Questions - please help

[Simple Twist of Fate]

Hello

I'm planning on applying to history phd programs in the fall. I have several questions, and would be very grateful if anyone who knows more about these things could take the time to answer any of them.

1. I took the GRE recently and received a 780 Verbal, 650 Quant. I know that these are good scores, and I studied very hard to get them. However, some of the posts here indicate that it doesn't really matter, as long as I didn't bomb it. Is that true? I know that other facts are generally more important, but does an impressive GRE mean nothing? I also have a 3.92 GPA (3.95 history) but is that really so unimportant? Reading some of the posts here makes me wish I hadn't studied as hard the past three years.

2. I've been looking at Prof bios on the websites of the grad schools I'm interested in. My field of interest is 19th century American social/intellectual history. However, I'm less interested in popular topics like race, gender and sexuality, and more in labor, religion and political movements. Is it still worth contacting a professor or mentioning them in my SOP if they share a broad field of interest, but not the exact same research specialty? I suspect that this may be a bigger problem for American historians, where it's so specialized and fragmented. Am I only likely to stand out to a professor if my interests are the same as his/hers?

3. When is the best time to attempt to contact faculty?

[a piece of bread]

Hi Morgan,

I think when we are talking about that GRE matters a little we mean in case you get a low GRE it does not kill all your chance. Similarly, a low GPA alone does not make you out of the competition. However, your high scores and grades of course will impress the admission committee.

I skip the second question because I am not an Americanist. As for your third question, everybody says that you better should contact Professors by early September so that they can recall your name when they see it. If you start sending e-mails today, you will probably receive many "away from..." type e-mails. As you know, almost all prospective students contact Professors. What is critical here is how they approach you and what you told them. So just try to impress them!

Best.

Edited July 5, 2011 by a piece of bread

[borderlands]

1. Regarding standardized testing, as well as for inquiries/concerns about the GPA--you will be competing from the best of the best--thus it is a given that test scores and grades are high. Of course, not one single factor is a "make or break" but it's the whole package that seals the deal (that includes funding discresions as well). Personally, I would place a much greater emphasis on the quality of the writing sample, particularly for historians more than any of the two factors aforementioned.

2. I would question your statement that race, gender, and sexuality is "more popular" than labor, religion and political movements. To be sure, there has been and continues to grow an interest in these latter topics. Your question about faculty "fit" is an important concern but it varies from one graduate history program to another. At UC Berkeley applicants are admitted without having a direct advisor, the strongest applicants of each field is admitted, although faculty must show some interest in possibly working with you. At the U of Michigan there must be a faculty member who is interested in working with you and whom the selection committee agrees with for one to be admitted. More to the grain, it is important for one to draw connections in the statement of purpose between your writing sample and research interest to a couple of faculty members (preferably tenured) current research interests and projects. The clearer that you draw these lines, not just with one professor's work and interests but at least two or three, then the greater of a chance of you being admitted.

3. The last commentator gave a good answer.

Best of luck!

[Sigaba]

1. What about your LORs, your writing samples (thesis and honors thesis), and SOP?
   
2. MOO, what will make you stand out is your view that the focus on race, gender, and sexuality is a function of popularity (rather than genuine and legitimate intellectual interest) and that you want to focus on labor history (rather than working class history). Make no mistake, many strong arguments can be made to support the viability of your interests. However, framing those interests as being oppositional to what you think is 'popular' may not be the best way for you to go. (There will be plenty of time to fight those fights after you get into grad school.)
   
3. As soon as possible. Give some thought to sending an actual letter rather than an email.
   

[Simple Twist of Fate]

Thanks for your responses.

[ZeeMore21]

Hey Morgan 18,

I actually am in Cultural Studies, but am grounded in History. Like borderlands said, I agree that you can't really make the argument that race, gender, and sexuality are somehow more popular than labor, religion, and political movements. You can't discount the fact that all of these subjects intersect to some extent, so it might not be helpful to create such hierarchies.For example, I specialize in African American cultural history as far as migration and labor are concerned...so there is definitely the overlapping of race and labor history.

I definitely would also stay away from the argument of another poster here that somehow scholars' study of race, gender, and sexuality is shallow and not genuine...that's a generalization and it is offensive.I would refrain from having a mindset such as that one, as there will be professors in your department that do take up issues of race, gender, and sexuality and research them in depth. You should be proud and passionate about what you study, but also see the value and weight of other academics' scholarship.

But again, given the overlapping of topics, you should be open to as many professors as possible.

Edited July 28, 2011 by ZeeMore21

[Simple Twist of Fate]

Sorry, I didn't mean to cause a stir with that comment. It was really just said offhand. I don't have statistics, but from looking at the schools I have been looking at, it was just an observation I had made, so it may be inaccurate.

[ZeeMore21]

Sorry, I didn't mean to cause a stir with that comment. It was really just said offhand. I don't have statistics, but from looking at the schools I have been looking at, it was just an observation I had made, so it may be inaccurate.

On no, Morgan18, you didn't cause any stir. I was simply giving an opinion that perhaps you might want to consider the overlapping of all of these subjects. You can definitely take what I am saying with a grain of start...I am in Cultural Studies, not History, so perhaps you are coming from a different methodology. I was just thinking that perhaps acknowledging overlap would make you a more well rounded scholar. Like I said before, you definitely don't have to concentrate fully on race, gender, and sexuality....but I don't see how you will be able to avoid entirely issues of identity, I'm thinking of the area of religion as an example.

As for the second half of my comment, I wasn't gearing that to you, but another poster here.

[goldielocks]

1. Your GRE scores will not make or break your application, but they will influence funding decisions. Standardized test scores are the only concrete data an institution can use to compare applicants across departments (i.e. a biochemist with an historian of French Literature). So your scores will definitely help you in that respect. They might also help in a situation where a decision comes down to you and one (or two) other applicants. But ultimately, you will need a stellar writing sample and enthusiastic recommendations.

2. Are you applying to PhD programs? Then yes, definitely contact faculty members. This is just standard procedure. IMO, you should do this for an MA program as well (I did). You need to be certain that your project would be well supported there. How could you possibly know that if you aren't sure that you have a potential advisor there? Also, I think that applicants tend to forget that they will need an entire committee, not just an advisor. So be sure to look into programs where you can see yourself fitting in (even generally) with at least three people, and then specifically with one person.

3. Contact the faculty when you have read up on their work. I know too many people who have contacted potential advisors haphazardly, before reading any of their work. This is really important; I'd encourage you to read something from each person you want to work with, even if it's just a journal article.