BillyJoel182

Got an email from Chicago yesterday. Rejected from the PhD program, accepted to a 1-year MA in IR with 2/3 tuition.

If you (1) feel that you can effectively address the weaknesses of your application until next cycle (- and doing well in methods/research design classes at Columbia will certainly add to the quality of your application), (2) have a strong preference for working at a top 15-20 university after finishing your PhD, and (3) can afford the MA at Columbia, I could see why you are considering to turn down Cornell in order to get into a better program in the future . There is an undeniable difference in placements between, for instance, Harvard/Stanford/Princeton and universities in the top 8 to top 12 range. However, only you have the information to calculate whether the expression (expected benefit of getting into a better program*probability of getting into a better program + advantages of the MA at Columbia (network, knowledge, prestige,...)) outweighs the costs of reapplying (MA tuition/costs of living, probably entering the job market one year later, risk of not getting into a program at all,...). I am in a similar position: I have a fully funded offer from a top 10 university, but I am not entirely happy about this cycle and I am currently trying to get more information on what my chances would be if I were to reapply next year (with a LoR from a methods Prof., more field experience, better GRE)

I am not so sure whether a Professor at Columbia would be understanding in case you asked her/him to explain to you what the comparative advantage of their PhD program vis a vis the one of Penn State (if I recall correctly) is. Some choices in life are tough, but this really is not one of them? If both schools were in the same tier (or if there were a difference of one) it would be fine to ask, but Columbia vs. Penn State? Please elaborate for me why this would be a tough choice Of course, you could be asking the people at Penn State about the respective strengths of their PhD program. But from my experience, I would not count on getting "unbiased information". Anyways, I am really happy for you that you got in those programs!

My GRE score is pretty similar and I am only applying to top 15 institutions. If one of us has to worry, it will not be you. Good luck to everyone here!

If I were you, I would take and report the TOEFL even if you are exempted from that requirement. It is an opportunity to signal that your language abilities are higher than your GRE verbal indicates. That being said, I am quite jealous of your quant score and I am sure that you will be fine whichever path you will be taking. Many universities allow TOEFL scores to be sent even after the December 15 deadline, so its not too late to consider taking it. GRE scores = cut-off criterion -> 155 or 157 might be too low to pass the first round of superficial examination at top institutions (i am speculating here). My prof at a CHYPS university told me that GRE verbal scores don't matter that much for internationals as they also report TOEFL scores. Get a 115 on the TOEFL and your GRE verbal will be perceived quite differently.

Your GPA/GRE/TOEFL scores are good, which will make sure that your application is considered carefully. Strong quantitative methods + five languages should be a plus. I understand that it can be quite tough to get much teaching and research experience during your undergraduate studies, but I am convinced that many of your competitors will apply with more TA and RA work. This only means that the people writing your LoRs will need to do a great job at emphasizing your ability and willingness to conduct (cutting-edge) research. Having a person who is known in the US write a letter would definitely help - however, such professors seem to be somewhat rare even at the more prestigious German universities (Konstanz, Berlin, Heidelberg, Mannheim,...). Of course, you can also signal your aptitude for research with an excellent writing sample and top SoPs. As these are the parameters that you can control, make sure to continue working on them until December. Overall, I think you have high chances of getting admitted to Duke/PennState, decent chances at NYU/Columbia, and moderate chances at Stanford/Princeton/MIT. However, my focus is not on civil war research, so I can hardly judge how good the personal fit is. One question: Why are you not applying to Yale? I thought they were quite strong in that area.

Hi Monody, congratulations on your GRE results! Given that you are in the 90+ percentiles for both parts, you should not worry about your score. In fact, I know several (German) applicants who got into top-7 programs with lower scores in both sections. If you are concerned about your verbal score, you can always get close to 120 on the TOEFL to prove your language proficiency. Keep up the good work & viel Glück!