Safferz

I haven't taken the GRE yet, but that sounds like an experimental AW section. I'm assuming you had already written two essays at the beginning of the test, so the third essay at the end is entirely voluntary. You're OK!

Have you used PowerPrep on the ETS website? It's supposed to be the most accurate prediction of your actual GRE score.

I have one article published in a smaller journal, and I wasn't paid for it. I'd be surprised to hear if any academic journals do this.

I'm dreading the GRE, which I'm scheduled to write in about a week and a half. Hopefully it's a score I'm satisfied with because I never want to hear about the GRE again after this!

I was also a lot like your sister, and bombed junior year of HS as well, just barely passing my courses. I just didn't find the material engaging and I was bored and frustrated by my teachers, so I didn't go to class a whole lot and often couldn't be bothered to submit assignments or even show up for tests. Senior year of high school I freaked out, knowing that (in Canada) university acceptance comes down to your final year grades and I was so terrified I wouldn't get in that I turned into an overachiever. Got into a top school, cleaned up the awards on graduation night and continued to perform well and win awards in university. I'm now planning to apply for Ph.D programs in the fall, when it looked like I wouldn't even be headed to university when I was your sister's age. My point is to not write off university for your sister after high school, because she can get it together and surprise you. I also think that gap years can sometimes have the opposite effect than what is intended, further pushing a person away from academics and making it difficult to jump back in. The two friends I have who took a year off and decided not go to university or college immediately after HS never went back to school. There are much better opportunities for young people with degrees, so a year off after high school may not be as meaningful or well spent as one would hope.

I'm scheduled to write the GRE on July 18th. I've been so busy with school last term and summer courses (bad idea!) that I only started studying about six weeks out, and even then it's only been working through the 800 word Barron's list and making flashcards for review. I'm planning to start the Kaplan GRE math workbook on Monday (after I finish summer courses I'll have a solid three weeks to focus on the GRE), continuing to memorize words, and studying with my Barron's GRE book. I'll take my first PowerPrep test sometime during the first week of July. I'm concerned that I haven't given myself enough time to prepare, seeing that so many posters on the forum have spent months studying before the test. I seem to know most of the words I've encountered in the Barron's book which has helped my confidence a little, knowing that the verbal score will be most important as a history student. I haven't had math in about six years, so we'll see how that goes. I just get so nervous knowing that this is the first real task I need to get done as application season approaches. I know the GRE is not the most important part of the application, but I'd really like to pull off a score that I'm happy with and won't leave me second guessing myself until I start hearing back from schools in the new year.

Smartphone -- they're much more affordable than people think and I can't imagine life without my Crackberry.

Scroll up, you warned wanderlust already... back in March!

I have ten in mind, only one of which I would consider a "safety" (my current school). 10+ feels like a lot, but I'm sure it can be done smoothly if you begin preparing over the summer so everything on your end is ready to upload once applications are available.

I suggest you buy a study guide (Barron's seems to be considered the best here) and cram for the next week and a half. Get familiar with the test format and learn the strategies the book gives you. If you don't do so well, you have plenty of time to re-take the test before application season begins. Good luck!

Not that I'm aware of. We do have a few professors in international relations though, and I'd imagine some of their work relates to military history.

I know many Americans here! The history department funds all Ph.D students they admit, including international students. American schools generally have better funding, but the stipend is enough to get by in Toronto. I don't think what school you've gone to for your undergrad is a factor in admissions at all. Like natsteel points out, it's your statement of purpose, letters of reference and writing sample that are far more important. I also get the impression that UofT doesn't emphasize language skills as much as other schools I've looked at, but it's expected that you'll acquire competence in a relevant language (or two, depending on your field) by the later years of the Ph.D program. French is the most common language picked up by Africanists, but of course this depends on your research interests. I can't comment on your GRE scores, or whether or not you should consider re-taking it (I'm only beginning to prepare for it now, and plan to write it at the end of July), so I'll leave that to folks who have more experience with the admissions process from this last cycle. But I think your energies may be better spent on refining your research interests so you have a strong statement of purpose come application time, and preparing other important aspects of your application. If you have time, studying a relevant language will help. And don't shy away from applying to American schools. UofT is a good school, but it certainly isn't UMich-Ann Arbor, Northwestern, Wisconsin-Madison, or the Ivies, when it comes to studying Africa.

I'm a student at University of Toronto -- it's a really great school to study Africa, with strong Africanist faculty in many different departments, including history. In the history department we have two African history professors, and both are wonderful. McGill is a good school, but the funding situation is not that great. I'm also not sure if they take direct-entry Ph.D admits, which are uncommon in most Canadian universities (I know UofT typically takes 1-2 a year, the rest have MAs). UBC isn't a school I associate with Africa/African Studies either -- the names that come to mind in addition to UofT are York University, University of Alberta, and Carleton University. I agree with ticklemepink that you shouldn't be limiting yourself to Canadian schools because of your GRE results. I know I'm certainly trying my best to get out of here! There are far more important aspects of your application than GRE or even GPA, like your letters of reference, statement of purpose and writing sample. Have you written the GRE yet, or are you nervous about your practice scores? Also, have you thought about applying to programs in the UK?

Are these schools nearby? Unless these schools are in your area, it will cost you a lot more to visit than paying the application fee. Just apply to the schools that appear to be the best fit after doing your research and perhaps communicating with professors via email. It doesn't make much sense to visit a school unless you've been admitted and actually have a choice to make. Many schools even cover the costs for admitted students to visit the campus.

I'm in the same boat! I'm off to London this weekend to present a paper, and I'll also be going on my own. My situation is a bit different though - I have relatives in the city that I can reach if I need to, and everyone in London speaks English! Although I've never been to Paris, I'm sure that they see enough tourists that you'll be able to navigate the city just fine. I'm headed to an interdisciplinary conference (papers are all linked by theme), so I only plan on attending the first day, which is when I'm scheduled to present, and presentations on other days that seem relevant to the research I'm doing. In conferences where everyone belongs to the same field, it can be a great opportunity to network and find out what scholars in your field are doing, so you may want to stick around for most of it. Presentations vary widely by field, so I suggest you speak to your professor about the usual format in your discipline. I also found these threads on the CHE forums quite helpful while I was preparing: First time presenting Paper Presentations: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly So you're presenting at a conference (a few suggestions) And rehearse, rehearse, rehearse! Fuzzylogician gave some great tips. Remember that you're the expert of your own paper, and that people present at conferences as a way of developing their own ideas. You might have someone raise a question or introduce a perspective you've never considered, and that only helps you strengthen your own paper. As far as clothing goes, I think business casual is the way to go - a nice button-up shirt or blouse, slacks or a skirt, and dress shoes would be best. Good luck!

For sure! I will apply to my current school as well (UofT), and I've been told by one of my professors, who is on the admissions' committee, that I would be a direct-entry admit. It's a great department, but I will try my luck and see if I can get into a better school in the States.

One of the professors at Michigan State - a top school for African history - is a historian of soccer in Africa! Just sayin'.

When is the best time to begin contacting potential advisors?

*wanders into thread* I'm a Canadian undergrad, planning to apply to direct-entry Ph.D programs in African history in the fall. I'm interested in gender and nationalist movements in East Africa. It's been really fascinating to follow the forum during this last round of graduate school applications, and I plan to get started on my application materials over the summer. I've also just started studying for the GRE, and plan to write the test in late July.

Great thread! But it's quite terrifying to know my application season is next, and only a few months away.

In addition to good grades and GRE scores, though. Research match and fit is what then sets you apart from other candidates who have made it through that first hoop.

Never too late! One of my favourite professors went to get her Ph.D after over 25 years of teaching elementary school, and I've met a few graduate students who have gone back to school for their doctorates in their 40s and 50s. I think it's great.

Disclaimer: I am not familiar with English Ph.D programs! But I will say that a UofT doctorate will not be an obstacle to working in the US. And why would it? Doctorate programs up here are structured exactly the same way, the only real difference is that funding is generally better at American schools. But you have other options here for external funding, like SSHRC.

I'm not applying this year. Just thought I'd share the info I heard!

Just a heads up for University of Toronto applicants -- one of my professors who is on the admissions committee says that they will make decisions by Thursday. Not sure if that means applicants would be notified this week or not though, but I'd imagine notifications follow soon after.