posted
Well, I've decided I want to go to graduate school. I can't believe how much I'm enjoying college (the academics as well as the girls) so I figure I might as well go on. I should finish my BA in History by May 2006. Unless I mess up this coming year my grades should be okay enough to get into a few graduate schools - not any really prestigious ones, but I'm not concerned about that.
So far the schools I think I have a fair chance of getting into and that I actually want to get into (based on cost, academics, and graduate assistant programs) are:
Illinois State University University of Illinois at Springfield (where I currently am) Brigham Young University Western Washington University Central Washington University Montana State University Bozeman University of Lethbridge
I'm currently in Illinois (when I'm in school, at this moment I'm currently in Alberta) but I sort of want to move west again (or maybe to the South East).
I know I have a fair amount of time before I have to decide (I'd be starting in the 2006 - 2007 academic year), but two of my friends missed out this coming to go to graduate school because they weren't prepared - so I'm paranoid about that.
Anyway, I've got folders on each school and I've even talked to a few professors at some schools (the University of Lethbridge, for example, wants my thesis proposal with my application). But they all look like pretty decent fits for me. I'm not sure how to *really* decide. Sometimes I feel that when I chose to move to Illinois it was a huge mistake - I'm pretty sure if I did it over again I wouldn't do it the same way. This has gotten me pretty excited.
Posts: 367 | Registered: Apr 2004
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posted
No, I am not LDS. But BYU's costs, even for non-LDS seem very reasonable.
I spent a year at a religious-affiliated college in Illinois and was very satisfied, even though I'm not particularly religious myself.
Posts: 367 | Registered: Apr 2004
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The people there are very friendly and have a lot of advice (although I'd suggest you look a least a little bit through the archives before posting questions). I'm planning on applying to grad school as well, but in economics and for the 2007-2008 year.
I'd suggest reading the book Getting What You Came For: The Smart Student's Guide to Earning an M.A. or a Ph.D. by Robert Peters. Great advice on the whole application process as well as doing well once you're in a graduate program.
Posts: 2409 | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
Thanks a lot Jhai. I went over to different messageboard I frequent and starting talking about my search.
I was rather abruptly told to stop annoying everyone. I wasn't sure how it would go over here - but I really appreciate the link.
Posts: 367 | Registered: Apr 2004
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posted
You also might try doing some google searchs for your particular subject. The livejournal community is mainly humanities and the softer social sciences, with some psych people and bioengineers thrown in for a good measure - not a lot of econ people (fair amount of history, as I recall).
So I did some googling and found a lot of other researches - blogs of econ grad students, a number of rankings of econ departments, and the jackpot -three years of (self-)reporting of applicants to different universities, including all their stats, where they got in, and what type of funding they got.
Hopefully there's something similar out there for history students for you.
Posts: 2409 | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
This might go without saying, but make sure that your school choices match up with your interests. I did my undergrad work at BYU (double major in history and classics) but never considered the BYU M.A. in History because its focuses, while good ones, were not what I was interested in (well, plus I wanted a Ph.D. AND better funding).
Googling is indeed a good starting point--you can find some good sites (as I recall, www.gradschools.com was a good place to start). From there I would suggest visiting (and bookmarking) the home pages for the programs you're most interested in, and start doing some comparison shopping; funding is obviously important, but you can find a lot of other useful information, too: class sizes, department specialities, average GPA and/or GRE scores for incoming students, etc.
Posts: 1068 | Registered: Aug 2000
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posted
Chungwa, I just finished coursework for my Ph.D. It's been a rewarding experience, but it's also been the hardest thing I've ever done, ever. It's also, in its own way, vaguely like hell. It's NOTHING like undergraduate. Are you considering a master's program or straight to Ph.D.? Cause, if it's the latter, make sure you ABSOLUTELY LOVE your field, and I mean, really, really, really love it. Talk to your professors and ask them how they think you'd fare in a graduate program, and talk to them about career choices from your degree. Some degrees are geared solely toward academic ends (i.e., you'd end up being a professor). IF that's what you want, then it's great! If not, you've spent TONS of time and effort and money on a degree you'll never use.
I don't mean to be discouraging; it can be wonderfully rewarding. It's just that you have to make sure that it's worth the struggle.
Posts: 4077 | Registered: Jun 2003
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posted
At this point I'm planning on working on an MA. I'm somewhat afraid of committing to a PhD (I also question my ability to get one!) - that's why a lot of the schools on my list are somewhat small. I noticed many large schools actually say they don't offer very much financial aid to MA only students.
I *really* like history - but I've also only been studying it (seriously studying it, I should say) for four years. I don't expect to get 'burnt out.'
This seems like an appropriate time to mention that I've been, and will probably continue, ignoring that I'll eventually need to actually find a real job.
Posts: 367 | Registered: Apr 2004
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posted
Yeah, that's a consideration, that job thing.
I entered grad school in an area that I knew would ultimately have only one real end--being a professor. And, that's ok; that's definitely what I want to do. It is something to think about before you start, though.
Posts: 4077 | Registered: Jun 2003
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posted
Yes, well. (I like saying - typing words that don't mean much)
My rationale for continuing is:
1) most of the *exciting* things (what I consider exciting, anyway) I can do with a degree in History require an advanced degree. If I could get an MA (or higher) and get paid to look at stuff in a museum, heck, that'd be neat (last semester I volunteered at a museum and was surprised at how much fun happens there - and, yes, I know that there is more to it than "looking at stuff").
2) I haven't really done very much in life - probably the *usual* amount of a 21 year old - but I really like college. I don't really have passion that I could see becoming a career.
Job... Yuck (OSC is right, there needs to be a graemlin throwing up).
Edit: I know I'm being somewhat immature about the job thing... But we all are allowed to be immature now and then, right?
Posts: 367 | Registered: Apr 2004
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posted
Well, U of Lethbridge is cheap... and I would so dig having another Hatracker around here (My wife and I are both going to school in Lethbridge - Me at the Uni, She at the local college)... so, I'm biased. (Also, U of L has an incredible art collection for such a small university, and the SAAG is here, too.)
Seriously, though, I'd try and find out who is publishing what in your field at these respective schools - see which one of them matches most closely what you want to study. Remember, Masters and Doctorate work are supposed to be cutting edge - you're expected to develop knew ideas and insights. Do you already know what area of your field you'd like to advance?
Posts: 353 | Registered: Sep 2003
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After talking to two of the history professors at U of L a few months a go I spent a lot of time thinking and refining what I'm specifically interested in (they want lots of details before I apply - so I've been spending some real time, and real effort in figuring out what I want to do, whether it be at the U of L or elsewhere).
Obviously it stinks that cost matters so much in choosing a school. But that the U of L offers $7000(cnd) guaranteed is a huge plus.
Anothing consideration I should make is that my parents are planning on moving to Fort McLeod next year - which would mean I'd be close to them... Is that good or bad?
Posts: 367 | Registered: Apr 2004
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posted
Umm... depends. Can you keep your independance while they live so close? That's what I'd ask myself. (In theory this can go either way - this close, they might harp on your life or you might be tempted to rely on them a little to much.)
I have an Aunt that works at the U of L Library, and another Aunt and Uncle who live in Cardsotn who have just given us half a cow's worth of beef for free... and my wife and I love visiting with them when we're out that way. For us, being close to family has been a perk. Now, if my parents lived nearby, though...
BTW, are you in Lethrbidge area these days?
Posts: 353 | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
Well, the only reason I stuck that at the end was because my whole family has been driving me nuts lately (well, just my immediate family) - I don't think I'd mind living close to them again, though.
As for where I am, I'm in Calgary until tomorrow morning. Then I'm going camping - somewhere (I haven't actually asked where we're going yet). But until mid-August I'll be around Calgary and Southern Alberta (I've got some friends in Milk River that I have to visit before summer is gone.
Posts: 367 | Registered: Apr 2004
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posted
Curious: What do your parents do that would require them to move to Fort Mcleod? Are they Mounties or something?
If your family has been driving you nuts... how soon do you have to decide? Are you looking at starting this fall?
Oh, and if you're ever in the Lethbridge area with nothing to do, maybe we could catch a movie or something. You know, meet a fellow Hatrackateer IRL for once (If that's your bag).
Posts: 353 | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
No, my parents aren't Mounties or anything like that- though picturing them in the sterotypical Mounty garb is very humourous. Basically they'll be retiring pretty soon and they want to move to a small town that's close to something larger (Lethbridge and Calgary) and still pretty close to the mountains. A big reason they picked Fort Mcleod was because of housing prices - they can sell their house in Calgary and buy one in Fort Mcleod and end up with a nice amount of money left over).
I'd be starting next fall, I still have one more year until I get my BA, so I've got some time to decide.
I don't doubt I'll be in the Lethbridge area at some point, it'd be good to meet someone from Hatrack. I'll send you an email (if you don't mind) later next week, though. Since I really shouldn't be on here right now - I should be packing for tomorrow.
Posts: 367 | Registered: Apr 2004
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