hopeful candidate - situational advice? :)

[RPits]

hi all

i'm currently finishing an extended masters thesis with a cooperating professor in a directed study. upon completion i'll have my ma in history from the city university system of ny, and a ba in history from the state university system (neither of which conjure ivy league-type imagery, but slightly reputable in their own rights if you're from the region). i am applying for summer internships for which i think i have a decent chance of obtaining, and i am a volunteer in an archive where i conduct research for historians who visit our center- trying to make some connections!

the situation i'm in might be slightly different (i think), and i'm curious to see if you all think it will work to my advantage or disadvantage. i have been teaching full time while completing my masters, so it has taken me longer than the average student. compiled with my extended thesis, the entire process has taken me 3.5 years. some of my scores are very good, others suffered, wavering in the a to b range. while going to graduate school full time after undergrad was what i desired, it just wasn't possible for me due to outside factors (mostly monetary). completing my masters in history while teaching and working on this extended thesis has been incredibly difficult, i just couldn't have done it any other way.

i know i've wandered, but here are my more specific questions:

do you think the fact that i didn't remain steadfast after undergrad in pursuit of a phd will serve as a deterrent throughout the application process?

how else do i go about bolstering my resume aside from seeking out internships? in other words, if it is through conferences, or presenting a chapter of my thesis, does anyone have any specific direction that i might be able to follow?

my cooperating prof. is awesome and super helpful, but i would love any advice you all might like to offer! thanks for reading .

[katie1421]

What kind of teaching have you been doing? If you play this up on your application in the right way, I think it could easily come across as an asset to your application, rather than a distraction from your studies. You seem to have a rather wide array of different experiences, from research to teaching, that will all be helpful as a PhD student. I think you could definitely present the 3.5 years as time spent building up experiences rather than as lacking in diligence, or anything like that.

Best of luck!

[RPits]

thanks so much for the advice! i've been teaching 7th and 8th grade social studies in new york city while completing my masters. depending on how you factor my experience, i'm in my 5th year (post undergrad). i'm considering how to properly include it, so we shall see!

What kind of teaching have you been doing? If you play this up on your application in the right way, I think it could easily come across as an asset to your application, rather than a distraction from your studies. You seem to have a rather wide array of different experiences, from research to teaching, that will all be helpful as a PhD student. I think you could definitely present the 3.5 years as time spent building up experiences rather than as lacking in diligence, or anything like that.

Best of luck!

[Iknownothing]

In my case, I started out at a community college, married, had a baby and then went back to finish my BA almost 10 years later and then my MA. I was definitely worried about the gap, but in the end, my non-trad status helped me. Both the PhD programs I've been accepted to so far have commented on my determination as a factor in accepting me. Also, I teach high school history at an alternative high school and my advisor said to include it in my applications because it shows a desire and an ability to teach. I think there is no cookie cutter formula to all of this!

[TransnationalHistory]

Basically what others have said, but I'd really highlight your teaching experience on your statement of purpose. One of the professors who wrote me a letter of recommendation used to serve on the admissions board for a top grad program, and he gave me some good advise on my SOP. His comment was that the first paragraph is in some ways the most important, and should lead with what makes you stand out from most applicants. As he put it, everyone applying to top programs is going to have a thesis, so don't lead with that. In my case, I had helped edit/ghostwrite a political memoir that related to my field of history. I also had experience dealing with non-western archives, which he encouraged me to stress. Then after I dealt with what I hoped would make me more unique, I launched into describing how these things built on my thesis.

Anyway, grad school is not just about writing a book-worthy dissertation...it's also about learning how to be a good teacher. So the fact that you've already proved to have aptitude and motivation for teaching should be a big plus. Even if it's not specifically in your field. Anyway, I can't see this possibly hurting you...a full-time job would make it harder for anyone to finish their MA. Just make sure you mention this in the SOP.

[RPits]

thank you all so much for the good advice. i will definitely heed everyone's words while drafting my SOP!