Fall 2015 Applicants

[Chiqui74]

Ashiepoo, I can't remember, did you ever mention your subfield in this thread?  I'm trying to take heart!

[ashiepoo72]

I'm a modern Americanist, primarily focusing on WWII and Cold War interventions. The date range would be something like 1940-1975ish. I do social and political history in a global context.

Please please please don't be discouraged! I am grateful I received early news, cognizant of the fact that y'all are in limbo and don't want you to be discouraged because some of us have gotten acceptances. There are still plenty of programs that haven't even started notifying, and many programs notify in waves. It's super super early in the season--we should expect to hear from schools during the entire month of February, most concentrated in the mid-late part of the month.

I know I'll be sharing in your happiness and excitement soon!

[manda3124]

Hi all!

 

Congratulations to all the acceptances so far!  This is my second application season on here, but only my second time posting

 

I am very hopeful that the second time around will bring an acceptance for me, but I am feeling discouraged recently!

 

Also, have seen a few posts about having a family while pursuing a PhD.  I have an infant and have been worried about how the adcoms will view it.  Any experience in this area?

[ashiepoo72]

I'll send you a PM, manda

[Chiqui74]

I, too, have a kid, although he's not an infant.  He's 6.  Ashiepoo, I think you mentioned something about your daughter, how old is she?

[Heimat Historian]

I have an infant too! He'll be one years old this month. I didn't mention him in my stuff though.

[ashiepoo72]

Same age as your son, Chiqui

Aww congrats Heimat! I miss the baby days, except for the lack of sleep. Though it's quite similar to grad school I guess haha

Edited February 3, 2015 by ashiepoo72

[JTE]

I have a daughter too, but she's 6 months old.

[Chiqui74]

I didn't mention my son either, not because of fear or anything but because it just wasn't relevant.  Harvard did ask in the supplementary application, but only them. 

[Chiqui74]

Also, I'm a bit older so I suppose that already puts me in the non-traditional bracket.

[Heimat Historian]

I'm in the "older" bracket too, i.e. not just out of a BA program.  

[ashiepoo72]

Yay so many parents! I talked about my daughter in one line, but only because I had to explain why I took 2 quarters off during undergrad.

[Heimat Historian]

Interesting.  I didn't address any shortcomings in my SOP.  Perhaps I should have... I figured better not to say anything and let them ask then to mention it.  That's what my adviser recommended too. 

[ashiepoo72]

I guess I'm older too. Took a year off after the BA, then spent 3 years in my MA program.

Never thought I'd say 26 was old haha

[ashiepoo72]

I didn't view it as a shortcoming, but I thought I needed to explain the gap and turn it into a positive (I still graduated on time). I failed a class my first quarter and didn't talk about that. Besides, I wanted them to know about my daughter. She's my partner in crime, and I want to go somewhere that knows I'm a two-person deal.

[ashiepoo72]

I should say I was told not to mention my kid by one prof, and another said to go for it but tactfully. I think it shouldn't be a sob story or excuse, and I think Chiqui is spot on to only mention if it's relevant. Also, don't do it if it makes you uncomfortable! It's a personal choice.

[Heimat Historian]

Ok. So 26 = not old for sure.  34... now maybe. 

[manda3124]

Thanks guys! Love seeing fellow parents out here. I'm non traditional--majored in finance in undergrad and worked in corporate finance for six years before deciding to pursue my passion. Did an interdisciplinary master's program to focus my interests and turned in my thesis and Phd apps 28 weeks pregnant. My son was born two days after I got my last rejection last year and so I've been his primary caretaker. Thus I did have to mention it in some apps because of the gap in my resume

[Chiqui74]

That's not old either!

[ashiepoo72]

Age is nothing but a number, guys. Besides, once we become parents all of us prematurely age because of this:

 

[swissms]

Long time lurker finally posting for the first time.

 

I have 4 kids and am 35. I did the nontraditional route as well. Got a BA in history, joined the Army, went back for my Masters in history, spent a number of years as an independent scholar writing and teaching and now I'm back.  I don't think programs are really concerned with the children issue. I had 1 when I got my Masters and was pregnant with my second for much of that period. I think they want to see a proven academic record and determine if you are the right fit. 

[JTE]

Yeah, to add to the parent/non-traditional train, I'm 32 with a 6 month old daughter. I also did not major in history but double majored in PoliSci and English (Poetry). I worked one year as a freelance writer and the last ten years as a high school teacher of both English and History. I recently graduated with my MA in History and also decided to follow my passion and go for the PhD. I'm glad to see so many other people in my same boat. Working full time, working on a my MA, and supporting my pregnant wife and infant daughter at the same time was one of the hardest and most rewarding experiences of my life. I hope the PhD will prove just as rewarding (if I get in). I also didn't mention my daughter, but now wonder whether I should have. Good luck everyone.

[a.rev]

I've had several professors who pursued PhDs with children. One took a three week old to Africa during Fulbright research and another took a 2 year old to Mexico for a year. Both were men but I'm willing to bet the biggest difference for women would be pregnancy and the first few months after. My husband and I have decided to try to have our first after my first year or so in a program, if I don't get in this year we'll try to have one during the one year break. (A win-win for us!) I would imagine mentioning a child in a SoP would only be expected if relevant (you took a break but didn't work during that break.) Edit: I'll add I'm 27, I'll be 28 in June. I don't think I'm old, but most of the people in my MA program are fresh from getting their bachelor's. Their average age is 21-24, so there are definitely times I feel old.

Edited February 3, 2015 by a.rev

[manda3124]

So now I'm wondering if I should have addressed my "break" from academia (ie. Working in finance for 6 years) but that was actually my major, so I didn't think it necessary to explain that. I got feedback from on prof on my application last year and she said that my sop was well received and thus my app was read by lots of people but that my writing sample was solid but not invigorating. I took that to mean that they didn't care about what I did before but if I could do interesting work in the program

[Josh J.]

I am 35 and have a ten year old. Finishing up a masters degree right now, and it has been a struggle. It's been very difficult to make sure I am there to help with homework, read books with him, and just even sometimes even being available with the amount of coursework to do.

I came to academia late. Did college for a year right out of high school, almost failed out because I didn't want to be there. Restarted school nine years later, did an AA, then the BA, now the masters and applying for the PhD. It is very different to be in class with 24 year olds, and to be teaching people who were born my freshman year in high school....