Can I get into a PhD program in history?

[ashiepoo72]

Hello all, I am new to the site but, in my frantic google searches as I've begun to look seriously at potential advisors and schools, I came across thegradcafe and it has been a true godsend. 

 

I went to UC Santa Cruz as an undergraduate, received my BA in History of the Americas and Africa (I never ventured far from the U.S. in my studies, however), and graduated with an overall history GPA of 3.7 (it's a bit higher in my final 2 years, still in the 3.7-3.8 range). I am currently in my 2nd year at a state school (CSU) getting my MA in U.S. History. My current GPA is a 3.75, however I'm confident by the time I'm sending in applications it will be up to a 3.85. 

 

I'm working on a research paper that I hope to get published (not in some illustrious history journal, but in one of the several journals I've found that publish graduate student work), and a professor has expressed his desire to assist me in this endeavor. I was the first recipient of a new fellowship offered through my department, after being nominated by professors, and to fulfill my obligation to the fellowship I tutor undergraduates in the humanities. 

 

I'll be taking the GRE in the summer, giving myself another shot at it before applications are due if I bomb. Vocab flash cards are currently my best friend, and I'm powering through a test prep book every weekend.

 

I'm looking to apply to mostly mid-tier programs across the country, and several top-tier programs (at the behest of the graduate advisor, who encouraged me to do so). I have three professors, and perhaps a fourth after the end of this semester, willing to write me strong letters of recommendation as well.

 

I guess what I'm concerned about is not being a 4.0, decorated student from a top-tier university and how this will affect my chances. I'm aware that doctoral program admissions are a lot more personal - writing samples and recommendations matter a great deal - but maybe I'm just having flashbacks of all the number crunching I did when applying to my undergrad program, and how it felt like GPAs and test scores mattered most.

[junotwest]

Hi there.  Your stats are totally fine and won't disqualify you from any program. Perform as well as you can on the GRE and apply wherever you'd be happy to study. 

 

I don't think being a 4.0, decorated student from a top-tier university will affect your admissibility as much as having a solid writing sample and speaking the language of your field in the SOP will.  I don't have a 4.0, I attend a public liberal arts college, and I've received some offers that I'm pretty stoked about.  You can PM me if you're curious about what my applications looked like.