mooochael

good to hear! thanks.

Very confused. I'm applying to an MA program where the application deadline has moved from January 15 to January 3rd. I sent out GRE scores a few days ago to this school thinking I'd have more than enough time for their safe arrival. Needless to say, I'm not so sure the scores will get there in time by the deadline. Is this normal operating procedure for some programs? I wouldn't have sent in the scores had I not paid the (egregiously high) application fee, but somehow I feel a little bit scammed. I have nothing to prove that January 15th was the deadline as all mention of it has been removed by the school/program other than my own notes on stuff like deadlines and other minutia I've been researching since early this year. More of a vent post than anything else, wondering whether this has happened to anyone else. January 3rd is the new deadline and that's that!

Hey there! I was under the impression Berkeley was not even accepting applications this year! But now I find out that they are and I have to consider whether it would be good for me to apply or not, hahah. Anyway, I found the graduate student handbook for the program here: http://iastp.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/LAS%20Grad%20Handbook.pdf It looks like they have what most programs offer, a comprehensive exam track and a thesis track. Also, I saw you taught English in Chile. How was that? I recently came across a program to go to Chile next year and teach for a few months so I'm curious to hear how it went for you.

I forgot to put my information here! Here's some stuff about me: -B.A. summa cum laude in Language (studied Spanish and Italian, also did some coursework on Nahuatl) -I've worked on research projects with professors, resulting in two published papers on Latin American cultural studies. -Later this month I'm giving a presentation on Mexican film production at an academic conference. -Taught English in Spain for a summer and Spanish in the U.S. as a part-time job. And the schools I'm applying to: UCLA Chicago San Diego State University University of New Mexico New York University Ohio State University Florida State University

congrats!

I'm applying for MA programs right out of undergraduate. Some prior research experience has mostly been along the lines of studying how history and politics affects cultural production/consumption, and more generally how history/politics are represented in creative works. I realize this is broad research interest - one of my letter writers told me so. But is it OK to be a little vague with letters at the MA level? To be honest, I'm not looking to go on to the PhD level and only want this degree for professional development. Most of the programs I'm considering have either a thesis-track option or a comprehensive exam option, of which I prefer the latter for the more broad exposure to all sorts of research interests. Is it better to be vague like I have been so far about research interests? Or rather is it preferable to be as specific as possible? At the PhD level, I understand honing in research interests is really important, but should it be something for me to focus on?

Hey, just getting some representation for Latin American Studies if there's anyone out there this application season. Which programs interest you? What experience do you have in the region, study of the region, etc? MA or PhD? I know of few PhD programs, but which are you going for? What are the plans for post-degree? I'll post my info soon and hope to hear from others!

For your case, I would tell you to wait. The email could have easily gotten lost in the fray of busyness, etc. Either way, you've got some backup if this guy doesn't come through, so perfect. Personally though I've got two letter writers lined up and have been hounding the third potential writer since July via email (2 emails sent to her). I've yet to receive any response from her which makes me worry. I asked the typical "would you be comfortable writing a letter for me?" along with a promise to meet with her to talk in more detail once school starts. She's an old-school type professor, so I'm guessing at this point it's either A) she hates being asked by email and wants me to ask personally or B ) it's a definite no (in which case I'd prefer to be told ASAP, not left in this uncertainty.)

Hey all! I'm getting a sense that most people here are interested in PhD programs, which leaves me with one question for those of us applying to terminal master's programs: is contacting professors as important for these programs? I ask just because - from what I think I've inferred - most contacts are to gauge whether or not an applicant's research interests coincide with those of a professor in the department. Am I right about that? If that's the case, is it OK for an MA applicant whose interests are not too precise yet to contact professors with a broad range of possible interests? Is this frowned upon since there seems to be a prevalent view that MAs are for honing in on research interests, not necessarily coming into the program with a set few of them? Basically, how should prospective MA students go about contacting professors? That is, if they even should to begin with. thanks for the help!

yeah, one way! it's a lot of driving in one day!

I just graduated as an undergraduate from UCR and, coincidentally enough, one of my professors came up from San Diego to teach on campus. She once told me how much she hated the long commute of about 1:15-1:30 minutes. By the way, that's a commute in pretty good traffic from San Diego proper. Also, she made a point of only scheduling class/office hours on the two days she came to school. If you don't mind driving a lot, you'll be fine! One other thing, I-15 taking you up to Riverside from San Diego has a pretty long stretch where it's just two lanes wide in either direction (a pitiful freeway by California standards!) That being said, rush hour can happen whenever due to a slight uptick in traffic, some guy changing his tire on the side of the road, etc.

Thanks!

I'm applying for M.A. programs in Latin American Studies this fall and my dilemma is the following: one of my potential letter writers, a great professor who encouraged me to edit and seek publication for a paper I wrote relating to my intended field of studies, is (was) a visiting professor at my undergraduate institution. From what I understand, it's always preferable to get a letter from tenure or, at the very least, tenure-track faculty. Knowing full well that this is the case, do you think it would still be better, in my particular situation, to get a recommendation from a scholar who saw potential in me, mentored me through the research process, and helped me publish the paper? In addition, the professor has a Ph.D. in Spanish Literature with a concentration in Latin American literature. Hierarchy is everything in academia, but would this sort of recommendation kill me over the more bland LOR I could get from a tenured/tenure-track professor?

Hey everyone, I'm applying to Latin American Studies M.A. programs this fall. Sadly for me, I graduated a year earlier than expected, leaving me with a gap year since grad applications had long passed by the time I found out (people were starting to get accepted!) Took the GRE, happy with my scores! Asked two professors for references, happy with those references since they can both attest to my research abilities in a field where undergraduate research isn't so prevalent! I have a third professor in mind to ask, a statement of purpose to polish, an undergraduate research conference presentation I hope to work on in this gap year, and a crazy desire to get a job to hold me down for a year. good luck to everyone out there!