I don't know what's going on. I know that Ph.D. history programs are competitive but am I really out of my league? I have a 3.8 from Champaign, I graduated in 3 years, I'm a James Scholar and I worked for a year as a writer for a dot com. My GRE wasn't amazing but it was pretty good (I think): Verbal 580 Quant 640 Writing 4.5. I was rejected from Champaign/UWisc/UIC/Notre Dame/University of Chicago/Northwestern and when I reapplied this year, again to Champaign (my school!). I'm starting to think I'm doing something very wrong or that my professors wrote bad recommendations. Am I really out of my league? What kind of schools should I be applying to? I'm getting really discouraged.
2007-12-27 12:44:11 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Education & Reference ➔ Higher Education (University +)
I'd second what others are saying--you might try for higher verbal and writing scores on the GRE--but something else could also be holding you back, like your statement of purpose.
Are you clear in your statement about why you want a Ph.D, why you're applying to the school/department in question (showing you've done your research), what area you want to research and whom you want to study under and why (again, research)? Have you had someone--a former prof or a friend in academia--look over your statement?
An average-sized program will only pick a handful of applicants. The ones you're applying to are well known and may be taking less than ten out of a hundred or more very strong applications. It's probably not that they're rejecting you as not good enough; it's that yours didn't stand out as well as some others as a student that one or several of the faculty members really want to take on as a student. You will need to really sell yourself to the individual(s) you want to be your advisor(s). If you can do that, they will be more likely to pull for you.
Having connections will also help. Ask one of your recommenders for advice on who would make a good advisor for you in your subfield. They will probably suggest people they know, possibly at schools you wouldn't have thought of applying to. Don't bother applying to Champaign next time. Without the potential conflict of interest, you might get better, more honest information from your recommenders.
Good luck!
2007-12-27 15:15:50 · answer #1 · answered by ooooo 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm in a different field, but I know that applicants with less than a 700 on the significant parts of the GRE have trouble getting looked at in many Ph.D. programs. It IS also possible that someone wrote you a less-than-stellar recommendation. You might want to reread your rejection letters, as they can give hints as to what went wrong. I remember that when I was applying to Ph.D. programs, Columbia wrote me that they were very much on the edge about accepting me, especially in light of the great letters they received about me from Professors A, B, and C. I knew that Professor D had also written me a letter, and from that I assumed that her letter had not been as positive as the others!
2007-12-27 12:55:31 · answer #2 · answered by neniaf 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You may think your GRE is pretty good, but I'd wager that verbal section's what's killing you. If you're hoping for a competitive program, retake it, and shoot for something at least above a 650: 700, if you want to be safe. Upping the writing score wouldn't hurt, either.
2007-12-27 12:56:30 · answer #3 · answered by MM 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'd seriously advice you to talk to a graduate adviser or dean in the department of history at a few universities you want to attend. Ask them for candid answers. Hopefully they will be able to help you.
2007-12-27 13:04:09 · answer #4 · answered by Woods 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋