2021 Application Thread

[LtotheOG]

10 minutes ago, TagRendar said:

I legit just signed up for the forums based on the last reply after lurking for a little while.

I, too, just got a dreaded rejection from Northwestern and it stings like mad.  I'm going to be reaching out on Monday to see if I can get any insight into the reasons for the rejection, but I suspect that I already know the answers: smaller incoming cohort and no exact fit with professors currently available to mentor Ph.D students.

That makes two rejections for me (I was the one that reached out to Loyola Chicago and found out that they were only taking two Ph.D students this year) with two still pending (UIC and U Chicago).  Crossing fingers but trying to steel myself for the possibility of having to do this all again next year when this non-traditional student is a year older.

I agree! One positive thing about applying this cycle is that a rejection would mostly have lesser to do with us.

[Maguire]

2 minutes ago, TagRendar said:

I will say, 100% getting a response (even if it's not really anything of substance beyond learning when I might expect a response and that their cohort is going to be around what it's been in past cycles) from another program that I'd applied to helped to take the sting out of the Northwestern rejection.  A lot of professors themselves just weren't taking graduate students this cycle based on the guidance on the department website, so that might have been the source of what your POIs said in the first place.

Definitely with you on the anxiety factor. I'm older than most traditional potential PhD candidates and I'm switching my research interests from what they were when I was getting my MA (which had some trauma attached to it in the first place, as my thesis advisor died literally in the middle of my project--too deep into research to change gears but not 100% done, either), in part because I've matured as a researcher and scholar since then.  I'm worried that will be a point of difficulty but my professors have assured me that I've explained that in my SoP so it should be okay.

Yeah, for sure. One of my POIs at Northwestern wrote me later after I had sent in all my applications to say he wasn't taking students this year anyway and he's who I would've wanted to work with mainly so I'm not going to beat myself up too much for not applying there. 

Wishing you all the best with the rest of your applications and I'm sorry to hear about the difficulties you experienced while getting your MA, but congrats on completing it! 

[TagRendar]

Just now, scarletwitch said:

Yeah, for sure. One of my POIs at Northwestern wrote me later after I had sent in all my applications to say he wasn't taking students this year anyway and he's who I would've wanted to work with mainly so I'm not going to beat myself up too much for not applying there. 

Wishing you all the best with the rest of your applications and I'm sorry to hear about the difficulties you experienced while getting your MA, but congrats on completing it! 

Out of curiosity, who was your POI at Northwestern?  I know when I was deciding who I'd want to work with there that was actually taking students, I was kind of settling and wasn't the best fit for my research interests (policy and urban history).

Thank you! It was ten years ago this April. My academic and non-academic career has been a trip but it eventually brought me back to where I probably should have been fifteen years ago when I graduated from my initial undergrad program.

Fingers crossed for you in your apps as well! Hopefully you have more out there in the universe than I do (I only applied to four schools, down from the initial six that made my shortlist).

[Maguire]

2 minutes ago, TagRendar said:

Out of curiosity, who was your POI at Northwestern?  I know when I was deciding who I'd want to work with there that was actually taking students, I was kind of settling and wasn't the best fit for my research interests (policy and urban history).

Thank you! It was ten years ago this April. My academic and non-academic career has been a trip but it eventually brought me back to where I probably should have been fifteen years ago when I graduated from my initial undergrad program.

Fingers crossed for you in your apps as well! Hopefully you have more out there in the universe than I do (I only applied to four schools, down from the initial six that made my shortlist).

I'll send you a DM re the first question  

Thanks - as you can see from my signature, I've got about 17 shots in the US so I am hoping one pulls through!  

[Mathology]

What a sad application cycle for me! Applied to Northwestern and Buffalo, PhD African history. Interviewed with my POI at Northwestern (though he warned of super-low admits based on research field), hence, not that sad but sad lol that i've got a reject. 

The sadness doubled when I heard from an informal source few days ago that Buffalo (SUNY) have budgetary cut and won't be going forward with all application.... though no formal information about this yet...I had high hopes at SUNY as I've secured both Primary and  Secondary POI already!

Those are the only schools I applied to! Any shoulders to  cry on here...lol

 

(I just got a personal note from my POI at Northwestern, so emotional and motivational, Covid-19 really wrecked a lot) drops mic! Withdrawing to my closet!!!

Edited January 30, 2021 by Mathology

[TagRendar]

29 minutes ago, Mathology said:

What a sad application cycle for me! Applied to Northwestern and Buffalo, PhD African history. Interviewed with my POI at Northwestern (though he warned of super-low admits based on research field), hence, not that sad but sad lol that i've got a reject. 

The sadness doubled when I heard from an informal source few days ago that Buffalo (SUNY) have budgetary cut and won't be going forward with all application.... though no formal information about this yet...I had high hopes at SUNY as I've secured both Primary and  Secondary POI already!

Those are the only schools I applied to! Any shoulders to  cry on here...lol

 

(I just got a personal note from my POI at Northwestern, so emotional and motivational, Covid-19 really wrecked a lot) drops mic! Withdrawing to my closet!!!

I know one of my letters of rec told me that he ordinarily would have recommended that I look at SUNY Buffalo but that they weren't going to be taking history Ph.Ds this year so to not waste my time checking it out. I don't recall what his info source was (it might have been a contact there) but here's to hoping for your sake.  I know I avoided even looking at the whole SUNY system due to the budget crunches they'd be facing.  Also knocked Columbia off my shortlist because they at least announced that they weren't taking a cohort this year.

Fingers crossed and good luck that he and I are mistaken though!

[LtotheOG]

36 minutes ago, Mathology said:

What a sad application cycle for me! Applied to Northwestern and Buffalo, PhD African history. Interviewed with my POI at Northwestern (though he warned of super-low admits based on research field), hence, not that sad but sad lol that i've got a reject. 

The sadness doubled when I heard from an informal source few days ago that Buffalo (SUNY) have budgetary cut and won't be going forward with all application.... though no formal information about this yet...I had high hopes at SUNY as I've secured both Primary and  Secondary POI already!

Those are the only schools I applied to! Any shoulders to  cry on here...lol

 

(I just got a personal note from my POI at Northwestern, so emotional and motivational, Covid-19 really wrecked a lot) drops mic! Withdrawing to my closet!!!

 I am sorry...! But at least you know I’m sure, it’s too bad for too many others as well....

Edited January 30, 2021 by LtotheOG

[Dayzz]

7 hours ago, scarletwitch said:

Just a quick question for anyone who has communicated with their POIs the last few weeks - did they contact you or did you send them an email? I'm assuming it is the former. I'd like to communicate with one POI who I've kept in touch with just to check in but I also don't want to send them an email if that is not the proper etiquette at this delicate time. 

My POI at UCR emailed me last Friday asking to speak with me via phone or zoom. After we set a date/time she said she would invite the director of the GSC. I have not heard from any other POIs from any other schools, but I know not every school does interviews/chats. 

[Colourpaperarmy]

Hi everyone I’ve finally decided to sign up after following the results page for a few days. I only applied to four PhDs all in the US. Have had one interview and one waitlist response from two out of my four applications, but that’s about it. I’m signing up here and posting because I’d like to meet more of you and just say I share all the anxieties about the upcoming two weeks. Let’s chat over DM if anyone is interested. 

Edited January 30, 2021 by Colourpaperarmy

[QuarantineQuail]

1 hour ago, TagRendar said:

I will say, 100% getting a response (even if it's not really anything of substance beyond learning when I might expect a response and that their cohort is going to be around what it's been in past cycles) from another program that I'd applied to helped to take the sting out of the Northwestern rejection.  A lot of professors themselves just weren't taking graduate students this cycle based on the guidance on the department website, so that might have been the source of what your POIs said in the first place.

Definitely with you on the anxiety factor. I'm older than most traditional potential PhD candidates and I'm switching my research interests from what they were when I was getting my MA (which had some trauma attached to it in the first place, as my thesis advisor died literally in the middle of my project--too deep into research to change gears but not 100% done, either), in part because I've matured as a researcher and scholar since then.  I'm worried that will be a point of difficulty but my professors have assured me that I've explained that in my SoP so it should be okay.

For what its worth I know a lot of people who started their PhDs later in life! I have a good friend who is 50 and working on their PhD right now.

[TagRendar]

3 minutes ago, QuarantineQuail said:

For what its worth I know a lot of people who started their PhDs later in life! I have a good friend who is 50 and working on their PhD right now.

Definitely good to know!  I will be turning 39 this coming November, so I was already looking at entering the academic job market in my 40s.  This said, I love doing research and I have always felt more at home in academic settings than anywhere else in my life, so it's unsurprising that I eventually came back to the idea of pursuing a Ph.D.  That was always the plan out of my initial undergraduate career but the experience of my MA and needing time and space to think ended up putting that on hold. I'm finishing a second bachelor's degree right now in political science after briefly thinking I wanted to teach high school (I wish my mother had actually expressed that she didn't think that was what I really wanted rather than hinting that she didn't think that was what I really wanted back when I decided to leave my well-paying job that was killing my soul to go back for another bachelor's instead of something else) and hoping like crazy I get into a program this cycle because while I don't think it will be any harder next year to get into a program, I know that the age number will bother me for no good reason.

[Maguire]

36 minutes ago, Dayzz said:

My POI at UCR emailed me last Friday asking to speak with me via phone or zoom. After we set a date/time she said she would invite the director of the GSC. I have not heard from any other POIs from any other schools, but I know not every school does interviews/chats. 

Yeah, for sure. I’ve made contact with pretty much all of them beforehand but this one POI has at Vanderbilt has been very encouraging, even reaching put to a prof who’s one of my recommenders at my current school (my prof let me know about it) and also sending me an extra applicant research question set via email soon after I submitted. So I’m really hoping to hear positive news from them this week! 

[LtotheOG]

30 minutes ago, TagRendar said:

Definitely good to know!  I will be turning 39 this coming November, so I was already looking at entering the academic job market in my 40s.  This said, I love doing research and I have always felt more at home in academic settings than anywhere else in my life, so it's unsurprising that I eventually came back to the idea of pursuing a Ph.D.  That was always the plan out of my initial undergraduate career but the experience of my MA and needing time and space to think ended up putting that on hold. I'm finishing a second bachelor's degree right now in political science after briefly thinking I wanted to teach high school (I wish my mother had actually expressed that she didn't think that was what I really wanted rather than hinting that she didn't think that was what I really wanted back when I decided to leave my well-paying job that was killing my soul to go back for another bachelor's instead of something else) and hoping like crazy I get into a program this cycle because while I don't think it will be any harder next year to get into a program, I know that the age number will bother me for no good reason.

I feel this is incredible and inspiring!

[TagRendar]

20 minutes ago, LtotheOG said:

I feel this is incredible and inspiring!

Thanks.  Nice to know that my struggle in getting back on what should have been my path in the first place is helpful to someone somehow.

I'm lucky that I have a lot of professors who understand the challenges of stepping into a program at the age I'm at (I have a few professors whose trajectory was nontraditional as well) so they've been very realistic when talking to me about the challenges but also very encouraging.

Still, even having been told you're a great candidate by those encouraging you doesn't take all of the sting out of this year's rejections. Imposter syndrome still reaches up and shakes you hard.

[sonnybunny]

Hi everybody. Exciting/nerve-wracking to see decisions start to come out. I only applied to CU Boulder this year, for post-1945 European cultural history (specifically race and popular culture.) Anyone else apply to Boulder?

Luckily, I work at a university, so if this doesn't pan out, I've been accepted for the MLIS at my school and can use my tuition waiver for a free degree. But I would rather go to Boulder as a full-time job instead.  

I hope everyone is doing well--we have all worked incredibly hard this year under extraordinary circumstances.

[QuarantineQuail]

3 hours ago, sonnybunny said:

Hi everybody. Exciting/nerve-wracking to see decisions start to come out. I only applied to CU Boulder this year, for post-1945 European cultural history (specifically race and popular culture.) Anyone else apply to Boulder?

Luckily, I work at a university, so if this doesn't pan out, I've been accepted for the MLIS at my school and can use my tuition waiver for a free degree. But I would rather go to Boulder as a full-time job instead.  

I hope everyone is doing well--we have all worked incredibly hard this year under extraordinary circumstances.

Haven't heard from CU. I thought they were pretty firm that March was when decisions would be announced?

[sonnybunny]

5 minutes ago, QuarantineQuail said:

Haven't heard from CU. I thought they were pretty firm that March was when decisions would be announced?

After chatting with the graduate coordinator and looking at past history on this site, it seems like acceptances usually come out mid-February and rejections very end of February/very beginning of March.

Edit: I have not heard anything either.

Edited January 31, 2021 by sonnybunny

[QuarantineQuail]

6 minutes ago, sonnybunny said:

After chatting with the graduate coordinator and looking at past history on this site, it seems like acceptances usually come out mid-February and rejections very end of February/very beginning of March.

Edit: I have not heard anything either.

Best of luck!

[sonnybunny]

1 minute ago, QuarantineQuail said:

Best of luck!

You as well!

[LtotheOG]

9 hours ago, TagRendar said:

Thanks.  Nice to know that my struggle in getting back on what should have been my path in the first place is helpful to someone somehow.

I'm lucky that I have a lot of professors who understand the challenges of stepping into a program at the age I'm at (I have a few professors whose trajectory was nontraditional as well) so they've been very realistic when talking to me about the challenges but also very encouraging.

Still, even having been told you're a great candidate by those encouraging you doesn't take all of the sting out of this year's rejections. Imposter syndrome still reaches up and shakes you hard.

Thanks for sharing! I am a fan of people who do things because they love to, and not because of how it looks..

Imo imposter syndrome pays no mind to how old or young one is. I for one shall know, that if this cycle doesn’t work out for me I have been playacting all this while!

Good luck! I’m rooting for you!

Edited January 31, 2021 by LtotheOG

[LtotheOG]

For the record, not all acceptances follow an interview!

the phd program I was in at nyu never interviewed me or a couple of my other classmates. But the rest were.

[Maguire]

1 hour ago, LtotheOG said:

For the record, not all acceptances follow an interview!

the phd program I was in at nyu never interviewed me or a couple of my other classmates. But the rest were.

Thanks - this puts my mind at ease somewhat. I'm hoping as I communicated with several professors at places I've seen people interviewed (namely Yale & Berkeley) there may somehow be a silver lining to all of this. 

[Saltwater]

On 4/16/2020 at 11:05 PM, bibliophile0521 said:

For the upcoming application season I’m looking to apply to History MA programs. I’m not looking too much at joint or PhD programs as I do not have a definitive historical focus. My biggest issue at the moment is finding very universities that offer a terminal MA program. Most universities don't seem to offer them or if they do, there is no funding involved. I can't afford to take 50-100K in loans for an MA... Additionally, I don't even know where to apply (other than my undergrad institution) so I'm seeking recommendations for schools based on my stats or if one knows of historians in my areas of interest. TIA!

Some basic info/stats:

• Attending a large state school in CA
• 3.722 GPA overall, 4.0 in History degree
• Scholarships/Department awards TBD
• GRE: Not taken. With the current global health crisis, I don’t know what the likelihood of me taking it is OR if universities will even require it.

Research Experience

None. My university is teaching-based rather than research-based. 

Work/Teaching Experience

• Spent 1 year working for a high school educational program centered around helping students with Native American heritage.
• I’ve spent the last year working as a writing tutor at a local CC.

 Foreign Languages:

• Spanish, written and oral proficiency 

Extracurriculars:

• Board position at my uni’s history club 

Misc. Facts:

• Finishing my History BA + English minor in 3 years ( thanks AP credits)!
• I have 3-4 professors in mind who I believe could write me strong letters of rec

Potential Research Interests:

At my university, we choose two historical concentrations. The ones I’ve selected are American History and Modern European History. I have two different research ideas each corresponding to my fields.

• American: The use of literature as a reflection of the American experience in the 1920s and 1930s. I’m thinking works by Langston Hughes, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and John Steinbeck to illustrate how Americans interpreted their lives and struggles through literature. 
• Modern European History: This is less thought-out and something I’ve only thought of recently, but Anglo-German relationships and cultural/imperialistic competition during the late 19th century.

Hi - first off, congrats on getting to this point. That is a big achievement in of itself. Based off of the information you shared, I think of two options:

1. First off, Northern Arizona University is a great place to do an MA. It is a small department, but offers funding through TAships, is an awesome place and has some specialists you could work with. There are great archives there for anything in the Colorado Plateau. 
 

2. the second place is UC Irvine - who also offers a year long MA program that could potentially find you. There are so many great people to work with here, particularly for the graduate cohort and faculty.

 

Personally, I have gone to both schools for separate degrees and I think either way is going to be a fantastic experience.   

[automatic_peas]

Does anyone have any additional insight into when Yale will release their decisions? When I interviewed they said it would probably be delayed this year, but I've seen a few posts on this forum suggesting it will probably come out next week? 

[Maguire]

11 minutes ago, automatic_peas said:

Does anyone have any additional insight into when Yale will release their decisions? When I interviewed they said it would probably be delayed this year, but I've seen a few posts on this forum suggesting it will probably come out next week? 

I mean I guess most people don’t really know for sure, I’ve seen on the survey results that someone has already received a rejection via an email from their POI. Based on last years, the first week of Feb was when they released results but I’m not sure if it will be the same this year?