Fall 2017 applicants

[JKL]

Me earlier this year: "The application process won't be that bad. It's only four programs. I won't allow myself to become too stressed out about it. I'm an organized person anyway."

Me now: "MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKKKKKKKKKKKKKEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTTTTTT SSSSSSSSSSSTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTOOOOOOOOOOOOOOPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP."

[Donghai]

Just took my first GRE today. Not bad, I got v161 and q163 and I'm waiting for the AWA (presumably a 4/4, or 4/5). Not an ideal score for top 10 asian history PhDs, but I'm glad it's enough for almost all MA in east asian studies.

[TMP]

On 11/3/2016 at 5:19 PM, JKL said:

Me earlier this year: "The application process won't be that bad. It's only four programs. I won't allow myself to become too stressed out about it. I'm an organized person anyway."

Me now: "MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKKKKKKKKKKKKKEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTTTTTT SSSSSSSSSSSTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTOOOOOOOOOOOOOOPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP."

Heh.  Good luck with the dissertation fellowship applications when you reach that stage.  I just sent off 3 copies of the same application (= 120 pages)... I mean... I actually went to the PO to mail that thing off.  Yup.

[french_historynerd]

On 10/11/2016 at 6:57 AM, bigbangdeux said:

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.  

What school's are you applying to if you don't mind me asking? The struggle bus is real right now and I am exhausted and want to be done with everything, yesterday. I am looking to also study Gender/Sexuality in France and perhaps a compare and contrast with Italy or Germany in regard to the Vichy Regime. 

[bigbangdeux]

18 hours ago, french_historynerd said:

What school's are you applying to if you don't mind me asking? The struggle bus is real right now and I am exhausted and want to be done with everything, yesterday. I am looking to also study Gender/Sexuality in France and perhaps a compare and contrast with Italy or Germany in regard to the Vichy Regime. 

 

I feel you! I need to be done with everything, but also at the same time I need November to go on forever so I have maximum time to edit everything. Sure no problem. I'm applying to UT-Austin, UChicago, OSU, UWisconsin-Madison, IU-Bloomington, Northwestern, Rutgers, and Notre Dame. What about you?

[ctg7w6]

I'm a little surprised there aren't too many people here and that this thread is moving slowly. Hopefully it is because people are too busy working on their applications

Right now I've got four apps submitted, mostly because they required submission before they would send out the letters of rec emails to recommenders. I'm still waiting to hear back on publications, I've been told I will hear back by the end of November. Crossing my fingers! Once I hear back I will upload my CV and submit! If I don't hear back by Thanksgiving weekend, I will pull the trigger, however! Then, if I hear back after that I will see if the programs will accept an updated CV.

One thing that honestly kind of annoys me are schools that require official transcripts for the initial part of the application process. I simply don't see why they can't let you use unofficial transcripts and your admission is contingent upon providing official transcripts once you accept their offer. Thankfully only a few schools I applied to require official.

On that note, I wish schools would allow the same thing for GRE scores. I had a few schools request the unofficial GRE score, but I still had to submit official GRE scores. Again, why not have that at the end once you are accepting an offer. GRE scores are, what, $27 apiece? That is exorbitant. Transcripts are at least only $10-15.

Sorry, just complaining about the costs of applying! Admittedly, I cut my total costs by half through using waivers and a grant, but it is still quite a bit!

[novazembla]

This may be a dumb question, but one of the schools I'm applying to has a limit of 30 pages for the writing sample. I have a good excerpt from a longer paper, but it's 32 pages double-spaced. Nowhere does it say that it the writing sample must be double-spaced, so can I send it at 1.5? My professor thinks it's okay, but I'm a little afraid I would look like I'm trying to be clever.

[TMP]

1 hour ago, novazembla said:

This may be a dumb question, but one of the schools I'm applying to has a limit of 30 pages for the writing sample. I have a good excerpt from a longer paper, but it's 32 pages double-spaced. Nowhere does it say that it the writing sample must be double-spaced, so can I send it at 1.5? My professor thinks it's okay, but I'm a little afraid I would look like I'm trying to be clever.

Better safe than sorry.  I am sure there are some pages that you don't absolutely need.  Just make a note at the end of page 30 that there is more.  Professors understand that applicants have to cut.  Honestly, they're reading only the first 10 or so pages and if they're interested, they'll keep reading and then perhaps ask you for the whole thing.  There is a reason why Penn limits its writing sample to 10 (!) pages.

[bigbangdeux]

One application submitted! They wouldn't send out letters of recommendation requests until you submitted all documentation. I am not completely satisfied with where my writing sample was at for it, but I've also been staring at it for probably way too long at it anyways at this point. I feel like I'm starting to get tunnel vision when it comes to my writing sample. Dec 1 deadlines are coming up so quickly!

[voprosi]

Another Fall 2017 applicant here! I'm applying mostly to programs in modern European/Eurasian history.

How is everyone doing as we're nearing the December 1 deadlines?

I'm also surprised to see a lack of activity during this time. I haven't submitted any apps yet, as I'm still polishing my application materials. I just started writing personal statements/diversity essays for Michigan and Berkeley. I would have liked to have started sooner on this, although I don't think they will take me as long as the process of crafting and perfecting my statement of purpose.

 

Edited November 20, 2016 by voprosi
grammar

[Donghai]

I am finishing my application materials at this point, though more work is needed for some schools that require SoPs and/or WSs with unusual length. I think the application is a process in which one comes to understand himself/herself and in which one can see if he/she's really committed to the history profession. Have submitted LoRs requests online, the next thing I'm gonna do is to meet with 2 or 3 writing tutors next week to make my SoPs and WSs completely error-free. I will probably be sending all my applications once I am 90% satisfied with my applications. Crossing fingers. 

[KLZ]

Best of luck in the homestretch, everyone! If you have any questions about schools or living in NC, let me know.

[NoirFemme]

The slowness of this year's thread is interesting. I doubt it means less are applying for this cycle, haha. Maybe it's just the weirdness that is 2016.

[Neist]

On 11/22/2016 at 0:58 AM, NoirFemme said:

The slowness of this year's thread is interesting. I doubt it means less are applying for this cycle, haha. Maybe it's just the weirdness that is 2016.

Might be.  It's been well-documented that history enrollment is steadily dropping. 

Maybe it'll mean that we'll all have jobs when we finish our degrees. Right? Right?!?  A person can hope.

[NoirFemme]

16 hours ago, Neist said:

Might be.  It's been well-documented that history enrollment is steadily dropping. 

Maybe it'll mean that we'll all have jobs when we finish our degrees. Right? Right?!?  A person can hope.

LOL. Wishful thinking.

But maybe it'll be true

[Quickmick]

December 1st fast approaching,

     and all through the nation

Hopeful applicants

     face much consternation.

 

POIs have been mailed,

     LORs have been written,

With dreams of great funding

     these minds have been smitten.

 

T's crossed and i's dotted,

     spell check is complete

For a chance at a PhD,

    unemployed on the street.

 

Happy holidays and good luck everyone!

    

 

 

 

[voprosi]

Gahh. Five apps submitted. I tried to space out my applications by submitting one each day. But the submission process was still pretty tedious and agonizing! I still have a few applications with December 15 deadlines, but I'll get to them next week after I celebrate being (partly) done!

[betwixt&between]

Happy December 1st everyone! Just submitted my first of two applications last night. The second isn't due until Jan 31st, so I have a bit of breathing room. Good luck, I'm sure this thread will be picking up as the month progresses!

[NoirFemme]

To lessen my anxiety, I submitted all applications due this month today! Five programs in total. The other five are due in January.

Good luck everyone!

[AP]

As many of you are submitting your applications, I wanted to pause to wish you all the best. Every step of the way in grad school is stressful, starting with the click on the "submit" button. Consider this part of your training  I'm sure things will work out the best way possible. As you wait, entertain yourselves with hobbies, family, and other projects. The waiting is hard, so trust me when I say go and enjoy other stuff. I'm really excited about a new cohort of historians joining our lines. We'll be poor together and drink wine to that! And remember: you only need one acceptance  Hang in there!!!! 

[ctg7w6]

Got all of mine in on thanksgiving day! Now just verifying that all material was received! The long wait begins...

[ToomuchLes]

Submitted all my applications during Thanksgiving Break, and now... I am waiting for a single letter of rec submission to complete my application  

[MMii]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to this site and just wanted to say good luck to everyone applying this cycle I submitted my last app yesterday, now to try forget about it for a few months!

Any aspiring Africanist Historians out there?

[AP]

On 11/15/2016 at 8:03 PM, novazembla said:

This may be a dumb question, but one of the schools I'm applying to has a limit of 30 pages for the writing sample. I have a good excerpt from a longer paper, but it's 32 pages double-spaced. Nowhere does it say that it the writing sample must be double-spaced, so can I send it at 1.5? My professor thinks it's okay, but I'm a little afraid I would look like I'm trying to be clever.

I think I submitted mines with 1.5 but I could play the international student card  

On 11/27/2016 at 11:50 PM, Neist said:

Might be.  It's been well-documented that history enrollment is steadily dropping. 

Maybe it'll mean that we'll all have jobs when we finish our degrees. Right? Right?!?  A person can hope.

hahahahahah keep positive  

4 hours ago, SarahMoon said:

Hi everyone,

I'm new to this site and just wanted to say good luck to everyone applying this cycle I submitted my last app yesterday, now to try forget about it for a few months!

Any aspiring Africanist Historians out there?

Good luck! Not an Africanist here but I have lots of friends that are. 

 

[novazembla]

I found some stuff to cut, and it ended up being under 30 pages, so it's good. 

OK, another stupid question: While looking through one of my already-submitted applications, I noticed to my horror that I had mistyped the name of one of the professors I'm interested in working with. I didn't misspell it, I switched two letters in the middle of his name. I believe this professor is on the admitting committee. It wasn't on my SOP or anything, it was in a text area on the application. How screwed am I? Should I send him an email apologizing?