annieca

Today is Day 2 for me, so it's a little early. That being said... - I love my advisor. He's also willing to be a co-advisor with two other professors whom will all help out when my thesis comes around - The campus, while big, is actually managable. The only not fun aspect is parking. (8 minute drive to campus, 7 minutes to find parking) - My theory class is going to be fairly easy regarding the written work. We also get to do rewrites! - Still figuring out the money situation but it's going. Slowly. My biggest problem is having night classes. I need my glasses to drive at night because my contacts don't block out the glare. However, that means wearing my glasses to class, which I hate, hate. I'm thinking of maybe just wearing my glasses over my contacts for the drive home?

This depends on if you want to do a MA or a PhD. This also depends on your program. This is just the technical aspect of it. The realistic bit of it comes a bit later. - Some MA programs (Maryland's that I know of) doesn't require a language test for its MA students. - Other MA programs do require a language test but it's really easy (translate 30 lines, read a 5 page article and summarize in English, 4 hours, use of a dictionary) - PhD will generally require at least two languages by the time you start your dissertation. So that's the technical side of it. You could probably get away with not knowing a ton of French and still fulfill the requirements. Do I recommend that? Absolutely, 100% no. Part of being a historian is researching widely and deeply. And delving into those primary sources. How are you going to delve into primary sources about the French Revolution if you can't read French? It doesn't have to be fluent - trust me. But you need to be able to read at the very least, at a decent level. I've heard it recommended that 2 years of an easier language will help you to pass the language exam. If you want to go on to a PhD or really delve into sources, you need more. And I'm not sure if this holds true for French history (I'm an East Europeanist myself), but more and more PhD programs are requiring two languages. If you're a medievalist, common to need 4 and this one poor girl I knew doing Mediterranean history - 6. I hope that answers your question!

I think since you are going for a PhD, go for it. Depending on the department, the level of funding, etc., any number of professors can be on leave at one time and they rotate their sabbaticals. Just because they aren't going to be there your first year doesn't mean the next 5-6 they won't. Also, Skype is a beautiful thing. I just attended my own History orientation and they actually advocate doing Research Seminars with professors that are on leave. Also, what the program might do is give you a temporary adviser and so you work with them until your POI returns. Completely non-related to your question is a comment for all of you: Professors don't know the nitty-gritty. If you want numbers, ask the department secretaries. They are usually the sweetest, most helpful people and they know EVERYTHING. They know where on campus to do x, y and z as well as who to talk to about r,s and t.

You might try University of Tennessee. They have a fabulous medieval program and I believe their Renaissance professors aren't too shabby either.

Mind you this was for an MA and not a PhD, but the shortest I found was 5-8 pages, the longest I had was 25. The average was 10-12 pages including bibliographic material.

@kayrabbit - I did end up with Franklin Park. Their maintenance people are spot on - really quite impressive! I'm in one of the renovated ones so my kitchen and bathroom are really nice. What I was most impressed with (besides the shuttle/bus/metro service) was just how big the living and dining areas are in the two bedroom apartments. If anyone is curious about Franklin Park or the surrounding Greenbelt area, let me know!

Glad to hear it! Sometimes it takes awhile to completely narrow it down. Or you have a class that totally changes your mind and what you thought you wanted you really didn't. Good luck to you this season!

I also would recommend an app if you're at all into apps: Duolingo. I'm using it right now to brush up on my German from a few years back. It's not going to help you with speaking but definitely listening, writing and reading. My only gripe about it is that the woman who pronounces things say "Ihr" and "Er" too much alike.

Oh the sillyness. And here is where I feel embarrassed because I didn't even know what nascent meant until I just looked it up. On the different themes issue I wonder if this is completely different for HiLS (History and Library Science) students than it is for straight History? When I applied to programs I was not just applying to HiLS but also Public Humanities and some other ones that had different names. I suppose history is history is history (except when it isn't). It reminds me of the divide between my fellow historians and my fellow archivists. We pick a school based on the specialization, yes, but to a lesser extent. Archives is still a huge specialization - do you want to do film archives, music, work on processing, digitization, MARC/EAD/DACS records? But I digress. I think the best way forward is one where your professors and other rec letter writers recognize your strengths as a historian and don't focus on the specific subfield. Correct me if I'm totally off base here, but my recommenders wrote more about my research in generalized terms than ever getting into the specifics of what I actually researched.

I've been bored out of my mind sitting here in my apartment so I've been volunteering at the American History Museum in DC a couple days a week. That's definitely helped keep my "Oh my GOD I'm going to graduate school" panics at bay. That, and a family friend is taking me to the Delaware beaches for a long weekend right before orientation "week". Otherwise, I've quietly been starting some pre-reading for my thesis and checking out a conference or two that sounds really interesting. Unfortunately I can't get to UCLA in mid-October for their Human Rights and Archives symposium but it gives me ideas for next year. So doing that, and freaking out about money because Maryland is still "processing" my financial aid information - as they have been doing for the past four months. Luckily tuition and fees are paid but if I have any chance of paying rent until January when I hope to have a GA position... I need those loans!

Usually, and please people correct me if I'm wrong, the standard loans will cover the education costs and then Plus (which has a higher interest rate) will cover living expenses. If you're at a super expensive or in-the-city school (as it sounds like if room and board would be $15k a year) and you work, there might not be enough within the two loan packages combined to cover everything. My advice? Try, try, try to get a job to cover the difference if it's only a few thousand. Private loans are not something you want to be trifling with.

If you have any questions about archival science, hit me up! I'm starting my program in the fall and I've got connections up the wazoo of people who love, love to talk to other people about archiving and what path to take. There are two bits of advice I can give you that have helped me the most: 1) Trust yourself and your own timetable. 2) The devil isn't in the details unless you make it out to be. The second one is more specific to MLIS degrees but, I believe in some ways it stands for all future grad students. I knew I wanted to be an archivist when I applied for graduate school but not what *kind* of archivist. I know now, of course, but I didn't when I was starting this whole process. If you don't know exactly, down to the second hand what you want to do with your life, that's okay. If you know what program and have a general direction, I have no doubt you'll find yourself where you want and need yourself to be.

czesc - Yes, I am at College Park. I'm renting right next to the end of the Green Line so I'm just about an hour metro ride into the heart of the city. DuPont Circle reminds me a lot of the Promenade where I lived, so I might be spending a lot of time there. I was checking out the library's catalog and I've found hundreds of books I now want to read. At Carroll we maybe had 100,000 books. At Aber, 1 million, plus the "anything-published-in-the-UK" 5 million at the National Library. But with Maryland's 8 libraries I have 80 million books accessible to me, most for a semester(!), plus the Library of Congress down the road. Oh, I am in nerd heaven.

I have an apartment and a roommate so the two hardest things are done! I got my lease yesterday and I have 45 pages of legal jargon to read through and initial. I'm slightly terrified I'm going to miss something and be liable for something I wasn't expecting but my parents have offered to run through the lease with me. So far I've only signed the gym access sheet and the "we'll tow your car if you have a flat for more than 48 hours" sheet. ...But I move in on Friday! Classes on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights. I've never had night classes so it'll definitely be an adjustment. Hopefully I'll have a job to occupy my day time! @czesc - I feel your pain. I have been seriously doubting Maryland as I miss the UK like I'm missing part of my soul. But, there was this lovely article on the BBC that compared Aber to a South American state which forced me to say "I'm happy. I'll be okay." St Andrews was out of the question because of cost. *sigh* http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-23301526

I am curious - what type of history do you want to do? It sounds like environmental/food-based history. If you are, the University of Texas at Austin has a great program, or so I have heard.

Haha, you guys are addicting. I can't leave you now! Although, things are definitely falling into place. I have a job interview for a job that would give me about $700 a month after rent, an apartment and two potential roommates so if the first doesn't work out, the second one might. I really would love to do a fist bump for the fact of finding good rent. I'm 3 miles from campus, (also on the shuttle route), next door to the Metro (also on shuttle), 2 bed in the DC Metro area...and I will be paying less for rent a month than my sister does for a 1 bed in Oregon. Oh, and there are two pools and a nice looking gym! How goes everyone's summers?

trr - Sorry to hear about the no-finding thing. But at least you know where you want to focus your attention on now. Was the process at least a little helpful in deciding what you want/need/would like?

@TMP - Yep, I'm a planner. Guilty. I've been pre-planning my life four or so years ahead for as long as I can remember. And I do know I've got to take it slow, that I need to figure out just how much I enjoy my Masters' programs and let myself just enjoy the experience. That being said, the decision to do a thesis versus an exam is one I'm talking about now because of planning out classes. I always had idea (and supported by my department that announces classes for the next 2 years at one time), that careful planning is the way to go to graduate on time. Careful planning helped me graduate from undergraduate in 3 years. And since my Masters' are unfunded, well, careful planning is essential. I am not trying to say that no one else is a careful planner, or that not having your entirety of your Master's planned out is a bad thing. This is just me. The funding is the biggest issue for why I am questioning PhDs *now*. If I wanted to stay at Maryland, I could potentially get funding my second year of grad school which would save a load on...everything. I am scared with the loan rates going up and staring at $700 a month rent, that I am looking ahead for money in any way I can. I appreciate all your advice, everyone! You have been a great help to me throughout all of these processes.

I'm looking at Greenbelt, and specifically Franklin Park at Greenbelt Station. I'll be going to Maryland College Park in the fall. Any thoughts?

I would suggest looking at Tennessee as well. My undergrad adviser did his degree in Medieval History and he needed to know Latin and German fluently and French pretty well just to get into the program. From there he had to pick up Italian as well. Thankfully, French and Italian have Latin roots so that shouldn't be too, too hard to get down.

A History of Wales by John Davies - I got this for Christmas two years ago and I'm just finally getting to reading it. Being in Wales a year has definitely made it easier to recognize the places and so not be confused! I'm in need of a good historiography book to read - anyone have any suggestions?

A curiosity question for all of you! My (undergraduate) adviser and I have recently discussed and decided that for me to achieve my career goals, I need to get a PhD. My problem? I have absolutely no idea what I should be getting it in. I'm starting a dual Master's in Archives and History in the Fall. It's a 3 year program and I already have an idea for my thesis (I'm planning on taking one exam and doing one thesis): How open access to archives helps promote human rights, using examples from the National Declassification Center, the Stasi Archives and most recently, a Hungarian decision to destroy records from their secret police. My goal is to become a human rights archivist. I want to work in a place like the UN, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, National Institute of Peace, National Endowment for Democracy...etc. I would say smaller ones, but the smaller NGOs tend to not have archives. So, there in lies my question. Archives PhD's are not common at all and I'm not sure a History program would be the best course. Is there some sort of "Human Rights" interdisciplinary PhD that I could do? I know there are programs in Europe and the UK. If History is the best course, would it be better to stick to a region (say Eastern Europe) and choose a school (or stay at Maryland) based on the region and not their focus on human rights? I am at a loss. :/

I'm a bit weird in that the first semester I'm suppose to take two LibSci classes so only one History class for me. It's the standard "History and Modern Theory" which I'm guessing is historiography. I'm hoping that since I did a challenging historiography class in undergrad that this won't be too bad. That being said... I also do hope it's challenging for two reasons. 1) I love historiography. and 2) My library science classes don't sound thrilling. It's been relaxing but also nerve-wracking. I'm waiting on applications to come back for a job (I've applied for 7 so far) at Maryland and in the meantime, mainly just twiddling my thumbs. My thumbs are pretty sore at this point and it's only a little over 3 weeks since I've gotten home!

Also, I have a 3.99 undergrad GPA at the University of Alabama, double majoring in history and political science with a 4.0 in History and a 4.165 in political science, am writing a senior thesis on partisan journalism and the formation of political parties, and have at least two professors who would write strong recommendations, both of whom have guided me with independent research projects. Also, how many schools is good to apply to? I understand that it has a lot to do with how much you are willing to spend on application fees, etc, but I am terrified of being accepted nowhere. What are your thoughts on sort of "safety schools?" Welcome!! First off, I believe graduate school is like undergraduate applications where they often eliminate weighting. What does your GPA look like then? Weighting is great in some ways, but honestly, I can't understand the purpose of it for undergrad. You're taking harder classes, possibly. Do you need the extra boost for your GPA? Probably not. But that's just my two cents. Secondly, about how many schools to apply to - this is a personal decision. I agree there is no such thing as a "safety school." I applied to two UK schools and 4 US programs. Granted this was for a dual MA/MLIS (and the British equivalent). I was a good fit for most of the programs but one wasn't and I got rejected. The other I got rejected from I thought was the perfect fit. So... I like 5-7 as the perfect number. BUT if you go into a highly specialized field (post-Cold War Eastern Europe, for example), you might have trouble finding 5-7 schools. Hope that helps! P.S. I love, love your senior thesis topic!

Let's see... I went to Spain, moved from Wales back to the States, realized I was in love with a best friend in Wales, came back to a mom with a serious illness and a house that is under very strict cleanliness orders since the house can be shown at any point. And my car is in the shop getting repaired. And that was all in the past three weeks! Honestly, I have been so bummed about leaving Aberystwyth that I haven't been excited about grad school. But now that I'm back in the States and have little else except preparing my parents for moving (and moving myself) I have started to get excited again. It's going to be a *huge* transition but one I am ready for. Mainly because I am stuck at home with very little to do and it's making me homesick for Aber! Reading... I should reread some historiography, or get started on my reading list for my History and Theory class in the Fall but I've got time. I think. How is everyone else doing?