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upam

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  • Application Season
    2013 Fall

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  1. I changed dates last year - as long as your host and the NSF counterpart in country approve, NSF doesn't seem to mind any change in dates (or even splitting a single visit into two visits if needed)
  2. Waiting to hear news from Mexico. Late last week, I received an email from my potential GROW host explaining he'd received a short application to fill out on my behalf that would be evaluated by NSF's counterpart in Mexico. The due date for that information was May 5, so they may not have even started making decisions yet. Heard from NSF directly for Norway last year, my collaborator hasn't been contacted before I received the acceptance. So it differs place to place, but the final acceptance comes from NSF GROW.
  3. Got an email from NSF about Norway! Hoping other emails go out soon.
  4. Also waiting to hear about an application for Norway... (fingers crossed)
  5. I visited one school in late February... I think they have a great turnout since they run their weekend so early. It's much more exciting overall since it's the first time prospective students are sitting through the talks and going on tours etc. If their visit had overlapped with another later, I probably would have never gone and wouldn't have seriously considered the school. With many more working applicants, Tues-Thurs is incredibly difficult and honestly I think if someone really wants to go to a certain weekend visit and he/she is working... they may still skip out on your middle of the week visit to save up energy for the weekend on. From a working applicants perspective, C regardless of weather. (And hey, people love a bit of snow for a day or two.)
  6. Thought on program size - from what I've seen, the size of the program may (or at least should) relate to available funding. Based on this, some public universities - such as UNC - have relatively small classes and fully fund everyone. Some private universities have larger, fully funded classes. Of course, schools that accept without funding don't necessarily have the same limiting factors.
  7. If it makes you feel better, I'm pretty sure at least one letter for every application was at least a day late and it didn't impact my apps in any way that I know of. I think one letter was almost a week late.
  8. IF you're applying at the end of next year and you actually have the time and genuinely believe you can increase your quant score while actually holding on to a verbal score of that level, of course it can't hurt. But this time may be spent better having a spectacular writing sample, submitting articles for publication, doing research with professors.... etc etc etc. I see it relatively unlikely to keep you out of consideration except perhaps at Stanford.
  9. Many/most universities strive for diversity in their cohorts. If you are legitimately a diverse applicant, these can help you. If you are not, I doubt these statements really help or hurt you unless you can frame yourself as a diverse applicant in some unique way (some small amount of help) or come across as a horrible person...
  10. Good luck in applications all! Best advice: don't look at this site again until at least March 1st - it will only drive you crazy.
  11. In the end, you're just putting together the best application you can. No clear formula as to where you'll be accepted/rejected. Oh the joy of the applications!
  12. PROFILE: Type of Undergrad Institution: R1 state school, but likely not highly regarded outside of the region Major(s)/Minor(s): International Relations Undergrad GPA: 3.9ish Type of Grad: Public Policy (combined program with undergrad) Grad GPA: 3.7ish GRE: 166V, 161Q, 5W Any Special Courses: One grad intel studies course, 2 course Phd stat sequence audited, relevant methodology courses from graduate degree, relevant study abroad Letters of Recommendation: Assistant prof/mentor I RA'd for during undergrad with similar research focus, two non-academics in research-oriented careers I've worked with during my job, fourth letter for a few schools from an associate prof I audited; knew all very well and main three know my research work Research Experience: 3 years as a career, 3-4 as RA during school Teaching Experience: Intern supervisor, no teaching Subfield/Research Interests: IR/CP and Methods Other: Major conference presentations, work on major grants, co-authored publications - academic and otherwise RESULTS: Acceptances: Penn State, Texas-Austin, UNC-Chapel Hill, UCSD, Yale, UMD Rejections!: Harvard, Princeton, NYU, Columbia, Chicago, Stanford, Michigan, Duke LESSONS LEARNED: I got a bit of advice before going through this process, so some of this is lessons learned from current grad students at top-10s. -Applications are stressful and require a decent amount of time. Put as much into it as you can and if possible have someone glance over everything for typos. Know my first SOP submitted had one. -GREs matter. I considered using my scores from sophomore year of college instead of retaking, but was advised (over and over) that you need to have the best scores down you can. It's a cutoff at many places, whether or not it should be. Get your score down before you're already worrying about SOPs and writing samples. -Work your applications to highlight what makes you unique. Don't try to fold into a box you don't fit in. -Don't apply places you'd never want to live. I stress-applied to Chicago but based on personal preferences can't imagine wanting to be that cold and windy. -If you can financially, even if it's difficult, apply to more schools than you think necessary. It's better to do this process once rather than a redo if at all possible, so go big. Furthermore, visiting schools told me far more about universities than pouring over their websites. I applied to UCSD last minute on advice from a professor and it turned out to be a great potential option. Also, if I had cut my list as I'd intended to 8, I would have cut out Yale and UCSD likely. -Funding is key, going into a lot of debt in their field is not wise unless you have a financially-stable significant other or parental funding. Of course, this is your choice to make, but be wary going into mounds of debt in a non-lucrative career field. This debt could end up limiting where you can even take a job in the future. Also be wary of going into masters programs to get into a phd program - I understand the logic but again is can lead to epic debt without any guarantees. The working world is not horrible and getting a couple of years of experience (esp if you're right out of school) may be a wonderful option rather than jumping into a masters program you don't really want to be in. -Use this as a chance to build your network. If your letter writers or professors you know well enough are willing, get them to connect you with professors from other universities you might want to work with - this can turn into a real relationship. Otherwise, while talking to profs can help you decide where to apply at some level, from what I've been told talking/emailing with professors rarely if ever helps candidates towards acceptances. Maybe in different programs than I was applying to? But I was told outright by two students in the HPS bracket that cold emails are not helpful based on conversations with professors at top schools. I only chatted with two professors that I had connections to and this was very helpful. I sent two cold emails to professors I didn't have a strong connection to - one responded with a harsh email and the other was quite nice - but neither helped me with acceptances at those places. After that, and advice from several current students and professors, I stopped doing cold emails and focused on a good app. -If you already have an offer and funding, use recruitment visits to learn more about the institution rather than to posture for future colleagues and advisers. You'll have the opportunity to have sit-downs and get advice from brilliant people that even grad students have trouble talking with later. Take advantage of it. Don't act like you're 100% sure on your life research agenda if you're not - this is a time to get feedback and learn from (often brilliant) potential advisers or co-authors down the line. I had some of my ideas critiqued and expanded upon in ways that could one day play into work I want to do. Also - many people will tell you, you're their future colleague. Most professors gave me very honest advice about my options. If you have the opportunity to do visits, go. These require a lot of time which is hard with a career (or a senior year) but worth it for figuring out your next 5-7 years. -It's not always your fault - If you don't get into a particular school, don't blame it on your scores or ideas or even just "fit." I was told directly that a particular school rejected me (only or mainly?) since the faculty member they saw as the best fit wasn't taking on anyone this year or next - I only knew that based on a connection reaching out on my behalf. At another school I was accepted to, I was told directly by a professor (outside of my area of interest) that she'd happened to pull me out of the pile and thought I was a fantastic candidate and she didn't know how I was missed - but without her second look, I could have easily gotten a rejection there. There are things you don't know and often can't know - be okay with that. Also - I don't think 'fit' should be something to focus on as much as people seem to and if it is, there are too many factors for you to know ahead of time. I was told straight out by a professor I respect that I had the numbers and file to get into a top program, period; however, he warned me that there are never any guarantees based on on the supply and demand of spots so not to be let down if I didn't get in to the top places. It's not an equation - it's holistic and not necessarily fair - but you can't change the system so do you best to work with it. -Be satisfied with your acceptances. Stanford was my biggest letdown (let's be honest, that's not a place you can plan to be accepted) esp for the combo of an amazing school in a great location. But in the long run, it's one school out of many great options. And rejections will sting no matter where you do and don't get in. In the end, regardless of what happens, this is not life or death. -It's okay (and expected) to negotiate your funding if you have other offers. Yes you feel awkward - do it anyway. Also, put in an application to NSF if you can or any other grad fellowships - these can be hugely helpful for admits and guarantee better funding than many places offer. SOP: Themes of my research interests evolve throughout the SOP. This is generally the layout, though obviously portions concise or lengthier based on word limits. Paragraph 1 - Explicitly stated where I'm applying, exactly for what, and why it's ideal Paragraph 2 - This is the experience that makes me useful (education) and how it left me with questions Paragraph 3 - This is the experience that makes me useful and slightly unique (career) Paragraph 4- Even with a career, this is how I've enhanced skills (esp methods) (sometimes this paragraph included methodologists I was interested in) Paragraph 5- How my current research relates to what I want to do in the future (discussion of the immediate field and gaps, includes footnotes) Paragraph 6- How I want to expand my research (discussion of related gaps in the field and how I want to address, includes footnotes) Paragraph 7- Who I want to work with and what interests they fit with, what workshops/centers/etc the university offers that I'd fit with, and how their preparation would make me a great future TT prof and what I would do in the field at that stage No anecdotes. If you have a perfect one, use it. Otherwise, make this about why you're qualified and why they're the best fit. I used footnotes because I've been immersed in the niche I'm interested in - I was told only do this if you can hold your own because pointing out gaps/interests this directly in reference to specific articles/authors is risky if you're not absolutely sure on what you're writing. It's okay to write out an SOP and then cut it down by 2/3 length to get what you need concisely. Happy to provide more explicit advice on this in a PM.
  13. I think my applications were as successful as I could hope for, though obviously that also included quite a few rejections. Interesting point I wanted to mention (though I wouldn't suggest it) on of my letter writers actually hadn't even finished his Phd at that point, though he has a decade and a half of experience. Though I did realize - for four schools I did turn in a 4th letter of rec from an associate prof that I know, have somewhat worked with and whose classes I have audited. But I haven't ever technically taken one of his courses etc. Not sure if this was helpful, but he's solid in one of my subfields of interest. Otherwise, I had an assistant professor I worked with for four years and two other mentor type figures that aren't strictly in academia. I had another former professor I'd asked, but logistically he was going to be difficult to get letters from and I decided not to worry about it. For better or worse. Main point would be - pick those who know you best and you think there is a chance will fit each letter to each school (I know most of mine did). Make sure you provide your school list with due dates for all of them and send the access links to them as soon as possible (many schools let you do this before you actually submit your application, though I had at least one school that made you submit the app first). Also my academic writers all requested to see my SOP(s) and we chatted about my interests. I see the non-academic writers constantly, so a formal conversation never happened. When it comes to late letters - I think at least one of my letter writers submitted a letter late on every single application. I decided not to worry about it (they had several months notice, but are busy people). I was told that this rarely impacts your application, esp since most school don't start reviewing packets immediately.
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