DenverSun16

Thanks again for the thoughtful responses. I'm glad I have time to work on this stuff. I was reading another thread that most history PhD programs don't look too closely at GRE's, or at least they're not a huge part of their decision process. Is that generally true? Out of all my application materials, I can guarantee that will be the worst (my math skills are abysmal. Written/verbal I could do great on I'm sure though). That being said, I might consider taking it after all (it seems they are offering an at home/online version due to COVID, which actually makes me happier). Would anyone have suggestions for PhD programs (GRE's required or not) that would fit well to my interests and needs? I think I may still apply at Northwestern, but I've received some great advice from different people to try elsewhere/aim higher/find a place that suits my research interests better. I will continue to do my own research, but maybe someone has personal experience with a university that would be a good fit for me?

Dear everyone that responded to me, First of all, wow, I am blown away at the depth of all of your responses. Thank you for spending the time to type that all out, and cater your responses to my needs. You each bring up excellent points, and have helped me reevaluate how I would present myself. Although I've tried to browse this forum over a few months, and I have seen the repeated "don't just list your achievements", I still felt pretty hung up about my bachelors degree for some reason (maybe that's impostor syndrome. I wanted to prove that I was worthy). Also, don't get me wrong, MSU Denver was the best experience of my life. It truly set me on the right path to become an academic, and gave me the real-life the tools and lenses to view my field from different perspectives. Your answers have assuaged a lot of anxiety I have, mostly because I was fixated on the simple merit aspects of an application. The ways in which you've gone about addressing the various aspects of my person, rather than merit alone, have shown me that I should be able to craft a good presentation of how I personally would help further the discussions in my field. I do feel that I have gained a lot of insight into my field through my specific personal experiences, and would contribute to the field with a sort of scholarly activism. I won't write it all here, but all the points brought up has me thinking over here... I feel like I have a lot to say that I didn't think about before (or a much better way to spin it). I'm trying to learn how to present myself as an academic. To answer some questions y'all asked (and I of course would be much more detailed/polished in an application), I am specifically interested in queer/trans masculinities of the 1920s, especially in relation to urban, anonymous spaces (like speakeasies) and black markets. I was able to do lots of original research into that topic (broadly) while I was in Denver, and found many interesting aspects surrounding the butch and trans communities during prohibition. I guess my broader question is how anonymous, urban spaces and the black markets that sprung out of prohibition then created avenues for queer expressions and a shift in power relations for these communities in a time when trans people and crossdressing were not accepted, as well as how women/assigned female at birth people could not hold as much power as cis men and how they navigated that. I would specifically love to do this research in Chicago. I found so much in Denver archives, I'm sure a city like Chicago would be brimming with information. Not to say too much about myself, but my own lived experience would contribute to this field, in that I guess I have a lot of personal experience and investment in this research. While the field of trans men/butch lesbian/female masculinity etc. at the turn of the 20th Century in America has been written about, viewing it through the lens of prohibition has been less talked about. Queerness and an association with alcohol prohibition culture is generally known, but I want to narrow the focus on members of my own historical community, often powerless, who were able to gain power distinctly through this unique moment in legal history (whether that be as bootleggers, proprietors of speakeasies, or what have you, in relation to illegal alcohol). Sorry if I repeated myself, I was trying to just get all my ideas down. This forum is excellent practice for before I write my application! I feel that my international experience in Germany has brought many new experiences to the table for me, and it has also contributed to my language abilities (nearly fluent now in German). Although German might not directly relate to my field, I feel that studying American Studies will bolster my historical career, because this degree focuses a lot on culture and literature. I am able to view the communities I want to write about through a different lens than I did before as a history major. Also, the conversations in seminars we have about these topics are with students of various backgrounds that I was not exposed to in the USA. Additionally, it is eye-opening and interesting to learn about the United States from a non-American point of view, as some holes are being poked in my assumptions. It has also shown me the distinct lack of queer/gender studies outside of the USA (I know it exists elsewhere, but at my current university, for example, and in lots of Germany, it is almost non-existent! I get to forge my own path here in that way.) And lastly, I am sticking to "only" Northwestern because they don't require GREs. Plus, it's in/near a city of great interest to my potential research, and is a good school (and they seem to have a good crossover into sexuality studies). If other US uni's did not require GREs, I would also apply there. Otherwise, I might get stuck getting a 3 year PhD in Germany in a field I'm less interested in (which I don't really want to do). Germany is amazing, but as an American, it doesn't really make sense for me to study American history over here. Plus I've been hearing some disparaging things about their higher education (as far as my job opportunities). Again, thanks for all the thorough answers, and I'm sorry if anything I've said is naive. Like I said, I am new to this and still learning how to navigate my way through my academic journey. I appreciate the efforts to help change that for me

Hello, I am new to the Grad Cafe and this is my first post! I am sorry if I am repeating anything already asked. I will be applying for Northwestern University's History graduate program this year, to start in Fall 2021. My past research experience and what I want to focus on for my second masters and PhD in their grad program is specifically related to gender and sexuality history in early 20th century USA. I like the partnership their history program has with the gender and sexualities department, and they even have a graduate cluster focusing on that. I feel like I have pretty good chances from what I read, but I am extremely nervous about a couple things. Some about me, I graduated highest honors (suma cum laude), valedictorian equivalent (my school called it 'President's Award', I was my graduating class's commencement speaker), 3.98 GPA overall, 4.0 in History (darn that A- in biology). I completed an honors thesis, presented papers at three conferences (including my own school's undergraduate research conference). I am currently in a publishing contract and write regularly for the Colorado Encyclopedia (it's all history based, but unfortunately not a peer-reviewed journal). I also have a published article/winner of the Colorado Emerging Historian's Award with History Colorado (again, not peer reviewed). I have extensive TA experience in undergrad, president/vice president of several honors societies, leadership roles in campus activist groups, and worked for the Honors program for several years. I received needs-based and merit-based scholarships every year I attended. I am currently in an American Studies masters program at the University of Tuebingen in Germany. I will finish my MA Thesis in May 2021. I am a graduate research assistant for one of the main professors in the department, and have received grants and scholarships from the German government. Nobody in my family has ever gone to grad school, and we don't generally have much experience in higher education. My father and mother have bachelors they got online when I was 12, but other than that, I'm pretty much first-gen on all sides. I attended a public school in Denver... Metropolitan State University of Denver. I chose that school because I could afford to pay for it out of my own pocket, and I graduated without debt (something I was terrified of). Also, it is a Hispanic-serving institution, also with mostly first-gen and non-traditional students. Having a diverse student body was important to me, as a diverse student. However, I am afraid this will bite me with my admission to Northwestern. MSU Denver is not a ranked school, like not at all. I've had people joke at me that I got a community college version of a bachelor's degree, or that getting a degree there doesn't count because it's "not hard". Now, the Uni Tuebingen is a top 100 global university, so maybe that will help my chances, but I am afraid that Northwestern wouldn't accept me due to not having a prestigious bachelors. I know prestige begets prestige in academia. I did read that half of their accepted grad students already have a masters, so I believe that will help my chances. But what do you think? Northwestern might be the only program I apply to, but I fear that I'm putting too many eggs in one basket. I am extremely bad at standardized tests, and therefore, will not be taking GREs. I love how Northwestern does not require GREs. It has been mine and my wife's dream to live in/near Chicago and go to grad school there for several years. I'm just trying to get a gauge on whether I should put all my energy into Northwestern or not, because they might look at my MSU Denver honors BA and scoff.