PeaceDoc

Agreed, but what in the OP's description indicates that neither of the schools are in the top 10? For example, UCLA has a good, recognizable name, but not an OMG name like Columbia.

Anyway, I second what the above poster says.

Or, you could be a perfectly capable applicant caught in the crosshairs of a hard year in a hard subfield. Grad school is mostly about hard work and very little about innate intelligence.

I am very pleased to see that you've taken such an interest in me. However, I wouldn't confuse "vague scholarship" with borderline functional illiteracy, as you so eloquently have.

I'm not sure what to make of this coming from a JHU applicant, where vague and obscure scholarship is in great demand.

Forget grad school. If I were you I'd focus on my ability to write coherent English.

You need to consider this *very* seriously. A phd takes years. In your instance, years at an expensive school in an expensive place (DC/Vir/Mar). Most people will tell you to defer from attending unfunded, and there is merit in the warning. There is pretty good research to the fact that those going to grad school will never make up the financial time/ground lost had they foregone grad school and simply taken a job. If you take out loans, you're setting yourself up for a long road to anywhere secure. This all depends, however, on your own financial situation. If you're minted, there are no worries, although it would be nice to be funded. If you need to take loans for all things considered; tuition, housing, general living, you should probably consider other options. Finally, you might consider this as well; funding offers typically go to the depts most desired students. If you go into it without funding there is little to guarantee you that there will ever be funding in the future.

You need to consider this *very* seriously. A phd takes years. In your instance, years at an expensive school in an expensive place (DC/Vir/Mar). Most people will tell you to defer from attending unfunded, and there is merit in the warning. There is pretty good research to the fact that those going to grad school will never make up the financial time/ground lost had they foregone grad school and simply taken a job. If you take out loans, you're setting yourself up for a long road to anywhere secure. This all depends, however, on your own financial situation. If you're minted, there are no worries, although it would be nice to be funded. If you need to take loans for all things considered; tuition, housing, general living, you should probably consider other options. Finally, you might consider this as well; funding offers typically go to the depts most desired students. If you go into it without funding there is little to guarantee you that there will ever be funding in the future.

You need to consider this *very* seriously. A phd takes years. In your instance, years at an expensive school in an expensive place (DC/Vir/Mar). Most people will tell you to defer from attending unfunded, and there is merit in the warning. There is pretty good research to the fact that those going to grad school will never make up the financial time/ground lost had they foregone grad school and simply taken a job. If you take out loans, you're setting yourself up for a long road to anywhere secure. This all depends, however, on your own financial situation. If you're minted, there are no worries, although it would be nice to be funded. If you need to take loans for all things considered; tuition, housing, general living, you should probably consider other options. Finally, you might consider this as well; funding offers typically go to the depts most desired students. If you go into it without funding there is little to guarantee you that there will ever be funding in the future.

You need to consider this *very* seriously. A phd takes years. In your instance, years at an expensive school in an expensive place (DC/Vir/Mar). Most people will tell you to defer from attending unfunded, and there is merit in the warning. There is pretty good research to the fact that those going to grad school will never make up the financial time/ground lost had they foregone grad school and simply taken a job. If you take out loans, you're setting yourself up for a long road to anywhere secure. This all depends, however, on your own financial situation. If you're minted, there are no worries, although it would be nice to be funded. If you need to take loans for all things considered; tuition, housing, general living, you should probably consider other options. Finally, you might consider this as well; funding offers typically go to the depts most desired students. If you go into it without funding there is little to guarantee you that there will ever be funding in the future.

You haven't been accepted to enough schools, I take it?

Hey guys. So as most of you know, I've been waitlisted at University of Rochester, which is currently my first choice. I'm just trying to get some idea as to what my chances will be at getting offered a spot (I'm first on the list currently). What I'm wondering is if there is anybody (and one person has PMed me letting me know this already) who was offered admission and has explicitly turned them down at this point? I know GradCafe isn't necesarilly the best representation of all applicants, but thought it at least wouldn't hurt to start this thread. Thanks!

Consider first, how archaic shaving is. You're scraping a blade across your skin... *eeish*

It hurts me, and thus I shave rarely, and incrementally. Perhaps once every two weeks, perhaps once every two months. This may say something about me, but I also get bored very easily. Thus I enjoy mixing it up.

Over the past year I've had a clean shave, stubble, full beard (twice), and both a Chevron (Go Bandit!!) and Handlebar stache.

Go with the flow and relax. You're in grad school to think and learn, not to impress people with your rugged comic-esc jawline. Someday you may be in a job which does not permit you to wear your facial hair as you see fit.

edit

Eh, I regretted this post as soon as I made it. So easy to debate numbers.

I still don't think a majority of people who go into a top 10 were admitted to nearly all top 10s. You'll always be a superstar to me, SP!

Your post on this thread is probably the most unnecessarily mean-spirited thus far.

Wow, you guys really are haters aren't you. I can confirm he was admitted to every school he applied to. How about instead of spending time gossiping about someone on the internet, you figure out which schools you want to go to based on your acceptance list.

SP is already doing that based on his.

People aren't suggesting he's a troll for success--they're wondering if the success are real at all. I don't think he lied about acceptances, but from what I remember of his SOP, it looked like just a template. It could have been anyone's SOP.

I really don't think that it is a good idea to call someone a troll just because he/ she is successful with his/ her applications. I do know real people who got into every single top 10 programs that they applied to. Personally I will not defame another individual without solid evidence.

Fit is not an issue at best programs, which are the biggest ones as well. These can fit most people, as long as their profile is strong, their interests reasonable (and perhaps tweak their SOP here and there). Fit becomes important at lesser schools with fewer faculty, which need to specialize. Plus Political Science seems to be less competitive than Economics, resulting in reduced influence of luck for best candidates.

I have to agree with someoneoutthere. The statistical chance of getting into all those top schools is extremely slim. And his GPA was only what, 3.7-ish? I'm just not convinced that, however solid, his SOP fit every school's agenda.

I started this thread for a few reasons:

1. I'm tired of listening to all the hacks who stress over the decision to go to Harvard, Stanford, Rochester, or Princeton.
2. Not all of us hit the life lottery like yourselves, so we will be going to non-top 50 institutions. Which schools did you apply to and what is your background?
3. To give individuals not going to institutions in the top-50 an opportunity to speak up.

For anyone going to great institutions, I commend you, as it is truly remarkable accomplishment. However, outside of a few individuals on this board, the vast majority of you are pricks. Although, while I do think most of you are a bit on the egotistical side, and look down on people who haven't exactly been dealt a royal flush in their lives, I am thankful for your existence on Earth, because if it weren't for you, it wouldn't give the less fortunate (Those going to non-top 50's) the motivation to work their asses off.

I'll add more after I get back from a meeting...damn the "real" world.

OK, I'm not going to name any names here, but I must say that some of the comments I'm reading on this board are starting to make me think that there is credence to the stereotype that academia can be a very stuffy and elitist profession. My main focus as a soon-to-be graduate student is gaining the opportunity to get solid training that will allow me to be a good professor who students enjoy learning from. Of course I hope to have the opportunity in my career as a professor to conduct research and publish papers- who wouldn't? But at the same time, if I end up working at a terminal MA or (gasp!) BA program, I'd be far from disappointed. What I care most about isn't money (because frankly I already have plenty of that being one of those trust-fund kids) or prestige, but instead being able to make a difference in people's lives. Where I get my training of course matters, but I don't share the view that some on this board seem to harbor that if a person gets their PhD at a non-top-ten program such as UC-Davis or Florida State (see signature below) that they're going to have a miserable time finding a job or that if they don't then that's the exception, not the rule.

I have never wished those going to top-of-the-heap programs anything but congratulations. But I must say that it's really a turn-off when people start projecting this "better than" attitude to the point where it becomes dismissive of anybody who isn't joining them in the Ivy League.

ftw!

Not to bust a bubble, I know letters and notifications can historically go out sooner rather than later... but for real:

http://www.yale.edu/polisci/resources/docs/AdmissionsFAQ.pdf

...says March. Relax. Go have some ice cream.

Not to bust a bubble, I know letters and notifications can historically go out sooner rather than later... but for real:

http://www.yale.edu/polisci/resources/docs/AdmissionsFAQ.pdf

...says March. Relax. Go have some ice cream.

This whole "I'll call X school to which I didn't apply if you call Y school to which you didn't apply" plan reminds me of Strangers on a Train. Minus the murders, of course.