WannaBeEast

Thank you for all of your comments. They are incredibly helpful. And since I have a year and a half until I can apply again, I have plenty of time to incorporate them. I certainly wish I had found this forum prior to submitting my applications. I've learned a ton about the process that I couldn't through Google searches or off university websites. My primary field is U.S. Colonial History, although my Master's thesis incorporated a transatlantic approach, so I had to be well-versed in Reformation era religions. My subfields include American Religions, Women's Studies, and Family History. Be careful what you offer, I might take you up on it .

As a non-traditional student, I know that my credentials as a scholar lag behind some of my traditional peers. I went to my undergrad institution because it was close to home, rather than for its academic merits. This isn't to say that my university or the faculty sucked, just that it is by no means a top tier school. Studying abroad on a Fulbright was never an option for me since I have five children and a husband who was away from home on business trips 127 days in 2011 alone. However, I have worked tremendously hard. I had a 4.0 in my undergrad, presented a paper at a Phi Alpha Theta conference, completed a Senior thesis, and graduated from the Honors College. My advisor told my family at my graduation that I was the best student she'd ever had and urged me to apply to graduate school, but moving was not an option at the time (thanks to the economy, selling our home and changing jobs wasn't going to happen). I went ahead and applied to the MA program at my undergrad institution and was accepted with full funding. My thesis work tackled a tremendously difficult area and my graduate GPA was a 3.967. My verbal and writing scores for my GRE were in the 95th percentile. I was fortunate to get funding to do research at the Connecticut State Archives and NARA outside of D.C. Going into this application cycle, I felt like I had demonstrated my ability to succeed academically, even if I didn't attend a prestigious school or receive recognition in more prestigious ways. The economy was still awful when I earned my MA in 2008. Entering a PhD program was only possible if I was willing to leave my family behind. I was the only graduate student in my class that found work after graduation, albeit not in my academic field, so I've been fortunate in that respect. Two others got into PhD programs in Canada and Michigan. Leading up to last fall, I felt the timing was good, so I applied to ten schools. Most were a good fit, some less so. I ran my list of schools and my application materials by a couple of faculty members who are graduates of top tier universities themselves. Both felt I had a good shot. I did not know prior to the deadlines that it was standard practice to contact POIs about your interests, so that was mistake number one. So I applied. And have received nothing but rejections, with only three schools left. I don't think I'm going anywhere this fall. In this competitive environment when so many are going to graduate school due to an abysmal job market, it's not enought to be smart. To those of you who have been sucessful, would you please share why you think you were? My son will enter his senior year of high school in 2013, so I won't apply in 2012, but fall of 2013 will be great timing to apply again. I'd like to hear what others have done so that over the next year and a half I can do what I can do to improve my chances in the next go round. And please share your stats and whether you think they had any relevance. Thanks!

Having raised a number of puppies and children (four of whom are boys), I have to tell you that your mother is indeed attempting to trick you into having babies .

If you want to have kids, have kids. When I started my UG, I had five children 12 and under and I still managed to graduate with a 4.0 and Distinguished Honors, only one of three in my graduating class to do so. Jerzygrl commented on time management skills and she's right--you need those. In this day and age, I can't believe a department pulled funding because of a pregnancy. It's outrageous. I never used my family as an excuse to miss a deadline or do less than my best, but the professors in my department were incredibly supportive and in my corner every step of the way. In fact, several professors expressed admiration for my work ethic and were always willing to provide me with recommendations for various things in large part because they felt I had demonstrated the ability to succeed regardless of the circumstance. Several other grad students had babies and they received the same positive treatment. Having children in grad school means choosing to spend your time differently than your peers who are without children. I loved the flexibility that grad school gave me to work my schedule around my family life. Sure, I sacrificed some things, but my children have said they never felt neglected and I developed self-discipline and focus.

I'm 41 and I've got every issue imaginable . My husband was active duty Navy so I didn't even finish my BA until I was 37. I have five kids (2 in college), three dogs, a cat, cows, a horse, and chickens. I have a farm and I'm going to have to leave it to go into a PhD program because my state has none in my field. Leaving my family is not an option, so my husband has to find a new job in this economy, my kids have to change schools and make new friends, and I have to sell or rent my house. But this may all be a case of worrying for nothing, because I am also quite afraid that my age and the constraints both it and my responsibilities have placed on my ability to build my CV with beaucoup accomplishments may mean I won't get in anywhere. I'll never forget the day a professor asked me if I would put in an application for a Fulbright and then immediately answered her own question with "Oh, that's right, you have a family." However, because I live with teenagers, I don't need a translator to understand teens and 20-somethings. But maybe I could BE the translator!

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I just want the next few months to be over. As a non-traditional student with a husband who was active duty military, I've got a lot of logistics to figure out in order to move my family. I'm a little stressed about how to make it all work, especially in this economy. That is, of course, IF I get in. I have felt more than once that my non-traditional path has made it a challenge not only to finish school, but to develop the credentials that will make me competitive. It doesn't matter that my GPAs are excellent, I have a Master's in my field, my GRE scores are well within the range for top tier schools, etc., etc. I feel like my age is a giant negative for adcoms, even though their websites say age is not a consideration. I also keep thinking of the mistakes I made in my application, ex. will the committee notice that in my writing sample I thought a scholar was a she, rather than a he? Why, oh why did I do this to myself? Oh yeah...because living with the regret of not even having tried would have been worse. At least this way, I'll know if my thesis advisor was right and I've got the stuff for a life in academics. Anybody want to buy a house and a small farm in the boonies?

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