BigTenPoliSci

Oftentimes it isn't their job.
 
More importantly, it's only February 5th. If it's March 15th and you need to make a decision, that's fine. Pestering coordinators just a few weeks after submitting your file merely because you're curious is unprofessional.

Oftentimes it isn't their job.
 
More importantly, it's only February 5th. If it's March 15th and you need to make a decision, that's fine. Pestering coordinators just a few weeks after submitting your file merely because you're curious is unprofessional.

This is bad form. When you don't care about the decision (you already have a better offer) why bother an overworked administrator during a busy time?

Oftentimes it isn't their job.
 
More importantly, it's only February 5th. If it's March 15th and you need to make a decision, that's fine. Pestering coordinators just a few weeks after submitting your file merely because you're curious is unprofessional.

It's their job

This is bad form. When you don't care about the decision (you already have a better offer) why bother an overworked administrator during a busy time?

Testingtesting is right about UConn. That's not a viable pathway into academia, if that's your goal.
 
Testingtesting is overreacting a bit about Wisconsin, though. 

Maybe Testingtesting isn't being a troll. I think s/he just thinks that the degree of program quality curves steeply with the rankings, but in reality it is a gentle slope. 

The same Gary King who got his Ph.D. at Wisconsin?

Testingtesting is right about UConn. That's not a viable pathway into academia, if that's your goal.
 
Testingtesting is overreacting a bit about Wisconsin, though. 

Testingtesting is right about UConn. That's not a viable pathway into academia, if that's your goal.
 
Testingtesting is overreacting a bit about Wisconsin, though. 

While the top tier of programs are more likely to land you a job in academia, it really boils down to what you put into it. And if academia doesn't work out, there are other opportunities (government) and companies that would pay a premium for someone with a PhD (one specifically that jumps to mind are defense contractors specializing in intelligence).

I know you've already gotten some grief for this statement, but Wisconsin has pretty decent placement. If you do well in grad school and are a good fit for a post-doc posting or even a faculty position at a decent to good school, you should be fine.
I'm also unsure why you would bother applying to a school if you aren't interested in attending.

It varies. In my cycle a few years ago Pitt put me on an official wait list, while two others schools stayed silent long after their waves of acceptances and rejections went out. I am pretty sure that the latter two were unofficial wait lists.
 
P. S. None of those turned into offers later. The percentage of people getting plucked off of wait lists seems to be pretty low.

It's whoever you want it to be...

She's in an entirely different circumstance, because if she is a military officer, the standards are much lower. She doesn't need to bust her ass to write a disseratation that is going to get published and land her a TT job at an R1. She just needs to get out and graduate so she can be a military officer with a PhD.
 
3 years is unheard of, 4 years is very rare, and 5-6 years is the norm.

I would never go anywhere unfunded. Job prospects at the end of a PhD, no matter where you go, are so uncertain that taking on debt to do it is a bad bet.

You can get some advice from faculty at your program on this question, but the conventional wisdom is that there's no reason to pay to go to a conference you're not presenting at.

I am at a top 5 program, but would maybe answer about half of those questions on an internet forum. This is really what informal sessions of recruitment weekends (parties, food, bar) are for. All the formal sessions are just informative show. As I posted elsewhere, you need to make sure you are not just talking to 1st year students, but also advanced candidates, who don't necessarily participate in these kinds of activities (too busy.) Email one or two with similar interests and see if they will meet you for coffee.
 
And learn to read between the lines of what people are saying to you. Ask direct and specific questions, but expect cagey responses, especially from those with the best information.

I think it worth remembering that the single most important part of placement is you, the candidate. Attending a #4 program versus a #12 has a marginal effect on your job prospects, but the effect isn't as strong as a peer-reviewed publication and a really good dissertation.

I think it worth remembering that the single most important part of placement is you, the candidate. Attending a #4 program versus a #12 has a marginal effect on your job prospects, but the effect isn't as strong as a peer-reviewed publication and a really good dissertation.

I think it worth remembering that the single most important part of placement is you, the candidate. Attending a #4 program versus a #12 has a marginal effect on your job prospects, but the effect isn't as strong as a peer-reviewed publication and a really good dissertation.

I think it worth remembering that the single most important part of placement is you, the candidate. Attending a #4 program versus a #12 has a marginal effect on your job prospects, but the effect isn't as strong as a peer-reviewed publication and a really good dissertation.

I think it worth remembering that the single most important part of placement is you, the candidate. Attending a #4 program versus a #12 has a marginal effect on your job prospects, but the effect isn't as strong as a peer-reviewed publication and a really good dissertation.

But do forgive us if we have the occasional moment of self-indulgent bitterness.  We don't mean it.  Or we do.  Either way.