Fall 2014 Applicants

[New England Nat]

Ah, that clarifies things a lot.  Out of curiosity do you have language skills.  I know the strength of languages in some subfields can count for a lot more and POI I know will often test it out themselves rather than relying on either grades or qualifying exams.  Our China people do that, and so can our medievalists where the number or required languages can be as many as five.  Having difficult to learn languages can make up for a lot of other deficiencies.

[levoyous]

I have solid reading skills and average speaking in my regional language, but it's just French, so nothing that special.

[thedig13]

All this discussion about writing samples and their importance prompted me to re-read my writing sample. I then encountered a very small non-sequitur. Namely, the first sentence of a particular paragraph is mostly-relevant to the rest of the paragraph, but it could have been significantly better at introducing the rest of the paragraph. Other people who've read my sample, including the editor of an academic journal, did not notice this error. However, once I noticed it myself, it became very obvious to me. Obviously, I addressed the problem, and all future drafts of my writing sample will include the change.

 

However, because I've already sent out a number of applications, some of my top-choice schools will receive this flawed draft. My question is this: knowing that most of my previous readers have missed the error, how likely is it that an adcom will notice it? And, if they notice it, how much will a single sentence in a 23-page writing-sample matter? I understand that it's a tiny part of a broader picture, but I also recognize the importance of the writing sample in the admissions process, and don't want to underestimate the impact of an error in my application.

 

I am also aware that applicants to graduate programs are naturally neurotic to an irrational degree. However, I still have to throw this question out there.

[New England Nat]

I wouldn't worry about it too much.  Papers and books aren't finished, they're abandoned when the writer has to finally walk away.

[kdavid]

I know the strength of languages in some subfields can count for a lot more and POI I know will often test it out themselves rather than relying on either grades or qualifying exams.  Our China people do that...

 

 

NEN, could you provide an example? I ask because I've applied to Princeton (for modern Chinese history).

 

Been in touch with a couple professors and grad students. Really like the feel and idea of working with my two POIs.

[New England Nat]

Well, Sue Naquin was the one I knew used to check languages herself.  But it's also done not only by talking to the student but by looking for clues of proficiency in the application and writing sample. 

 

Janet Chen and someone else?  Did you apply to history or east Asian studies?

[jamc8383]

UChicago apps are due today and I have one recommender who has yet to submit her letter.  I know that many universities have a "grace period" for LORs, but UChicago's website states explicitly that for the application to be considered "on time," all supplementary materials, including LORs must be submitted by the December 10th deadline (and to reinforce the point, they suggest that you take this into consideration when choosing whom to ask for recommendations).  I don't even have time to worry about my exam in three hours because I am FREAKING OUT about this.  I sent an automatic reminder to her on Sunday and a very polite email yesterday evening, with no response to either.  She has already submitted three LORs on my behalf (for programs whose applications deadlines were Dec 1st), so I don't understand what the hold-up could be.  

 

Do you think I will be significantly penalized in the application process if she doesn't come through by the deadline?

[A Finicky Bean]

Okay I have a question. I already have written my SOP for U:Illinois but I wanted input on how people interpret the request in the SOP prompt for language studies. What should be included to satisfy their request? 

 

"A statement of purpose/personal statement is required and is also submitted electronically. The statement of purpose/personal statement outlining your intellectual interests and goals is one of the most important parts of the application. It should include an estimate of your ability to do research in a language, not your own, which can be no more than three pages in length as part of your statement of purpose/personal statement."

 

Thanks for your input!

[Loric]

For people who care about language ability that's terrible abuse of the native tongue.

 

I feel compelled to write them a letter saying so..

[BRock89]

Post was put in the wrong thread. My apologies everyone!

Edited December 10, 2013 by BRock89

[Loric]

Domestic...?

 

Like a cat breed..?

[thedig13]

 

General Profile: 

Domestic White Male

Major(s): Mathematics (BA), Economics with a Quantitative Emphasis (BA)

Minor(s): Leadership studies

GPA: 3.96/4.0 (Cumulative, in math, and in econ)

GRE: 610V / 800Q / 5.5W

 

Research Experience: 

1 Year Undergrad Research writing an honors thesis (received summa cum laude designation)

2 Years independently researching machine learning topics, nothing published

 

Other:

1 graduate course taken as an undergrad

 

Area(s) of Interests:

Machine learning (deep learning and ensembles, in particular)

Data mining

Optimization

 

Schools Applied (CS PhD program unless otherwise specified):

Stanford 

Carnegie Mellon's Statistics and Machine Learning PhD program

University of Texas at Austin

University of Washington

University of Pennsylvania

Georgia Tech

Columbia

 

I'm sorry. I don't mean to make you feel unwelcome, but you may be in the wrong thread. This one is for History PhD programs and their applicants.

 

If you're interested in Math/CS, I suggest the forums for those fields:

http://forum.thegradcafe.com/forum/48-mathematics-and-statistics/

http://forum.thegradcafe.com/forum/33-computer-science/

[Loric]

I wonder what they would say if i listed "Wirehair" or "Maine Coon" as my ethnicity..

[thedig13]

I wonder what they would say if i listed "Wirehair" or "Maine Coon" as my ethnicity..

 

There's a Futurama episode in which a Physics professor named Katz turns out to be a highly sophisticated puppet controlled by an intelligent cat. This just reminded me of that.

[kdavid]

Well, Sue Naquin was the one I knew used to check languages herself.  But it's also done not only by talking to the student but by looking for clues of proficiency in the application and writing sample. 

 

Janet Chen and someone else?  Did you apply to history or east Asian studies?

 

 

And Benjamin Elman, both of whom I've been in contact with.

 

Applied for history. I'm pretty confident I can get into *a* history program, and that's what I want to do. I don't want to "settle" for a degree in EAS (at any university) when I know I can do history.

 

My MA is from a PRC university (done entirely in Chinese). My writing sample (a chapter of my thesis) includes a number of Chinese-language sources.

 

Do you think they'd set up an interview just for the purposes of testing my Chinese?

[New England Nat]

No, I think they'll take living in China as enough of a test.  The people I know who got further tested were ones who didn't have those manifest evidences.  I adore Chen, so not my area, but she's a joy to be around but also a hard nosed adviser.

 

I'm also not surprised at your attitude.  I have a middle eastern specialist friend who described Near Asian Studies departments as "area studies ghettos."  I can't speak to it myself as it's not my subject area but I have heard the reasoning behind wanting a history degree.

 

ETA:  You should know we're also hiring in late imperial china this year.  I can't tell you anything about the search as I didn't go to the job talks but they are this week.  It's the replacement for Naquin.

Edited December 11, 2013 by New England Nat

[A Finicky Bean]

Anyone have any advice for my post? I just don't want it to get lost...

 

Thanks, all!

[CageFree]

Okay I have a question. I already have written my SOP for U:Illinois but I wanted input on how people interpret the request in the SOP prompt for language studies. What should be included to satisfy their request? 

 

"A statement of purpose/personal statement is required and is also submitted electronically. The statement of purpose/personal statement outlining your intellectual interests and goals is one of the most important parts of the application. It should include an estimate of your ability to do research in a language, not your own, which can be no more than three pages in length as part of your statement of purpose/personal statement."

 

Thanks for your input!

 

I would contact the school directly. That's just poorly written... I have no idea what they are asking.

[silentbirds]

I missed the Chicago deadline. Or I am not even sure how I missed it, because I was submitting before 11:50 CT! I took some screenshots and emailed the Division of Social Sciences, and hopefully I will hear from them soon.

[levoyous]

Speaking of deadlines, has anyone had nightmare experiences with submitting apps at the last minute? I wondered when to assume the deadline was if no time was specified - ie, if it says December 15, does that mean before 12AM December 16? I have no intention of cutting it that close, but just in case.

[levoyous]

Thought I would relieve my anxiety a bit by reading the thread from last year. Terrible mistake.

[Loric]

How about you just procrastinate a bit less..?

[hdunlop]

What a helpful remark, especially coming as it does from someone who posts four times a day.

[silentbirds]

I am really lucky that I am not the only person submitting at the very last minute. Chicago had some issues with their system, and they have manually submitted on my behalf. What a relief.

[Loric]

Well my apps are finished...