annieca

I lived in NOVA (Franconia-Springfield near Fort Belvoir) in the summer of 2012 and I can certainly tell you that if you can avoid driving - DO SO! We would commute from Springfield to Rosslyn by car every once in awhile and it would take at least half an hour, usually more. I don't know if the Maryland side is better or worse, but it's something to be aware of. That, and parking costs are atrocious. The train - you can take the MARC from Baltimore to DC but it's not a feasible option for College Park because you'd have to go into DC and change at Union Station and then change again because Union Station is on the Red Line and College Park is on the Green. It doesn't make sense in my opinion to live in Baltimore if you're going to take the train and go to College Park. Drive, maybe, but still... the Beltway is the most disgusting thing I think I've ever seen.

Can I just say that it is absolutely *insane* that anyone thinks that a 3.8 GPA isn't a good GPA? I imagine that most of you went to American liberal arts institutions where you had to take classes in things you weren't good at - math, physics, fine arts, etc. - and those will weigh you down. That, and sometimes history classes can be tough. I have a 3.8 currently and I think that is absolutely nothing to sneeze at. In fact, I've met very few people who have higher than a 3.8 who have gotten into graduate school, funded and all. The other thing I would be wary about is translating your GPA. It doesn't really work. At my study abroad location they grade out of 100 but nobody gets higher than an 80 and you have to be absolutely, 100% flawless to get a 80. They do in terms of 1st, 2nd 1st, 2nd 2nd, etc. and a 1st (equivalent of an A) starts with a 70. GPAs are calculated using weird weighting standards and... Not saying every international university is like that, but the point remains: don't compare yourself too harshly if you're translating your GPA into the American format. I know a lot of universities grade inflate for international students because it's just different. That, and the 3.5 GPA thing... as far as I'm aware, it's only for American students. If you're really concerned about it, I would email the person in charge of international admits at the schools you are looking into and say "Hey, I'm from X country and this is my GPA there. Can you tell me what you would translate that as?" Because I bet that each school does it different. Hope that helps!

I agree with CrazyCatLady - it is about where you fit. And that's why fit is so, so important. There may be 10-15 schools that are the best in modern European history, for example, but do they have someone who could advise you on... say, 1960s Czechoslovakia or 1989 Romania? It's all about where you fit in. I know you'll get a lot of gloom and doom in the next year. I am lucky to have an advisor at my undergrad who believed I was meant to go to graduate school and meant to do this. Having someone on your side definitely helps. But in the end, it will come down to luck and fit. One you can control, the other you can't. In the mean time, have fun, relax and do a little bit of research each day on programs - or a little each week if that works out better for you. It's a marathon, grad school admissions - and you really, really don't want to burn out whilest waiting for replies from programs.

@CrazyCatLady80 - Thanks for that advice! It definitely seemed that way when I was working at NMAH last summer that it really was, all about connections. But the funding has to come first! I had a nightmare last night, and actually woke up and sat up straight in bed, that I didn't get funding from Maryland. Like, I could visualize the email and everything. Hopefully it'll work out okay. I submitted my FAFSA to Maryland a few days ago but it will be interesting to see if FAFSA makes a difference. It certainly didn't in my sister's case.

I thought I had decided and then Maryland decided to accept me. That, coupled with the fact that I have a chance at funding has gotten me going insane. If Maryland gives me a stipend, I'll have to do math, but... I'm leaning towards there. My love of the UK is slowly waning after a few weekends of being surrounded by British people bashing Americans and I'm just ready to go home. (By no means does the opinions of the poeple I was with constitute all British opinions. I was just with some highly opinionated people.) Maryland also has great connections being right outside of DC. (Which makes rent ridiculous!) I could intern in DC and go to school in Maryland which opens up a whole new world of possibilities, especially at the National Archives. It also is great for non-profit and human rights based NGOs where I eventually want to get in. I'm going to have to weigh that, the idea that it's a 3 year program and not a one year program like in the UK, and a little factor about friendships, transition and cats. But first...I have to get a stipend!

Washington Post has a nice service on their website. Considering College Park again. I'm naturally wary of Prince George's County but having commuted from NOVA to American History every day for an hour each way, I'm also wary of living too far away. I think the prices have definitely jumped since I first started looking. When I was first looking I could find studios for $800 around College Park and now I can't find anything less than $1200 a month.

There has to be said for talking with current grad students! Also, I am ready to bow down to the graduate school secretary at Maryland for giving me hope. Whatever she wants, within reason, I would love to give her. (Okay, anything less than $10 because I'm skint.) I was chatting with a TA of my Oral History class and she mentioned a way that I could get my accommodation paid for at Aber - being a British version of an RA (resident assistant). She said that since I've had experience with RAing in the past, they would probably take me, and they're always looking for people to fill the position. I would just have to yell at drunks to quiet down every so often and offer academic counseling/homesickness counseling as needed. Yep, I can do that! Then, yesterday I had sent an email to Maryland which basically said, "I know that you won't know funding issues until your PhDs accept or decline offers, but what are my chances of getting an assistance-ship or a research assistance-ship?" She emailed me back quite promptly considering the time zone difference and said, "We have many current MA/HiLS students that are TA's so there is possibility." I don't want to over-read into that reply, but knowing there's a chance of funding at Maryland - eek! Assistance-ships are between $15-$19 a year and 10 credits a semester (and some during the summer) free. I love, love, love (I could go on infinitely) the DC area so having the chance to study there and get the connections I need within the museum/archive world...is making me so happy. But naturally, I shouldn't be counting my chickens before they hatch. Hope everyone else is making their decisions, hearing back and just in as general of a good mood as I am right now!

Got accepted to Maryland today! Woohoo!!! It was a bit of a surprise, but.. woohoo! If I get funding it is a definite contender.

Still waiting on Maryland but at this point I'm 100% positive in where I'm going My grandfather offered to give me my inheritance from my Nana who passed away this fall, early, so I potentially don't have to take out any loans. Which is amazing but naturally I'm going to feel indebted to him. Oh well, such is life. Anyone else still waiting?

Sent in my "intent to enroll" form into Aber. It's not official because it's an unconditional offer but it was just more of a "Yeah, I'm still interested." I can tell I'm burned out by this process because I'm not jazzed about grad school right now. I'm just tired. Hugs for the Columbia carnage.

Congrats Viggo on choosing Chapel Hill. My one of my diss supervisors went there for their Germanic Studies program and loved the campus, the town and the History Department. She also got really into the sports but that might have been because her sister was at Duke at the same time... Apparently Maryland has made their HiLS decisions and they've gone out on the portal. But my portal is down. :/ Curse you aqua scum! Also, a question - I was rejected from South Carolina on Tuesday via their application portal but I haven't received any official "check the portal" or "You're rejected" email. Is that weird? Am I just weird? The governmental hiring freeze is putting a cramp on my summer plans. Apparently the Library of Congress isn't making decisions when they're suppose to because of the debt cliff thing. But I'd think they'd have made their decision and just wouldn't go through the background check and all that stuff until after the sequester. I mean, you'd think they wouldn't postpone interviews because of it? I wish they'd just get it over with and say "No" because if they do, then I'm probably going to Paris for a few days before hitching back to the US and helping my parents move. Bahh.

Thanks czesc! PMed you.

Where did February go?! It seems like just yesterday it was January! Congrats and condolences to all. *hugs* Funnily enough, even though my decision is made, I'm now on the hunt again, this time looking at Human Rights Law programs. I know there's a site for law students that's like the GradCafe. Does anyone happen to know it?

And so the carnage begins.

Been "declined" by South Carolina. Oh well. :'(

Maryland's app system seems to be down for me (it shows me an uncompleted application when I know for a fact it's complete) which is frustrating because since y'all are hearing, I want to check. My South Carolina app has changed from "New " to "Decision" but then the second line says "Decision Pending." What in the name of Merlin does that mean?

Just thought I'd check my South Carolina app. The Public History part of the application says "Decision"on the Application status instead of "New" but it also still says "Decision Pending." Some say it's good, some say it's bad. If it's bad, well then, my decision's most definitely made for me! But it could also be good. Why, oh why, do they torture us like this? Also, the Maryland HiLS acceptance/rejections have gone out but their system is down. Curse you aqua scum!

Congrats to everyone! I saw the Maryland result and immediately went to check my app. Of course the Maryland app isn't working right now! Hopefully I'll know soon. Though I am *really* waiting to hear back from South Carolina.

So I wasn't expecting anything this week and then Brown...now I am paranoid. I'm a paranoid noodgenick. And of course it doesn't help I'm at a Model UN conference this weekend so I have to be all professional and that jazz during committee sessions and not check my email or this site. Leave that for unmoderated caucus. Rethinking the staying in the UK bit but that really depends on if I can get funding from Maryland or South Carolina. Anyone want anything from London?

@thegalrenegade- Both you and my advisor made my me smile when I told the bad news. He said "I got rejected loads of places and I turned out okay." To which he amended to "Stupendous" to which he said "Brown is an idiot and they don't deserve you." Maybe that's not true but yes, you're right- I have an offer that better suits me! Also, I through this out to anyone and everyone considering UK degrees. I've been here for the past school year and while I can't tell you all about locations (other than Aberystwyth), I do know way more than I should about adjusting to the UK, visas and why UK bacon is really ham (but don't tell them that! I can't tell you the number of arguments I've gotten into over bacon). Feel free to PM or ask away here!

Welp, my first rejection came in. Brown University doesn't want me. My phone notification light was blinking so I checked my email "Decision reached!". Only to have to go onto the application portal and then look at a PDF letter saying I was rejected. Ah well, Providence is an expensive town to live in anyway!

Congrats! St Andrews is a great place, I've heard. It is, however, in the boonies. And when I say boonies, I don't mean like Iowa is where you need a car but... be prepared for lots of transportation hurdles. The nearest train station to St Andrews is in Fife I believe - 5-6 miles away. It's not feasible to commute from Edinburgh, unfortunately, and St Andrews itself is expensive to live in. Not to mention the horrors of the UK rail system. *shudders* Not to scare you off though! I'm sure that you have researched this all before you applied. One of our Grad Cafe bloggers is Scottish and knows about St Andrews if you wanted to ask specific questions about the city/housing/etc. But CONGRATS!!

vtstevie - no harm, no foul! We Iowans joke about being in the middle of nowhere all the time. Think I got rejected from my summer internship plans. :/ Which means I get to go back to the States and help my parents move to Podunk Kentucky. Wailing and gnashing of teeth might just happen. I was told by both of my recommenders that they would be stupid not to take me, especially with my CV. But alas. But I am going to London for the weekend for a Model United Nations conference, a ball and some sight-seeing. I suppose I should let that make me happy and not drag me down from the LOC rejection.

Graduate school admission is so different from postgrad! When I got my letter from IU-B, it was basically "So, here's the dates you need to know for the orientations and all that jazz" not "Please let us know if you're actually coming." Is this common?

Hailing from Iowa, I can tell you, the University of Iowa is a weird, weird HUGE campus. Not to mention to get to the library from some of the buildings on campus you literally have to walk through bar street. They've had huge problems with underage drinking and public disorder because of drunks. But...it's actually not in the middle of nowhere. Iowa City has a fairly vibrant arts scene and the university offers shuttles to the massive mall in Coralville on Fridays and the weekends I believe. .