Fall 2015 applicants

[Catria]

If other fields have these threads up, why not classics?

 

Here's a template you might want to use:

 

Undergrad Institution: (School or type of school, such as big state, lib arts, ivy, foreign (what country?)... Overall Reputation in Classics?)
Major(s):
Minor(s):
GPA in Major:
Overall GPA:
Length of Degree: (Are you graduating after 3, 4, or 5 years?)
Position in Class: (No numbers needed, but are you top? near top? average? struggling?)
Type of Student: (Domestic/International, male/female, minority?)

GRE Scores : (revised or old version?)
Q:
V:
W:

TOEFL Total: (if applicable, otherwise delete this)

Research Experience: (At your school or elsewhere? What field? How much time? Any publications (Mth author out of N?) or conference talks etc...)

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: (Within your school or outside?)

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: (Such as tutor, TA, etc...)

Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help:

Special Bonus Points: (Such as connections, grad classes, famous recommenders, minority status etc...)

Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter:

Applying to Where:

School - Department - Research Interest
School - Department - Research Interest
School - Department - Research Interest

[I_<3Crixus]

Hello everyone,

 

When I get accepted into a graduate program this spring is it at all common to get money to go towards my MA research this coming summer? I started an independent study at my field school which I would like to continue and expand on for my Master's Thesis, and I was wondering if that is something that is typically done - to give accepted students money for research the first summer before fall semester?

Edited October 24, 2014 by I_<3Crixus

[bioarch_fan]

That's actually very uncommon.  It all depends on the department, but since you haven't had any classes there and they don't know how you work, they probably won't offer money for this coming summer.  Best thing to do is apply for grants, especially through the AIA.

[I_<3Crixus]

Ok, that makes sense. I will bust my butt working on grant proposals then (after all, isn't that what a lot of us will be doing throughout our careers? =] ).

[I_<3Crixus]

Does anyone have any suggestions for what order to write a successful personal statement in (i.e., should I start off talking about why the program interests me, what I can bring to it, or what I have done in the past to make me a good fit for the program)? 

[ἠφανισμένος]

From your other post I gather you're applying to at least one MA program, which is what I did last season.  In my personal statements, I first explained my academic background and how I had come to classics.  I was applying to MA programs after undergraduate and graduate work in other fields, so I had to make a case for myself: what led me to classics and how was I prepared for graduate work in the field?  If you're majoring in classics, you'll have an easier time of it.  But you still need to show the academic reasons you're applying to a graduate program in classics.  Then I had the usual "fit" paragraph, tailored to each program.  I didn't name any names, but I described how my interests fit with each program's strengths in faculty and resources.  I closed with a brief statement of what I hoped to do after the MA (either doctoral work or high school teaching or both, depending on the program I was applying to).  

[NonSumNonCuro]

I was wondering the same thing!  I have a draft that starts with research interests and then talks about past research/experiences in generally chronological order.  I'm nervous it'll seem too much like an expanded, paragraph-form CV.

[Catria]

I understand that there isn't a whole lot of people wanting a PhD in classics but surely one is ready to tell us what their credentials are like, as well as the programs applied to, for the benefit of future applicants...

[I_<3Crixus]

I have barely a 3.2 overall GPA due to some crummy grades in gen ed classes. I have a B average combined in the classical languages (3 years of Latin and 2 years of Greek). I am at the point in Latin where things are really starting to click, and I'm proud of my progress. In Greek I am not quite there yet but I feel positive that things will only go up. These things are causing me some anxiety about being admitted into my dream program at U of AZ - both of the staff members who I want to work with are interested in what I want to do my thesis on, but I still have to win over the rest of the department. I do however, have a lot of research experience, perhaps more than a lot of other applicants (2 independent studies, 3 paper presentations at undergrad conferences, field work, which included a special project with the director and lab supervisor duties), leadership positions in classics and archaeology clubs, and a grant from CAMWS for my fieldwork this past summer. I for sure have two, possibly three solid recommendations. Do you think I still have a decent shot of getting admitted into the program? 

[cicero63]

I have barely a 3.2 overall GPA due to some crummy grades in gen ed classes. I have a B average combined in the classical languages (3 years of Latin and 2 years of Greek). I am at the point in Latin where things are really starting to click, and I'm proud of my progress. In Greek I am not quite there yet but I feel positive that things will only go up. These things are causing me some anxiety about being admitted into my dream program at U of AZ - both of the staff members who I want to work with are interested in what I want to do my thesis on, but I still have to win over the rest of the department. I do however, have a lot of research experience, perhaps more than a lot of other applicants (2 independent studies, 3 paper presentations at undergrad conferences, field work, which included a special project with the director and lab supervisor duties), leadership positions in classics and archaeology clubs, and a grant from CAMWS for my fieldwork this past summer. I for sure have two, possibly three solid recommendations. Do you think I still have a decent shot of getting admitted into the program? 

Hi there - first thing is first: I don't think any program would offer you funding for the incoming summer in an MA program, unless under exceptional circumstances. Second, a B average in the languages is not going to look promising to graduate committees. You need at least an A- average in the languages. Here I would suggest a post-bac program to bring those up to speed and have some better grades under your belt. Your research and field experience is excellent, but that needs to be backed up with philological surety--at least in the eyes of programs such as UoAZ. Perhaps UPenn's post-bac vel sim. might be a good option to pursue.

 

best wishes--

[I_<3Crixus]

Isn't there a way to talk about my journey with the languages in a positive way? In Latin, I felt everything this semester start to click and I feel really confident in my abilities. In Greek, I'm getting there. I want to communicate that learning both of the languages has enhanced my abilities as a future scholar and because I've had to work harder to understand and be good at reading the languages, I would be a better professor because I can relate to students.

[cicero63]

Isn't there a way to talk about my journey with the languages in a positive way? In Latin, I felt everything this semester start to click and I feel really confident in my abilities. In Greek, I'm getting there. I want to communicate that learning both of the languages has enhanced my abilities as a future scholar and because I've had to work harder to understand and be good at reading the languages, I would be a better professor because I can relate to students.

Certainly, you can do that. But in the end, I would suspect that the committees want to see that you reached an A standard by the end of the standard Latin or Greek progression you took.

[Anonclassics]

Being a better professor* is putting the cart way before the horse. The ad comms want to know that you can handle the ancient languages because you need to hit the ground running with grad-level classes and preparing for exams. It's purely practical.

*I'm going to stay this even though I know it will not be well received: the chances of becoming a professor in Classics or one of the related areas is incredibly small. Please think about the very real possibility of spending the next 5-7 years of your life pursuing Classics and then not finding gainful or viable employment.

[cicero63]

Being a better professor* is putting the cart way before the horse. The ad comms want to know that you can handle the ancient languages because you need to hit the ground running with grad-level classes and preparing for exams. It's purely practical.

*I'm going to stay this even though I know it will not be well received: the chances of becoming a professor in Classics or one of the related areas is incredibly small. Please think about the very real possibility of spending the next 5-7 years of your life pursuing Classics and then not finding gainful or viable employment.

Let me second what Anonclassics just said. Even if you really, really, want to become a Classics/Archaeology Professor, you really need to consider some brutal facts about yourself and ask some brutal questions of your academic mentors:

 

1) Am I good enough to get into a "good enough" program? (i.e. look at the placement records of the places you are applying to--look at who is successful, look at the CVs of recently appointed VAPs or tenure-track APs). This is serious: I see way too many MA students being given false hope by their own programs that they will get into a PhD program, when in reality, the program just wants their tuition fees, and the students will need much more work to get to the required level than the 2 year MA can provide, or, quite bluntly, the students just aren't good enough. Classics isn't for everyone--everyone would be wise to ask themselves whether they are really good enough.

 

2) Do I have the endurance to survive the demands of the program?

 

3) Am I willing to sacrifice a lot of emotional energy, physical energy, TIME, and other goals (making a family, etc.) for the program and career?

 

4) Am I willing to be financially poor for 5+ years? (that is, if you don't come from a place of means).

 

5) How many people are getting jobs? (the answer is already there: usually a smaller proportion than the number of accepted applicants to a program each year--Berkeley Classics probably bucked the trend last year, but that was exceptional. Basically, universities have been flooding the academic job market with newly minted PhDs; self-regulation of admittance numbers is needed across the board, but for now, there are too many job seekers out there and not enough jobs.)

Just my 2 cents, as someone currently in a PhD program--a top 5 program, if you want to call it that.

[B. Blumenstrauss]

Anyone here?

[birchleaf]

I am! Still waiting to hear anything back.

[B. Blumenstrauss]

Good to know... and too bad for my nerves.

 

Birchleaf, have you read information about Columbia's Classical Studies PhD program? What do you think about it? I applied for it (very excited about it, by the way), but I remain curious about the limitations of the degree itself (i.e. if some universities will prefer a common Ph.D. degree in Classics).

 

Just for the record, I applied to UChicago, Toronto, Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, Yale, Texas at Austin, Princeton (Philosophy), Cornell (Philosophy), Brown and the MSt in Ancient Philosophy of Oxford. Yes, a bunch.

Edited January 20, 2015 by Beatrice Blumenstrauss

[RedViper]

For those of you waiting to hear back, Stanford decisions are going to be made this Friday and should be out next week I believe. 

Thanks for the info! That's really quick, do you know if they will be conducting interviews at all?

[RedViper]

Thanks Melian4.

I am applying to Classics Programs at Stanford, Brown, Indiana U, Bryn Mawr, WashU, NYU, Harvard, USC, Yale, University of Madison-Wisconsin, U Penn, as well as Emory (ancient history.) 

So I'm also just waiting to hear anything back. 

[NonSumNonCuro]

Hi everyone!  I joined so I could lament the horrible waiting process with all of you. 

 

I applied to Columbia (Classical Studies), Harvard (Classics w/ Archaeology focus), UPenn (AAMW), and Michigan (IPCAA).  I know Columbia will send out invitations to their prospective student weekend by the end of this month, so fingers crossed!

[birchleaf]

Sorry I didn't answer you right away Beatrice, still working out notifications on the mobile site.

I didn't apply to Columbia as I'm mostly a Classical Archaeology major, and leaning more towards the digital humanities side. 

 

NonSumNonCuro - I currently attend Michigan, best of luck to you! You'll have to update here if you're accepted, would love to help you out with any practical side of things if need be.

 

I applied to UPenn (as it says in my signature) as a far, far reach. Luckily my current advisor taught there, so I'm hoping he put in a good word for me, but who knows!

Also, I did some analytics on results just for the schools I applied to, to see if there was a pattern in the responses based off of the Results Search. I just wanted to know by what date I should give up hope 

Here's what I got:

 

Cornell: Short list email gets sent out at the end of January.

U Chicago: Sends out acceptances in February, rejections in March (generally, not a steadfast rule)

UPenn: No clue! Someone should call.

Brown: The majority of their acceptances follow after an invite to an interview, sent out end of January / early February. 

Boston: No idea.

Tufts: Hear back everything early March with seemingly no pattern.

 

Hope that helps somehow! Every email I get makes me jumpy. :C

[birchleaf]

Someone has self-reported results from UPenn's Ancient History (skype interview) which is a separate group from AAMW. Ugh my heart jumped.

[Melian4]

Sorry I didn't answer you right away Beatrice, still working out notifications on the mobile site.

I didn't apply to Columbia as I'm mostly a Classical Archaeology major, and leaning more towards the digital humanities side. 

 

NonSumNonCuro - I currently attend Michigan, best of luck to you! You'll have to update here if you're accepted, would love to help you out with any practical side of things if need be.

 

I applied to UPenn (as it says in my signature) as a far, far reach. Luckily my current advisor taught there, so I'm hoping he put in a good word for me, but who knows!

Also, I did some analytics on results just for the schools I applied to, to see if there was a pattern in the responses based off of the Results Search. I just wanted to know by what date I should give up hope 

Here's what I got:

 

Cornell: Short list email gets sent out at the end of January.

U Chicago: Sends out acceptances in February, rejections in March (generally, not a steadfast rule)

UPenn: No clue! Someone should call.

Brown: The majority of their acceptances follow after an invite to an interview, sent out end of January / early February. 

Boston: No idea.

Tufts: Hear back everything early March with seemingly no pattern.

 

Hope that helps somehow! Every email I get makes me jumpy. :C

 

Last year, I got three answers on Jan. 31st -- NYU (interview invitation), Brown (interview invitation) and Stanford. Good news tend to come early, since visiting week-ends or in-person interviews take time to organize. Waiting for news is horrible, but at least it will soon be over! (This is meant to be reassuring, not frightening!)

[RedViper]

I saw the results for Penn's ancient History program on the Grad Cafe search site too. I applied to the Grad Program in Classical Studies at Penn, but I believe the two groups aren't separate? So I think that I can take Penn off my list.

Still waiting for other schools though. 

[birchleaf]

I googled for the UPenn ancient history department and while it seems the two departments (that and AAMW) work together, they aren't quite the same thing. At least that's what I'm getting out of it. Can anyone weigh in on the subject?