Fall 2016 Applicants

[random_grad]

would be happy to offer feedback on SOPs - just message me your draft. All the best with the applications, folks!

[IvanBezdomnii]

@ultrafiche - I third (or fourth) Indiana - their Russian program is excellent, especially for language offerings and acquisition. I'm not sure how their history department fares for modern Americanists, but, after speaking with some students there, I hear there's a funding preference towards American and Asian history. I personally am a little wary of Penn because of extreme funding cuts with regard to Russian history, and their Slavic department is extremely tilted towards lit/lang. U Chicago has Eleanor Gilbund, who works on cultural history and exchange in modern Russia, so I would give a look. Yale also has really strong faculty in US Cold War and cultural history (Matthew Jacobson, John Gaddis).

I thought I'd chime in here since we're in the same subfield. I'm with you on Penn--they took no one in Russian history last year.

I personally think Chicago and Indiana are also on the way down. But it depends somewhat on who you want to work with.

If you're interested in funded MAs I might try looking at Russian Studies MAs at UNC-CH and UT-Austin. Good programs where you can make really good connections and hone your language skills. That's what I did before my PhD cycle last year. I ended up going to Toronto and had another offer.

Good luck.

[anthrohis7092]

Hey everyone! I just started making my list of potential schools and figured I might as well introduce myself here. My background is in American Studies and Russian Studies, both with an emphasis on the 20th century. I'm still not quite sure what direction I want to take. I'm trying to find schools with solid Russian programs even though I'm likely going to focus on American history. I've only been looking at PhD programs, but I'm undecided if I want to teach or work in an archival/museum setting.. So right now I'm just casting a wide net and writing a short profile for pretty much every school I'm remotely interested in, then I'm going to take things from there. 

 

I also suggest you look at Michigan State University. I know they have at least 3 historians of Russia and Lewis Siegelbaum is a big name in the field. I met him during the prospect's weekend last month.

[michaelgi]

Hi Folks, I will be participating in this round of History PhD application season.  My area of focus is specifically the activism of Black women during the Civil Rights Movement and generally Modern US and African American History.  I am geographically focused on the US South.  I am currently working on a MA in African American Studies from Ohio State.  

 

I had a failed application season for PhD's last time out and I'm about to embark on an MA in African-American History in the UK, but will be re-applying for 2016. What's your list of schools looking like? It'd be interesting to compare.

[countrync]

michaelgi - What school are you attending in the UK? I'm also thinking about applying to school in the UK.

[lelick1234]

Here is my list of possible programs and the last name of possible advisors.  I am leaning towards U.S. and the World, transnational, U.S. foreign policy towards the Middle East, or just straight history of the Middle East if I get into the Georgetown Arab Studies MA program. 

 

 

Harvard- Erez Manela (Hail Mary Longshot.  Love this professor's work, however.) 
 

Yale --Gaddis (Hail Mary Longshot.  Not so hot on his work or his politics, but it's Yale ) 
 

Cornell-- Logevall (Hail Mary Longshot.  Love his work, but I am little afraid because I am focused on U.S. policy towards the Middle East and his specialty is US policy towards Southeast Asia) 
 

UCSB--Salim Yaqub (Probably a decent chance.  Also an absolute perfect fit.  Have experience doing research projects with my prospective advisor as an undergrad.  He let me enroll into a graduate course as an undergrad and even advised a special research seminar for me when I couldn't enroll in his official seminar class. 
 

Ohio State University-- Peter Hahn (Probably a decent shot.  I need to read more of his work.  He advised a student whose dissertation has become an awesome piece of historical literature.  That is probably worth something.) 
 

Vanderbilt: Paul Kramer ( Probably a decent shot.  Love this professor's work) 

Georgetown (Arabic MA Program) *If I score high on the GRE, I might be able to get the tuition waived.  If I am accepted into this program, which would force me to achieve a high level of Arabic to graduate, I will probably focus on applying to programs in the history of the Middle East. I have 3.89 undergraduate GPA, and have lived in Egypt for the past four years.  I might have a good chance of getting some help with this program.  
 

 Western Michigan University (Funded MA?):  There is a professor who specializes in US foreign policy towards the Middle East and it has a decent, but small Arabic program.  Seems like funding is offered to MA students, which is an additional plus.  But I think, overall, it is a weak program. 

Miami University  Ohio (Funded MA?):  Funded MA, there is a professor who teaches a course of US foreign policy towards the ME/NA.  MA program offers ample teaching opportunities and focuses  on pedagogy.   Weak Arabic program, however. 

Overall goal with my PhD?  Well, if I get into a Ivy league, then I must be destined for career academia at the greatest institutions available.  If I get into one of the mid-level PhD programs, I was destined to be teaching at lower-level colleges in the Midwest and the South, or maybe a very cushy private high school.  If I get into any of the MA programs, well, maybe this is a second chance to reach a higher level of academia by applying to PhD programs, or a sign that I should cut my losses and find a nice, stable secondary teaching position.   

[ashiepoo72]

Try to apply to places with multiple people you can work with. In the event one adviser can't take a student that year, or has already taken their "quota," you'll still have a shot. I credit my applying to multiple people at institutions that had strong coverage in my field to my surprising number of acceptances. Coincidentally, I applied to some of the same people you're considering haha Also, an adviser doesn't need to match you exactly--contact Logevall and see if HE'S comfortable advising a project like yours. When I researched programs, it seems like he had students all over the place.

I would also suggest you not apply to work with someone who you may not get along with. I don't think "because Yale" is a great reason unless there are other professors there who you're interested in working with. Keep in mind a bad adviser will make your life a living hell and maybe even prevent you from getting all the way through. I've heard plenty of horror stories from my MA adviser.

I like that you're keeping your career options open. I will say that someone at OSU suggested I tighten up my career goals in my statement, so I ended up putting my "dream job" of teaching at the postsecondary level. Not that these don't change, but programs like to see you have some direction.

[lelick1234]

Try to apply to places with multiple people you can work with. In the event one adviser can't take a student that year, or has already taken their "quota," you'll still have a shot. I credit my applying to multiple people at institutions that had strong coverage in my field to my surprising number of acceptances. Coincidentally, I applied to some of the same people you're considering haha Also, an adviser doesn't need to match you exactly--contact Logevall and see if HE'S comfortable advising a project like yours. When I researched programs, it seems like he had students all over the place.

I would also suggest you not apply to work with someone who you may not get along with. I don't think "because Yale" is a great reason unless there are other professors there who you're interested in working with. Keep in mind a bad adviser will make your life a living hell and maybe even prevent you from getting all the way through. I've heard plenty of horror stories from my MA adviser.

I like that you're keeping your career options open. I will say that someone at OSU suggested I tighten up my career goals in my statement, so I ended up putting my "dream job" of teaching at the postsecondary level. Not that these don't change, but programs like to see you have some direction.

UCSB and Ohio State probably have the best options as far professors related to my field.  Ohio State has a US foreign policy expert that specializes in the Middle East, and a few other professors that work in the diplomatic/international field.  UCSB has professor Yaqub, Professor Hasegawa, a modern middle eastern history specialist, and a great Islamic studies program that has professors that specialize in the history of Iran and Islamic groups. I feel that I am in a difficult position because I find that there are only a few professors that I am interested in working with in top-10 universities. Honestly, there is a professor at UC-Berkeley that would be perfect but he is only an assistant professor.  I would hate to cut out Yale.  I think I should talk to Professor Yaqub at UCSB because he got his PhD from Yale.  I am assuming that Gaddis probably worked with him a bit.   I am mainly applying to U.S. foreign policy positions because this is what I have the best historical knowledge and could write a pretty decent SOP about my academic intentions.If I get into Georgetown Arabic studies program this will help develop my historiographical knowledge of the field because you can specialize in Arab historiography.  My next set of PhD programs might look very different after I earn my MA from Georgetown.  We will see what happens.  I have heard that there is more demand for historians of the Middle East than US and world. 

[ashiepoo72]

Salim is amazing, he is a dream adviser and such a nice man--another coincidence, he really inspired me to move my research in the direction I'm now taking it. I PMed you some suggestions. Keep in mind that if your main adviser is strong in your general period, as long as the department has people who can supplement their knowledge you'll be just fine. My adviser is an expert on the Cold War but doesn't study the exact area I want to look at, but she is excited about my project and said Davis has good coverage for me. Basically, you want an adviser who feels they have enough expertise to help guide you and a department that can fill in any gaps. 

 

For future applicants, I highly recommend/suggest/cajole/insist you research entire departments in depth before choosing programs. Look at related departments, too, if you're interested in area studies and interdisciplinarity. Look at university resources, archival material. Look at what the surrounding area has to offer, if anything (Archives II near UMaryland comes to mind). When you write your statements, show the departments you did the legwork and know how you fit there and how the department and university fit you.

[knp]

Tip: look at who advised your potential supervisors' dissertations. You can do this by searching the AHA's dissertations database, or by looking at their CVs. Who advised Professor Yaqub? Have they died, retired, moved, become emeritus/a? If so, that really is a sign that Yale is a stretch, because people do not get into programs where they are not good fits. However, you may be overlooking somebody (I know I have often done this), who would be a second, and maybe better, potential supervisor. But then look at all the other professors you are interested in working with. Do any of them have advisors who are still working? Those are worth investigating.

 

I mean, I personally can only find professors who'd match my interests and provide good support at one top ten, one Ivy type that falls a little outside of that, and a couple big universities in the 15-30 range. It is what it is, though, so those are the places to which I am applying.

 

ETA: Ashiepoo seems to know your field much better, so I defer to her! But the AHA database is something that was also very helpful for me.

Edited May 11, 2015 by knp

[lelick1234]

Ashiepoo

 

Salim is amazing, he is a dream adviser and such a nice man--another coincidence, he really inspired me to move my research in the direction I'm now taking it. I PMed you some suggestions. Keep in mind that if your main adviser is strong in your general period, as long as the department has people who can supplement their knowledge you'll be just fine. My adviser is an expert on the Cold War but doesn't study the exact area I want to look at, but she is excited about my project and said Davis has good coverage for me. Basically, you want an adviser who feels they have enough expertise to help guide you and a department that can fill in any gaps. 

 

For future applicants, I highly recommend/suggest/cajole/insist you research entire departments in depth before choosing programs. Look at related departments, too, if you're interested in area studies and interdisciplinarity. Look at university resources, archival material. Look at what the surrounding area has to offer, if anything (Archives II near UMaryland comes to mind). When you write your statements, show the departments you did the legwork and know how you fit there and how the department and university fit you.

Why didn't you decide on UCSB? 

[ashiepoo72]

Several reasons. I was wait listed for funding. After visiting Minnesota and Davis I knew those were my top choices, even though I liked Salim a lot and plan on maintaining contact with him throughout my career. My adviser at Davis has a lot of qualities I admire and hope to learn from. She knows the professional side of academia really well on top of being very active in the field. Finally, Davis offered me a lot more money and security. I cannot stress enough how important having financial security is. I wouldn't be able to do my best work if I was scratching pennies together and eating ramen and hot dogs for dinner every night (which I did in undergrad). Visiting the programs made a huge difference in my decisions--as in, I was almost decided on Minnesota and completely changed my mind. It's a fabulous department, I absolutely loved the professors and grad students, but in the end Davis was the perfect fit for me. I am still in the honeymoon phase for sure. I couldn't be more excited to go there.

 

I should say that I thought Davis (and Minnesota) was a shot in the dark, and I very nearly didn't apply, so when I was accepted I went into shock. I hadn't even considered going there because I never thought they'd take me. So to all of you who feel "unworthy" of programs, don't. Do your due diligence in researching and applying to places that can help you grow as a scholar and you may be surprised where you end up.

[qeta]

Cornell-- Logevall (Hail Mary Longshot.  Love his work, but I am little afraid because I am focused on U.S. policy towards the Middle East and his specialty is US policy towards Southeast Asia) 

Logevall is leaving Cornell and setting up shop at HKS in the Fall. http://www.hks.harvard.edu/news-events/news/press-releases/logevall-westad-join-faculty.

[michaelgi]

michaelgi - What school are you attending in the UK? I'm also thinking about applying to school in the UK.

 

I'm going to be starting at Northumbria in September, middle of the road university but the American History team is quite strong - working with Joe Street/Brian Ward - plus it's where I hail from!

[lelick1234]

Logevall is leaving Cornell and setting up shop at HKS in the Fall. http://www.hks.harvard.edu/news-events/news/press-releases/logevall-westad-join-faculty.

Does this mean he will not be able to advise history graduates at Harvard? 

[qeta]

Does this mean he will not be able to advise history graduates at Harvard? 

I'm sure he will. You might now have to apply to Harvard instead of Cornell - that's all I meant.

[dr. t]

Unless he has a dual appointment, it means that he can't be your primary.

[Way Out East]

There is a 99.9% chance I will be joining those applying for Fall 2016. I am rising senior at a sizable research university in the Northeast. I am looking to do Early 20th Century America (1900-1945), primarily focusing on the relationship between immigration and politics.

 

A lot of you seem so much further along in your preparation than I am! I just finished the paper that I plan on using for my writing sample (although it is going to need revisions over the summer). I have done some research on potential POI's and their placement history but not as much as I'd like. Fortunately I'm going to have a light course load in the fall so I can focus on my two language courses (Italian and German),my honors thesis and grad school applications. I won't be taking the GRE until October, which I hope isn't a big mistake on my part. I have two of my LoR writers lined up, and more or less just have to ask the 3rd.

 

I'll be applying to a handful of PhD programs, the MA program at my current institution, and a secondary education program at my current institution. 

 

I am all ears to any tips, suggestions, etc. anyone on here might have for me. Good luck everyone!

[Heimat Historian]

My best piece of advice is apply broadly.  Between 8 and 15 seems to be the sweet spot for getting into a good program.  Also, are you interested in a particular immigrant group? A certain region?  

[Way Out East]

My best piece of advice is apply broadly.  Between 8 and 15 seems to be the sweet spot for getting into a good program.  Also, are you interested in a particular immigrant group? A certain region?  

Thanks! Italian and Irish immigrants hold a special place in my heart due to my ancestry, but I'm just as interested in other groups as well. I am also just as interested in the reactions to immigration as I am in the immigrants themselves. New York and other urban areas in the Northeast would be an area I'd likely focus most heavily on.

[Heimat Historian]

I'd begin by looking at history departments in the 1-50 scale according to rankings.  Find professors at those schools who work on immigration and begin reaching out to them with your interests. I found this immensely helpful in my search for programs.  Also, consider if you'd be a good fit with their methodologies, interests, etc.  Finally, consider what your goals are after you graduate.  That will influence where you apply. 

[knp]

A lot of you seem so much further along in your preparation than I am! I just finished the paper that I plan on using for my writing sample (snip)

 

I think we're all at different points on different things. For example, let's not talk about the paper I'm going to use as my writing sample. I've been intending to use my best thing from undergrad, but I don't know how I feel about that. There are some primary source issues I can fix, although it might require a lot of work. But it also, like, doesn't incorporate any secondary scholarship? So while I've been pretty thorough in my institutional research (it's great procrastination between tasks at my job), I'm already dreading having to fix my writing sample situation. My nightmare is that I decide to last-minute scrap the thing and write something new, so let's all knock on wood that I don't do that to myself.

[Heimat Historian]

I think it's important to include relevant secondary literature.  It shows you understand the historiography in your field.  From my experience, departments want folks to be able to reference the key points of debate in their scholarship. 

[knp]

Oh, I know! That's why it's on my calendar as a big honking task I must do, but to which I am not looking forward. It was meant to illustrate how we're all at different stages on different components on the application: this is one on which I am not yet well prepared.

[Heimat Historian]

Oh I understand now.  Got it.