Hegel's Bagels

Interesting! I wonder if it makes a difference which way you switch? Many Renaissance scholars can be quite stuffy and particular. As in I could see a Renaissance professor not considering a student with a Renaissance background more so than a modern/contemporary professor. But that is just based on my own personal experience with professors. I do agree though that hyperspecialization can be detrimental. Although it probably isn't great if you can't tell a Rembrandt from a Renoir, I think it is even more disconcerting how 'inside the box' many scholars' approaches are within their respective field. One of my greatest assests in grad school has been my knowledge of problems/methodology in contemporary art. You can really see issues in a new and interesting way with a broader knowledge of art history. I suppose that is what comps/qualifying exams are designed to do; although all I took away from that nightmare of a exam was a permanent anxiety disorder triggered by certain objects/images that were crammed into my brain in a haze of too little sleep, too much Kombucha, and dehabilitating hand cramps.

Good luck to you as well! What's your field of interest?

Well, not to make your anxiety worse, but I heard from my adviser that there is hardly any scrutinizing. Most professors just skim through the writing samples...I can't decide if that's a good or bad thing. At least two of my adcomms probably won't notice the word I left out in my final sentence (the absence of which has rendered the sentence completely nonsensical)?

As someone who made a radical field change (changed from contemporary to Renaissance), I would suggest that you look only into MA programs. After I graduated with my BA, I was told by my adviser and others in the field that no PhD program would take me seriously unless I had conducted research in my proposed field of interest. Even though I had the languages, internship, and travel experience. What matters is that you have a solid writing sample that demonstrates your knowledge of scholars in the field as well as current questions/problems. I am at an MA program with a well-known Renaissance scholar where I was able to write a thesis. I would look around at MA programs with at least one or two scholars in your field and apply there. I also highly recommend a program where you can write a Masters Thesis (not all programs have this). This way you can use a chapter from the thesis as a writing sample to demonstrate your ability to think/discuss/critique issues in your particular field.

Haha yes...thank God for those reminder emails. I thought tomorrow was the 16th!

Ahhhhhhh!!! I just finished all my applications! Admittedly, waiting to send in that last one on the deadline day, but whatever! I'm finished! Finished! I probably won't be able to sleep until March is over but at least I feel some sense of relief that this part of the process is over. Now if only my thesis would finish itself....

Yea those emails are really strange. At first I almost died from a heart attack because I thought it meant they already made a decision...and we all know what those emails mean :-\ On a positive note though, I found out I'm on the short list for one of my top choices! *crosses fingers*

I'm not able to make my writing sample file small enough if I include my images (believe me I've tried everything). I tried calling the department to see if they would accept a hard copy of my WS but they're closed for the holidays...should I submit my sample online without the images or should I go ahead and send in a hard copy? I know many schools will no longer accept hard copies of materials...

I feel you...I reread my writing sample a few days after I submitted it to my first two apps and I realized that my final sentence was missing a word (how did that happen?). My final sentence! Aghhhhh. So if adcoms happen to only read my intro and conclusion....

I just sent in my first two applications!!! Now only 5 more to go...Anybody finished yet?

Such a great thread! Anybody else hating Berkeley's personal history statement? Do the specific departments even look at these??!?!

Hi all, Sorry I wasn't sure where this question would fall under...this seemed the most logical subtopic. Anyways, many of my universities allow me to upload an unofficial copy of my transcript from all the institutions that granted me a degree. However, I transferred after my freshman year and obviously didn't receive a degree from that first school. My unofficial copy includes the grades from that school...except for the one WF I received because obviously my new undergrad didn't count that course towards my transferable credit. So...should I upload only the unofficial copy or do I need to upload a copy from the other school as well? Thanks!

For everybody's entertainment and perhaps even benefit...

Derrida! He was either brilliant or brilliant at coming off like he was brilliant...either way, my eyeballs bleed every time I try to work my way through him. It's also funny to see how often he is misinterpreted and misused...e.g. the critical cartographers of the '80s.

There have been a lot of threads on this subject so it might be worth to check those out. That being said, IMHO, I don't think it always helps and I don't think it always hurts. A few years ago, I applied to all PhD programs. I met with all my POI and I was rejected from all six schools. When I applied to MA programs, I didn't contact any of my POI and I was accepted to 4/5 programs. I'm not saying that not meeting HELPED me, but it just wasn't necessary. The reason I was denied to all the PhD programs is because 1. I was not ready for the PhD level and 2. I wasn't a good fit. It is not vital that you contact your POIs, unless you have a specific question only they can answer (in fact: I've heard it can be annoying to have people pester them about questions they can just find on the Internet). What matters most is that you're a good fit. If you're a good fit, well...then that should come across on your application. And if you're not...well honestly, contacting them won't help you. Just my 2 cents and not at all the gospel truth. So I'm open to pushback from others on this forum.

I'm sure it'll be fine! At least you're happy with your SoP...I just submitted the draft for my first thesis chapter last week to my committee and I had a really helpful critique session. Now we'll just see if I can give it the face-lift it needs before the 15th! As well as grade papers, write the other SoPs, fix my CV, etc....

If possible, ad coms usually expect a thesis chapter/seminar paper. So no less than 20 and no more than 30 pages I would say. That's what my professors told me.

Hey all - Trying to revive this very dead thread! Mostly because I've finished the first chapter of my thesis (also my writing sample) and I'm all caught up on TV shows so now I have nothing else to do in order to put off writing my SoPs. Ugh! Anybody else feel like an inane baboon trying to convince some of the top schools in the country in less than a 1000 words that you belong there? My first two apps are due the 15th! It's crunch time I suppose...

Yes this was it. Didn't realize it was that old...and somehow remember it being more scientific. That adviser list is crazy! Thanks.

Hey, does anyone have the link for the ranking of Art History PhD programs solely based on job placement? I remember looking at it awhile ago but I can't remember where I found the link. I thought it was from this forum....

I'm pretty sure it's just the writing sample.

Well, that is my ringtone...

Chipps Smith is a wonderful scholar, but unfortunately I wouldn't be able to live in Texas. And I honestly didn't feel that my interests were such a perfect fit that I'd be willing to relocate there. And honestly, regarding the other schools, I made an executive decision to only apply to schools with a strong record of landing their post-docs jobs. As much as I would love to work with someone like Hochstrasser, I don't feel that Iowa has the rep to assuage my parent's anxieties that in six years I'll be living in their basement and eating all of their food. This isn't to say that I am only applying to the Ivies/top tier schools just because they're top-ranked. My adviser and I spent all summer carefully selecting schools with the perfect balance of rep and faculty research interests. I'm really happy with the five I chose, and although they are all first and second tier schools with probably only one Renaissance slot, I am confident in my attractiveness to an adcom. I am more than aware of my slim chances but I need to stay positive and concentrate on all my really strong qualifications. And if I am not accepted to any then I know I am going to be at this non-Art History MA program. Now I'm starting to hum "Keep on the Sunny Side" as I write this...

No, she retired recently.

Hi all! Just discovered this forum - I'm pretty sure it will only help fuel my anxieties rather than help any. But oh well! I'm applying to 5 PhD programs and 1 non-Art History back-up MA program (although this would be my second Master's. They'd have to give me a great tuition remission for it to be affordable.) I'm a lonely Northern Renaissance student...any others out there? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? I'm a little worried because my grad adviser suggested that my 690 V and 5.5. W was too low. I was sort of surprised. I thought it was pretty decent. I mean I took the test three years ago when I was still an undergrad, but even if I wanted to retake it...it's probably too late now to register! Any thoughts?