NELC Applicants

[Tabes]

So I just put my applications in for Egyptology grad programs.  I have an okay GPA (3.6) from a state school, okay GRE scores (89th percentile on verbal), good languages and research and strong letters of recommendation.  I wish I knew what the competition was like, but I can't find any information anywhere.  Anyone else applying for Egyptology this year?  I could only afford to apply to two schools and I'm feeling like a real chump next to some of the other applicants who are applying to nine programs and have prestigious internships :/

[Qaus-gabri]

I guess I'll chime-in: I'm of the Hebrew Bible / NW Semitics sort. I've applied to:

 

U MIchigan - NES - Hebrew Bible / Ancient Israel

UC Berkeley - NES - Hebrew Bible

UT Austin - MES - HB / Ancient Israel

U Chicago - NELC - Hebrew Bible & ANE

Harvard - NELC - HB

Johns Hopkins U - NES - HB / NWS

 

I guess we'll see what happens.

 

Best of luck, all.

[Tabes]

Rock on! My undergrad mentor is an AI/HB scholar. What's your area of interest?

[Tabes]

Congrats to whoever it was that got into Brown!

[la sarar]

Congrats to whoever it was that got into Brown!

 

I hope the Religious Studies Department doesn't make decisions at the same time, in which case I would assume rejection...I'm applying to Israelite religion. I emailed both departments (Egyptology and AWA) and was encouraged to apply to Religious Studies. Didn't know that Egyptology would accept students so early. I have a friend who got accepted last year to the program, and he was interviewed in February. 

[la sarar]

Anyone know if Yale's NELC department has sent out invites for interview? I read in previous posts that last year they had one in late January, if so, I guess invites should have been sent by this time of the year, assuming that they allow people a week to arrange their schedule. 

Not sure if I should already assume rejection this early.

[Qaus-gabri]

Assume nothing.

[la sarar]

Assume nothing.

 

True. Dates may vary from year to year, too. Thanks.

[Qaus-gabri]

For the benefit of the thread, I got a U Mich (NES) interview email on the 22nd. Interviews will be held on Saturday via Skype. Again, my sub-field is Hebrew Bible / Ancient Israel. So far as I can tell, I'm the only one that has recorded an interview email in the results database. Perhaps this was a faux-pas? Whatevs.

 

Best of luck to anyone else who got one.

[nomadia]

For the benefit of the thread, I got a U Mich (NES) interview email on the 22nd. Interviews will be held on Saturday via Skype. Again, my sub-field is Hebrew Bible / Ancient Israel. So far as I can tell, I'm the only one that has recorded an interview email in the results database. Perhaps this was a faux-pas? Whatevs.

 

Best of luck to anyone else who got one.

Ah bummer. I was hoping to have a shot there.

 

Thanks for the info and good luck on the interview!

[nomadia]

Well, I will try to keep the ball rolling in this thread. I'm also of the Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near East variety. I have applied to:

 

-UCLA

-Chicago (OI)

-Michigan

-Wisconsin

-Vanderbilt

-UT Austin

-NYU

-Brandeis

 

Good luck, everybody!

[Murklins]

Anyone else here interested in the modern Middle East?

[nomadia]

Got a notification in the mail that I was accepted into Wisconsin's graduate program for Hebrew & Semitics, sub-field Hebrew Bible. Funding decisions have apparently not been made, but application was nominated for a fellowship. Will hear back in March. Nice to get some positive news this early, but we will see what happens with the funding.

[Qaus-gabri]

Got a notification in the mail that I was accepted into Wisconsin's graduate program for Hebrew & Semitics, sub-field Hebrew Bible. Funding decisions have apparently not been made, but application was nominated for a fellowship. Will hear back in March. Nice to get some positive news this early, but we will see what happens with the funding.

 

Congrats! I have a friend in that program right now—Hutton and Troxel are top-notch and doing really good things. If you want, I can give you his email address if you have any questions.

[nomadia]

Congrats! I have a friend in that program right now—Hutton and Troxel are top-notch and doing really good things. If you want, I can give you his email address if you have any questions.

Yeah, I would appreciate that. On a related note, I am actually friends with the person that Michigan took for HB last year so I can put you in touch with her if you would like as well.

[kaputzing]

Unofficial acceptances rolling out for Berkeley. (True to history, they have made their decision earlier than everyone else in the process!) I am not sure whether all the NELC/NES sub-departments decide at the same time, but just an FYI for you peeps. Good luck!

[nomadia]

Unofficial acceptances rolling out for Berkeley. (True to history, they have made their decision earlier than everyone else in the process!) I am not sure whether all the NELC/NES sub-departments decide at the same time, but just an FYI for you peeps. Good luck!

Thanks. I also heard from a friend at Chicago today that NELC there might be making final decisions this week. So we will see. He seemed pretty confident, but, you know how this stuff works.

[kaputzing]

I wouldn't be surprised. UChicago usually notifies early February.

 

I think Yale typically notifies around early to mid-Feb. as well, but they also do interviews, usually sent out late January? So it's getting a little close to the wire for Yale; I imagine if you haven't gotten an interview or don't get an interview very soon, you may consider yourself pretty much rejected.

 

JHU seems to notify late February afaik. They have very few spots though. I've heard their recent policy is to take three students a round for the entire department (so at least one sub-department will lose out), but I may be wrong on this. Let me know if you guys have anything else on them.

 

No idea about UPenn. That place is like a black hole. History has them sending out notifications in March.

Edited January 31, 2013 by kaputzing

[ûl ʾašerātō]

I think Yale typically notifies around early to mid-Feb. as well, but they also do interviews, usually sent out late January? So it's getting a little close to the wire for Yale; I imagine if you haven't gotten an interview or don't get an interview very soon, you may consider yourself pretty much rejected.

 

You shouldn't necessarily consider yourself rejected this early for NELC at Yale. The NELC dept. at Yale has had a bit of a shake up in Egyptology that has the department spread quite thin. Frahm is now the DGS for the NELC department, the chair of Assyriology and acting chair of Egyptology. Since Yale has a requirement in the Graduate School to interview every candidate who will be offered admission, I'm sure things are moving more slowly this year. 

[ûl ʾašerātō]

I hope the Religious Studies Department doesn't make decisions at the same time, in which case I would assume rejection...I'm applying to Israelite religion. I emailed both departments (Egyptology and AWA) and was encouraged to apply to Religious Studies. Didn't know that Egyptology would accept students so early. I have a friend who got accepted last year to the program, and he was interviewed in February. 

 

I see that you're in the Boston area. Did you visit the RS department at Brown? I'm interested to know what you thought of the department if you did. 

[la sarar]

I wouldn't be surprised. UChicago usually notifies early February.

 

I think Yale typically notifies around early to mid-Feb. as well, but they also do interviews, usually sent out late January? So it's getting a little close to the wire for Yale; I imagine if you haven't gotten an interview or don't get an interview very soon, you may consider yourself pretty much rejected.

 

JHU seems to notify late February afaik. They have very few spots though. I've heard their recent policy is to take three students a round for the entire department (so at least one sub-department will lose out), but I may be wrong on this. Let me know if you guys have anything else on them.

 

No idea about UPenn. That place is like a black hole. History has them sending out notifications in March.

 

About Yale: I asked students and professors, and it seems that the interview is not mandatory: they don't interview those who have visited, if they happen to want to admit them. 

[la sarar]

I see that you're in the Boston area. Did you visit the RS department at Brown? I'm interested to know what you thought of the department if you did. 

 

I did. I really liked their atmosphere. Very friendly. Prof. Olyan is a smart and knowledgeable person and sometimes seems to have different opinions on certain academic issues. Everyone is helpful and they arrange the visit for you. Plus a free lunch. 

 

But I sort of regret not applying to the West Asian department. I have two friends who got into that program (and declined) but don't know anyone who got into RS. RS seems to have more applicants and fewer spots. And, you would still be able to study with Prof. Olyan that way. So I may have made a wrong decision. 

[kaputzing]

You shouldn't necessarily consider yourself rejected this early for NELC at Yale. The NELC dept. at Yale has had a bit of a shake up in Egyptology that has the department spread quite thin. Frahm is now the DGS for the NELC department, the chair of Assyriology and acting chair of Egyptology. Since Yale has a requirement in the Graduate School to interview every candidate who will be offered admission, I'm sure things are moving more slowly this year. 

I see! Thanks for the update on the situation and reviving a glimmer of hope for me, haha. As a Yale insider, you will keep us posted if you see hordes of potential NELC grad students swarming the campus for interviews, yes? ?

 

In other news, this is what I've heard about JHU, for those who are interested, but keep in mind I do not have particularly good contacts with the department. One of the profs at JHU dropped me a hint a few months ago that they may not be accepting Assyriologists this year, but it really depends on if the archaeologists find anyone they want from the applicant pile.

[ûl ʾašerātō]

I did. I really liked their atmosphere. Very friendly. Prof. Olyan is a smart and knowledgeable person and sometimes seems to have different opinions on certain academic issues. Everyone is helpful and they arrange the visit for you. Plus a free lunch. 

 

But I sort of regret not applying to the West Asian department. I have two friends who got into that program (and declined) but don't know anyone who got into RS. RS seems to have more applicants and fewer spots. And, you would still be able to study with Prof. Olyan that way. So I may have made a wrong decision. 

 

It is definitely true that HB/NWS programs are extremely competitive. Spots are very limited, and the applicant pools are huge. It seems that what you need to get into a PhD program in this area of study is what you would have finished with 20 or 30 years ago. 

 

Brown has an interesting program, especially if you're interested in doing comparative work. I'm glad to hear your visit went well. Hopefully you'll hear some good news. 

[ûl ʾašerātō]

About Yale: I asked students and professors, and it seems that the interview is not mandatory: they don't interview those who have visited, if they happen to want to admit them. 

 

All of the departments in the Graduate School are required to have some sort of interview with candidates. I expect that visiting would count. Most of the interviews are done via Skype. A number of the departments are not particularly thrilled with the interview requirement, including Religious Studies. As I mentioned, things might not be on the regular schedule this year due to the shake up in Egyptology. So, I wouldn't read too much into delayed information.