Maguire

Hi all, I'd appreciate some advice just re applying next cycle as I'm pretty sure that's what I'll be doing. I'm going to spend a lot of the summer working on my statement of purpose for each school and really show in each one that I'm a good "fit" for the department and relevant POIs. So by the time I start filling out applications next September I will have graduated from a top UK university - UCL - (hopefully with a 1st) and will be heading to Cambridge for my MPhil. I'm hoping that will put me in a better position when I apply next year. I'm an Americanist, specialising in 20th Century US History - Race & Ethnicity and its connections with the Cold War/US Foreign Policy. I'm thinking that I'm going to reapply to the following schools - Yale, Princeton, Michigan, Wisconsin, Duke, Berkeley, Emory, Illinois, Vanderbilt, and UT Austin. And then newly apply to - Northwestern, NYU, Brown, Cornell, UCSD. I'm wondering about also some smaller ones like UMass Amherst, Indiana Bloomington, Boston University and Ohio State. I don't want to apply to as many as 20 places but more like 12-15. Is it worth applying to some of these smaller places? I read that there's no point doing a History PhD unless you get into one of the top programs so am a bit wary but still open to applying. Also, in terms of writing sample, I have a MA-level essay (I'm taking an MA level module in my final undergrad year) I'm working on that corresponds to some of the themes I want to pursue in the PhD, but then I am also working on my dissertation, which also tackles issues of race and incarceration in US history. Would it be best to submit the MA-level essay or a section of the dissertation for the writing sample? Or simply perhaps adapt based on the required page length for each institution? I think next cycle will be my last as I can't afford multiple application cycles. This one itself has been costly enough. I think my backup will be to try to get a job teaching Social Studies/History at middle or high school level after I'm done with my masters - either in the US or at an international school abroad. It seems like a more practical path in many ways as you can focus more on teaching rather than the 'publish or perish' culture of academe. That said, if I got into a top PhD program next cycle, I'd be ecstatic. Thanks all. I think after this cycle ends I'm going to hop off Grad Cafe as I think I'm going to try to not go on here as much during the 2022 cycle and also as I need to focus on my final dissertation for undergrad

Spy another Princeton admit on the results page so I guess we can assume acceptances have gone out and just not a ton of people who've been accepted are on here. Already forward-planning for next year, lol. I think/hope things will work out better for the 2022 cycle.

I think it’s probably an authentic result but am surprised there is just one so far as usually you would see more than one, but then this cycle is super weird so who knows ??‍♀️

Also a Princeton admit there.

I spoke with my POI over the weekend and seems like they're not that close to announcing decisions yet and also that this year's cohort will be quite reduced. Hoping for a more "normal" admissions cycle/cohort next year.

Anyone else finding some of the recent results on the survey page to be a bit fishy? Have to admit that long Ohio state comment was kind of funny...

Yeah, it’s been said before but it’d be great if places sent rejections closer to when acceptances are sent out, ideally the same day or day after. Indeed, that seems to be the case despite the fact so many of their FAQs say you don’t need to have an MA to apply. From hopping over to the Political Science forum a couple times it seems like more people in that field can get in to a PhD straight from BA.

Yep, within an hour of each other ?

I definitely understand what you are saying and appreciate it. I will be reapplying this next cycle but that would be it for me I’m pretty sure, and although I really have appreciated the support on here this year I think I may try to stay off here next winter when decisions come out so I’m not overly distracted during my MPhil (and so I don’t get overly anxious!) Ultimately the decisions will come when they come and I’ll just keep abreast of my inbox.

Yes, for sure. I’m definitely going to concentrate it more in this next cycle and really give it a lot of thought over the Spring/Summer, then plan on applying in September before the MPhil starts in early October. Going to consult with some friends at my current university as well who are currently in the PhD program at my institute ? If anyone has any tips for how to contact POIs at places I’d like to reapply to again next year, I’d be grateful. I think most likely I’ll start getting in touch with past and new POIs from March onwards and try to keep in touch over the Summer/next Fall.

Thanks for this - I’m fairly sure I’ll have to go through another cycle to get accepted but c’est la vie!

Ok, well most likely I’ll reach out to some places this Spring which made it optional or not required this year to see what their plans are for next cycle. Definitely agree with you on the cohort size transparency - definitely would not have applied to so many places this year if I had known that information. Sigh. Really hoping next cycle will be somewhat more “normal.”

Princeton’s website for history says mid-February, so I think it’ll be this week or next, but of course for me it’ll be another rejection.

Two rejections in one day... (and possibly more to come) have officially given up hope for this cycle! And now am even starting to feel pessimistic about my chances for the next cycle despite the fact I’ll be working on my masters... ?

Just got official rejection from Wisconsin...this cycle is brutal ? no hope for the rest, so already planning for next year. Hoping that having an MPhil from Cambridge will make my application more competitive next cycle. What do people think is going to happen in terms of certain schools keeping the GRE optional or not required for the 2022 cycle? There’s at least 10 I know I want to apply to next year which don’t require the GRE at all but a further 8 which made GRE optional or didn’t require it this cycle.

Yeah, I’m pretty bummed too. I really find it disappointing how long we have to wait for some official rejections. Berkeley was very good in terms of getting decisions out in a short window. I’m also wishing places had advertised in advance how small their cohort was going to be, similar to the notes provided on the Wisconsin and Berkeley websites. I really wish now I hadn’t applied to so many places as it was really expensive and it looks like none of the PhDs are going to come to fruition. Already planning where I’ll apply for the 2022 cycle.

Wondering if all the admit emails from DGS went out yesterday or if there’s still a chance for some of us since there’s only 2 acceptances on the results page? I’m not overly optimistic though.

Yup... pretty nervous now...! Guessing it’s another one I can count out. Pretty resigned to the likelihood that I won’t be accepted into a PhD program this year and will have to accrue more student debt getting my MPhil (although I’m very thankful for the place) Hoping next cycle won’t be as brutal. Congrats to those who got in!

Feel like Princeton will probably be this week - historically it’s always been second week of Feb and their own website says mid-February for decisions, so Thurs or Fri would be a good guess?

Agreed - it’d be great if places could send out decisions over a shorter time period rather than making those not accepted wait for over a week or more to know the official decisions.

The graduate admissions coordinator literally said to me on Friday decisions will be released this week.

It's possible they could be today - it's definitely some point this week so we'll just have to keep our fingers crossed!

Really hoping for some good news from Wisconsin today or whenever they release this week! Reckon Princeton, Duke, Emory & Illinois Urbana may also be releasing decisions this week...(hopefully!)

Based on a conversation with my POI at U-M, it does look like admissions this year will be particularly difficult due to the internal restructuring as @Tiglasays and also due to COVID challenges. They said for Americanists, it'll be a struggle to get more than one postwar/modern Americanist admitted this year, which is really tough to hear. They said that next year should hopefully be better so reapplying next year if needs be may be a better proposition. Also, it doesn't seem like decisions are imminent - odds are we'll hear back at the end of the month/early March.

Something that might cheer you up, plus it's a visual representation of how bizarre everything is these days...