Applying for PhD programs now (for admission Fall '12)

[LLajax]

Hey guys! Is there anyone else out there just starting their applications this fall (for admission in the Fall of 2012)? I'm applying for the first time this year, for PhD programs in art history and I'm freaking out. Looking at the numbers available (what few there are!), I'm worried that I don't even have a chance of getting it (rational? irrational?)

From a numbers standpoint, I have a 3.4 GPA from UPenn, and got V700, Q720 on my GREs. I'm interested in earlier medieval. I've got my sights set on Brown, with some other top picks, but I'm not sure how realistic this is.

Anyone else out there?

[losemygrip]

I think you're worrying unnecessarily. As long as you can get good recommendations, you should get in somewhere with that background. Just avoid expectations--don't get fixated on Brown. Good luck, and don't stress.

[LLajax]

Haha thanks. Its so early in the process that the only thing I can do to feel productive is worry

[fullofpink]

I do not think Medieval is as popular a field as many others (Modern/contemporary, Renaissance/Baroque, etc.), which reduces your competition.

However, be aware that despite good credentials, it's still a crapshoot - your POI may not be able to take a student this year, they may not be able to offer as many students admittance with funding due to the economy, medieval gets skipped this year (for whatever reason), so just have realistic expectations annnnnnd don't be too nervous about it!!

I'm applying this year too so I'm in the same boat. Ugh.

[complexprocedure]

I am applying this year as well. LLajax, I can't imagine anyone not finding this process stressful.

As to the "numbers" aspect, here goes nothing: GPA 3.89/4.0 in major; GRE: 690v; 530q. Presentations: four paper presentations; three talks; two panels organized (plus one additional invited talk and panel confirmed for fall). Publication: over a dozen critical pieces for a regional arts publication (it's small and not peer-reviewed, but award-winning nonetheless! More importantly: it pays), plus an essay in an exhibition catalog.

Now for the worst of it: my focus? The dreaded Modern/Contemporary. Representation of race/gender, 19th century to today. I suppose I should be cheered up by the fact that at least I'm not interested in turn-of-the-century France? Oh, well. To tighten the lens, I've got my eyes on American visual culture, especially representations of science and medicine, depictions of war and trauma, and public art, monuments, and expositions. I'm also interested in bodily representation in contemporary performance.

I don't know if it will warm adcoms' hearts or not, but I've spent the past 3.5 years working in a mid-tier contemporary art center, albeit in an administrative capacity. I've also curated eight shows in various venues over the last couple years. I do sort of worry that my work in contemporary art will spook my POIs who are stuck in the nineteenth century, while my writing sample (which is likely to be a chapter from my thesis) will peg me as irrelevant to the Contemporary POIs.

At the end of the day, it really does feel like a crapshoot, and I'm not liking the odds one bit!

[fullofpink]

I don't think your contemporary work will deter 19th century people (many 19th centuriers love mod/con and study it as a second discipline), but your interests do seem to align more with visual culture over art history, which might raise eyebrows a bit. Where are you considering? MA, PhD?

[jilly11]

Hello all!

My focus is the Renaissance (or do we call it Early Modern these days?) period - particularly portraiture.

I have yet to take the GREs (scheduled for Nov 10th) but I'm otherwise organized.

I know getting in is so out of my control/kind of a crapshoot that it really discourages me some days ... but you have to be in it to win it!

I worked really hard throughout college and did well - so I'm aiming high for grad school..but who knows if I'm good enough/what they are looking for.

Good luck to everyone!

[LLajax]

Good luck Jilly11! I'm applying too- its definitely hard not to feel discouraged by the seeming randomness of the whole thing.

[once]

I'm also applying this year- 19th/20th cent. architectural history. I probably won't post much but I will be lurking.

[MadameNon]

I am applying this year as well. LLajax, I can't imagine anyone not finding this process stressful.

As to the "numbers" aspect, here goes nothing: GPA 3.89/4.0 in major; GRE: 690v; 530q. Presentations: four paper presentations; three talks; two panels organized (plus one additional invited talk and panel confirmed for fall). Publication: over a dozen critical pieces for a regional arts publication (it's small and not peer-reviewed, but award-winning nonetheless! More importantly: it pays), plus an essay in an exhibition catalog.

Now for the worst of it: my focus? The dreaded Modern/Contemporary. Representation of race/gender, 19th century to today. I suppose I should be cheered up by the fact that at least I'm not interested in turn-of-the-century France? Oh, well. To tighten the lens, I've got my eyes on American visual culture, especially representations of science and medicine, depictions of war and trauma, and public art, monuments, and expositions. I'm also interested in bodily representation in contemporary performance.

I don't know if it will warm adcoms' hearts or not, but I've spent the past 3.5 years working in a mid-tier contemporary art center, albeit in an administrative capacity. I've also curated eight shows in various venues over the last couple years. I do sort of worry that my work in contemporary art will spook my POIs who are stuck in the nineteenth century, while my writing sample (which is likely to be a chapter from my thesis) will peg me as irrelevant to the Contemporary POIs.

At the end of the day, it really does feel like a crapshoot, and I'm not liking the odds one bit!

If it makes you feel any better, it feels like fewer and fewer Americanists are doing 19th century stuff any more, even if it is their background. Also I think it isn't such a problem for you to have the visual culture component to your interests.

[LLajax]

I am applying this year as well. LLajax, I can't imagine anyone not finding this process stressful.

As to the "numbers" aspect, here goes nothing: GPA 3.89/4.0 in major; GRE: 690v; 530q. Presentations: four paper presentations; three talks; two panels organized (plus one additional invited talk and panel confirmed for fall). Publication: over a dozen critical pieces for a regional arts publication (it's small and not peer-reviewed, but award-winning nonetheless! More importantly: it pays), plus an essay in an exhibition catalog.

Now for the worst of it: my focus? The dreaded Modern/Contemporary. Representation of race/gender, 19th century to today. I suppose I should be cheered up by the fact that at least I'm not interested in turn-of-the-century France? Oh, well. To tighten the lens, I've got my eyes on American visual culture, especially representations of science and medicine, depictions of war and trauma, and public art, monuments, and expositions. I'm also interested in bodily representation in contemporary performance.

I don't know if it will warm adcoms' hearts or not, but I've spent the past 3.5 years working in a mid-tier contemporary art center, albeit in an administrative capacity. I've also curated eight shows in various venues over the last couple years. I do sort of worry that my work in contemporary art will spook my POIs who are stuck in the nineteenth century, while my writing sample (which is likely to be a chapter from my thesis) will peg me as irrelevant to the Contemporary POIs.

At the end of the day, it really does feel like a crapshoot, and I'm not liking the odds one bit!

If it makes you feel any better, the only thing that has published me is my desk printer.

[jilly11]

Here's a question for all -

I am going to start taking German this Dec/Jan ...should I somehow put that on my application? Or is obvious that people who want to be Art History PhD students would be doing this..?

I hope that makes sense!

[losemygrip]

I am applying this year as well. LLajax, I can't imagine anyone not finding this process stressful.

As to the "numbers" aspect, here goes nothing: GPA 3.89/4.0 in major; GRE: 690v; 530q. Presentations: four paper presentations; three talks; two panels organized (plus one additional invited talk and panel confirmed for fall). Publication: over a dozen critical pieces for a regional arts publication (it's small and not peer-reviewed, but award-winning nonetheless! More importantly: it pays), plus an essay in an exhibition catalog.

Now for the worst of it: my focus? The dreaded Modern/Contemporary. Representation of race/gender, 19th century to today. I suppose I should be cheered up by the fact that at least I'm not interested in turn-of-the-century France? Oh, well. To tighten the lens, I've got my eyes on American visual culture, especially representations of science and medicine, depictions of war and trauma, and public art, monuments, and expositions. I'm also interested in bodily representation in contemporary performance.

I don't know if it will warm adcoms' hearts or not, but I've spent the past 3.5 years working in a mid-tier contemporary art center, albeit in an administrative capacity. I've also curated eight shows in various venues over the last couple years. I do sort of worry that my work in contemporary art will spook my POIs who are stuck in the nineteenth century, while my writing sample (which is likely to be a chapter from my thesis) will peg me as irrelevant to the Contemporary POIs.

At the end of the day, it really does feel like a crapshoot, and I'm not liking the odds one bit!

I think you sound quite promising. All that work in the field is a huge plus. You're pretty accomplished for a beginning grad student. A lot of students finish their dissertations without doing this much stuff. No, nobody is going to be spooked by the contemporary art--and if they are, screw them. You don't want to be in a department like that, right?

Modern/contemporary: not dreaded. Yes, there are more people in it--but there are many more jobs available.

I think you have every reason to be positive.

[losemygrip]

Here's a question for all -

I am going to start taking German this Dec/Jan ...should I somehow put that on my application? Or is obvious that people who want to be Art History PhD students would be doing this..?

I hope that makes sense!

Yes, absolutely mention this in your application.

[complexprocedure]

I don't think your contemporary work will deter 19th century people (many 19th centuriers love mod/con and study it as a second discipline), but your interests do seem to align more with visual culture over art history, which might raise eyebrows a bit. Where are you considering? MA, PhD?

The vizcul thing isn't exactly "traditional," I'll give you that. In fact, if it weren't for my need to stay relatively bound to the east coast, I'd love to find my way into the PhD in Visual Studies program at UC Santa Cruz. Sure, it's a new program, so it's hard to say where it might lead, but I believe it would be a good fit. In another dream scenario, I am accepted into Columbia and Jonathan Crary adopts me as his new child and we live happily ever after. However, as the prospect of living on a grad student stipend without any outside support in a small closet in New York City for the next seven years requires more bohemian sans souci than I can possibly muster, I must pass on living *that* dream and consider other options.

Where does that leave me? For MA programs, I'm looking at American University (Helen Langa; I am particularly fond of the faculty's feminist bent), but my top choice for a Master's program is UNC Chapel Hill (with the hopes of eventually moving on to the PhD). John Bowles, Lyneise Williams, and Cary Levine would be great to study with, but then again, the entire faculty is strong - Mary Sheriff, Daniel Sherman, etc. More European, but definitely tackling some contemporaneous issues that I intend to mine. Another plus at UNC is that the American Studies dept. offers a certificate program to grad students, which would be just fantastic, as the Kassons (Joy and John) are on faculty there.

I'm applying to six PhD programs: Duke (Richard Powell and Kristine Stiles), Princeton (Rachel DeLue and Hal Foster), Rutgers (Tanya Sheehan and Carla Yanni), Temple (Susannah Gold and Alan Braddock), U Chicago (W. J. T. Mitchell, Darby English, Martha Ward, Joel Snyder, Tom Gunning... anyone? Bueller?), and U Pittsburgh (Josh Ellenbogen and Kirk Savage). All of these programs encourage, to some degree, interdisciplinary cross-pollination which promises some very attractive research possibilities.

I feel somewhat ridiculous for applying to some on my list (Chicago, Princeton), simply because they feel so far beyond my reach that, well... it feels silly to even try. But who knows? Perhaps the magic combination of events will unfold so that: a) target POIs/adcoms actually find me an interesting and viable candidate, and, the dept has room for someone like me this year.

You pays yer money and you takes yer chances.

[complexprocedure]

I think you sound quite promising. All that work in the field is a huge plus. You're pretty accomplished for a beginning grad student. A lot of students finish their dissertations without doing this much stuff. No, nobody is going to be spooked by the contemporary art--and if they are, screw them. You don't want to be in a department like that, right? Modern/contemporary: not dreaded. Yes, there are more people in it--but there are many more jobs available. I think you have every reason to be positive.

That. Great point about not wanting to be in a department that can't support the way I work best. Thank you for the reminder AND the encouragement.

[complexprocedure]

If it makes you feel any better, the only thing that has published me is my desk printer.

*giggle* If it makes YOU feel any better, my Latin is so nonexistent that it appears only as an occasional miffed glare emanating from the general direction of the neglected Wheellock's on my bookshelf... and my German is downright flaccid.

All jokes aside, LLajax, keep in mind that your statement reflects but a temporary condition. You sound like you're on your way!

[complexprocedure]

On 9/25/2011 at 10:26 PM, MadameNon said:

If it makes you feel any better, it feels like fewer and fewer Americanists are doing 19th century stuff any more, even if it is their background. Also I think it isn't such a problem for you to have the visual culture component to your interests.

I truly do hope it's not a big snag; it's been a growing area over the past decade, but it's still not everyone's cup of tea. Then again, as was pointed out elsewhere, if a dept. feels that my interests are not supportable, then it wouldn't be the right fit for me in the first place. But it's not been an easy search. So often I've found a professor whose work I really like and that I feel my work would flourish under, but find there's no one else in the department to back up the other half of my interests (ie., wherefore art though Contemporary art faculty at Washington University in St. Louis?). I am VERY wary about hedging my bets on a single faculty member, because in the end, even the best advisor isn't married to you.

[losemygrip]

Washington University in St. Louis is currently searching for someone in contemporary. I just saw an ad.

[iagofan1616]

I'm applying for PhD art history in medieval too, but I'm Gothic arch. history. What do you want to do with early medieval? ( Focus on manuscripts, metalwork, architecture etc?) We are lucky; medieval's not overly popular- early medieval especially so you have a good shot. Best advice I have is try to come up with some great ideas for projects to start at Brown that will separate you from everyone else... Like something interdisciplinary or using new technology, etc.

Good luck!

Hey guys! Is there anyone else out there just starting their applications this fall (for admission in the Fall of 2012)? I'm applying for the first time this year, for PhD programs in art history and I'm freaking out. Looking at the numbers available (what few there are!), I'm worried that I don't even have a chance of getting it (rational? irrational?)

From a numbers standpoint, I have a 3.4 GPA from UPenn, and got V700, Q720 on my GREs. I'm interested in earlier medieval. I've got my sights set on Brown, with some other top picks, but I'm not sure how realistic this is.

Anyone else out there?

Edited December 7, 2011 by iagofan1616