historygeek

If you have any questions about the Cincinnati area, PM me! You might also want to look at SLU. We have a strong early modern history faculty (Dr. Mark Ruff taught a fantastic class on the Reformation last year and is a Germanist). The department itself has a great culture, and (best of all) the MA is funded.

So I wrote a writing sample over the summer, but lately I've started to doubt it. I almost feel like it sounds like a freshman wrote it or something! I was just wondering if any current grad student would be able to read through it and confirm/deny that it's good enough? I'm trying to write another one, just to be safe, but I don't want to put time into it if I don't need to. I had my faculty mentor look over it, and he only made a few comments, but I'm still worried.

Hi everyone! I got back from Chicago this afternoon, having visited one of my school options yesterday. I had lunch with two graduate students who were very honest about what the school was like, the funding packages, the RA and TA positions, and the culture of the program, and also got to talk with 4 professors and the director of the graduate program. It was a fantastic and very informative visit, and I'm glad that I went!

I was wondering the same thing.

I am having lunch with two graduate students-- one is working on her dissertation, and the other is ABD.

I can't believe that I haven't said this before, but if anyone has any questions about SLU's program, let me know. We have a funded masters program.

I'm going to my first graduate school visit next week! Actually, in less than a week. What are some good questions to ask the professors I'm meeting with?

Hi all. I have a question that probably doesn't matter at all but I'm worried about anyways! I'm working on my writing sample and I just cited a book by a person of interest in discussing the general historiography surrounding the specific topic of my chapter. Is this going to be perceived as brown-nosing/sucking up? Or am I just too worried?

I'm so excited, everyone! Over fall break, I'm traveling up to Chicago for a grad school visit! I'll be meeting with not only current students, but also with professors that I'm interested in working under.

Have you looked into SLU at all? We have a decent early modern history program and the MA is funded. You might want to contact Dr. Mark Ruff (he's usually a historian of modern Germany but has training in early modern German society as well).

Hey everyone! I was invited to visit the graduate program at Loyola Chicago next month. It'll be my first graduate school visit, so I'm understandably nervous. Basically, a couple of graduate students will be taking me out to lunch and talking about the department, then I'll tour the campus, meet professors, etc. I'm just not sure what would be appropriate to wear, what I should ask, etc. Any help would be great!

I came here to say the same thing! My school has a a pretty extensive core curriculum. In addition to taking the classes for my majors (history & Italian), I've taken things like forensic science and young adult literature. You'll be fine if you take a history class.

Hello everyone! I think that my SOPs are where I need them to be, which is very exciting. I'm now shifting my focus to my writing sample and my personal statements. I'm kind of kicking myself because I'm thinking of changing what my writing sample is-- I was going to write my thesis chronologically, but have since decided to do thematic chapters. I wrote what I thought was going to be my writing sample as a chronological chapter, but I've since decided to write one of my thematic chapters instead. I'm pretty confident that I can do this, especially with my thesis advisors being so available to help perfect it.

Hi everyone, I'm getting to a point where I'm getting my SOPs finished and polished, but I'm still nervous about uploading them onto my applications. Would anyone be willing to review these? I would be incredibly grateful! Transnational history American history

Finally actually reading history again, thank God! Right now, I'm reading Hasia Diner's Hungering for America: Italian, Irish, and Jewish Foodways in the Age of Migration to help with the food chapter of my thesis.

Hi everyone. One of my recommenders only has a Yahoo email address, as she's a former internship supervisor. On the Columbia application site, it says I'm honestly freaking out! Should I be worried about this?

No problem! Overall, it's gone really well! I've used that template, more or less, for my faculty emails and have gotten enthusiastic responses from my top choices!

Hi everyone! I just wanted to share something really positive! I just met with my two thesis advisors and we discussed a plan of action for this semester, when I’ll be writing my prospectus. We talked in depth about my project and they seemed excited about my project, especially the fact that I suggested adding a chapter on love and food culture. They also enthusiastically agreed to write me letters of recommendation. And, perhaps best, my mentor returned my writing sample with very few marks. It’s a good day!

So I'm in the application process as well, but IMO, I feel like bringing up funding is a bit uncouth and unprofessional. If I were reading an SOP that directly mentioned funding, even as a point of professional fit, I would be less inclined to recommend the applicant for admission because it would appear as though they were focusing on money instead of other, more school-specific resources.

I would. Just email him and ask if your interests align and if you’re a good fit in the department.

Have you contacted the professor? Are there other POI in the program that you could work with?

Hi all. I'm filling out the NYU application, and it asks for the people you're interested in working with and research background. Should I mention these in my SOP as well?

Hi all. I'm filling out the NYU application, and it asks for the people you're interested in working with and research background. Should I mention these in my SOP as well?

This is great to know. Thank you!

Another thing to keep in mind is that you need to tailor your SOPs to the school/program. 5 or 6 really good applications is better than 30 okay applications.