2020 application thread

[dr. t]

1 hour ago, Sigaba said:

Not necessarily.

I'm not very concerned with the institution, just the market.

[Strategos]

I was just told informally by my POI that I've been admitted to the NYU history department, after having received an erroneous rejection notice last Tuesday. Best of luck to everyone else!

[cleantangerine]

1 hour ago, jocelynbymarcjacobs said:

Unfortunately received a rejection from Columbia, but I’m not too surprised. Anyone else apply to University of Washington?

I applied to Washington. Still no word, but from past years I expect to hear back at the end of the month. 

[cleantangerine]

Has anyone heard from UIC? The results forum showed an acceptance on January 23, but its been radio silence since.

[jocelynbymarcjacobs]

3 minutes ago, cleantangerine said:

I applied to Washington. Still no word, but from past years I expect to hear back at the end of the month. 

What is your focus? Hopefully we hear back soon! Seems like a great program. 

[historyofsloths]

35 minutes ago, Strategos said:

I was just told informally by my POI that I've been admitted to the NYU history department, after having received an erroneous rejection notice last Tuesday. Best of luck to everyone else!

Congratulations! I can't imagine the rollercoaster you've been on, but that's amazing!

[BalkanItinerant]

Just got a rejection from Columbia. Maybe a dumb question but are the individual rejection letters personalized at all to your application? They make it sound like I was really on the line on whether to admit or not, using the term "unique individuals like you", that I was given "the most careful consideration" and that the department spent a lot of time on my app. Does this mean anything to how they perceived my app in particular or is this the standard copy paste response every dejected misfit gets?

Edited February 7, 2020 by BalkanItinerant

[AP]

16 minutes ago, BalkanItinerant said:

Just got a rejection from Columbia. Maybe a dumb question but are the individual rejection letters personalized at all to your application? They make it sound like I was really on the line on whether to admit or not, using the term "unique individuals like you", that I was given "the most careful consideration" and that the department spent a lot of time on my app. Does this mean anything to how they perceived my app in particular or is this the standard copy paste response every dejected misfit gets?

Sorry, those sounds like typical lines of rejection letters. 

[eva5678]

@BalkanItinerant my guess is everyone gets the standard copy and paste letter. Mine said the same things. That said, I'm sure it's not a lie - there would have been so many outstanding candidates, but it's Columbia and acceptance rates are so low.

[TMP]

2 hours ago, BalkanItinerant said:

Just got a rejection from Columbia. Maybe a dumb question but are the individual rejection letters personalized at all to your application? They make it sound like I was really on the line on whether to admit or not, using the term "unique individuals like you", that I was given "the most careful consideration" and that the department spent a lot of time on my app. Does this mean anything to how they perceived my app in particular or is this the standard copy paste response every dejected misfit gets?

You'll see those letters all the time once you're in the PhD program and apply for fellowships and jobs  

[cleantangerine]

3 hours ago, jocelynbymarcjacobs said:

What is your focus? Hopefully we hear back soon! Seems like a great program. 

I study American West history. Fingers crossed for both of us! 

[User7654378]

5 hours ago, gatto said:

Also got rejected from Columbia without email notification. I wasn't expecting to get in (1. It's Columbia, 2. Unlikely to have an advisor for my field of interest, 3. IT'S COLUMBIA) but now I'm getting antsy about the other three schools I'm waiting on. NYU is feeling like a rejection at this point, but does anyone know where UCSB and Rutgers stand with applications so far? Will they start sending out decisions soon? 

Sorry about Columbia. ?? I am waiting to hear back from UCSB too! Very nervous and from checking the results search from last year it looks like it might still be a while but I hope not. What is your field? I am British and Irish History. 

[time_consume_me]

4 hours ago, Strategos said:

I was just told informally by my POI that I've been admitted to the NYU history department, after having received an erroneous rejection notice last Tuesday. Best of luck to everyone else!

Wow congrats! What a way to find out... I can't imagine.

[gatto]

1 hour ago, Cosette316 said:

Sorry about Columbia. ?? I am waiting to hear back from UCSB too! Very nervous and from checking the results search from last year it looks like it might still be a while but I hope not. What is your field? I am British and Irish History. 

Looks like someone in the results forum got an email about an unofficial acceptance, so I suppose they'll start coming out over the next few weeks! 

I'm Italian history! I know a grad student there who was also Italian history and just graduated last semester, so I'm hoping they let me slide into that spot, haha! Sending you good vibes and hope you get an acceptance soon!

[Carrots112]

Received my rejection letter from Stanford and, while I’m disappointed, my first thought was that this means I can accept my offer to Yale ? I was waiting because I knew Stanford is so close to home and would be my family’s first choice and I thought it was mine too until I had my Yale interview. 
I know in my gut that Yale is the place for me and I am so excited to accept my offer and make preparations for my move across the country. Has anyone had experience with a move cross-country move before? Would love any advice I can get ?

Good luck with the rest of decision season everyone. This has been the most nerve wracking experience but in the end we will all end up where we are meant to be. If you truly love research and contributing to your field of study, you’ll find a way ♥️ 

[psstein]

15 hours ago, telkanuru said:

That's because cohort sizes of 20 are quite frankly irresponsible.

I hope (but doubt) that cohort sizes of 20 exist only because of attrition, but I agree, it's ridiculous.

[dr. t]

10 hours ago, TMP said:

You'll see those letters all the time once you're in the PhD program and apply for fellowships and jobs  

If you're lucky ?

[dr. t]

4 hours ago, Carrots112 said:

Would love any advice I can get

As a Yale prof told a friend of mine when he was a prospective, "You know, John, New Haven - it's not as bad as people say."

[dr. t]

15 hours ago, gatto said:

2. Unlikely to have an advisor for my field of interest,

I'm confused. Why would you apply somewhere which was clearly not a fit?

[gatto]

5 hours ago, telkanuru said:

I'm confused. Why would you apply somewhere which was clearly not a fit?

Because they did have a professor who was a perfect fit, and they also have tons of archived material that relate to my project. I found out the professor was retiring, but I'd already budgeted and asked professors for letters, so I just decided to go for it on the off chance they had a replacement in mind! It was definitely a reach, and I knew that, but I was too late in the process to back out.

[IGoToWar]

On 1/31/2020 at 9:44 PM, Wingman4587 said:

Thanks! That is interesting. Is your research area China or Japan? I guess within a region the program may give priority to allocating quota among countries, instead of time/periods .

Sorry for the late reply! This cycle I applied to work with both China and Japan faculty for pretty much all schools, as my interests revolve around 20th C Taiwan and transnational East Asia.

[Wingman4587]

2 hours ago, IGoToWar said:

Sorry for the late reply! This cycle I applied to work with both China and Japan faculty for pretty much all schools, as my interests revolve around 20th C Taiwan and transnational East Asia.

That is cool. So you will still have a POI to guide your research?  It seems in China subfield only JH's research interest may intersect yours at first glance.

[dr. t]

On 2/8/2020 at 4:08 PM, gatto said:

Because they did have a professor who was a perfect fit, and they also have tons of archived material that relate to my project. I found out the professor was retiring, but I'd already budgeted and asked professors for letters, so I just decided to go for it on the off chance they had a replacement in mind! It was definitely a reach, and I knew that, but I was too late in the process to back out.

Oof. Gotta send those emails before you apply.

[IGoToWar]

10 hours ago, Wingman4587 said:

That is cool. So you will still have a POI to guide your research?  It seems in China subfield only JH's research interest may intersect yours at first glance.

I think JH might be retiring soon or otherwise not accepting students. And yes I have POI who are a pretty good fit, but would prefer not to name them.

[Wingman4587]

2 minutes ago, IGoToWar said:

I think JH might be retiring soon or otherwise not accepting students. And yes I have POI who are a pretty good fit, but would prefer not to name them.

Do you come across to know if KP recruits students this year?