2022 Application Thread

[Imperator Totius Hispaniae]

@TheWitWitchi believe that @flowersandcoffeehad an interview with columbia based on their post 2 pages back. did you have an interview with columbia?

[TheWitWitch]

21 minutes ago, Imperator Totius Hispaniae said:

 

@TheWitWitchi believe that @flowersandcoffeehad an interview with columbia based on their post 2 pages back. did you have an interview with columbia?

 

@Imperator Totius Hispaniae no I did not, and I didn’t know they conducted interviews. I have been in contact with 4 professors there and none of them said anything about interviews. So I am quite anxious right now…

Edited January 4, 2022 by TheWitWitch

[MatildaMedievalist]

I am also anxious now, but maybe this will help @TheWitWitch. From the Columbia departmental site ": Because we receive about 600 applications per year, we cannot conduct admissions interviews...."

[Imperator Totius Hispaniae]

@Mbarreiro0711oh wow! i wonder why that one person said they got an interview with columbia. 

[flowersandcoffee]

Yes, it's me, who has an interview with Columbia next week. I would not panic, as I stated I want to expand into a new geographical area in my Columbia application and my interview is with a historian of that area. I am guessing they want to chat to me about it and see if I am capable of the switch. 

Also, relieved to hear that everyone's Berkeley interviews went well! 

[flowersandcoffee]

1 hour ago, Imperator Totius Hispaniae said:

@Mbarreiro0711oh wow! i wonder why that one person said they got an interview with columbia. 

 

5 hours ago, TheWitWitch said:

Has anyone else had an interview with Columbia? 

Yes, it's me, who has an interview with Columbia next week. I would not panic, as I stated I want to expand into a new geographical area in my Columbia application and my interview is with a historian of that area. I am guessing they want to chat to me about it and see if I am capable of the switch. 

Also, relieved to hear that everyone's Berkeley interviews went well! 

[flowersofindia]

 

 

for those who had their interview already this week- any help would be lovely.

Edited January 5, 2022 by timurdidnothingwrong

[CoffeeCatsCorgis]

On 12/31/2021 at 4:25 PM, sonnybunny said:

Anyone else apply to University of California-Santa Barbara?

Yes, I did!

[sonnybunny]

8 minutes ago, CoffeeCatsCorgis said:

Yes, I did!

Hello, fellow UCSB applicant! What field are you in? Looks like we will most likely hear something next month, based on previous admissions history.

[Imperator Totius Hispaniae]

@timurdidnothingwrongi had my interview on monday w/ Berkeley! Im not sure how relevant my advice will be if you don't have an interview with Berkeley, but my experience was very laidback. If you're getting an interview, I dont believe the professors are trying to ask you "gotcha" questions to trip you up. At this point, they're clearly interested in your work and probably are conducting the interview to make sure you aren't a complete jerk. 

Based on my interview, here are some suggestions I would give:

• The professors will probably ask you to expand on your research interests you mention in your SOP and writing sample, e.g. "in your writing sample you wrote about x country, why are you now interested in researching y country in grad school?" Or "if you had more time and access to resources, what different questions would you have asked in your writing sample?" Obviously these kinds of questions will be context specific. My situation is a bit unique, so some of the questions my interviewers asked me are probably particular to my situation, but i still think the examples I gave are broadly applicable.
• Make sure you go over some of interviewer's research so that way you can mention their research (if applicable) during the interview and draw a connection between your work and theirs to demonstrate fit. 
• Make sure to re familiarize yourself with your written application materials (SOP, writing sample, personal statement) before the interview because they will most likely ask you questions that are specific to those documents. 
• These interviews are very short, so you won't have time to ask a lot of questions, but the questions you do ask, make sure they demonstrate that you've done research into their program and that you're already envisioning yourself as part of the department. I would try to have these questions typed beforehand so you can reference them during the interview. For example, Berkeley has field requirements that are unique to Berkeley, so I asked them to elaborate more on these requirements because it was relevant to my desire to attend Berkeley. 

Anyways, I hope this helps! if you have any more questions, feel free to PM me. Btw, when is your interview and what school is it with?

[automatic_peas]

On 1/4/2022 at 8:15 AM, TheWitWitch said:

Same here, never knew UChicago did interviews. None of the professors I spoken to mentioned. 

A professor I had emailed with but hadn't spoken to via zoom/phone just reached out to schedule a call, seems pretty informal though 

[CoffeeCatsCorgis]

15 hours ago, sonnybunny said:

Hello, fellow UCSB applicant! What field are you in? Looks like we will most likely hear something next month, based on previous admissions history.

I'm a Russianist (modern Europe and gender/sexuality are my research areas for UCSB). What about you? 

The waiting period sure is painful!

[flowersofindia]

has anyone received word from yale for an interview yet?

[flowersofindia]

just received an email asking if my application can be transferred to the religious studies department at yale- what happens if i say no? 

[TexasTiger]

I 

10 minutes ago, timurdidnothingwrong said:

just received an email asking if my application can be transferred to the religious studies department at yale- what happens if i say no? 

@timurdidnothingwrongI would say check out the faculty in the religious studies department...see their interests, and if you think they have people who fit with your work better, consider doing that.

[flowersofindia]

problem is that two history professors from yale cosigned my project (one uncannily enthusiastically) whereas none responded from religious studies- im not opposed but with the information i have now i'd rather it be in history? i'm also puzzled because why would the professors (after i fleshed out my project to them) then suddenly decide i should not be in history after urging me to apply to history? 

[Imperator Totius Hispaniae]

@timurdidnothingwrongi think it would be entirely appropriate to respond back and say that you would be interested but you would have to look into it more, and then ask why they want to transfer you over to religious studies. 
 

my guess about why they seemingly have a sudden change of heart about you applying to history? The professors  really want you in the history department but perhaps they recently determined they aren’t going to be accepting any students in your subfield, so they’re hoping if they transfer you to religious studies, you will have a much better chance of being admitted. And because it’s a “studies” program, you can choose your area of focus in history (this is what my religious studies friend is doing for his PhD at Stanford) and you can still work with those two professors. But ya I would definitely ask why they want to transfer you. 

 

[MatildaMedievalist]

Update on the Columbia interviews @TheWitWitch and @flowersandcoffee: despite official policy I just got contacted for an "informal conversation" as well. Medieval Europe subfield. 

[flowersandcoffee]

2 hours ago, timurdidnothingwrong said:

just received an email asking if my application can be transferred to the religious studies department at yale- what happens if i say no? 

Hey! I have some insider knowledge about Yale. My POI told me spots are really tight this year and they will be for at least the next 5 year. I’m talking 1-2 per sub field per year. So if you’re really set on Yale, I wouldn’t close any doors. Yes, perhaps you won’t be in the history faculty but the fact that you already reached out to the religious studies department says you know it could be a fit. I’d ask if your application will be considered by both departments and take this as a sign that they think your application is strong. I wouldn’t think of this as a bad thing, more a new door opening 

[flowersofindia]

@Imperator Totius Hispaniaethis is a really excellent & polished advice- grateful for your comments!

[flowersofindia]

@flowersandcoffeethat makes a lot of sense- thank you for chiming in

[Imperator Totius Hispaniae]

@timurdidnothingwrongno problem! I guessed this based on a similar situation thats happening at Harvard. Back in september i spoke to a POI via zoom and she said that they're going to be accepting 1 MAYBE 2 people per subfield, and she actually encouraged me to apply to the African and African American Studies PhD program because she thought my odds of getting admitted there might be better. I still ended up applying to Harvard's History program and not AAFAM. So we'll see what ends up happening. But i would echo @flowersandcoffeeand say this is all a positive sign! 

[automatic_peas]

Has anyone heard anything from HSHM at Yale regarding interviews? 

[flowersofindia]

@Imperator Totius Hispaniaewow that's wild- it seems many programs are taking the covid hit and running with it in terms of reduction in admission-- how unfortunate. i will say my yale POI mentioned admissions as normal this year- but who knows what that means

[Imperator Totius Hispaniae]

@timurdidnothingwrongya the POI said that when COVID first hit in 2020 they drastically reduced the amount of ppl they accepted into the program that cycle and they said that it looks like the history department isn't planning on going back to admitting the amount of students they used to accept into the program pre covid. 

Btw, I dont remember if you mentioned this before, but what is your subfield?