrats on your acceptance by the way!

[Fall 2017 applicants]

1 hour ago, wjd said:

Hey!

No word from Duke yet for me, but I've heard back from UNC -- official acceptance letter came on Friday, and I'm nominated for Royster Society & merit assistantship. Letter emphasized that they are only contacting me now because I'm nominated for those awards, so don't worry yet. I think you should expect the decision this week or next.

UGPA: 3.683 (graduating in 3 years w/2 majors while playing DI football)/GREV: 166/GREQ: 156/GREAW: 4.0

My research area is American memory of WWII, but more specifically, I want to identify and examine what factors influenced the rise and staying power of the "good war" myth.

Your quantitative credentials are pretty comparable to (if not better than) mine, so you've got a shot at UNC. Duke is likely the same as UNC; I think you'll be accepted at UGA.

Thanks wjd,

That's awesome that you heard back, congratulations! Did they email you before you got a letter? And thanks again for alleviating some of my stress.

[Non-history undergrad to History PhD help?]

I did Classics as an undergraduate and I got accepted to three masters (1 fully funded, 1 half funded, and 1 no funding). But if you did Classics then history won't be to much of a jump. The hardest adjustment I had was moving away from the passive voice and into the active.

[Fall 2017 applicants]

Has anyone heard back from UGA, Duke, or UNC? If you have, would you mind sharing their decision and you UGPA/GGPA/GRE and topic? I am in that constant back and forth wavering about whether my UGPA-3.739 GGPA-4.0 (after 27 hours) and V-160, Q-152, AW-4.5 is good enough for some of these schools. And in the word of the Romans "Bona fortune tibi" applicants.