balderdash

I was lucky enough to get a University Fellowship, so funding will be more than adequate years 1 and 4. As for years 2, 3, and 5, I'll have to sort out some external monies. But on the whole, I believe I'll be headed to Madison with adequate finances.

When I got my acceptance back in January, I met with my boss/recommender, who does the work closest to what I want to do. He urged me to attend Madison irrespective of decisions from YPS. When I noted the funding differences, he agreed and told me to follow the money, but that "for serious qualitative Africanist work, even Princeton won't match the training and reputation of Madison." Anyway, the point is that while my little heart will regret the lack of opportunities to wear an orange bow-tie, truly the best option in the long run is the school to which I am headed. So I'm elated that it has worked out.

I was lucky enough to get a University Fellowship, so funding will be more than adequate years 1 and 4. As for years 2, 3, and 5, I'll have to sort out some external monies. But on the whole, I believe I'll be headed to Madison with adequate finances.

When I got my acceptance back in January, I met with my boss/recommender, who does the work closest to what I want to do. He urged me to attend Madison irrespective of decisions from YPS. When I noted the funding differences, he agreed and told me to follow the money, but that "for serious qualitative Africanist work, even Princeton won't match the training and reputation of Madison." Anyway, the point is that while my little heart will regret the lack of opportunities to wear an orange bow-tie, truly the best option in the long run is the school to which I am headed. So I'm elated that it has worked out.

Wow - just got into Yale! No word on funding yet, apparently it's coming in the mail. I thought this cycle was over! So excited!!!!

I have to say, I'm surprised Princeton didn't throw me a bone. I don't mean that to be arrogant - Princeton's incredibly competitive, and getting waitlisted one year doesn't imply an acceptance the next - but I guess either the crop of Africanists improved markedly this year or the evolution of my SOP moved my interests away from what they wanted. I truly thought that it was better tailored to the school this year, and there's no doubt my profile improved, so I guess I just wasn't as competitive relative to new applicants.

Anyway, looks like the cycle is just about wrapped up for me. All of the schools for which I'm currently waiting have sent out their admits, so now I can only hope that I'm lagging behind because they're waiting to approve me for a massive fellowship. Since that seems a slim possibility, I've only now to choose between UCLA and Madison. Once everything's official, I'll contribute to the SOP thread. I encourage all others to do the same.

I have to say, I'm surprised Princeton didn't throw me a bone. I don't mean that to be arrogant - Princeton's incredibly competitive, and getting waitlisted one year doesn't imply an acceptance the next - but I guess either the crop of Africanists improved markedly this year or the evolution of my SOP moved my interests away from what they wanted. I truly thought that it was better tailored to the school this year, and there's no doubt my profile improved, so I guess I just wasn't as competitive relative to new applicants.

Anyway, looks like the cycle is just about wrapped up for me. All of the schools for which I'm currently waiting have sent out their admits, so now I can only hope that I'm lagging behind because they're waiting to approve me for a massive fellowship. Since that seems a slim possibility, I've only now to choose between UCLA and Madison. Once everything's official, I'll contribute to the SOP thread. I encourage all others to do the same.

i thought china had emperors, but what do i know. i'm just an ignorant americanist

Just in case anyone's wondering, I just got contacted by Brown - they're looking to make decisions soon. If I hear any more info I'll let you guys know.

Other than that, I'm calling this cycle for myself. Sad about Columbia and Yale, and also sad about Berkeley although no one has put up any semi-official info on them yet. More importantly, I'm incredibly grateful for all the help and support this forum has provided over the past few months, and I'm really excited to meet some of you guys during visiting days and in September!

Best of luck to any still waiting!

Gradcafe, I need your help. I've been asked to review a book for a respected journal. They sent me a hardcover copy, and I'm about halfway through it.

It's bad. It's horrifyingly bad. Errors of both grammar and syntax abound (misspelling the names of the authors whose work is cited, using the word "barbaric" four times in three sentences). One page contradicts the next. There are 8 "parts" and 25 "chapters" in a 250-page book, so nothing substantive really gets said. The authors misrepresent the literature badly, ie, completely misread Fukuyama's "end of history" argument (just a popular example, among many others more specific to my subfield). They rehash arguments that have been roundly dismissed, triumphantly stating a claim (previously and widely disproven) without evidence. They decry certain narratives and then fall into the same trap in the next chapter. From what I can tell, at least half of what I've read is entirely descriptive, with no analysis. And to top it off, where there is analysis, it's usually just... wrong.

So: what to do? Write a scathing review, as an obviously young scholar, and look like a petulant jerk trying to make a name? Damn with faint praise? Hedge on everything and express reservations?

Yeah man, I wish Princeton would just hurry up and admit me so I could start stocking up on my orange bow-ties.

Gradcafe, I need your help. I've been asked to review a book for a respected journal. They sent me a hardcover copy, and I'm about halfway through it.

It's bad. It's horrifyingly bad. Errors of both grammar and syntax abound (misspelling the names of the authors whose work is cited, using the word "barbaric" four times in three sentences). One page contradicts the next. There are 8 "parts" and 25 "chapters" in a 250-page book, so nothing substantive really gets said. The authors misrepresent the literature badly, ie, completely misread Fukuyama's "end of history" argument (just a popular example, among many others more specific to my subfield). They rehash arguments that have been roundly dismissed, triumphantly stating a claim (previously and widely disproven) without evidence. They decry certain narratives and then fall into the same trap in the next chapter. From what I can tell, at least half of what I've read is entirely descriptive, with no analysis. And to top it off, where there is analysis, it's usually just... wrong.

So: what to do? Write a scathing review, as an obviously young scholar, and look like a petulant jerk trying to make a name? Damn with faint praise? Hedge on everything and express reservations?

Yeah man, I wish Princeton would just hurry up and admit me so I could start stocking up on my orange bow-ties.

Except when the former destroys us.

Being born and raised in Cleveland, I was unaware until a very late stage in my life that sports teams were supposed to win games. Tottenham seemed to fit the bill until the past few years when they actually became competitive!

I think at least one was claimed... but I haven't heard anything either.



Relax. We're all stressed, but there's no need to attack.

No harm, no foul, amigo. Now let's return to collectively pulling our hair out.

That's what I was thinking. I've contributed over $250 to their endowment now. Maybe I'll get a bench named after me.

No, he wasn't taking it into consideration and that is precisely my point: this board is full of broad claims to knowledge of a process that is intrinsically opaque and uniquely experienced by each and every application. For as many minds apply, therego as many different stories as to why, or what, got them accepted or rejected. YOU, nor I, have ANY generalizable knowledge about the system beyond the simple truth as to field the best application YOU can provide given your own skills and interests.

The best we can do here, it seems, is simple encouragement (which there is plenty of) with perhaps even some discussion of political science interests (which there is hardly any of). Instead, it seems centered on these absolutely ludicrous predictions that in themselves can only point to a handful of anecdotes to prove their point. I'm saying: for every example you can give, I can field one to the contrary. What this unfortunately makes for is a system that is by nature unknowable in advance. That "the owl of Minerva spreads its wings at dusk" seems to be a pretty accurate summation of the results here. But rather than living with this, the constant need for a very hollow basis of reassurance propagates if not false, then ostensibly narrow, knowledge of a process that has shown to make the most unexpected turns.

I think at least one was claimed... but I haven't heard anything either.



Relax. We're all stressed, but there's no need to attack.

Listen, mate, he asks you a question and your response is a strikingly unqualified "No." I see this as unreasonable given the overwhelming contingency of the process and the obviously narrow scope of your own--like anyone else's--range of accurate knowledge. What I'm saying: this does not help, do not do it. Not so much an attack as a sanction.

This is simply getting idiotic. Neither of you know how much GRE's weigh in--it's contingent not only on the department, but on those selected for that year's committee. I've heard that some people couldn't care less about GRE's while you'll occasionally get a nut who thinks its an accurate tool of prediction and should be counted.

The fact is: we do not know, so please stop pretending to possess some radiant knowledge about the reception of GRE scores when, even in a rather comprehensive survey of the results, there seems to be little rhyme or reason. Your desire for generality is insane, and would severely disappoint Wittgenstein.

If you did have the correct knowledge, then I imagine you would get in wherever you decidedly chose--of course, this is far from reality, and you are left, like us all, to merely speculate.

To make you and I sh*t our respective pants, that's why.

Edit: and what a way to spend my 500th post!

Princeton today, I can feel it.

Also, last year's waitlist email came at 4:45 pm EST on the third Friday in February. So, yeah, I'm going to be a nervous wreck by 4:30.

Also, last year's waitlist email came at 4:45 pm EST on the third Friday in February. So, yeah, I'm going to be a nervous wreck by 4:30.

Princeton today, I can feel it.