IR IR IR PhD

The answer to your question depends on the rest of your profile. In the next 7 months can you get much better GRE scores? Can you publish something? Can you do some research at a good think tank? There might be less expensive solutions to vastly improve your profile. If you feel it was your undergrad GPA that put your file into the rejection pile, perhaps an MA is the best option though. Also, I would look at intensive 1-year MA programs if you are looking to get the extra training. There are some in Europe and the Middle East too which are substantially less expensive than NYU. The deadlines haven't passed on many of them. Good luck with the decision. Edit: expensive not extensive -- sorry

My best paper is on something really unique and obscure. If I take away any of those 43 pages needed context would be lost. Of course no professor is going to read every page of it, I just wanted to make sure they had the full picture incase they were confused about a certain term or reference. I sent it to every school, even when departments made requests about length. I got into some and denied by others. I don't think it made a difference. Lol

I FIGURED OUT WHY PENN IS TAKING SO LONG! The writing sample I sent them was 43 pages... Sorry guys, I'll take the fall for this one.

Would the waitlisted Brandeis applicant please stand up? I'm waiting on Brandeis also. Any details would be much appreciated. It's funny that they would waitlist people before accepting or denying anyone, no? I know they are still hurting from Madoff but I thought they would be accepting people this year. This won't help you. But I can verify that it is all true. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/28/philadelphia-underrated-city_n_4826930.html

It is a funny thing to ponder. I found Yale's rejection particularly stupid. Why did they provide me a statistic of the number of people who applied to their entire graduate school? Do I give a flying f*ck? At least tell me how many people applied in political science.

Sorry!

Sadly we have to worry about bridges too. That has nothing to do with the engineer with a 153Q but the politicians with the <300 combined. America. Sh*t. \http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZAR7hbcBsA

Hahaha that is so not my undergrad GPA or GRE. I never claimed it. My GRE scores are substantially higher and my GPA is lower. Again, I graduated with the highest possible GPA in my MA to try to supplement my undergrad GPA. I just wasn't focused on academics because at the time I didn't want to be one. Whoops!

I'll take peoples thoughts on my situation if they would be kind enough to share. I'm a first time PhD applicant. I was quickly accepted into two schools ranking in the "third tier" - between 40 - 60 in January. Consequently I developed some hope that my profile was stronger than I initially thought (I have an absolutely terrible undergraduate GPA). Needless to say, the rest of this cycle has brought my back down. I have two schools that I am waiting on that would be hard to turn down -- but I'm not holding my breath. The rest would fall into this "third tier" category. My choices right now are between two schools that are about 10 places apart in ranking. Both are offering similar funding situations (good for their location). School "A" had this very respected Professor I was applying to work with but he will be leaving next year (just found out). Otherwise fit isn't that great. It is ranked about 10 places better than school "B" and has better name recognition. School "B" has a better fit for me, but still does not have that ideal Professor to mentor me on my interests. Though ranked 10 places worse, it is definitely on an upward trajectory. I imagine that when I graduate both schools "A" and "B" might be entirely on par in the rankings (doubt they will be on name recognition however). I know name recognition shouldn't matter because I want to stay in academia but I am realistic about tenured positions coming out of this "third-tier" of schools and thus concerned about how it will affect other occupational opportunities. Right now I am thinking I will probably choose school "B" over school "A"... but barely. I am also torn on whether it is worth trying again to get into a T25. As of now I am 75% sure I will take an admission offer. If I choose either school I will take the funding so I would not feel comfortable trying again after doing so. Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

http://www.eataly.com/nyc If I get into Penn you better believe I will be doing all of my work out of this place.

Philadelphia is reason enough to accept any offer from UPenn or Temple. And, for those who care, they are building an "Eataly" there which will be completed by the time the next academic year will begin. Now if UPenn could just reject me already I could officially start figuring out my life.

Just brilliant University of Phoenix post on the submissions page. I can't claim this one. Made my morning! DAMN YOU UPENN!

Sadly I am just an applicant. I called Penn a few weeks ago and they said results would be out in February. Time is running out. Clearly, so is our sanity.

Hahaha they took that post down very quick. Oh boredom at work... (not that I officially claim any responsibility)

To those people waiting on Northwestern rejections, do you think there is any hope at all for seeing "an admissions decision has not yet been rendered" notification? I obviously don't expect to get a rogue acceptance email at this point. More curious about maybe being waitlisted... maybe they are waiting to see how many people decline their offers after the rest of the T20 have given admissions decisions? Of course, I could just call and ask, but that would be too easy. It also seems premature given that people have only posted rejections today...

Congrats Northwestern admit! Was your email from a POI or a form?

Hahaha... wait, who did you email? The email I got from the listed assistant to the graduate advisor was, "I know they are in the process of making decisions now but I have not received the information yet." Looks like it is up in the air!

I go to Princeton (the town) all the time. Amazing restaurant selection, some really nice clothing stores, decent cultural opportunities... i.e. everything you won't be able to afford or take advantage of while being a PhD. Apartments there are a FORTUNE! But wow is it beautiful. It is NJ's saving grace.

Is it wrong to email a graduate advisor and ask for an admissions decision update? Must we call? --- UPENNNNNNN

Dear amazing scholars of this forum, Can we please agree that in all future result submissions we include the following details: a ) whether an email notification is a "form"/"mass" email or a message from a poi b ) what your subfield is (this shouldn't identify you specifically so NSA conspirators relax) These details will help your fellow gradcafe applicants with their anxieties. This week and next week we will all really appreciate this information. Good luck to everyone!

Nope, at least I don't think so. I just didn't want to choose a school that might potentially offend someone! P.S. - This cycle I've been accepted to two schools that rank better to one that I am presuming is a rejection (though not a huge difference in rank). I'm hoping these stories can convince me I still have a shot at T20!

I'd like to propose a new topic as the Cornell rejections come in. For those already attending programs or know people who are attending or are currently on their 2nd+ cycle... what is the craziest "rejected there but accepted there" story!? (i.e. - rejected from West Topeka State, accepted Yale)

Also just got the Cornell rejection. Oh well. It is cold as hell in Ithaca. Can the people posting the UMass admits PLEASE say whether this was a mass email or from a POI? This is a team effort for all of our anxiety gradcafe cohort!

Congratulations to the UMass admit! Was your email from a POI?

Congratulations to the new South Carolina admits? What's your subfield?