geitost

That!!! Nobody would think twice about going to see a doctor (except maybe if they can't afford it) if they have any physical discomforts, but when it comes to mental health all too often we fear stigmatization. I wish our societies could change more rapidly than they do. Mental health issues are just as real and no more a sign of weakness than physical health problems are.

Congratulations! And one more thing: there is no reason to be embarrassed or ashamed to admit you've had these thoughts. In fact, I think it's s sign of courage and some inner strength to admit them to yourself and to others, and to seek help. Whatever you decide to do with respect to graduate school, we wish you all the best.

Thanks, browneyedgirl. that is very helpful!

In most structured PhD programs in Europe it is mandatory to conduct a semester's worth of field work abroad if you focus on International Relations or Comparative Politics. But I have rarely seen a website or brochure of a U.S.-based PhD program that mentions field work or field research. Occasionally, cooperations may exist with institutions (either universities or research institutes) in countries of the Global South, but it doesn't appear to be common that grad students conduct field research abroad (or indeed venture abroad at all?) in the course of their PhD program. Can anyone enlighten me?

Like others above, I think that you should talk to someone "in real life" and get some professional help dealing with the thoughts you are having as well as finding out why you have them in the first place. Because if you've had them before, there must be some underlying issue and they may come back even when you get admitted to grad school and start on the program in future. That said, I understand your situation. Like so many others here I too am on my second round of applications, and for weeks I asked myself what I would do if I didn't get into any grad programs. For two years I had a job I didn't like, that actually made me very unhappy. I realized that research is all I want to do and the thing I am really good at, but there are few options in research if you don't have a PhD. Now - on my second attempt, like I said - I've been admitted to two great programs. It is possible. Actually, I think it is very likely that those who have a strong passion and know exactly what they want and why they want it will be successful in the end. Even if not necessarily on the first attempt. And maybe having to go through the process twice is even beneficial in some ways because it strengthens your direction and your passion and gives you greater appreciation when you get what you desire in the end. If you don't get into any programs this year (and you don't even know for certain!), you have a year to strengthen your application. Retake the GRE if necessary, take additional classes or get other additional qualifications, work on your statement (people on this forum here are very willing to help you optimize your statement of purpose from what I've seen) and maybe consider different/additional schools to apply to. As someone who's really had to fight for their dreams in recent years (and still is, on many fronts), let me tell you that I firmly believe that you will get where you want to be in the end - even if not on the easiest and least burdensome path possible. And in hindsight, any detour may prove to be a good thing. Best of luck!!

The one thing I am unsure about is how familiar I need to be with the research of the professors I will be talking to. Do they expect me to have read their (most recent) publications or is it sufficient if I know the general direction of their research, have read the abstracts of their books and journal articles and am familiar with the methodologies they embrace? Also, if a department is heavy on one particular methodology/approach (say statistical methods), will it go over badly if I ask about opportunities to conduct qualitative research or use a mixed-methods approach? Would this seem like I didn't do my homework/ applied to the wrong program?

I am doing that, but I'm an international student, so the schools even offered that I do it that way to keep down costs. Did both schools invite you to recruitment events or to flexibly visit whenever? In the latter case, I wouldn't feel too akward asking. It's still a pretty long trip for you, and they will know that applicants apply to (and are admitted to) more than one school. And if they can save $$ in the process, I don't think they would mind.

For me it would be (on the rational side): 1) Fit and faculty research, including geographic coverage and diversity in terms of methodology and approaches 2) Funding - can I expect to make a living with the funding I am offered? What about the summer periods? 3) Resources, facilities - existence of and cooperation with research centers, international cooperation, opportunity for language and area study 4) Equally: Location - do I get the impression that I could live in the place for 5+ years and make some friends? and Reputation Although in the end I think that the "gut reaction" will heavily impact my choice as well. I will be visiting schools in March and hope that that will help in the decision-making... Most likely though (knowing myself), it'll make the decision even more difficult

Re your second question, I (international student as well) explicitly mentioned in my statements of purpose that I am interested in (applied) research, working for a research institute (I even specifically mentioned a non-U.S. based institute) or as an independent consultant later on. In other words, I made it pretty plain that I have no intention to teach or work as a professor at a university in the U.S. or outside after completing my PhD. Of course I wondered if that would in any way diminish my chances of admission, but I wanted to be honest and upfront about my reasons for seeking a PhD. I have applied to three schools, two of these have admitted me with full funding, and I am still waiting to hear back from the third. Maybe this helps somewhat. Re your question 5, I think you should be fine if you described the situation in your country, emphasized your interest in quantitative methods and highlighted any aspects of your academic, professional or (if necessary) high school career that demonstrate a propensity for math, formal methods and the like. It might be a good idea to sign up for a relevant math course prior starting the program (and ideally mention it in your application) as well. FYI, I have a mediocre GRE quant score in the 77th percentile, but one of the programs that admitted me is very quant-heavy indeed. Best of luck with your applications!

From my experience, some schools will not award Teaching Assistantships to first-year grad students whose native language is not English, regardless of how well they did on the TOEFL or whether they've studied in the U.S. before. I.e. they want to make up their own minds about your ability to give lectures in English rather than trusting someone else's assessment. In general, I agree with everyone else's comments above: once you've hit the minimum (if there is one), you're good to go, but a higher score will have no positive impact on your chances to be admitted (except maybe in comparison with other international students, everything else being equal). And that makes sense, too, considering that you're competing with native speakers of English... A high TOEFL score is no comparative advantage. On the other hand, I have read on several schools' websites that they make allowances for international students with not quite so high verbal scores on the GRE. But that is a different matter...

I apologize if this is the wrong thread for this kind of question, but is anyone who's attending the Pitt recruitment weekend up for the exploring the city that weekend? Congrats to all new admits, btw!

Excellent, thanks for the advice!

I have been invited to attend a school's visiting weekend - does anybody know if I will have difficulties entering the U.S. on a tourist visa? Technically my visit has an academic purpose (and I get reimbursed by the school), and I have heard of people who were sent straight back home when the border policy officer learned that they were entering the U.S. on a tourist visa although they were meeting with a professor...

How easy or difficult is it as a grad student (around 30) to meet other people of a similar age in State College? Of course I want to base my decision primarily on the quality of the program, but I have some concerns about social isolation...

Hi all, I am another long-time lurker. First of all: congrats to all who have already been admitted and good luck to those who are still waiting! I've been admitted to Penn State and Pitt (still waiting to hear back from Brown, though they won't announce till mid-March). Who is planning to go to Penn State's visiting weekend? And does anyone know if Pitt has a visiting weekend as well? My admission letter did not mention one, but it sure would be nice to visit the campus and the program before I make a final decision! I am an international student, so ideally I would like to do just one trip. Anyway, I am VERY excited and would be happy to hear from any other Penn State and Pitt admits