nicacar

Great to know that you're into Middle Eastern history! I don't know of many History programs with a strong Middle East emphasis, but I can recommend several universities with Middle Eastern Studies departments that often work closely with faculty in history departments - NYU being one of them. You might also consider lesser known schools such as the University of Arizona and the University of Utah. Both of these schools offer great language training, if you don't already have it. Arizona, for example, offers Arabic, Persian, Hebrew, modern Turkish and Ottoman Turkish. There MA program is pretty good if you want to use it as a stepping stone into PhD programs in history. Also, there funding is pretty good. Utah, on the other hand, I've heard has bad funding, and actually got denied Title VI funding for FLAS fellowships this year - something to consider. Big name schools to consider are definitely - Princeton, Chicago, NYU, Michigan, Columbia, Berkeley, and UCLA. What are your specific interests, and time periods? That might help you narrow down your choices. Anyways, best of luck!

Good point and advice, Riotbeard. I appreciate the feedback, and I'm glad you received helpful comments on your paper.

Thank you all for your responses. Contacting Professors always makes me nervous, but I guess it's essential for our field. All of this has been very helpful, and will hopefully be of use to others as well. Thanks again!

Hopefully, this year will be different for all of us. Where is everyone applying to this year?

I know that this question has been asked time and time again, but how should you go about contacting potential advisors? My first experience was bad, since the PA was very sarcastic and rude, and basically scared me off from contacting anyone else. Nevertheless, I contacted another PA, who was a lot nicer. Unfortunately, I didn't go into great detail about my research so far, but based on our similar interests, he encouraged me to apply. Our e-mail conversation did not last long, and basically, I am not sure if he will remember me. I am going to a conference in November that he will be attending, and I am hoping to meet with him in person there. So, I have a few questions: 1 - Does contacting professors help with anything? Is it even worth it? 2 - When contacting professors, how do you keep the conversation going without annoying them by sending information they did not ask for such as research papers, grades, etc.? 3 - Should I e-mail this professor that I hope to meet in November to set up a meeting, or should I just try to catch him at one of the roundtables? Anyways, thank you all for your help.

Yeah, you don't need to worry, but I would like to ask about my situation, since grades are a big deal. Undergrad GPA is 3.05 (and 3.16 in History), but MA GPA is 3.73. I am retaking the GRE, and have a writing sample that shows that I can use the foreign languages in my field (Arabic and Turkish). Should I bother applying to top programs? I am looking at Berkeley in particular, but also UCLA, UCSD, Stanford, and NYU. I know it's a long shot, but hopefully my GRE will be high enough when I retake it. Thoughts? Thanks!

Nevermind, I figured out OPT - hahaha - maybe I didn't know because it's my least favorite topic in modern Middle East history ...

Mehist10, That's interesting. I thought most people were studying Syria (or Greater Syria). Also, sorry for my ignorance, but what is OPT? What time period are you interested? Where did you apply? I applied to UCLA, Arizona, Utah. I did not get into UCLA - which is where I really wanted to go. I will go to AZ for an MA and then reapply in two years.

Hello Everyone, I was wondering what specific field within ME History you are in. I am applying again next year. I am interested in education and nationalism in Syria. What about the rest of you?

any other opinions?

Cooperstreet, Thanks again for the feedback. My Arabic is good but not great. I can read it a lot better than I can speak it. I am also learning Turkish, which is a lot easier. Good luck with your PhD applications. Where are you going to apply?

Cooperstreet, Thanks for your response. Yes, I will be doing a thesis in the Spring semester. I am hoping that completing a thesis will make me more competitive since I will be using primary documents in my primary languages. Did you wait to finish your thesis before applying to PhD programs? What field of History are you in?

I currently have a 3.8. I am hoping to get up to a 3.9 by the time I reapply. Would this help?

Hell All. I graduated from UCSD with a BA in History (2008). My GPA (2.9) and GRE (440V/650Q) clearly were not good. BUT I decided to apply to doctoral programs in History (Middle East focus) in 2007 anyways. The only school that accepted me was the University of Arizona for an MA program in Near Eastern Studies. So far I am doing really well in my MA program and have a high GPA. I am going to retake the GRE in October. My question is - will having an MA in Near Eastern Studies increase my chances for being accepted into a PhD program in History (with a Middle East emphasis), provided that my GRE scores improve significantly? What I really want to know is whether or not a high graduate school GPA can offset a low undergraduate GPA? Thank you for your input, everyone.

NSGoddessQ and amanda1655, Thank you both for your advice. I appreciate it very much!

I have a question for you all. I have been accepted to the University of Utah's History Department and am very happy about this [had been rejected from all of my other choices]. Although I realize that this school is not well known, my potential adviser is a very well known-scholar in my field. I want to work with this scholar, but I wish I knew a little bit more about the University of Utah's History Department. Does anyone have any information as far as how it ranks? Thanks!

I don't know about Russian history, but as far as Middle Eastern history is concerned, UT-Austin, WUSTL, UNC, Columbia, Princeton, University of Chicago, OSU, University of Utah, and Georgetown all have great Middle Eastern Studies/History programs.

Thanks!

Does anyone know anything about when UCLA will be notifying applicants? Thank you.

I study modern Middle Eastern history [specifically, nineteenth century Ottoman Empire]. I had to learn Arabic and Hebrew. I'll have to learn Turkish too, but my school didn't offer that.

UCLA has not posted either.

Hello. I am applying for modern Middle Eastern history at UCLA, University of Utah, Washington University in St. Louis, University of Arizona, UT-Austin. I have yet to hear from any of these schools. Good luck!

I have to agree 100% with anonscribe. I go to UCSD about where it is best to live without a car. I don't know about the Lit. Dept. though.