Fall 2012 Applicant Chit Chat

[uhohlemonster]

I just wanted to put a shout out to anyone who was admitted to The New School's History MA program. If you want any details about the professors/courses/environment, PM me - I went there for UG.

[phoenix12]

Anyone out there trying for the Georgetown/KCL MAGIC program?

Gee, that's fun to ask.

[Nordicllama]

Anyone planning on going to Georgia? If so, PM me por favor.

[oseirus]

Anyone out there trying for the Georgetown/KCL MAGIC program?

Gee, that's fun to ask.

I think someone in the Columbia/LSE thread had made a mention of this (if they are the similar programs that I'm thinking), maybe you can read through that and find said person?

[wkngtguy]

i applied to Georgetown/KCL. decisions aren't finalized until may.

[Simple Twist of Fate]

Finally got the rejection email from ND this morning. To be honest, I had almost forgotten I had applied there. My first reaction was "Why are Notre Dame emailing me?" Particularly weird for a school that gave out interviews (and thus presumably knew who they were rejecting outright) to wait this long.

Hope everyone has a great day.

[HistThrift]

So have you heard about funding from UMass (and you're waiting to hear from UMaine) or are you waiting to hear from UMass as well?

I only ask because I'm somewhere on the waiting list, so obviously if I get accepted I'll be pretty low on the funding priority, BUT I wasn't sure if they've already told their MA applicants who they accepted what type of funding they're in line for.

I haven't heard yet. I visited the school and, when asked, told them that funding was going to be a deciding factor. They told me I should have word about funding today, although they might be waiting a few days before sending out funding decisions to other admits.

@Meg22 -- The good news is that when you get bumped up to "accepted" you'll have guaranteed funding, right?

[TMP]

Nice post, Goldilocks. Let me develop my point.

In my experience, academic institutions benchmark themselves against "comparable" schools. The comparisons include everything from entering freshman SAT scores to faculty prestige, to parking fees. When a school or a department gets serious about moving ahead of comp schools (or taking its status to the next tier) few stones will be left unturned. As a recent example, last spring there was a thread here that might have been relevant to a specific program. I shared the information with a mentor associated with that program, and I was told--not asked--to get more information.

So if an applicant picks one institution or another because the selected institution has a superior IT infrastructure, a specific collection of papers on microfilm, or a greater commitment to the environment, or a different sensibility towards diversity or the environment, or increased opportunities for mentoring, a "rejected" department might decide to do something about such variables. However, these choices are difficult to make if a department does not receive thoughtful and informed feedback.

I should add that I had a VERY long conversation with my UW POI. We did discuss the admissions process for my subfield. I expressed my frustrations trying to find enough excellent programs to support my research interests in that subfield. He understood why I ended up applying to Wisconsin and it was... basically the only place I could apply to study in that particular area due to particularities in other programs that kept me from applying there. He realized that my opportunities were very limited. At another point, we did discuss OSU. He was trying to understand how it was possible for OSU, Stanford, etc to have a designated major field for our subfield and even though Wisconsin always had him and (now departed but soon to be replaced) a counterpart teaching that field, it just doesn't have that option. I think he understood that it's not about how many historians but rather just providing the opportunity for students to explore that area without being restricted geographically. I think I gave him very valuable feedback that he could use to help shape the department's future admissions process and the number of applications he could get.

It all really, really depends on your relationship with your POI and how much you two are willing to level with each other. I believe that in my case it was quite possible to do that because he's a genuinely nice, honest, caring man who is deeply committed to our field, and we're basically like a big family.... he really respected my network connections and who I considered my mentors. So might as well be upfront about how things really are.

I think this part and the whole conversation with my UW POI really unsettled me in a way that I really regret not taking up the opportunity to volunteer to give up my seat on the 2nd flight back home and ask for a second date.

Overall, my trip to UW was really... unexpected. The graduate students and the faculty were just absolutely wonderful. I felt a real sense of community there. And funding? The department really does work very hard to find funding for unfunded students who decide to accept the offer of admissions. It's just prior to accepting the offer that they won't help. And pretty much everyone finds funding.

Now I have to go OSU... and am feeling scared about it! Mainly that it won't meet all the expectations that I have...

[Meg22]

I haven't heard yet. I visited the school and, when asked, told them that funding was going to be a deciding factor. They told me I should have word about funding today, although they might be waiting a few days before sending out funding decisions to other admits.

@Meg22 -- The good news is that when you get bumped up to "accepted" you'll have guaranteed funding, right?

For PhD, yes they only have funded slots (I believe) so that's a good thing, although it probably also makes it attractive to the folks who are already accepted My hope is that some of them are city people, and they will see sleepy Amherst and the pioneer valley and realize that they can't possibly live there

[pugsley87]

Well, I am officially done. I emailed the wonderful people at Hopkins and told them I was going to UPenn (I have to admit I was dreading this moment, but they have all been supportive and kind). Took myself off the wait list at Chicago as well.

Good luck to everyone still waiting for decisions! I hope everyone gets to go where they want to!

[schlesinger1]

Well, I am officially done. I emailed the wonderful people at Hopkins and told them I was going to UPenn (I have to admit I was dreading this moment, but they have all been supportive and kind). Took myself off the wait list at Chicago as well.

Good luck to everyone still waiting for decisions! I hope everyone gets to go where they want to!

very, very happy about this

[wikichic]

Congrats Pugsley! I'm so happy for you!

[oseirus]

Well, I am officially done. I emailed the wonderful people at Hopkins and told them I was going to UPenn (I have to admit I was dreading this moment, but they have all been supportive and kind). Took myself off the wait list at Chicago as well.

Best of luck Pugs! May the odds forever be be in your favor!

[Sigaba]

Well, I am officially done. I emailed the wonderful people at Hopkins and told them I was going to UPenn (I have to admit I was dreading this moment, but they have all been supportive and kind). Took myself off the wait list at Chicago as well.

Good luck to everyone still waiting for decisions! I hope everyone gets to go where they want to!

Congratulations, Pugsley87!

[owls]

Hi everyone! Hate to chime in after neglecting this thread for so long, but I am in a serious predicament in debating between schools (in my case, UCLA and Yale). I'm doing 19th century history, and want to get into public history on the side as well. If anyone would like to offer advice (or direct me somewhere to help with this!) I would so appreciate it. I have no idea what to do, even after an extensive pros and cons list!

Thanks all!

[oseirus]

Hi everyone! Hate to chime in after neglecting this thread for so long, but I am in a serious predicament in debating between schools (in my case, UCLA and Yale). I'm doing 19th century history, and want to get into public history on the side as well. If anyone would like to offer advice (or direct me somewhere to help with this!) I would so appreciate it. I have no idea what to do, even after an extensive pros and cons list!

Thanks all!

Well, firstly: welcome! Secondly: do you care to share some of that list with us?

[Sigaba]

Please do not miss the opportunity to contribute to the 2012 results thread, located The information may provide helpful to future applicants.

[TMP]

owisc- Yale. They're serious about developing opportunities to do public history, at least I've heard that the grad students are pushing for it. I don't know if UCLA can offer that.

[owls]

owisc- Yale. They're serious about developing opportunities to do public history, at least I've heard that the grad students are pushing for it. I don't know if UCLA can offer that.

Can you tell me a bit more about public history opportunities at Yale that you've heard of? I'm actually leaning toward UCLA because of public history-- they have a cluster of courses in public history, a professor who heads the Autry Museum of the American West, and really great link-ups with museums in the LA area, so I'd be able to get some seriously good experience.

As for pros and cons, I love Los Angeles, I had a wonderful time at UCLA when I visited, there's a wide array of professors I could work with (some of which are great fits for me), there are a lot of public history opportunities, and I really felt good about the department and the kind of work I could do. For Yale, the program is obviously great (and higher ranked than UCLA), they gave me a bit more money, my potential adviser is an incredible fit for my interests... but I honestly do not like New Haven, and the city I live in (and the things I would do outside of graduate school itself) is a very important factor to me.

Edited March 28, 2012 by owls

[mc3304]

Regarding the discussion about how to reject a school among goldielocks, Sigaba, and crazedandinfused. I think that offering critiques of the rejected program should be done very carefully if at all. Personally, I think it works much better to talk about fit or personal preferences, etc. In doing so, you can clearly make it clear why you picked the other school, but coming off as this choice is about me, not about your program having faults is likely to make you seem like a thoughtful person who is making a reasonable decision rather than as someone who is being judgmental or who thinks they know everything about the rejected program (which of course you don't). I also think this approach is more honest--presumably the program you are rejecting is a respectable, good program since that's why you were considering it in the first place--so it obviously has lots of good things going for it and is a great fit for some people, even if not for you.

Re Sigaba's examples, I think there is a pretty big difference between saying this other school has a really important set of documents I can use or better IT or for another example, more faculty that fit with my interests, and saying that some other school has a different "sensibility about diversity." Namely, if you are stating something that is clear and unarguable--documents, numbers--then of course, say it. But I've talked to my advisor's perspective students for several years and talked with him about the recruitment process and I think it is fair to say that the view of a perspective student about subjective things like the "sensibility" of a department about anything (usually gleaned from a day or two visit or a few conversations with a small section of current department members) can be very different than the view of the program, current students, or faculty. Or put another way, I know the reasons I picked my program were pretty accurate and it was a good decision for me. I don't know, though, if the reasons I didn't like another program I visited were accurate or if they were impressions based on the five current students I happened to meet. I'm pretty sure some of them were the latter.

I'm not saying it isn't helpful for that program/faculty member to know your perceptions--it undoubtedly is helpful--but if your priority is building a future relationship with that person, I would word it very carefully. I've seen more than one perspective student provide feedback (and at least one explicitly framed it as feedback) that conflicted with the program's view of itself. Those students came off as snobby and judgmental or maybe naive. They will still have cordial interactions with those faculty members I'm sure, because most faculty members are professional people, but I am also sure, those students hurt the possibility of a more serious working relationship in the future.

[Nordicllama]

Hey, Oseirus: Knock Knock-

[crazedandinfused]

MC,

That's a very wise post; thank you so much. In the email to my POI I tried to completely avoid making any value judgments about either program and instead concentrated on what my options are. I definitely want to keep this other POI on my good side and I sat down and wrote a very careful email.

@Goldie: I had your post open in my browser as I was working through the email. As always, you are indispensably my favorite denizen of grad-cafe.

Here is my situation and this is pretty much the core of my email to hopefully-not-jilted-POI:

School A is offering me a killer fellowship package with just enough TAing to give me experience but a whole heck of a lot of time to do research. It's also a year longer than the typical package, plus a lot of opportunities for research money and conference travel. School B doesn't even know if it will be able to fund me. Even if it was able to do so, there is no way it would be able to offer anything close to the support at school A.

Now, this isn't about me just being out there to get the most money; in terms of stipend there isn't that much of a difference. School A is super stoked about me and that's why they are enticing me with a lot of support. That is a dynamic which really came out in my visit and is definitely a huge part of why I'm going. It's that plus the absurdly sweet offer which has me on my way to Kinkos in the morning to sign, seal and deliver the offer letter from the program I've had great feelings about for, like, a year and a half.......

Dear god, it's over and I know what classes I'm taking. For the first time in months I will read, sleep and eat like a baby.

Oh, and if anyone wants to know what A and B are, PM me. I'm still that disbelieving and nervous. But I will sleep well!

Addendum: Pugsley's going to Penn!!!! Congrats!

Edited March 28, 2012 by crazedandinfused

[Sigaba]

Re Sigaba's examples, I think there is a pretty big difference between saying this other school has a really important set of documents I can use or better IT or for another example, more faculty that fit with my interests, and saying that some other school has a different "sensibility about diversity." Namely, if you are stating something that is clear and unarguable--documents, numbers--then of course, say it. But I've talked to my advisor's perspective students for several years and talked with him about the recruitment process and I think it is fair to say that the view of a perspective student about subjective things like the "sensibility" of a department about anything (usually gleaned from a day or two visit or a few conversations with a small section of current department members) can be very different than the view of the program, current students, or faculty. Or put another way, I know the reasons I picked my program were pretty accurate and it was a good decision for me. I don't know, though, if the reasons I didn't like another program I visited were accurate or if they were impressions based on the five current students I happened to meet. I'm pretty sure some of them were the latter.

One could easily make an argument that compare the sensibilities towards this issue or that one between two institutions, if those sensibilities are that important to you. For example, if an aspiring environmental historian wanted to go to a "greener" campus, she could compare the EIRs for facility master plans. Or, if an applicant had an interest in military affairs, she could point to a campus's approach to its ROTC battalion and veterans' affairs.

is there a risk to such an approach, yes. But some people take risks for causes in which they believe.

I'm not saying it isn't helpful for that program/faculty member to know your perceptions--it undoubtedly is helpful--but if your priority is building a future relationship with that person, I would word it very carefully. I've seen more than one perspective student provide feedback (and at least one explicitly framed it as feedback) that conflicted with the program's view of itself. Those students came off as snobby and judgmental or maybe naive. They will still have cordial interactions with those faculty members I'm sure, because most faculty members are professional people, but I am also sure, those students hurt the possibility of a more serious working relationship in the future.

I can step on my crank as well as anybody, and I'm unlikely to be confused as a "people person." However, I think that my perspective towards the craft of history has positioned me to throw in my two cents in ways that resonate more often than they ruffle.

Edited March 28, 2012 by Sigaba

[uhohlemonster]

@owls, personal happiness (which for me, too, is greatly affected by my location) is totally key during graduate school. if you strongly feel you'll be better off personally in los angeles, that is a huge factor for your consideration!

[Kelkel]

I just accepted my offer to Binghamton this morning! My happy mood was dampened by bitches at work though.

Still excited!