'20 EAS | EALC | EALAC (PLEASE COME IN!!)

[Taihoku]

Hello everyone! I've applied to five schools, but I'm fairly certain I've already been implicitly rejected by three (99% sure about one of them). I've interviewed with the remaining two.

I'm a fairly untraditional applicant (or at least so I'm told, I still don't really understand the game at play), have good (170 V), and terrible (147 Q), and ok (4.5 AW) GRE scores, and am applying with fairly lucrative, external funding (or, again, at least so I'm told) to two of the five schools. 

Like other international applicants, I currently spend my days refreshing my email and searching for "East Asian" in the results forum, and my nights waking up to do the same. I wish everyone the best of luck.

Edited January 28, 2020 by Taihoku

[lordtiandao]

Good luck to all the folks who applied to UCLA. The China field has already made its two nominations to the department, so results should be out soon. Don't quote me 100% on this but I believe this year they're also using the waitlist, since the applicants to the China field are all really strong and we were, in fact, the second most applied to subfield in History.

[asdf1123]

@lordtiandao Thanks for the info!

Trying to be less anxious and let the chips fall where they may... 

[Starosielki]

Hi everyone! I'm also in this excruciating process of constantly checking emails and doubting if i'll get accepted anywhere ;( I had an interview with Columbia, but since they have started to send out offers, I guess it might be a rejection after all. I also applied to Comparative Lit programs but the schools are way out of my league... so I'm placing all my hope on U of Chicago at the moment. Best of luck to everyone in this depressing waiting game! 

[Kuunmong]

Hi everyone! It's nice to see this thread. I've applied to PhD programs to study modern Korean literature. I have an MA in Korean literature from a Korean university and a BA in another language (not East Asian) from an OK school in the US. I applied to five schools and only heard back from one - a request for an interview, which I just had.

I thought I'd list some of the questions I was asked (the ones I remember, anyways). Maybe they'll be useful for future applicants.

(Some of these questions were asked in Korean, and I replied in Korean.)
- Why do you believe our school is a good choice for your doctoral studies?
- What, if any, teaching experience do you have, and what is your philosophy toward teaching?
- Why are you interested in (topic)?
- How well do you think you know Korean literature?
- Have you read any works in Korean and not in translation? Which writers or books?
- Why did you choose to switch from (undergraduate major) to Korean literature?
- Why was your writing sample focused on research from (these scholars)? Do you have any knowledge of (other scholars)? If so, what do you know about them?
- Would you be interested in changing your research focus slightly for (reasons)?

This lasted about 30 minutes, including technical difficulties and my own questions and answers. I wore a suit and tie, which is what I wear to work anyways, but I was almost immediately told that it was an informal interview (not mentioned in previous email contact).

Also, expect technical issues. My laptop wouldn't connect to the Starbucks wifi, so I had to use my phone. My first and second pairs of headphones didn't work, so I had to switch. The interviewers had to hang up and call back 3 times. And so on...

Good luck everyone! On a personal note, I think my obsessive reloading of the results page when it's the middle of the night in America (and in the middle of the night in Korea;;) will only get worse now... ㅠㅠ

Edited January 30, 2020 by Kuunmong

[asdf1123]

Hi all, I created a Slack group for our EALC 2020 applicants who want to connect, wait it out together, and maybe chat with a little more privacy. I have no idea how Slack works but it looks neat. Here's the link: 

https://join.slack.com/t/waitingitout/shared_invite/enQtOTIxNDQ4ODI0MzA0LTg2NWNmOGJkZjNkMjBhYWVjNGY2MjE2YjI0YWJmN2M2NTI2OThhNjA1ODcyZDk0YTZlZGM3NDc4OTY3ZTUwM2E

 

[Starosielki]

On 1/29/2020 at 7:58 PM, Kuunmong said:

I thought I'd list some of the questions I was asked (the ones I remember, anyways). Maybe they'll be useful for future applicants.

(Some of these questions were asked in Korean, and I replied in Korean.)
- Why do you believe our school is a good choice for your doctoral studies?
- What, if any, teaching experience do you have, and what is your philosophy toward teaching?
- Why are you interested in (topic)?
- How well do you think you know Korean literature?
- Have you read any works in Korean and not in translation? Which writers or books?
- Why did you choose to switch from (undergraduate major) to Korean literature?
- Why was your writing sample focused on research from (these scholars)? Do you have any knowledge of (other scholars)? If so, what do you know about them?
- Would you be interested in changing your research focus slightly for (reasons)?

Thanks @Kuunmong for sharing your experience. I thought I'd also share some experience from my interview. My field is modern Chinese literature and comparative literature. I was asked very specific questions about what I had read related to xxx topic, what I might have done differently than xxx people, and my approach to literary analysis. I guess every interviewer has different styles --- Mine was very focused and razor sharp. I didn't expect that the questions would be specific so it didn't go very well. Not sure if there's a lesson to be learned here, but maybe it's a good idea to brush up on your readings/methodology/research/teaching experiences before the interview. Best of luck to everyone!

[AChinLitNerd]

On 1/27/2020 at 3:36 AM, Anthony Lee said:

I applied for the Regional East Asian Studies program at Harvard & Certificate+MA (in Chinese Studies) program of John Hopkins University (with their Hopkins Nanjing Centre). Hoping for good news! All the best to everyone in this thread too

Hey Anthony! Finger crossed! For sure you can make it!

[AChinLitNerd]

On 1/27/2020 at 7:03 AM, asdf1123 said:

Anxiously waiting for result from U of Chicago... Anyone else applied to U of C? 

I see people have interviewed for Columbia and got unofficial offer, so I take it as an implied rejection lol. U of C is my last hope in EALC. 

No Worries @asdf1123
Am sure you can find the best programme. At least you have one!

[AChinLitNerd]

On 1/28/2020 at 5:00 AM, Taihoku said:

Hello everyone! I've applied to five schools, but I'm fairly certain I've already been implicitly rejected by three (99% sure about one of them). I've interviewed with the remaining two.

I'm a fairly untraditional applicant (or at least so I'm told, I still don't really understand the game at play), have good (170 V), and terrible (147 Q), and ok (4.5 AW) GRE scores, and am applying with fairly lucrative, external funding (or, again, at least so I'm told) to two of the five schools. 

Like other international applicants, I currently spend my days refreshing my email and searching for "East Asian" in the results forum, and my nights waking up to do the same. I wish everyone the best of luck.

Me neither honestly. i really don't know the rules of the games.
Upon completion to all American application, I'm now looking for European chance hahaha!

[AChinLitNerd]

On 1/29/2020 at 5:58 PM, Kuunmong said:

Hi everyone! It's nice to see this thread. I've applied to PhD programs to study modern Korean literature. I have an MA in Korean literature from a Korean university and a BA in another language (not East Asian) from an OK school in the US. I applied to five schools and only heard back from one - a request for an interview, which I just had.

I thought I'd list some of the questions I was asked (the ones I remember, anyways). Maybe they'll be useful for future applicants.

(Some of these questions were asked in Korean, and I replied in Korean.)
- Why do you believe our school is a good choice for your doctoral studies?
- What, if any, teaching experience do you have, and what is your philosophy toward teaching?
- Why are you interested in (topic)?
- How well do you think you know Korean literature?
- Have you read any works in Korean and not in translation? Which writers or books?
- Why did you choose to switch from (undergraduate major) to Korean literature?
- Why was your writing sample focused on research from (these scholars)? Do you have any knowledge of (other scholars)? If so, what do you know about them?
- Would you be interested in changing your research focus slightly for (reasons)?

This lasted about 30 minutes, including technical difficulties and my own questions and answers. I wore a suit and tie, which is what I wear to work anyways, but I was almost immediately told that it was an informal interview (not mentioned in previous email contact).

Also, expect technical issues. My laptop wouldn't connect to the Starbucks wifi, so I had to use my phone. My first and second pairs of headphones didn't work, so I had to switch. The interviewers had to hang up and call back 3 times. And so on...

Good luck everyone! On a personal note, I think my obsessive reloading of the results page when it's the middle of the night in America (and in the middle of the night in Korea;;) will only get worse now... ㅠㅠ

Am sure you can get it!
plus thanks for the questions!! Gonna have an interview next week with Lund.
Now getting super nervous!!

[Yass]

On 1/27/2020 at 11:36 AM, Anthony Lee said:

I applied for the Regional East Asian Studies program at Harvard & Certificate+MA (in Chinese Studies) program of John Hopkins University (with their Hopkins Nanjing Centre). Hoping for good news! All the best to everyone in this thread too

I also applied to the Certificate + MA program at JHU. Fingers crossed!

[Wingman4587]

On 1/29/2020 at 2:16 AM, lordtiandao said:

Good luck to all the folks who applied to UCLA. The China field has already made its two nominations to the department, so results should be out soon. Don't quote me 100% on this but I believe this year they're also using the waitlist, since the applicants to the China field are all really strong and we were, in fact, the second most applied to subfield in History.

A little confused about the two nominations you mentioned. Was it for History or EALC program?

[lordtiandao]

10 hours ago, Wingman4587 said:

A little confused about the two nominations you mentioned. Was it for History or EALC program?

History. Chinese history is under the History Department at UCLA. The latest news I'm getting is that there will likely be a third recruit this year.

[Wingman4587]

18 minutes ago, lordtiandao said:

History. Chinese history is under the History Department at UCLA. The latest news I'm getting is that there will likely be a third recruit this year.

Thanks. It is a little surprising that UCLA History has fund to support so many students in a subfield. 

[lordtiandao]

7 hours ago, Wingman4587 said:

Thanks. It is a little surprising that UCLA History has fund to support so many students in a subfield. 

We typically give out two offers, but this year the pool was very large (we had the second highest number of applicants) and very strong, so we're trying to get a third offer made. Otherwise we don't feel like it's fair.?

[AChinLitNerd]

This week is extraordinary for me.
Received M.A. from Tübingen (Germany) as the back-up plan, plus interviewed with Lund for East Asian Studies!!

Good luck!

[Taihoku]

Rejected by one of my top choices literally ten minutes before receiving an acceptance from my top choice! Incredibly happy and relieved! No more waking up at four in the morning to check my email!

 

Good luck to everyone still waiting! The wait absolutely sucks, go see a movie, take walks, be with nice people!

[time_consume_me]

This thread has been so quiet this year!

Columbia (EALAC) seems to have sent word today. How about Harvard with HEAL? The sent their History rejections today but nothing from HEAL yet, right?

[TEATHEA]

On 2/6/2020 at 5:21 PM, lordtiandao said:

We typically give out two offers, but this year the pool was very large (we had the second highest number of applicants) and very strong, so we're trying to get a third offer made. Otherwise we don't feel like it's fair.?

@lordtiandaoThanks for the information! Do you have any updates? Still anxiously waiting...

[lordtiandao]

2 hours ago, TEATHEA said:

@lordtiandaoThanks for the information! Do you have any updates? Still anxiously waiting...

I think all the decisions from the department has already gone out.

[lordtiandao]

Double post.

Edited February 14, 2020 by lordtiandao
double post.

[TEATHEA]

29 minutes ago, lordtiandao said:

I think all the decisions from the department has already gone out.

Many thanks. Time for consulting poi for feedback. ?

[lordtiandao]

55 minutes ago, TEATHEA said:

Many thanks. Time for consulting poi for feedback. ?

Who did you apply to work under, if you don't mind my asking?

[TEATHEA]

3 hours ago, lordtiandao said:

Who did you apply to work under, if you don't mind my asking?

I do gender and cultural history.