NELC Applicants

[la sarar]

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. 

 

Exactly. I heard that this year the committee will mean in mid- to late Feb. Although last year the final result was released on the 17th already.

[la sarar]

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. 

 

Thank you very much! Best of luck to you too.

[Qaus-gabri]

I saw Michigan sent out at least one acceptance--for 2nd Temple/EC. Has anyone heard anything about HB/AI or Cuneiform stuff?

[nomadia]

I saw Michigan sent out at least one acceptance--for 2nd Temple/EC. Has anyone heard anything about HB/AI or Cuneiform stuff?

Nothing. NELC/HB news seems so quiet this year.

[nomadia]

Anybody care to claim the Chicago offer and add a sub-field?

[Tynan]

Emailed a bunch of progrmas today because I found out my email is rejecting all incoming mail. Finished my Master's at the American University of Beirut, tried to get my AUB email forwarded to my gmail account; however, though "American" is in the name, AUB functions like any other goddamn Lebanese institution. Heard from UT Austin that they are sending out responses starting Fed 18th. I also am curious about the Chicago admission, I did my undergraduate in NELC there so it's my top choice. Hope whoever was admitted isn't doing Arabic lit or Isma'ili studies, but if you are congratulations. Applied to Princeton, but I'm in Beirut and told them I can't make visitation week, so I don't know if they'll contact me for an interview. Does anyone know if they accept without interviews? 

[Bactrian]

Does anyone know if they accept without interviews?

I believe that they do but it's considered to be "to your advantage" to attend the interview days.

Does anyone know anything about those interviews, specifically language testing that is done as part of it? I was invited to interview and I'd like to prepare but I'm not sure of what they're looking for. I'm guessing they'll hand you a passage and ask for a translation but is it with or without a dictionary? Or am I totally off base here?

[kaputzing]

Congrats to whoever was admitted to Chicago! (I too have an acceptance but am refraining from posting anything to the results page until I actually have the official letters in my hand and/or in my email inbox ... I am still a little dubious of my results so far and keep expecting follow-up emails, saying, "We're sorry, but we made a mistake.") My own subfield is cuneiform. I believe they accepted nine students this year for the ancient side in total, with three of them being cuneiformists. They may have accepted nine for the more modern side as well, but don't quote me on that.

 

I think they accepted three cuneiformists at Berkeley as well. No clue about the totals though.

 

Someone was asking about Michigan earlier; I know the NELC department is having funding issues. I can't speak about all of the sub-fields, but I understand that their cuneiform department is particularly unstable right now, with Michalowski nearing retirement and no replacement in sight.

[la sarar]

Congrats to whoever was admitted to Chicago! (I too have an acceptance but am refraining from posting anything to the results page until I actually have the official letters in my hand and/or in my email inbox ... I am still a little dubious of my results so far and keep expecting follow-up emails, saying, "We're sorry, but we made a mistake.") My own subfield is cuneiform. I believe they accepted nine students this year for the ancient side in total, with three of them being cuneiformists. They may have accepted nine for the more modern side as well, but don't quote me on that.

 

I think they accepted three cuneiformists at Berkeley as well. No clue about the totals though.

 

Someone was asking about Michigan earlier; I know the NELC department is having funding issues. I can't speak about all of the sub-fields, but I understand that their cuneiform department is particularly unstable right now, with Michalowski nearing retirement and no replacement in sight.

 

You mean you are also accepted to Chicago, or?

[la sarar]

I heard today that Harvard already have choices for their 3 admissions (ancient). They haven't contacted anyone yet. They may need departmental approval, things like that.

Edited February 6, 2013 by la sarar

[la sarar]

I believe that they do but it's considered to be "to your advantage" to attend the interview days.

Does anyone know anything about those interviews, specifically language testing that is done as part of it? I was invited to interview and I'd like to prepare but I'm not sure of what they're looking for. I'm guessing they'll hand you a passage and ask for a translation but is it with or without a dictionary? Or am I totally off base here?

 

I don't think they'll test you like that. 

I once had a skype interview, last time when I applied, with Austin, and they tested my modern Hebrew (whole interview done in Hebrew). But it's only because my major was modern Hebrew and they needed people to TA their classes. They will not ask you to recite some psalms or parse a verb in front of them. I think.

Edited February 6, 2013 by la sarar

[Murklins]

I don't think they'll test you like that. 

I once had a skype interview, last time when I applied, with Austin, and they tested my modern Hebrew (whole interview done in Hebrew). But it's only because my major was modern Hebrew and they needed people to TA their classes. They will not ask you to recite some psalms or parse a verb in front of them. I think.

 

Do you know if Austin has interviews for MA candidates as well?

[ant71191]

Does anybody know when Princeton notifies candidates they're shortlisted? I know it's usually early February...

[Bactrian]

Does anybody know when Princeton notifies candidates they're shortlisted? I know it's usually early February...

I heard from Princeton yesterday but I don't know if they've sent out all the notifications.

[la sarar]

Do you know if Austin has interviews for MA candidates as well?

 

Sorry but I'm not sure.

I don't believe my last interview with them was anything selective or part of the review process. Because I had heard from Prof. JAH that I would be accepted before Prof. NP'E notified me of the interview, and she stated clearly that it was for the possibility of doing a TA-ship. So I would guess that they don't do interviews regularly. Unfortunately I finally didn't go there and have to apply again now...

[la sarar]

News: a friend of mine was accepted to U of Chicago yesterday. Archaeology. 

So ancient field applicants were notified a little later?

 

Either case, I didn't get any word from Chicago.

[Qaus-gabri]

That makes . . . a lot of us, I think.

[kaputzing]

When you are notified is up to your POI or head of your program. Some professors will contact you earlier, some later. If's only been three days since they made their picks, so I would say you might want to hang tight until next week and see if you get any word from them

[kaputzing]

Yale is killing me with the silence.

 

I didn't send in a writing sample either, 'cause they didn't breathe a word about it on their sit, and it was too late to email the DGS to ask if they wanted one. Now I'm wondering if it'd have been better to stick it into the supplements despite its length.

Edited February 8, 2013 by kaputzing

[la sarar]

When you are notified is up to your POI or head of your program. Some professors will contact you earlier, some later. If's only been three days since they made their picks, so I would say you might want to hang tight until next week and see if you get any word from them

 

his POI is also the DGS. So, hard to tell. I'm becoming pessimistic.

[la sarar]

Yale is killing me with the silence.

 

I didn't send in a writing sample either, 'cause they didn't breathe a word about it on their sit, and it was too late to email the DGS to ask if they wanted one. Now I'm wondering if it'd have been better to stick it into the supplements despite its length.

 

It might be later than usual this year. 

And they do have a strong applicant who's already doing an MA there. They want someone who will definitely come so they don't lose the fellowship. Therefore, I think the internal applicant may have a better chance. 

[la sarar]

A professor from NELC, U of C said that he only knew the information for the archaeology admissions and that the Dean will notify students of the final decision soon. 

I think that this is the euphemism for "yeah, you are right, you got rejected". It's been just too long since they first notified someone. I guess students admitted to HB/ANE or NWS just didn't bother to submit their results here. 

When I applied last time, I contacted a different professor when I heard that somebody had got in an ancient program at Chicago, and he frankly told me that people not invited were to be rejected (it was exactly Feb. 11). Seems that I have to wait longer for the rejection this time. How considerate! 

 

Not expecting to go anyway. 

[bogles]

A professor from NELC, U of C said that he only knew the information for the archaeology admissions and that the Dean will notify students of the final decision soon. 

I think that this is the euphemism for "yeah, you are right, you got rejected". It's been just too long since they first notified someone. I guess students admitted to HB/ANE or NWS just didn't bother to submit their results here. 

When I applied last time, I contacted a different professor when I heard that somebody had got in an ancient program at Chicago, and he frankly told me that people not invited were to be rejected (it was exactly Feb. 11). Seems that I have to wait longer for the rejection this time. How considerate! 

 

Not expecting to go anyway. 

You could check with Pardee. I believe he would honestly say if you got into the HB/ANE or NWS program.

[kaputzing]

1. There is some major turmoil going on in the OI right now.

 

2. I know of at least one person accepted at UChicago who didn't know his admission results until the official letter came out. (Yes, he was accepted and didn't hear from his POI until he had the official email in his inbox; his POI flat-out refused to give him an answer.)

 

3. Yeah, check with Pardee if you're really nervous.

[Tynan]

Does anybody know what is going on at Chicago with regard to Islamic studies? Is it bad form to check in with your POI to see what's going on?