Fall 2014 Applicants

[catsandscarves]

ditto on that!

[sankofa]

Wherever I go this fall, I promise to remain a committed informant on the 2015 thread.

Thank you and catsandscarves ! We will need the help and optimism I think the first cycle is learning experience.

[maelia8]

I look forward to contributing next year as well This has been such a great learning experience for me, and I look forward to sharing it with new applicants!

[Bactrian]

It seems like some on here have applied 2 or 3 times before getting in where they want. For those who have gone through multiple cycles...how did you decide that was the best thing to do? There's obviously no guarantee you would get into a better program...

 

If getting a PhD in history is something you really want, and you haven't been accepted anywhere, then I think you owe it to yourself to try at least once more. My applications improved a ton between my first and second round (with an intervening MA, though).

 

If you've been accepted somewhere, but it's not where you want, then it becomes more tricky. I think asking yourself "Why did I apply here in the first place?" is the way to go. Did you apply because you felt you should, or someone pushed you to, or you wanted a "backup school" (no such thing, but I digress...) but you don't actually respect the school or want to go there? Then maybe you should try again. Did you apply because you want to get a PhD in history and you're truly willing to go anywhere for that? Then maybe you should just take the bird in the hand.

 

I think you should also ask yourself how much your application can really improve in the intervening year. That doesn't mean you need to get another degree or a fancy fellowship or anything. You could work on improving your languages. Or maybe now that you know what you're doing you can write a much better SoP. Or maybe you can spend the year refining your interests and coming up with a more compelling topic. Improving any of these things by a meaningful degree might put you over the edge.

 

There's obviously no right or wrong answer here. But that's how I would approach it.

[djp2]

I did! Finally. Thanks!

Congrats! I'll be crossing my fingers for you!

[dr. t]

It seems like some on here have applied 2 or 3 times before getting in where they want. For those who have gone through multiple cycles...how did you decide that was the best thing to do? There's obviously no guarantee you would get into a better program...

 

My last cycle ended me in a MA program (MTS, to be precise) with substantial funding, so that's why I'm gearing back up.

[red4tribe]

Has anyone heard anything regarding Boston College?

[DCguy]

It seems like some on here have applied 2 or 3 times before getting in where they want. For those who have gone through multiple cycles...how did you decide that was the best thing to do? There's obviously no guarantee you would get into a better program...

this year is my second try. rejected from schools i doubt i would have enjoyed going to last year. I also wasn't prepared at all. I've been rejected by 4 so far and waitlisted at 1 this year. If that waitlist doesn't turn out the way Im hoping for I'll try again next year. to answer your question I have to quote Will Arnett in blades of glory, "I can't get a real job, it'll kill me." That's kind of how I feel. I want to history, I want to be a history. I'm teaching part time this year and I love doing it. I miss doing research as much as I did as a student. That's my answer. I love teaching and researching. I'd rather spend several years trying this than getting some "real job" that I hate. . . but that might just be me

[alpheratz]

Finally got my official Harvard rejection today, whoo.  It's not a surprise at all, and especially not a surprise since the admissions started rolling out.  Applying to the History program there was my one "I'm not qualified, but I really love what these people are researching so why the hell not" action, and I never thought I'd be especially put out if I were rejected (because, let's be real, I'm not a strong history applicant, let alone a strong applicant for history at Harvard).  Neither of my undergrad majors were history.  My primary (thesis) major was in an interdisciplinary field that uses similar research methods and my undergrad thesis was basically a history/art history thesis (Were either of these my majors?  LOLNOPE.)  I made a decent argument for my ability to make the discipline switch, but I still considered myself too interdisciplinary to be a solid applicant to any disciplinary program.

 

So I was incredibly surprised when two different professors at Harvard independently contacted me for interviews.  And when phrases like "we are all very impressed by your application" and "I'm looking for someone with research interests just like yours and I'd like to pick your brain for my current project" and "I see you as a future colleague, which is why I want to see you successful in grad school" get tossed about, it's hard not to hope.  I dunno, I was getting some seriously good vibes from them.  And it really would have been a good fit for my distressingly niche interests.  More than one prof I could work with?  HOLY SHIT!  

 

Anyway, the rejection season is winding down.  I applied to programs in [interdisciplinary major], [Major #2], history, and art history.  I've got an acceptance into an MA program, two programs are up in the air (both are historically late releasers; I've got an interview for one of them scheduled for next week), and I'm waiting for two more official rejections (I haven't gotten an acceptance, so...).  It's looking like I might wind up doing the MA and then reapplying next year.  That's not unexpected, and it's why I applied to the MA in the first place.  However, my Harvard application clearly didn't wind up in the trashcan like I was expecting, and I might have to reevaluate my whole approach to grad school applications.  Going into this mess, I was afraid that I wouldn't be a strong candidate for any disciplinary programs, so I stuck with programs I thought I was qualified for.  This application process has completely overturned my expectations. I'm pretty thoroughly befuddled at this point.

 

Here's the question I've been leading up to: is it appropriate for me to contact either/both of those two profs at Harvard and basically ask them where I went wrong, framed in a "what could I do in the next year to make myself a stronger candidate" way?  I realize that grad applications are a crapshoot, but I'm having so much trouble making sense of anything.

 

P.S. I want an interdisciplinary board on here so badly!  I realize it'd be pretty dead, but I have so many questions and issues that don't fit in anywhere else.  =(

Edited February 28, 2014 by alpheratz

[TMP]

It seems like some on here have applied 2 or 3 times before getting in where they want. For those who have gone through multiple cycles...how did you decide that was the best thing to do? There's obviously no guarantee you would get into a better program...

I applied three times.  The first time, I only got 2 waitlists.  The second time I had 1 waitlist (to the SAME school the year before!) and an unfunded acceptance, Third time, 2 fully funded acceptances.  

 

I could not have done the third round of applications without critical support network from my work colleagues and a couple of very trusted POIs who had learned of my previous records.  I truly did want to take a year off after applying for two cycles straight but my support network encouraged me just to go for it and helped me out.  I'm really glad that I did though it left me completely emotionally and mentally exhausted, burned out, and traumatized about the whole graduation admissions process (it's another story).

 

I tend to see this whole process as a game of Russian roulette.  Just keep on spinning but be kind to yourself in the process.

[phdwannab]

It seems like some on here have applied 2 or 3 times before getting in where they want. For those who have gone through multiple cycles...how did you decide that was the best thing to do? There's obviously no guarantee you would get into a better program...

Thanks so much for everyone's insightful feedback on this question. Very appreciated.

[phdwannab]

It seems like some on here have applied 2 or 3 times before getting in where they want. For those who have gone through multiple cycles...how did you decide that was the best thing to do? There's obviously no guarantee you would get into a better program...

Thanks so much for everyone's insightful feedback on this question. Very appreciated.

[levoyous]

Finally got my official Harvard rejection today, whoo.  It's not a surprise at all, and especially not a surprise since the admissions started rolling out.  Applying to the History program there was my one "I'm not qualified, but I really love what these people are researching so why the hell not" action, and I never thought I'd be especially put out if I were rejected (because, let's be real, I'm not a strong history applicant, let alone a strong applicant for history at Harvard).  Neither of my undergrad majors were history.  My primary (thesis) major was in an interdisciplinary field that uses similar research methods and my undergrad thesis was basically a history/art history thesis (Were either of these my majors?  LOLNOPE.)  I made a decent argument for my ability to make the discipline switch, but I still considered myself too interdisciplinary to be a solid applicant to any disciplinary program.

 

So I was incredibly surprised when two different professors at Harvard independently contacted me for interviews.  And when phrases like "we are all very impressed by your application" and "I'm looking for someone with research interests just like yours and I'd like to pick your brain for my current project" and "I see you as a future colleague, which is why I want to see you successful in grad school" get tossed about, it's hard not to hope.  I dunno, I was getting some seriously good vibes from them.  And it really would have been a good fit for my distressingly niche interests.  More than one prof I could work with?  HOLY SHIT!  

 

Anyway, the rejection season is winding down.  I applied to programs in [interdisciplinary major], [Major #2], history, and art history.  I've got an acceptance into an MA program, two programs are up in the air (both are historically late releasers; I've got an interview for one of them scheduled for next week), and I'm waiting for two more official rejections (I haven't gotten an acceptance, so...).  It's looking like I might wind up doing the MA and then reapplying next year.  That's not unexpected, and it's why I applied to the MA in the first place.  However, my Harvard application clearly didn't wind up in the trashcan like I was expecting, and I might have to reevaluate my whole approach to grad school applications.  Going into this mess, I was afraid that I wouldn't be a strong candidate for any disciplinary programs, so I stuck with programs I thought I was qualified for.  This application process has completely overturned my expectations. I'm pretty thoroughly befuddled at this point.

 

Here's the question I've been leading up to: is it appropriate for me to contact either/both of those two profs at Harvard and basically ask them where I went wrong, framed in a "what could I do in the next year to make myself a stronger candidate" way?  I realize that grad applications are a crapshoot, but I'm having so much trouble making sense of anything.

 

P.S. I want an interdisciplinary board on here so badly!  I realize it'd be pretty dead, but I have so many questions and issues that don't fit in anywhere else.  =(

 

A very similar thing happened to me...I was a latecomer to history, had two unrelated degrees (one interdisciplinary), applied across several disciplines to hedge my bets, and assumed the top history programs were out. Well, turns out I got interviews at two Ivy history departments, and might still end up going to one of them. Even if I don't, I realized I wasn't as confident as I should have been.

 

I hope a more experienced person will add to/correct me on this, but I don't think you should think of it as "doing something wrong"...if you got two profs at Harvard interested, you clearly did things right enough. Like you say, you can do everything "right" and still not get lucky (which is really what it comes down to). I assume that the more times people go through this, the more time they have to improve their work, do additional work, write better statements, be more direct and confident with POIs, etc, which all has to help. So I think it's more like keeping on doing things right than fixing something you did "wrong."   

[levoyous]

Has anyone heard anything regarding Boston College?

 

PMed you.

Edited March 1, 2014 by levoyous

[hdunlop]

I finally got my formal Chicago rejection... and also just got the Levy scholarship for law at UPenn, a full ride there. At least I can get into something!

[czesc]

Congrats! A scholarship from a school like Penn Law is no mean feat. As I recall the school is pretty tightly connected to the history department too (at least relative to some other schools) so you might use that to your advantage if you wan to keep alive your PhD dreams.

[qrsty]

Hdunlop: you should visit Penn and definitely meet with Sally Gordon and some of the current JD/PhD students. PM me if you want to talk more--also a legal history person, expect we've probably looked at a lot of the same options. Good luck and congrats!

[Katzenmusik]

P.S. I want an interdisciplinary board on here so badly!  I realize it'd be pretty dead, but I have so many questions and issues that don't fit in anywhere else.  =(

 

Interdisciplinary Studies are on "The Menu"!  http://forum.thegradcafe.com/forum/82-interdisciplinary-studies/   

[dika149]

Has anyone heard anything back from Rutgers or NYU in the last week?  I think I've heard that NYU's already had their admitted students day.  I'm happy with the acceptances I have, but don't want to move ahead with the paperwork until all the cards are on the table.

[poofysheep]

Still nothing from NYU. I really wish they'd let us know. I'm assuming it's a rejection, but as you said, it's nice to have all the cards on the table.

[manda3124]

I haven't heard anything from Rutgers--but people posted rejections via the website today.  My application status still says "No decision."  

[levoyous]

Any Penn admits out there who are likely going somewhere else?

[czesc]

FYI: Cornell admitted 17 people this year and 11 are coming for admitted weekend. Don't know if that means there's a waitlist or what might be the fate of anyone who could be on it. 

Edited March 7, 2014 by czesc

[dika149]

Rejected by Rutgers this morning, so I imagine those of you waiting will be hearing back soon.  Nothing yet from NYU.

 

Edited to add:  What do people make of getting accepted by top ranked programs and then rejected by lower ones?  Rutgers is great and the faculty are amazing, but I was admitted by more selective programs.  Are people in the committee hedging against being turned down?  Or am I trying to fix an explanation on what is by nature a pretty random process?

Edited March 7, 2014 by dika149

[awells27]

Rejected by Rutgers this morning, so I imagine those of you waiting will be hearing back soon.  Nothing yet from NYU.

 

Edited to add:  What do people make of getting accepted by top ranked programs and then rejected by lower ones?  Rutgers is great and the faculty are amazing, but I was admitted by more selective programs.  Are people in the committee hedging against being turned down?  Or am I trying to fix an explanation on what is by nature a pretty random process?

So far I have been rejected and accepted by upper tier programs and accepted by upper middle tier.  Since acceptance rates for top tier programs hover between 5-10%, my Michigan rejection accepted 4 out of 69, I would think the long term stats would bear out more rejections on average from these schools.  However, once one's application is among the most competitive, and I'm assuming yours is if you got into a competitive program, then one needs a bit of divine intervention and/or luck.