uhohlemonster

Hey all. I'm happy to say I finished reading my last book for comps yesterday, and my exam is a whole three weeks away. Any advice from people out here for how to prepare for comps (quals, what have you) at this point? I have notes for each book. I'm planning on reviewing those notes, re-reading book reviews of key texts that I may want to focus on, and focusing on the historiographical significance of each book. My program does not allow us to write our own questions or know the questions in advanced, so they best I can do is guess. Anyway, I'm not *too* worried about it, but I thought if people have good methods they used for their comps experiences, I might as well draw upon the wisdom of experienced folks. Thanks!

I went there for undergrad (Eugene College, New School's liberal arts UG institution). It's an amazing place but they have no funding and no phd in History, as you said. Are you looking for just an MA? Sometimes they give up to 66% off tuition but I think a full ride is a-typical. You can PM me with questions.

It's definitely not easier/harder to get into programs - it just depends where, with whom, etc. I totally agree with the posters above that it is super important to place yourself in other fields and make yourself as versatile as possible for the job market. But actually, I think that the job market for Jewish Studies is comparatively good, since a lot of the positions are privately funded... they aren't as vulnerable to university spending cuts. Anyway, I love studying Jewish History and it's been a ball so far at NYU! Good luck with the whole process!

I totally agree with Sparky. You'll basically have to either lie or lie by omission about your plans, but I do think high school teachers with PhDs are AWESOME. I personally look forward to teaching first and foremost, be it at University, a liberal arts school, and yeah, even a high school. So more power to you.

I know that in my cohort, only 3 out of 20 or so of us came with just BAs. So ya know, the MA can't hurt.

I love love love my program. I'm in this dual program, and I am happy in both departments. Taking two methods course is a bit much, but I'm glad that I'll be done with them after this semester. Glad everyone is doing well!

hahahahahaha as a Lang alum, this ^^ cracked me up. Maybe by now you've figured out your NSSR status, but that is classic New School, messing up which division sends you an email or whatever. Good luck! (feel free to PM me with questions on the new school.)

I think that this author does bring up a good point about how grad cafe, for many many many people (and I've noticed this in PMs back and forth with fellow historians), can be a stress factor during the admissions process. I often think that had I not spent time on this site when I was waiting to hear from schools, I would have had a much more pleasant time in Feb and March, not worrying as much about schools I hadn't heard from. In Feb, I saw that 4 people were admitted to one of my favorite programs, and I guessed the jig was up for me... only to get a very positive wait list email 2 weeks later. However, it is definitely true that the author missed the good aspects of this site, and it's great to take the good from here and ditch the bad (once you realize what is bad, which can take a while to sort through. Some of the bullshit isn't as obvious as other bullshit.)

For NYU, you're pretty set. It's near all the major train lines, but the best ones are the A, C, E, B, D, F, M, 6, and N R. A lot of choices! I would not live in dorms, but i could see how the 1 week thing is a bit of an issue. No way you can come a bit earlier?

Amazon used can be pretty cheap. I'd buy the ones that are key in your field, or in some way "classic," and try to borrow others. It also depends on you - do you like going back to books? Do you want a library of your own? But yeah, amazon used, as soon as the syllabus gets into your hands.

Yeah, I have to agree this wouldn't be useful. Our fields should be too specific for this. For example, if someone studies Jewish History, it really will depend on what type of Jewish History you study in order to find a meaningful match in a department. A list is pretty unhelpful. Though if you must see a list, go check out the US News one. They break it down by field (well, some fields.)

Hmm. My ample experience in Jewish communal circles is that these young orthodox marriages are a whole different ballgame than what non-orthodox jews do. Don't compare yourself. A seminary girl and yeshiva boy are not YOU. She's getting married for her own specific reasons (feasible examples: she believes he is the one, she wants children young, she won't touch him before marriage), and whether those reasons are good or bad is not our job to judge. Just enjoy the fact that you got into NYU (hey, I'm going there too, sup?) and relax. Meanwhile, I met my boyfriend on my year program in Israel 5 and a half years ago - I'm your age now. Everyone goes at their own pace. The key is to not compare ourselves to others!

I went to college in NYC and now will be at NYU in the Fall. My stipend is around $24,000. I live in a nice neighborhood in Brooklyn 25 minutes door to door to NYU's campus, and I'm staying put. I'm only keeping one of my jobs that runs during winter/spring break (service learning program leading with college students, good for the resume, wallet, and FUN), so i'll make something like $3000 from that, and i think i will occasionally babysit and tutor. Plus I will get some summer funding. Question though - will you get the opp to teach for more money at CUNY? Should be the case, no? Overall, I do think the $18000 is doable, but you will have to see the different neighborhoods in BK, Queens, or upper Manhattan to see what you like best. Luckily CUNY is really well located. I pay $1000/mth rent, and I know people who pay as little as $600. Feel free to PM me with questions if you'd like, and good luck!

American History R_Escobar (20th century, American Indian), crazedandinfused (antebellum, intellectual), hopin'-n-prayin' (southern, religious), stevemcn (transnational), Simple Twist of Fate (early American), zb642 (20th century, labor/working-class culture), BCEmory08 (19th-20th century Catholicism, labor), irvinchiva10 (20th century, immigration/immigration reform) European HistoryKelkel (Modern Germany, political), goldielocks (Britain), SapperDaddy (Eastern and Central Europe), kotov (Modern Romania, Holocaust, labor), RevolutionBlues (Modern Western Europe/France labor and leftist politics), theregalrenegade (18th/19th cent British Empire/environment), jrah822 (19th century Britain; emphasis on colonial relationship to India), grlu0701 (Intellectual & cultural history,fin de siecle Germany and Italy), naturalog (modern European [mostly German] intellectual and cultural/sexuality and gender/political radicalism), runaway (Eastern/Central, memorialization & visual culture), Sequi001 (Modern France, gender and sexuality, colonialism/imperialism) African HistoryOseirus (precolonial/early colonial West Africa), Singwaya18 (20th century East Africa), Safferz (20th century Horn/Northeast Africa), The People's Scholar (Spanish colonialim in Africa- i.e. middle/West Africa) Latin American Historyteachgrad (20th century, Southern Cone), BH-history, The People's Scholar (18th-19th century Colombia) East Asian Historyalleykat (Modern China), kyjin (Pre-Modern Japan) Near/Middle Eastern Historyuhohlemonster, (modern Israel, Iran, Palestine) oswic (modern Egypt, gender) Atlantic World sandyvanb Global/World History [*]cooperstreet (Cold War) Jewish History [*]uhohlemonster, (modern Israel) [*]hopin'-n-'prayin, [*]kotov (Holocaust), [*]naturalog (sometimes modern European/Holocaust), [*]runaway (memorialization & visual culture), [*]ticklemepink (20th c. Germany/U.S) Science/Technology [*]shaxmaty1848 (Cold War) Social [*]annieca (Cold War and Post-Cold War East and Central Europe) Classical and Medieval [*]Hogs of War (Monastic Studies and Conflicts in Authority)

Also it does say new school, but says graduate faculty, which is an old name for NSSR. Gosh why can't I edit posts on an iPhone?

Wait, now that I've thought about it, I don't know much about CUNY library privileges with the other schools. Double check that part. Sorry!

Hey! I don't know much about the bureaucracy involved, but I'm going to NYU and went to the New School for undergrad so I have some information and a little experience. I was told that I'm allowed 3 courses outside of NYU during my doctoral program. Idk if different schools have different restrictions. It sounds like its easy to do. I saw students from other schools in NSSR classes I took as a senior, and they seemed happy that it could happen. Idk if languages are a diff story, if your university doesn't have a language class you need... Also that NYU page doesn't mention new school so maybe that is recently added (though it has been part of the library consortium for a long time). The libraries: that's all true and it's wonderful! I use to go to bobst (nyu) all the time and loved having that access. I will be glad to have the other libraries during grad school!

I'll be learning German and Arabic. I also have a reading knowledge of french but no longer can speak... NYU has a Yiddish summer program, I believe!

Great! I'm a Long Islander so yeah, go Stonybrook! (I've only been to that town once, but still. YEAH LONG ISLAND!... I never show my LI pride.)

Crazed, where are you going for the PhD?

you know what they always say! BLINGHAMTON

Thanks guys! Oseirus, what conference? I'm going to one in Israel in June. So excited about it!

Well after a very good discussion with an associate prof in my field at Rutgers, I'm 100% confident to go with NYU and forget my Rutgers WL. I'm done! wahoo! good luck all.