My Graduate Schools

[red4tribe]

I'll be applying to graduate schools for the Fall of 2014 semester quite soon. My field of study will be Early American History (military and political 1750-1783) I've done a lot of research, and have assembled a list of schools where I'm going to apply, which I'll list here, I'm just curious if anyone here knows of another school which I may have missed that would be worth looking into? I live in New York State, about halfway between Albany and NYC, I'm looking to stay within about 10 hours of home.

 

Boston College

Boston University

Northeastern University

SUNY Albany

McGill University

Temple University

University of Vermont

William and Mary

NYU

 

[czesc]

Harvard maybe?

 

Also, last I heard Toronto was the only Canadian school that fully funded PhD students, so I'd keep that in mind when applying to McGill.

[red4tribe]

I talked to faculty as McGill, they said you must get your masters before a PHD in Canada, therefore I'd have to work on that first, as opposed to directly applying to PHD programs as I would here. 

 

Harvard I have considered, but that would certainly fall into a school in the "reach" category for me, along with W&M and BU. I don't think my GRE scores will be good enough, but I figure it's worth a shot.

[czesc]

I don't think it's likely GRE scores will disqualify you from Harvard if they haven't disqualified you from, say, NYU - and that's what they're primarily used for in the admissions process, to cull applications that obviously don't belong off the top. It would probably be other factors that would mean you were less likely to be admitted to Harvard than any of the schools here, most of them specific to your interests and achievements within them.

 

As for McGill - yes, you will have to do a potentially costly MA to begin with, then face the prospect of an unfunded PhD as well.

[Henry Hudson]

I did my UG at a SUNY school, and I was warned away by a prof advisor (someone who does Early America, too) from doing grad school at any SUNY school (except maybe Stony Brook), as they do not have very good job placement rates.

 

I am also from your area, red4, as my handle suggests. I'd love to return to my home area for a PhD, but nothing lines up for me. 

 

I did my MA in Canada, and contrary to what is posted above there is often MA funding (not as generous as a PhD program, but some). I cannot speak for McGill at all, though, except that Montreal is one of my all-time favorite cities and the McGill library and staff are excellent. Ontario schools are making things harder and more expensive for foreign grad students; we pay the brunt for part of the U cuts. If anyone suggests York U (in Toronto) to you, do not bother - they only take one foreign student per year, and prefer someone studying a non-North American topic. 

 

Have you considered Yale?

[red4tribe]

I did my UG at a SUNY school, and I was warned away by a prof advisor (someone who does Early America, too) from doing grad school at any SUNY school (except maybe Stony Brook), as they do not have very good job placement rates.

 

I am also from your area, red4, as my handle suggests. I'd love to return to my home area for a PhD, but nothing lines up for me. 

 

I did my MA in Canada, and contrary to what is posted above there is often MA funding (not as generous as a PhD program, but some). I cannot speak for McGill at all, though, except that Montreal is one of my all-time favorite cities and the McGill library and staff are excellent. Ontario schools are making things harder and more expensive for foreign grad students; we pay the brunt for part of the U cuts. If anyone suggests York U (in Toronto) to you, do not bother - they only take one foreign student per year, and prefer someone studying a non-North American topic. 

 

Have you considered Yale?

I did look into Yale, but that along with NYU and William and Mary would qualify as a "reach" school for me. So I'm a little wary about applying to too many more reach schools .

 

McGill does appear to have a great staff, as I have met a few already, and a great program. And I agree that Montreal is great. Along with that, it's about half the price of some of these other schools on my list. So even if I have to get my MA there first then move on to PHD it would, financially, make the most sense. 

 

I have heard similar things about SUNY schools, I had a friend who hated the SUNY Albany MA program, but I'm going to apply there as one of my more "safe" schools. 

[dr. t]

What do you mean when you say "reach" school? Why do you think these schools are "reach" schools?

[red4tribe]

What do you mean when you say "reach" school? Why do you think these schools are "reach" schools?

When I say "reach" it means I think I have a chance of getting in, but mostly likely will not. 

[dr. t]

When I say "reach" it means I think I have a chance of getting in, but mostly likely will not. 

Ok, but the second question?

[red4tribe]

Ok, but the second question?

Ah yes sorry, my GRE scores are going to be the weakest part of my application and I suspect they may doom me for these schools.

[dr. t]

Ah yes sorry, my GRE scores are going to be the weakest part of my application and I suspect they may doom me for these schools.

 

Unless they're below, say 300 combined, I would apply anyway. IMO, by your definition, every graduate school is a reach school.

[red4tribe]

Unless they're below, say 300 combined, I would apply anyway. IMO, by your definition, every graduate school is a reach school.

They're over 300(barely), but I basically bombed the math. I'm terrible at math, but scored solidly on the verbal and the writing. I am going to take it one last time though. 

[dr. t]

They're over 300(barely), but I basically bombed the math. I'm terrible at math, but scored solidly on the verbal and the writing. I am going to take it one last time though. 

 

That doesn't seem to be a serious concern.

[red4tribe]

That doesn't seem to be a serious concern.

Do you think I'd have a legitimate chance with those kind of GRE scores? 

[shaboomshaboom]

I did my undergrad at McGill- they have phenomenal history profs, especially for American History, so you'd be in good hands. James Opal does early american history, and he's one of the best.

 

[dr. t]

Do you think I'd have a legitimate chance with those kind of GRE scores? 

I think it's hard to know what a legitimate chance is when it comes to graduate education, but I don't see your GREs as a limiting factor in that regard.

 

Because of the often puzzling randomness of graduate admissions, the time commitment graduate study requires, and the uncertainty of the job market post-graduation, I am an advocate of the sole criterion of whether or not one should apply being if one likes the program. Otherwise, it would seem to me that you are valuing the idea of being in graduate school more than you should, and that can only lead to unhappiness later.