czesc Posted January 2, 2013 Posted January 2, 2013 (edited) Hey all- Longtime lurker and future Fall 2013 phD applicant. Czesc, I might encourage you to take a graduate history course this spring (registrations will be available soon for most universities that operate on semesters) and then, following your undoubtedly stellar performance, request an LOR from that professor. It would be a strong recommendation because they could attest to your abilities to function on the history graduate level. Most universities have some sort of "extended learning" type program that allows students that are not officially enrolled to take classes (in many cases credit can be applied to a degree later: this would be particularly spectacular if you took a course at one of the universities to which you hope to apply). I did something very similar to this on the MA level a couple of years ago. And, of course, most graduate seminars are held in the evening and could therefore accommodate your full time work schedule. I don't know if this is helpful at all, but thought I'd chime in. Applying to: U of Chicago, UPenn, Yale, UBC, Toronto, and Madison-Wisc for Modern European urban history Thanks! Too late, unfortunately; I already applied (when you say you're a Fall 2013 applicant, do you mean you'll begin your apps then or will enter then? I think most people in this thread are applying for entry in 2013). I don't think I would've been able to take a graduate course on the side, anyway, since I work a really demanding and unpredictable job hours-wise. Are any of you contacting professors during the waiting period? Edited January 2, 2013 by czesc
theregalrenegade Posted January 3, 2013 Posted January 3, 2013 I'm suppose to hear from two of my schools within the next two weeks so there's that to (not) look forward to! How exciting!! Here's to good news... Are any of you contacting professors during the waiting period? Great question. I wasn't planning on it, but should we? Should we wish them a happy new year or let them know that we submitted our applications? I'd like to hear everyone's opinion.
benedicite Posted January 3, 2013 Posted January 3, 2013 Like a lot of people around here, I finally finished my last application. It sure is good to be done. I feel like I have no idea what to expect. I wonder, is there a good reason to contact any POI's after you've submitted your application?
viggosloof28 Posted January 3, 2013 Posted January 3, 2013 I think an email to follow up with them (if you've contacted them before) is OK. Just to let them know that you submitted your app, reiterate your interest in working with them/attending the program, etc. Wasn't planning on doing that, myself, for fear of overkill...but I understand many people do!
New England Nat Posted January 3, 2013 Posted January 3, 2013 (edited) I just wanted to give those of you with Princeton apps a heads up. They're going to do adcom meetings the third week in January and I'd expect decisions to be sent out the second week in Feb. A few years ago that was early in the cycle but last year a ton and a half of schools sent notices before Princeton.Anyone who wants to ask specific questions can PM me. Edited January 3, 2013 by New England Nat lafayette and czesc 2
aaiiee Posted January 3, 2013 Posted January 3, 2013 Great question. I wasn't planning on it, but should we? Should we wish them a happy new year or let them know that we submitted our applications? I'd like to hear everyone's opinion. I don't honestly think it is going to make any difference at all. But just yesterday I finished sending emails to all the professors that I had contacted for my PhD applications. It was just a simple one line email that said " I am writing this email to inform you that I have submitted my application. Thank you for your encouragement." I am not expecting any replies but one of my friend did get a reply from a Prof. saying "I am glad you have applied. I look forward to reading your application."
PhDreams Posted January 3, 2013 Posted January 3, 2013 Stanford and Penn start contacting around the second week of Feb according to the board last year. I don't know if I can wait that long!!!
viggosloof28 Posted January 3, 2013 Posted January 3, 2013 Stanford and Penn start contacting around the second week of Feb according to the board last year. I don't know if I can wait that long!!! Man, me either! The very earliest I'll hear anything is the very end of January, but most of my programs send out notifications the second week of Feb. I feel like we turned in our apps AGES ago. Seems unfair to make us wait so long!
PhDreams Posted January 3, 2013 Posted January 3, 2013 I feel like we turned in our apps AGES ago. Seems unfair to make us wait so long! Seriously..... Gahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! I jump every time I get an email. My heart is not going to make it.
New England Nat Posted January 3, 2013 Posted January 3, 2013 Seriously..... Gahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! I jump every time I get an email. My heart is not going to make it. During this period in my cycle I threw myself into my masters thesis with... shall we say... unhealthy zeal. I'm not saying I wasn't a basketcase, but I'd suggest trying to find something else to focus on.
Sio68 Posted January 3, 2013 Posted January 3, 2013 I had sort of assumed that February would be the earliest I'd hear anything, so I'm not being very obsessived about it this month. I have enough teaching duties to be getting on with! Thanks for the Princeton info New England Nat... although it did make me feel very nervous for a moment! I'd love to get admitted but I think it's the one least likely to accept me *sad face*. Nevertheless, I shall keep an open mind about all of it and try to stay positive! Btw if anyone here applied to UW-Madison, I have been informed that in previous years they've notified quite early (sometime during January). This would fit with them having the earlier deadline.
New England Nat Posted January 3, 2013 Posted January 3, 2013 Sio68,They get (and read) 400+ applications each cycle. I can give no inside information because the professors are very good about keeping things confidential. The only thing I can say in general is that the department likes to take people who are thinking in big ideas. I wouldn't assume you have no chance just because you didn't go to Harvard or Yale, because the cohorts they take are surprisingly diverse.If you PM me with your general details I can try to give you a sense of if you would fit into what they're looking for.
mcclellan08 Posted January 4, 2013 Posted January 4, 2013 New England Nat-- any sense as to the prospects for 20th century Americanists at Princeton this year? Thanks in advance for any feedback!
viggosloof28 Posted January 4, 2013 Posted January 4, 2013 During this period in my cycle I threw myself into my masters thesis with... shall we say... unhealthy zeal. I'm not saying I wasn't a basketcase, but I'd suggest trying to find something else to focus on. This is exactly my plan to distract myself! I figure that would be the most productive use of my time, anyway! Btw if anyone here applied to UW-Madison, I have been informed that in previous years they've notified quite early (sometime during January). This would fit with them having the earlier deadline. Wow, really? Thanks for the heads-up!
New England Nat Posted January 4, 2013 Posted January 4, 2013 New England Nat-- any sense as to the prospects for 20th century Americanists at Princeton this year? Thanks in advance for any feedback!They take 7ish Americanists in every cohort, with a weight towards the 20th century because of the nature of the faculty. That usually includes 1 or 2 legal historians and does not include the History of Science folks who have their own adcom.
annieca Posted January 4, 2013 Posted January 4, 2013 Well that was a definite hiccup!I received one of my letters of rec to submit to a school and needless to say...it wasn't good. I was recommended as being a great office assistant and that I could clean (seriously?!) but that I couldn't make original historical arguments.This from a women who I asked specifically "Can you write a strong letter?" This letter went out to all of my U.S. options. Thankfully my favorite school is in the UK and I don't need 3 letters of rec so I can eliminate her but still. There was MAJOR panicking and tears yesterday when I read the letter.My best friend keeps telling me that I can't count myself out yet and that my achievements will speak for themselves. It's still a nerve-wracking confidence-shattering experience.Hopefully the other letters (one of which I've read and gushes) will help outweigh the bad one. Anyone know how much adcomms weigh LORs?
tempest_teacups Posted January 4, 2013 Posted January 4, 2013 For those of you applying to schools in the UK, how are you planning on paying for it? I deferred from UCL last year because I didn't want to take out $30,000 or so in loans. Getting my MA in European History at UCL may be my plan B if I don't get into any PhD programs in the states.
PhDreams Posted January 4, 2013 Posted January 4, 2013 Well that was a definite hiccup! I received one of my letters of rec to submit to a school and needless to say...it wasn't good. I was recommended as being a great office assistant and that I could clean (seriously?!) but that I couldn't make original historical arguments. This from a women who I asked specifically "Can you write a strong letter?" Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow. I am so sorry that you had to experience that yesterday. One of my recommeders decided to flake out completely and never sent any letters but one. I hope that it's because they decided that they didn't feel as strongly about me. So.... maybe I dodged a bullet? But CLEANING?!?!?!??!!?! What kind of letter is that...
theregalrenegade Posted January 4, 2013 Posted January 4, 2013 For those of you applying to schools in the UK, how are you planning on paying for it? I deferred from UCL last year because I didn't want to take out $30,000 or so in loans. Getting my MA in European History at UCL may be my plan B if I don't get into any PhD programs in the states. I'm already in debt from my undergrad and MA, so I'm done with loans. The only way I'll be able to go to any of the universities I applied to in the UK will be through internal or external scholarships. Most of the international scholarships I'll apply for require an offer of admission first. Thus, the process of applying is even more agonizing. I'll be overjoyed to get admitted, but then I'll be competing with many for limited funding. There seem to be more funding options for an MA in the UK. That may be a plan B for me as well.
theregalrenegade Posted January 4, 2013 Posted January 4, 2013 Well that was a definite hiccup! I received one of my letters of rec to submit to a school and needless to say...it wasn't good. I was recommended as being a great office assistant and that I could clean (seriously?!) but that I couldn't make original historical arguments. This from a women who I asked specifically "Can you write a strong letter?" This letter went out to all of my U.S. options. Thankfully my favorite school is in the UK and I don't need 3 letters of rec so I can eliminate her but still. There was MAJOR panicking and tears yesterday when I read the letter. My best friend keeps telling me that I can't count myself out yet and that my achievements will speak for themselves. It's still a nerve-wracking confidence-shattering experience. Hopefully the other letters (one of which I've read and gushes) will help outweigh the bad one. Anyone know how much adcomms weigh LORs? That is just wrong. I'm sorry annieca. I do think your achievements and other letters may offset that nonsense though. I know LORs are important to adcomms, but as to which ones they value most - I'm not sure.
runaway Posted January 4, 2013 Author Posted January 4, 2013 Annieca, just look on the bright side-- you're read the letter! Any of us could be in your shoes too and have no idea about it. As for making strong historical arguments, you have your writing sample to directly disprove that statement. Don't despair too much! Bearcat1 1
viggosloof28 Posted January 4, 2013 Posted January 4, 2013 Well that was a definite hiccup! I received one of my letters of rec to submit to a school and needless to say...it wasn't good. I was recommended as being a great office assistant and that I could clean (seriously?!) but that I couldn't make original historical arguments. This from a women who I asked specifically "Can you write a strong letter?" This letter went out to all of my U.S. options. This is the crazy and horrible - I'm so sorry this woman did this to you! I'm sure your writing sample and application as a whole will refute her claim about your inability to make historical arguments. At least now you know what she really thinks about you, I guess? And when you get into your dream program, the joke will be on her! theregalrenegade 1
PhDreams Posted January 5, 2013 Posted January 5, 2013 And when you get into your dream program, the joke will be on her! YESSSSS!!!!!!!
New England Nat Posted January 5, 2013 Posted January 5, 2013 Wow. That's seriously unprofessional. If you can't write a strong letter you tell the student that. It's one of the ways you save students who shouldn't go to grad school from going through the process. Not that that applies to you. But there is a purpose to saying "No I wont write you a letter."
annieca Posted January 5, 2013 Posted January 5, 2013 And when you get into your dream program, the joke will be on her! I like this way of thinking! She's my home-basis senior thesis adviser so I'll still have to deal with her but thankfully, just by email.@runaway - It's a blessing and a curse. I'll get to read my third letter soon so that means I'll know the whole picture. It's a blessing because I can say "Well, they decided with good and bad things said about me" but also a curse because I decide in my head based on what they've said and not based on what the ad comms think.As for paying for my dream school, in the UK...I'm doing my last year here in the UK so I'm writing my thesis at the school I want to go to. If I get a First, I get something like half off of my tuition. That, plus $10,000 left in my college fund from undergrad and it only being a one year program = affordability.Thanks all for the sympathy and I hope your journeys are less painful!
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