Applications 2019

[MrPurple]

15 minutes ago, TexasTiger said:

If you don't get asked for an interview, should you assume that you are out of the running?

No, you should not assume that. Interviews are the exception, not the norm, for history programs. 

[fortsibut]

2 hours ago, DanaJ said:

Did everyone applying to graduate programs attend top tier universities? Personally I attend a smaller regional school, but graduated summa cum laude in undergrad and am on track to for the same with my MA. I have also worked as a graduate assistant for my entire MA career. I applied to a range of doctoral programs, from top tier programs all the way to regional universities like the one I currently attend. I am really just asking to know if my anxiety in this waiting period before admissions decisions are released is justified, I know we are all feeling it!

I attended the same state school in NY for both my BS and MA, graduated summa as well and was also a GA for my whole MA program and my target schools are listed in my signature.  I'm 0/1 so far though so there's that.  ?  One of the professors at my university went there for undergrad and got straight into Yale's PhD program 12 or 13 years ago before coming back to my university and teaching, so I always took that as a sign that well-qualified applicants can come from just about any halfway respectable school and be successful in applying to PhD programs.

In other news, I found out today that Michigan State sent out their first round of acceptances!  Wasn't the best fit for me so I was ok with it, but sucks being down to three schools left for this application cycle.  Congrats to any of you who applied and were accepted!

[psstein]

56 minutes ago, ipavineri said:

Thank you for your input! Since I'm interested in oral histories I will definitely remember to ask that. How does one go about researching interdepartmental relationships? Should I reach out to current Graduate students to ask them about the department or is that a bit premature?

Wait until you get there before asking graduate students. You can also ask semi-directly: "would it be possible to do a prelims field in Anthropology?" or something like that. 

39 minutes ago, TexasTiger said:

If you don't get asked for an interview, should you assume that you are out of the running?

Unless you apply somewhere that explicitly interviews, no. Most programs do not. 

[DanaJ]

20 minutes ago, fortsibut said:

I attended the same state school in NY for both my BS and MA, graduated summa as well and was also a GA for my whole MA program and my target schools are listed in my signature.  I'm 0/1 so far though so there's that.  ?  One of the professors at my university went there for undergrad and got straight into Yale's PhD program 12 or 13 years ago before coming back to my university and teaching, so I always took that as a sign that well-qualified applicants can come from just about any halfway respectable school and be successful in applying to PhD programs.

In other news, I found out today that Michigan State sent out their first round of acceptances!  Wasn't the best fit for me so I was ok with it, but sucks being down to three schools left for this application cycle.  Congrats to any of you who applied and were accepted!

We are in exactly the same boat. I applied to 4 schools (Notre Dame, Alabama, Kentucky, and South Florida). I tried to keep them practical for the University that I'm coming from, Notre Dame was my reacher school. I didn't get an interview there, so I assume I'm rejected. Alabama rejected me on Friday, but it was the same thing. One POI that would've been a great fit but not really anyone else to even put on the committee. USF has one POI but multiple other people who could be on the committee for my intended topic, and Kentucky has 2 good potential POIs with LOTS who could be good for a committee. I'm just crossing my fingers, as they are my best fits and practical options for me. I feel like academia was different 12-13 years ago, which is concerning, but we are all in this together and just have to hope for the best.

I'll second that congrats to all who got into MSU. I'm a Michigan native, it's a great school and East Lansing is a great little city.

[elx]

11 minutes ago, psstein said:

Unless you apply somewhere that explicitly interviews, no. Most programs do not. 

However: is it possible you're still in the running for a school if it does send out some interview requests? Idk but it seems unlikely to me that if there are Applicant A and Applicant B, that they would interview Person A before admitting Person B without any interviews? Surely the first round of emails would go out to those they're so confident about they're willing to accept them without interviews, not to those who they want to interview first?

[Karou]

4 hours ago, ipavineri said:

I was just invited for a campus visit, fully-paid, "to explain the program and make sure that it is a good fit for you." There is no mention of an interview so I am a bit confused, should I prepare for a formal interview? Are there important questions I should remember to ask the faculty during my visit?

I'm going to trust those who know best and assume that this is indeed an interview, so, congrats! I was looking for information about what to ask during visits/interviews a few days ago, and found this thread to be helpful, post #7 has a very long list of potential questions you may want answered. Hopefully you'll find it helpful as well!

2 hours ago, villageelliot said:

Do we think this might slow down their process? I've seen in previous years they release acceptances the first week of February. I imagine this trouble could push that back a week or more. Anyone agree?

I don't think so, someone posted on the results page that they were admitted to JHU (in another program) and that their GRE status still says awaiting, so it should be fine. 

About the interview thing, I can't speak to every school, but I've been looking into how U Penn goes about this because I saw there were a couple of interviews posted on the results page and I know that they notoriously interview everyone they are considering for admission. Looking at old threads, it seems that people have received interview requests quite far apart, so I'm not counting U Penn as an implied rejection for another week or so! 

Also @fortsibut, I'm sorry to hear that, but glad to see you're remaining so positive. Fit really seems to be everything. I wish you the best for your other applications!

Edited January 28, 2019 by Karou

[Sigaba]

2 hours ago, DanaJ said:

VERY TRUE! Domestic national politics but the early Cold War could be argued as far back as the Manhattan Project, while my MA thesis is focused on the 1950s.

Or one could argue that the Cold War began during the First World War. And "domestic national politics" can refer to myriad events, trends, and dynamics beyond elective politics.

2 hours ago, psstein said:

I would interpret this as an interview. "Making sure it's a good fit" is often a coded way of explaining it. 

Knowing about interdepartmental relationships is very important. If you're interested in working between anthropology and history, you should ask whether it's possible. 

@ipavineri please be mindful of how you discuss "fit" when you're talking to professors. This season in particular, applicants are, IMO, turning the meaning of fit sideways. 

[I_Am_In_Paine]

1 hour ago, Sigaba said:

@ipavineri please be mindful of how you discuss "fit" when you're talking to professors. This season in particular, applicants are, IMO, turning the meaning of fit sideways. 

What do you mean by this specifically? And how is it different than past years?

[ashiepoo72]

4 hours ago, historygeek said:

I just saw that Loyola admitted someone to the MA program. Do MA decisions go out first, usually?

Not sure if it's changed since my application season, but Loyola contacted MA admits first, then I later received a personal call from my POI. Good luck!

[historygeek]

13 minutes ago, ashiepoo72 said:

Not sure if it's changed since my application season, but Loyola contacted MA admits first, then I later received a personal call from my POI. Good luck!

That's relieving to hear! Thank you!

[Sigaba]

24 minutes ago, villageelliot said:

What do you mean by this specifically? And how is it different than past years?

Of late, applicants speak of how a program fits their individual needs. In years past, aspiring graduate students were more inclined to speak primarily of how they fit into a department with their individual needs/desires/objectives being a secondary consideration.

Ultimately, the profession belongs to established academics. As the gatekeepers, it's their prerogative to decide who is a good fit and who isn't.

[fortsibut]

2 hours ago, DanaJ said:

We are in exactly the same boat. I applied to 4 schools (Notre Dame, Alabama, Kentucky, and South Florida). I tried to keep them practical for the University that I'm coming from, Notre Dame was my reacher school. I didn't get an interview there, so I assume I'm rejected. Alabama rejected me on Friday, but it was the same thing. One POI that would've been a great fit but not really anyone else to even put on the committee. USF has one POI but multiple other people who could be on the committee for my intended topic, and Kentucky has 2 good potential POIs with LOTS who could be good for a committee. I'm just crossing my fingers, as they are my best fits and practical options for me. I feel like academia was different 12-13 years ago, which is concerning, but we are all in this together and just have to hope for the best.

I'll second that congrats to all who got into MSU. I'm a Michigan native, it's a great school and East Lansing is a great little city.

Hoping for an admit for you!  When have USF and UK's decisions come out, historically?

2 hours ago, Karou said:

Also @fortsibut, I'm sorry to hear that, but glad to see you're remaining so positive. Fit really seems to be everything. I wish you the best for your other applications! 

Much appreciated!  I'll have a couple of drinks and feel sorry for myself if I go 0/4, but I think that my Cornell application was particularly strong so that's keeping my spirits up for now.  ?  Congrats on your Duke acceptance and good luck with the rest of your application cycle as well!  Must feel great to have at least one very good acceptance already!

[psstein]

1 hour ago, Sigaba said:

Of late, applicants speak of how a program fits their individual needs. In years past, aspiring graduate students were more inclined to speak primarily of how they fit into a department with their individual needs/desires/objectives being a secondary consideration.

Ultimately, the profession belongs to established academics. As the gatekeepers, it's their prerogative to decide who is a good fit and who isn't.

It's both. You don't want to spend 7 years in a place you absolutely hate and where the program thwarts your progress. That said, you also want a sufficient number of faculty who can competently supervise you and have interests which intersect with your own.

3 hours ago, elx said:

However: is it possible you're still in the running for a school if it does send out some interview requests? Idk but it seems unlikely to me that if there are Applicant A and Applicant B, that they would interview Person A before admitting Person B without any interviews? Surely the first round of emails would go out to those they're so confident about they're willing to accept them without interviews, not to those who they want to interview first?

Very tough to tell. It may even be specific faculty who do interviews. Some faculty members probably care a hell of a lot less about these sorts of things than others. My advisor didn't know who I was until I met her two weeks into my first year, even though I was the only person in history of science that year.

[OHSP]

5 hours ago, elx said:

However: is it possible you're still in the running for a school if it does send out some interview requests? Idk but it seems unlikely to me that if there are Applicant A and Applicant B, that they would interview Person A before admitting Person B without any interviews? Surely the first round of emails would go out to those they're so confident about they're willing to accept them without interviews, not to those who they want to interview first?

As others have said, it differs school by school... I happen to know about some of the schools you've applied to, having applied to four of them and gotten into three of them. U-Penn typically interviews everyone they're considering admitting and it's basically a vetting process. NYU doesn't interview but sometimes advisors informally touch base to ask some questions--NYU also releases acceptances advisor by advisor so don't be discouraged if you see acceptances and haven't heard anything. Duke doesn't interview and has already sent out its acceptances this year, so anyone else who they admit will be off the waitlist. Yale people have already discussed on this forum, they don't have a formal interviewing system but many of their admitted students are interviewed before they're accepted (or not accepted). 

[Sigaba]

1 hour ago, psstein said:

It's both. You don't want to spend 7 years in a place you absolutely hate and where the program thwarts your progress. That said, you also want a sufficient number of faculty who can competently supervise you and have interests which intersect with your own.

 

Agreed. My comment specifically related to how applicants talk to professors about fit, not how aspiring graduate students analyze fit.

[ikeabookshelf]

Has anyone heard anything from Berkeley? Saw that there was one acceptance on the results page today.

[Sigaba]

5 hours ago, elx said:

 Idk but it seems unlikely to me that if there are Applicant A and Applicant B, that they would interview Person A before admitting Person B without any interviews? 

 

I don't agree with your reading of the tea leaves.

If Person A hits the right notes during the interview and indicates a preference to attend Happyland University, why would a department automatically interview Person B, especially if Person A has applied to "comparable" programs and if Person A is "ranked" higher than Person B through a variety of metrics?

[Tigla]

10 minutes ago, ikeabookshelf said:

Has anyone heard anything from Berkeley? Saw that there was one acceptance on the results page today.

Acceptances for Berkeley do not go out until mid-February, according to my POI. Also, the UC Berkeley history webpage says this:

"When will a decision be made? The department, via the Graduate Division, will typically contact applicants via the Slate online application system by mid-February."

 

From my past cycles, any acceptances at "major schools" (already been debated in this topic) before February, which show up on the Results page, tend to be dodgy and unreliable. It could be someone entering their information wrong or just some troll stirring the pot.

[fordlandia]

@Sigaba and @Karou thank you for your suggestions!

[MrPurple]

For all of those waiting on decisions from Northwestern, classes and all non-essential services/activities have been canceled for Wednesday, the 30th, which is the first day that Northwestern has accepted students in the past five years (dates ranging from January 30th to February 5th). So, that is all to say, don't get too anxious if Northwestern is a day or two slower getting back to you than you expect in the next two weeks. I know Chicago has also cancelled classes on Wednesday, but I don't know if they have also shut down all non-essential services/activities. 

Edited January 29, 2019 by MrPurple
Forgot a word

[potsupotsu]

7 minutes ago, MrPurple said:

For all of those waiting on decisions Northwestern, classes and all non-essential services/activities have been canceled for Wednesday, the 30th, which is the first day that Northwestern has accepted students in the past five years (dates ranging from January 30th to February 5th). So, that is all to say, don't get too anxious if Northwestern is a day or two slower getting back to you than you expect in the next two weeks. I know Chicago has also cancelled classes on Wednesday, but I don't know if they have also shut down all non-essential services/activities. 

Thank you for this! I was expecting Northwestern to release results this week (and UChicago as well), so it is good to know that they might be delayed.

[MrPurple]

10 minutes ago, potsupotsu said:

Thank you for this! I was expecting Northwestern to release results this week (and UChicago as well), so it is good to know that they might be delayed.

If you end up with an offer from NU, feel free to reach out to me. I was an undergrad there and primarily did Southeast/East Asian work. Would be more than happy to talk about the department and the university as a whole. 

[potsupotsu]

5 minutes ago, MrPurple said:

If you end up with an offer from NU, feel free to reach out to me. I was an undergrad there and primarily did Southeast/East Asian work. Would be more than happy to talk about the department and the university as a whole. 

Thank you! I talked to my POI on the phone earlier in the month and the department sounds like it has a fantastic environment. I will definitely reach out to you if I get in. And I certainly hope I do!

[Karou]

9 hours ago, fortsibut said:

Much appreciated!  I'll have a couple of drinks and feel sorry for myself if I go 0/4, but I think that my Cornell application was particularly strong so that's keeping my spirits up for now.  ?  Congrats on your Duke acceptance and good luck with the rest of your application cycle as well!  Must feel great to have at least one very good acceptance already!

Let's hope it will be celebratory drinks instead!!  Thank you, I'm very happy, and feel very grateful to be in this position! It has weirdly made me more anxious, but I think it's just because I'm impatient and want to to know for sure where I'll be going next year. Duke is the best option for me on paper, but as others have pointed out, visits and/or interviews can really change your perspective.

To add to the discussion on fit, I think that most of us wouldn't talk about it to professors in the same manner that we've been discussing it amongst ourselves here, where we may be more inclined to share our anxieties with one another about whether a program is a place where we could thrive. But I do think that @Sigaba's point is a very important one to remember, I know I can certainly be guilty of making poor word choices that don't necessarily convey that I understand the concept of "fit" goes both ways (or that whether or not I am a good fit for a program is not for me to determine at this stage of the process -ie, during interviews etc). In fact, my response to Duke's DGS last week could have been better worded, but since the tone of the email was very much them trying to assess how likely I would be to accept their offer, I'm hoping it wasn't as big of a faux pas as it could have been. I'll make sure they know how grateful I am that they think I'm a good fit for their program when I go there, though! 

Edited January 29, 2019 by Karou

[elx]

13 hours ago, psstein said:

Very tough to tell. It may even be specific faculty who do interviews. Some faculty members probably care a hell of a lot less about these sorts of things than others. My advisor didn't know who I was until I met her two weeks into my first year, even though I was the only person in history of science that year.

That's actually pretty hilarious.

@OHSP thanks for sharing! That's really helpful, I'm going to try to pipe down and commit to the wait. It's nice to hear someone else having gone through it with the same programmes. Do you mind saying (even via PM) if you ended up in any of those schools?

Edited January 29, 2019 by elx