Fall 2012 Applicant Chit Chat

[cliopatra]

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.

Congrats on being finished with the GRE. In Canada we don't have the GRE so I don't know what writing it is like but I assume it involves a lot of preparation and stress. Getting that finished must be a huge relief!

I started with my applications today! Best of luck with yours. Also have to start preparing for external funding applications. ugh. those are a bitch to prepare.

[A Finicky Bean]

Romania, eh? How are your languages? Sounds like you've got a good start on everything.

I have Spanish (which will not help in this focus, I know), Romanian (I've have in-country experience and am good with the language - speaking, reading, writing, and translating- but could always use improvement) and translation-worthy French (i.e. I can read/translate/understand but I cannot speak it...it is the shy one in me). I'll continue to work on both the Romanian and French and, at some point in the next couple of years, add in German and possibly Russian. Not too much to do, I guess.

I started with my applications today! Best of luck with yours. Also have to start preparing for external funding applications. ugh. those are a bitch to prepare.

Good luck and I'll keep everyone in mind as I will probably, at some point, feel like the *only* person in the world stuck doing apps.

[crater21]

I think application anxiety is starting to get to me. I actually had a dream last night that one of my potential advisors emailed me to say that my writing sample was terrible and she hated it. It was so vivid that I kept thinking about it even after I had woken up!

Needless to say, no such email has arrived...yet! lol, I think I need a vacation.

Hope everyone's prep/applications are going well!

[goldielocks]

Crater, uh oh! That sounds about right. I've had maybe 2 or 3 dreams this summer about it, and expect them to increase as deadlines draw nearer.

[crater21]

You are right, goldielocks. It will only get more stressful as the the deadlines get closer. Good luck everyone!

[sandyvanb]

My first day of teaching is tomorrow... No time to worry about my PhD apps right now... That concern will resurface in a few weeks...

[iamincontrolhere-haig]

Hi all,

I should be finishing my SOP, but I figure posting in here is a productive way to procrastinate--or at least that's what I'm telling myself. I was wondering if the rest of you are writing separate SOPs for each program that you're applying to, or are you just tailoring one statement to fit the various schools?

Anyways, I'm applying to PhD programs in US foreign relations during the Cold War. To be (slightly) more specific, I'm interested in the interconnections between domestic politics and foreign affairs during the eras of detente and the "New Cold War." So far, I plan on applying to Yale, Princeton, Cornell, Chicago, Columbia, UTexas-Austin, Northwestern, Ohio State, and George Washington (in rough order of preference). Any other Cold Warriors here? Any good programs that I missed?

Now all I have to worry about is editing a fifty page chapter of my senior thesis that I plan on using as my writing sample down to twenty-five--fun stuff.

[cliopatra]

Hi all,

I should be finishing my SOP, but I figure posting in here is a productive way to procrastinate--or at least that's what I'm telling myself. I was wondering if the rest of you are writing separate SOPs for each program that you're applying to, or are you just tailoring one statement to fit the various schools?

Anyways, I'm applying to PhD programs in US foreign relations during the Cold War. To be (slightly) more specific, I'm interested in the interconnections between domestic politics and foreign affairs during the eras of detente and the "New Cold War." So far, I plan on applying to Yale, Princeton, Cornell, Chicago, Columbia, UTexas-Austin, Northwestern, Ohio State, and George Washington (in rough order of preference). Any other Cold Warriors here? Any good programs that I missed?

Now all I have to worry about is editing a fifty page chapter of my senior thesis that I plan on using as my writing sample down to twenty-five--fun stuff.

I think I will be catering each letter to the departments I am applying to. Some are stronger in cultural theory whereas others are not into interdisciplinary approaches (actually I probably shouldn't be applying to those departments anyways). It's just there are some profs. in some departments that are interested in the kind of work I do but the downside is there's not really a strong group of individuals who are within that respective department. So I think I need to be careful.

Also yeah, I'm editing 57 pages down to 30. Sigh. Keep up the good fight! Problem is I don't want to cut anything out!

[sandyvanb]

So, I meant to post an update on this thread but it ended up on the other applicant thread... I did manage to get a draft of my long SoP done today. I sent it off to my mentor so we'll see how much work I have to do on it before tailoring it to each program. I'm going to start email potential advisors in the next week or so. I need to read some of their work first but I do have a list. I hope everyone else is making good process in their class work or on applications!

[mooochael]

Hey all! I'm getting a sense that most people here are interested in PhD programs, which leaves me with one question for those of us applying to terminal master's programs: is contacting professors as important for these programs?

I ask just because - from what I think I've inferred - most contacts are to gauge whether or not an applicant's research interests coincide with those of a professor in the department. Am I right about that? If that's the case, is it OK for an MA applicant whose interests are not too precise yet to contact professors with a broad range of possible interests? Is this frowned upon since there seems to be a prevalent view that MAs are for honing in on research interests, not necessarily coming into the program with a set few of them?

Basically, how should prospective MA students go about contacting professors? That is, if they even should to begin with.

thanks for the help!

[crazedandinfused]

It just dawned on me that it will be six months before I even have any idea whether or not I get in anywhere..... I need to stop reading this board!! It'll only get worse in March I suppose.

[dimanche0829]

It just dawned on me that it will be six months before I even have any idea whether or not I get in anywhere..... I need to stop reading this board!! It'll only get worse in March I suppose.

I was just thinking the same thing! I'm already a big ball of nerves and I haven't even submitted all of my apps yet. I can only imagine how nerve racking the waiting process will be. Must. Keep. Busy.

[bdon19]

I was just thinking the same thing! I'm already a big ball of nerves and I haven't even submitted all of my apps yet. I can only imagine how nerve racking the waiting process will be. Must. Keep. Busy.

Saaaaaaaame here. On the one hand I'm super glad I still have about three months to prepare everything (oh god, oh god, less in some cases!), but part of me wishes I could just start the waiting game now. It's bad enough now, when I tend to approach the anticipation as if all my apps have already been submitted!

[crazedandinfused]

If only we could hibernate.......

[A Finicky Bean]

I don't know if anyone has talked/vented about this...and I apologize if they have...but I need to do so. I really want my GRE scores (I took them in Aug) but they won't have them until Nov. 8th. *sigh* I know there is nothing that I can do, but still. And, yes, I know what I got at the end of the test but I want to know the real score, not the 100 point range! /rant

[crater21]

Hey Finicky Bean,

I know exactly what you mean! I did my GRE today, and even though I haven't been waiting nearly as long as you have, I am already restless and want to know my exact score NOW!

What concerns me is:

a. how that score will translate into the new range. Somehow I feel this is going to work to my disadvantage.

b. what the new percentiles will be (I have a feeling they will be skewed just because it's the first time around)

c. what the AW score will be

SO, yeah, multiple sources of frustration!

[crazedandinfused]

I'm taking the GRE again (I took it in 2008) and I've been having some of the same concerns. It seems like adcoms might view the two scores as comparing apples and oranges... I've been wondering how to address this in my statement of purpose. Any suggestions?

[Safferz]

I'm taking the GRE again (I took it in 2008) and I've been having some of the same concerns. It seems like adcoms might view the two scores as comparing apples and oranges... I've been wondering how to address this in my statement of purpose. Any suggestions?

I wouldn't waste any space on the SOP to address the GRE! Here's what ETS has to say about comparing scores:

"How will institutions compare scores on the GRE General Test administered prior to August with scores on GRE revised General Test?

Since GRE scores are valid for five years, it is likely that schools will receive applications with one of three score scenarios: scores based on the new score scale, scores based on the prior scale and scores based on both scales.

As part of the transition effort, the GRE program is providing institutions with concordance information to help bridge scores from the previous score scale (200 – 800) to the revised score scale (130 – 170). The concordance information is designed to help institutions compare scores on the GRE General Test administered prior to August 2011 with scores received on the GRE revised General Test. This new information will be available to institutions in November 2011 after the completion of statistical analyses required for transition to the new score scale.

Concordance information will also be included on your GRE revised General Test score report."

[TMP]

(not even re-taking the GRE, hardly even worried despite less-than-stellar scores. has better things to worry about like... revising writing sample)

[cliopatra]

I'm also worrying and haven't even submitted any apps yet. What do you think we're all worried about? Possible rejections? Or having to wait several months to find anything out? What's on your minds?

[Safferz]

I'm also worrying and haven't even submitted any apps yet. What do you think we're all worried about? Possible rejections? Or having to wait several months to find anything out? What's on your minds?

I find the entire process terrifying. I think it's because I believe I'm a competitive candidate, but I only have so much time (and space, given the word limits) to put together a great application that will convince a committee who doesn't know me that they want me in their program. It's a lot of pressure to put on yourself, and once you throw in occassional feelings of self-doubt and "wtf am I doing applying for a Ph.D??" moments, you can see we have some pretty difficult months ahead of us. I've given myself one week to hammer out the first draft of my statement of purpose, and I'm absolutely dreading the task.

[dimanche0829]

I'm mostly worried about getting the apps in on time. I'm taking 6 courses this semester, including a grad course and finishing honor's project, plus working, re-taking my GRE in October (right at mid-terms) because my score were awful, taking the subject test in November (just before finals), plus I need to actually fsubmit all the app. stuff. Now if only I could figure out how to add in an extra 30 hours to a day.

I'm not worried about my SOP, grades, or writing sample, and the profs. writing my LORs are about as amazing as they come.

Still, I know that having a solid app. doesn't guarantee acceptance. When I applied for undergrad, I took comfort in knowing that I had my pick of schools because I had great credentials. But now, there are so many factors outside of my control that can lead to rejection - faculty we want to work with is going on sabbatical, no funding, program full, etc - that there is simply no way for me to console myself during the wait period with "don't worry, somewhere will take you!" Instead, I can only hope with desperation that the stars will align for me in this process.

[goldielocks]

Just popping in to say hello, and I am excited to get back to the boards once my schedule calms down. Sounds like everyone is doing really well, though I'm sensing some rising app/GRE anxieties. I'm with ya.

But right now, I'm wrapping up a research trip so that I can finish my MA thesis, and hopefully submit a stellar writing sample.

Happy weekend!

[Sigaba]

Hi all,

I should be finishing my SOP, but I figure posting in here is a productive way to procrastinate--or at least that's what I'm telling myself. I was wondering if the rest of you are writing separate SOPs for each program that you're applying to, or are you just tailoring one statement to fit the various schools?

Anyways, I'm applying to PhD programs in US foreign relations during the Cold War. To be (slightly) more specific, I'm interested in the interconnections between domestic politics and foreign affairs during the eras of detente and the "New Cold War." So far, I plan on applying to Yale, Princeton, Cornell, Chicago, Columbia, UTexas-Austin, Northwestern, Ohio State, and George Washington (in rough order of preference). Any other Cold Warriors here? Any good programs that I missed?

Now all I have to worry about is editing a fifty page chapter of my senior thesis that I plan on using as my writing sample down to twenty-five--fun stuff.

Out of curiosity, what factors are driving your order of preference?

UConn is missing from your list. Unless you're already there, UCSB might be worth a look. If you're going to write a dissertation centered around the last decades of the Cold War, it may be to your advantage to go to a school that is close to the archival materials you'll be using. (For example, TAMU.)

A question about Cornell. Other than Logevall, who else there specializes in your field of interest that is active?

A small suggestion. Without a doubt, the University of Texas is a wonderful school in a fantastic town in a great state. However, the heat and cedar pollen are factors you might want to experience first hand before committing to spending years of your life there. If you can, visit Austin. But not in January. As the saying goes at the Forty Acres. There are two seasons: January (winter) and everything else.

Edited September 9, 2011 by Sigaba

[iamincontrolhere-haig]

Out of curiosity, what factors are driving your order of preference?

UConn is missing from your list. Unless you're already there, UCSB might be worth a look. If you're going to write a dissertation centered around the last decades of the Cold War, it may be to your advantage to go to a school that is close to the archival materials you'll be using. (For example, TAMU.)

A question about Cornell. Other than Logevall, who else there specializes in your field of interest that is active?

A small suggestion. Without a doubt, the University of Texas is a wonderful school in a fantastic town in a great state. However, the heat and cedar pollen are factors you might want to experience first hand before committing to spending years of your life there. If you can, visit Austin. But not in January. As the saying goes at the Forty Acres. There are two seasons: January (winter) and everything else.

I'm basing my order of preference on a mix of "fit" and the school's/program's prestige. From what I've been told, my chances of landing a good job after graduation increase with an Ivy League degree. It's dumb and hierarchical, but apparently it's the way of the world. After learning that Gaddis is no longer accepting graduate students and that I won't have an opportunity to convince him how misguided he and his views are, Yale has probably fallen a spot or two. I might add Harvard and Erez Manela to the list, but my analytical framework isn't entirely novel (though it's a bit more specific than I let on) and it sounds like he's only interested in working with students who bring a pathbreaking new perspective.

I'm wrestling with your question with regard to Cornell. I think Logevall is brilliant, and his interests align very closely to my own (Choosing War and the broad points in America's Cold War). As far as other possible members of a committee, though, it's a mixed bag. Chen Jian for international Cold War and US-China relations, Kohler-Hausmann for political history. There are a few people in the government department whose writings coincide with my interests, but I realize that raises some methodological issues.

Texas is close, so I anticipate visiting before I send an application. Suri's arrival there makes it all the more appealing. Good call on UConn--I hadn't given it as close of a look as I should have.

Proximity to archives presents a bit of a dilemma. The West Coast has the Hoover Institute and Reagan, Bush the first, Nixon, and LBJ Libraries, and those are big draws. On the other hand, the other side of the country has the National Archives, the Carter and Ford Libraries, and a host of smaller archival collections like the Rockefeller Archives in NY. The more prestigious schools also tend to have their own collections of personal papers (Princeton, for instance, has the Dulles brothers, George F Kennan, Bernard Baruch, James Baker III, etc.).

And good guess! Olé, olé, olé, oléee!

Edited September 10, 2011 by iamincontrolhere-haig