<p>I just survived a brutal PhD admissions season with zero acceptance for History but 2 very nice offers from top programs for MA in another subject that’s related to my major field. I apologize in advance if what you’re going to read seems like a LOT (and slightly harsh) but hey, you ask for it and there’s really no guide out there to warn you! </p>
<p>1) That’s nice that you have a Spanish major- the departmient might say, “hey we need more Latin Americanists, want to do us a favor?” 
But now you’ve mentioned that you’re fluent in Chinese (assuming in reading too?), it makes better sense- make sure you put that on your app and CV first! You should definitely take a little time to narrow your interest down a bit more unless you have a transnational issue that you want to explore (ex: relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan, or exploration of the Hindi culture and religion over the area or perhaps the influence of Mongols in Islam).</p>
<p>2) That said, do NOT worry about foreign languages. There are MANY fellowships out there for “obscure” languages like FLAS (Foreign Language Area Studies) that many graduate schools offer as part of their financial aid package for PhDs. Very big schools will have Kazakh and Uzbek, and there is also the Department of State’s programs in “Critical Languages.” But if you are going to take some time off, I would try to save up some money and travel to that area and learn some aspect of the language and culture. On the other hand, just find an online course. Graduate schools do like to see some kind of official record that you did indeed learn that language but you can get by without one as long you explain in your Statement of Purpose essay.</p>
<p>3) A good graduate program… well, in my opinion, should have a large number of historians in your field and in related fields (like Islamic and Russian) so you can pick on lots of different brains and put together a good dissertation committee. Grad students should be satisfied with their workload (and TA-ships) and their financial aid package. They should be engaged and involved in their work and have passion for doing the PhD. It’s kind of tough to work with others who are just passive. Very importantly, you should find an advisor who will advocate for you and is very interested in you and your project. Bad match with the advisor is often the reason why so many PhDs drop out. The best way to learn about the advisor is through his or her graduate students but to begin with at this point, you can establish a brief contact with him/her. Another aspect is the job placement rate AND time to PhD. Poor rates and long PhD times (anything over 9 years) suggest some underlying issues and problems with the department in helping their students succeed. But the overall should be taken with a grain of salt- that’s where you should take another look at your potential advisor. The numbers reflect the department overall but not necessarily the advisor. That’s just my opinion and what I look for when searching a program but the only thing should NOT be reduced in its importance is the Advisor. S/he is going to be your biggest advocate and get you to finish your PhD ASAP and connect with other VIP in the field so you can land a job at the end. Of course, there are so few like that out there You’ll just need to find the right fit overall.</p>
<p>4) My philosophy for PhD program and funding is this, “You’re sacrificing 5 years of your life and you are treating this as a job and therefore, you should be PAID.” They don’t have to “hire” you and neither do you “need” to apply. You are only offering them your soul and skills and they must make investment in your jump-starting your career (supposedly) in the academia. Even if I got a PhD offer but without funding, I would absolutely turn it down and just re-apply the following year. You’d be better off just getting your MA in a related field (NOT HISTORY!) and then coming back and trying again. You should not have to pay a single penny for PhD. Talk to other people and you’ll understand why it’s worth trying to get funded. You’re allowed to this kind of entitlement.</p>
<p>5) That said, do apply to a mix of PhD and MA programs. PhD programs should be in History just to see if you can get in with funding. MA programs should be your back-ups and are very good idea. My friends and I applied to staright PhD programs in our fields (computer science and history). Once the rejections started rolling in, we got very, very nervous and began calling our favorite schools and begged them to consider us for MAs. Part of it was that we had gone deeper in our research for our senior projects and we realized that there was so, so much more to learn and we just felt so inadequate. Finally, the schools said, “Okay, we’re going to accept you for MA.” Whew. We haven’t regretted it and are excited to start in the fall. </p>
<p>I would consider applying to MA programs. More and more PhD programs, especially at top schools like Yale, UPenn, and UMichigan are picking people with MAs over BAs only. As Prof X told me once over PM, it’s a good way for the PhD programs to know that you CAN handle the coursework and you’d be a more prepared candidate, especially if languages are involved. It sucks to have to pay for a MA program but if you really want the PhD degree, it’ll be worth it at the end.</p>
<p>I would talk to your current professors now or at the beginning of the fall to discuss graduate school, especially those in the field you want to be in. Try to listen to them and think about their advice. Think about what they’ve had to do to get in graduate schools and be where they are (though I’m sure grad schools were easier to get in back in the 1970s).</p>
<p>Good luck! :)</p>