lockemein9

Hi all - a friend suggested I post here to get some views on my current situation. Majored in history in undergrad and absolutely loved it. I've wanted to study history/be a professor for as long as I can remember...but now that it's actually time for me to start applying I'm starting to hear more and more fears about job prospects, what I can do with a PhD in history, how intense grad school is, etc. I'm also starting to realize that it will take more than just wanting to study history to succeed and I was wondering if any of you can give an honest, realistic perspective on what grad school life is like and what one can expect both as a student and later as a graduate and (hopefully) as a professor. I know there will be pros and cons to pursuing this dream, but maybe having a better idea of what the field is like will give me some clarity. I plan to apply to 5 (maybe 6) schools ranked in the top 30 and I'm interested in intellectual history in the British Isles c. 1600-1800. THANK YOU in advance for any input and advice!