Advice for Future Applicants

[TransnationalHistory]

I figure this could be nice for people who are gearing up to apply somewhere next year. I know I felt like I went into the whole process blind, and would definitely have done some things differently even though it worked out alright in the end.

The rankings can be a good general guide, but take them with a big grain of salt. Especially the rankings by field. Instead look up the historians you like/have influenced your own research and writing. I wish I had explored a bit more--if I had I would have applied to WUSTL and Rutgers, but I didn't find out about those programs until it was too late.

Don't bother applying to a school ifs there is only one or two people that deal with your field, even if they are amazing. Or if one of those people would be your dream advisor, pick one school like that. But in general, unless there is a cohesive program within your field there probably won't be room for you.

Don't worry about the money aspect of it when deciding where to apply. I didn't apply to UCLA even though I liked the faculty because I figured the UC schools are strapped for cash, but I know some people on these boards got in with stipends. Sure, some people also got nothing, but when the whole process is a such a crap shoot if a program feels like a good fit it's worth trying for.

Don't bother applying to any school that you don't want to go to. This wasn't really a problem for me, but I've noticed a lot of people on these boards agonizing over the fact they only got into their last choice school. Some people may disagree, and I guess it depends on how desperate you are to start graduate school, but I think it only makes sense to apply to schools you are 100% excited about, even if that means applying to only schools that are a crap shoot to get into. As these boards show, some people who get rejected everywhere their first go get completely different results the next year. So aim big, even at the risk of having to apply more than one year.

[borderlands]

If I may add my two cents from applying this year I would also suggest a couple things:

Contact professors you are interested in working with even if you are afraid that they won't respond or are too busy. Why? Sometimes they can let you know important information e.g. we are not accepting any students in ____ subfield

Get ideally four to five professors to commit to writting letters of rec. You do not want to be rejected simply because a professor was too busy or bailed out on you last minute. It also helps to alternate recommenders, if only 3 letters of rec. are allowed, or use all four recommenders.

Do not simply apply to all the top programs in your field. Make sure to include mid-level programs (4 ideal; 3 realistic; 3 "safety") I put safety in quotation marks because realistically there is no such thing as a safety school. Graduate school is really competitive and continues being as such when applying for fellowships and eventually the professorial job market.

I also agree with TransnatinalHistory that one should apply everywhere without regard to questions of funding. UCLA is noctorious for admitting graduate students without funding but every year funding changes. Also there are fellowships that one can receive competitively from the graduate college.

Apply for your own funding! Just to name a few: Ford Pre-Doctoral Fellowships, Jacob K. Javits Fellowship, there are also others. Note these programs have deadlines before graduate school application deadlines, ask for letters of support early. While winning these fellowships does not guarantee one a spot in a graduate program; own funding can be an incentive for a program to admit you. If the program is allowed since some schools do have a cap on number of admits. Funding makes you that much more attractive.

[Rustin]

I think this thread is a great idea, particularly since we've all taken different paths to graduate school and have had unique application experiences.

I actually did not contact professors before I applied. I know a lot of people recommend it, and it may be a good thing for some, but my professors recommended against it. Ultimately at competitive programs, at least a couple things are true: Professors are incredibly busy and they only get to admit a very few number of applicants. So, responding to lots of e-mails ahead of time isn't their favorite thing to do, especially since it is difficult in an e-mail to tell a competitive potential graduate student from a time-waster. Its also kind of awkward. If you're really that curious, I think contacting the graduate coordinator may be a better place to start. Obviously once you are admitted, that changes. Many will disagree with me, but that is my experience.

Start early on your personal statements and solicit feedback from as many academics as possible. Don't be afraid to scrap entire drafts. For me, applying to fellowships in my junior and early parts of my senior year helped me refine my statements a lot so that by the time I applied to graduate schools, I only had to make minor tweaks. The statements can be daunting though and the stakes are high since it often is a deciding factor in the application process. Avoid cliches and trite statements: Even if it is true you've wanted to study history since you were 8 years old, saying so in your application makes potential advisors think you have little idea what really goes into being an historian. Have compelling reasons for your interests and articulate them clearly. Don't be afraid to ask questions in your statements. Always include specifics about who you want to work with, how your research interests interact, and how you'd be a good fit for the program.

Control the things you can control. The summer before you apply, you can't go back and do more research, study more for classes where you slacked, or things like that. But you can take studying for the GREs very seriously. You can do a summer independent study on a cool historical topic that becomes either a senior thesis, a writing sample, or a conference presentation. You can take language courses (through your school or a CC) to demonstrate you can meet the necessary language requirements. You can start talking to your recommenders so they have plenty of notice and they'll be able to respond to your requests to read drafts and such. Take the time to write a resume and edit it many times, since nearly every application requires it. All of these things will strengthen your application and reduce stress levels in the November/December crunch periods.

I'd take the safety school advice with a grain of salt. Do you want to attend a history phd program next year no matter what? If so, definitely lock in some safety schools. Otherwise, have safety options. Things like Fulbright, real jobs, or (gasp) law school. Don't be afraid to take a multi-year approach to the process. A lot of history PhD programs like people to have some life experiences before enrolling, if nothing else than to be sure that the PhD is a commitment you are really ready to make.

Anyways, those are my thoughts tonight as I wind up the application cycle.

[breakfast]

I'm going to jump in really quick and advise that nobody should think of law school as a safety option. New grads from law school are facing a worse job market than a lot of humanities fields right now. I don't know why the idea of law school as a path to guaranteed success has persisted, but unless you go to one of the best law schools in the country, you are going to graduate with a mountain of debt and a useless degree.

[kungfuzi]

Languages are very important, especially if you're doing non-US history. Consider enrolling in intensive language classes before you apply, and see if you can tailor those classes to focus on reading and translation.

You need not have published anything (I haven't) in order to get admitted into a top program, although I'm sure it helps. Nor need your undergraduate thesis be in the field that you're hoping to pursue in grad school. I wrote my thesis in medieval history and will be specializing in international and global history (I actually found a way to broadly link my thesis to my grad school interests).

None of my references were from faculty in my field. One was from my thesis advisor, an up-and-coming medievalist, the other was from a (permanent) visiting prof who teaches modern European history, and the third was from a retired English professor. All three have known me since freshman and sophomore year. So you should get to know your undergraduate professors well: talk to them during office hours, take them out for meals, send them postcards when you're traveling, etc.

For those interested in international and global history, this comes from a Columbia professor who emailed me right after I was admitted there: "One of our primary considerations in choosing candidates is their ability to attract the interest of a wide variety of faculty across the fields."

Read books and articles by the profs at the schools you're applying to, and see if you can integrate their ideas into your statements of purpose. Get people to critique these statements. The best piece of advice that I received was to replace the term "Cold War," at least initially, with "that period which policy-makers and -thinkers objectify as the Cold War." It seemed unnecessarily pedantic at first, but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense in the context of what I was trying to do.

The bulk of my statements of purpose was about my research interests and how they complemented those of specific faculty members at the schools I was applying to. I did however have one paragraph on myself and how my personal background (namely, being an international student who studied in the US) shaped my belief in studying history from a global perspective (though not my specific research interests).

If you're still in college, consider taking a few years off before applying to grad school, unless you're exceptionally well-prepared and absolutely sure you want to be an academic (there's plenty on the perils of grad school in the humanities -- go and read articles by Thomas Bender / William Pannapacker and Tim Burke). See the real world, travel, learn some languages, pursue jobs related to academia (e.g. teaching, journalism, government work, etc.). I think grad schools like it when you possess a certain worldliness.

I had some contact with faculty from the schools I was applying to. Two gave standard, non-committal replies and said that they were looking forward to reading my application. The third -- from Columbia -- had some encouraging words for me, but that was about it.

===

I'll be meeting with a bunch of Columbia faculty and grad students this week, and might have more insights after then.

Looking back, and seeing just how well-qualified some of the people on this forum are, I feel humbled, not to mention incredibly lucky, at having gotten into where I have. Hope the above's useful in some way to all those applying this year. Best of luck!

[RPits]

i think i speak for many 2012 hopefuls when i saw thank you, thank you, thank you! you all have written some really valuable pieces of advice that i'm sure many of us will be considering in the months to come. congrats to all of you.

[TransnationalHistory]

I actually did not contact professors before I applied.

Forgot to mention this. I didn't either, except for one program where I wasn't which field was the best fit (African vs. Atlantic). Obviously I can't say if it hurt me for the schools that rejected me, but it didn't prevent me getting into two schools. I didn't stress about contacting professors based on a friend who is a current graduate student--they didn't contact any professors and got into Columbia, Princeton and Yale. I do think it makes sense to contact a professor to see if they are taking anyone in your field/ to make sure they are not planning on retiring/leaving, etc. But if you're just aiming for brownie points, I don't think it works that way.

As for the whole safety school issue, I wasn't saying people should not be reasonable in their expectations or apply to only top-ten schools. But it seems some people apply to schools they don't really want to attend. I think people should ask themselves before they apply whether they rather settle for a school they are not very excited about, or wait another year.

Lastly, current grad students are great resources. They are also busy, but are often better/more candid resources for information, including on how well the program prepares you for being a TA, etc.

[North]

I just want to put in a plug for emailing potential advisors during the application process. A couple of people have advised against it, noting - quite rightly - that it's entirely possible to get into top programs without contacting a single professors. But my view (and the view of my undergrad advisors) was that it can't hurt to put yourself out there. Honestly, I don't know why you wouldn't email potential advisors. In my opinion, it was a great barometer. If they send you back a genuine response - excellent. You might be fortunate enough to start up a real dialogue with them - thus, sticking yourself firmly in their mind. If you get something non-commital, then no harm was done. After all - as has been mentioned - they are busy people. If you get nothing at all, well then they probably aren't the best advisors anyway. If they can't make time for an email, will they really make time for you long term?

You'll also find on these boards posts that provide a type of standard template for emailing a potential advisor. This can seem helpful at first because - as has also been noted - it feels slightly awkward emailing strangers. This template usually amounts to "Dear Professor ___, My name is ____ and I graduated from X University. I wrote my thesis on X and have a broad interest in X in which I know that you have a specific expertise. I am wondering if you are taking on students for the next academic year, etc etc." I would caution against sending this type of form email, as it just comes off as trite. If I had to read 20 of those within a short span of a few months, I would probably send a non-commital response too. By all means, be brief - but be detailed. Make sure your emails contain some substance. Try to actually read some of the professors work before you blindly email them so that you can demonstrate why they should care about your work and why you would be a good fit in their program.

I emailed at least one professor at all of my seven schools. I received encouraging, upbeat, and helpful replies from six of the seven. The most accommodating contacts were actually at top programs. Two were staggeringly helpful. They provided tips on the application process and gave me advice on other potential programs where my interests would be well-served. And these folks are famous and well-respected within my field. In the end, making contact early was extremely successful for me, and I would fully recommend doing it - but only if you do it right.

[Rustin]

I'm going to jump in really quick and advise that nobody should think of law school as a safety option. New grads from law school are facing a worse job market than a lot of humanities fields right now. I don't know why the idea of law school as a path to guaranteed success has persisted, but unless you go to one of the best law schools in the country, you are going to graduate with a mountain of debt and a useless degree.

I agree with this to an extent. The caveat is that it is much easier to get into a top law school than it is to get into a top 10 graduate program. It is also much more predictable: What is your GPA? What is your LSAT? The answer to those two questions can easily tell you the range of law schools you'll get into in a way that a GPA/GRE scores can't for graduate programs. Personal interests aside, I'd recommend going a top-20 law school over a middle of the road history PhD for employment and career options.

I should also add, my specific field is 20th century U.S. history with an emphasis on gender and race. The type of research and questions I am interested in could be approached from the vantage point of law school research and the law academy. So, considering law school for me made sense although I didn't ultimately apply.

[HistoryGrizzly]

I'd add, specifically for those just coming out of undergrad, versus those who just got an MA and are looking to get into a PhD program: look at mid-tier schools that offer an MA, rather than going for the whole shebang. I applied to 9 schools, all but one of them was a PhD program that did the whole combined MA/PhD thing. So far the best offer I've had has been from the one MA program I applied to. My advisor at my undergraduate institution is cautioning me that even if I do get into one of my two remaining schools, like Indiana, it might be a better idea to get the MA, then try the process again with my resume sufficiently boosted. He said that could be a great way of getting into one of those top tier programs the second time around. It's certainly something to think about, as you'd only be competing against other recently graduated undergrads rather than undergrads and people finishing up their Masters degrees.

If I could go back in time and give myself one piece of advice, it would be to have a much more even mix of the big programs, and a simple MA at a good university.

I'd also join others in cautioning against Law School. Last year's LSAT test-takers were the largest number ever, and last years' graduating law school class was the largest ever, at a time when companies and governments are severely cutting back on new hires for lawyers. It's the worst job market with the largest glut of lawyers in decades. Even a top-20 law school program isn't a guaranteed job, not unless you graduate top of your class, and you'll incur monumental debt doing it unless you get some sort of scholarship. Law school isn't the sure thing that it used to be. Furthermore, the average lawyer isn't paid nearly as much as most people think.

[North]

If I could go back in time and give myself one piece of advice, it would be to have a much more even mix of the big programs, and a simple MA at a good university.

I agree with this completely. I wish I would have looked at MA programs as a stepping stone instead of going all in.

[The Dudester]

Get it all done early. I got all of my applications in before the first deadline of all the programs. This way you aren't stringing along your apps over two months, and your letter writers can do it all at once. I felt like I saved a lot of time by getting them out of the way all at once.

[tapshoes]

My experience proved otherwise. Last year: I applied to seven schools, made little effort to contact professors at those programs, and received six rejections and one offer of admission without funding. This year: I applied to eleven schools, contacted professors at most programs, and was accepted to four programs with full funding, one without funding, wait-listed at another, and received only five rejections.

Like most aspects of the application process, I think there's no general rule of thumb to go by when it comes to contacting professors. For anyone thinking about it, though, I would only write to profs whose interests genuinely align with your own. You don't want to seem as if you're selling yourself (though, clearly, they know this is precisely what you're doing). Just be brief, express your interest in applying, and shoot a short question about their work that demonstrates how your interests overlap.

As Transnational notes, It's also not a bad idea to ask professors if they plan to take students during the year you are applying. There's no point in applying if your prof will be leaving, retiring, etc.

One more thing, and I think this is crucial. Ask your undergrad/MA advisors who they know at the schools where you plan to submit applications. It's a small world, and it may be that your thesis advisor knows some of the people you want to work with. Take advantage of your network! As long as you're thoughtful and not presumptuous in your email, I don't think it can hurt.

Forgot to mention this. I didn't either, except for one program where I wasn't which field was the best fit (African vs. Atlantic). Obviously I can't say if it hurt me for the schools that rejected me, but it didn't prevent me getting into two schools. I didn't stress about contacting professors based on a friend who is a current graduate student--they didn't contact any professors and got into Columbia, Princeton and Yale. I do think it makes sense to contact a professor to see if they are taking anyone in your field/ to make sure they are not planning on retiring/leaving, etc. But if you're just aiming for brownie points, I don't think it works that way.

As for the whole safety school issue, I wasn't saying people should not be reasonable in their expectations or apply to only top-ten schools. But it seems some people apply to schools they don't really want to attend. I think people should ask themselves before they apply whether they rather settle for a school they are not very excited about, or wait another year.

Lastly, current grad students are great resources. They are also busy, but are often better/more candid resources for information, including on how well the program prepares you for being a TA, etc.

[Iknownothing]

My experience proved otherwise. Last year: I applied to seven schools, made little effort to contact professors at those programs, and received six rejections and one offer of admission without funding. This year: I applied to eleven schools, contacted professors at most programs, and was accepted to four programs with full funding, one without funding, wait-listed at another, and received only five rejections.

Like most aspects of the application process, I think there's no general rule of thumb to go by when it comes to contacting professors. For anyone thinking about it, though, I would only write to profs whose interests genuinely align with your own. You don't want to seem as if you're selling yourself (though, clearly, they know this is precisely what you're doing). Just be brief, express your interest in applying, and shoot a short question about their work that demonstrates how your interests overlap.

As Transnational notes, It's also not a bad idea to ask professors if they plan to take students during the year you are applying. There's no point in applying if your prof will be leaving, retiring, etc.

One more thing, and I think this is crucial. Ask your undergrad/MA advisors who they know at the schools where you plan to submit applications. It's a small world, and it may be that your thesis advisor knows some of the people you want to work with. Take advantage of your network! As long as you're thoughtful and not presumptuous in your email, I don't think it can hurt.

GREAT point about networking. Many people do not want to admit it, but it is a small world in the history departments. 2 of the 4 schools I've been accepted to have professors who are friends/colleagues of professors I currently work under.

[historyhopeful]

I applied to 9 schools, and made sure to contact professors at each-- the primary advisor with whom I was interested in working, and any faculty members they mentioned who related to my interests. Ultimately, I was accepted to 6 of the schools to which I applied.

In my initial emails, I introduced myself, a bit about my background and my interests, and mentioned that I had read (if I had) something of theirs related to my field. I asked if they were accepting students, and if we could meet (I live in New York, and applied mostly to East Coast schools.) If they were too far, I asked if we could have a brief phone meeting.

Every professor but one responded (and this from the initial 15 schools I considered.) I was blown away at how responsive they were. I made campus visits to Columbia, Yale, Princeton, UPenn, CUNY, Rutgers and Yeshiva, and had phone meetings with Austin, OSU, Harvard, Stanford, Georgetown and UF. On campus visit days, I met with a number of profs in my field/related. My undergrad mentor contacted colleagues at a number of schools, which was an unexpected boon.

The process was incredibly time-consuming, but I feel strongly that it put me in a better position as an applicant. If a professor can match your face (or voice) to your application, you are no longer just a number. If he/she felt a connection during a meeting, even better. Your SOP gives you 2 pages to explain your background, interests, and where you see yourself fitting in in their program: isn't a 45-minute conversation a better forum to present this information? I was also able to winnow down my list to schools that had that elusive element-- "fit"-- and apply only to those. For example, the Harvard prof told me straight out that she was not terribly happy there, and that I should think twice about applying. At UPenn, where I am headed, my PA had is planning on retiring in a few years and therefore wanted to stop accepting students, but after our meeting he decided that I would be his last student because our interests are so similar and he likes where I see my research heading. It pretty much doesn't get better than that for a positive outcome of contacting profs.

Did contacting profs get me into schools? No. But did it contribute to my acceptances? I am certain of it. And for the schools that rejected me and those that I am declining, I now have contacts that can come in handy in the future. If I need an outside reader for my dissertation, I would feel far more comfortable asking one of them. If I run into someone at a conference, I have a reason to strike up a conversation. Ultimately, I feel that my effort paid off.

[Henry Hudson]

I would say DEFINITELY contact potential supervisors ahead of time - and nice and early. Start a dialogue long before the app process. Even if they're not taking on people, or even if they don't think they're the best-fit you may think, their recommendations can point you in the right direction. And who knows? you may hit it off. Come decision time, you have a key inside voice pulling for you - they want good people to work with, too - and reaching out well in advance shows you are on the ball.

I agree - don't be scared by listed tuition; go where the people are. A supervisor who is directly in your area, other faculty, and other campus resources - related interdisciplinary programs/institutes too. People are more important than school rankings (but there's nothing wrong with going for both). Size of grad programs are important, though - or else you're going to be the sole grad student in a class of upper-year undergrads, with no real grad peer interactions.

Keep editing your writing samples. Not every day of the year, of course; put it aside and look at it anew every month or two. You'll still find little things to tweak, to improve.

Project a clear sense of what you plan to do, and demonstrate you have a solid, feasible plan. Even if it changes, you want to show you can assemble a solid proposal - and show you have a solid idea of where you're going.

[sidiosquiere]

Get it all done early. I got all of my applications in before the first deadline of all the programs. This way you aren't stringing along your apps over two months, and your letter writers can do it all at once. I felt like I saved a lot of time by getting them out of the way all at once.

Yes, getting it done early will give you peace of mind. More importantly than that, though, doing stuff early helped make me make my application materials stronger, as I had much more to time to edit them and show them to my peers. This was especially true for the statement of purpose. I started my statement in June, and changed it so many times after show it to people. I finally had a copy I was happy with by late November, and I think that giving myself that time really helped. I also had some peers look over my writing sample for dumb mistakes or unclear points. They were able to catch things that I wasn't able to.

As for contacting professors, I think that it's not that necessary, unless you just want to know if the professor is expecting students. Other than that, I am now convinced that there is no real point. In fact, I'm certain that contacting a certain professor in July hurt my chances at admission because he seemed to be annoyed by my e-mail - of course I sort of pestered him, but still. But as a counter example, I contacted a professor at another school, who was very nice and enthusiastic about my application, but ultimately I did not get accepted at that school. I know that the issue here is not whether or not contacting a professor will get you in the door, but what I would say is that don't feel any pressure to do so. I only contacted professors after being on this website, so yeah.

What else ... If you think that you can qualify for application fee waivers because of your socioeconomic status or being an underrepresented minority, ask the university financial aid offices if they offer fee waivers. Also, the mid-west schools have this CIC program called FreeApp (http://www.cic.net/home/students/FreeApp/Introduction.aspx). This allowed some people I know apply to more schools than they would be able to afford otherwise. If you did McNair, as I did, though, then you're covered on that front already. If you didn't though, CIC is a good option for the Midwest schools.

Anyways, good luck to everyone next year ...

[cyborges]

I think this thread is a great idea, particularly since we've all taken different paths to graduate school and have had unique application experiences.

I actually did not contact professors before I applied. I know a lot of people recommend it, and it may be a good thing for some, but my professors recommended against it. Ultimately at competitive programs, at least a couple things are true: Professors are incredibly busy and they only get to admit a very few number of applicants. So, responding to lots of e-mails ahead of time isn't their favorite thing to do, especially since it is difficult in an e-mail to tell a competitive potential graduate student from a time-waster. Its also kind of awkward. If you're really that curious, I think contacting the graduate coordinator may be a better place to start. Obviously once you are admitted, that changes. Many will disagree with me, but that is my experience.

Start early on your personal statements and solicit feedback from as many academics as possible. Don't be afraid to scrap entire drafts. For me, applying to fellowships in my junior and early parts of my senior year helped me refine my statements a lot so that by the time I applied to graduate schools, I only had to make minor tweaks. The statements can be daunting though and the stakes are high since it often is a deciding factor in the application process. Avoid cliches and trite statements: Even if it is true you've wanted to study history since you were 8 years old, saying so in your application makes potential advisors think you have little idea what really goes into being an historian. Have compelling reasons for your interests and articulate them clearly. Don't be afraid to ask questions in your statements. Always include specifics about who you want to work with, how your research interests interact, and how you'd be a good fit for the program.

I ABSOLUTELY cannot believe that nobody here as mentioned the importance of the writing sample to drive home that you are qualified to begin graduate work. With the Statement of Purpose and letters of recommendation, these are things that will be read and understood by all faculty on the admissions committee -- it doesn't matter what field you're in, everyone knows a terrible writing sample when they see one. Your needs to be, to quote Harvard's website, "A writing sample of exceptional quality" and, as a UChicago person advised me, show that you know how to work with primary sources, if not be based on primary sources entirely. This means you don't need to make an original contribution, but your writing sample should show that

A: you know how to use and access an archive, or closely read primary sources at the very least

B: you can construct a thesis, and ask historical questions that are both applicable to the paper internally and to the field that you propose to enter. If you don't know what questions 19th century American intellectual history is asking in the first place, you'll never get into a respectable program with a SOP detailing your interest in that.

C: you can write elegantly, intelligently, while demonstrating that your prose isn't over-wrought

D: that you have a good academic track record that can goes beyond what grades and recommendations can say. They can judge who you think you are as an historian through the writing sample better than anything else.

In sum, while contacting professors can potentially reveal mentors (who will help you beyond just their own program and whom you might as well be connected to anyway if you propose to be a historian of x or y field), the writing sample and the statement of purpose are the two factors you can control that admissions committees look at in detail. The other important thing are letters, obviously, but can only guess at what they'll say.

In sum: Don't get lazy with your writing sample. It's more important and time consuming than contacting people, researching programs, reading professor's books (probably unnecessary for applying, and definitely gauche to mention in a SOP). Spend all your time on the SOP of the sample, and you will convey your ability to think deeply about a potential project (SOP) and a past one (Writing Sample).

Edited March 15, 2011 by cyborges

[TransnationalHistory]

Yes, getting it done early will give you peace of mind. More importantly than that, though, doing stuff early helped make me make my application materials stronger, as I had much more to time to edit them and show them to my peers. This was especially true for the statement of purpose. I started my statement in June, and changed it so many times after show it to people.

Yes, just want to affirm that writing the SOP early is key. Not only to get it right, but also I found that writing my first SOP before I even knew all the programs I was going to apply to really helped me figure out which program, and which type of program, was right for me. Especially if you've been away from academia for awhile, writing the SOP will refresh/direct your focus.

Also, this is a bit of advice a professor who has served on admission boards told me: the most important paragraph of the SOP is the first paragraph. Reading over applications is tiresome work, and tired minds need something that grabs them right away. Maybe you'll get lucky and be the first application read that day, but you can't count on it. He advised me to lead with the aspect of my background that was the most unique, even if not directly related to academic research. Like he said, almost everyone applying to top-programs writes a senior thesis. Figure out what you have that not everyone does (language, work experience, etc.) and then go into your specific academic interests.

Another brief note: Talking to a faculty member at Michigan, I was specifically told was considered to be the strong and weak parts of my application. They basically told me that I got in because they liked my writing sample/SOP, but that I was comparatively weak to other applicants because I've never traveled to my region of focus. I was sorta surprised by this (just since I assume most people in college or 20 somethings paying off college loans can't afford to travel much--I know I couldn't), but I understand their point. So if you are anyone besides an Americanist, try to travel if you can this summer. Not only will it perhaps give you a chance to work on a language, but it will show that much more dedication.

[tapshoes]

This is an excellent point. Getting into schools is tough, but it's only the short game! Which is another reason not to get too worked up over rejections, which are inevitable no matter how great you look on paper.

Did contacting profs get me into schools? No. But did it contribute to my acceptances? I am certain of it. And for the schools that rejected me and those that I am declining, I now have contacts that can come in handy in the future. If I need an outside reader for my dissertation, I would feel far more comfortable asking one of them. If I run into someone at a conference, I have a reason to strike up a conversation. Ultimately, I feel that my effort paid off.

[tapshoes]

Another way to look at it, though, is that there is still some value in the exchange you had with the prof who was annoyed by your email...would you really want to work with someone who is annoyed by an email from a potential student?

Everyone on the boards will say the same thing, and I think it's absolutely true: the admissions process is a crap shoot. No two people will employ the same strategies and come out with the same results. Give a lot of time and careful thought to what's in your control (writing sample, personal statement, GRE, who you choose for recs, and yes, getting in touch with profs if you choose to do so), leave the rest to chance, and keep your head up!

Yes, getting it done early will give you peace of mind. More importantly than that, though, doing stuff early helped make me make my application materials stronger, as I had much more to time to edit them and show them to my peers. This was especially true for the statement of purpose. I started my statement in June, and changed it so many times after show it to people. I finally had a copy I was happy with by late November, and I think that giving myself that time really helped. I also had some peers look over my writing sample for dumb mistakes or unclear points. They were able to catch things that I wasn't able to.

As for contacting professors, I think that it's not that necessary, unless you just want to know if the professor is expecting students. Other than that, I am now convinced that there is no real point. In fact, I'm certain that contacting a certain professor in July hurt my chances at admission because he seemed to be annoyed by my e-mail - of course I sort of pestered him, but still. But as a counter example, I contacted a professor at another school, who was very nice and enthusiastic about my application, but ultimately I did not get accepted at that school. I know that the issue here is not whether or not contacting a professor will get you in the door, but what I would say is that don't feel any pressure to do so. I only contacted professors after being on this website, so yeah.

What else ... If you think that you can qualify for application fee waivers because of your socioeconomic status or being an underrepresented minority, ask the university financial aid offices if they offer fee waivers. Also, the mid-west schools have this CIC program called FreeApp (http://www.cic.net/h...troduction.aspx). This allowed some people I know apply to more schools than they would be able to afford otherwise. If you did McNair, as I did, though, then you're covered on that front already. If you didn't though, CIC is a good option for the Midwest schools.

Anyways, good luck to everyone next year ...

[marycameron]

I've been secretly lurking on gradcafe for about a month and have never posted anything, but I thought that this topic would be a good place to start, since all of these posts have really helped me through the process of waiting for results without going crazy!

One thing that really helped me when starting the application process was to solicit help from my MA and undergrad advisors. My MA advisor gave me some good, straightforward advice - take some time to try and present your work at conferences. This was extremely helpful for me. I’ve been out of my MA program for about two years now, and have been working in the nonprofit world. Getting parts of my MA thesis ready to first apply to conferences and then to actually present at a conference put me right back into academia and really allowed me to familiarize myself with my research again, as well as really think about what I wanted to pursue for my PhD work. When I actually presented my work I was pleasantly surprised by the responses I got from people, which boosted my confidence and made me ready to put all of myself into the application process. Plus it gave me time to hone my paper into a suitable writing sample for applications. My thesis had already undergone LOTS of revisions, but cutting it down to presentation size and getting feedback from people at the conference made it stronger.

I would recommend emailing professors that you’d like to work with at PhD programs. Although I agree that it isn’t truly necessary, I think the responses I got back from professors really gave me a good feel for the programs I was applying to. I got several enthusiastic replies, plus several professors gave me names of graduate students to contact. I would definitely not recommend sending out a form letter, but it can’t hurt to show the professors that you have read their work and have thought about how it corresponds with your own research. Most professors emailed me right back. One told me that she was retiring the next year, which gave me a heads up for my SOP, so I didn’t wax on about how I wanted to work with someone who wasn’t even going to be there when I arrived.

My last piece of advice isn’t suited to everyone but I wish that I would have heard it back when I was an undergrad: take your time! I applied to one MA program and got accepted right out of undergrad. Grad school is really hard. It was a total shock to my system. And it did take me a semester or two to really get into the program, to find a good rhythm and to bond with my peers and establish good relationships with my professors. In the end I think it was a great choice for me, because I really found an area of research that I love, and I made some great connections. But I definitely went through phases of feeling completely disillusioned with academia.

Now, after going through the PhD application process and deciding where I’m going next year I am really happy I decided to do the MA first. I was able to find a thread of research that I wanted to pursue, and able to write an MA thesis which is more polished and well-researched than anything I ever wrote as an undergrad. In addition, working outside of academia for two years after my MA has made me a more well-rounded person and really gave me the time to make a thought-out decision about what I want to do for my career. I know that everyone is different, but speaking from my own personal experiences, both my MA and the time I took to work after I graduated helped me to come to an informed decision. A PhD takes a long time and is a lot of work! I wanted to be sure that I really really wanted it.

Good luck to everyone applying next year!

Edited March 16, 2011 by marycameron

[Gelpfrat the Bold]

Be professional, not cute, in your statement of purpose. And get in close contact with professors, or at least try to show them early on that you're interested. If they're excited about your application it can help you out, plus they might give you good advice for your application, funding to apply for, etc.

[Riotbeard]

I don't think contacting professors in advance will impact whether you are admitted at all. They are going to accept the preferred applicants whether they contact or not. If it gives you piece of mind or provides you with info about a potential adviser go for it. It can let you know whether it is worth applying. One person I contacted during my first application try told me they weren't accepting students in my field that year. I only got one unfunded offer that go around. In my experience it doesn't matter. Last year, I applied to a bunch of schools and got offer from about half and did not contact any potential advisers.

[sidiosquiere]

I don't think contacting professors in advance will impact whether you are admitted at all. They are going to accept the preferred applicants whether they contact or not. If it gives you piece of mind or provides you with info about a potential adviser go for it. It can let you know whether it is worth applying. One person I contacted during my first application try told me they weren't accepting students in my field that year. I only got one unfunded offer that go around. In my experience it doesn't matter. Last year, I applied to a bunch of schools and got offer from about half and did not contact any potential advisers.

When it came down to picking the school you were going to go to, was it difficult? Where any of the potential adivsors at the other schools upset with your decision?