US History PhD chances

[12121]

Hello,

 

I just wanted to ask what my chances are of getting into a top 10 American History PhD program as a British student.

 

I recently took the GRE and received 162 Verbal, 155 Quantitative and 5.0 Analytical Writing.

 

I have a First in BA History from the London School of Economics and a Distinction in MA War Studies from King’s College London. 

 

The only problem is that I haven’t done anything academic since graduating nearly 4 years ago nor have I stayed in touch with any professors due to work.

 

Are references commenting on work completed nearly 5 years ago worth anything?   Would I be better of getting references from a work environment?

 

So I’d be interested to know what people think. Do I need to retake the GRE? Are references on work completed many years ago strong enough? Will my time out of academia help or hurt me in the process? Are my scores competitive? Is it much harder to get in with funding as an international student?

 

Thanks

Edited April 14, 2014 by 12121

[thedig13]

I've heard that time out of academia can be a positive rather than a negative; adcoms generally favor older students who either have MA's (which you do) or have "real life" experience (which you do). Your GRE scores are fine.

 

Workplace recommendations aren't particularly helpful for a PhD application (and are actively discouraged by most departments). I'd advise you to stick with recommendations from professors.

 

The "four years removed" thing shouldn't be an issue, but the "haven't kept in touch" thing might be. For one, your old professors might not remember you (and, if they do, probably not particularly well). I'd advise you to contact them immediately and let them know about your graduate school plans. Perhaps this sort of early notification will give you time to catch up with them and jog their memories. Plus, they might be able to offer valuable insights on the admissions process that others wouldn't.

 

As for your actual chances, that really depends on your field of study and specific research interests, which you've told us nothing about. Whether or not a department likes your application has less to do with a school's ranking/prestige and more to do with the potential for "fit".

[Sigaba]

MOO, your most pressing need is to start defining yourself as an aspiring academic historian by fleshing out the "whys" of your goals. That is, why do you want to study history? What are your fields? Why do you want to attend a "top 10 American history program" when, depending upon one's interests the top ten schools may be far off the beaten path?

 

 

 

 

Are references commenting on work completed nearly 5 years ago worth anything?   Would I be better of getting references from a work environment?

 

 

It depends upon the nature of the work you're currently doing, how well those writing on your behalf understand the differences between a LoR for an academic position versus one in the private sector, and the viability of the prefered option -- getting LoRs from professional academic historians who know you and your work.

[APBrown]

Your time out of school should not hurt you. Usually, when you are a few years removed it shows that you have matured and are confident about pursuing a PhD in history. Your time removed though may spur a few questions fro admission committees. In your personal statement, you may want to talk about something history-related you have done in the last 4 years or how the last 4 years have helped you develop as a student of history and potential PhD student. 

 

When it comes to references you want the most relevant recommenders for each school. Generally, you want to stay away from professional references (unless the professional recommender can has a PhD in history and can speak to some aspect of your potential as a graduate student). The whole point of LOR is to speak to your academic potential by getting the opinions of those who are familiar with your academic work. 

 

Your GRE scores aren't too bad and from what I've heard they aren't a major art of the application according to many admission committees. The only thing your scores may prohibit you from getting would be prestigious university fellowships. But I don't think your scores, on their own, will keep you from getting into anywhere.

 

Lastly, echoing what has been mentioned before, fit is key. Your scores and grades will probably keep you competitive at most places, assuming your writing sample, letters of recommendation, and personal statement are excellent, but fit will make you stand out. There are going to be several qualified applicants and you have to show how you will get more out of the resources and faculty available at a specific school than the next applicant. A growing field of US history is "US in the World," you may want to show how your status as an international student will give you valuable insight into your field. One thing I did to get into my PhD program is contact potential advisors before hand. Because I did that, I had an advocate in the department that helped me get into a really competitive program. If you can make friends in the departments, establish your fit in the department (relevant faculty members, proximity to archives, adjunct programs you are interested in, etc.), and provide a solid overall application, you should be competitive for many top programs.