Fall 2015 Applicants

[Gambaosaka1]

 

 

Got rej from UCSC. They told me that I had weak analytical skills on SOP and weak LORs. I felt like I was greatly insulted as I know how great the profs. who wrote my LORs and how they are attentive to me. I'm glad I got into UH and Claremont as they NEVER told me that. Now starts the decision between the two schools.

 

 

Sounds odd to me for them to say that. Maybe professor plum can help out here. If the idea is that the LOR are confidential is even saying they were "weak" or "not great" unethical or, at the very least, unusual?

 

I remember going into an interview for an MA program in the UK who really wanted me to attend them over another uni and one of the Professors there told me one of my mentors wrote a bad LOR which I thought was out of order but that's just me.

[Professor Plum]

 

 

Got rej from UCSC. They told me that I had weak analytical skills on SOP and weak LORs. I felt like I was greatly insulted as I know how great the profs. who wrote my LORs and how they are attentive to me. I'm glad I got into UH and Claremont as they NEVER told me that. Now starts the decision between the two schools.

 

 

I've never heard of anything like this and I'm a little stunned. I can't imagine any program communicating anything like this--especially not this bluntly--because there is just no upside. The only thing I can imagine is a student who e-mailed repeatedly demanding an explanation and someone in the program wanted that student to go away. Even then it's hard for me to imagine anyone responsible saying anything besides a vague "The committee felt that your letters of recommendation were not as strong as some of the more competitive applicants."

 

There are usually some threads over at the Chronicle boards regarding the ethics of notifying someone that there is a bad recommendation letter in the file. This is usually in regards to job applications, where the stakes are incalculably higher and where a poor letter will torpedo a candidate. In that case, most faculty members seem to think that it is ethical to pull someone aside and suggest "Perhaps you ought to consider replacing your letter from Prof. X with someone who can speak more effectively about your research," which is assumed to signal the candidate that there is something really negative about a particular letter. A few professors think that even this vague level of disclosure gets into some murky ethical territory, but not many. Frankly, the majority believe that it's unethical to agree to write a letter of recommendation in the first place if you plan to put a ticking bomb in the file.

[wacyeah]

 

To Stillalivetui, Gambaosaka, and Prof. Plum, thank you very much for all the comments! To answer some of the questions, I got this generic email from UCSC today talking about the number of student capacity, yata yata... so I called the department (grad. admin coordinator of hist. dept.) asking kindly "what kind of factor resulted in this decision." I actually told her initially that I was already admitted to different institutions so that I would not be regarded as someone who called the dept. out of anger/frustration/complaints, and I added that I simply wanted to know just out of curiosity. Then, she pulled out my file and flat out told me I was denied as of weak LORs and weak analytical skills on SOP.

 

For the profs. I requested my LORs, the first was my MA thesis advisor and had one class (and I have a very good relation both in and outside of class); I took two classes with another prof. and he was my secondary advisor of my MA thesis; then, I was a TA (discussion session leader and grading assistant) for the last professor. All profs knew my work/character very well and they all had good rapport with me.

As for my SOP, I asked my bosses at the library I'm currently interning to read/comment. They both are certified archivists (one has MLIS and MA in history i believe, and another has a Ph.D. in archeology and her husband is a prof. (European Lit. I believe) at UCLA. When I showed mine to them after my editing, they both told me it was a very solid SOP (and the husband said the same thing according to one of the archivists).

In fact, I don't think I had a really devastating issue, aka "weak," issue as I got into two reputable institutions, including Claremont, which is ranked much higher than UCSC (I usually don't believe in the US News Grad ranking, but I just wanted to throw that out now as a reference).

 

I actually got denied from UCSC last year too (for Fall 2014 admission) saying that I was not a good fit. Technically, that's not entirely accurate as well as my focus is on collective memory/public history of the Pacific War, especially on atomic bombings and post-war nuclear culture in both US and Japan, and that the institution has two profs on modern Japanese history, and two profs. on public history, and even a research center for the memory of the Pacific War.

 

Or maybe the decision has something to do with me coming out from Cal. State Univ and had applied to UCs (as I've heard before that there's an internal rivalry/dislike between CSUs and UCs).

 

All I can say is that I honestly felt like the response not only insulted me but the people I got full support from. Luckily, I already got admitted to other institutions so I don't have to this take this nonsense seriously lol.

Edited March 18, 2015 by wacyeah

[L13]

It seems like someone actually told you the exact basis on which your admission decision was made, which is probably against policy. I would appreciate knowing that's what the committee thought of my application, though.

[mvlchicago]

Perhaps speaking a lil out of turn here, but I'm unsure as to why you would ask for feedback on your rejection if you were going to disregard their comments out of hand. Speaking from experience, the people I had read my SOP were individuals who had gone through the process on either side (as adcom or as successful applicant) in the past seven years and knew my school list well. Also, if we're taking the anecdotes on a number of these threads seriously, then it seems entirely possible that LORs could still be weak and have no bearing on your relationship with the faculty writing them.

 

In any case, it is a good thing to be unconcerned about it at this point!

[Professor Plum]

I don't know of any program where the admin assistant is actually in the room during the committee's discussion, and the written record of those deliberations--the file the admin assistant would look at--is very bare-bones. That's by design: at a public university, the written record, as well as any e-mails exchanged between professors about admissions, can in theory be requested by an applicant making a discrimination claim. Since written notes can theoretically become public, professors are very careful about what they put in writing. That's also why we do admissions meetings face-to-face.

 

In this case, I'm guessing the admin assistant opened the folder and tried to explain its content. (Bad idea, admin assistant! Bad idea!) Someone who wasn't in the meeting might look at the file and try to divine the reasoning behind the decision based on very modest information. In my department, we rate applicants across four different categories (including recommendations) on a 1-5 scale. An outside person looking at those numbers might notice that you got a 3 for recommendations while admitted applicants averaged a 4.4, and conclude that your recommendations were weaker on average. That doesn't meant the letters were bad; it means they weren't good enough.

 

In general, I agree with the poster above: What is the point of asking for this information? Academe is certainly not a perfect meritocracy, but it is closer than most other lines of work. As one of my mentors remarked early in my career, the question "Why didn't I get that fellowship/grant/interview/job/book contract?" usually has just one answer: your work was not good enough. Brutal but generally true. There are of course a few exceptions, but over time the system does seem to give pretty consistent results. Many of you can see that from your admissions results: If you were accepted to nearly every program below, say, no. 26, but didn't receive any acceptances from programs ranked above that, you've got a useful data point about how you stack up against other historians nationally who share your general interests. It's not perfect, but if four separate committees at top-ranked programs all concluded independently that your application wasn't among the best they received, that strikes me as a pretty reliable piece of feedback. And it's an important bit of information to use when you're deciding whether to commit six years to graduate school, since the people above you, the ones who were accepted to those programs, are the same ones you'll be competing with on the job market.

[nom]

AND THERE'S UOFT, YES!!!

 

Congrats! Did you status change online? Was it via post?

[elinen]

I got into LSE with a studentship! Yay!

[tingdeh]

Congrats! Did you status change online? Was it via post?

Unofficial email from DGS!

[ashiepoo72]

Congrats elinen!!

[PoeticNobleLandMermaid]

Congrats elinen!!

 

I was just browsing through this thread on my phone and accidentally down voted your post! Sorry!

[Kleio_77]

I was just browsing through this thread on my phone and accidentally down voted your post! Sorry!

 

I upvoted it.

[brl254]

Woke up to an email with an acceptance off of the wait list at Wisconsin for History.  So excited!  The wait is finally over for me now.  

[tingdeh]

Woke up to an email with an acceptance off of the wait list at Wisconsin for History. So excited! The wait is finally over for me now.

Woohoo, congrats!

[Heimat Historian]

congratulations brl. 

[KBHistorian]

Today I finally called Amherst so I might find out if I've been accepted into their Public History program.

They have already sent out the rejections and acceptances together. However they have some people in the middle that will be finding out at the end of next week when we will either be accepted or rejected.

So if you haven't heard from Amherst yet it's because we've been unofficially Waitlisted until next week.

Edited March 20, 2015 by KBHistorian

[ellebe]

Hey all!

 

Anyone still playing the waiting game? I'm hesitant to make contact with Davis, if only because it's nice to cling to hope. 

 

Congrats to all the new admits and final decisions. It's been a hell of a ride, guys

[SunshineLolipops]

Hey all!

 

Anyone still playing the waiting game? I'm hesitant to make contact with Davis, if only because it's nice to cling to hope. 

 

Congrats to all the new admits and final decisions. It's been a hell of a ride, guys

Still waiting on my official rejection from Penn State, but it looks like this is the end of the academic road for me. Good luck to everyone giving it another shot next year, I'm off to work the UXO grid.

[Heimat Historian]

I'd reach out to Penn State JJWS.  You may be on the waitlist.  When I emailed the DGS, that's what they told me.  Good luck!

[ashiepoo72]

ellebe, it's pretty late for Davis not to have gotten back to you. You may be on the wait list. I would contact them, but I totally get why you're holding back.

[ellebe]

Wow JJWS, that's a major change in direction! Are you putting academia on hold or saying goodbye? (And would a waitlist -> acceptance from Penn State change your mind?)

 

Ashiepoo, you're totally right, I just like thinking that until they say no... well, y'know. 

[SunshineLolipops]

Ellebe, it would certainly be tempting, but I'm trying not to get my hopes up again for something I've already written off. UXO work has always been the backup plan.

[ToomuchLes]

Its been awhile since I posted on here.

 

I officially accepted my MA offer from Indiana University today, and quite frankly, I couldn't be happier =D! I will be working with a fantastic professor, whose work and attitude I truly admire. I had the pleasure of meeting her a few months back, and we hit it off very nicely, so Im confident our work together will be well spent. IU is providing some, but not full funding. However this is the price I pay for slacking in my undergrad studies; lesson learned. Now is the time to excel, and in 1-2 years, I will have the confidence, credentials, and the opportunity to apply to much better programs than I did this season (not to say, all the programs I applied to were lacking; in fact, a majority were leading research programs).

 

Thank you all for the awesome community, and assistance this season! It means a lot having such an awesome support group. I know I couldn't have done it without you. 

 

Although this is a small step in a long journey, I am overjoyed to know that I am walking down the path my heart so eagerly wants. For those heading to IU, send me a PM so we can eventually meet up for a drink! To those heading to all corners of the continent for grad school, I wish you the best of luck and true happiness! Im sure, eventually, we'll run into each other at a conference unknowingly. And finally to those that have to take a year off, cheer up. Life goes on. Theres always another application season, and Im sure youll get it in the next one. Take the moment to reminisce on all of your accomplishments, enjoy the small things in life (cliche sure, but very uplifting), and go try new things in life (eat exotic foods that you never tried before, that always makes me happy xD). 

 

From CA -> IN, lets see how I handle the weather 

[Kleio_77]

Congrats LeventeL, I remember reading your draft SOP in an earlier post, and I thought you had a great writing style. I even printed out your SOP to use as a comparison for how to structure or begin my own draft. I also had a problematic start to my undergrad, and am very happy to be where I am.

 

I should also say, thank you ashiepoo72, for reviewing my own sop, and others, you have been super helpful with your editing and advice on many of our SOPs. 

[stillalivetui]

Its been awhile since I posted on here.

I officially accepted my MA offer from Indiana University today, and quite frankly, I couldn't be happier =D! I will be working with a fantastic professor, whose work and attitude I truly admire. I had the pleasure of meeting her a few months back, and we hit it off very nicely, so Im confident our work together will be well spent. IU is providing some, but not full funding. However this is the price I pay for slacking in my undergrad studies; lesson learned. Now is the time to excel, and in 1-2 years, I will have the confidence, credentials, and the opportunity to apply to much better programs than I did this season (not to say, all the programs I applied to were lacking; in fact, a majority were leading research programs).

Thank you all for the awesome community, and assistance this season! It means a lot having such an awesome support group. I know I couldn't have done it without you.

Although this is a small step in a long journey, I am overjoyed to know that I am walking down the path my heart so eagerly wants. For those heading to IU, send me a PM so we can eventually meet up for a drink! To those heading to all corners of the continent for grad school, I wish you the best of luck and true happiness! Im sure, eventually, we'll run into each other at a conference unknowingly. And finally to those that have to take a year off, cheer up. Life goes on. Theres always another application season, and Im sure youll get it in the next one. Take the moment to reminisce on all of your accomplishments, enjoy the small things in life (cliche sure, but very uplifting), and go try new things in life (eat exotic foods that you never tried before, that always makes me happy xD).

From CA -> IN, lets see how I handle the weather

Congrats! IU is wonderful and Bloomington is an oasis in Indiana. I'm finishing up my MA in May, and have nothing but amazing things to say about the program, people, and faculty. I trust you'll enjoy your time here.