2018 Admissions, decisions, interviews, and the like

[Manuscriptess]

10 hours ago, OHSP said:

Congrats! It’s a great program. What field are you in? I was extremely close to going there (didn’t turn down the offer until the last moment because I was almost certain I’d be accepting) and am still in touch with my POI so have some thoughts/a lot of random information about the program. 

Thanks all! And early modern!

[ltr317]

I finally received two more decisions: in at Stony Brook and out at Temple.  SB emailed and Temple sent a postal letter. The ironic thing is I received Temple's rejection first and five minutes later I read SB's acceptance email.  It's good to know I have at least one acceptance for now, with three more decisions pending.  

[nerdbird]

Hi all! I have heard back from eight schools, gotten into four and rejected from four (which worked out, they weren't great fits). I am still waiting to hear from four more, but am trying to figure out how to approach the decision process.

I study South Asian women's history, and was accepted to Emory, UVA, U-Michigan (Joint Women's Studies - History) and Princeton with full funding. Of the ones I am waiting to hear back from, I am only really concerned with Cornell and NYU (the others aren't a great fit). Does anyone have here have any knowledge or information about these programs, or had to make a decision between them? Any thoughts?

I am aware of the different factors involved in making the decision (funding, location, fit with faculty, cohort, placement, versatility, diverse mentorship, etc.) but would love to crowdsource some information. I was also wondering whether it is acceptable practice to take an offer I have at a certain school and ask another school to match it? If it is, who would I reach out to in the department to talk about that?

Lots of questions, lots of decisions, but feeling grateful because these are good problems to have. Thanks for your help in advance!  

Edited February 20, 2018 by nerdbird

[Histo]

41 minutes ago, nerdbird said:

Hi all! I have heard back from eight schools, gotten into four and rejected from four (which worked out, they weren't great fits). I am still waiting to hear from four more, but am trying to figure out how to approach the decision process.

I study South Asian women's history, and was accepted to Emory, UVA, U-Michigan (Joint Women's Studies - History) and Princeton with full funding. Of the ones I am waiting to hear back from, I am only really concerned with Cornell and NYU (the others aren't a great fit). Does anyone have here have any knowledge or information about these programs, or had to make a decision between them? Any thoughts?

I am aware of the different factors involved in making the decision (funding, location, fit with faculty, cohort, placement, versatility, diverse mentorship, etc.) but would love to crowdsource some information. I was also wondering whether it is acceptable practice to take an offer I have at a certain school and ask another school to match it? If it is, who would I reach out to in the department to talk about that?

Lots of questions, lots of decisions, but feeling greatful because these are good problems to have. Thanks for your help in advance!  

Congrats on the acceptances! Can I ask how you were informed by Emory?

Edited February 20, 2018 by Histo

[nerdbird]

4 minutes ago, Histo said:

Congrats on the acceptances! Can I ask how you were informed by Emory?

Thanks! For Emory, I got an email from the Department Coordinator (and DGS), an official email from Laney Graduate School, and follow ups from my POIs on the 9th of February.

[ashiepoo72]

59 minutes ago, nerdbird said:

Hi all! I have heard back from eight schools, gotten into four and rejected from four (which worked out, they weren't great fits). I am still waiting to hear from four more, but am trying to figure out how to approach the decision process.

I study South Asian women's history, and was accepted to Emory, UVA, U-Michigan (Joint Women's Studies - History) and Princeton with full funding. Of the ones I am waiting to hear back from, I am only really concerned with Cornell and NYU (the others aren't a great fit). Does anyone have here have any knowledge or information about these programs, or had to make a decision between them? Any thoughts?

I am aware of the different factors involved in making the decision (funding, location, fit with faculty, cohort, placement, versatility, diverse mentorship, etc.) but would love to crowdsource some information. I was also wondering whether it is acceptable practice to take an offer I have at a certain school and ask another school to match it? If it is, who would I reach out to in the department to talk about that?

Lots of questions, lots of decisions, but feeling greatful because these are good problems to have. Thanks for your help in advance!  

Contact the DGS of the place you'd like to attend, let them know they're your top choice and you wouldn't hesitate to accept their offer (it's best not to do this unless you ARE certain that you'd accept their offer if they sweeten the deal) but you received an offer from another place that is making your decision more difficult, and then ask them if it is at all possible for them to either match funding or some other benefit (maybe summer funding).

All of those programs are excellent--congratulations!

[psstein]

4 hours ago, nerdbird said:

Hi all! I have heard back from eight schools, gotten into four and rejected from four (which worked out, they weren't great fits). I am still waiting to hear from four more, but am trying to figure out how to approach the decision process.

I study South Asian women's history, and was accepted to Emory, UVA, U-Michigan (Joint Women's Studies - History) and Princeton with full funding. Of the ones I am waiting to hear back from, I am only really concerned with Cornell and NYU (the others aren't a great fit). Does anyone have here have any knowledge or information about these programs, or had to make a decision between them? Any thoughts?

I am aware of the different factors involved in making the decision (funding, location, fit with faculty, cohort, placement, versatility, diverse mentorship, etc.) but would love to crowdsource some information. I was also wondering whether it is acceptable practice to take an offer I have at a certain school and ask another school to match it? If it is, who would I reach out to in the department to talk about that?

Congratulations on the acceptances. As hackneyed as this is going to sound, Princeton is probably far and away the best option. They're richer than God Himself and can offer you non-financial support that goes a long way. Emory is great if you want to be in suburban Atlanta (I considered Candler, then ended up in a different field). Also, examine each department's placement record.

Yes, it's acceptable to negotiate offers. Keep in mind, though that UVA or Michigan may be less able to match than you'd like. You should talk to the DGS.

[nerdbird]

3 hours ago, psstein said:

Also, examine each department's placement record.

Yes, it's acceptable to negotiate offers. Keep in mind, though that UVA or Michigan may be less able to match than you'd like. You should talk to the DGS.

Thank you! I think it's coming down between Michigan and Princeton now, but I really like the joint program and Mich is a great fit, which is why I am conflicted. My POI at Mich works more closely on what I want to study than my POI at Princeton, even though they are both phenomenal scholars. In terms of placement both do well, it seems, so not sure how to balance that. 

[ashiepoo72]

31 minutes ago, nerdbird said:

Thank you! I think it's coming down between Michigan and Princeton now, but I really like the joint program and Mich is a great fit, which is why I am conflicted. My POI at Mich works more closely on what I want to study than my POI at Princeton, even though they are both phenomenal scholars. In terms of placement both do well, it seems, so not sure how to balance that. 

Definitely go to recruitment weekend at both programs, it should help. And don't hesitate to negotiate your funding at Michigan, the worst they can say is no.

[TMP]

4 hours ago, ashiepoo72 said:

Definitely go to recruitment weekend at both programs, it should help. And don't hesitate to negotiate your funding at Michigan, the worst they can say is no.

Actually... Michigan's package is more generous that Princeton's, IMHO.  You can't say no to a 6 year funding with summers!  

[ashiepoo72]

8 hours ago, TMP said:

Actually... Michigan's package is more generous that Princeton's, IMHO.  You can't say no to a 6 year funding with summers!  

I thought so, but wasn't sure. That summer funding is the clincher for me. 

[psstein]

14 hours ago, nerdbird said:

Thank you! I think it's coming down between Michigan and Princeton now, but I really like the joint program and Mich is a great fit, which is why I am conflicted. My POI at Mich works more closely on what I want to study than my POI at Princeton, even though they are both phenomenal scholars. In terms of placement both do well, it seems, so not sure how to balance that. 

If you think that Michigan is a better fit, than by all means go to Michigan. It also looks like they offer a very generous stipend (6 years!). Keep in mind that Princeton has a bit of a reputation for forcing you through in five years, come hell or high water. It comes down to what's best for you, not what some random guy on the internet says!

[PoliSci-freak]

Anyone admitted to George Washington's History PhD program? When is their visitation weekend and do you intend to accept the offer? I am waitlisted and wonder if I have a chance... Any insights from admits would be much appreciated!

[nerdbird]

9 hours ago, TMP said:

Actually... Michigan's package is more generous that Princeton's, IMHO.  You can't say no to a 6 year funding with summers!  

 

46 minutes ago, ashiepoo72 said:

I thought so, but wasn't sure. That summer funding is the clincher for me. 

Princeton has summer funding too, but becausetheir stipend is paid over 12 months they don't phrase it that way. Mich is 19k + 4 summer, Princeton is over 30k total over 12 months, both with opportunities for travel funding. 

 

27 minutes ago, psstein said:

If you think that Michigan is a better fit, than by all means go to Michigan. It also looks like they offer a very generous stipend (6 years!). Keep in mind that Princeton has a bit of a reputation for forcing you through in five years, come hell or high water. It comes down to what's best for you, not what some random guy on the internet says!

Yeah I hear you on the forcing you through in 5 bit: will ask about that when I visit, and ask about opportunities for sixth year funding. I am feeling really conflicted, and location is playing a big role too, given access to network and archives on the East Coast. I think visiting well help, but worried that I'll like both places and just be more confused. Again, grateful because these are good problems to have. Thanks for the advice! 

Edited February 21, 2018 by nerdbird

[astroid88]

In need of some help making a decision between an enrolling in a MA program or going to a PhD program to which I was accepted. I originally intended to do an MA, but I'm not sure if that's now the best route. The PhD is fully funded with some perks and is a really good fit, but I was hoping to maybe do an MA and reapply to "better schools". I'm thinking maybe I should just save the time and money and go to the PhD program. 

Feel free to PM, especially if you are in the MENA field.

Edited February 21, 2018 by astroid88

[ashiepoo72]

2 hours ago, nerdbird said:

 

Princeton has summer funding too, but becausetheir stipend is paid over 12 months they don't phrase it that way. Mich is 19k + 4 summer, Princeton is over 30k total over 12 months, both with opportunities for travel funding. 

 

Doesn't matter what they call it as long as they have it! Summer funding makes doing a PhD so much easier.

However, a studio averages nearly $1400/month in Princeton according to Google, which is more than the average cost of a 2-bedroom in Ann Arbor. I think that probably makes a $23k/year stipend in Ann Arbor comparable to the $30k in Princeton.

[derphilosoph]

On 2/20/2018 at 8:27 PM, nerdbird said:

Thank you! I think it's coming down between Michigan and Princeton now, but I really like the joint program and Mich is a great fit, which is why I am conflicted. My POI at Mich works more closely on what I want to study than my POI at Princeton, even though they are both phenomenal scholars. In terms of placement both do well, it seems, so not sure how to balance that. 

Perhaps I’m in the minority but for history I always viewed Michigan and Princeton as relatively similar in terms of quality? At my undergraduate we had professors from both schools and they were all fantastic. Given that, I’d say pick the school which aligns more with your interests, which seems to be Michigan.

 

In my opinion, location isn’t really that big of an issue since archives can always be visited. The hour-long bus ride from Princeton to NYC doesn’t seem that much different from the 1.5 hour flight from Detroit to NYC (at least not enough to change a decision on a school). Granted you still have to go through airports and all that, but it's not like you'd be going to the archives every week?

 

Only you can decide based on your preferences, but I would lean towards Michigan in this case.

[gsc]

10 hours ago, derphilosoph said:

 

In my opinion, location isn’t really that big of an issue since archives can always be visited. The hour-long bus ride from Princeton to NYC doesn’t seem that much different from the 1.5 hour flight from Detroit to NYC (at least not enough to change a decision on a school). Granted you still have to go through airports and all that, but it's not like you'd be going to the archives every week?

 

Only you can decide based on your preferences, but I would lean towards Michigan in this case.

This is very wise advice; reading these past couple posts, I'd also lean towards Michigan. Archives availability, consortium resources — all of that's super helpful and those are nice perks if they align right,  but you really do need to go where, day-in and day-out, you're going to do the best work. As derphilosoph pointed out, at Michigan you can go in and out of Detroit, which is Delta's hub and can get you a lot of places in just one flight. 

I often liken these decisions to buying a house. One house is 45 minutes away from your job but it has a spare bedroom for guests. The spare bedroom will be super nice the five days a year you use it, but you're going to have to make the 45 minute commute every single day. 

[35mm_]

Since there's some talk of the taxes. Can someone tell me a bit more about taxes on international stipends? I have been told that you can most of it back via tax returns depending on the country of origin? 

I am considering an offer from UPenn. My other top choice is Cambridge. And while many other things will go into making the decision I am really wondering how precarious it is for international students in the US atm.

[OHSP]

6 minutes ago, 35mm_ said:

Since there's some talk of the taxes. Can someone tell me a bit more about taxes on international stipends? I have been told that you can most of it back via tax returns depending on the country of origin? 

I am considering an offer from UPenn. My other top choice is Cambridge. And while many other things will go into making the decision I am really wondering how precarious it is for jobinternational students in the US atm.

It's difficult to give any super useful/accurate tax advice because it's dependent on the country that you come from, the US state you live in, etc etc, but I can tell you my situation in NY, which is that my taxes are deducted from my stipend every pay round and I can claim back some expenses but ultimately not a lot, so my stipend (in terms of what I actually take home) is less than the stipend most of my colleagues receive but still completely liveable. I can't remember details, exactly, but when I was choosing between UPenn and NYU last year I know that the tax situation was somewhat better at UPenn. As an international student you should be able to live very comfortably on the UPenn stipend especially given prices in West Philly, or wherever you choose to live in Philly, are very reasonable (in my opinion). Re UPenn v Cambridge, it depends on your field but Penn's the better choice for the US job market--I'd also say that just being connected to the network of schools on the east coast is really valuable. I'm happy to talk more about international student stuff etc via PM

[35mm_]

25 minutes ago, OHSP said:

It's difficult to give any super useful/accurate tax advice because it's dependent on the country that you come from, the US state you live in, etc etc, but I can tell you my situation in NY, which is that my taxes are deducted from my stipend every pay round and I can claim back some expenses but ultimately not a lot, so my stipend (in terms of what I actually take home) is less than the stipend most of my colleagues receive but still completely liveable. I can't remember details, exactly, but when I was choosing between UPenn and NYU last year I know that the tax situation was somewhat better at UPenn. As an international student you should be able to live very comfortably on the UPenn stipend especially given prices in West Philly, or wherever you choose to live in Philly, are very reasonable (in my opinion). Re UPenn v Cambridge, it depends on your field but Penn's the better choice for the US job market--I'd also say that just being connected to the network of schools on the east coast is really valuable. I'm happy to talk more about international student stuff etc via PM

Thanks, I will PM you soon!

[allisonsie]

On 2/6/2018 at 4:25 PM, Manuscriptess said:

Decisions from schools on the west coast come out later in the day than schools on the east coast, right? Obvious, I know, but I just wanna make sure I don't shut off my computer at 5:00 if there's a chance I could still hear back from CA schools later in the day.

Yes, and I actually received my acceptance from University of Florida at 6 p.m. their time, so there's really no telling when you'll hear. 

[praxis34]

Hi everyone!

I've been less active on the forum for a while because of campus visits but wanted to drop few words about the applications. It is my second cycle and I am admitted into some great programs this year. I will be making my final decision probably around late March and early April.

For those who have been waitlisted, I've already rejected my George Washington offer and will be rejecting three or four more in the following days. I am thinking of sharing my experience later on the forum for the upcoming cycles and applicants, but in the meantime if anyone thinks that I can give some relevant information you can freely PM me. I may not be able to follow the threads very carefully. 
 

[allisonsie]

On 2/20/2018 at 3:44 PM, nerdbird said:

Hi all! I have heard back from eight schools, gotten into four and rejected from four (which worked out, they weren't great fits). I am still waiting to hear from four more, but am trying to figure out how to approach the decision process.

I study South Asian women's history, and was accepted to Emory, UVA, U-Michigan (Joint Women's Studies - History) and Princeton with full funding. Of the ones I am waiting to hear back from, I am only really concerned with Cornell and NYU (the others aren't a great fit). Does anyone have here have any knowledge or information about these programs, or had to make a decision between them? Any thoughts?

I am aware of the different factors involved in making the decision (funding, location, fit with faculty, cohort, placement, versatility, diverse mentorship, etc.) but would love to crowdsource some information. I was also wondering whether it is acceptable practice to take an offer I have at a certain school and ask another school to match it? If it is, who would I reach out to in the department to talk about that?

Lots of questions, lots of decisions, but feeling grateful because these are good problems to have. Thanks for your help in advance!  

1

I strongly considered UVA for a long time, but honestly, the culture just wasn't going to be a good fit for me, so I actually scrapped my application. There's very much a campus culture of.... better-than-thou attitudes. It's a strong program, but among other schools in VA (and possibly beyond), it has a reputation for snobbiness. So, just be aware that that reputation may follow you after you graduate. And Charlottesville is beautiful, but incredibly expensive to live in; lots of people live outside the city and drive in. So you'll want to factor that in as well; Harrisonburg, home of JMU, is an hour down the road, and there's a lot of cheap student housing there, but then you're commuting an hour. I personally feel like they overestimate the eliteness of their program, but it's up to you to decide if that's an issue or not  

Edited March 3, 2018 by allisonsie

[fortsibut]

Received my Cornell decision in the form of an email that began with "Dear Applicant" and ended by wishing me "success in continuing your studies at another university."  I'm sure the disappointment played a part in this, but that didn't sit well with me.  Really, you couldn't have used software to at least plug in a name before sending me a form letter?  Even the spam emails I got from universities asking me to apply to their culinary/business/etc. programs after I took the GRE managed to handle that.  I recognize that I'm probably being oversensitive, but I'm still annoyed.

In any case, I'll be taking a vacation from these boards for a month or two while I hunt for a job and let my disappointment die down and then I'll be back to prepare for the next (and probably my last, regardless of how it goes) cycle.  Gonna apply to 6-8 schools this time around, which I would have done the first time if I hadn't been in such a time crunch.  Thanks to all of you for your info and encouragement over the past few months, and congrats to all of you who got into fantastic programs!