prepping for 2024 fall applications (help)

[girlwiththehalo]

Hi All, I recently got rejected from all 4 Ph.D. programs that I applied to this past season and while I was initially disheartened, I've decided to give it another go. I've been reaching out to professors and department members, I've altered my CV, and I am planning on rewriting my personal statements/ statements of purpose and I was wondering what else I could do to make myself stand out? Im looking to continue studying black transnationalism and Japan, however, I fear that there might not be enough interest in my topic. Is there anything you all would recommend I look into or should change? 

[ndoco2024]

Maybe ask your POIs from this application round what might have gone wrong? Do you have a MA? I applied this cycle (first time) to 7 programs and got rejected from 3 (Ivy's). Professors from the schools that rejected me emailed me saying that my application was strong but that people in those committees were reluctant to accept people without MAs (which is idiotic imo, I don't have money for that). Maybe that had something to do with it?

[girlwiththehalo]

On 3/4/2024 at 11:48 AM, ndoco2024 said:

Maybe ask your POIs from this application round what might have gone wrong? Do you have a MA? I applied this cycle (first time) to 7 programs and got rejected from 3 (Ivy's). Professors from the schools that rejected me emailed me saying that my application was strong but that people in those committees were reluctant to accept people without MAs (which is idiotic imo, I don't have money for that). Maybe that had something to do with it?

I have a Masters. When I applied to my programs I was graduating that same semester and have since graduated. I tried asking some of the grad school professors and I got the response that they aren't inclined to share that info.