Chiqui74

I had an undergrad professor who didn't start graduate school until she was already in her 40s. She has a TT job (just got tenure, actually), and is on fire as far as research, grants, fellowships, etc. I'm in my mid 30's, also had a professional life post college, and just started a PhD program this fall. Age is but a number! I'm also not the oldest in my cohort. I think there is only one person who came straight from undergrad.

The Public History program at NYU is an MA only program (or certificate). You may do PH as your secondary field in the PhD, but not as primary.

I survived my first week!!! So far so good, but ask me again in a few weeks.

Any veterans around using their Post 9/11 GI Bill during grad school when they are funded by the university? If so, come in, I have some questions!

Classes start on Wednesday, but I have already have readings for the very first class. It's a massive tome (it's a survey book). I've done some of it here and there but I still can't quite shift my brain to PhD gear. It's just not "real" yet. It'll be real enough when I get to class and I'm lost because I didn't read. I need something to click.

Just out of curiosity, when reading for your classes (several books and articles a week), do you read the foot/end notes too? I'm trying to master, or at least get better at, the art of academic reading or I won't get through a week, let alone five years!

You have a short move, no?

What's up with the new layout???? GSAS orientation is tomorrow; that's my first official school thing, then classes start the following week. I just bought the books for my classes and just looking at that list is exhausting! When do classes actually start for you guys?

Oh, geez, I just realized this is an ancient thread.

You've answered your own question. If you want to stay off probation, or not be kicked out of the program, grades absolutely matter.

I just got my first syllabus for the fall and I'm looking into purchasing the books. This class, although it is in my field, it's much too late for my main concentration, which is Colonial North America. The class is required for all US history students though. I wonder if buying the books in electronic form would be better, especially since I'm space-conscious. The downside is that I couldn't bring them to class as there are no electronics allowed. I'm sure there are ways around that but I'm not sure. Generally speaking, I prefer hard copies and I will be buying those for classes in my field/theme. WWYD?

At the MA level, as ashiepoo said, it's probably not absolutely necessary, but for a PhD it definitely is, even when studying US History. Also, you don't have to speak it, you just have to be able to read it, even if you have to use a dictionary every now and then. Thankfully, most programs require only one additional language for those whose primary field is the US/North America.

No TA orientation for me, but I have GSAS on the 24th, then maybe department welcome/orientation at some point but I'm not sure. The semester starts the first week of September, which is later than I am used to, but it's OK, more time for me to settle in.

Is there a product that works on Mac and PC? My laptop is a Mac and my desktop is a PC, and I use them both so I need something that works on both platforms. I've been pondering which one to use and I still haven't made a decision.

I hear ya! We moved from South Florida to New York!

Our stuff finally arrived in New York last Tuesday after a month and a half! We are still unpacking. We didn't bring furniture with us, we sold or donated everything, so we've had to buy all the furniture again....and build it. I have been to Ikea more in the last month or so than in my entire life put together, and we are still possibly not done. We got a good size apartment for local standards but it has no storage, which makes it difficult to unpack fully until all the furniture is built. I'm so looking forward to being fully settled in, and I'm already dreading having to move again at some point.

I registered for the GSAS orientation a couple of days ago. No word from the department in a long time!

I applied to 10 schools. Including GRE, application fees, transcripts, etc, it was almost $1300. I got a fee waiver from one of the schools.

Also, the math GRE doesn't matter.

Hi, Jennifer, and welcome to the board.I I don't want to go into too much detail because I don't want to reveal myself (so to speak) but I want to share my experience with you. I am a veteran, and I also went to college as an adult in one of Florida's less elite public universities. I am not in my 40s, but I am in my 30s, have a family, kid, etc. I had had it my head for years that I wanted to go to graduate school, so that's what I set out to do. I had doubts about my age, my status, etc. but I had a professor who was in her mid 50s and had only been out of grad school for two years. TWO YEARS! I knew then that age shouldn't hold me back. I don't know whether or not being on the older side gives you an advantage, but I certainly don't think it is a disadvantage. I am now headed to a pretty fancy school where I've been showered with all sorts of funding (even more than many of my colleagues), for which I'm grateful. When I went to the recruitment weekend I thought I'd be the oldest for sure. I was wrong I was not even the second oldest. I was oldet than most, but not by very much. To add to it, I was one of the few students who didn't go to ivy or other elite school. I had mixed emotions about that, ranging from feeling inadequate to patting myself on the back for being there amongst the ivy educated with such a humble, for lack of a better word, alma mater of my own. I'm over that now. It's a blank slate and we are equals. If grad school is what you really want, I say go for it. Apply. The worst that can happen is that you don't get in anywhere (it happens even to the young, ivy types!). Good luck!

Hello, guys! We've been in NYC for a little over two weeks now. We leased at an apartment and are waiting for the movers to bring our stuff, which could take a while. I can't decide if I want the fall semester to hurry up and get here or if I want the summer to last forever.

I arrived in Cambridge today, and it's pissing it down.

The story of my life! I don't know what to tell you, I'm on the same boat minus the sabbatical.

My husband got a great job offer in NYC! We are moving in 3 or 4 weeks. I'm headed to Harvard on Sunday for the seminar, and I'll be staying in an AirBnB place halfway between Harvard and MIT. I'm so freaking excited.

All of the PhD programs I've researched requires that you take Methods with them, and you can only transfer up to 6 credit hours, sometimes fewer.