Wemayet

Thank you all for the support and laughs through this process. Looks like I'm a bust across the board. I took a lot for granted, didn't develop POIs, didn't get my matches to schools ("fit") lined up very well, and perhaps worst of all I didn't sufficiently clarify my research area or subfield; coming from a Master's in another field, so many subfields and research areas sounded good to me! Having 3.7 in MA, GRE composite of 324, and some other pluses, I figured some program would take me... but that's just not enough at this level! Learned a lot from you all, and I have a great respect for what it takes to land a good spot ~ congratulations to those of you who pulled it off. I'm going to put my search results addiction to rest, but I'll check in to see where you've all gone... perhaps later this year I'll start a "round two" thread, haha. Best of luck to you all!

Massive snow storm plus rejections... stuck at home with plenty of time to contemplate my life... ugh.

Laughing at these comments and the results post, I was compelled to look up the "Men Without Hats" song "Safety Dance"... and was NOT DISAPPOINTED! At about 40 secs... "we can go where we want to"; at about 50 secs "we can act like we want to... we can be real rude... can act like an imbicile" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iOUnO-EssI

Yes sir. I doubt there is a reason to be concerned if you haven't heard anything, so long as you got your application turned in. The email was sent en masse from a subscription email service, which are often finicky about address verification and bounce rates.

The Wilson School practically defines the phrase "long shot". Sorry to hear your cluster was not open! It just so happened that they were accepting for a good-fit-for-me cluster this go around... so I just had to throw away $90 and a couple days of my time trying.

Just want to clarify, it was 555 "who completed the admissions survey" (I'm not certain if that means application or some supplement to it) and that number is apparently for "MPA, MPP, and PhD" programs. But yes, their website says they aim for a class of 6 in the PhD program at the Wilson School - which is "Public and International Affairs" - not to be confused with their Department of Politics, which also has a PhD program. An associate dean at the Wilson School sent this email to what I would assume would be all applicants. Edit: here is where the number 6 is mentioned http://wws.princeton.edu/grad/phd/

Let's assume that professors do read this thread for a moment. I for one am glad if they do! If in ten years I'm in the position they are currently in (a professor), I think I too will read whatever version of this thread exists then... for one very good reason... to identify the unnecessary angst stiffling those joining the highest ranks of academia; presumably in order to do something good with that knowledge, such as help alleviate the causes. I vent on here for three reasons: I feel better, it is vaguely therapeutic; perhaps in my sharing, someone else will feel better as well; and because deep down inside, I hope the people that can do something about the process are listening. If they wanted to identify me, I have no doubt they could piece together my information and with an application in hand figure it out. I also welcome that. Just perhaps, one of the incentives of making quality comments on here could be that there is a slim chance a professor at one of the schools to which you have applied identifies you as a thought provoking individual and will reward you with their support in admissions. <yeah, right... but I've had sillier thoughts!>

Typically excellent coverage by the Economist... my very favorite publication. Nice link, +1 for you!

You know... at $90 per application (not taking into account any waivers that might have been given and assuming all applications cost the same) the Wilson School took in just shy of $50,000 on application fees for all programs. For the PhD program, according to their website, there are only six spots. How many of these applications are receiving $90 worth of consideration, do you think? Unlike other schools, who have had the manners of a starving monkey dropped into a bowl of bananas in their rejection notices, at least the Wilson School has sent me a note essentially apologizing for taking so long; but they also had the highest fee of any school to which I have applied, perhaps for a higher fee you get a more gentle rejection. Ultimately, if Vanderbilt mails me a box of elephant dung (btw, you really can order this to send to people) as a rejection I'll welcome it because they had no application fee. Obviously, this has been an expensive process for us all. Not including lost income from the prodigeous amount of time spent on applications, I dished out around two thousand dollars in various primary, secondary and incidental expenses. This could have easily doubled if I had taken the GRE a second time and one of those study courses; in fact, I couldn't have afforded to do so. Anyone's application could be stronger if they could afford unlimited coaching and opportunities to take the GRE; being financially limited is obviously limiting in this sense, and going further into debt to achieve these objectives is a dangerous game being played with brilliant people.

Received an email from the Wilson School (Princeton). Infromation from that includes: 555 applicants "completed the admissions survey", they will announce admissions "on or before" the "Ides of March" ~ so around the 15th, and their hosting date for admitants will be April 6th.

Some great, insightful posts here on page 132... Being passionate of about an area of study does account for a lot! And most certainly going through this process once has openned my eyes. I hope that those of us here that don't get an offer or don't get one we can take, will stay in touch during the next cycle... early encouragement, help drafting SoPs, getting good opinions about schools, etc... will be most helpful second time around.

Although there are few schools I've yet to hear from, I can articulate a decent reason for each that I'm rejected. So, I'm starting to become reflective. Decent GREs, decent grades, nothing to be ashamed of; the question looming on my horizon... knowing what I've learned this cycle, is it worth going through another cycle? I think I made some critical errors: didn't develop POIs, haven't narrowed my subfield interests sufficiently, SoPs were all over the place, applied to several poor-fitting schools and didn't apply to several that I should have. Getting to know you all in here a bit, I'm truly very happy for you that have been accepted! And obviously, I feel for those who haven't been getting the news they have been hoping for.

I'll take one for the team and "give" up my spot; haha. Claiming the Minnesota rejection. Just in time for my road trip, where I will have lots of time to contemplate my track record! Catch you all late tomorrow afternoon. Oddly enough, I am happier to receive a rejection than to have to hope and wonder for another day. Best of luck to you guys; I would take it as a good sign that you haven't received word yet.