Safferz Posted August 3, 2011 Posted August 3, 2011 There isn't much structure to my studying either, but I think that's fine as long as you're working through the material and studying regularly. I try to review vocabulary each day with flashcards I made using the Barron's Essential GRE Words book and practice sections from the Barron's New GRE book. I've just picked up Kaplan (and their math workbook) for more exercises and test strategies. And since I'm borderline math illiterate, I'm also using Cliff Notes Math Review for Standardized Tests, which goes over a lot of the basic concepts from high school that I forgot a long time ago. As of this weekend, I'm going to start taking practice tests every weekend. The quant section of the GRE gives me nightmares... I did OK on the verbal section the first time I took the GRE but not so great on the quant, which is why I've decided to retake the new GRE in hopes of a better overall score. I would like to have an excellent verbal score this time around (which is now within my reach, with analogies gone from the revised test!) and a decent quant score. 29 days to go...
Simple Twist of Fate Posted August 3, 2011 Posted August 3, 2011 Hi everyone, In order to stay sane this summer, I took the approach of really focusing on one thing at a time, rather than trying to do everything at once. I finished up an internship first, then studied for and took the GRE and then I focused on research for my thesis for about a month and a half. I'm just now starting to write. Next is contacting profs, and deciding exactly where I want to apply. I took the old GRE, so unfortunately I don't have much wisdom to add. They didn't change the writing section, though, right? I did really well on that (6) so my advice is to focus on the scored essays online and in your books. Use the prompt to write your own response out in a word processor, or even just do an outline, and then read the scorer's comments, and figure out what you were missing and why you missed it. This process might be obvious to everybody, but it didn't occur to me to do this until a week before the test. I'm convinced that this is why I did well on that portion (particularly on the analytical section). For vocab - this might sound silly, but I was doing some research for my thesis while I was going over vocab... My field is early America, and if you ever wondered who every uses these ridiculous GRE words, the answer is 18th century Americans. Looking through old newspapers and pamphlets was genuinely a great way of quizzing myself on GRE vocab. I would spot a strange word from my vocab list in the text, and if I couldn't remember what it meant, I would pause and look it up. For some reason, seeing it in context helped. I know for a fact that my early American test prep strategy helped me answer at least one verbal question. Sorry, I know this isn't really a GRE thread, but it seems like everybody is stressing about the test, so I thought I'd offer my experiences. Good luck on it, everyone.
dimanche0829 Posted August 3, 2011 Posted August 3, 2011 For vocab - this might sound silly, but I was doing some research for my thesis while I was going over vocab... My field is early America, and if you ever wondered who every uses these ridiculous GRE words, the answer is 18th century Americans. Looking through old newspapers and pamphlets was genuinely a great way of quizzing myself on GRE vocab. I would spot a strange word from my vocab list in the text, and if I couldn't remember what it meant, I would pause and look it up. For some reason, seeing it in context helped. I know for a fact that my early American test prep strategy helped me answer at least one verbal question. Just to add: If your school offers the OED, use it! I love the OED...you can learn the root of the word and it's development over time. The OED helps me learn words better than just the dictionary.
sandyvanb Posted August 4, 2011 Posted August 4, 2011 I am so frustrated. All I want to do is knock out my SoP and I am in lecture writing hell... I just want to have them all in the can. I'm on week four and I wish that it would go faster. I haven't even begun to work on my Powerpoints! Vent over...
oryantin Posted August 4, 2011 Posted August 4, 2011 Why did you start a new topic while the other one stands there with many sharings in it? goldielocks and Sigaba 1 1
goldielocks Posted August 6, 2011 Author Posted August 6, 2011 Sandy, how is the lecture writing coming? Making progress? Just think how great that teaching experience will look on your CV. Orient: I started a thread for applicants to chat back and forth about where we are in the process, without questions like "Should I go to grad school?" or "Can I get admitted to the program at ________?" and that sort of thing. (Please note that I absolutely do not mind helping to answer questions like these, but I thought those would be best served by their own threads.) Dimanche: I love the OED, too!
crater21 Posted August 10, 2011 Posted August 10, 2011 So, aspiring historians, how is GRE prep coming along? I found out today that those of us who are writing the new GREs don't get our AW score until November (I knew that the other two scores were going to be delayed until November, but I didn't know that the AW would be delayed as well. And, with the other two, at least you get a range based on the old scoring system. But, with AW, you hear nothing until November). This has me slightly worried. Application deadlines are in December. What if I end up bombing the AW? I won't know until it is too late to write it again! The whole new GRE thing is making me really nervous. I don't want to be the guinea pig for the new system. What if percentiles are all skewed because it's the first time they are doing this? Somehow I feel this is going to screw me over. Why oh why did I not get myself organized enough to take the old one earlier in the summer!?!
goldielocks Posted August 10, 2011 Author Posted August 10, 2011 Crater, I'm with ya. I'm kicking myself for not taking it this summer, and deciding to just wait until September and give myself more time to study. Not sure that it's worth it, but at this point, I guess all we can do is study hard and cross our fingers!
sandyvanb Posted August 10, 2011 Posted August 10, 2011 Sorry I've been absent! We've been traveling so I haven't been online much. I'm finishing up week six of lectures tonight so I'm making good progress. I'm still obsessing about my SoP, I'll feel a lot better if I can get a draft down on paper. I'm so torn between getting my lectures done and writing my SoP... Good luck on the GRE prep everyone!
crater21 Posted August 10, 2011 Posted August 10, 2011 Yep, you're right, goldielocks! Good luck, everyone!
cliopatra Posted August 16, 2011 Posted August 16, 2011 Anybody getting ready to contact potential supervisors yet? I was thinking of beginning in nov.-dec. but with the end of term, would that be a bad time for the professors?
crater21 Posted August 17, 2011 Posted August 17, 2011 Anybody getting ready to contact potential supervisors yet? I was thinking of beginning in nov.-dec. but with the end of term, would that be a bad time for the professors? Hi Cliophile, Are you applying for Fall 2012 admissions? If so, then Nov-Dec might be a bit late. I don't know which schools you're applying to, but the ones that I'm going for all have application deadlines at the beginning of December (there's one in January). If that were the case, then I wouldn't think it would be a good idea to contact potential supervisors so close to the deadline. And you definitely don't want to contact them after the deadline has passed. If your programs have deadlines in January or beyond, then perhaps Nov-Dec might be okay. But, I'd still want to make contact earlier.
CageFree Posted August 17, 2011 Posted August 17, 2011 Anybody getting ready to contact potential supervisors yet? I was thinking of beginning in nov.-dec. but with the end of term, would that be a bad time for the professors? I've already contacted a couple, and will continue to do so over the next month and a half.
sandyvanb Posted August 17, 2011 Posted August 17, 2011 I'm going to beginning contacting professors once the semester has gotten in full swing. I have a list, and I need to do some reading first.
cliopatra Posted August 17, 2011 Posted August 17, 2011 Hi Cliophile, Are you applying for Fall 2012 admissions? If so, then Nov-Dec might be a bit late. I don't know which schools you're applying to, but the ones that I'm going for all have application deadlines at the beginning of December (there's one in January). If that were the case, then I wouldn't think it would be a good idea to contact potential supervisors so close to the deadline. And you definitely don't want to contact them after the deadline has passed. If your programs have deadlines in January or beyond, then perhaps Nov-Dec might be okay. But, I'd still want to make contact earlier. Thanks! I am indeed. I wasn't sure if summer was too early? I was told to contact around 6 months before adcom. starts reviewing your file, so that your name is semi-familiar. The schools I am applying to have deadlines set in between dec-jan. you're right that would be too late. I should get started now?
crater21 Posted August 18, 2011 Posted August 18, 2011 Thanks! I am indeed. I wasn't sure if summer was too early? I was told to contact around 6 months before adcom. starts reviewing your file, so that your name is semi-familiar. The schools I am applying to have deadlines set in between dec-jan. you're right that would be too late. I should get started now? I was thinking of contacting profs starting in early September, just in case they are away for the summer (and also because I still need to do more research and reading). But, I know a few people who are contacting profs now and getting responses. So, it depends on your preference. I'm guessing most people will be contacting them between now and Sept-Oct. Good luck!!
cliopatra Posted August 18, 2011 Posted August 18, 2011 I was thinking of contacting profs starting in early September, just in case they are away for the summer (and also because I still need to do more research and reading). But, I know a few people who are contacting profs now and getting responses. So, it depends on your preference. I'm guessing most people will be contacting them between now and Sept-Oct. Good luck!! I think early sept. is a good idea. they should be around and won't be 'too' busy at the beginning of term. I'm debating writing a brief formal letter catered to each prof. should I include a copy of my work or should I wait and see what the response is like? thanks and good luck to you as well crater!
crater21 Posted August 18, 2011 Posted August 18, 2011 I think early sept. is a good idea. they should be around and won't be 'too' busy at the beginning of term. I'm debating writing a brief formal letter catered to each prof. should I include a copy of my work or should I wait and see what the response is like? thanks and good luck to you as well crater! Thanks! I've been debating with myself too about how to contact profs. I've heard different people do different things, so I don't know if there is a right way. My personal preference is not to send a copy of my work, just because they might not be receptive to unsolicited attachments. I was thinking of sending just a short email, and see what the response is. I was actually looking for more advice on this too, and I found the following threads really useful:
cliopatra Posted August 18, 2011 Posted August 18, 2011 (edited) Thanks! I've been debating with myself too about how to contact profs. I've heard different people do different things, so I don't know if there is a right way. My personal preference is not to send a copy of my work, just because they might not be receptive to unsolicited attachments. I was thinking of sending just a short email, and see what the response is. I was actually looking for more advice on this too, and I found the following threads really useful: Right, probably better to hold off on sending work. Short e-mail it is. I will get started on this and please let me know what sort of responses you get. Edited August 18, 2011 by cliophile
crater21 Posted August 19, 2011 Posted August 19, 2011 Right, probably better to hold off on sending work. Short e-mail it is. I will get started on this and please let me know what sort of responses you get. Yep, definitely. This is a great place to share ideas and experiences, so it would be good to post here what sort of responses we get.
A Finicky Bean Posted August 21, 2011 Posted August 21, 2011 Hi, all. I just wanted to quickly introduce myself. I am a master's student applying for PhD programs for Fall 2012 in history, of course. I am not sure what else to say right now (I'm a bit of a shy one), so feel free to friend me or ask me anything you all wish to know. Good luck to everyone and I'll see you around here!
cliopatra Posted August 21, 2011 Posted August 21, 2011 Hi, all. I just wanted to quickly introduce myself. I am a master's student applying for PhD programs for Fall 2012 in history, of course. I am not sure what else to say right now (I'm a bit of a shy one), so feel free to friend me or ask me anything you all wish to know. Good luck to everyone and I'll see you around here! Hi Bean! I am in the same boat. Have you started on applications yet? What are your research interests?
A Finicky Bean Posted August 21, 2011 Posted August 21, 2011 Hi! I took the new GRE yesterday and I know what my one-hundred point range is but I don't want to hold anything to that until I get the "official" schools in the mail. I did well on the V and crap on the M...so I am contemplating taking it again just to bring up my M scores. I have had issues with math all my life, so this is a little battle I have going with myself. But, anyway, I can sit for it one more time before apps are due (most of mine are due Dec. 1 or 15th). I've started apps and am going to speak with my professors about LORs in a week or two, after they get settled into the term. My area of focus will, hopefully!, be Eastern Europe WWII and the Cold War with Romania being my focus.
goldielocks Posted August 21, 2011 Author Posted August 21, 2011 I did well on the V and crap on the M... In my experience, this is pretty common among historians. I wouldn't sweat it if I were you. My area of focus will, hopefully!, be Eastern Europe WWII and the Cold War with Romania being my focus. Romania, eh? How are your languages? Sounds like you've got a good start on everything.
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