Fall 2017 applicants

[gsc]

38 minutes ago, cyclingonthemoon said:

I am here because I am a 2017 applicant. This thread is for people like me. Seriously, if I am in the middle of doing my PhD, and finding myself spending hours and hours on a thread for new applicants, I might just quit the PhD and go get a life. 

yeah, I don't want to prolong this argument either, but I do feel the need to point out— I'm not hanging around these forums because I love talking about grad school. I don't. 

but when it was me two years ago, the folks on this forum offered smart, helpful advice, which was invaluable to me in applying and making decisions. so, if there's a way I can pay it forward to new applicants, then I'd like to do that. 

most people are coming from a place of generosity and kindness. there's no need to complain about it.

[nevermind]

3 hours ago, Freudzter said:

Received a rejection from Yale and had an interviewed with Cambridge two weeks ago. Had not heard any other news from the rest. If I did not get invited for an interview at Penn can I safely assume that I have been rejected?

Also wondering if anyone has heard anything from Princeton and Harvard?

 

 

Yes. If you didn't get a Penn HSS interview, you can assume rejection (that's how they've always done it in the past). I've heard from someone that Harvard HoS does (informal) interviews, but nobody has posted about that experience on the forums. From the results page, it looks like Harvard HoS has already sent admits out, so I would assume a rejection from that program as well. :/ 

Edited February 11, 2017 by nevermind

[nhhistorynut]

Just curious here...

How many schools did most people apply to this round?

I applied to only one this year. That might sound silly, but because I havent completed my MA yet and my writing sample was from a seminar and not part of my thesis, I felt like it was a long shot. My plan if I don't get in is to reapply to this school next year, and then another 4 or 5. But even 5 or 6 apps is starting to seem like a short list. Is it better to apply all over and see what happens?

Edited February 11, 2017 by nhhistorynut

[laleph]

1 hour ago, nhhistorynut said:

Just curious here...

How many schools did most people apply to this round?

I applied to only one this year. That might sound silly, but because I havent completed my MA yet and my writing sample was from a seminar and not part of my thesis, I felt like it was a long shot. My plan if I don't get in is to reapply to this school next year, and then another 4 or 5. But even 5 or 6 apps is starting to seem like a short list. Is it better to apply all over and see what happens?

Hello,

After ruling out schools located in places I do not want to live, I created a document containing the profiles of faculty whose work I admire. I then looked up their current work and the work of their graduate students. If possible, I tried to figure out whether they were taking on new students, and narrowed the list from there. In the end, I came out with 8 schools. 

As for "apply[ing] all over and see[ing] what happens": I applied only to schools located where I actually want to live, with the goal of working with people whose scholarship has been important for my development as a historian. I suppose I'll see what happens from there – in any case, there's a good dose of luck involved in getting accepted, regardless of stellar credentials or "fit."

[angesradieux]

I'm out of waiting purgatory! I was shocked to open my e-mail and see an e-mail from my POI at Vanderbilt telling me that I've been accepted. Three acceptances and one rejection is a much better outcome than I dared to hope for.

Good luck to people still waiting for news! Official notifications from Vanderbilt haven't gone out yet, so if you haven't heard yet it could be that your POI is just a bit less proactive.

[Neist]

1 hour ago, angesradieux said:

I'm out of waiting purgatory! I was shocked to open my e-mail and see an e-mail from my POI at Vanderbilt telling me that I've been accepted. Three acceptances and one rejection is a much better outcome than I dared to hope for.

1

Congrats!  

[wjd]

2 hours ago, angesradieux said:

I'm out of waiting purgatory! I was shocked to open my e-mail and see an e-mail from my POI at Vanderbilt telling me that I've been accepted. Three acceptances and one rejection is a much better outcome than I dared to hope for.

Good luck to people still waiting for news! Official notifications from Vanderbilt haven't gone out yet, so if you haven't heard yet it could be that your POI is just a bit less proactive.

Congrats, congrats, congrats! PM me if you have any questions about Nashville or Vandy -- I'll answer them as best as my undergraduate self can.

[AnUglyBoringNerd]

9 hours ago, SarahBethSortino said:

Harvard seems to be all crickets right now with the exception of the random informal emails from POIs. I've tried emailing the department to see what their timeline is and have been met with complete silence. Guess they're hanging out in the ivory keeping the torture going a little longer. I have literally a snowballs chance in hell of getting in but I'd love to know. Told my boyfriend I'm going to frame the official rejection letter. Apparently it's very pretty haha

thanks for emailing them for the rest of us!! I've already so successfully constructed this perception that I am rejected by Harvard (bc there is no informal emails of any kind) that when I read about your idea of framing the official letter, I was thinking "that's way cool and I'm gonna do the same, or maybe even print it on a T-Shirt, so where did i put my rejection letter?"--then I realized there has not been one, yet... lol 

@Freudzter  I think Penn will send out results in the mid Feb so possibly next week? 

[sovietviolinist]

Longtime lurker as well!

Congrats to everyone accepted! 

I've heard some unofficial (good) news from Chicago and Harvard, but am waiting for everything to be confirmed before posting in results. I applied to Harvard, U Chicago, Boulder, and Riverside for History, Clark for Holocaust and Genocide Studies, and Princeton for Musicology.

I'm a bit of a weird case, I'm finishing doctoral in violin performance, and research cultural commemoration of Genocide in the USSR as it relates to formation of modern states post-Communism. I do research, but also historically and politically informed performances in the former USSR. 

 

Good luck!

[angesradieux]

53 minutes ago, wjd said:

Congrats, congrats, congrats! PM me if you have any questions about Nashville or Vandy -- I'll answer them as best as my undergraduate self can.

Thanks. I just booked a flight for their admitted students days. My head's still kind of spinning from the cost of booking three flights. I know I will be reimbursed for some of it, so it's not really as huge an expense as it appears, but I'm still experiencing a bit of sticker shock from the upfront costs.

 

15 minutes ago, sovietviolinist said:

Longtime lurker as well!

Congrats to everyone accepted! 

I've heard some unofficial (good) news from Chicago and Harvard, but am waiting for everything to be confirmed before posting in results. I applied to Harvard, U Chicago, Boulder, and Riverside for History, Clark for Holocaust and Genocide Studies, and Princeton for Musicology.

I'm a bit of a weird case, I'm finishing doctoral in violin performance, and research cultural commemoration of Genocide in the USSR as it relates to formation of modern states post-Communism. I do research, but also historically and politically informed performances in the former USSR. 

 

Good luck!

That's fascinating. I started out studying music but ended up switching gears while still in undergrad. However, I still perform, particularly French repertoire, and my undergraduate thesis dealt with the transition from the opera of the Old Regime to a new, Revolutionary genre in the New Republic. It's awesome that you were able to attend a doctoral program for music and are applying for graduate studies in history now. I really regret not being able to finish my degree in music and I every now and again I find myself wondering where I'd be if I hadn't made the switch to history. Anyway, just wanted to say that your work sounds incredibly interesting and I admire (and envy!) your current position.

[OHSP]

14 minutes ago, sovietviolinist said:

Longtime lurker as well!

Congrats to everyone accepted! 

I've heard some unofficial (good) news from Chicago and Harvard, but am waiting for everything to be confirmed before posting in results. I applied to Harvard, U Chicago, Boulder, and Riverside for History, Clark for Holocaust and Genocide Studies, and Princeton for Musicology.

I'm a bit of a weird case, I'm finishing doctoral in violin performance, and research cultural commemoration of Genocide in the USSR as it relates to formation of modern states post-Communism. I do research, but also historically and politically informed performances in the former USSR. 

 

Good luck!

Congrats and, also, your research sounds fascinating. 

4 hours ago, nhhistorynut said:

Just curious here...

How many schools did most people apply to this round?

I applied to only one this year. That might sound silly, but because I havent completed my MA yet and my writing sample was from a seminar and not part of my thesis, I felt like it was a long shot. My plan if I don't get in is to reapply to this school next year, and then another 4 or 5. But even 5 or 6 apps is starting to seem like a short list. Is it better to apply all over and see what happens?

I applied to 8 schools. I basically started by finding the faculty I wanted to work with and then I limited myself to schools in the "top 20", simply because I'm going to be moving from overseas and I'm not sure I could justify it otherwise - that left me with about 10 and then I culled two in the final moments because I was unsure about fit. I focused on fit a lot and I think it's paid off--I was totally unsure of how realistic I was being in applying to US schools (especially as an Americanist), but I've been pleasantly surprised. 

[SarahBethSortino]

1 hour ago, sovietviolinist said:

Longtime lurker as well!

Congrats to everyone accepted! 

I've heard some unofficial (good) news from Chicago and Harvard, but am waiting for everything to be confirmed before posting in results. I applied to Harvard, U Chicago, Boulder, and Riverside for History, Clark for Holocaust and Genocide Studies, and Princeton for Musicology.

I'm a bit of a weird case, I'm finishing doctoral in violin performance, and research cultural commemoration of Genocide in the USSR as it relates to formation of modern states post-Communism. I do research, but also historically and politically informed performances in the former USSR. 

 

Good luck!

FYI Clark is meeting on February 16th to make their final decisions

[Freudzter]

18 hours ago, SarahBethSortino said:

Harvard seems to be all crickets right now with the exception of the random informal emails from POIs. I've tried emailing the department to see what their timeline is and have been met with complete silence. Guess they're hanging out in the ivory keeping the torture going a little longer. I have literally a snowballs chance in hell of getting in but I'd love to know. Told my boyfriend I'm going to frame the official rejection letter. Apparently it's very pretty haha

That is an excellent idea! I might frame one as well. I saw on the results board that three people posted results for the Harvard History of Science program.Two accepted (unofficial emails from POI's) and one rejected (apparently received an email notification of the rejection). I have not received any email as of yet myself (probably not a good omen). This perpetual state of being in limbo is slowly driving me insane. Guess I will just have to wait, until I receive that dreaded email. 

Penn and Yale for me was not a good fit so not that disappointed, but I had somewhat high hopes for Harvard and Princeton as they seemed like a much better fit. Hope is a horrible thing

Has anyone else received official or unofficial emails from Harvard in regarding the History of Science program? 

 

Congrats to everyone who have received acceptance letters!

[telizabeth]

On 2/11/2017 at 8:36 AM, Freudzter said:

Hi Everyone 

I am new to this forum and very new to the American graduate school application thing. I applied to the History of Science programs at Yale, Penn, Harvard, Princeton, Cambridge and Oxford. 

Received a rejection from Yale and had an interviewed with Cambridge two weeks ago. Had not heard any other news from the rest. If I did not get invited for an interview at Penn can I safely assume that I have been rejected?

Also wondering if anyone has heard anything from Princeton and Harvard?

Hi there! I applied to the History of Science programs at Yale, Penn, and Princeton, and to the History of Medicine at Johns Hopkins and McGill! 

I've also received a rejection from Yale, no news from the others but have interviewed with Penn. I think it's perhaps a safe assumption, given that they interview about 15 and admit between 4-6 but you never know what might happen! 

[dr. t]

As I said earlier, if you've not heard positively from Harvard at this juncture, you should expect the answer to be no. For some ungodly reason, rejection letters take until early March to go out. 

And to tie this back to the theme of hilarious/terrible rejection letters, I was reminded of the... special... way Harvard phrased my rejection: "The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences is unable to take favorable action on your application to the Department of History."

And when I was waitlisted at UToronto, and received this: "We were EXTREMELY impressed by your application, which combined what many of us thought to be an important and interesting project with an impressive and unique background. It goes without saying that the University of Toronto would be a wonderful place to pursue your research, particularly given our depth and strength in Asian history. As Graduate Coordinator, I read all the PhD applications, so I can say with confidence that your application and proposal really jumped out."

Which is nice and all, except I study high medieval France.

You'd think, since they have to do this every year, graduate departments wouldn't be shit at it. And yet. The key is to see them as what they are: a reminder of how universities (not departments) see their graduate students, and a bit of comic relief.

 

Edited February 12, 2017 by telkanuru

[AP]

On 2/10/2017 at 6:28 PM, cyclingonthemoon said:

By the way, for those self-appointed coaches hanging around in this forum, your comments are not welcome.

 

On 2/11/2017 at 1:33 PM, cyclingonthemoon said:

I am here because I am a 2017 applicant. This thread is for people like me. Seriously, if I am in the middle of doing my PhD, and finding myself spending hours and hours on a thread for new applicants, I might just quit the PhD and go get a life. 

I am one of those advanced students who comment in this or any other thread. I am paying it forward because people did that for me during the application process here and elsewhere in "real" life, and the years that followed. The anxieties that many feel now, I felt them at the time and feel them in relation to other applications (namely grants and postdocs). So although we are not on exactly the same boat, we kind of are. Applications can be frustrating, tiresome, and exciting all at the same time. If anything, giving advice here is a sign of emphaty. Personally, I like reading this thread because I am thrilled that so many people are excited about history. We are future colleagues and I might as well share your joy of acceptance and try to be there when rejections come. 

[viridian]

Just now, telkanuru said:

And when I was waitlisted at UToronto, and received this: "We were EXTREMELY impressed by your application, which combined what many of us thought to be an important and interesting project with an impressive and unique background. It goes without saying that the University of Toronto would be a wonderful place to pursue your research, particularly given our depth and strength in Asian history. As Graduate Coordinator, I read all the PhD applications, so I can say with confidence that your application and proposal really jumped out."

Which is nice and all, except I study high medieval France.

 

Good lord. Did you ever get back to them? Did they notice their own flub and reach out? I need to know how this story ends.

[Neist]

1 hour ago, telkanuru said:

And when I was waitlisted at UToronto, and received this: "We were EXTREMELY impressed by your application, which combined what many of us thought to be an important and interesting project with an impressive and unique background. It goes without saying that the University of Toronto would be a wonderful place to pursue your research, particularly given our depth and strength in Asian history. As Graduate Coordinator, I read all the PhD applications, so I can say with confidence that your application and proposal really jumped out."

Which is nice and all, except I study high medieval France.

2

Thanks for sharing this story. It's great.  

[dr. t]

1 hour ago, viridian said:

Good lord. Did you ever get back to them? Did they notice their own flub and reach out? I need to know how this story ends.

I didn't see the need to draw attention to it. This was back when UoT grad students were striking because they made CAD 15,000 a year, and the poverty line in Toronto was CAD 23,000 a year, so I just politely declined the spot.

As the former mayor of my town was fond of saying, "The toe you step on today may be connected to the ass you kiss tomorrow." 

Edited February 12, 2017 by telkanuru

[SarahBethSortino]

2 hours ago, AP said:

 

I am one of those advanced students who comment in this or any other thread. I am paying it forward because people did that for me during the application process here and elsewhere in "real" life, and the years that followed. The anxieties that many feel now, I felt them at the time and feel them in relation to other applications (namely grants and postdocs). So although we are not on exactly the same boat, we kind of are. Applications can be frustrating, tiresome, and exciting all at the same time. If anything, giving advice here is a sign of emphaty. Personally, I like reading this thread because I am thrilled that so many people are excited about history. We are future colleagues and I might as well share your joy of acceptance and try to be there when rejections come. 

I would not use the word "exciting" to describe the last three weeks of my life waiting for this haha

[AP]

5 hours ago, SarahBethSortino said:

I would not use the word "exciting" to describe the last three weeks of my life waiting for this haha

Granted. I hope it ends well, though!!!  

[OHSP]

5 hours ago, SarahBethSortino said:

I would not use the word "exciting" to describe the last three weeks of my life waiting for this haha

I think I've developed low level RSI from checking my email. **exciting**.

[Kbelt25]

On 2/10/2017 at 0:19 AM, Donghai said:

Has anyone got interviewed by UC Irvine?

 

Hi, there! My POI informed me that the committee finished reviewing applications on the sixth of this month. I was told that the department is preparing notifications. You should be hearing from them soon. 

[french_historynerd]

Got my third admit! OSU, not sure about funding, it wasn't really clear. Halfway through waiting for my schools to respond! Madison and Michigan are apart of that so I'm feeling not so great about the silence since I know people are starting to hear from them. I'm also waiting on Kansas. I saw some admits this morning. So who knows? 

[betwixt&between]

On 2/11/2017 at 3:49 PM, nhhistorynut said:

Just curious here...

How many schools did most people apply to this round?

I've applied to to two different PhD programs this year, due to familial constraint. I'm currently waiting to hear from UCONN's History program (the results page suggests it could be this week!), but I have also applied to a joint PhD in Education held between URI and RIC. I have a few years of academic advising under my belt, which I really enjoyed. Knowing that I haven't applied to a Big 10 school for history, I'm trying to be pragmatic in regards to future employment. Honestly, as long as I have an opportunity to continue working with students, I'll be pretty happy.