EALC 2018

[abcdefghijklmno]

1 hour ago, lordtiandao said:

Anyone hear anything from UPenn yet? Out of all my programs, only Princeton has been getting back to me.

Hi, did you have one interview with Princeton, or two?

[lordtiandao]

@abcdefghijklmno I'm having my second one tomorrow.

[Naito]

@lordtiandao I have only heard from a professor I contacted regarding the UPenn MA program application. I was told they are able to admit more MA students because they give no funding to MA students! That's not exactly a good thing, but maybe that means I will get accepted to their MA program.

[abcdefghijklmno]

4 hours ago, lordtiandao said:

@abcdefghijklmno I'm having my second one tomorrow.

May I ask will it be a group interview tomorrow, or is it still just one prof.?

In any case, good luck with your interview!

[kotatsumuri]

@lordtiandao I also applied to UPenn. No word here either. Best of luck with your second interview!

Welcome to the thread, @abcdefghijklmno!!

[lordtiandao]

@kotatsu I was told by a professor that UPenn's EALC only admits three people per year, which makes it one of the smaller but very competitive programs.

 

@abcdefghijklmno First and second are both one on one interviews.

 

Thanks everyone!

[SUMMER715]

7 hours ago, lordtiandao said:

@kotatsu I was told by a professor that UPenn's EALC only admits three people per year, which makes it one of the smaller but very competitive programs.

 

@abcdefghijklmno First and second are both one on one interviews.

 

Thanks everyone!

@lordtiandao Good luck with your interview! I'm having one with my POI at Chicago tomorrow. Would you mind me ask whether you are interviewed by your POI, the same professor twice? And what kind of questions does he/she ask? Are they all very detailed questions about your research project?

Thanks @costevens and @kotatsumuri ! I study modern&contemporary Chinese literature. I have asked several friends of mine, who are currently PhD students in Berkeley, Chicago and Harvard. It seems that the situations of different schools vary a lot. Most of them did not take interviews and some decisions were almost made even before the interview. So I'm kind of puzzled. Anyways, wish everyone good luck!

[Naito]

@lordtiandao How were your interviews, Lord Tian Dao? Fingers crossed for your acceptance to Princeton!!!  

[SUMMER715]

@lordtiandao Good luck with your interview! I'm having one with my POI at Chicago tomorrow. Would you mind me ask whether you are interviewed by your POI, the same professor twice? And what kind of questions does he/she ask? Are they all very detailed questions about your research project?

Thanks @costevens and @kotatsumuri ! I study modern&contemporary Chinese literature. I have asked several friends of mine, who are currently PhD students in Berkeley, Chicago and Harvard. It seems that the situations of different schools vary a lot. Most of them did not take interviews and some decisions were almost made even before the interview. So I'm kind of puzzled. Anyways, wish everyone good luck!

[lordtiandao]

Overall, I'd say it went okay. He mainly just asked about my interests in history and my language skills. He also asked me why I didn't apply to Columbia or Berkeley, which he thought was better suited for my interests. That question kind of took me by surprise.

Edited January 13, 2018 by lordtiandao

[Kaiwei]

That would be quite a startling question, @lordtiandao. Hopefully some of your research interests still align with their program! 

@NaitoBaron It's great that you are in communication with UPenn. It seems like a lot of the programs are interested in you; I have a feeling you will receive an amazing offer! 

Your interests sound great, @kotatsumuri! I took a classical Chinese course in Daoist and Buddhist literature my last year as an undergraduate and found it to be fascinating! I'm also looking forward to beginning my studies of Japanese when I start grad school. And Yellowstone/Tetons are on my bucket list of places to hike; hopefully I'll make it out there within the next few years! 

As for me, I haven't heard anything from anyone else yet. I still have seven other MA programs I applied to and am awaiting their replies. If anyone hears anything from Berkeley or Harvard, let me know! 

P.S. Quite glad to have such a productive EALC thread on gradcafe this year. It has helped me out tremendously through commiseration and advice. Hope to actually meet some of you folks in the future! 

[kotatsumuri]

Whoa, that's wild @lordtiandao! It's interesting to hear about your interview experiences...I'm sure it'll be helpful to anyone else who has interviews down the road. Thanks for sharing! It can be hard to know what the adcoms are thinking about sometimes...

Very cool, @costevens! Buddhism is so interesting (and Shinto, too!). I look forward to learning more in grad school. I expect I'll be learning some Chinese eventually too...and I'd love to study Korean, just because.

And I agree about the thread! I was worried it had died there for a bit, but I think we were all just busy getting our December apps in--and then recovering from it all, haha! I stalked the old EALC threads for several years before it was time to apply myself, and it's so great to have others to talk with! I can see us all crossing paths at future conferences

[kochan]

@lordtiandao, the professor was maybe just gauging other reasons why you are interested in their program. When I skyped with my POI at UOregon, she had also suggested I apply to Berkeley because she thought it would be a good fit for me. Her dissertation work is related to mine, but she has since moved into studying more contemporary literature. It caught me off guard, but in an email to me later, she also said she would love to work with me if I came to Oregon. One of the professors at Hawaii also recommended Berkeley while also saying he would welcome me in the program. When I talked to my POI at Berkeley, he also offered to discuss the pros and cons of other programs I was applying to.

I think it is common for POIs to suggest other schools and also ask about why you would apply to their program when there are others that may look like they fit more. In my case, I've also applied to schools where there are advisors in other departments who do work on related fields (Buddhism, English lit, history), and I think sometimes professors want to hear about that, too. My POI at Berkeley told me that they like to hear about outside advisors at Berkeley that you would want to work with. It could be that way with other schools, too.

Basically, I'm just trying to say that you shouldn't take it as a bad sign at all. It may be common practice for them to ask!

I haven't heard from any schools yet. I've had some contact with a POI, but about research-related stuff, nothing about admissions.

[lordtiandao]

14 minutes ago, kochan said:

@lordtiandao, the professor was maybe just gauging other reasons why you are interested in their program. When I skyped with my POI at UOregon, she had also suggested I apply to Berkeley because she thought it would be a good fit for me. Her dissertation work is related to mine, but she has since moved into studying more contemporary literature. It caught me off guard, but in an email to me later, she also said she would love to work with me if I came to Oregon. One of the professors at Hawaii also recommended Berkeley while also saying he would welcome me in the program. When I talked to my POI at Berkeley, he also offered to discuss the pros and cons of other programs I was applying to.

I think it is common for POIs to suggest other schools and also ask about why you would apply to their program when there are others that may look like they fit more. In my case, I've also applied to schools where there are advisors in other departments who do work on related fields (Buddhism, English lit, history), and I think sometimes professors want to hear about that, too. My POI at Berkeley told me that they like to hear about outside advisors at Berkeley that you would want to work with. It could be that way with other schools, too.

Basically, I'm just trying to say that you shouldn't take it as a bad sign at all. It may be common practice for them to ask!

I haven't heard from any schools yet. I've had some contact with a POI, but about research-related stuff, nothing about admissions.

You're probably right. I just ended up talking about why I think Princeton was a better fit for me than Columbia or Berkeley, which I hope was a satisfying answer to his question.

Edited January 14, 2018 by lordtiandao

[Naito]

@lordtiandao, @kochanI also got asked (in email) why I didn't apply to certain schools, but a little bit more subtly. Several professors -- not from Columbia! -- told me to "consider" Columbia  and listed names of professors I should consider working with. But I don't want to be in New York! I prefer idyllic settings such as New Haven (Yale) and Ithaca (Cornell) as I can imagine myself to be a hermit like many of the Chinese scholar-officials in Han and Tang who were weary of robust city life and civil service, and retreated to the mountains. So I just told one of the professors that I didn't apply to Columbia because of geography...Another professor recommended me Columbia because he himself went to Columbia and even told me to stay there after for PhD. I don't think it's that easy to get into Columbia PhD program even if one got an MA there...

From talking with a Berkeley PhD third year student, I found out something about the Berkeley History PhD program. Due to shortage in academic jobs, the Berkeley PhD program in History cut half of the number of PhD entrants! Not sure which year this was and I can't remember the exact numbers I heard, but in one year there were 26 and the next year that number was down to 13! 

I also learned that most advisors that one designates on the SOP don't really take your research interests that seriously. Yes, they do match you with your advisors of choice, of course, but they all know you will change your research interest during the first year anyway. But then that begs the question of why they suggest students to apply to other schools or question why students didn't do so...

And one piece of advice I got from a professor that I found very interesting. You should look at the acknowledgements of the books of the professors you want to work with, and see if they acknowledge their students and colleagues! You want to work with professors who have time for you and are helpful. Also I was told to not pick an assistant professor for advisor not because of how long they will be there or even whether they will get tenure, but because you need full professors with a lot of reputation to support you to get through the program and when you go on the market.

That's a lot of information, and please correct me if I'm wrong. Just wanted to share what I know so far!!

PS: Many thanks for @kotatsumuri for creating such an awesome thread and for the high morale! Now we just have to endure 2 more months of waiting...

Edited January 14, 2018 by NaitoBaron

[Naito]

Sorry for a second post! But I did get an email from Harvard -- but from a current student and a former student who is now a professor -- and they recommended the below for interview prep:

• Why this school?  How does it fit? 
• Why MA? Why PhD? What after? 
• Academic plan after matriculation (research methods, language acquisition plan, etc. etc.)
• If you can attend conferences and get your name out there in advance, it will add to credibility and potential!
• Since the scholarly community is small, if your professors writing the LOR know people in the school you're applying to or studied under them in the past, you get bonus points! They like to read letters from their friends, colleagues, advisees, former students, etc.

 

 

Edited January 14, 2018 by NaitoBaron

[lemma]

44 minutes ago, NaitoBaron said:

@lordtiandaoI prefer idyllic settings such as New Haven (Yale)

You're probably the first person I've heard describe New Haven as idyllic! Definitely make sure to visit before making decisions (I thought Ithaca was extremely different to New Haven - New Haven has some great stuff going on, but idyllic wouldn't be a descriptor I would use). 

[Naito]

@lemma is New Haven that dangerous?

I visited Ithaca and loved it. I haven't visited New Haven yet but will definitely do so before April!

Edited January 14, 2018 by NaitoBaron

[lemma]

I don't find New Haven dangerous, but I've spent a lot of time there so know it well. Yale is beautiful, and there are a lot if great places around campus to eat (if you end up there, feel free to message me for recommendations). 

New Haven - at least where Yale is - is a very urban setting. There are many beautiful courtyards at Yale that are idyllic, but the 14 residential colleges usually have access restricted to undergrads. 

I prefer Yale's campus over Cornell's, but I like living in Gothic castles in an urban environment. The area past Science Hill and into the Divinity School is an oasis of calm. 

[SUMMER715]

Done with my interview of Chicago today! The professors asked very specific questions about my research project (one question is even about one line in my writing sample). They didn't ask anything beyond my SOP and writing sample, nothing about applications to other programs etc., and they seemed to be very familiar with my research. 

I felt good during the interview and sent them thank notes later, but got a very brief feedback. Now I'm really not sure about their impressions on me. 

Anyways, hope this might be helpful to you guys! Good luck!

Edited January 14, 2018 by SUMMER715

[Naito]

@SUMMER715 That seems like a good sign that they are interested in your research's specific details! Good luck to you and hope you get accepted to Chicago!

@lemma Thanks Lemma, and yes please let me reach out to learn more about Yale in the future. I went to undergrad at a place where the campus has the Gothic style buildings as well as a lake in a very scenic background. So hopefully my future grad school will be similar!

[Kaiwei]

Congratulations on all the interviews, folks! 

加油！

[abcdefghijklmno]

@lordtiandao Hi, lordtiandao! I noticed from your signature that you are already accepted by one school, Congratulations!!! 

May I ask is it Princeton? Congrats!~

[lordtiandao]

5 hours ago, abcdefghijklmno said:

@lordtiandao Hi, lordtiandao! I noticed from your signature that you are already accepted by one school, Congratulations!!! 

May I ask is it Princeton? Congrats!~

No, it was USC. Princeton told me offers typically will not be sent out until mid-February.

[anon1234567]

20 hours ago, NaitoBaron said:

I also learned that most advisors that one designates on the SOP don't really take your research interests that seriously. Yes, they do match you with your advisors of choice, of course, but they all know you will change your research interest during the first year anyway. But then that begs the question of why they suggest students to apply to other schools or question why students didn't do so...

And one piece of advice I got from a professor that I found very interesting. You should look at the acknowledgements of the books of the professors you want to work with, and see if they acknowledge their students and colleagues! You want to work with professors who have time for you and are helpful. Also I was told to not pick an assistant professor for advisor not because of how long they will be there or even whether they will get tenure, but because you need full professors with a lot of reputation to support you to get through the program and when you go on the market.

History phd here. The advice about selecting supervisors is spot on. Even in places like Columbia, where the faculty is quite accomplished, I still got advised to pick the more "senior" professor, provided that all things being equal in terms of attentiveness to grad students, which is not a given. 

And yes, while students do express interests in specific scholars in SOP, and they do get "matched up" more or less to them administratively in their first year, that matching is likely to change. In fact, we were told on orientation day not to think that the supervisor listed by our name as the one that will be our actual advisor, she/he maybe, but not necessarily. Course work typically changes students' interests.