Fall 2017 applicants

[ToomuchLes]

Today I found out that I passed my French proficiency exam, thus satisfying my language requirement for graduation. I am taking Portuguese this semester (and in the Spring), but due to my full schedule I am thinking about dropping it. What is the general attitude towards a W on graduate transcripts? Should I mention it in my SOP?

 

My MA GPA is 3.95, so Im concerned that because I don't practice my Portuguese often it will drastically hurt my GPA. 

[TMP]

Ask your adviser/DGS.  That is not a question that we cannot answer (especially those applying for the first time).

[dr. t]

Why not take it pass/fail?

[nevermind]

10 hours ago, telkanuru said:

Why not take it pass/fail?

this is the correct answer.

[krystasonrisa]

Hey everyone!

I'm Krysta, just finished my MA in Latin American Studies at UIUC, but I'm centering on History (and maybe Education/Cultural Studies) for my PhD. I research 19th and 20th-century Costa Rica, and finding POIs has been my major struggle. I applied to a few (4) programs last year and didn't match, so I'm back to try again. My goal is to apply to six programs this year, with a more strategic application. 

I also started a thread specifically for Latin American History applicants.  

It's good to be back! 

[Way Out East]

Hello All!

I will be joining the Fall 2017 applicant pool. I recently graduated from my undergraduate program with a dual degree in History and in Political Science. I'm focusing on twentieth century American political history, specifically looking at the history of radical politics and terrorism in the United States. I had planned to apply last year but in the end decided to wait a year. 

I'm still narrowing down programs and contacting POIs, but I'm looking to apply to about 7 History programs as well as one M.S. program in Terrorism and Homeland Security Policy and have a deferred acceptance to an MA program at my undergraduate institution for the Fall.

Best of luck to everyone!

 

[etoile89]

I've been lurking around this thread for a while.  I suppose I'll throw my hat in the ring.

I am also applying to programs for Fall 2017.  I completed my undergrad back in 2011 and have been working outside of academia since then.  I want to focus my research on late 19th century / early 20th century American foreign relations, with an emphasis on Anglo-American relations, race, and American exceptionalism.  

I'm applying to a few PhD programs in the US as well as some MA programs in the UK.  I've nailed down my POIs and we've corresponded.  I'm flying out to meet one department and attend a foreign policy conference this weekend.  I'm in the process of editing my first SOP drafts and polishing up my writing sample.  Good luck!

[lidya]

Hi, I've just finished my MA at UCL this year majoring in TESOL programme. Gunning for PhD/DPhil in Education at Oxbridge and UCL with the focus on vocational higher education in Indonesia. Is it really matter if the master programme and proposed research study are different (though my master dissertation was about English curricula in vocational HE setting and I was also enrolled in a vocational-related module, and I'm expected to graduate with a merit, not distinction)? I haven't contacted my potential supervisor(s) yet as I'm still polishing my proposal, SoP, and whatnots.  Is it a good idea if I contact the persons early November for late December submission? Thanks and fingers crossed for those who are on the same boat!

[Sigaba]

This thread is developing slowly relative to previous years. If you're an aspiring graduate student who is submitting applications for fall 2017 and you have questions or need support or want to share information, you should consider increasing your operational tempo immediately. (Well, maybe right after the Texas/Oklahoma game.)

If you're going to use this BB as a resource, I recommend that you skim the Fall 20xx threads from the last few seasons and use the search button until your mouse starts to malfunction. Yes, this BB's search functionality has had caps put on it by the Powers That Be. Yet such limitations should not slow down aspiring graduate students in history.

Pay specific attention to posts by TMP and telkanuru. You may not agree with everything they have posted but no contributors in the history forum have worked harder to earn their success that those two. They are true believers. They are the kinds of graduate students that you should hope to have as classmates, especially if you find yourself disagreeing with their POVs.

When you assess posts in this forum, turn the dial on your critical thinking skills all the way up. Often, the guidance you receive from experienced graduate students will be different from the guidance you receive from aspiring and new graduate students. Often, the guidance from the former will not be what you expect nor phrased as tactfully as you would prefer. You need to decide for yourself, on a case by case basis, when you're being told what you would like to hear versus what you need to hear.

Under no circumstances should you let the upcoming election, or any other event short of a general war, be a distraction. Yes, the election matters and every vote counts. However, you are competing for a limited number of openings against committed applicants who have been preparing for graduate school since they were in middle school, who have impeccable academic pedigrees from prep school on, who are being mentored, and who have BTDTs writing LORs on their behalf. If you are here, you likely to do not have such competitive advantages. You do have this BB and a handful of experienced hands who will offer various levels of support in their posts.

[Donghai]

Hi everyone, seems that I am the first Asian who is interested in East Asia here, so I'm glad to add some diversity here! I'm from China and attended SUNY Buffalo as a undergraduate majoring History, where I got a ok GPA. Fortunately, I won a paper prize from one of the regional conference by Asian Studies Association, saving me a lot of time writing and polishing WS, it makes my application somewhat easier. 

My interested field is 20th century China and, more specifically, the rise of nationalism and identity in this period. For my target schools, I am applying for 4 or 5 big names (Phds) where I can find a professor to work with. I will also apply for the Phd program at UCSD, which has a very strong Chinese history program. Other than these, I plan to apply for the East Asian Studies MA programs at Yale, Harvard, and Stanford.

Everyone best of luck!

[etoile89]

On 10/7/2016 at 10:28 AM, Sigaba said:

This thread is developing slowly relative to previous years. If you're an aspiring graduate student who is submitting applications for fall 2017 and you have questions or need support or want to share information, you should consider increasing your operational tempo immediately. (Well, maybe right after the Texas/Oklahoma game.)

Thank you.  I work full time hours outside of academia and time is passing by QUICKLY.  This time is going to pass by quicker than we think! 

While I am not an expert, I recommend the following -- all based on advice that I am taking to heart:

- Nail down your references.  If you have been outside of academia for more than a year or two, this is going to be a big one.  Your references are likely professors with full course loads, tons of current students, and other former students who need references.  Under no circumstances should you assume that this is their top priority.  You need to be more than a little blip on their radar.  Get to the top of their email inbox.  If they're okay with a phone call, call them.  If they ask questions, get back quickly -- some will ask for history of your past papers, books that impacted you, etc.  

- Make time.  Restructure your day to work on these applications.  Applying for a job is a full time job in and of itself.  If you are applying to a PhD program, you are applying to a job within a history department.  I recently had to reschedule my workouts to fit in application time.  Do I enjoy getting up at 4:30 AM to go to the gym each morning?  No.  I'm not willing to stop going to the gym, but I can't go after work and then have enough time to sit over these applications with a fresh mind.  I'll reschedule my day accordingly after I get my applications together.

- Pay close attention to personal statement.  Look at it every single day.  Edit it.  Have your friends read it.  Have successful PhD applicants read it.  Have professors read it.

- Get face time.  It's not too late to get face time with potential advisors and departments.  I used my beloved frequent flier miles last weekend to meet with an advisor I hope to work with, and it was worth it.  

- Do not be in the 70%.  Be exceptional.  My prospective advisor at one of the schools I'm applying to mentioned that out of 100 students who apply, 30 of those applicants are serious contenders.  Who is a 70%er?  A 70%er doesn't reach out to their prospective supervisor, give the personal statement the time it deserves, or thoroughly research the department that they aspire to be part of.

I am not, under any circumstances, saying that I have all of the answers here.  I'm not sure how I will do in this application cycle.  I'll be damned, however, if I don't give it 100%.  

October and November will go by quickly.  Keep in mind that many schools have time off during Thanksgiving -- that can also slow down response time from your references.  This is the final push, and we need to finish strong.    

[bigbangdeux]

16 hours ago, etoile89 said:

Do I enjoy getting up at 4:30 AM to go to the gym each morning?

OMG same... shout out to that 4:30 AM work out club. Also since I've asked a few questions already figured I would introduce myself as well. Graduated in 2015 from a SLAC (double major MLL/Classics) with a 3.66 GPA (damn you Ancient Greek) and good GRE scores (again not as important). Spent the year after graduation teaching English in France, and this year I'm completing a service year with AmeriCorps and am hopeful for the upcoming application cycle. My interests are in Modern Europe, specifically I want to look at gender and sexuality during France's Third Republic. I am applying to seven PhD programs (thank god AmeriCorps gets me fee waivers for a majority of these places). That's about it! I hope everyone is not feeling too stressed right about now, even though I know I am struggling right now with rereading my writing sample and cringing at argument holes that I didn't even notice when I first wrote it.  

[etoile89]

Question for you guys regarding languages -- in lieu of mentioning this in my personal statement, can I just include my language proficiency in my CV?  Has anybody gone that route?

[TMP]

11 hours ago, etoile89 said:

Question for you guys regarding languages -- in lieu of mentioning this in my personal statement, can I just include my language proficiency in my CV?  Has anybody gone that route?

Yes but you should really state it in your statement of purpose because you're telling them that you are qualified and prepared for the rigors of the PhD, especially if languages are necessary for your chosen field.

[etoile89]

10 hours ago, TMP said:

Yes but you should really state it in your statement of purpose because you're telling them that you are qualified and prepared for the rigors of the PhD, especially if languages are necessary for your chosen field.

Good call.  Thank you.

[bigbangdeux]

Has anyone come across a section on their application that asks you to list the other schools you are applying to and rank them? They appear to be optional sections, but I'm not sure how to approach this. 

[TMP]

This gets discussed every single year.  Use the search function.  In short, choose schools that are peer, not way above or below (i.e. don't put down Yale if you're applying to Emory and vice versa).  Programs use those to benchmark their (perceived) rankings.

[ziggysunshine]

Hi guys! I'm also going to be applying this fall to 4-5 PhD programs. I'm doing 20th century European history with a focus on Belgium, urban planning, and the built environment more generally. I completed my undergrad with a fairly good GPA from a well-known school in California, and am doing my MA in Belgium at the moment. Took the GRE once and got somewhat mediocre scores, but I'm not sure whether or not I'm willing to pay another $200 to take the test again and get a few more points.

Schools I currently have on my list are Oxford, NYU, UChicago, Northwestern, and my alma mater. Anyone have any other suggestions for 20th c. Europe? I'm looking to add one or two schools to my list, I think.

[gsc]

On 10/20/2016 at 3:31 PM, ziggysunshine said:

Schools I currently have on my list are Oxford, NYU, UChicago, Northwestern, and my alma mater. Anyone have any other suggestions for 20th c. Europe? I'm looking to add one or two schools to my list, I think.

Rutgers has a pretty strong modern Europe contingent, plus at least a couple folks interested in the environment— worth a look at least

[ziggysunshine]

On 10/22/2016 at 2:20 AM, gsc said:

Rutgers has a pretty strong modern Europe contingent, plus at least a couple folks interested in the environment— worth a look at least

Thanks for this! Hilariously, my mentor emailed me today and mentioned Rutgers, so I suppose that the powers that be are really encouraging me to take a look. May I ask if you yourself are from Rutgers?

[gsc]

2 hours ago, ziggysunshine said:

Thanks for this! Hilariously, my mentor emailed me today and mentioned Rutgers, so I suppose that the powers that be are really encouraging me to take a look. May I ask if you yourself are from Rutgers?

Yes! if you have questions, do feel free to drop me a message!

[ziggysunshine]

On 10/27/2016 at 1:46 AM, gsc said:

Yes! if you have questions, do feel free to drop me a message!

Thank you so much! I'll be sending you a message sometime in the next few hours. Keep an eye out for it!

[ctg7w6]

I've been working on my applications for months now... I've got almost all of my LORs in, GRE scores sent, official transcripts (if requested), etc.

Literally everything except just a few LORs and... my CV!!!! I'm waiting to hear back on three projects and it is killing me. I should hear back before the end of November, which is really good because everything is due December 1 almost everywhere. Nevertheless, after having worked for months on my applications, now that I am basically finished, I want to pull the trigger on these applications! Then begins the long wait.

[noname123456]

Hi, name's Tim.

I received my M.A. in history this May from the same university in which I attended undergrad. Currently, I'm adjuncting at the same school. Originally, I was planning to apply for PhD programs next year, but on a whim I emailed, and then  received, a very kind and helpful email from a professor at a school I'm interested in--so I think I'm going to apply this year, at least to that University and see what happens, maybe.

I study the Middle Ages, particularly medieval England. My interests is mainly  the relationship between church and state, and the things they entail, so kingship, monasticism, governance broadly. But I'm also interest in how history is recorded, so early historians, clerics, and the nobility, too. 

 

It would be neat to get in somewhere this year, but I certainly understand that's a long shot!

[NoirFemme]

Down to the wire for those of us applying to programs with a Dec 1 deadline!!