Fall 2012 Applicant results

[Astarabadi]

um...sorry to interrupt but where are the result boards for history? here or someplace else?

[sandyvanb]

SamAli, click on "Results Survey" at the top of the page and type in "history."

[oseirus]

SamAli did you get what you were looking for?

[hellokitty]

Hi folks! I thought I could reply to this thread too....but I tweaked the original format to reflect my slightly different track.

BA Institution: Ivy League

Major(s): History

Minor(s): Asian/Middle Eastern Studies

GPA in Major: 3.63

Overall GPA: 3.68

Position in Class: Third (lowest) Honor Group

MA Institution: In New York

Major(s): History

Minor(s): N/A

GPA in Major: 4.00

Overall GPA: 4.00

Doctor of Arts Institution: In New York

Major(s): History

Minor(s): N/A

GPA in Major: 4.00

Overall GPA: 4.00

Position in Department: N/A

Type of Student: Asian

GRE Q: 760 (84%)

GRE V: 660 (94%)

GRE W: 5 (87%)

Research Experience: Presidential Scholars Research Assistantship (Undergraduate), MA Thesis Publication Pending on seventh-century Korean history (2012)

Awards/Honors/Other Recognition: Church Scholarship (2010), Doctoral Fellowship (2010-2011)

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: See above

Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: Sunday School Teacher at my church (2009-present), interning teacher at my after school academy (2003-present)

Languages: English (native), French (proficient), Korean (weakly proficient)

Special Bonus Points: Rare field (Transnational Jesuit Missionary Activity among Korean exiles/natives, 1550-1750)

Applying to Where: PhD History Rejected: 6 (Columbia, CUNY Graduate Center, U Nebraska-Lincoln, U Hawaii at Manoa, Indiana U); PhD History Decision Pending: 6 (U Iowa, Notre Dame, Catholic University of America, NYU, SUNY Stony Brook, SUNY Binghamton)

Letters of Recommendation: Specialists in African, Mongolian, Ancient, Classical, Medieval, Early Modern English, and American history

Statement of Purpose: The two biggest themes of my SOP lay in my emphasis on how much mentors have taught me and the many ways with which one could study my proposed field.

Writing Sample: A 25-page-paper related to my field

Communication with POI: A few professors told me about some members who might take an interest in my field, but this interest has not translated into an admission offer.

Lessons Learned from Application Process: As I suspected, the History PhD applications process counts as highly selective. I definitely consider it a roulette game that almost depends (almost) solely on luck.

Edited March 2, 2012 by hellokitty

[Sigaba]

Here's a bump to request that those of you who have been admitted and rejected to do consider the value of communicating with programs to which you applied for a debriefing. That is, ask why you got in or why you didn't.

Then, to the extent you can bear, share the results.

This information might allow future applicants to focus in on the process and to escape avoidable mistakes.

Also, the process of waiting things out can provide one with additional insight in regards to "lessons learned."

I understand that these requests are asking a lot out of many of you. Rejection can bring more agony than acceptance brings joy. However, the future of professional academic history rests in your hands. There is no better time than the present than to start the process of supporting those who will follow in your footsteps.

I wonder where the modern day American Liddell-Hart is going to come from then if these people have that approach?

Unfortunately, Brian Bond, Michael Howard, and John J. Mearsheimer have documented that Liddell-Hart was something of a fraud. If America is to produce another great military historian in the years to come, she (or he) will have to find a different path.

[TMP]

Here's a bump to request that those of you who have been admitted and rejected to do consider the value of communicating with programs to which you applied for a debriefing. That is, ask why you got in or why you didn't.

Then, to the extent you can bear, share the results.

This information might allow future applicants to focus in on the process and to escape avoidable mistakes.

Also, the process of waiting things out can provide one with additional insight in regards to "lessons learned."

I understand that these requests are asking a lot out of many of you. Rejection can bring more agony than acceptance brings joy. However, the future of professional academic history rests in your hands. There is no better time than the present than to start the process of supporting those who will follow in your footsteps.produce another great military historian in the years to come, she (or he) will have to find a different path.

I swear to God that for UW-M and OSU it's all politics. My POis were on the right committees and they wanted a specific type of student and were probably quite able to make a sound argument.

Indiana was basically crapshoot/political. My POI was in European history field and he said that the executive admissions committee only made 2 offers to Europeanists with one of them in top 20.

Politics!

I didn't get in Stanford and I won't bother asking why. I withdrew from Maryland but I may find out a little later to see if I even made it to the final round.

I'm just so grateful that the timing of things was right.

[oseirus]

Unfortunately, Brian Bond, Michael Howard, and John J. Mearsheimer have documented that Liddell-Hart was something of a fraud. If America is to produce another great military historian in the years to come, she (or he) will have to find a different path.

someone please pass me the smelling salts ... I don't know what to do w/myself ... next someone will contradict the works of Clauswitz just to ruin my life ... for the record NOBODY better write about Machiavelli's Il Principe is a literary hoax, if they don't want to turn me into a serial killer

[Sigaba]

someone please pass me the smelling salts ... I don't know what to do w/myself ... next someone will contradict the works of Clauswitz just to ruin my life ... for the record NOBODY better write about Machiavelli's Il Principe is a literary hoax, if they don't want to turn me into a serial killer

Well, the short version follows.

S.L.A. Marshall and Stephen Ambrose were also frauds. J.F.C. Fuller's reliability is also increasingly in question. And A.T. Mahan has been raked over the coals as a historian at least once.

Notice what all five had in common: the desire for celebrity.

On the upside, there are a lot of subjects/topics that are now open to re-examination.

[naturalog]

Undergrad Institution: Small midwestern private liberal arts college. Somewhat well-known around here, generally well-regarded but not exceptional. Semester abroad at large Northern Irish university. Graduated May 2010.

Major(s): History & Sociology

Minor(s): Gender Studies & Peace Studies

GPA in Major: ~3.7

Overall GPA: ~3.45

Position in Class: Significantly above average.

Type of Student: Domestic white queer female(ish), three grandparents hold postgraduate degrees.

GRE Scores (revisedversion):

Q: 161

V: 168

W: 4.5

Research Experience: Senior thesis (Jewish male adolesence in 1930s Berlin), as well as other longer papers. Presented twice at my school's undergraduate research symposium.

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Received a prestigious study abroad scholarship through the State Department for 2005-2006. High merit scholarship from my school, several external merit-based scholarships.

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: German Language Lab Assistant. Served on mostly-faculty committee which organized a series of speakers and films throughout the academic year.

Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help:

Special Bonus Points: A semester of non-degree graduate coursework (all As!). Fluent in German and have spent almost two years living there. Even though my recommenders (two history professors, one sociology professor) aren't particularly active in their fields, they know me really well, we've kept up since I graduated, and they're really really supportive of my academic goals. (I know this is probably true to everyone for some degree, but I'm definitely way closer to my former professors than a lot of people are.)

Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter: Started doing university coursework when I was 13, which probably says something. That doesn't show up on my app directly, but is easy to figure out based on my birthdate and dates of attendance.

Applying to Where:

Accepted - Drew University History & Culture MA (60% scholarship)

Waitlisted - Indiana

Rejected - Rutgers, Stanford, Michigan (History/Women's Studies joint Ph.D.), WashU (but I was really close to getting waitlisted), CUNY Grad Center

Outstanding - Central European University (MATILDA Women's & Gender History MA) and Fulbright (English Teaching Assistantship to Bulgaria)

My main research interest right now is gender and sexuality in twentieth-century Germany; in general, I'm interested in the intersections of sexuality and gender with nationalism, political radicalism, and social change.

Statement of Purpose: I used my statement of purpose to discuss my development as a historian, highlight my research interests and some of my current and past work, and talk about what I liked about their department, professors I'd like to work with, and why I think I'd be a good fit.

Writing Sample: A term paper from a graduate-level early modern Europe class I took this past semester. It's not in my field (it was about cricket and social class in eighteenth-century England), but definitely stronger than any work I did during my undergrad. One school contacted me and asked for my senior thesis, which I revised quickly and sent them.

Communication with POIs: Emailed many professors I was interested in working with. A few never responded, but all the rest were extremely supportive. Many offered to look over my CV, SoP, et cetera. I also e-mailed most of them after having submitted my application, letting them know that it was in. One in-person meeting with a professor in early October; we got coffee and talked about history for about an hour.

Lessons Learned from Application Process: Try not to let yourself get too discouraged when all the rejections keep piling up, even though it's hard. It's okay to freak out at people and vent about how you feel like a failure/your life sucks/you're going to die poor and alone/you're super stressed about all of this. Try to find other academic-y people who can commiserate with you, even if they're in other fields. Also, revise, revise, revise. Apply to a good mixture of schools, not just the top programs. (I didn't make this mistake, but I still want to stress it.)

[Nordicllama]

Undergrad Institution: Large Midwest university that is not exactly known for its lib arts programs. US News ranks it outside of the top 50.

Senior Thesis: I wrote one on a subject that pertained directly to my specific graduate school interests.

Honors Program: Departmental honors.

Major(s): History

Minor(s): Philosophy

GPA in Major: 3.92

Overall GPA: 3.48

Position in Class: Closer to the top within my major.

Type of Student: White male.

GRE Scores (revised/old version):

Q: 690

V: 670

W: 5.0

Subject:

TOEFL Total: (if applicable, otherwise delete this)

Research Experience: Just my thesis and some research papers.

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: outstanding history department junior award

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: Secretary and then president of PAT, technical writer for a different department

Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help:

Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter:

Applying to Where: 1 Top 10 PhD program, 4 top 20 PhD programs, 4 top 30 PhD programs, 4 top 50 PhD programs

Research Interests & Areas of Focus: Early American cultural and political

Languages: Spanish- speak,read, write; French- read, German- some reading

Letters of Recommendation: Very flattering, mix of 1 full prof, 1 associate, 2 assistants. All very familiar with my work.

Statement of Purpose: approximately 1000 words for most schools. I stated with whom I would like to work (2-3 profs per school), briefly how I came to want a career in history, a good bit about my honors thesis, a quick summary of my preparation, a paragraph about my specific research goals, and a very brief (3 sentences because I ran out of room) about why that institution/program was a good fit for me.

Writing Sample: A condensed version of my senior thesis

Communication with POIs: I emailed all of them. 1 conversation in person, 3 conversations by phone, most replied with brief and polite emails, three never responded. 1 acceptance came from the personal conversation, 2 acceptances came from the email exchanges, 1 waitlist came from an email exchange, and 1 waitlist came from one of the no-replies.

Lessons Learned from Application Process: If the professor invites you to visit- do it. I was unable to make trips to follow up with 2 of the phone calls and, though the conversations were long and fantastic and really gave me the sense that I would get it, I was flat rejected. If I had visited it might have worked out.

Results: 1 top 30 acceptance, 2 top 30 waitlists, 1 unfunded top 50 acceptance, 1 funded top 50 acceptance, 8 rejections.

[CageFree]

Someone asked a while back to have us update this so I figured... might as well.

Undergrad Institution: Top 10 public research U.

Senior Thesis: Yes

Honors Program: Yes, thesis

Major(s): History

Minor(s): Almost minored in Classics - I ended up two classes short.

GPA in Major: 3.7

Overall GPA: 3.1 (horrendous freshman year as a science major; failed a class twice and gave up on it);

Post-baccalaureate work (credential): 3.8 GPA

Position in Class: N/A

Type of Student: Returning/non-traditional (I'm in my 30's), 1st generation

GRE Scores (revised):

Q: 155 (67th)

V: 167 (98th)

W: 6.0 (99th)

Research Experience: Thesis, research assistant (undergrad)

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: My thesis adviser wrote my name in the acknowledgments when she wrote her book, since I helped with her research. Honors b/c of thesis. Phi Alpha Theta.

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: HS teacher for a number of years.

Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter: I grew up in my country of interest.

Applying to Where: Brown, Wisconsin, Princeton, Davis, Pitt, Riverside. I was going based on research interests.

Going to: Davis

Research Interests & Areas of Focus: Southern Cone, transitional justice, memory

Languages: Spanish (bilingual), read French & Portuguese. Took Latin in college.

Letters of Recommendation: My principal, and two professors who are big names in their corresponding fields; they were my thesis advisers and know me very well - they wrote very personal, supportive letters even though I graduated over a decade ago. The committee at Davis mentioned that those two letters were very impressive.

Statement of Purpose: I kept retooling it as the application process went on; my first two were too long and rambling, so I'm not surprised I was rejected. My SOPs for Pitt and Davis were by far the best in terms of writing. I had a basic outline but then tailored each one to the POI and the strengths of the program (i.e. why I wanted to go there).

Writing Sample: For my first couple of applications I made the mistake of submitting my entire senior thesis (it met the length requirements). Unfortunately, the last couple of chapters were not great and I am sure that played a role in the rejections (along with a rambling SOP). After that, since the samples required were shorter, I wrote an abstract, added a table of contents for the entire thesis, and only submitted the first three chapters (i.e. the strongest ones). I was told that the writing sample was very, very strong.

Communication with POIs: I spoke to POIs at every school I applied to, either on the phone or via e-mail. They were all incredibly helpful and I used their feedback to improve my applications as time went by.

Lessons Learned from Application Process:

• Take advantage of the opportunity to email professors and, if you can get them on the phone, get advice from them. Thank them for their time (I sent handwritten notes).
  
• Be very selective about the writing sample... don't feel you have to send 30 pages if your sample is 30 pages but only 20 are good.
  
• Keep improving your application throughout the process. Keep going back to each portion and retool it again.
  
• Make sure your letter writers are people who know you well.
  
• Have an idea of what you want to do but be open to change.
  
• Apply to schools that are a good fit, rather than applying based on name alone.
  
• If you made mistakes (like a low GPA), acknowledge them quickly and focus on what you learned from them... turn everything into a positive.
  
• Be candid... they have to get a sense for who you are as a person and how you'd fit into the department. No sense in being fake, just to realize you're a poor fit at a school.. you'll end up being miserable. For instance, after meeting some people during my visit to Davis, I realized I DO NOT belong in the East Coast. People mentioned that the atmosphere at some of those schools can be pretty formal (read: stuffy)... and I'm a bubbly, casual type of person. I would hate it there.
  
• DO NOT sell yourself short. Highlight the things that make you unique. You want people to remember you.
  

Edited March 28, 2012 by CageFree

[czesc]

naturalog - did you use the same recommenders for your PhD applications and your Fulbright English Teaching one? What did they think about that / what did you say to them about it if so?

[Kirobaito]

Undergrad Institution: Medium-sized private religious university in the South, not particularly well-regarded in my subject. Graduated in 2010.

Senior Thesis: None, but I did spend significant amounts of time (almost two semesters' worth of research) on just a regular seminar paper. Senior theses weren't required or even an option.

Honors Program: I was in it my first year, but I couldn't get the course requirements to line up with my degree path, so I dropped out.

Major(s): History

Minor(s): Religion, Great Books

GPA in Major: 3.96

Overall GPA: 3.95

Position in Class: There was never a formal ranking, but only two of us graduated Summa, so that makes me one of the top two. No idea who technically had the higher GPA.

Type of Student: Hopelessly bourgeois white male, returning to school after two years in the work force.

GRE Scores (revised version):

Q: 162 (87%)

V: 168 (98%)

W: 5.5 (96%)

Research Experience: Just what I did in class.

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: I was on the Dean's list every semester, made Phi Beta Kappa. Other than that, not a lot. I was a great student, but not a particularly active one. I never cared to be published in anything.

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: I worked for a year in the Oral History Department doing transcription and general researchey kinds of things.

Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help:

Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter:

Applying to Where: One (yes, only one) top 30 program in history for an MA, with the option of a PhD when I'm done with that if I want to (I'm still undecided).

Research Interests & Areas of Focus: 20th-century American social history, African-American history, labor history, history of social movements

Language: When I'm immersed, I am decently fluent in Spanish, but when I'm out of it for a while (as I am now), I have to play catch-up.

Letters of Recommendation: Had to go a bit differently. Very flattering from the undergraduate director I had multiple times in my subject area and who became a good friend as well (along the lines of "this is the best student I've had in thirty years," which he mentioned to me several times). I didn't have any other profs multiple times, so I had my boss at the Oral History Institute write one (he was also an associate professor, but only knew me through my work, not studies). Lastly, I worked heavily with a journalism professor who was writing a book tangentially related to my area for a full year, transcribing all of his interviews and aiding him in his research. So I only had one LoR that came from a professor who actually taught me in a class.

Statement of Purpose: Since I only had to write one, I narrowly tailored it to their purposes. A thousand words on how I became interested in my area, my preferred methodologies, and the kinds of works I was familiar with. I basically turned in my second draft, only having two close friends look at it.

Writing Sample: A seminar paper I wrote my last semester, and which I worked very hard on (again, my prof said it was the best paper he had read from an undergrad in his thirty years of teaching). The subject matter had never before been written about in such detail, so it was totally original.

Communication with POIs: I only applied one place, and only sent one e-mail to one of the potential advisors (my school had numerous people I would be happy working with). I suffered from a bout of depression during the application process, which is why I only applied to one school. Obviously, my lack of communication didn't keep me from being accepted, but it's not an ideal move.

Lessons Learned from Application Process: Well, I didn't decide to go to grad school until early October, so obviously starting earlier would have helped. And obviously, I should have applied to more than one place, but it all worked out for the best in the end. Where I'm going is really where I want to be. Because I was undecided about my PhD, I had to limit myself to places that offered terminal MAs (because I have to finish what I start). Obviously, being more sure about my career path would have expanded my options.

Results: One acceptance from top-30 graduate institution. Zero rejections.

Edited March 29, 2012 by Kirobaito

[Sigaba]

ALCON--

In addition to your contributions to this thread, please also consider the utility of posting a reply in the thread.

[oswic]

Undergrad Institution: Small, public liberal arts state university

Senior Thesis: Combination of my double major and minor in the form of documentary theatre

Honors Program: As far as I know, there wasn’t one. I didn't study history in undergrad.

Major(s): Theatre and Women's Studies

Minor(s): Anthropology

GPA in Major: 3.86

Overall GPA: 3.65

Position in Class: I don't know.

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Dean's List every semester; graduated with honors; 3 awards for my senior project.

Graduate Institution: Large research university overseas

Thesis: Analysis and challenge of local and global feminist debates pertaining to binary constructions of women's activism in my country of study.

Major(s): Middle Eastern History

GPA: 94%/100%.

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Graduated Magna Cum Laude

GRE Scores (revised version):

Q: 158 (79%)

V: 143 (22%)

W: 4.5 (72%)

Research Experience: MA thesis

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: 6 years in the non-profit sector in fields unrelated to my studies.

Applying to Where: 8 PhD programs in history (6 in Middle Eastern History, 2 in transnational history); 1 PhD program in Near Eastern Studies

Research Interests & Areas of Focus: Social & cultural history of the Arab ME, women's movements; colonialism

Languages: 2 1/2 years of two foreign languages during my MA.

Letters of Recommendation: Letters from my MA thesis adviser, BA adviser (maintained correspondence during the decade after graduating), and a senior lecturer from my MA program.

Statement of Purpose: I began with an anecdote from the conclusion of my MA thesis to demonstrate the relevance and continuity of my research interests. The second part of my SOP explained the academic path which led to my present research interests and decision to pursue history. Rather than list an academic biography, I explained the process through which I developed particular skills and interests related to historical themes and methodologies and how I came to my proposed dissertation research. The third section of my SOP was tailored to each school, explaining how and why a university, department, and faculty fit my research and career interests.

Writing Sample: I combined two sections of my MA thesis with new material to create a sample that could stand on its own.

Communication with POIs: I wrote POIs at every university to which I applied. Each responded except one but sustained conversations only developed with three of them. One POI asked for further details about my academic background, language skills, and more about my research topic. This same POI asked me to send my entire MA thesis so it could be circulated to the admissions committee and I’m sure that contributed to my offer.

Lessons Learned from Application Process: We are our own worst enemies. I was very concerned about my GRE scores (and rightly so - they were not competitive enough and kept me out of at least one department, I was told). I let standardized test anxiety color my experience overall by thinking that it reflected my intelligence and potential. I also observed my tendency to compare myself to other students. Everyone comes to academe in their own way and the application process allowed me to find my confidence as someone who came to history from an eclectic academic and professional background.

Another lesson learned is how helpful POIs are in offering both admissions and research guidance potential students. It is never a good idea to adjust one’s interests to fit a POI or department, but if we remain open to new ideas and suggestions from POIs, we can see our proposed projects in new and exciting ways. I was struck by how helpful and kind almost everyone was. Some were eager to advise which indicated to me what I could expect as a student in their departments.

Results: 1 acceptance, 8 rejections. I think that if I wanted to reapply in the next application cycle I would have improved results from polishing my writing sample even more and studying harder for the GRE. I would also communicate with POIs in other fields of history who could play supporting roles in my research because they share thematic and methodological interests. But I am delighted that I don't have to reapply because the school that admitted me is truly the right fit. It only takes one, as they say, and this is the right one for me.

[oswic]

Yikes - I flipped my quant and verbal scores but I can't seem to edit my post. Anyone know why?

[oseirus]

Yikes - I flipped my quant and verbal scores but I can't seem to edit my post. Anyone know why?

are you on a desktop/laptop, tablet or phone? That MIGHT explain why ... plus I'm PRETTY certain most folks on here would realize that your scores are flipped ... least I think they would?

[oswic]

are you on a desktop/laptop, tablet or phone? That MIGHT explain why ... plus I'm PRETTY certain most folks on here would realize that your scores are flipped ... least I think they would?

Desktop. I'm at work and have a BAD case of senioritis. Somehow senioritis is worse when you're not in school. But yes, you're right - people here will know my scores are flipped.

[1Q84]

I tried reading through most of these but couldn't get through them all. Are the majority of you applying for Ph.D's then?

My heart pretty much sank as I scrolled through seeing how much work (conferences, papers, etc.) you all have done. I'm applying for an MA and I don't have a fraction of these works to my name...

[TMP]

Don't worry about it. That's what MAs are for- to get you prepped for the PhD with various professionalization opportunities.

[goldielocks]

Just decided to come back for a visit. So strange that I don't spend much time here these days, since I was practically connected 24/7 during app season. PonPonpon -- I agree with TMP. Don't sweat it. Emphasize what you do have. What makes you different? An MA application is quite different from a PhD, in that you're not expected to have a great deal of professionalization yet. But if you can demonstrate focus and specificity in your project, language skills, have a stellar writing sample, and really great letters... you'll be fine.

[1Q84]

Don't worry about it. That's what MAs are for- to get you prepped for the PhD with various professionalization opportunities.

Phew! Thanks.

Just decided to come back for a visit. So strange that I don't spend much time here these days, since I was practically connected 24/7 during app season. PonPonpon -- I agree with TMP. Don't sweat it. Emphasize what you do have. What makes you different? An MA application is quite different from a PhD, in that you're not expected to have a great deal of professionalization yet. But if you can demonstrate focus and specificity in your project, language skills, have a stellar writing sample, and really great letters... you'll be fine.

I'm missing the great letters unfortunately... didn't connect enough with my profs in my BA : ( but hopefully I can do the rest. Thank you!