IRTheoryNerd

Oh, and don't be overwhelmed by the quantoids---and don't let them convince you to leave Poli Sci. It might be an uphill battle, but a worthy one to be heard in the effort to re-historicize this discipline that has so many problems because of the quantoids' hegemonic hold over it. "IRTheoryNerd, tell us how you really feel." ;-) 

Friends: as the season for submitting applications draws near, I want to offer to answer any questions I can about the political science PhD program at Northwestern. If you intend to apply to Northwestern and have any questions, feel free to message me. Best of luck to you all. You all deserve it. 

any other international applicants eyeing the GOP primaries with trepidation as they plan their move to the US

Brown decisions are posted—I just got an email to check the website.

I think my acceptance of any offer is conditional on Trump not becoming president

I think my offer is conditional that Trump does not become the President.

Congrats to everyone who has heard good news. Keep your head up high if you haven't. You're all awesome regardless of the outcome. It took me two application cycles. It's hard, it's annoying, it's stressful. But don't let the process wear you down. 
 
Also, any Northwestern admits have any questions? Private message me. :-)

On the topic of choosing programs, I opted for 8. I'm Canadian, but I went for programs only it the US after advice from a number of faculty, and in sitting on hiring committees this past Fall. Having American training from a top program really helps you in the job search process at top Canadian institutions which is a plus - I'd like to have the option open to come back and teach at a Canadian institution when or if I finish.
Overall I would say that my choices were most significantly influenced by prospective fit and the epistemological/ontological/methodological orientation of programs. I currently work with someone who is very quant focused, which has added to my work and challenged me in many ways, but I know I wanted a program that would allow me to take on a mixed methods approach with interdisciplinary elements (borrowing from economics and history) without pushing back on me for it all the time (my current situation).
Knowing this, reputation and location were also important, as well as the department's ability to support and fund advanced training in methods in house as I've had to go outside my current institution already and pay out of pocket for supplemental training they didn't offer. I wasn't that focused on USNews rankings to be honest (maybe I should have been?), but of the 8 I applied to, 4 are top 10, and 4 are 10-25 in rank. I would only consider one of my options a 'safety' as it was a last minute app, but I'm genuinely interested in going there and would take an offer seriously. An added benefit to these locations was the networking potential, and ties of my current mentors to these programs (as alma maters, where they did their post-docs). I've indirectly done RA work for a number of the people I applied to work with, as they're co-authors on a number of papers with my current supervisor. Knowing more about the projects they were working on was all the more motivation to try and work with them directly.
I'd say my considerations aren't entirely typical. I haven't heard of many people saying that ontological concerns popped up when it came to program choice, nor network connections really driving potential apps - but for me it's mattered a lot in my current work/who I'm working with, and the disagreements that can arise from differences of opinion on the topic are something I'm eager to avoid in the future. This largely comes from the nature of my current MA program though. I know that no matter where I end up I'll be making the most of what the program has to offer.
 

This was also a concern of mine when I was choosing where to apply to.  I basically just applied to places with faculty that shared by theoretical interests and cut out a couple of places where I couldn't see myself living for 5+ years.  Having worked with people in the past who fought me on my approach, it is something I want to avoid in doing a PhD.

I managed to stop myself from opening up my application documents and re-reading what I submitted the other day, if only because I know that there are small issues here and there that I wish I could change now looking at it with fresh eyes. I mentioned this to one of my professors the other day and he said to prevent myself from doing such a thing at all costs. As I'm on the home stretch of finishing my MA, I fully intend to let my work distract me which shouldn't be hard. My to-do keeps growing and growing. x_x

Excellent GPA, amazing research, but your GRE's are likely to drag you down at top programs. However, you are overall virtually a shoe-in for other programs.

Hi there, 
I wanted to get a second opinion on my application package. I have a relatively odd package, my professors are optimistic but I don't want to get my hopes up. What are my chances for a top 10 school for American Politics.
-GPA: 3.95; Major GPAs: 3.91 and 4.0; two grad classes with a 4.0 in both
- Letters of recommendation: Two from research mentors that I've known for two years that I've taken quite a few classes with who wrote really really good letters, another who was my grad class instructor with an endowed chairmanship who probably wrote a solid letter
- GRE: V:165 Q:155 AW: 4.5 (I know my quant could be higher)
- Prior Research: I've done a lot of research as an undergrad. I've had four different research internships: a research fellowship at a small think-tank, an undergraduate assistantship at my college, a year-long IR research program, and other assorted research involving data. I've also presented at two small conferences at my school.
- Publications: Once in an equivalent to Politico and co-authorship of a book chapter for undergrads. 
- Other stuff: I do a lot of service stuff, I also loaded up on extracurriculars which probably won't do much but it's worth mentioning. 
Thanks for your time

As the application season starts to wind down and we enter the waiting period, I want to take a moment to wish you all best of luck! Keep your head up. 
Should any of you end up considering a Northwestern admission, I'm happy to answer questions as best I can about the program. :-)
PS. And remember that when family doesn't understand the struggle of waiting on a letter from a school, send them the following GIF:
  

As the application season starts to wind down and we enter the waiting period, I want to take a moment to wish you all best of luck! Keep your head up. 
Should any of you end up considering a Northwestern admission, I'm happy to answer questions as best I can about the program. :-)
PS. And remember that when family doesn't understand the struggle of waiting on a letter from a school, send them the following GIF:
  

As the application season starts to wind down and we enter the waiting period, I want to take a moment to wish you all best of luck! Keep your head up. 
Should any of you end up considering a Northwestern admission, I'm happy to answer questions as best I can about the program. :-)
PS. And remember that when family doesn't understand the struggle of waiting on a letter from a school, send them the following GIF:
  

As the application season starts to wind down and we enter the waiting period, I want to take a moment to wish you all best of luck! Keep your head up. 
Should any of you end up considering a Northwestern admission, I'm happy to answer questions as best I can about the program. :-)
PS. And remember that when family doesn't understand the struggle of waiting on a letter from a school, send them the following GIF:
  

Just wanted to say happy holidays to everyone! Everyone at TheGradCafe has been a wonderful help and support in this unique journey, and I cannot thank you all enough.

Adding my dice to the crapshoot that is the PhD admissions process. I have applied or will apply to 11 programs with a focus on political behavior. Current master's student with a 3.94 GPA, my undergrad GPA hurts at 3.08. 163V/160Q/5.5AWA. Best of luck to all.

I have applied to nine schools so far, and I have at least four more to go. The application process is as tiring as writing a thesis.

Doubtful.

Friends: as the season for submitting applications draws near, I want to offer to answer any questions I can about the political science PhD program at Northwestern. If you intend to apply to Northwestern and have any questions, feel free to message me. Best of luck to you all. You all deserve it. 

Friends: as the season for submitting applications draws near, I want to offer to answer any questions I can about the political science PhD program at Northwestern. If you intend to apply to Northwestern and have any questions, feel free to message me. Best of luck to you all. You all deserve it. 

Oh, and don't be overwhelmed by the quantoids---and don't let them convince you to leave Poli Sci. It might be an uphill battle, but a worthy one to be heard in the effort to re-historicize this discipline that has so many problems because of the quantoids' hegemonic hold over it. "IRTheoryNerd, tell us how you really feel." ;-) 

Oh, and don't be overwhelmed by the quantoids---and don't let them convince you to leave Poli Sci. It might be an uphill battle, but a worthy one to be heard in the effort to re-historicize this discipline that has so many problems because of the quantoids' hegemonic hold over it. "IRTheoryNerd, tell us how you really feel." ;-) 

I am also transferring from a graduate program this year and dealt with complications from depression and anxiety during my studies. I spent a lot of time thinking about this issue, just as you have. The initial instinct is to feel pressure to disclose your mental illness, but also worry about what that signals about your ability to complete the program, and, more broadly, how it means you are damaged goods in a career where intellectual output is the primary determinant of success.
 
A few things to say:
 
1) Mental illness is a chronic disability. You do not need to apologize for having it. This is something I often forget or am hesitant to acknowledge. No one would give a second thought if you experienced complications from a physical disability. The more unapologetic you feel about your condition, the better you will be able to advocate for yourself.
 
2) Disclosing your mental illness is entirely up to you. Part of advocating for yourself is establishing boundaries around disclosure. It is your decision alone. You do not need to give into perceived pressures to explain yourself to professors at these graduate programs. In my materials, I simply wrote that I experienced complications from a chronic disability.
 
3) Do not assume that, because professors are very smart people, they understand the nature of chronic mental illness and how to deal with it in a healthy way. Professors understand the episodic depression that otherwise healthy people suffer as a result of the pressures of graduate school. They may view your chronic condition through that lens and simply encourage you to be tough. While graduate school requires tenacity, this is useless advice for dealing with your disability.
 
Similarly, professors with chronic mental illness may not be good role models for you. I had an advisor who was junior faculty and wildly successful (two highly acclaimed UP books, several top-3 journal hits within four years after the PhD, media attention on their research), yet they lived a miserable, unhealthy lifestyle. They gained 40 pounds their first year out of graduate school. You may accept that tradeoff to achieve similar levels of success, but do not assume that you have to make a tradeoff between self-care and professional success. I tried to emulate their example and suffered greatly for it.
 
4) When it comes to the application, your best move will be to demonstrate that you have a firm understanding of what the research enterprise means. Let your SOP walk through what your broad question is, any projects you have done, different questions you might explore. Showing professors that you understand this process and have interesting ideas will go a long way to trumping any concerns they might have about grades.
 
5) When you continue your studies, the first thing you need to do is build a support system and treatment plan. Find a therapist and psychiatrist in your new location. Register with your university's disability services center and discuss accommodations you might need for your coursework or assistanship duties. Write up a Wellness Recovery Action Plan and review it with your family, doctors, and disability services staff.
 
If you end up choosing to disclose to an advisor or department head, the support and treatment work you've done will likely diffuse a lot of the tension you may feel about disclosing. You're showing them you're proactive. They don't have to feel like they need to function as your therapist. They're in a better position to provide the type of support that advisors do for students through the ups and downs of graduate school, though perhaps with some empathy from knowing you have this condition and you are managing it.