Fall 2017 applicants

[russianblue]

6 minutes ago, jazzman said:

Thanks! But don't lose hope just yet! My concentration is history of science, it's a smaller field and probably releases decisions earlier than others.

Good to know, thanks for the info! I've gotten one acceptance, but it's still killing me to wait and hear back from others (especially ones that I should have heard back from already, based on last year's stats)!

[jazzman]

2 minutes ago, russianblue said:

Good to know, thanks for the info! I've gotten one acceptance, but it's still killing me to wait and hear back from others (especially ones that I should have heard back from already, based on last year's stats)!

What's your concentration?

[voforange]

On 2/3/2017 at 6:08 PM, telkanuru said:

 

Most Harvard POIs contact as soon as they know, in my experience. It's not certain, but I wouldn't have any expectations if you haven't heard.

Because I haven't gotten an email yet, should I email my POI and just ask the status of my application? If I could/should do that, how should I phrase the email?

Thanks!

[russianblue]

5 minutes ago, jazzman said:

What's your concentration?

My subfield would be Modern Europe/International & Global History. I'm primarily a Russianist, but I've been studying and am writing my thesis on non-Jewish Russian emigres in Western Europe. I'm looking at expanding my research to include themes of migration and displacement more generally, though.

[NoirFemme]

Is anyone still waiting to hear from Northwestern?

[jazzman]

13 minutes ago, russianblue said:

My subfield would be Modern Europe/International & Global History. I'm primarily a Russianist, but I've been studying and am writing my thesis on non-Jewish Russian emigres in Western Europe. I'm looking at expanding my research to include themes of migration and displacement more generally, though.

Very interesting. What is your time period?

Actually, my POI is a Russianist, Catherine Evtuhov. But I am interested in global (European) circulation of knowledge (scientific). Looking at scientific exchange among four scientific societies, Russian, German, English, and French, 18-19th ce. So like you, also global.

[archi]

26 minutes ago, russianblue said:

Good to know, thanks for the info! I've gotten one acceptance, but it's still killing me to wait and hear back from others (especially ones that I should have heard back from already, based on last year's stats)!

I'm in a similar boat...but for Columbia at least it seems like it's still kind of early? It doesn't seem like they've waited long to send rejections in the past either though so hopefully we'll get a response either way soon

[russianblue]

11 minutes ago, jazzman said:

Very interesting. What is your time period?

Actually, my POI is a Russianist, Catherine Evtuhov. But I am interested in global (European) circulation of knowledge (scientific). Looking at scientific exchange among four scientific societies, Russian, German, English, and French, 18-19th ce. So like you, also global.

2

Ahhh, she's my POI, too. Although to be honest, Columbia Dr. Evtuhov is less of a good fit for my topic, than the fact that they have the Bakhmeteff. Unfortunately, I'm about 20 years too late to catch Marc Raeff, who wrote the book that inspired much of my thesis. 

Thus far, my research has been early 20th Century as I've been focusing on the emigres who fled the Revolution, but I'd like to reach back a little further into Imperial Russian history. I've been largely restricted to writing about high culture in Western Europe because of the available sources and resources. Unfortunately, not much funding to go abroad for my M.A. thesis. Your topic sounds very interesting! Any particular type/field of scientific exchange? (And congrats again on the offer!)

[rainbeew]

15 hours ago, SarahBethSortino said:

Got rejected today from my dream school, Brown. Honestly feeling pretty hopeless right now. I have a feeling that the same things that kept me out of this program will keep me out of the rest. And I didn't really care about any of the other programs. But I don't think it's going to happen for me ... and if it doesn't happen this year it's over for good. (Please don't reply with "you can always apply next year," I'm 36. It's done.)

Oh, I do hope you change your mind. I am 36 and I think this is all exciting. It is all in your head. Age means nothing, really. I had excellent Professors who were so old and that really was addition of flavor to my schools. I hope I can be like them one day. You seem so motivated and I was glad to find someone like that here. You might get surprised by other schools yet. Hope I hear good news from you later. 

[russianblue]

21 minutes ago, clarchibald said:

I'm in a similar boat...but for Columbia at least it seems like it's still kind of early? It doesn't seem like they've waited long to send rejections in the past either though so hopefully we'll get a response either way soon

 

True! That comment was mostly referring to NYU, who came back around the end of January last year. And it seems that some of Chicago's decisions have gone out unofficially, but the dead silence is making me nervous. 

I am glad that Columbia seems to send acceptances/rejections out around the same time. Being in the limbo of am I in or out, when at least some admittees seem to know, is probably the worst part for me. 

[EricaMac]

1 hour ago, SarahBethSortino said:

I drove four hours up and back in one day to meet with LF. It seemed like a great fit. I'm just in shock, and as I said, I didn't really feel like any of the other schools I applied to were as good a subject fit. So based on that, I think it's probably done for me. I'm going to be surprised if I get an acceptance at this point, especially because all my other schools have already reported acceptances. I have serious geographical constraints so I didn't have the luxury of applying to programs all around the country. I had to work with what I had.

 

 I completely understand geographical constraints. My husband has a 12-year-old daughter from his first marriage, and when we started having the conversation about Ph.D. programs, we brought her into it because we didn't want her to be blindsided. By I also made the decision to not apply to any programs outside of CT because it would bring us too far from her, and I was never going to ask him to leave her behind. I only applied to Brandeis because it's right in MA and they waived the application fee (if I'm being totally honest). 

I do get it, and I'm so sorry this didn't work out for you. 

[wjd]

From the flurry of activity on the board, it looks like today is the (first of many) day(s) of reckoning.

Godspeed to us all.

Edited February 7, 2017 by wjd

[minion.banana]

17 hours ago, cyclingonthemoon said:

By the way, did you apply to Harvard this year? can i ask about area focus? I'm doing Chinese history.

Yep, though I don't think I'll get in. It's not the best fit. I'm also doing Chinese history

[psstein]

2 hours ago, jazzman said:

Thanks! But don't lose hope just yet! My concentration is history of science, it's a smaller field and probably releases decisions earlier than others.

Congratulations! I applied too, but haven't heard back. Not a great fit, personally, but probably better than Yale. Oh well.

Columbia's HoS is part of its History department. They're not separate.

[psstein]

14 hours ago, Neist said:

I think @telkanuru's intention was he/she wanted to inform everyone that academia is a world where you're often rejected or criticized. And if rejection or criticism is something that severely gets under your skin, it's probably not your world. People will often routinely consider your research a monumental waste of effort, and other people will consider it insightful and full of potential. Both of these worlds can exist within departments and even among mentors. I gather that many people find my work frivolous, and I'm perfectly content with that. You can't let it get under your skin.

Admissions decisions are so seemingly arbitrary that I suggest everyone consider a rejection at least a measure of bad luck. 

The way I've dealt with it is just assuming that my applications have already been thrown out.

[angesradieux]

Anyone else starting to get really nervous about campus visits? I'm pretty sure I'm going to make an idiot out if myself in front of at least one professor at UIUC.

[stillalivetui]

5 minutes ago, angesradieux said:

Anyone else starting to get really nervous about campus visits? I'm pretty sure I'm going to make an idiot out if myself in front of at least one professor at UIUC.

Don't feel nervous. Remember, these schools are trying to convince you to enroll at their schools. If anything, enjoy the process and getting pampered. 

[angesradieux]

3 minutes ago, stillalivetui said:

Don't feel nervous. Remember, these schools are trying to convince you to enroll at their schools. If anything, enjoy the process and getting pampered. 

I'm a super awkward person, though. And a professor there was a professional ballet dancer before teaching French history. My own career goal before changing gears was to be an opera singer. So being a performer and then a historian, she basically lived both of my dreams, and I really, really admire that. I'm afraid I'm going to get all starstruck and not know what to say. Socially awkward+admiration=probably saying something really stupid.

[Man Without Qualities]

Hi all, is anyone else waiting to hear from the University of Oklahoma? Any info much appreciated and good luck to everyone.

[OHSP]

8 minutes ago, angesradieux said:

I'm a super awkward person, though. And a professor there was a professional ballet dancer before teaching French history. My own career goal before changing gears was to be an opera singer. So being a performer and then a historian, she basically lived both of my dreams, and I really, really admire that. I'm afraid I'm going to get all starstruck and not know what to say. Socially awkward+admiration=probably saying something really stupid.

Tamara is great - she'll put you at ease. Every faculty member I've spoken to at UIUC has been lovely. I am a super awkward person and that's part of why I know that history is right for me. It's all just a ball of awkward nervous energy.

[SarahBethSortino]

2 hours ago, rainbeew said:

Oh, I do hope you change your mind. I am 36 and I think this is all exciting. It is all in your head. Age means nothing, really. I had excellent Professors who were so old and that really was addition of flavor to my schools. I hope I can be like them one day. You seem so motivated and I was glad to find someone like that here. You might get surprised by other schools yet. Hope I hear good news from you later. 

I am very motivated. I am also just destroyed right now.

[angesradieux]

16 minutes ago, OHSP said:

Tamara is great - she'll put you at ease. Every faculty member I've spoken to at UIUC has been lovely. I am a super awkward person and that's part of why I know that history is right for me. It's all just a ball of awkward nervous energy.

From the email I got from her, she seems really nice. I'm just easily flustered. So maybe history is the perfect place for me, because it attracts people who are similarly awkward? I don't know. I'm excited because she seems like a really interesting person and it'll be nice to talk to someone else who switched from the performing arts to history, but I'm afraid I'll just start babbling.

[SarahBethSortino]

2 hours ago, EricaMac said:

 I completely understand geographical constraints. My husband has a 12-year-old daughter from his first marriage, and when we started having the conversation about Ph.D. programs, we brought her into it because we didn't want her to be blindsided. By I also made the decision to not apply to any programs outside of CT because it would bring us too far from her, and I was never going to ask him to leave her behind. I only applied to Brandeis because it's right in MA and they waived the application fee (if I'm being totally honest). 

I do get it, and I'm so sorry this didn't work out for you. 

My daughter is 7 and my ex and I are trying to figure out exactly how to deal with it. I currently live in NJ and he was supposed to move back to MA with us (I'm from there), but now it looks like if I do get in anywhere we are going to be doing school year with one parent, summers with another. She knows I  am applying to school (which is hilarious because try explaining wanting to do MORE school to a 7 year old), but we haven't brought her into the geographical discussions. Boston to NJ is possible but will be hard, but if geography were completely out of the picture I would have applied to UVA, which would have been a much more logical choice for my specialism. But at this point I feel like my applications are a giant square peg trying to be banged into a round hole. I'm not an obvious fit for anyplace besides Brown.

[Rainy Day Woman]

Email from Columbia this morning with choice to be put on a waitlist. I'm elated just with being put on the waitlist honestly. Columbia was my reach PhD program for sure, and I made my peace last week that I probably wouldn't get into a PhD this time around. Trying not to get my hopes up, but going to meet with my POI next week during impromptu holiday to NYC.

[nhhistorynut]

15 minutes ago, SarahBethSortino said:

My daughter is 7 and my ex and I are trying to figure out exactly how to deal with it. I currently live in NJ and he was supposed to move back to MA with us (I'm from there), but now it looks like if I do get in anywhere we are going to be doing school year with one parent, summers with another. She knows I  am applying to school (which is hilarious because try explaining wanting to do MORE school to a 7 year old), but we haven't brought her into the geographical discussions. Boston to NJ is possible but will be hard, but if geography were completely out of the picture I would have applied to UVA, which would have been a much more logical choice for my specialism. But at this point I feel like my applications are a giant square peg trying to be banged into a round hole. I'm not an obvious fit for anyplace besides Brown.

Can I ask what your specialty is/will be? You guys could all move to the Boston area for the time being and reapply all around next year. Brown is only an hour away, there are about 1.45 billion history PhD programs in Mass (I kid, but there are a LOT), and then there's UNH in NH where I hope to go, again only an hour from Boston. So you could get settled and then just commute to wherever once you get in. Just a thought Don't lose hope!