ART HISTORY grad program, chances?

Graduate School
1

<p>Hi all,
I'm new here, so hello!
Basically, I wanted to go over my 'chances' of getting into the grad programs of my choice and wanted to hear some opinions from my more experienced peers. </p>

<p>Applying to PhD programs: NYU (IFA), Columbia, UCLA, UChicago, Harvard, Cal
(for Northeast asian --jap/korean modern/contemp-- art history.)</p>

<p>Undergrad: Univ. of Cali, Irvine, graduated 2004.
Major: Art History; Minor: Studio Art
Cumulative GPA: 3.43 (low, i know)
Last 2 years GPA: 3.61 (dean's list 6 out of 7 quarters)
Major GPA: 3.53
GRE: V. 700; Q. 720 (AW. -- pending. Just took this past Saturday).</p>

<p>For the past 2 years, I've been working in a very renowned museum working directly with curators (both of whom attended universities to which i am applying). I started as an intern and worked my way up to full time staff in a curatorial dept.
The head curator will be writing one letter of rec and says 'not to worry about a thing'.<br>
I also work independently with a curator at the museum related to my future studies (jap/korean art) doing research for that department's collection. She will also write me a rec.<br>
My final rec comes from my professor of Japanese art in undergrad. From what I can tell, it's a good one.
Also, our associate curator will either "make a few calls, or send in an extra letter" to NYU where she got her PhD in 2003.</p>

<p>Finally, I had an internship at a Korean American museum working on an exhibition for awhile with a well known contemporary Los Angeles based Korean artist.
I was also on staff for a Korean American student organization in undergrad for two years where we did community related programs. Too many to list right now.</p>

<p>Do these things make me a strong candidate even though my GPA and undergrad institution were so/so?
I’d write a compelling statement of purpose and send an immaculate writing sample, of course.</p>

<p>Advice? Opinions?</p>

2

<p>Undergrad ECs are pretty much irrelevant unless you can link them to your field.</p>

<p>That said...
Listen to your head curator. Your GPA is very good, your GRE is outstanding for humanities and you have real world work and research experience. </p>

<p>The only thing that would possibly put icing on the cake is publication - so if you have your name (even in teeny-weeny print in the back of the book) for an exhibition or catalog be sure to mention it in your CV.</p>

<p>Inside contacts like your associate curator are absolute gold. </p>

<p>No one can say "you're in" except the adcom, but based on everything I've been told or read, you are in very, very good shape.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

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<p>awesome, that is very encouraging!</p>

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<p>i do in fact have my name published in an exhibition catalogue as well as our 'collections online' website.
they just don't happen to relate to chinese/korean art.
but i'll definately make a mention of it...</p>