Improving Application

[jami1124]

Hi,

I'm wondering if someone knowledgable on the subject of graduate school admissions could help me. I graduated from college in 2008, and have spent the past few years tutoring standardized tests. I hold a degree in History and East Asian Studies at Wesleyan University. I have a low GPA, 3.23. My major GPA is a 3.5. I have a 331 GRE score (haven't received the Writing score yet). I spent most of my time in college working as a research assistant for my academic advisor/Intellectual History professor, who has said that I'm one of the five smartest students she has ever had. She has a great reputation at Wesleyan as head of CSS, which is a prestigious department at the school, but she's not especially well-published (she has published one book to date), and I'm unsure of her reputation in the academic community. Still, she's going to write a stellar rec. The other two recommendations will come from other History professors and maybe an East Asian Studies professor. They will be good, but not phenomenal. My Statement of Purpose will be strong. Anyway, I'm wondering where this background puts me in terms of the kinds of schools I should apply to. I have a feeling that I'm not a competitive enough candidate for a top ten History masters program, but should look at a few schools in the top thirty. But honestly, I have no clue. I'm also thinking about applying to Sociology programs as I've heard the job market for History grads is truly bleak. I would likely have to take a couple grad courses in Statistics and Sociology to be applicable for Sociology masters programs. If a got a couple A's in some non-degree grad courses, would my prospects for masters programs be better? How else can I strengthen my application?

I understand that this is one in a sea of these kinds of posts, but I deeply appreciate any advice you can give me here.