Attia

I must second OEA's point about the value of a writing sample. I have heard professors comment many times that writing samples are often "uninspired" or don't connect deep enough with the secondary scholarship of the field. It is very hard to tell why any one candidate on this forum wasn't accepted to a specific school, but writing samples are a good place to start. Once the season is over, you can always contact specific faculty members at Universities you were rejected from and ask them how you could strengthen your application for the next season (if one is needed). At least at UChicago, they are usually very open and frank about how your application stacks up to other applications in the pool.

Just to throw in a little more info regarding how to accept decisions and deal with waitlists: I would very openly contact the school where you are waitlisted. Some have very strict protocols for dealing with the situation. For example, I once spoke to a Prof at UNC-CH and she told me that if someone declines a spot on April 14th at ten minutes til midnight they don't have time to offer the spot to someone else on the waitlist, suggesting that some schools just stop the game come April 15th. Others might be more flexible. All that being said, many students will likely make up their minds after going on different campus visits (which will all be over after March or the first few days of April). It is in good form to notify the schools you are declining as soon as you know (and make sure to tell them where you have accepted) as soon as you have decided. Things on waitlists might be slow from now until the end of March, but after that the clogs in the pipes will likely be cleared. Ultimately, I don't think its a bad thing to openly discuss this process with the POI at the various schools. It helps them to know where else you have offers and your the degree to which you desire to be taken off a waitlist. Good luck to you and Veilside I really hope you hear something soon from IPGRH!

NHM, Congrats!! That is a wonderful program! Enjoy!

Just received a letter in the mail from UCL's history program offering me a spot in their PhD program but the funding information seems rather vauge. I can't really tell what they are offering or what they need me to apply for. Anyone have any guidance on this topic? I suppose I'll have to email them tomorrow but seeing that they only send letters via snail mail I'm a bit afraid I'll be endlessly waiting.

I just got my funding letter from UWisconsin-Madison. When I called to talk to the graduate department about it they told me that they made 63 offers but only 15 funded spots (and only 5 of those funding offers are transferable to another student if the offer is turned down). I won't be accepting this offer but I doubt my fellowship is one that can be transfered to someone else (that idea is based only on the vibe I got from my conversation). This whole system of accepting 63 students and only funding 15 of them seems so antiquated. Anyone have any insight into why they are doing this? It seems like it would create sort of a negative vibe amongst the cohort (assuming that anyone actually accepts their offer without funding).

Re: Wisconsin Funding - I spoke with the graduate coordinator and she said that all official letters about funding had been mailed on Monday, so we should be receiving them soon (maybe even today?).

Veilside, You know I have my fingers crossed for you! Good luck!!

Hi All, Just to provide some info for anyone waiting on UT-Austin, a friend of mine was just offered a spot with a 5 year fellowship package. He is on the archaeology end of things. Regarding IPGRH at UMichigan, I met someone yesterday who was offered the spot and he has already turned it down and is deciding between two other schools so there might be movement on the IPGRH front soon enough for waitlistees. For the person who was thinking about MA's, I strongly consider contacting schools that you might want to do your PhD at and asking them what they think the top MA programs would be for you. I think many professors have personal biases about certain Post-Baccs and MA programs (often because they admitted students to the PhD program from those institutions who turned out to be less than amazing). Unfortunately, your predecessors can influence your outcome. UChicago's classics students this year mainly came straight from undergrad institutions but almost all had 4 or more years of Greek and Latin (even for PAMW). The people they took from Post Bacc programs were coming out of UCLA and UC-Davis. Hope all this helps!

It was great meeting a lot of you (especially lurkers) yesterday at UChicago's history day! Good luck on your future campus visits!

Soleil, did you receive an offer? Congrats if you did!!

I completed my MA at UChicago and was then admitted into their PhD program. It was a huge help to have the faculty know me, my work, and my work ethic. It is not just about being a good scholar, but also a good colleague (ie. attending every department organized lecture that we held, being sociable, etc.) It also seemed to help me in my applications to other departments. Remember, an MA isn't a piece of paper, its showing that you are capable of doing the work and assimilating to a certain life-style and academic community. Good luck to all of you deciding about MA programs and feel free to PM me about UChicago's terminal masters program!

The acceptances from MAPSS should be out in a few days. They were just delivered to the main admissions office yesterday. Only people with straight rejections will hear right now (usually if you already have an MA)

Veilside, I haven't heard anything about IPGRH students but my friend has his interview tomorrow so I can ask if the interviewer said anything about it. I will certainly report back! There might be a lull for a while as top applicants decide and then open up spots for second round students. It sounds like people are still waiting for JHU, Brown's archaeology program, and BU? I'm still waiting on Toronto and York but I'm not holding out much hope since they tend not to have much funding for Americans. I'm considering withdrawing my applications from those two schools since they wouldn't be competitors with the other schools I have offers from. Any advice on withdrawing an application at this stage?

A friend of mine received an email placing him on the UMich. waitlist for IPCAA and it sounds like they have notified everyone who is on such a list. Also, I heard that UChicago has contacted the 1 or 2 people that were placed on the ancient history waitlist... maybe it was one of you all? Good luck!

Uhohlemonster, Sorry to hear about UCLA, but it looks like you have two exciting MA offers at the very least! Are you planning on applying to more MA programs this cycle or wait until next year? Stay strong everyone!

Congrats, OdiEtAmo! You'll have to let us know how the prospective weekend is!

Veilside, I didn't apply to Yale but I also watch the Grad Cafe History board and my sense is that everyone who applied to Yale via history has found out (interviews, acceptances, and rejections appear to have gone out already). My guess is that it was via history rather than classics. On another note, a friend of mine applied to UMich's IPCAA (sp?) program to do archaeology. I have convinced this friend not to get hooked on Grad Cafe but I was wondering if anyone knows if any acceptances from this program have been made. Thanks!

I took a few days off the gradcafe and came back to something like 9 unread pages! Wow! Congrats to all of those who heard good news and keep holding in there to those of you still waiting. Goldie, you have inspired me to actually check all the unheard voicemails on my phone. Thus far (4 into them) most are my mother saying hello and telling me what her cat is doing.. but maybe the next one will bring news as positive as yours!

Sorry for the long delay in responding V.I.A.N.; I have been away from the forum for a few days! I actually applied to the UWashington. History program to do ancient history rather than classics and I was interested because of Sandra Joshel's work. My MA program director suggested that I apply to a few large state schools' programs since I applied to a lot of "boutique" programs that only admit 2 or 3 people a year (mostly ancient history via history departments). I hope you got the good news you were waiting for V.I.A.N.! Keep us in the loop and good luck!

Oops, just saw that you wanted more details! It was from the DGS and was very much an automated form letter.

I received a form rejection letter via email from University of Washington (subfield is ancient history). I hope that those of who really want to go there are able to get in!

Ah, well. University of Washington said no to me today. I would have really liked to go check out Seattle but there are other fish in the sea! Hope you are all having better luck today!

I second Frostfire. Hopefully we are all doing this because of a love for our research and the desire to think about these questions for the next 6 years or so. Veilside, is the waiting deflating your excitement about Buffalo or is it something else? You deserve to be excited about that!

I spoke to John Bodel a few days ago and Ancient History via History doesn't do interviews, they simply told me I had been admitted but they are still flying me out there the same weekend as the Ancient History students via Classics, who have not yet been told if they are admitted. Sort of a strange system... but it looks like I will meet a few of you in person in March!

Non Humilis Muilier, I was wondering about the Columbia Classical Studies as well. I didn't apply to Columbia but I know some other people who did and they still haven't heard anything yet. Any idea on when UWashington will be letting people know about PhD's? I thought I remembered someone saying something about MA notifications but I could be wrong! Good luck this week, friends!