As a sophomore in undergrad, what can I do now to be best set on the path to grad school?

[UtahHistoryBuff]

Greetings everyone!

As the title indicates, I am a sophomore history major. I have my heart firmly set on attending grad school and producing work and research in the field of history. Honestly, my interests are wide as far as occupations are concerned, but one thing stands true, they all require some level of post-graduate education (academia/research, think tanks, etc.)

As it stands now, I have a 3.7 GPA. and am on track to graduate by or possibly before Spring 2019.

I have a few concerns about graduate school, obviously history graduate programs in particular.

How much weight is given to your undergraduate institution given? This is something of concern to me. Although I love my university, have made great relations with professors, and have been truly intellectually challenged given the small class sizes, the truth of the matter is my universities name simply doesn't carry the same weight as even bigger schools in the state, let alone region or country.

How important is being published as an undergrad? Do I need to go through this with a professor, or is it something I can seek out on my own?

What could I/should I be doing to build a solid resume? I'm doing well academically, but I'm just thinking about when I apply to grad school in the future I'll only have a GPA, GRE, modest LORs, etc. to throw at them. In other words, nothing to really separate me from the pack. I'm honestly stressing out compared to all my fellow history majors applying for law school who only really need to focus on having a killer GPA and LSAT. No easy task, but identifiable numbers nonetheless. Grad school, seems so...uncertain.

Sorry for all the questions, but one last one. How do you decide on a specialty for your history graduate studies? I know this is the ultimate cliche of cliches when it comes to history majors, but I really do love and have a passion for all history. One week I'm fascinated by the European colonization of Africa, and the next week reading first hand accounts of Mormon settlers coming to Utah and the American West. I really could see myself specializing in almost anything.

Thanks a million for any and all help you can provide a hopeful future history grad student!

EDIT: I am also taking and doing really well in Chinese (Mandarin) and Spanish. I plan to continue to take these language's respective classes as well as outside lessons throughout the rest of my time here. If this means anything at all.

Edited March 24, 2017 by UtahHistoryBuff

[angesradieux]

I would start thinking about what subfield you can see yourself working in for an extended period of time. For me, it was easy. I've always been fascinated by France and I've only ever really wanted to study French history. Perhaps sit down and talk with a professor about at least narrowing it down to a continent. The reason this is important is language training. You'll want to have at least some grasp of the languages perinent to your research. Mandarin and Spanish are great, but they won't do all that much for you if you won't be needing to read sources in those languages. If you truly don't feel strongly about a particular subfield yet, perhaps consider what best fits your current language training.

Once you have an idea, if your school offers the option of writing a senior thesis, plan to take advantage of it. First, it will give you a long writing sample with extensive primary source research. Second, it will help you build relationships with professors. Your recommendations will be stronger if they come from people who have seen your ability to do independent research. As a sophmore, you can begin thinking about what you think you'd like to research and whether there's a professor you'd like to work with as an advisor.

But I think the first step is to start thinking about a subfield that interests you. That way you can tailor your classes to give you the best understanding of said subfield you can achieve, start working on whatever languages are most pertinent, and making connections with professors within that field. For example, I'm interested in France, so it was important for me to get to know the French historians where I did my undergrad, because a letter from them would be far more convincing than a letter from an Americanist. Likewise, a medievalist would have wanted to cultivate relationships with a different set of people.

You don't have to have a super specific topic, but I think trying to get some sense of which field you'd like to pursue will be really helpful in figuring out where to go from here.

[Averroes MD]

I'm in religion/theology, but here's my input:

1) Good on you that you're already thinking about this. I so wish I had done that! So, this answer is basically what I wish *I* had done. You're already ahead of the pack by taking out the time to plan now! Kudos!

2) I agree with the post above about figuring out a general field to narrow in on... You don't need to know EXACTLY what you want to study, but you should have a general idea. For example, I'm in Islamic studies. What exactly within Islamic studies is something that develops over time. 

3) Languages, languages, languages. By doing #2, you can start on the critical languages you need NOW. It takes years to learn languages. On that note, I'd probably dump Spanish unless it is relevant to your field. Instead, I'd work on French and/or German, which are generally useful across the board.

4) Related to #3, do targeted travel abroad programs, especially during summers. Or go to Middlebury Language School. If I could go back in time, I'd use ever summer in undergrad to do immersive language study.

5) As for your school name and prestige, sadly this does matter. However, you can more than make up for this by getting good grades and then getting into a master's program at an elite institution. The master's will be the glitter you need to get into a PhD program.

6) Develop relationships with professors in your field to get good letters of recommendation.

Good luck!

Edited March 24, 2017 by Averroes MD

[NoirFemme]

Do summer research with SROP or the Leadership Alliance, or google "[dream colleges] summer research program". I think it would have been easier for me to leap from state school to Ivy if I'd done this, since I would have had consistent face-to-face contact with the professors and admins. 

If you can publish in an undergraduate history journal, do! And present your work at any conference that allows undergraduates.

[dr. t]

18 hours ago, UtahHistoryBuff said:

Sorry for all the questions, but one last one. How do you decide on a specialty for your history graduate studies? I know this is the ultimate cliche of cliches when it comes to history majors, but I really do love and have a passion for all history. One week I'm fascinated by the European colonization of Africa, and the next week reading first hand accounts of Mormon settlers coming to Utah and the American West. I really could see myself specializing in almost anything.

What themes do you keep coming back to? What sort of questions interest you? Your period and geographic focus can and will change, but curating questions over answers will help you stay on a coherent course.

However, remember that certain subjects extract a mental burden. I gave up on Holocaust history in my undergraduate and turned to medieval Europe because I didn't feel like being sad for the rest of my life.

[Averroes MD]

As for journal articles, I don't know about that. I know I'd regret it if I had put something out during undergrad, just because my thoughts and ideas have matured significantly since then. 

 

 I've heard conflicting things on publishing early but personally I'd not focus on it. 

Edited March 24, 2017 by Averroes MD

[OHSP]

In terms of deciding what you're interested in, a really great way to get insight into this is to write a senior thesis - not because that thesis will reflect the exact type of work that you'll do later on, but because you'll learn about the process of working on a sustained question, and you'll find yourself drawn to certain texts, questions, debates etc -- writing that thesis made all the difference, for me. As a sophomore, you might just want to start thinking about what excites you, and what you'd be willing to spend a year or a semester (depending on your school) thinking/reading/writing about. 

Edited March 25, 2017 by OHSP

[nhhistorynut]

On 3/23/2017 at 11:35 PM, UtahHistoryBuff said:

How do you decide on a specialty for your history graduate studies? I know this is the ultimate cliche of cliches when it comes to history majors, but I really do love and have a passion for all history. One week I'm fascinated by the European colonization of Africa, and the next week reading first hand accounts of Mormon settlers coming to Utah and the American West. I really could see myself specializing in almost anything.

I felt the same way all through undergrad. I am wrapping up my MA at the moment, and it wasn't until I took a historical methods (HM) class that it really came to me, and honestly I was surprised by my focus. A little over a year ago, I  started a required HM class. For it, we had to choose a topic related to WWII and write a 30-40 page research paper (based on primary sources). The class wasn't meant to be a jump to a thesis or even focus/field, but for me, it turned into that. I knew I wanted to do something different, and I knew I loved the island of Jamaica, so I focused on the refugee camp in Jamaica during WWII. But as I wrote, I found my focus shifting to issues of race/racism in the colonial empire, and colonialism in general. My thesis is now about the Jamaica independence movement, with a large focus on Black Nationalism. My PhD studies (which I start in September) will focus on race relations and Black Nationalism with a comparative approach between the US and British colonies in the Caribbean. Who'd have thought?! Not me!

So, like others have said, sometimes writing a major paper will help you decide. You have to think about a topic that will not only be broad enough to fill the pages, but one that will also keep your interest. And as @telkanuru noted, you don't have to get boxed in with particulars/regions/etc. You can take what interests you and focus on a theme or set of questions, and expand from there. Going into PhD programs, it can sometimes be best to be a bit flexible with your exact topic, while still having an idea of what you want to do and why.

[ThousandsHardships]

I'm not in history, but since I've experienced multiple graduate programs in different fields, I thought I might pitch in. Note that every school is different in terms of what they prioritize in their applicants, so ultimately, go the path that feels most comfortable to you. There is no one set way.

On 3/24/2017 at 4:35 AM, UtahHistoryBuff said:

How much weight is given to your undergraduate institution given? This is something of concern to me. Although I love my university, have made great relations with professors, and have been truly intellectually challenged given the small class sizes, the truth of the matter is my universities name simply doesn't carry the same weight as even bigger schools in the state, let alone region or country.

The only advantage that a prestigious institution will get you is that the committee might examine your application in more detail. And if you came from a school that's known for being challenging, they might be more willing to overlook a below-average GPA. In other words, if you had certain weaknesses in your application, attending a prestigious school might help offset it. However, attending a less prestigious institution won't give you a disadvantage provided that your application is strong. The committee won't choose a less qualified candidate just because he or she attended a better known school.

On 3/24/2017 at 4:35 AM, UtahHistoryBuff said:

How important is being published as an undergrad? Do I need to go through this with a professor, or is it something I can seek out on my own?

If you do get a publication, it'll pretty much put your application at the top, so it'll be great if you can get something in. I wouldn't say that it's super important though, because most students who get into grad school did not publish as an undergrad, so it's not something that you're generally expected to do. If you're interested, I would suggest contacting a professor. You'll get good guidance that way. One other thing that I highly suggest is completing an honors thesis your senior year. You can put it on your resume as a publication (even if you don't officially publish it in a journal), it'll be the most solid proof of your ability to undertake an independent research project, and the process of researching and writing your thesis will help you hone your research skills, expand your knowledge, and help you identify a more precise area of interest.

On 3/24/2017 at 4:35 AM, UtahHistoryBuff said:

What could I/should I be doing to build a solid resume? I'm doing well academically, but I'm just thinking about when I apply to grad school in the future I'll only have a GPA, GRE, modest LORs, etc. to throw at them. In other words, nothing to really separate me from the pack. I'm honestly stressing out compared to all my fellow history majors applying for law school who only really need to focus on having a killer GPA and LSAT. No easy task, but identifiable numbers nonetheless. Grad school, seems so...uncertain.

As I said, completing an undergrad honors thesis would be the most solid proof of your research abilities. In terms of building a resume, if you intend to go into academia, I also suggest getting some teaching or tutoring experience. Since history is a very writing-focused field, I'd say teaching or tutoring writing could look great on your resume.

On 3/24/2017 at 4:35 AM, UtahHistoryBuff said:

Sorry for all the questions, but one last one. How do you decide on a specialty for your history graduate studies? I know this is the ultimate cliche of cliches when it comes to history majors, but I really do love and have a passion for all history. One week I'm fascinated by the European colonization of Africa, and the next week reading first hand accounts of Mormon settlers coming to Utah and the American West. I really could see myself specializing in almost anything.

Throughout my undergrad and most of my graduate career, I couldn't understand how people could bring themselves to specialize either. But all this changed during the final year of my master's program, and this is actually why I ended up switching primary fields in applying to PhD programs. How did this happen? Well, it was actually mostly through course work (and the research papers and projects they entailed) and by studying for my M.A. exam. Both of those things required me to do a lot of independent research, which helped me identify my interests. Until that year, I had always thought that specializing meant I had to give up all my other interests, but it was then that I discovered that this wasn't the case. I was still interested in a lot of stuff, but my desire to spend more time on my intended subfield thing outweighed my desire to spread out.

What I'm trying to say is, your focus doesn't have to be the only thing you're interested in. It should simply interest you enough that it alone is enough to keep you grounded, satisfied, motivated, and curious. After all, if your choice makes you happy, then why does it matter how many other choices would have made you equally happy? Choosing a subfield is much like choosing the right partner. Being in a satisfying relationship doesn't mean you can't find someone else nice or attractive and be friends and spend time with that person, but if you're already in the relationship of your dreams, it won't make you sad that you can't be romantically involved with this other nice and attractive person.

It's good to have diverse interests within your field. I encourage it and so will your prospective graduate programs. Being well-rounded is actually considered a plus. But there's a difference between liking to learn about something and wanting to do research in something. The latter usually materializes in the process of research itself, and that's why it's crucial to do an honors thesis or some other form of major research project (and ideally take a research-oriented course) such that you'd have a clearer idea of what you want to focus on. For any class with a research project, don't treat it as just an assignment. Take the time to do the research and use it as an opportunity to uncover that special interest.

Edited March 25, 2017 by ThousandsHardships

[Reaglejuice89]

As others have suggested -- learn a [useful] language now and don't overlook the fact that you've got the Spanish and the Mandarin. Even if you end up doing something totally unrelated, how can you know those two language won't help in some way? My research area is Germany so I told my POIs what i was thinking. I emphasized to them that i could read German and French and i kind of offhandedly mentioned i was also fluent in Spanish. One professor told me something that's kind of stuck out to ever since: you might not be thinking about it like this, but how do you know when the time comes to write your dissertation or your next book that you won't find some South American-German connection where you'll need your Spanish too? How can you be so sure you won't need your Spanish AND your Mandarin (and maybe another one along the way)?

Also, the sooner you figure out your field the better. You don't need to write your dissertation prospectus this summer or anything, but it would be beneficial to narrow it down at least to a continent at this point like another poster suggested. You're going to find your field holistically though -- don't pick something arbitrarily though. You'll take some random class in the next year or two then fall in love with the topic and the professor. If it happens to be modern China or early modern Latin America, so be it! You've already gotten a good deal of language training. If it happens to be something else, that's fine too! Don't forget you can change your topic as your interests evolve too. I know a PhD student who is ABD but has changed his dissertation topic twice in the last year (this is an extreme case and it's obviously within the same field, but i'm just throwing out an example).

I think the most important thing that will help you out is that you're thinking about graduate school as a sophmore. Now you've got two years to figure out how to do it and you're starting to ask the right questions. Keep asking questions about grad school on forums and definitely keep talking to your current professors about it -- at the end of the day, they're going to write your letters and it would be a nice touch if they said "UtahHistoryBuff started talking to me about this over two years ago. Here's why I think they're ready for grad school..."

[Neist]

On 3/25/2017 at 0:28 PM, Reaglejuice89 said:

I think the most important thing that will help you out is that you're thinking about graduate school as a sophmore. Now you've got two years to figure out how to do it and you're starting to ask the right questions. Keep asking questions about grad school on forums and definitely keep talking to your current professors about it -- at the end of the day, they're going to write your letters and it would be a nice touch if they said "UtahHistoryBuff started talking to me about this over two years ago. Here's why I think they're ready for grad school..."

1

This great advice. If you want to pursue a graduate degree, you have to think of your entire undergraduate education as preparation for graduate school. Foster relationships. Develop your interests. As @Reaglejuice89 stated, those faculty members will be the ones writing your letters, and I am absolutely certain that the relationships I fostered early on significantly contributed to my success with both acceptances and funding.

[TMP]

Continue taking language classes; you never know.  You can make connections between China and Latin America.  Keep track of topics/themes/periods you're been interested in and a pattern will emerge.  It took me a long time to realize that it did not matter which geographical field I wanted to study but rather it was these particular themes of belonging and migration that interested me. I was literally jumping from one country to another!  Argentina one day, Germany, another, etc.

Keep fostering relationships with your professors.  They know the profession the best and offer you mentoring as you go about finding your interests.  Listen to their advice first and foremost!  If they see that you listen and follow through, they'll be excited to recommend you to their colleagues.  Graduate advisers do want students who can listen, respect, and engage.

Don't worry about publishing-- not even worth it on the long, long run.  Focus on getting yourselves to the archives for your undergraduate research, which means finding financial support at your university (summer research programs may be helpful here).  Doing archival research is the best preparation for the PhD-- you will spend anywhere from 12-24 months in the archives for your dissertation and you need to learn how to work efficiently and effectively.  Learning how to write letters for funding for your research paper(s) will definitely help you develop important skills because you will be endlessly applying for funds to support your dissertation research.

Best of luck!