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Thedude22

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  1. Thank you for the reply! I always like talking to people who actually go to the school I want to get into, especially the exact program. Is there much of a Military history presence there? My best writing samples and recommendations are in the field of African History but while it's a bit cliche', I am still quite interested in Military History. I did not see it on the extensive list of courses so I assume not.
  2. I have, both the UK and Ireland. Toronto is only 9 hours away from my home town like an hour from the US. I like the fact it's a new country but not at the same time, I go to Ireland/UK across the pond and I am unquestionably a foreigner in a far away land. Not sure if I want that. I did take the GRE and like I said I did awful, like really really awful due to the math. 830, yeah ridiculous. I have a learning disability which really hurts me there, got an 570 V and 4 AW there which are both above average. Do you know many Americans at U of T? Do they mainly take people from elite American Unis or is it mainly based on your other factors? Do foreigners still get funding? Other than not knowing any African/Arabic languages and going to a poorly ranked school I think my application looks pretty good. If I knew I was going to grad school there I would probably spend the next year learning Arabic or something.
  3. Hi all. I recently graduated from a low ranked third tier school, but I received a 3.85 overall and 3.98 major gpa. I also graduated in the top 4% and have a solid application otherwise. I did amazingly terrible on the GRE math section, so unless I re-take it I'm not so sure if I should even bother applying to decent programs. Despite this I still want to get into a highly rated programs and there are a few schools that don't even require the GRE that I would really enjoy anyway. However I get very extreme opinions from my professors ranging from "long-shot" to "sure thing" on whether I'll get in or not. But without the GRE I'm a little confused as to just what grad programs will put a focus on, here are four that I am very interested in, I'd like to know just what these MA programs are looking for and if I can get in. 1. Northwestern- Heavy hitter of a history program, fits well with my interest in African history (though I only took two courses). I have a great paper I could use for my writing sample, and branch that off for a research proposal on an expanded version, also have a great recommendation from a widely respected Doctor of African History. Still this is Northwestern. I feel like my application would have to be flawless to even be considered, but I really don't know. I also don't really speak any languages and I read they like to see fluency in your subject area, not learning Yorba before October. 2. University of Toronto- Requires a 3.3 gpa minimum and then all the bells and whistles every app likes. I don't really see a really strong emphasis on African history or Asian history (secondary focus) but they do have a specialization in colonialism that lines up well with my research. It's ranked 29th in the world. My favorite professor said it is extremely competitive and that getting in is a "long shot" for anyone. I am getting so many words of encouragement from canadians and U of T grads I talk to on the net though, it makes me feel like I have a good shot. I often forget that I am an "international" student in Canada. So this has to be taken into consideration as well, not sure how that effects things. 3. McGill- 3.3 gpa minimum, I barely know anything about this program except it is ranked 18th world wide and doesn't have a GRE requirement. I figure I might as well apply even though I'm not keen on living in Montreal. 4. University of British Columbia- 3.3 gpa minimum. They have some Asian history specialties I like and is a great recruiting ground for Seattle employers, which is I city I'd like to live in. All in all I know I could greatly expand my scope with an improved GRE score, but unless I get it to the elite percentile, I still won't stand much of a chance at many of the top American universities and if I'm going to grad school I want to go some place really nice. I don't have an insane amount of focus into one area, which may be a problem. I had a very diverse course load in college and really only got interested in African history my Junior year. Anyway any advice or opinions about these programs and if I can get in will be greatly appreciated.
  4. I have a learning disability as well that relates to math. If you have it documented you really should fill out all of the necessary paper work to get extra time on the GRE. They can also give you a quiet, lone location for you to take it. I didn't do any of those things and just rushed it and ended up getting a friggin 260 on the math. I got a 570 on the verbal and a 4 on the writing which are much more important to my grad programs, still having such a low math is a major problem. I suggest you talk to your college's disability services as to how you should go about getting aid on the test.
  5. I have a lot of questions about the the grad school applicant review process but I'll keep this simple. I went to a third tier college, I graduated in the top 4%, have a 3.85 and have a history degree. I'd like to get my MA but I'm really only interested in top 30 history programs. I'm looking at these four schools right now, three of them are Canadian. 1. Northwestern- I'd really like to go here just because they specialize in African history, which is the direction I'd generally like to go in. 2. University of Toronto- They have some courses in colonialism which I have a great research idea about, also would like to live in Toronto. 3. McGill- Haven't done enough research but it's supposed to be Canada's best school 4. University of British Columbia- they've got some cool international relations/history blends and it would gear me up to work in Seattle eventually. Anyhow none of these schools require the GRE and are all super elite programs. Their minimum GPA requirements are 3.3 and I have great letters of recommendation etc. Still I went to a very plebian undergrad and despite my grades I worry I won't be considered due to this.
  6. I don't know, I'm just not working retail for the next year or being somebodies secretary. It's demeaning for a person of my credentials and I financially don't have to do it, but to be honest i have no idea what I want to do. I find jobs I want and if I had a masters my chances of getting said jobs would be better. I'd like to work for the government in some capacity and they just don't seem to be hiring anyone without a MA or JD even though they essentially grant you a year of experience due to a high undergrad gpa. I know people say I shouldn't just go to grad school, but I just don't think I'll have to hard of a time with it, undergrad was a cake walk and I have a friend in a PHD program in TX that tells me it's basically the same as many of the classes we had. The reason I am now scrambling to do this is I am coming to the realization that employers just are not really hiring new grads right now (for corporate positions anyway) so I feel my best option is to hide out in grad school until things get better. Also I'm sorry if I insulted MFAs, I really appreciate them myself it's just as far as careers go employers don't seem to appreciate them. That doesn't mean they're worthless, because employers often don't know squat but I personally would like to add something to my record to get their attention because even with all I have right now it doesn't seem to be enough.
  7. I know. I am really looking for the most useful degree that I can mentally do. The true answer to that is Law School, but seeing as I haven't taken the LSAT (no math in it...YES!) and all of the deadlines are up, that has to wait for at least a year. So instead I'm trying to find an MA in something that I would be good at. I am a history major but a History MA just doesn't seem to be good for anything. Creative Writing MAs are the epitome of useless but hey many of them are only a year long and that gives me something to do until law school, plus I'd enjoy it. There is a program at NYU called the Draper Humanities program that is only one year long. While it isn't a great major I can say I have a degree from NYU on my resume which would turn some heads. Plus the requirements don't seem to be off the charts, I doubt they'd care to much about my terrible GRE but I sent them an email. If I seem like I have no idea what I really want to do, you're absolutely correct. I'm sort of scrambling to find a safety net so that I don't have to spend 2011 working retail or being a secretary.
  8. I'm perfectly competent understanding logic and research and if it involves words I can do just fine, but numbers really mess me up. I have a pretty mild form of NVLD, I don't have any social issues or communication problems really like most NVLD people. I have some issues understanding/processing emotions, but it just makes me come off as cold hearted, not socially inept. If you're familiar with Asperbergs syndrome, it's supposedly a much less problematic version of that but I personally have little issues except when it come to math/puzzles ( and understanding women, but that's another issue XD). I feel perfectly confident in my ability to perform in grad school as long as I don't have to do much math. Poli Sci and Public Admin probably arn't for me, I just heard they were useful MAs compared to the liberal arts programs. If it was at all useful I'd just get my MFA in creative writing but I have a feeling that would be a waste of time and money. On a side note there is a school called Western Kentucky University which does their application process in a different way. They average your GPA and your GRE together and then see if you meet their requirements. In this case I easily pass, even with my poor GRE score. Does anyone know of programs that do it this way? I don't want to go to Western even though it's not a bad school, it's just really in good ole Kentucky which I don't want to move to.
  9. Yes, I am applying for a MA. I may consider a PHD but right now I'm just going for an MA. After posting this I sent a message to the Dean of the History Dept at the UK history department. He was very nice and said they really don't care much about the quantitative but seeing as my GRE was especially low, he suggested sending a letter with my application explaining my issue with the quantitative section instead of retaking the GRE (as the deadline is approaching for that program). He said that my Verbal was about average and that i should just apply and see what happens. I would like to do this but I plan on doing this with several schools and that is a major waste of time and money if I have zero chance of getting in. I think I'm just going to take the time to discuss my chances with each Dean, if they are as willing as that dean was to help me. I still don't know what I should do really, the economy is really bad and I feel like if I don't go to graduate school I'll be waiting tables as a magna cum laude which would really be heartbreaking to me. I'm pretty lost right now.
  10. I figured as much. Do you know anything about Public Admin? That's another one I am considering.
  11. Well I applied to Patterson at UK recently and I added a letter stating my issues with math and my disability, however there was no real proof attached with it. I can absolutely get this proof but I think that would be very unorthodox. I would totally understand if I couldn't get in with my score IF there was actually a score stated like the GPA. All of these places clearly state you need a minimum 2.8-3.0 to get in, I find it odd they rarely do the same with the GRE. I hear very differing opinions, some people act as if they actually have a requirement and others say they only care about specific sections. My heart isn't exactly set on Poli Sci (also considering Public Admin) I'd actually prefer to do liberal/fine arts but everyone tells me it's a waste of time and money. I don't know, I'm really lost in life right now and honestly my school's career services is horrendous.
  12. So I kind of rushed into my GRE in an attempt to meet this one school's scholarship deadline and I got a terrible score. I have a learning disability when it comes to math ( I actually could have gotten extra time and a calculator for the math I think but it would have been a lot of paperwork) and haven't taken a math course since my very first class and even then it was Math for Liberal Arts, so yeah I got a 260 on the math, 570 on the verbal and a 4 on the writing. I think I could do a bit better on the verbal and the writing with practice but the math would take months and months of study for me to get like a 300. I'd prefer it if you don't go on and on about how stupid I am because I'm not, I have NVLD and it cripples my math ability, but makes me a good writer. Anyway I have a 3.85 gpa in undergrad from a decent college with lots of awards, great recommendations, honor societies etc. I am not applying to PHD programs but I am interested in some poli sci programs as well as some liberal arts programs. Many of these schools say they "prefer a 3.0 gpa minimum and require students to take the GRE" Now the GPA situation is solved but what are they talking about "take the GRE". I know my math is alarmingly low and my other scores arn't exactly out of this world, but I am so far above the GPA score and have so many other stars on my application I don't feel like it should matter in a non-math/science program. I honestly have no idea though, is there somewhere where I can look this stuff up and see if I should even apply for certain schools? Can I just maybe ask these schools admission's departments? I really miss college and I'd like to go back in the fall, I could use some helpful advice..
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