annieca

Oh, I wish, I wish this worked! Unfortunately I've already got a Dropbox so I can't help any of you out.

Social history...I don't know if it's fading, but in my experience that's what is taking the history world by storm (or at least my department). Digital yes, although I do see the valid points about how it is a tool and not necessarily a study in and of itself. I'm sure my archives professors will try and beat that out of me in my program. Public history - yes! Granted, public history is almost a pseudo-history (and I say this as someone who studies it) - it's a lot about application and how we can use our historical knowledge and research to back up the application.

I think it depends on where you want to end up. If you want to teach/work in Europe, go for Europe. If you want to be in the States, go for the States (with a few exceptions within Britain like Oxbridge, St Andrews, Edinburgh) Some drawbacks that haven't been mentioned: culture adjustment, academic adjustment and being on a completely different calendar.

Woohoo for another person in the state of Iowa! As far as I know it's fine that you have two countries. However, and this is a very big however, you will need to focus quite a bit more. Transnational history is something that might be worth taking a look at - Maryland has a great program in it. But focus wise, you are a bit all over the place. Let me break it down into how you could specialize and maybe something will jump out at you. Time: Postwar (I'm assuming you mean post-WW2 here) is a huge time frame - almost 70 years. If you want to keep that time frame, you'll have to get more specific in... Population: gender? working class? LGBT? etc. Topic: social movements, working conditions, politics, etc. Type of history: social? cultural? political? economic? etc. You don't have to have all of those, per se, but at least a few. For example, my senior thesis was just on Slovak emigres' (population & type of history) opinion on the Velvet Divorce (geographic, time, topic). That was how I pitched myself to universities and how you'll have to do the same. If you can't narrow, or don't want to narrow, I suggest one of two things - either take some time off and discover what your passion is or do an interdisciplinary program. I'm not sure if there's anything for US/UK as I know more about Eastern Europe, but there might be. I wouldn't call it pigeon-holeing. There are ways you can be broad but still be quite narrow. Again, I'm going to use myself as an example. Post-Cold War Eastern Europe social and political movements from a social history perspective - I can talk about Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Poland, etc. and that's just geography of what I study. I honestly hope that helps!

Assuming I'm going to intern in the summer (I've got to pay the rent anyway, might as well!), I will probably go back three times a year - Christmas, Spring Break and for a little bit of the summer. My parents are moving to Florida so the idea of Spring Break in Florida (even if it's a 13 hour drive from Maryland) sounds heavenly!

How much visits impacted - as in, how I felt on each campus. And also, how much I'm not part of the decision making process - it's not about me. That was definitely an eyeopener as I was rejected from 3 programs! I did, however, know that I would end up choosing based on my heart. Luckily my heart happens to be in the heart (no pun intended) of my field.

Dear Merlin, what have I gotten myself into? If anyone is headed out to Iowa, I give you this: http://raygunsite.com/ My favorite is one about my "hometown": The Quad Cities: Twice as Fun as the Twin Cities.

I am going to drive my flatmates insane with my Google-mapping. Just tonight I pulled up campus on Google Maps and said, "Hey Gorka! Look at this! Look at this! Look at this!" He humored me but I have a feeling that the rest of them won't do that for the fifth or sixth time I want to tell them something about Maryland... Applying to graduate assistanceships, all the while hoping that I get a TAship. I should know soon! And learning how to get thicker skin as my supervisor tore apart my senior thesis and I was less than pleased. He's got British bluntness down to a science.

Aww! @regalrenegade - I will be crossing everything I have that Sussex can give you funding!

Depends on how legal you want to be. But I feel your pain. I won't be 21 until December of 2013 so I've got a few months to go before I can doing those things with my cohort. But eh, I'm okay with that. Alcohol is expensive (at least, it is in the UK) and I'm going to be on a shoestring budget.

I am treating myself to a week in Spain! (Or well, that's one of the reasons I'm going to Spain...) And buying myself a Maryland sweatshirt or t-shirt or something.

I was a 159V/151Q/3.5AW and I got into the program I wanted to and some to spare. Granted at the time I didn't know it was my dream program. And, this was coming in with one horrible letter of rec. The second lukewarm (he's a great guy and said positive things but it wasn't as directed as it could have been) and the third that was singing my praises in ways that made me blush. So yes, it depends. But just letting you know it's possible!

I had one of those last minute crises of confidence when IUPUI decided to offer me what would have amounted to nearly 100% funding. ... And I turned them down. I know, I know, I am insane. But I could not in good conscious tell Maryland no after I had been so enthusiastic about going there because of money. It was wrong. And I still couldn't get excited about Indianapolis. I believe that Maryland will make me the happiest and offer me the most potential jobs after graduation. Now, I just really need that TA position at Maryland to come through! I also had the weirdest thing happen from Indiana-Bloomington. They sent me the courtesy email that said "You've been rejected" but they had the wrong specialty. They said I was rejected from Early Modern European History. I don't do that specialization. I don't even like that specialization. I am a post-1989 Europe girl. Early Modern just sounds... icky. (No offense to those who specialize in it. To each their own)

Congrats!!!

First question - do you like cold? I'm for Rochester just because smaller departments usually mean better connections and you actually get to know your department. Which labs do you like better?

I officially decided on Maryland a week or so ago and today got an email from IUPUI saying I received funding there. I won't be going but hopefully that means that someone else can get it!

The one thing you want to think about in getting a printer is the cost of printing in the office. Not everyone will have free printing or they'll have a super small printing allowance so that's something to consider. Otherwise, I definitely recommend waiting until you get out there. There are always sales on printers around back-to-school time and that way, it's one less thing for you to move!

When is the best time to start looking for housing? Okay, not looking but seriously looking? Like, going out to the city and signing leases and all that stuff? I already have a general idea of where I want to live in Maryland (Silver Spring, Hyattsville, Aldephi) and I have applied for campus housing but I won't sign anything until I see the apartment. When is usually the best time to find housing and sign a lease? I was thinking early July, but anyone else have any ideas?

Knowing someone who has applied for the Foreign Service and turned down, I know how difficult it can be. She applied with a Master's in International Politics and is nearly fluent in Arabic which the State Department wants. They said, "That's all fine and great. But apply again in 3-5 more years when you have experience." And, to make matters worse, if you want to be ambassador to a Western country we don't particularly care about (UK, Germany, France...basically our allies), you've got to be a top donor for the future President. vv http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/04/08/17658133-top-donors-traditionally-cash-in-with-plum-diplomatic-posts?lite That's not to spoil your life goal. It's just to give a bit of a reality check. You can become an ambassador, but there are a whole lot of steps in between. I agree with the above poster that London is only good if you want non-US options for employment. London is also hellishly expensive to live in.

I know absolutely nothing about art history. Just putting that out there. I think this really depends on if you're doing a PhD or a Masters. (Is Art History an MA or an MFA?) If you are going into a PhD program, then yes, your adviser is incredibly important. But... just because you didn't get the greatest vibes about your potential adviser doesn't mean they aren't great, amazing and the best person for you. My undergraduate adviser who I credit with helping me get into my dream school, terrified me at first. I didn't like him that much. But now? I can't imagine having gotten through my undergrad without him. I'm not saying that the relationship with School B will be flowers and roses but it's possible that your first thoughts were off, for whatever reason. I think you have to go where it makes you happy. If that means relocating and leaving the bad undergraduate experience, then do so. If that means staying at your alma mater because you fit better there, go there.

It would be so much easier if money wasn't a factor, wouldn't it? I'm an Iowan myself so I'm a bit biased against Iowa State so take my advice with a grain of salt. Normally you don't get funding for a Master's, but you were lucky enough to get funding so that brings it into the equation. Yes, Harvard is hellishly expensive. Last time I checked (last year sometime), Boston was the most expensive place to live in the US - I think due to the fact there aren't huge high-rise apartment buildings like in L.A. or New York. Harvard has prestige, but is it worth the debt? And... does the Harvard program have a great career services for your program? Name recognition can only get you so far. How hands-on are they? My experience with the Ivy's is that they are either super hands-on and want to make the investment or they are more like "Give us your money and we'll give you a degree with the school's name and that's what'll get you a job." Which isn't totally how it works. But... here's a real question: do you drive? Ames has a bus system but it's not great. You can get to Wal-Mart, the grocery store (Dahl's is mid-price) on a bus but that doesn't mean your apartment will be on the right line. Iowa is definitely a state to have a car in! And when you get bored with Ames (and trust me, even those that absolute LOVE ISU get bored of it at some point) you're stuck with the Greyhound or the Jefferson bus lines to get anywhere. That being said, it isn't too far from Des Moines which has it's own scene that you can get to somewhat fairly easily. And finally, where do you want to end up? Not career wise but location wise? Of course, just because you go to ISU or Harvard doesn't mean you have to stay in Ames or Cambridge. But, if you want to stay on the East Coast, I would say Harvard. If you want to move around, ISU. And finally, here's the thing - if you find my comments about ISU offensive or go on the defensive, take that as a sign. Most people don't defend a school they don't want to go to. Hope that helps!

Congrats! Relax and take a breath before launching yourself into full-blown giddiness and planning for your next step.

Honestly, this is where I think the coin comes out. Both schools look like they could be places for you. If your heart says B then go with B. But if you really can't decide, flip a coin. I'll be saying this a lot in the next 4 days but, "Flip a coin. Not because it decides it. But for the moment that that coin is in the air, you know exactly what you want."

I am starting my MA in Public History and my MLIS in Archives in the Fall at Maryland and here's what I can tell you: The National Council on Public History had a forum at their 2012 Conference in Milwaukee. The people there said if you want to work in history outside of academia, Public History and dual MLIS/MLS, to a lesser extent MIS, are incredibly useful. Yes, the job prospects are bleak. But, in some ways better. And having both degrees which, usually, only takes you a year longer (3 years total) or 2.5 years total if you can push yourself. In doing dual degrees you gain an advantage over the job market. You can work in both museums and libraries, public, private, etc. There is a lot more technology involved, yes. I admit that. But, when you're coding something or digitizing or making new online records you are still interacting with the documents. For example, when I interned at the Smithsonian I was working with a scanner or a computer almost 60% of my day (looking at finding aids or in boxes, reference desk, etc. for the other 40%), but I was still interacting. When I scanned I got to read (or at least skim), view and experience being with all of these amazing things. It's definitely a people-driven job. I loved the feeling when I could help a researcher find exactly what they were looking for. Or, at one point I found an original portrait of the founder of Haiti and got to show it to my Haitian co-worker who was literally speechless. You have to be able to marry those technical and people skills together. It's not for everyone - definitely. But for some, it is. What I recommend is doing is this: - an internship at an archives so you know what you're dealing with - looking at dual degree programs - find a program that requires an internship or a field study (South Carolina, IUPUI and Maryland are three that I know of that do) - find a program with good SAA (Society of American Archivists) connections, society - connections! And conferences! One of my co-workers at the Smithsonian's dancing partner at the annual conference was the former head of the South Carolina Public History program. If you have any questions about particular dual degree programs, feel free to ask or PM me. I've probably applied to most of them!

I don't like this rule, at all, and I don't think it's practical. If I TA, I will potentially be TAing students my own age. Yes, I will dress up to not look like them, but there is no escaping the fact I am two years ahead of where I am suppose to be and no amount of nice clothing will change that fact. My favorite professor (male) always wore a button down shirt (tucked in), dress pants and black shoes, even if he was teaching a small, personalized class. The only non-dressy thing about him was his coffee cup or the beer stein he uses as a water mug in his office. Still, great and respected professor throughout campus.