coffeehum
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Posts posted by coffeehum
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25 minutes ago, iamsoscared96 said:
just throwing it in there, I have been accepted by Illinois
Congrats!! Which Illinois program? Chicago or Urbana-Champaign?
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Has anyone been able to find out how many applications all of these top schools (especially Northwestern, UW-Madison, Harvard, Princeton, UVA) received this year? I am very curious about what the total numbers look like this year. I also wonder if waitlists look different--it seems there haven't been as many waitlist offers extended this year (haven't seen any for Northwestern yet?) and I wonder if departments are just going to go with whoever accepts their initial offers. Wishing you all the best--it's not over until it's over, but man, this cycle is tough!
- generalstrike, Bulkan, Maguire and 1 other
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1 minute ago, TMP said:
Yes. Hold off until you hear from all schools. If you get into Michigan, which has, arguably, one of the best funding packages of ALL PhD programs, you'll want to take it very seriously and mention that you've been accepted at Northwestern.
Interesting--everything I've seen on program funding spreadsheets suggests Michigan offers between $20-30K for 5 years. Can anyone say more about this?
Btw congrats @BJL2021 and everyone who has shared an acceptance so far. Cheers to you all!
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Sorry to add to the stress pool, but has anyone heard anything from UIUC? They've consistently been on the quicker side of admissions for the past few years, so I'm a little surprised to have not heard anything yet.
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50 minutes ago, mercuetio said:
hi @coffeehum! I think you're asking some very good questions re: state of the academy and are right to point out the differences in institutional support in public vs. private and even among individual private institutions themselves. It is easy to generalize "public" vs "private", but I think that the question ultimately boils down to "which institutions have the best ability to support me in all aspects of my career as a scholar"".
I think that the best way to weigh your options when the time comes is to compare funding packages and have conversations with faculty and graduate students in the department to figure out what institutional support there is to support both your research expenses/experiences (guaranteed summer funding, language learning funding, internal fellowships, connections to certain research institutions, etc.) while you attend as well as looking at recent career outcomes for graduates of that program. Are they post-docs? Are they in a lecture contract at their PhD-granting institutions? Do they pivot out of the academy entirely?
I'd also suggest not to let "fully-funded" trick you into believing that it must be living wage at the school you'd like to attend. The same stipend will go much further in Michigan than it would in California. I'm sure if you look back in the forum there's a lot of wisdom on how to discern financially -- and I'd also point you toward the pinned thread of funding packages on the forum.
Hi! Your insight on this is much appreciated, thank you for giving me so much to think through. Shifting away from taking "fully funded" at its face value to considering cost of living, placement rates, research support, and other monetary and non-monetary forms of support seems like the most important step I need to take now. I've found it difficult to discern between programs that have a lot of money in the pot and programs that are smart and effective about distributing their money and resources for students, but your advice is helping me figure out what kinds of questions to ask.
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I know we're all still a long ways out from making decisions, but I'm curious to hear some of your perspectives on choosing a program at a public vs. private institution. I applied to a good mix, and although the programs at state universities all guarantee full funding, I am increasingly concerned about the resources and security grad students might be able to access there in coming years. Several students at the private institutions I've applied to have pointed to their stipends and overall excellent access to research funding, summer support, and fellowships as defining factors of their experiences.
That said, I have also seen users on this forum talk about how much that support differs between various private institutions. I'd appreciate any perspectives from current students or other applicants currently weighing these factors.
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3 hours ago, beorn1968 said:
I just had a Notre Dame history rejection yesterday, but that was expected. First year back in a very long time in the phd application process and for covid issues could not submit GREs. Guess they would not budge on the issue. I was applying to American studies at Harvard, had a great chat with POI in October. When they cancelled the 2021 admissions cycle I rapidly shifted gears to applying to Harvard history. Bracing myself. My final history app is Northwestern. Has anybody heard anything? I'm also applying in religious studies at Yale and UVA. Have had some good email contact. What a year. Admissions are an Olympic blood sport this cycle. Always remember that whatever the results, it has nothing to do with our abilities or what we are capable of. Good luck and solidarity everyone!
Sorry about the rejection, wishing you all the best with the rest of your apps! I heard Northwestern will be taking far fewer students than normal--maybe half the cohort size as usual. I don't think results will be out for a few more weeks, unfortunately.
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8 minutes ago, pattycat said:
Hi there--I'm not a History applicant, but the CertiFile button showed up in my portal as well so I'm poking around trying to figure out if it means anything.
Hello! Interesting--please let me know if you learn anything! I will do some poking around as well...
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I am nearly positive that I am reading too much into this, but did any other UMich applicants notice the addition of a note about CertiFile on the ApplyWeb portal? No updates on status or anything, but I've checked the portal every day and this is the first time I've seen this addendum. Please forgive my grasping at straws...
I should also note, I have a few other schools on ApplyWeb and none of them include this update.
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21 hours ago, NoCapMoon said:
Hello everyone! I'm applying for a PhD in history as well. Can anyone speak on what any of these programs are doing to be more diverse? I know Vanderbilt is making some really big pushes, but aside from that I've felt a lot of schools have very hollow diversity messaging. I'm applying to 8 schools and all of them have maybe one or two (if any at all) Black students. I think it's very weird considering all of the buzz around Black history and the ADOS movement.
I've gotten the best sense of the state of diversity efforts by either directly contacting or simply following current students on Twitter. A lot of students have been quite vocal about the initiatives (or more often, lack thereof...) in that regard as well as in relation to the pandemic and academic jobs crisis. Their honesty has been hard to swallow but so appreciated throughout this application season...
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1 hour ago, OHSP said:
Sorry to reply twice but what's up with all of the wild assumptions this year. This waiting period is unpleasant but some schools are probably only just beginning to download applications.
I think it's because there is a steady stream of "interview offers" recorded in the results database. Many of the interviews are with programs that don't say anything about an interview being a part of the application process. Hard to say whether all of the "interviews" being noted are formal or informal, standardized or unique to specific professors, but it sure does exacerbate one's nerves to see the list grow.
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I've heard from one POI who wants to talk soon. The program doesn't seem to have a formal interview process, so I was surprised to hear from them and am more anxious about the radio silence from the rest of my programs as a result. I think it's to be expected though. Hang in there, everyone!
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I panicked over this same issue a few months ago and emailed several of my schools. Every single school let me know that there is no expectation for applicants to include dual credit/IB/AP transcripts. You should be fine. I also think they'd contact you before simply throwing your application out!
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I seriously screwed up and submitted a draft of my writing sample where the sample failed to cite one very short quote. I submitted it to my top school and the deadline has since passed. Is this going to knock me out altogether? Is it worth emailing the department a correction? I am terrified.
**I was finally able to connect with my mentor and they assured me that this is not a big deal. Please disregard this query. Stress is getting to me...
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1 hour ago, Sigaba said:
And rather than offering your experience and expertise in one program to serve as a source of support, you are positioning yourself as a gate keeper.
I don't think @NoirFemmewas gatekeeping. It's important for prospective students to have clear, unvarnished perspectives on what the state of the field and top programs look like right now. Those who have big dreams/aspirations need to hear this kind of honesty and won't interpret this commentary as a "judgement" or a be all, end all on their career goals. FWIW, if I took all the advice I've read/received on here at face value, I wouldn't have managed to eke my applications out in the first place this year.
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1 hour ago, bakeseal said:
Some eleventh hour application anxieties: I ended up cutting back on the number of schools I'm applying to, largely because many schools near the top of my list (NYU, Penn, and Minnesota) aren't accepting applications this year (my interest, FWIW is in late nineteenth century US history of food and nutritional advice, esp during disease outbreaks. My recent focus is on Irish immigrant communities, but I'm not applying as an Irish historian). I felt like it wasn't worth applying to respectable but lower ranked schools I was less interested in if I felt I even had a chance at acceptance into one of those programs next year. So, right now I'm planning to submit applications for four top programs (Harvard, Yale, UC Berkeley, and JHU), figuring that I could live with rejections from those programs because they're so competitive, but have as good a shot as any dedicated student with a decent CV. I'm also applying for some long-shot funding for a masters in Irish History abroad, though I was already rejected this year from the Marshall and Mitchell so I'm trying to keep my expectations in check.
I have spent the past several months trying to stick to my plan and not get bogged down by depressing stats. Now that I'm really staring down these deadlines and looking towards next year, I am increasingly freaked out at the prospect of potential unemployment+a slate of PhD rejections. Have I made a terrible mistake? Is it worth throwing another application or two out there, or should I focus on another batch of revisions to my existing SOPs and writing sample?
Would love to hear any last minute advice/commiserations/etc, if anyone has any thoughts.
Sorry to hear about the recent rejections. I am also finding the end of this application season to be fairly miserable. Most of the programs I'm applying to will be accepting fewer students this year, my recommenders and other mentors haven't been able to provide much feedback on my materials (understandably so), and I am finding problem after problem every time I review my SoPs. Like you, I'm also beginning to panic at the very real possibility of getting rejected from all of my programs.
I've also contemplated throwing in a few additional applications (applying for 5 programs), but I think our best shot at this point has to be focusing on in-progress applications. I have found throughout this cycle and other application processes that the last-minute adrenaline is best channeled into honing what I *really* mean and achieving as much clarity in structure/word choice as is possible.
Just my 2 cents, and I apologize for being a complete downer.
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Is it advisable to write an abstract or some kind of introduction to your writing sample if it is a portion of a larger thesis/article? I've received conflicting advice from my professors and I'd appreciate additional perspectives. I feel that the sample I'm using stands on its own, but it is a portion of my thesis and I wonder if it'd be good to explain how it fits into that larger project. Apologies if this matter has already been addressed.
Best of luck to everyone finishing up applications this month.
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4 hours ago, kchistory said:
Hi everyone! I've lurked on this site for quite some time, but this is my first time posting. I sent out emails to a handful of POI about a month ago. I heard back from most with either neutral or very encouraging responses. There is one that I haven't heard back from (University of Minnesota). If the POI hasn't responded, is it worth it to still apply? Or is that a good indication that they are not taking grad students or not interested in my work? Any insight would be greatly appreciated since I'd rather not take the time to go through the process if it is almost certainly a dead end. Thank you!!
Really sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but UMN decided to shutter admissions this cycle: https://cla.umn.edu/history/graduate/how-apply.
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On 10/6/2020 at 11:53 AM, HRL said:
Hello all,
I applied to PhD programs as an Americanist 2 years ago, was admitted to MA programs only, and proceeded with the UChicago MA. I just finished the MA program this fall and am looking to re-apply to PhDs this cycle, COVID notwithstanding.
I've just been lurking on this thread thusfar but am joining in the conversation now in the hopes of finding out if anyone has an ear to the ground on UT or Northwestern's plans to admit a cohort or not this year.
For UT, their admissions page for the History PhD program says the following:
**Given the current uncertainties of the pandemic, the Department of History is considering suspending or limiting admission for Fall 2021. No applications can be submitted at this time. An update will be posted here by early October 2020.**
For Northwestern, they have evidently not updated their admissions page since last year (all the dates noted on the page are for last year's cycle). So I reached out to the grad coordinator last week to ask if they are taking people this cycle. The response I got was the following:
"Thank you for your email. We will be providing an update on admissions for Fall 2021 in the next few weeks. Please check our website for updates."
Any insight/vague rumors anyone has on either school that they would be willing to share would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
UT just updated their page:
*Update, October 9, 2020: The Department of History is now accepting applications for Fall 2021 admission to its graduate program. The GRE will not be required for this year's application.
Due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, we expect to admit a smaller number of students than in a typical year. We strongly recommend that all applicants reach out to faculty members in their prospective field before submitting an application.
The submission deadline is December 8, 2020.*__
Several other PhD programs at Northwestern have announced in the past week that they will not be accepting a cohort. Have not heard anything definitive, but things don't seem promising...
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51 minutes ago, Sigaba said:
@coffeehum, the ability to read between the lines will be pivotal to your success in graduate school.
I am doing quite a bit of reading between the lines and am still curious (and anxious) to hear what other prospective applicants are hearing from current students or programs. Beyond my own situation, I care about what this means for the future of the field.
Additionally, I certainly feel for current students and understand that admissions are not of utmost concern at the moment. I am simply inquiring here because this thread is frequented by prospective applicants who likely share similar concerns, have been in contact with programs, and are entering the admissions cycle with their own pandemic-related challenges, job insecurity and otherwise. I understand that we ultimately need to be patient and make our own decisions.
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45 minutes ago, TMP said:
Just a FYI, from the grapevines,
There *is* strong consideration by a number of PhD programs, including at private schools and Big 10, to suspend admissions for Fall 2021, and perhaps 2022, to focus on supporting the current graduate students and helping them finish. Final decisions won't be made just right now but I'll expect to see them roll around October.
Take this as you want in the way of how much effort you want to put in into writing your application materials between now and late October when most decisions should be made in time for December deadlines.
Can anyone share more information on this front? I have received some very discouraging emails from prospective advisors in the past couple of weeks and everything I'm seeing from current students/higher ed news has been increasingly alarming.
Most of my programs have updated their pages for the 2021 admissions season, but a few have not. I'm especially wondering if anyone has heard much about Northwestern, Ohio State, and Rutgers. Any and all information would be appreciated.
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1 hour ago, AP said:
For the short answer, see @Sigaba's suggestion.
I'll address two things that are more long term. [These are things I usually comment on: basically an invitation to leave the undergraduate mentality and transition to that of the graduate student]
1) One of the things few people tell you about graduate programs in the humanities is the autonomy you are given and are expected to use. This means that it is your responsibility to communicate with the right people in a professional and timely manner. As I always say: your graduate career begins with your application (not when you are admitted). Show that you are a professional scholar and ask for the information that you want. You will probably get better answers that will ease your anxiety (even if the answer is "we don't know") than asking in this forum to speculate. (I completely agree with your take on the home GRE. I think GRE are prohibitive altogether, even without the pandemic. Man, I think all standardized tests should be banned!).
2) I understand what you mean by not wanting to be a "problem." Believe me, I have a great relationship with my advisor and still walk on eggshells and write emails like a million times. However, I'd invite you to take a different approach with an example. I'm faculty, and if an applicant sent me an email in the middle of the summer asking about GRE requirements and lashing out their situation and their opinions, you are right. It wouldn't cause a good impression on me. However, if you first email was: "Dear Dr. XXX, I hope this email finds you well [lame, but you have to]. I'm writing because I'm interested in applying to the History Program at Y University. My research interests are [two sentences]. I have experience in../conducted research on.../I would further examine... . I wonder if you have any insights on the application requirements and the process, especially regarding the impact of Covid". That alone will get you a response without venting on someone's inbox. At the same time, check with program administrators and/or DGS because they will have the most updated administrative answers. Remember that GREs are usually (but not always) school-wide requirements so professors often do not have the bits and pieces of these. In short, if you do not want to be a problem, then don't be a problem, which is not the same as don't do anything or don't stand up for yourself. You SHOULD ask questions.
I have been planning to reach out to faculty and program administrators within the next couple weeks and wasn't sure when to bring up the GRE issue/how to frame it, so this is an incredibly helpful response. Thank you. Your point about shifting from the undergraduate mentality to that of the graduate student is also well taken.
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Does anyone have a good sense of how many programs will actually stick with the GRE requirement this year? I know there is an at-home version but the nature & number of requirements to take the test at home seems incredibly prohibitive and I have a hard time imagining that most applicants will be able to take the test. Seems incredibly out of touch to be requiring scores at this point. I am becoming very anxious because there is no way I can make the at-home test work with my living situation/tech equipment, but I don't want to be viewed as a "problem" if I bring this up in my first communication with departments in the coming weeks...
2021 Application Thread
in History
Posted
No, but I'm in the same boat. Last program I'm waiting on and extremely restless about the prospects of waiting another few weeks! Hang in there...