Fall 2012 Applicant Chit Chat

[crazedandinfused]

To manage your risk, consider the utility of doing some research on how often he's cited by other historians. If he's well published and his works are neglected, that could be a signal of a 'back story.' If the opposite is true, he could be an example of a hidden treasure.

Also, see if you can find the types of conferences at which he has made presentations. If those conferences are policy oriented and/or interdisciplinary in nature, there could be additional angles to consider. (For example, a historian who works for .GOV.)

Great advice!! He's not very well cited, so the "hidden treasure" hypothesis is what I'm going with... He had to go to court in order to get the FBI to release files he needed for his dissertation (labor history), so I don't think he works for the government. Maybe, and this just occurred to me, he's an adjunct simply because labor history is not that hip anymore and his department is already VERY well represented in that field. So, I'm gonna ask him.

Now, i just have to decline a letter from someone else. That'll be fun.

[Sigaba]

Great advice!! He's not very well cited, so the "hidden treasure" hypothesis is what I'm going with... He had to go to court in order to get the FBI to release files he needed for his dissertation (labor history), so I don't think he works for the government. Maybe, and this just occurred to me, he's an adjunct simply because labor history is not that hip anymore and his department is already VERY well represented in that field. So, I'm gonna ask him.

Now, i just have to decline a letter from someone else. That'll be fun.

Crazed--

As your guy is a labor historian, more digging might be in order. There's a deepening rift between social historians and cultural historians. This rift is in addition to the debates over the relative merits of labor history and working class history. If your guy is a two time 'casualty' of these debates (that is, his approach to history has been on the short end of the stick twice) and you're applying to departments that emphasize cultural history, you might--repeat might--want to manage your risk.

Hey, things could be worse. You could be a naval historian . (But I'm not bitter. )

Goodness gracious. I've become "that guy" who uses emoticons.

[sandyvanb]

I am starting to reach the point of a nervous breakdown... The December 1 deadline is looming, I am still refining my SoP, I have a bunch of profs reading my writing samples... Each application is so complicated, I feel ill. On top of the apps, I am drowning in paper, my students aren't going to get anything back from me for weeks. I am also trying to figure out how to get all of my content in by the end of the semester. Pressure is on...

[Sigaba]

I am starting to reach the point of a nervous breakdown... The December 1 deadline is looming, I am still refining my SoP, I have a bunch of profs reading my writing samples... Each application is so complicated, I feel ill. On top of the apps, I am drowning in paper, my students aren't going to get anything back from me for weeks. I am also trying to figure out how to get all of my content in by the end of the semester. Pressure is on...

sandyvanb--

Do not to freak out. You can accomplish all of the tasks before you by 1 December. Believe in yourself. Believe in your proven ability to work intelligently, quickly, and efficiently.

Rather than looking at all of your tasks as a mountain you need to move, visualize them as a collection of boulders and smaller rocks. Figure out which rocks and boulders need to be moved right away, and what can wait for a bit. Also, figure out if there are any rocks that you can pull that will make moving the boulders easier.

Consider the utility of conceptualizing each task--no matter how large or small--as a collection of five to nine elements. (7±2 is a 'magic number' of sorts in educational cognitive psychology.) Treat those elements as the 'to do' list for each task.

Remember the value of getting rest when you need it. Some sleep is better than no sleep at all.

Remember that your students are counting on you. Historians have many responsibilities. None are more important than the undergraduates we've been tasked to educate. If you need to stream line processes, by all means do so, but do not skimp on the intensity of your efforts on their behalf.

FWIW, here are some methods that helped me through a trying stretch when I had some grading to do while also preparing for a conference.

Tip One. Use notations and triage to grade assignments.

• Create a list of notations for the basic types pitfalls and accomplishments that undergraduates exhibit on graded assignments. Examples include:
  
  • Misspelled word
    
  • Word choice
    
  • Wrong verb tense
    
  • Clunky logic
    
  • Well made point
    
  • And so forth.
    
    • Then, rather than blue penciling an essay or a blue book, use those notations.
      
    • After you've gone through an assignment, glance at the notations and organize your comments and feedback around them.
      
      • "You presented a coherent argument about [yada yada yada] but your effort was marred by too many spelling errors. . . ."
        
      • Apply a type of "triage" to a batch of assignments that you're evaluating.
        
        • IME, the hardest assignments to grade are those that receive a B+, a B-, a C+ or a C-.
          
          • The difficulty stems from having to explain why a student has earned a grade and not one a notch higher.
            
          • When you get the sense that you're dealing with an assignment that falls on a threshold, put it aside.
            
          • Finish grading first those efforts that clearly fall into the A, A-, B, C, and D ranges.
            
            • Use those assignments, and your feedback on them, to inform your evaluation of the threshold papers/blue books.
              
              

          Tip Two. Offer additional office hours to provide feedback and cut down on grousing.

          [*]If you find that you're not going to offer as much feedback as you like and/or you anticipate a lot of grousing over grades, schedule additional office hours that favor you. (I liked seven am on Mondays and Fridays. But don't forget six pm Friday afternoon.)

          [*]Such scheduling will cut down on a lot of grousing and you can use the time to take care of some smaller rocks or maybe to bolt down some food.

          [*]Make sure to schedule slightly more convenient hours as well, especially if you've got mandatory office hours.

          Tip Three. Do not freak out.

          [*]Keep a sense of humor at all times.

          [*]Be either cheerful or morose. (But not both, that's just weird.)

          [*]Find something to laugh about. (But not hysterically--people will look upon you with great sadness.)

          [*]Do not have a laugh at the expense of your students. (Undergraduates can perceive anything that resembles contempt. They really can.)

          [*]Keep a sense of perspective.

          [*]Understand that you're going to get through this tough stretch.

          [*]Understand that there are others who are going through even more difficult times.

          [*]Keep in mind that there will be a light at the end of the tunnel.

          [*]Understand that the light may be the tunnel's end.

          [*]Understand that the light may be another train.

          [*]Understand that the light may be a gorilla with a flashlight riding a bicycle.

          [*]Understand that, in the not too distant future (probably when qualifying exams are approaching) when you'll harken back to this stretch as easy.

          HTH.

Edited November 9, 2011 by Sigaba

[sandyvanb]

I need some guidance... I have gotten amazing feedback from my PIO emails. Everyone I've written loves my research and they are taking students next year, but I have no idea what to write them back! I'm not sure what questions I should be asking about their programs. Suggestions? TIA!

[sandyvanb]

Sigaba, I meant to thank you for the advice. It really helped me. I did tell my students today that it would be at least two weeks before they got things back from me. If I get done sooner, good for them. Now I just need to clean up my SoP (meeting with a prof tomorrow who told me it needs a lot of work), and get my writing samples back from my readers so I can complete my apps!

[Sigaba]

I need some guidance... I have gotten amazing feedback from my PIO emails. Everyone I've written loves my research and they are taking students next year, but I have no idea what to write them back! I'm not sure what questions I should be asking about their programs. Suggestions? TIA!

sandyvanb--

Congratulations on the positive feedback you've received! (FWIW, I am not surprised.)

My recommendations follow. Print out all of the positive emails. Then put them aside for a few moments. Enjoy the moment.

Then, in a few hours, if not tomorrow, go back and reread each printed out letter very carefully. Read between the lines and see if you're being told that you're going to be admitted. (In my experience, this message can get "lost in translation.") Sort the email into categories based upon the "between the lines" message.

Then, tailor your replies based upon the presence of such messages and your desire to attend a particular school. If you think your dream school is going to admit you on the say so of a PoI, write a note that returns the unspoken wink. If you think your chances are in the fifty fifty range, send a reply that expresses thanks to the PoI and your unvoiced hope that she'll use her 'good offices' to put the word in for you, and all without sounding too "needy." Think thrice before you gush.

In dealing with these two possible categories, I would not ask too many questions in my reply. You want to convey that you've got enough savvy to figure things out on your own. (If such is not the case, develop questions and find answers using alternate means.)

If you're on the bubble with a certain school, thank the PoI for her expression of interest and ask a really smart question that says "I am the one you want. Do the sensible thing and exert your influence with the admissions committee--you won't regret it."

In each type of reply, phrasing will be key. You will want to show that you know how participate in this multifaceted ritual. If you're unsure, go to the library and find a published volume of correspondence--preferably one related directly to your field of interest--for ideas. Or consult with more senior members of your department.

[lexi87]

sandyvanb--

Congratulations on the positive feedback you've received! (FWIW, I am not surprised.)

My recommendations follow. Print out all of the positive emails. Then put them aside for a few moments. Enjoy the moment.

Then, in a few hours, if not tomorrow, go back and reread each printed out letter very carefully. Read between the lines and see if you're being told that you're going to be admitted. (In my experience, this message can get "lost in translation.") Sort the email into categories based upon the "between the lines" message.

Then, tailor your replies based upon the presence of such messages and your desire to attend a particular school. If you think your dream school is going to admit you on the say so of a PoI, write a note that returns the unspoken wink. If you think your chances are in the fifty fifty range, send a reply that expresses thanks to the PoI and your unvoiced hope that she'll use her 'good offices' to put the word in for you, and all without sounding too "needy." Think thrice before you gush.

In dealing with these two possible categories, I would not ask too many questions in my reply. You want to convey that you've got enough savvy to figure things out on your own. (If such is not the case, develop questions and find answers using alternate means.)

If you're on the bubble with a certain school, thank the PoI for her expression of interest and ask a really smart question that says "I am the one you want. Do the sensible thing and exert your influence with the admissions committee--you won't regret it."

In each type of reply, phrasing will be key. You will want to show that you know how participate in this multifaceted ritual. If you're unsure, go to the library and find a published volume of correspondence--preferably one related directly to your field of interest--for ideas. Or consult with more senior members of your department.

What would you consider a professor telling you that you'll be admitted? I'm having trouble reading between the lines of the email responses I've received. "You'd be a terrific fit"? "I will be reading your application with especial interest"? One of those lines plus asking for a writing sample or subsequently talking on the phone for an hour?

[sandyvanb]

Thanks again Sigaba. I don't count on being admitted to any schools based on these correspondence, but it reinforces that my research is on the right track. I am well aware of the politics of PhD admissions, and luckily my current position has allowed senior faculty members who have served on PhD app committees at other schools to guide me in this process. I am basically going to write back asking about research funding and things along those lines. One of my POI is my mentor's mentor, and I am also writing a portion of a panel conference proposal with both of them. There really are no sure things with this process...

[Sigaba]

What would you consider a professor telling you that you'll be admitted? I'm having trouble reading between the lines of the email responses I've received. "You'd be a terrific fit"? "I will be reading your application with especial interest"? One of those lines plus asking for a writing sample or subsequently talking on the phone for an hour?

lexi87--

In one hand, I'd hold a print out of the email in question. In the other, I'd have copies of some of the short book reviews the POI had written. I'd triangulate the email with the POI's most favorable and most unfavorable reviews. (The question I'd be trying to answer would be: Is the POI a straight shooter when it comes to offering criticism and praise, or does she damn with faint praise?)

Alternately, I'd find a newly minted Ph.D. whose dissertation the POI had supervised and make a phone call.

In any case, I would take as positive signs a phone conversation that went long--especially if the POI did a lot of listening, laughing, and asked a question like "Where else are you applying?" or "What do you think about...?". I would also interpret a request for a writing sample as a good sign.

[simone von c]

In my experience, contacting a professor of interest is fine, although not necessary if your application and letters are strong. Unless s/he asks additional questions, a simple "thank you for your kind response" is sufficient, and wise.

Edited November 10, 2011 by simone von c

[sandyvanb]

I just got my SoP back from another prof I respect... He tore it to shreds, and I agree with his feedback. *sigh* December 1 is coming way too fast...

[iamincontrolhere-haig]

4 of 10 applications signed, sealed, and delivered! (Somehow, that phrase loses a bit of "oomph" in the digital age.)

Just in time to sit down with a beer and watch UNC-Michigan State!

[natsteel]

There really are no sure things with this process...

This is so true. I got rejected by places where my POI was far more enthusiastic than at some of the places I was accepted. No email from a professor in November can tell you (even reading between the lines) if you're "going to be admitted," if, not only, because of all the unanticipated politics which can arise with adcomms. Positive responses from POIs are a great boost to your "application ego" and can help you feel more confident for the rest of the process, but in all but rare cases are they anything even intimating or approaching an offer of admission.

I had a number of similarly enthusiastic initial responses from POIs. Two put out the possibility of a phone call (which I did) and one or two strongly suggested I visit the department (which I didn't). Did they leave any kind of opening in the email for further communication, i.e., phone call, visit, or even just a "if I can be of any help...." If so, then take advantage of that. However, if you're writing back with questions, be extra careful not to ask anything that you might easily find on the department or school website. Questions I asked generally had to do with job placement (not all schools post this info), the POI's current research, how many students they had (especially ABD), the culture of the department, etc.... The easiest icebreaker with any history professor is "What are you working on?" or "Tell me about your current research...."

In the cases where they did not leave a clear opening in their response for further communication, I just sent a final email after the deadline to let them know that I did apply to their program and that I looked forward to a decision.

Edited November 12, 2011 by natsteel

[TMP]

No email from a professor in November can tell you (even reading between the lines) if you're "going to be admitted," if, not only, because of all the unanticipated politics which can arise with adcomms.

The easiest icebreaker with any history professor is "What are you working on?" or "Tell me about your current research...."

So, so, so true. I swear that's why I got waitlisted twice at my top choice. Politics. My POIs profusely apologized that they couldn't fight hard enough and urged me to keep trying. Yes, when I heard I got waitlisted, I went back to them and said, "REALLY?! This program waitlisted me again?!?!?!" (okay, in a calmer tone )

As for the second part, be careful. Make sure you check the site or with professors before you ask them those questions. You're going to want to show that you're aware at least of what they're doing. I would just follow up with a question like "So, I understand that you're working on X and Y. Where are you going with this? What have you found? What is going to be your argument?" It's a great way to get them engaging when you're showing interest in their work like that because you're getting them thinking about you as a future RA/colleague (and you're helping them stay productive in their research because they're actively thinking about it when answering your questions). I think some of my best conversations came from this approach. Unless the professor has a reputation of having a huge ego, they should be open to your questioning, suggestions or/and constructive criticism.

[goldielocks]

I just got my final scores for the new GRE and UGHGHGHGHGHGHGGH!

I am disappointed, to say the least. My AW score went down from when I took the old exam (two years ago), my quantitative stayed mediocre, and my verbal went up and remains the only remarkable one of my scores.

Going to the gym to burn off some rage. It's out of my hands at this point.

[crazedandinfused]

I just got my final scores for the new GRE and UGHGHGHGHGHGHGGH!

I am disappointed, to say the least. My AW score went down from when I took the old exam (two years ago), my quantitative stayed mediocre, and my verbal went up and remains the only remarkable one of my scores.

Going to the gym to burn off some rage. It's out of my hands at this point.

yeah, it's very strange how my AW score stayed exactly the same. I've DEFINITELY become a better writer after two years of grad school. I guess I'll never be able to help Overton, Kansas figure out how to make its garbage collection program more efficient by sending out flyers aimed at gauging customer response time, blah, blah, blah................My verbals jumped 14 percentile points, but my math scores are at the 50th percentile (which is actually an improvement from the last time I took the test). I should probably go to the gym as well, but i'll probably just eat a beignet.

[Hopin'-n-Prayin']

Does anyone have any tips for scanning transcripts into readable but small-file-size PDFs? My undergrad institution (for whatever reason) doesn't offer e-transcripts, and I've been fiddling around/reading instructions online all night. Nothing is working quite right. I've tried reducing the PDF size during save (too blurry), reducing the image size before converting to PDF, converting to grayscale, etc.

I ordered unofficial transcripts and took them to Office Depot, where they made full color, hi-res, single-document-but-multi-page, pdfs. Cost about $5 for five transcripts (about 15 pages). They saved them right to my flash-drive and I uploaded them to the website applications...

[goldielocks]

How's everyone doing?

This morning, it hit me that Berkeley asks for 10 page writing sample. Somehow it didn't register before, that I will need to cut down my sample for that application. Or maybe I'll just send a conference paper. But goodness gracious, ten pages. Brevity is my biggest challenge, in general, when I'm writing. Yikes.

[sandyvanb]

I'm finishing up a few things for the December 1 deadlines. I did start all of my apps, but my SoP is in the last stage of revision. I'm scanning my transcripts and my thesis today.

The University of Pennslyvania will only take ten pages too, I cobbled together ten pages from my thesis.

[maeisenb]

How's everyone doing?

This morning, it hit me that Berkeley asks for 10 page writing sample. Somehow it didn't register before, that I will need to cut down my sample for that application. Or maybe I'll just send a conference paper. But goodness gracious, ten pages. Brevity is my biggest challenge, in general, when I'm writing. Yikes.

Well technically it could be more like 15 since it can be 1.5 spaced.

[goldielocks]

Maeisenb — thank you! Hadn't realized this. Phew.

Sandy - Congrats on the progress!

[Sigaba]

How's everyone doing?

This morning, it hit me that Berkeley asks for 10 page writing sample. Somehow it didn't register before, that I will need to cut down my sample for that application. Or maybe I'll just send a conference paper. But goodness gracious, ten pages. Brevity is my biggest challenge, in general, when I'm writing. Yikes.

Goldie--

This post << may be of use to you.

[sandyvanb]

I scanned my transcripts and my whole thesis, and when I pulled up my thesis the whole thing is crooked! I'm going to have to do it all over again on Monday... At least it is an easy process, our department has a copier that scans the doc and emails it to my account. I just wanted to have it all done...

[Sigaba]

politics

Politics.

This word may account for the different experiences among members of this BB who are studying history. IME, an emphasis on learning and skill development have helped me--as well as those undergraduates whom I've advised--to navigate the application process much more than a focus on politics. This is not to say that politics do not matter, they do.

But I think focusing on politics may lead a "this is a crap shoot" mentality. This frame of mind comes at the expense of developing approaches that enable applicants to understand other dimensions of the process. Most notably, the benefits of approaching the process with an air of confidence.

My $0.02.