crater21

I contacted POIs at every school beforehand, but only for informational purposes. As others have pointed out, it's helpful to know if professors are taking on new students or to ask questions if you have any special circumstances. One of the schools (Cornell, I think) explicitly states on the Graduate Admissions page that students are "strongly encouraged" to contact potential supervisors. That being said, I know several people who got into the programs of their choice without having contacted anyone at all.

It seems that there are huge variations in Yale's interviews. Mine (and some of the others I have heard about) were just casual and informal chats with POIs. Others, like the one described here, seem more formal and intense. I think POIs have been given a lot of leeway in how they want to conduct interviews.

New England Nat, thanks for the inside view! I'll add my question for you too: do POIs or the DGS at Princeton contact admitted students informally before the official notification goes out? Or, do people pretty much only find out when the official Graduate School notification arrives?

Nice! I still need to play catch up. I just finished season 1, and have only watched the first episode of season 2 so far. So, I have all of season 2 to look forward to (which, to answer the other comment, is one of the ways I will distract myself!)

justnomore, I hadn't seen that particular clip. So amazing! Thanks for that. Can't get enough of Maggie Smith!

Wow, seems like it was an eventful day of good news on this thread! Safferz, congrats on the interview!! That's wonderful news! Good luck!! teachgrad, congrats on the acceptance! Must feel amazing to have heard back so early!! crazedandinfused, congrats on the fellowship nomination!! They must want you!!

Thanks justnomore. I'm not sure at all how I did... On a happier topic, I too am addicted to Downton! Maggie Smith is a pure delight. She could read the phone book, and I'd watch it!

Thank you - that is really, really kind of you to say. Like I said, though, I don't think I am any closer than I was before. I'm so sorry to hear that you're having a hard time with this. Having been in this position, I know EXACTLY what you are feeling. You probably don't want to hear this right now, but honestly, nothing is certain until the decisions come out. Maybe some POIs are running late with their interviews. Maybe they have only contacted some people so far. Maybe they are only contacting people whom they want to clarify something. Who knows. And, regardless of what happens, I just know that you will end up at a fabulous program that will be a great fit for you. Thanks for your kindness and good cheer on this thread!

Thanks, goldie. Seriously though, I don't feel any more confident about it now than I did before. Just keeping my fingers crossed like everyone else.

Thanks everyone. I'm just not a very good interview performer, and tend to get very nervous. Nothing is certain until a decision comes. Telemaque: Oh okay, I see - your point about the MA programs makes sense. Thanks!

I wonder if the person who posted the Yale rejection is one of the people who were interviewed. I could be wrong, but it seems to me that the only way you'd be hearing a decision at this point is if the interviewer or your POI communicated the result to you (because the Grad School certainly hasn't sent notifications yet). I should mention that I did end up getting an interview as well. And, I'm wondering if I should be expecting the ax to fall this week...

Yes! It is amazing how historically uninformed the book is. But, it did stimulate a lot of discussion.

I just finished reading Freedom a few weeks ago, and I thought it was great. I still think The Corrections is a better novel, but only because it has these flashes of pure brilliance. Freedom doesn't have these singular moments of brilliance, but it is consistently engaging throughout. Right now, I'm reading The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined by Steven Pinker. Has anyone read it yet? I would actually be very interested in your views of it as history students. Basically, Pinker is arguing that, on a per capita basis, there is less violence today than there was in previous centuries. I find myself disagreeing with a lot of it, and have some issues with his use of evidence, but it is an interesting book.

Thanks for the reply. I hope you're right. I'm just hearing things that sometimes a school might not extend an offer of admission if they think that you are unlikely to accept the offer or if they don't think you will consider them seriously (based on the other places you are aiming for). If they feel that you are a candidate who is likely to go somewhere else, they may not want to "waste" an offer on you. Just wondering if there is some truth in this. I have seen it happen in the job market (outside academia).

Apologies if this question has already been asked here: On applications, what is the purpose of asking where else you've applied? Is it possible that you might be rejected, simply because they don't think you'll accept them, if they give you an offer?

Sorry to hear that superfluousflo! If it's any consolation, Cambridge is MILES ahead of Oxford, when it comes to the History faculty, and esp. when it comes to South Asian history. Their loss!

Sooo, there is now a second Yale interview on the results page (this one says its a Skype interview). Sorry for obsessing over this on this thread! I'm honestly more curious than stressed about it.

Thanks for weighing in, everyone! What all of you said makes a lot of sense. I guess I'm just trying to manage my expectations.

So, I hate to be the negative nelly on this thread, but just wondering what you guys think about Yale. Do you think it's done? I know we've only seen one posting on the results page for an interview. But, if they are not doing too many interviews, then I guess we wouldn't expect to see many postings about it. And, wouldn't all the interview invitations go out at the same time?

Just to piggyback on what superfluousflo wrote, the field of South Asian history has moved beyond the ideological positions of "Cambridge school", "Chicago School", "Subaltern Studies" etc. In fact, there are now historians at Cambridge who have written brilliant critiques of the "Cambridge school". Even some of the players who were associated with these schools are now taking their work in another direction. So, I genuinely don't think that being a Cambridge-trained South Asianist would have negative connotations.

Oh wow - this is the first time I'm seeing this page. Thanks! (though, now I wish I hadn't asked because it's just one more page I'll be obsessing over...

Which results page is this? In the history forum or on the main threads?

I am very interested in SA, though it's not my main focus. My primary interest is the British Empire, and within that I am hoping to look at SA, among other places. Good luck with funding! Keep your fingers crossed for Gates-Cambridge or any of the internal awards.

Ah, i see. Then you definitely do not need to be worried about your advisors having networks in the U.S. I am sure you already know that Cambridge is the gold standard when it comes to South Asian history. Cambridge-trained South Asianists are teaching all over the world. Their networks are extremely strong in this field. Congrats, btw! Getting into Cambridge for South Asian history is quite the achievement.

superfluousflo, a quick point: you will have some opportunity to teach at Cambridge. In recent years, it has not been uncommon for graduate studentsto do some teaching (depending on how you and your supervisor arrange it). But, of course, the problem is that Cambridge teaching is very different from North American teaching. You're not teaching a class; instead, you're doing one-on-one tutorials. Just out of curiosity, what's your area of study?