Rainbow0121

I went to Cambridge for undergrad so definitely lean a certain way, but from my experience the two departments are fairly different. Cambridge is definitely stronger in terms of IR/ Comparative studies, its putting out a lot of great research at the moment and the faculty is stellar. Oxford is similarly strong but I would say its strengths as a department lie in a more UK-centric area as well as being solid for political economy. To be honest I think your choice is easy- both schools are internationally regarded and offer a huge amount of resources, but always go with the funding, the money is always good and being able to show you've been funded speaks volumes to your academic potentials.

Hi there, I'm a UK student in the political science/ IR kind of field so maybe I can offer some perspectives! SOAS is a very well regarded school in the field and puts out a lot of strong research. If you're hoping to apply for PhD at LSE/Oxbridge in the future SOAS would be a good option for you as they all have a lot of links with SOAS - particularly in your chosen field of the Middle East and North Africa. However I can't speak of their international reputation but given their specialism I'm assuming they will only be known by those in the field, which could go either way for you should you apply to US programs later on. Bath is a solid uni, well regarded for undergrad, but nothing remarkable in terms of postgraduate study. Queen Mary, on the other hand, from what I've heard is a reputable uni for post grad study. Being part of the University of London will also have huge advantages in terms of name-value when you move back to the US. I think you're best options are SOAS or QMUL - you'll also benefit from being in the capital which is always a plus for networking (and general fun!) Congratulations on your offers- its nice to be able to choose between great places! Good luck with your choice.

I would agree with chaetzli that these estimates a quite high. From what I've seen floating around 320 is a very solid score to be applying to any of the top schools with and even lower scores are often seen as acceptable. In terms of retaking your GRE if you feel you have ample time and will boost your score then its worth it, if not I wouldn't fret too much, GRE scores are only one small portion of your overall application, perhaps your time would be better spent drafting a sparkingly SOP Good luck!

Thanks for the advice, I am pretty worried about the time constraints but I work a lot so if I want to give myself a fighting chance of a good score the first time round I need the prep time now. Bet you I will regret this come September! Whats everyone doing now in preparation? (besides GRE prep for those who havent taken it yet)

I'm taking the plunge this year as well. My research interests are primarily political communication, elections and campaigns and more broadly anything resembling UK/US comparative politics (I'm a UK Student) Having lurked the boards for advice I've decided to go all in and apply to about seven schools - trying not to pick favourites too much to save a bit of heartache! Currently studying for the GRE which I'm taking in August, also trying to piece together a draft SOP but not really sure where to start. Looking forward to sharing the stress with all of you

Any other UK applicants attempting to step into the abyss of the 2013 application cycle?

Yeah from looking around the boards its obvious that the more the better. Having done some research I've found about 7 schools which I think would be a good fit. What are the reputations of U of Washington and U of Colorado (Boulder) like? I'm finding it difficult to find anything beyond superficial rankings.

I've been reading these forums for a while and so I thought I would finally take the plunge and get involved. I don't want this to be a generic "what are my chances" thread as reading through all of the past ones only brings about fear and loathing and I realise calculating "chances" is an exercise in futility! I'm planning on having a go at this years cycle but am realistic about my chances and feel that next year my application will be stronger, however I think participating this year will give me a wealth of useable experience- and hey, you never know! Anyway, I'm a UK student and so am evaluating my chances of success in US programs. I'm considering only applying to three programs (I know this dramatically decreases my chances but i'm a broke soon-to-be masters student so it can't be helped) At the moment I'm looking at Georgetown and Berkeley and one other top 50-75 school - any suggestions??? A little about myself: High 2.i Degree from Cambridge University, MA from University of London, research experience in both UK and US Think tanks and a couple of published papers. I'm taking the GRE in July and aiming for (fingers crossed) 165+ in both and a 4.5+ in Essays. My interests are primarily political communication, elections and campaigns and more broadly anything resembling UK/US comparative politics. Thoughts/Suggestions/Past Experiences welcomed!