MegMill Posted January 3, 2011 Posted January 3, 2011 So it's January. We should start hearing back in a month, right? If not, I'm going to find a high limb and a short rope.
ChibaCityBlues Posted January 3, 2011 Posted January 3, 2011 So it's January. We should start hearing back in a month, right? If not, I'm going to find a high limb and a short rope. Even if you get good news, keep the rope handy: http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2011/01/03/history_job_openings_fall_economics_positions_recover ScreamingHairyArmadillo and JustChill 1 1
Bukharan Posted January 3, 2011 Posted January 3, 2011 That report is beyond depressing. What are we doing with our lives?
RDX Posted January 3, 2011 Posted January 3, 2011 So it's January. We should start hearing back in a month, right? If not, I'm going to find a high limb and a short rope. A little bit anxious here too but........ no matter what happens.. don't go finding a limb and a rope tho....
BadgerHopeful Posted January 3, 2011 Posted January 3, 2011 Wiconsin will be the first to notify. Based upon previous years entires, we could hear as early as the end of this month! And boy am I nervous!
MegMill Posted January 3, 2011 Author Posted January 3, 2011 Wiconsin will be the first to notify. Based upon previous years entires, we could hear as early as the end of this month! And boy am I nervous! well, damn, the one school where i didn't apply... :::naturally::: im dyyyying to hear from Vandy.
MegMill Posted January 3, 2011 Author Posted January 3, 2011 anybody know of any history programs that offer rolling admissions? seems as if the respective department's websites are mum.
TMP Posted January 3, 2011 Posted January 3, 2011 Frankly, as a veteran of this site, I'm not even concerned at all that there's "one more month!". On Sunday, I thought, "oh my god, 8 weeks!" Honestly, I would think further than that. Most programs actually notify in late February and early March. There are no rolling admissions. If there were, then I'd imagine that the department's just accepting students who are willing find their own funding as in UK universities. Luckily, that's right around the time my 8 week intensive German course ends and I'll need something to look forward to!
natsteel Posted January 3, 2011 Posted January 3, 2011 (edited) That report is beyond depressing. What are we doing with our lives? Our individual fates will be determined to a degree by what we produce in terms of research, publications, etc., but, for our collective fate, the numbers show that the majority of us will never find tenure-track jobs and many of us will end up stuck in the adjunct rut. If you're not prepared for that possibility, then you're not prepared for grad school. The best among us will probably find good employment, but, according to the numbers, many of us won't find full-time or tenure-track employment at all. I'm not trying to pessimistic... just realistic. It does none of us any good to deny the realities of the current job market, i.e., least amount of jobs in 25 years, most new PHDs in 9 years, lowest number of expected retirements in "recent times." And, it will be hardest for those who go to less-respected programs and/or go into the most crowded fields of U.S. and European history. The idealism inherent in a person embarking on a process like applying and going to grad school leads each of us to think, "That won't happen to me." But the numbers suggest otherwise. It will happen to many if not the majority of us. This is why those curmudgeons over at the CHE fora are constantly telling people not to take out loans for a Humanities PhD under any circumstances. It's too easy to bury our heads in the sand at this point in our academic careers, but if you do that you are setting yourself up for the possibility of being unable to cope with the harsh realities that await us years down the line when we've all traveled 100s or 1000s of miles to desperately trawl around the AHA General Meeting cattle calls unsuccessfully for the 3rd or 4th time returning home to launch a frenzied attempt to cobble together 5 adjunct assignments teaching survey courses to apathetic, underprepared students just so we don't lose the room we're renting or apartment we're sharing with 3 other formerly-idealistic PhDs. Okay, now I'm being pessimistic... That article really put me in a negative mood. Sorry, guys and gals... Edited January 3, 2011 by natsteel
EricaMarie Posted January 3, 2011 Posted January 3, 2011 anybody know of any history programs that offer rolling admissions? seems as if the respective department's websites are mum. American University technically offers rolling admissions, but if you want funding, you need to apply by January 15th.
StrangeLight Posted January 3, 2011 Posted January 3, 2011 you poor kids. let me offer a bit of advice from last year. if and when you get into wisconsin in a few weeks, don't go puffing your chest out about all the other admissions offers you're going to receive. wisconsin admits early and, often, without guaranteed funding. they give more acceptances than they expect to yield because they figure many students will take funded offers elsewhere if they get 'em. i'm not saying it's easy to get into wisconsin: it isn't. but they're a special case and don't get ahead of yourself counting your admissions before the big envelopes arrive in the mail. put the adult block protection thing on this site for a month or two. whatever you need to do to stop from clicking refresh once the first news rolls in. you'll thank me later.
meh123 Posted January 4, 2011 Posted January 4, 2011 i had a professor frankly tell me you would be stupid to get a phd. but man that report was brutal. i guess im glad im sticking to a Masters program. but even then im probably screwed as well
gradwoes Posted January 4, 2011 Posted January 4, 2011 Our individual fates will be determined to a degree by what we produce in terms of research, publications, etc., but, for our collective fate, the numbers show that the majority of us will never find tenure-track jobs and many of us will end up stuck in the adjunct rut. If you're not prepared for that possibility, then you're not prepared for grad school. The best among us will probably find good employment, but, according to the numbers, many of us won't find full-time or tenure-track employment at all. I'm not trying to pessimistic... just realistic. It does none of us any good to deny the realities of the current job market, i.e., least amount of jobs in 25 years, most new PHDs in 9 years, lowest number of expected retirements in "recent times." And, it will be hardest for those who go to less-respected programs and/or go into the most crowded fields of U.S. and European history. The idealism inherent in a person embarking on a process like applying and going to grad school leads each of us to think, "That won't happen to me." But the numbers suggest otherwise. It will happen to many if not the majority of us. This is why those curmudgeons over at the CHE fora are constantly telling people not to take out loans for a Humanities PhD under any circumstances. It's too easy to bury our heads in the sand at this point in our academic careers, but if you do that you are setting yourself up for the possibility of being unable to cope with the harsh realities that await us years down the line when we've all traveled 100s or 1000s of miles to desperately trawl around the AHA General Meeting cattle calls unsuccessfully for the 3rd or 4th time returning home to launch a frenzied attempt to cobble together 5 adjunct assignments teaching survey courses to apathetic, underprepared students just so we don't lose the room we're renting or apartment we're sharing with 3 other formerly-idealistic PhDs. Okay, now I'm being pessimistic... That article really put me in a negative mood. Sorry, guys and gals... Alcohol. That's what gets me through this sort of reality slap in the face. Bukharan 1
Emerson Posted January 4, 2011 Posted January 4, 2011 Our individual fates will be determined to a degree by what we produce in terms of research, publications, etc., but, for our collective fate, the numbers show that the majority of us will never find tenure-track jobs and many of us will end up stuck in the adjunct rut. If you're not prepared for that possibility, then you're not prepared for grad school. The best among us will probably find good employment, but, according to the numbers, many of us won't find full-time or tenure-track employment at all. I'm not trying to pessimistic... just realistic. It does none of us any good to deny the realities of the current job market, i.e., least amount of jobs in 25 years, most new PHDs in 9 years, lowest number of expected retirements in "recent times." And, it will be hardest for those who go to less-respected programs and/or go into the most crowded fields of U.S. and European history. The idealism inherent in a person embarking on a process like applying and going to grad school leads each of us to think, "That won't happen to me." But the numbers suggest otherwise. It will happen to many if not the majority of us. This is why those curmudgeons over at the CHE fora are constantly telling people not to take out loans for a Humanities PhD under any circumstances. It's too easy to bury our heads in the sand at this point in our academic careers, but if you do that you are setting yourself up for the possibility of being unable to cope with the harsh realities that await us years down the line when we've all traveled 100s or 1000s of miles to desperately trawl around the AHA General Meeting cattle calls unsuccessfully for the 3rd or 4th time returning home to launch a frenzied attempt to cobble together 5 adjunct assignments teaching survey courses to apathetic, underprepared students just so we don't lose the room we're renting or apartment we're sharing with 3 other formerly-idealistic PhDs. Okay, now I'm being pessimistic... That article really put me in a negative mood. Sorry, guys and gals... He speaks the truth. Shoot me now.
Bukharan Posted January 4, 2011 Posted January 4, 2011 Alcohol. That's what gets me through this sort of reality slap in the face. I like you. Let's be friends.
EricaMarie Posted January 4, 2011 Posted January 4, 2011 Alcohol. That's what gets me through this sort of reality slap in the face. This. What was that about a high limb and a short rope? Must not forget the liquor....
qbtacoma Posted January 5, 2011 Posted January 5, 2011 Something I noticed while reading this - 2009 was a high for openings in history positions. So it makes sense that there would be a drop immediately afterward because there was just a big round of hiring. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it! In all seriousness this news doesn't affect my assessment of my chances in the field later. It just puts numbers on it.
natsteel Posted January 13, 2011 Posted January 13, 2011 Guys, please don't take my previous rant seriously. Though some of what I said was based in fact, obviously I drew the bleakest scenario possible. I was not in any way trying to discourage anyone. All we can do as budding history grad students is: a) get into the best program with the best advisor fit possible and work as hard as we possibly can for the entire time we are there. One of my mentors says not to worry too much about all the job market doom-and-gloom because "they've been saying all this stuff since [she] started" which was in the early 1970s.
StrangeLight Posted January 13, 2011 Posted January 13, 2011 friends of mine just returned from interviews at the AHA. one of them said he saw the same woman crying, over the course of many days, in the interview pit. another one returned to campus to pick up his "dear candidate" rejection letters. they look just like the grad school rejection letters. small envelopes... :blink:
history_PhD Posted January 13, 2011 Posted January 13, 2011 friends of mine just returned from interviews at the AHA. one of them said he saw the same woman crying, over the course of many days, in the interview pit. another one returned to campus to pick up his "dear candidate" rejection letters. they look just like the grad school rejection letters. small envelopes... :blink: How did their interviews go? I was hoping there would be more coverage of the AHA in the Chronicle.
StrangeLight Posted January 14, 2011 Posted January 14, 2011 How did their interviews go? I was hoping there would be more coverage of the AHA in the Chronicle. they went well. both said that they felt they really conveyed who they are and what they do accurately to the committees, so it'll just be a matter of whether or not the school wants them. no major faux pas. my program's really good about prepping students for the job market and both of these guys have been on one or two search committees for new hires in the past, so they've had good training on what not to do.
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