2021 Application Thread

[AP]

3 hours ago, cryloren said:

I just finished my applications but reviewed a personal statement and happened upon a typo.... cest la vie

At this point, I'm working under the assumption I'm not getting in anywhere so I don't get my heart crushed too badly if I don't get into any of my 10 schools...

 

Anyway, CHEERS to all of us who have submitted apps. This is a crappy year with crappy prospects; yet we still pulled through and submitted good stuff!

 

19 minutes ago, telkanuru said:

Under no circumstances should you ever read any material you've already submitted. That way madness lies. 

As the latest hire in my department, the professor organizing a professionalization session with PhD students asked me if I could share my cover letter and join them for a Q&A. 

The first I noticed when I re-read it was a typo this big. And I got the job. So, yeah.

[DisplayNameGoesHere]

@AP @telkanuru @Sigaba @Tigla @OHSP 

I know I've been silent for more than a month and that the deadline has passed, but I'd just like to thank you all for providing me with clear and incisive comments and criticism. I will make sure to report back with results when the time comes in a few months.

[Sleepless in skellefteå]

Would this be a generic e-mail sent out to all applicants or could it be taken as a promising sign? 

''Dear Sleepless in Skellefteå, 

Greetings from U Madeupville! I am Professor Madeup Namius, and I am writing to you as MA Director. I see that you have begun an application to one of our MA programs. We are looking forward to reading your completed file and, should you come here, to working with you in your graduate studies.''

Then some general information about the school and the campus.

''I am continually inspired by our MA students, by the range of experiences they bring to the school, their creativity and enthusiasm and their potential to grow and contribute to the field. If you come to Madeupville, you will find a lively and stimulating conversation underway, and we are excited to welcome your contribution to it.

I would be happy to speak with you further about the School's MA program. My email is Madeupnamius@Umadeupville.com. I’m available to meet as well by phone or over zoom.  Just drop me a line and we’ll find a time.''

 

I lean towards it being a generic e-mail, but I was somewhat unsure due to the last part, which made it seem a little more personal. Probably, I am just searching for any positive signs. 

[TMP]

16 hours ago, Sleepless in skellefteå said:

Would this be a generic e-mail sent out to all applicants or could it be taken as a promising sign? 

''Dear Sleepless in Skellefteå, 

Greetings from U Madeupville! I am Professor Madeup Namius, and I am writing to you as MA Director. I see that you have begun an application to one of our MA programs. We are looking forward to reading your completed file and, should you come here, to working with you in your graduate studies.''

Then some general information about the school and the campus.

''I am continually inspired by our MA students, by the range of experiences they bring to the school, their creativity and enthusiasm and their potential to grow and contribute to the field. If you come to Madeupville, you will find a lively and stimulating conversation underway, and we are excited to welcome your contribution to it.

I would be happy to speak with you further about the School's MA program. My email is Madeupnamius@Umadeupville.com. I’m available to meet as well by phone or over zoom.  Just drop me a line and we’ll find a time.''

 

I lean towards it being a generic e-mail, but I was somewhat unsure due to the last part, which made it seem a little more personal. Probably, I am just searching for any positive signs. 

No matter how you read the last part, it's entirely generic. the last part is just an indication that they're unarmed gatekeepers, not armed ones. Unless you truly have something to say, you don't need to do anything.

[dr. t]

Gotta keep that sweet, sweet MA money rolling in.

[AP]

On 12/25/2020 at 7:41 AM, Sleepless in skellefteå said:

Would this be a generic e-mail sent out to all applicants or could it be taken as a promising sign? 

''Dear Sleepless in Skellefteå, 

Greetings from U Madeupville! I am Professor Madeup Namius, and I am writing to you as MA Director. I see that you have begun an application to one of our MA programs. We are looking forward to reading your completed file and, should you come here, to working with you in your graduate studies.''

Then some general information about the school and the campus.

''I am continually inspired by our MA students, by the range of experiences they bring to the school, their creativity and enthusiasm and their potential to grow and contribute to the field. If you come to Madeupville, you will find a lively and stimulating conversation underway, and we are excited to welcome your contribution to it.

I would be happy to speak with you further about the School's MA program. My email is Madeupnamius@Umadeupville.com. I’m available to meet as well by phone or over zoom.  Just drop me a line and we’ll find a time.''

 

I lean towards it being a generic e-mail, but I was somewhat unsure due to the last part, which made it seem a little more personal. Probably, I am just searching for any positive signs. 

 

On 12/26/2020 at 1:27 AM, telkanuru said:

Gotta keep that sweet, sweet MA money rolling in.

Yes, but also keep the applicant pool big. 

[sonnybunny]

Did anyone else apply to CU Boulder this year?

[Manana]

Hi everyone, so last year I got accepted to the PhD programs at Oxford and UCL, but have only managed to get a small scholarship, so I couldn't afford to take up my offers. This year I am trying again, and I was wondering if you have any tips on how to make my research proposal and my lay summary of research more attractive to scholarship panels. Anything at all could be helpful.

[QuarantineQuail]

On 12/30/2020 at 8:19 AM, sonnybunny said:

Did anyone else apply to CU Boulder this year?

Hi! I did. :) MA or PhD? What are your interests?

[sonnybunny]

5 minutes ago, QuarantineQuail said:

Hi! I did. MA or PhD? What are your interests?

Hey there! I applied for the MA, popular culture and race of modern Europe. What about you?

[QuarantineQuail]

This is my second go around. I was last on this board in 2015 under a different name that I no longer remember or have access to. I struck out in 2015 but was eventually able to get my MA. Currently teaching right now, but I'd like to continue on to my PhD eventually. I only applied to two programs this go around, but I am not in a hurry if it doesn't work out this round. Good to see you all again, a lot of familiar faces still here!

[QuarantineQuail]

@sonnybunny

Applying for PhD. I'm interested in culture & business in the United States. So similar!

Crossing my fingers for us both. Seems like a great program!

Edited January 2, 2021 by QuarantineQuail

[bakeseal]

Some good news to come from the start of 2021: I just heard from my POI at Berkelely, asking to schedule an interview. He said that the department asked faculty to interview the "most promising candidates,"  and he had some nice things to say about my application, so this feels like an encouraging sign!

I get the sense that this is more casual than some of the high-stakes fellowship interviews I've done before, so if anyone has suggestions or advice I would love to hear it. Also, I know that most schools don't interview, but does anyone have an idea of other schools that normally do? 

[aco2]

Looks like two people have been offered interviews for University of Chicago history. Is that anyone on this forum, and if so, can you offer any other information about this?

[exhaustionandtoast]

(Also Posted this in Classics thread)

Not sure where this belongs since it's neither exactly classics nor history, but I was in contact with the Yale Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations program, and they said that they started reviewing applications today, so hopefully people will start hearing back from them and related departments soon! 

[OHSP]

7 hours ago, bakeseal said:

Some good news to come from the start of 2021: I just heard from my POI at Berkelely, asking to schedule an interview. He said that the department asked faculty to interview the "most promising candidates,"  and he had some nice things to say about my application, so this feels like an encouraging sign!

I get the sense that this is more casual than some of the high-stakes fellowship interviews I've done before, so if anyone has suggestions or advice I would love to hear it. Also, I know that most schools don't interview, but does anyone have an idea of other schools that normally do? 

For the most part these tend to be a bit of a vibe check -- can this person work with you and are you relatively the same irl as you are on paper etc. Read through and think about your application materials again so that you can explain and/or expand on anything. Be keen to talk about what you find exciting in your field(s) at the moment. Have some questions to ask about the department, but make sure they're not extremely generic -- good questions might be things like, have students taken independent studies with you lately and what do those look like because once I get closer to exams I'd really love to do an independent study in x; (if you and the POI are more interdisciplinary) what kinds of networks are there across blah and blah department/field/institute etc etc (but don't make it sound like you would potentially be a better fit for the English/geography/whatever department). 

Edited January 5, 2021 by OHSP

[automatic_peas]

10 hours ago, OHSP said:

For the most part these tend to be a bit of a vibe check -- can this person work with you and are you relatively the same irl as you are on paper etc. Read through and think about your application materials again so that you can explain and/or expand on anything. Be keen to talk about what you find exciting in your field(s) at the moment. Have some questions to ask about the department, but make sure they're not extremely generic -- good questions might be things like, have students taken independent studies with you lately and what do those look like because once I get closer to exams I'd really love to do an independent study in x; (if you and the POI are more interdisciplinary) what kinds of networks are there across blah and blah department/field/institute etc etc (but don't make it sound like you would potentially be a better fit for the English/geography/whatever department). 

Thank you for this! If anyone has advice specific to Yale interviews or past experiences with them, would be very eager to hear -- just heard from my POIs. 

[HRL]

20 hours ago, aco2 said:

Looks like two people have been offered interviews for University of Chicago history. Is that anyone on this forum, and if so, can you offer any other information about this?

@aco2 I wasn't one of the two folks who originally posted a UChicago interview but got word yesterday evening from a POI at Chicago that he'd like to chat. He said it would help him better support my application if he's met me. (We had had one email exchange before I submitted my application, but never ended up actually setting up a time to speak.) 

For reference, I'm an Americanist. What about you? 

[aco2]

13 minutes ago, HRL said:

@aco2 I wasn't one of the two folks who originally posted a UChicago interview but got word yesterday evening from a POI at Chicago that he'd like to chat. He said it would help him better support my application if he's met me. (We had had one email exchange before I submitted my application, but never ended up actually setting up a time to speak.) 

For reference, I'm an Americanist. What about you? 

Okay interesting, that's helpful! So those of us who haven't heard anything but talked at greater lengths with our POI previously are probably still in the running. What a relief!

I'm history of science/ medicine, with focus on reception of classical medical ideas in later periods. Who is your POI?

[AP]

2 hours ago, aco2 said:

Okay interesting, that's helpful! So those of us who haven't heard anything but talked at greater lengths with our POI previously are probably still in the running. What a relief!

I'm history of science/ medicine, with focus on reception of classical medical ideas in later periods. Who is your POI?

Unless there is a clear policy written somewhere, I'd refrain from thinking like this. I've received some applications and will be contacting people, but I don't think some of my colleagues with more applicants will do the same. In other words, unless there is a departmental policy, assume you are in the run until they tell you you are not (or other evidence becomes available). 

You will be in this type of situation from now on every time you apply for something (there is an entire wikia for jobs). 

[aco2]

48 minutes ago, AP said:

Unless there is a clear policy written somewhere, I'd refrain from thinking like this. I've received some applications and will be contacting people, but I don't think some of my colleagues with more applicants will do the same. In other words, unless there is a departmental policy, assume you are in the run until they tell you you are not (or other evidence becomes available). 

You will be in this type of situation from now on every time you apply for something (there is an entire wikia for jobs). 

Very sound advice, thanks! 

[Manana]

In one of my applications I have to fill up a "Other research-related skills" (in additional to a separate languages box). I wonder what I am expected to write in there. For reference, I have done a BA and an MA in History, and worked as a research assistant and teaching assistant. 

[AP]

6 hours ago, Manana said:

In one of my applications I have to fill up a "Other research-related skills" (in additional to a separate languages box). I wonder what I am expected to write in there. For reference, I have done a BA and an MA in History, and worked as a research assistant and teaching assistant. 

This is if you have any other skill you want to add and you didn't have a box to do so. For example, a friend of mine worked as an editor before her PhD. I had job experience that I re-worded in this box. A colleague was in the film industry before his PhD. You can word all this to market your skills (project management, data management, etc etc etc). 

I don't think this box is going to be consequential. However, if you show an ability to recraft non-traditional research skills into research skills, then you can also learn research skills during your PhD to apply later on in other industries. In a very constrained job market, this is attractive. 

[kchistory]

Hi everyone! I've applied to 7 PhD programs and have a question about contacts with POIs. I've had multiple email/zoom exchanges with the POIs from 2 of the programs. I have had very little contact with the POIs from the other 5 programs. 2 sent polite emails and then 3 didn't respond at all. Is it safe to assume that if I haven't had significant exchanges with POIs, they likely are not interested in my project and that admissions is unlikely? I recognize that it is impossible to know why POIs did not respond, but I'm trying to prepare myself for the worst. Thanks for any insight!

[dr. t]

1 hour ago, kchistory said:

Is it safe to assume that if I haven't had significant exchanges with POIs, they likely are not interested in my project and that admissions is unlikely?

Nah, don't try to read the tea leaves.