History of Art MA/PHD 2010

[Emma2003]

Hey all. I'm new to the art history forum here. I was a studio art undergraduate, got my BFA last year. I have about 24 credits in art history and 7 (3 in undergraduate, now 4 in graduate) in museum studies. I'm currently enrolled as a non-degree seeking student working towards my museum studies certification at UIC. I am interested in contemporary African American art history, with an emphasis on curation. I had a 3.66 gpa out of 4.0, with a 4.0 in the subject area, and a 610 v/q and a 4.0 writing. My writing sample is an 11 page paper on race films, so it's related but not completely on subject, but I think it is a thoroughly researched, well written paper. I have strong recommendations, including one faculty member of UIC, the only place I'm applying . I know this seems crazy, but ultimately, I really am interested in going on to get a PhD through either U of C, or Northwestern and working with either Darby English or Huey Copeland, respectively. But I feel like I would be better off getting my languages done and applying with a stronger writing sample for these programs, and maybe getting some research experience or an internship. My interest is in the places of intersection between the museum and contemporary African American art, what that looks like and how it changes the narrative voice of the institution, which I feel is in line with the urban emphasis of UIC. But as time ticks on, I'm just wondering what my chances are. Not hearing is driving me crazy. Any thoughts for what I can do to strengthen my application if my lonely little egg falls out of the basket?

[jmb04]

Any thoughts for what I can do to strengthen my application if my lonely little egg falls out of the basket?

Hi Emma - I think getting an internship/research experience would bolster your CV and give you better chances should you be unlucky in this cycle. Also, if curating is the way you want to go, an internship would provide the proper opportunity to get an excellent LOR from a curator. Northwestern will allow you to submit two writing samples if your first one is on the short side. It wouldn't hurt to write a second one if you have time. Make sure to contact your faculty of choice if you haven't already.

I hear ya on the waiting is driving you crazy part. I think that's all of us! Our discipline especially seems to be quiet on the results front. The acceptances/rejections are flooding in for everyone else, but for us it looks like the majority of the results will come in about two weeks or so.

Best of luck to you!

[jmb04]

To anyone interested:

UT Austin started ad com meetings on Wed, 02/03/10.

*crossing fingers*

[policysecond]

since I'm up at this hour anyway, I might as well post a question that I haven't (yet?) seen covered on this forum...at least not too extensively. Has anyone used/consulted CAA's art history grad school directory? I somewhat irrationally bought it and it's been good for one of two things: a) either totally making me feel bummed out about how low my chances of acceptance are for some of the schools I've applied to, or b ) made me feel confident that I would most likely get in SOMEWHERE. It's just scary to see the numbers sometimes, like, "Applied: 283, Admitted: 8". And in certain cases, these turned out to be schools I thought could be my safeties. Awesome.

So yeah, just wanted to see if anyone else out there is using and/or has used the directory to...gauge their appropriate anxiety level, like I have.

On a side note, is anyone here applying to Williams?

[mitzydoodle]

since I'm up at this hour anyway, I might as well post a question that I haven't (yet?) seen covered on this forum...at least not too extensively. Has anyone used/consulted CAA's art history grad school directory? I somewhat irrationally bought it and it's been good for one of two things: a) either totally making me feel bummed out about how low my chances of acceptance are for some of the schools I've applied to, or b ) made me feel confident that I would most likely get in SOMEWHERE. It's just scary to see the numbers sometimes, like, "Applied: 283, Admitted: 8". And in certain cases, these turned out to be schools I thought could be my safeties. Awesome.

So yeah, just wanted to see if anyone else out there is using and/or has used the directory to...gauge their appropriate anxiety level, like I have.

On a side note, is anyone here applying to Williams?

It was briefly discussed this summer:

I didn't use it, but if there had been a copy available (and free), I would have consulted it. Hope this helps, if only with the waiting :-)

[policysecond]

It was briefly discussed this summer:

I didn't use it, but if there had been a copy available (and free), I would have consulted it. Hope this helps, if only with the waiting :-)

Yeah I remember reading that, couldn't remember where though

[fullofpink]

Congrats to everyone who has been accepted!! (I'm sorry it took me so long to reply! Been caught in a snowstorm here.) Hope everyone keeps updating

[Emma2003]

Thanks jmb04!

I have been in contact with one of my faculty choices and spent a good deal of time on an informal phone chat. he was very nice, and very positive. I actually changed my plans based on some of the things we spoke about, and decided to pursue a ma first to become better prepared. One of the reasons I am pursuing the museum studies certification is that it includes an internship, so I'm hoping that'll help, just not in time for this application cycle.

I've noticed before people being aware of adcomms, maybe this is a silly question, but how do you guys get that info?

Edited February 8, 2010 by Emma2003

[jmb04]

Emma: I knew the adcom at UT met on Wednesday because I was there for informal interviews and they told me.

Some departmental admin staff are also helpful with this kind of info. The coordinator at UT told me that results will be sent out by Friday.

[Emma2003]

Emma: I knew the adcom at UT met on Wednesday because I was there for informal interviews and they told me.

Some departmental admin staff are also helpful with this kind of info. The coordinator at UT told me that results will be sent out by Friday.

Congrats on the interview! hope it went well. That makes sense.

[jmb04]

Congrats on the interview! hope it went well. That makes sense.

Thanks! It did go really well. Official paperwork hasn't been sent but I received word that I got accepted. I'm really happy about it. The profs there were very welcoming.

[georgica2]

So, I'm assuming if I haven't heard anything from Penn it's a rejection since I see 2 waitliststs on the status page? Not surprised as I totally bungled that application. Thankfully, it wasn't one of my top choices.

I was doing REALLY well in terms of not obsessing over my applications/checking the results page every 10 minutes until I saw that 2 schools I applied to have started notifying.

[artemislyre]

So, I'm assuming if I haven't heard anything from Penn it's a rejection since I see 2 waitliststs on the status page? Not surprised as I totally bungled that application. Thankfully, it wasn't one of my top choices.

I was doing REALLY well in terms of not obsessing over my applications/checking the results page every 10 minutes until I saw that 2 schools I applied to have started notifying.

hi georgica, my heart dropped too when I saw the shortlisted people on the results page...but if after searching prior year's pattern for UPenn., it seems they notified a few shortlisted first in early-mid feb whereas the acceptees were notifified slightly later, ~ Feb 14th and early march...here's to hoping...and good wishes to the wait listed individuals, too.

[thoovy]

Who's already started working on their list? Where are people thinking about? Come out all you 2010'ers...

I wanted to say hello! I've applied to Ohio State University (PhD), Case Western Reserve (MA) and Kent State University (MA) and waiting for the results.

[veroordeeld]

hi georgica, my heart dropped too when I saw the shortlisted people on the results page...but if after searching prior year's pattern for UPenn., it seems they notified a few shortlisted first in early-mid feb whereas the acceptees were notifified slightly later, ~ Feb 14th and early march...here's to hoping...and good wishes to the wait listed individuals, too.

The notified people were waitlisted, not shortlisted for admission. It doesn't make sense to notify people on the waitlist before extending actual offers....

[artemislyre]

The notified people were waitlisted, not shortlisted for admission. It doesn't make sense to notify people on the waitlist before extending actual offers....

Oh, sorry, I hope I didn't sound brusque, I meant wait-listed...I thought the terms were synonymous. Yes, that's what one would normally expect, offers first then wait-list...Well, if students have been notified then I have not made the cut

[artschoolhopeful]

My heartbeat has definitely become faster now that the big schools are pulling out their guns. Everyday I play the why my applications suck, why my applications rock and what am I doing to improve for the second round game in my head over and over and over and over and over and over again.

One bite. All I want is one bite from a school that'll give me some monies.

[summertouch]

My heartbeat has definitely become faster now that the big schools are pulling out their guns. Everyday I play the why my applications suck, why my applications rock and what am I doing to improve for the second round game in my head over and over and over and over and over and over again.

One bite. All I want is one bite from a school that'll give me some monies.

I hear you artschoolhopeful. I keep going back to my apps and think how it could be improved in this part and that part- I'm already preparing for the second round (of course only in my head) in reality, I'm writing up my thesis. What's your concentration if you don't mind sharing in non-western contemporary art?

To the Stanford admit, congratulations! mind sharing the field?

[mitzydoodle]

Yes, it is much better to focus on to how to make yourself better than to think of what you are up against. I've been stuck on this for a day or two now. The truth is, you never know who else is applying and their qualifications/connections- and you can't do anything about it, other than work on yourself.

[artschoolhopeful]

I hear you artschoolhopeful. I keep going back to my apps and think how it could be improved in this part and that part- I'm already preparing for the second round (of course only in my head) in reality, I'm writing up my thesis. What's your concentration if you don't mind sharing in non-western contemporary art?

This sounds ridiculous and will probably reflect on what a paranoid, neurotic crazy person I've become but I'd rather keep my sub-field a secret for as to not jinx myself before admission. If I get admitted, I will certainly feel comfortable sharing.

I'm preparing for the second round in my head too! I have a little post-it of things I need to apply to/achieve in order to beef up my application. I need to retake the GREs. My verbal score was in the 86th percentile (600), but my analytical writing score was a 6.0. I'm hoping they'll overlook my not so stellar vocabulary and focus on the fact that I can string what limited words I DO know into pretty badass sentences.

[mitzydoodle]

Who had the interview with Princeton? Mind if I ask what your subfield is and whether you met with your interviewer before the application due date? Thanks, and congrats!

Edited February 11, 2010 by mitzydoodle

[summertouch]

This sounds ridiculous and will probably reflect on what a paranoid, neurotic crazy person I've become but I'd rather keep my sub-field a secret for as to not jinx myself before admission. If I get admitted, I will certainly feel comfortable sharing.

I'm preparing for the second round in my head too! I have a little post-it of things I need to apply to/achieve in order to beef up my application. I need to retake the GREs. My verbal score was in the 86th percentile (600), but my analytical writing score was a 6.0. I'm hoping they'll overlook my not so stellar vocabulary and focus on the fact that I can string what limited words I DO know into pretty badass sentences.

I completely understand!

As for the second round, I wish to work on my language and by this Fall, I'd have my MA thesis complete. That means I can actually submit a chapter or abstract of my thesis as my writing sample instead of sending something rather unrelated to my field. But then again, I hope this has never have to happen again. This whole application process is testing my patience. Good luck on your apps, too!

[veroordeeld]

Who had the interview with Princeton? Mind if I ask what your subfield is and whether you met with your interviewer before the application due date? Thanks, and congrats!

Hi Mitzy,

'twas I with the Princeton phone call. my subfield is modern, and I had met with the prof before but I'm pretty sure the prof forgot about that. We shall see...

Also, to all the aspiring Berkeley modernists: you do know that both Anne Wagner and TJ Clark are leaving, right? It's really a shame what's happening in California.

[mitzydoodle]

Hi Mitzy,

'twas I with the Princeton phone call. my subfield is modern, and I had met with the prof before but I'm pretty sure the prof forgot about that. We shall see...

Also, to all the aspiring Berkeley modernists: you do know that both Anne Wagner and TJ Clark are leaving, right? It's really a shame what's happening in California.

Thanks veroordeeld! I too met with a potential advisor there, fairly close to the due date. I'm just trying to hold on to the last shreds of hope...Did they go into any more specifics of when they would communicate results?

[jmb04]

Also, to all the aspiring Berkeley modernists: you do know that both Anne Wagner and TJ Clark are leaving, right? It's really a shame what's happening in California.

I had heard that Tim Clark was retiring. I didn't know about Anne Wagner. Is she retiring completely or just moving somewhere else?

This is one of the reasons why I didn't apply to Berkeley... that, and I totally enjoyed my undergrad years there but want to go elsewhere for a different experience.