My chance of being admitted?

[oryantin]

Hi all, I've been following the history forum for nearly a year. I am an international applicant (Turkish) considering of applying to the PhD programs in the United States. I felt a need to start this thread because I am curious about my chance of being admitted. I think what I will be recommended here will help me prepare a more realistic list.

I graduated from a good ranked Turkish school with a major in Economics (3.1 GPA) and a minor in Sociology (3.2). I should emphasize that I took some history courses when I was undergraduate. Then, I have been admitted to the MA program in History at one of the best ranked schools in Turkey where I focused in early modern Ottoman religious and intellectual history and did very well in terms of GPA (3.97). In this program, I found an oppurtunity to take European, American and Byzantine history courses as well. In broad terms, I am interested in history of Sufism and its practice in the Ottomans. In case of acceptance, I will write my doctoral dissertation on the role played by a branch of Halveti order of Sufism.

Apart from being fluent in three languages (Turkish (both Ottoman and modern), English and German), I speak some Arabic too which I certainly must improve in near future. Two great Profs want to write me reference but I still am not sure who will be the third one. I have a good paper that has a chance of being published in a graduate journal soon. I have participated in two history summer schools abroad and these helped me a lot.

I took TOEFL exam and got a 103 and plan to take GRE in late August. My statement of purpose is not ready but coming soon.

Some of the schools below include a Professor in my field but some don't but only one in Islamic or Ottoman history.

Here is the schools I am planning to apply to:

Yale University

Harvard University

University of Chicago

University of Michigan

University of Texas at Austion

New York University

Ohio State University

Washington University in St. Louis (looks like the best fit)

McGill University

Texas A&M University

City University of New York

Thanks in advance.

[TMP]

I totally suggest that you look up "A Piece of Bread," another Turkish applicant. His profile was quite similar to yours. Look for his posts from this past application season for some input. He turned out just fine- attending a top 5 PhD program. You may want to try emailing him (look in here http://forum.thegradcafe.com/user/3045-a-piece-of-bread/).