Marier

I didn't apply to Berkeley, but I know someone who did and just declined his offer today for NU. So maybe it'll open up a spot for you!

That's such a bummer, especially as I have international travel already lined up. I totally understand why schools are doing this, but to decide the next 6+ years without seeing schools is going to be really tough! 

I meant to ask that as well! Columbia is potentially doing the same. Though they will reimburse us even if we cancel the trip, I possibly don't know how I can decide where to go by April 15th without having visited all schools. I am/was? supposed to do two visits in 10 days.
Coming from abroad, the teleconference idea seems so unfit. I've already had Skype sessions with my POI prior to acceptance, so it's more a matter of needing to meet the faculty, cohort, hearing about the program, and asking questions to current grad students. And I guess we won't be given more time to decide...!

Just received my first acceptance! I've been offered full tuition plus a TAship at Lehigh for their MA program. I've also just sent emails to my two waitlists to see if it's worth it to take this offer. Relieved I have one offer on the table now. 

Funding is really tough for an MA. HOWEVER, if you are open to state schools, many of them require an MA before the admit PhD students. I was lucky enough to have a funded MA, but it was via a partial tuition scholarship and a partial scholarship the university allowed MA students to apply for. If you want to keep applying in the future, I would look for different combinations of funding to cover the MA. 
On a personal note, without an MA, I would have felt incredibly unprepared for my current doctoral program. Not to mention they don't accept students without an MA, but I think that time was incredibly beneficial. I think that all comes down to the individual, but I am incredibly thankful I did the MA.

For those wondering about NYU. Just had an informal interview with my POI 5mn ago, told me admission results will be posted probably next week (in the best case scenario) or the week after that. Visit day on March 27th. Said they're only able to accept 15 students: 4-5ppl for the History Programme, and 2 for each Joint History programmes.

For those wondering about NYU. Just had an informal interview with my POI 5mn ago, told me admission results will be posted probably next week (in the best case scenario) or the week after that. Visit day on March 27th. Said they're only able to accept 15 students: 4-5ppl for the History Programme, and 2 for each Joint History programmes.

Can I ask who your POI is at NYU? I’m also applying to the Joint program. You can PM me 

Hi everyone - I've been staying quiet and avoiding Grad Cafe as much as I could stand it. I was among the recent round of Yale rejects earlier this week, but other than that it's been radio silence and I've been struggling not to interpret that as a bad sign. If anyone is looking for something to keep you distracted, there was a wonderful podcast episode on NPR recently that was about the psychology of comparing yourself against other people: Counting Other People's Blessings. I don't know if it will help but I'm making the intention that every time I start getting anxious I'll remind myself of some event in my life from the past ten years or so that was a blessing. Going through old photos helps a lot to remind me of all the good things that have happened. Best of luck to you all.

SAME! Congrats!!!! That whole “check the portal status” is a bit nerve wracking aha. Any idea when the visit day might be? 

Thank you! I’m doing modern Europe

I have no insights, but I got into Columbia today. Still can’t believe it! I received an email to check my application status - and there was the offer with funding information. I’m surprised more people haven’t posted anything on the results page...

Thank you! It was a huge surprise. Wishing everyone a fruitful decision season that’s nearing its peak!

Thank you for the update. I applied for the joint program in History/French Studies and was wondering when we would hear back !

NYU's making a lot of changes--in the past decade or so it was not typical, but interviews definitely occurred this year in at least some fields. In the past few years cohort sizes have been cut dramatically, which improves the 6th year + internal grants funding situation for those who receive an offer, amongst other benefits of smaller cohorts. I think the reduction in intake is also a response to the realities of the job market. 

I wanna echo this. Waiting to hear back from both schools too and feeling anxious because NYU is my top choice. I'd rather just get rejected now and have this be over!

Northwestern admit! JHS reject. They seem to come all at once now. Anyone knows when NYU & Columbia usually sends out their reply?

Northwestern admit! JHS reject. They seem to come all at once now. Anyone knows when NYU & Columbia usually sends out their reply?

I agree with that statement. I think that forward thinking is beneficial in any situation. My program is working hard to emphasize finishing in a timely manner, sixth year funding is gradually becoming very limited. I was also lucky and earned my MA from a university geographically close to my current institution. The faculty know each other and communicate often. Even then, my DGS and I had a meeting and examined the content for each course to ensure that necessarily skills were developed. I also needed a language course because I do not have the knowledge to test out, so my DGS and I made the determination together to waive one course.
Additionally, I would never recommend anyone do this immediately upon entering a program. I waited until Spring registration opened, after getting a feel for the department and the faculty. Waivers and/or exceptions should absolutely be considered on an individual basis. I was not the first person to be granted this exception, nor was I the only member of my cohort granted a waiver. That said, I do not think it hurts to share personal experience if it can help another student. I would not advise anyone to walk into a department and expect waivers or special treatment if they had already earned an MA, but individual situations may vary just like individual departments. 

Look at the graduate school requirements as well as department requirements. That may help you to determine how long it will (potentially) take you to complete the program.
The program I attend promotes a 5 year PhD, and they do not take students without an MA in hand. If I were to just meet the graduate school requirements I would only need to do one year of graduate level coursework, but the department has a different requirement. Instead I am scheduled to do 2 years of coursework, even though I have my MA. Look over the two requirements, the department is often more extensive than the graduate school itself. That said, you can sometimes speak to a DGS to get certain requirements waived. For example, I took a theory course during my MA. I sat down with my DGS and we compared the syllabus from my MA institution and my current program, in which he decided to waive that requirement. In doing so, I am still required to take the 2 years of coursework, but I was permitted to take an additional research focused course rather than a seminar. That swap gives me a jump on my own research, ideally helping me to complete the program in the 5 year timeline.
However, as with many programs, we have students in their 6th, 7th, even 8th years. Most programs will not have a firm timeline, but the minimum requirements vary.

Congrats on UCLA! 
You can accept if you're dead set on coming to UCLA, but it's perfectly acceptable to accept afterwards. It's really important to meet your potential advisors in person and see the campus for yourself. You're going to be spending many years here and the last thing you want is to hate the campus and/or your advisors! I didn't accept until after I visited, even though I was 90% sure I was going to choose UCLA. Let me know if you have any questions about UCLA!

A bit of an addendum to your otherwise excellent points: some departments require you to have a certain number of coursework credits before you're eligible to take prelims/comps/whatever you may call them. Others require that you take coursework up until you submit a dissertation proposal, which can significantly delay your progress.
In short, it's worth knowing program requirements inside and out before accepting an offer. Some places allow a lot more leeway than others.

Constantly waking up at night and checking your e-mail, since it is daytime in the US: The Foreign Applicant Experience™

In previous program, people with MAs could get one course release. Of all the people I've known coming into my program with a MA, only one got this. The release was more dependent on advisors than program. Here is why: a MA and a PhD are very different graduate programs. They have different requirements, different expectations, different times.
Further, in the humanities you encounter less structure in MA and PhD programs, especially in the US. Not all MA students in the same cohort take the same courses. Thus, not even the students in the same cohort have encountered the same authors, read the same sources, undertaken the same research. In a doctoral program the difference is even greater. What I mean to say in all this is that no one can really quantify how the MA counts towards the PhD. If they do, make sure is a way that benefits you. If they are going to exempt you from a language exams, make sure it's because you know the language. If they are going to exempt you from a methods course, make sure you know the methods. A PhD coursework is the last chance you get to read about topics/regions that are not necessarily connected to your own interests. This is a gift, take advantage of it. I can assure you it won't hurt. 
Regarding time of completion with or without a MA: No, it has absolutely nothing to do. Maybe others can chime in here, but in my experience (both as student and faculty), I haven't seen a difference in time of completion. I didn't go in with a MA and it took me the same as some one with. I know people with MAs in their 9th years. I know people with MA that graduated in 6. So, no. 
Now, the question of why some programs run longer is a strange one. Typically, doctoral programs run for five years: 2 coursework, 1 for exams/developing prospectus, 1 for research, 1 for writing. However, the vast majority of graduate student do not finish in five years (it's not impossible, but I'd say I know two people who did). It usually takes 6 or more. The reasons for this vary enormously from person to person and from program to program. Besides personal reasons, some programs prefer to fund their students for another year if they didn't find a job. Some advisors can be hard to work with and maybe you just end up writing for more time than you thought. This is a very, very important question that you should check in the programs' websites and ask graduate students. It is a very valid question, so do ask when you visit! 
First, you get a feel of the department. I'm a firm advocate that the department is your workplace (as opposed as your buddies-space, which it can be, but it's not mostly that). So, when you travel and interact with everyone, you'll see how they get along, how they treat each other, how do they live, what worries them, etc. You'll see if most of them are younger, if they are married/with partners, if they are older, etc. You'll also see for yourself what's like to be in the city where you'll be. Do you see yourself here? Is it hard to move around? Is campus accessible? You will probably meet faculty outside your department and probably envision collaborating with some. I'm a Latin Americanist so our prospective students usually meet with faculty in Art History, Romance languages, and Sociology. You'll also meet your advisor and other faculty, and get a sense of their style. 
(As I mentioned, I didn't attend my visit but this is what people that ended up coming told me they enjoyed from our visit). 
Are you coming from abroad with nothing in the US? If you are, then valid questions include: Where do grad students typically live? Are there furnished apts? is there a roommate service? (usually yes to both of these). Can you get a car? Can you get a driver's license? What do you need to get insurance? What fees are not covered by the fellowship? etc. Do contact other students that came from abroad, trust me. They will be your biggest allies! 
 
Good luck!

@Marier Know you're coming from abroad, I'd ask your POI (and the DGS) how they will consider your MA coursework.  Will they transfer all of the credits?  Some?  What about the thesis? Every program is different.  But definitely try to get out of the thesis requirement if you can, or at least, ask to re-use your thesis (if you plan to use it for the dissertation) and use the time to revise it into a journal article. One PhD program (which I turned down) said they'd transfer my MA coursework but would have to look into whether my MA thesis requirement could be waived.  My current PhD program accepted everything and let me get right to the coursework.  My first big hurdle, thus, then were the PhD exams, not MA thesis/exam.  Still, I did 2 years of coursework, took a year to prep for the exams, and moved onto the dissertation stage. It was just nice not to have to stress about a MA thesis/exam (while everyone else was...).
Do ask about post-5th year funding and whether the program has been consistent in awarding such funding (budget cuts do happen at state schools).  Anticipate applying for external fellowships that will allow you to extend the life expectancy of your guaranteed funding package. Speak with your adviser's students and find out how they finished and whether the adviser is committed to securing funding for you until you can graduate.