Need Advice on How to Handle Weak Points for Graduate Applications

[Bvrejj]

Hello world! I wanted some input on how to hide some of the deficiencies in my background for future graduate applications and highlight the strong points. 

 

I graduated two years ago from a small, liberal arts college (good, but not elite by any means) and am ready to apply for graduate programs. Currently, I am working full-time as an assistant to the research coordinator for the school of engineering at a R1 university; working once a week as a curatorial intern at a local museum; and an on-line/remote teaching assistant for art history courses for a university in Arizona for classes offered during fall and spring semesters. To date, I am still in regular contact with my undergraduate advisor as well as my research advisor who supervised my independent project. 

 

Also during these gap years, I have worked at an art gallery as a gallery associate/projects assistant; presented my undergraduate research project at SECAC in 2012; chaired a panel on my research specialty l'art Pompier and new technologies in 2013 at SECAC; and had two freelance articles published in a local art magazine. 

My academic background is ... interesting. I started off as an anthropology/archeology major and due to external/personal factors had less than stellar grades in the spring semester of my freshman and sophomore years. However, I fell in love with art history ( I was required to take courses for the archeology degree) and made the switch at the end of my sophomore year; my grades greatly improved for my junior and senior years. In addition to improved grades, I studied abroad in India with a program that focused on Himalayan Buddhist art and architecture during the summer after my junior year. Finally, I completed an independent research project (in lieu of interning) that was accepted for presentation at SECAC. 

 

With the previous background information in mind, I have identified what I think are the weaker points of my application:

 

1. My major GPA is a 3.7, while my cumulative GPA is a 3.2. The only positive aspect is that my GPA gradually improved over my time in college and most the poor grades are confined to my first year. 

 

2. The curatorial internship I have is the only internship I have had to date. I had to work paying jobs over the summer breaks and was not able to participate in summer research projects or hold an internship during my undergraduate program. Starting my degree so late in school, I had to take a few course overloads and, during my one available semester, I opted for my research project over an internship. 

 

3. I have a strong background in Latin, but I have a weak/basic background in French and no exposure to German due to my late start. 

 

4. My two full-time jobs to date have been related to engineering and software, not art history. I think I should have tried to work several part-time jobs in various museum environments to get more relevant experience. 

 

Basically, I feel that my application would qualify as "okay" and not "excellent" or "strong" at this point. The high points of my application would be my writing sample and letters of recommendation. I am currently studying for the GRE and will take it in August/September. I am also concerned that the programs I'm considering are too ambitious for my background:

 

1. Courtauld - Caroline Arscott

2. USC - Kate Flynt

3. Williams College - Marc Gotlieb

4. AIC - David Getsy

 

Do you have any suggestions on how to address these items? Should I take additional language classes in preparation for graduate programs? I would like a PhD in art history; however, I assume I am not strong enough to apply without completing a Master's degree first? 

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated
 

[condivi]

Hmmm...well, first of all, make sure you really want to go to grad school. I'm sure (I hope!) you've been told all of this, but make sure you know it: there are very, very few jobs out there (the odds are that you won't get a tenure track job, plain and simple; and even if you do, you will probably have to move to middle of nowhere Iowa or Kentucky for your first job. Doing pompier painting makes you even less employable; it had a moment 20 years ago, but I think it's less desirable now, but if you write something spectacular you'll be able to stand with all of those gericault and manet scholars out there), you will delay adulthood until your mid-30s (or later--I don't know how old you are), accumulating no savings or benefits along the way, as other people your age are beginning to become real adults and able to support families, and you have a lot of catching up to do (esp. learning languages). If that sounds OK to you, then I would say: First, it seems you're not ready to apply directly to a PhD program, so apply to MA programs. The programs you list are good, but for an MA it doesn't matter too much where you go, though Courtauld and Williams (especially) will give you a leg up. Just make sure not to go into debt--that will haunt you for a very long time. Second, you MUST learn french if you want to do Pompier painting, or any kind of French painting; this will make or break a PhD application; it will also greatly help your MA app. So getting cracking NOW. Third, your grades aren't great, it's true, and you'll be competing with very smart kids from the Ivies for a spot at the top schools, but your letters and your writing sample matter most, so don't get discouraged. Hope that helped!

[Bvrejj]

Hmmm...well, first of all, make sure you really want to go to grad school. I'm sure (I hope!) you've been told all of this, but make sure you know it: there are very, very few jobs out there (the odds are that you won't get a tenure track job, plain and simple; and even if you do, you will probably have to move to middle of nowhere Iowa or Kentucky for your first job. Doing pompier painting makes you even less employable; it had a moment 20 years ago, but I think it's less desirable now, but if you write something spectacular you'll be able to stand with all of those gericault and manet scholars out there), you will delay adulthood until your mid-30s (or later--I don't know how old you are), accumulating no savings or benefits along the way, as other people your age are beginning to become real adults and able to support families, and you have a lot of catching up to do (esp. learning languages). If that sounds OK to you, then I would say: First, it seems you're not ready to apply directly to a PhD program, so apply to MA programs. The programs you list are good, but for an MA it doesn't matter too much where you go, though Courtauld and Williams (especially) will give you a leg up. Just make sure not to go into debt--that will haunt you for a very long time. Second, you MUST learn french if you want to do Pompier painting, or any kind of French painting; this will make or break a PhD application; it will also greatly help your MA app. So getting cracking NOW. Third, your grades aren't great, it's true, and you'll be competing with very smart kids from the Ivies for a spot at the top schools, but your letters and your writing sample matter most, so don't get discouraged. Hope that helped!

 

Thanks for your input! I took time off before graduate school to save money and to see if I still really wanted to go after having a full time job with benefits, etc. Currently, my job reimburses my tuition for classes so I could utilize this option to take French classes at a low to no cost. The delayed adulthood/long term career isn't daunting -- I will be in my mid to late twenties when I start a program. 

 

Also, I should clarify that my long term goal is to be a curator and not a professor. The current trends in the humanities in academia are disturbing to say the least. 

Edited May 12, 2014 by Bvrejj

[m-ttl]

Thanks for your input! I took time off before graduate school to save money and to see if I still really wanted to go after having a full time job with benefits, etc. Currently, my job reimburses my tuition for classes so I could utilize this option to take French classes at a low to no cost. The delayed adulthood/long term career isn't daunting -- I will be in my mid to late twenties when I start a program. 

 

Also, I should clarify that my long term goal is to be a curator and not a professor. The current trends in the humanities in academia are disturbing to say the least. 

 

I hardly think there is a shortage of curators in 19th Century academy painting, regardless. Museums have a marginally better track record than academia. Just keep that in mind -- no sense in fluffing up the hard truths.