IRTheoryNerd

I got into Harvard. I'm speechless.

I got into Harvard as well. AS;EISH;LFIHESAZLFIHEASLIFHESAL;IFE!!!!!!!!!!

Good luck you two... and well all of us.. 
 
The gradcafe stops me feeling like this.. 
 

 

Keep your heads held high, friends. This is the roughest period of the entire cycle. It will get better. :-*

Keep your heads held high, friends. This is the roughest period of the entire cycle. It will get better. :-*

Keep your heads held high, friends. This is the roughest period of the entire cycle. It will get better. :-*

Keep your heads held high, friends. This is the roughest period of the entire cycle. It will get better. :-*

Keep your heads held high, friends. This is the roughest period of the entire cycle. It will get better. :-*

Keep your heads up everyone! We are all rooting for all of you. :-) 
 
http://31.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m2hme63OCl1rto2weo1_r1_500.gif

Keep your heads up everyone! We are all rooting for all of you. :-) 
 
http://31.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m2hme63OCl1rto2weo1_r1_500.gif

Keep your heads up everyone! We are all rooting for all of you. :-) 
 
http://31.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m2hme63OCl1rto2weo1_r1_500.gif

Keep your heads up everyone! We are all rooting for all of you. :-) 
 
http://31.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m2hme63OCl1rto2weo1_r1_500.gif

Finally submitted all my applications! I expect to enjoy the next two months. Then, at the middle of February I'll be stressed again.

15 

yo guys I have a question on the writing sample.
 
Most departments ask for somewhere between 20-30 pages and I'm planning on submitting my MPhil thesis for the same. Is it OK to submit a portion of the thesis? Naturally the thesis is >50 pages long and given the admissions committee is only going to read 20-25 pages I don't want to waste space on introduction/literature review etc and would rather have them see the methodology and discussion sections. 
 
On the other hand without some context they might fail to understand what's going on in the paper lol.
 
Anyone got any insight on this?

Definite. Although they had need given I'm applying to 15 places. Bound to spot some hideous typo in statement #15 that is in them all..
 
Oh well!
 

If anyone has any questions about Northwestern University, feel free to send me a personal message. I went through the cycle last year and am happy to help with any advice you might find useful. 
 
Warmest regards, 
IRTheoryNerd

With the number of posts like this, I'm getting very worried about the reading ability of our future diplomatic corps.

FYI, I am applying to 14 programs.  It's completely reasonable, if you find faculty fit.  Some programs will have only 2 faculty or so you may be interested in, but if you're comfortable with that, go for it. 

Students,
 
When you are visting programs this semester you will meet a lot of graduate students. Keep in mind that the first and second year graduates students have very little idea of what it takes or means to be successful in a Ph.D. program. None of them have successfuly completed a program and many of them will fall victim to attrition at some point. Keep in mind that the first year graduate students you meet have only completed a single semester of graduate training. These people will want to give you all sorts of advice and try to speak with authority about graduate school. Try not to laugh at them, but listen to what they say with my comments in mind.
 
Good luck to you all.

That is something a first year grad student would say.  =P

PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad Institution: Michigan State University 
Major(s)/Minor(s): (1) BA in International Relations; (2) BA in Economics; (3) BS in Global and Area Studies (focus on International Development)
Undergrad GPA: 3.41/4.0              
Type of Grad: American University
Grad GPA: 3.97/4.0
GRE: 167V/158Q/5.0AW
Any Special Courses: PhD course in Advanced IR Theory at AU
Letters of Recommendation: One from a tenured professor who is a rising star in the field, one from a quasi-retired professor who is a former president of the ISA, one from a non-tenure-track professor. All three were thesis committee members. 
Research Experience: Four years of faculty guided research, one paper under review, several regional conference papers and one upcoming international conference paper.
Teaching Experience: Served as a teaching assistant for three semesters.
Subfield/Research Interests: International relations, critical constructivism, philosophy of science, evolution of normative practices, humanitarian intervention and sovereignty
Other:

RESULTS:
Acceptances($$ or no $$): Northwestern ($$)
Waitlists: American (my own school, womp --- it's more policy oriented than I want, and the adcomm knew that)
Rejections: UC Berkeley, Cornell, likely Chicago
Pending: Yale, Columbia, Syracuse, Toronto, Johns Hopkins, Delaware, Georgetown, George Washington
Going to: TBD
 
LESSONS LEARNED: Don’t give up. This is my second round of applications and it has thus far produced an acceptance about which I am thrilled. If things don’t work out, strengthen your file and try again. Don’t lose sight of what matters --- your dreams! The most important thing really is fit, fit, fit. Not just with one faculty member, but with an entire department. You’ll be there for 5-7 years --- make sure you enjoy it!
SOP: I’d be happy to talk about this in more detail over personal message. Basically lead with your research interest. Spend 1/2 – 2/3 of the SOP talking about your research and the fit with the university in question. Spend 1/4 talking about personal stuff that got you there. Use whatever is left to make it clear you know that this is the only thing that you want to do with your life. At least that’s what a DGS I talked to told me. Seems to have worked for at least one school with more decisions pending. 

Poorly worded on his/her part perhaps, but I don't think it's terribly inappropriate for someone to regret not having highlighted structural obstacles that a person may have had to work especially hard to overcome. That would not have guaranteed admission --- we all know that, including the person who wrote that. But it might have shed light on why that person seeks to study political science. Having omitted that from a personal statement could be a very fair mistake. I spent a lot of time contemplating whether to state in my SOP that I identify as a minority in terms of sexual orientation. In the end I decided to include it because I felt it was relevant to my desire to study invisible power. So in that sense, I can relate to whomever made the post in question. I doubt it did anything except perhaps tie together my SOP in a manner that showed readers that there is a reason that I seek to do what I seek to do. 

Thats one depressing article. Its becoming way tougher to make a career in academia so I think it is always best to have a backup plan at least. Currently, I am trying to figure out mine but so far I really dont want to do anything else!