SuddenlyParanoid

Here are the two sources I used in writing my extremely short (490 words) SOP which I used for all schools. http://www.gdnet.ucla.edu/asis/agep/advsopcvsbe.pdf http://www.scholarshipnet.info/scholarship-tips/sample-statement-of-purpose/

My predictions were a bit off last time, but here I go again: Yale- based on last years and the deferred to Master's people like cpaige UCSD UCLA- last year they gave out a few rejections this week Some more Michigan acceptances

Hi Scalia, Welcome to Political Science! I found this forum really helpful for applying and hope you will too. Another great resource is the site, Political Science Job Rumors, which has a forum with advice for prospective grad students. It can be pretty catty and elitist, so be warned. First, are you an econ major? If so, your coursework has definitely not been wasted. It will show that you can handle quantitative work. If you have taken or are going to take statistics or econometrics, that will help too. (I happen to know more about quant-heavy programs, hopefully someone else will fill in the qual side.) It would probably be easier if you could wait another year before applying so you could have an entire year heavy in poli sci, but you may not want that. Take any methods courses/game theory your school has. Your grades are great which helps and means you won't be thrown out right away, but GPA alone doesn't get you into the top places. Study for the GRE. Since you didn't go to a top undergrad, the GRE will be a bit more important for you because adcomms won't take your near 4.0 as seriously. Aim for high 600's on the verbal, and breaking 700 is all really need anywhere. For the quant, you want as close to 800 as possible. If you get a 790 instead of an 800, you're already down to 92 percentile because of all the engineers taking the GRE. You don't need to get that high but it helps. REALLY try to at least pass 700. Try to replace the visiting assistant professor with someone with tenure if possible. That may mean taking a fall class with few other students just so you can get to know someone and make them like you. Do a senior thesis. It will give you research experience and you can use an excerpt of it as your writing sample and your thesis advisor can write you a really good letter. Try to be a research assistant instead of a teaching assistant this spring. Apply for research fellowships this summer as well. You'll need a good statement of purpose. Make it clear that you know a phD is for a lifetime of research, that you enjoy research, and that you are not getting a phD because you love current events, watching Olbermann/Bill O'Reilly, and working on campaigns. SOPs help screen out people who seem clueless about grad school, don't be one of them. Extracurriculars don't matter at all. Apply to a bunch of schools. I applied to 13 and think it would be risky to apply to less than 8. Try to get a few reaches and a few safeties because grad admissions are hard to predict. Given your research interests, I would suggest any of the schools I applied to in my signature as well as MSU, Wisconsin, UIUC, UNC Chapel Hill. Keep rankings in mind because they DO affect placement but also pay attention to location, WEATHER, quality of life, fit. It's hard to predict your chances but you definitely have a good chance and I think you should be able to hit a top 20 for sure and maybe as high as 1, depending on your writing sample and SOP.

I'm finishing up undergrad right now (and have been spending way too much time on this site instead of my thesis!) I'm not sure what my top choice is right now. I like the quant. focus of Rochester and WashU, and I love Rochester's placement record. Duke is great for Congress although I'm not sure about how I feel about living in the South. Michigan and Stanford are just great at everything. A lot will depend on how the visitations go, I will not go to a school if it's in a place where I don't think I'll have fun. I'll probably see you at the Michigan visit and maybe the Ivies Does your username mean you went to Harvard for undergrad?

APGradApplicant called UCSD and they told him next week. He posted projections for a few other programs too based on phone calls but that post is way back in the thread.

In at Rochester! Pretty excited, wasn't sure if I had enough math background for them. Congrats to all the UNC people. Here's hoping Yale ends the week with a bunch of acceptances.

Congratulations to the Northwestern admits! I got an email from Duke with a link to my status- I'm in. Good luck to everyone, especially to all of us who are still waiting on Yale!

Hi, Oxon! I got into Stanford last week as well. I'm an Americanist but I also have an interest in formal theory. I'm going to the admit weekend and am pretty excited to check out Palo Alto. Are you going to the weekend?

My subfield is American. It was an unofficial heads-up from someone I know so other Americanists needn't be worried yet.

I was contacted by a professor at the University of Michigan in my subfield and was told I was accepted. No other details at the time.

Bravo, cpaige! Now I can stop worrying about Harvard and get back to worry about Yale!

I hope you're right. It is really early, but Stanford was really early this year too. For the rest of the week I'm predicting we hear from: Yale Duke Rochester

I would write the graduate coordinator and ask what percentage of applicants are successful at reapplying to Yale. If it's high, then it depends on how the money situation is for you and if you have any time sensitive goals like a family or whatever. Although, I do have to say Madison is a great city and program, so you're in good hands either way

Congratulations on FSU, AP! I was emailed by WUSTL this afternoon with an acceptance. Also, very curious to hear from Yale although the silence from them might tell me I've been rejected.

Accepted at OSU, just checked application status on the website. Must have updated it this morning.

I wouldn't worry about the writing score. You have great grades which implies you can write good papers and all the adcoms are going to look at your SOP, and a lot of them are going to have your writing sample too.

There has not. Still just says submitted. Good luck!

I can also confirm the Stanford acceptances are legit. I got in tonight and I'm really excited! I'm in American politics.

Congratulations, cpaige! Re Stanford: Last year's results show them coming in over two days, with a single waitlist a week later.

Since we're all eagerly anticipating or dreading the results of the coming weeks, I thought I would pose a question to distract us from our coming misery. What subfield is the hardest to get in? My impression that from most competitive to least is: Theory- Fewer spots than other subfields at most programs, some programs have almost none, and from what I've read the pedigree of the school is more important, meaning more competition for those top few spots. Comparative- Lots of spots but not a lot of spots for a given region/country. Expected to have a strong background in foreign language(s). IR- American- Plenty of applicants but lots of spots at every program. Perhaps a higher bar in Quant GRE/math background. Does this line up with what everyone else thinks?

I just called Rochester. They told me that they were still reviewing files and hoped to make a decision by the second week of February. Ahhhh! I really need to hear from someplace, the wait is killing me.

Good news 1. Everyone within earshot 2. Parents 3. Sisters. 4. Friends 5. Frenemies 6. Facebook Although I don't know if it will be as "STANFORD!!!!" as my status or as "Suddenly Paranoid might be in Palo Alto next year" 7. GradCafe 8. Advisor Bad News 1. Sisters 2. Mother 3. GradCafe 4. Friends

I feel like I applied to enough schools, 13 total, but I wished I had applied to a broader spread rankings wise. I applied to 9 of the top 10, and then 4 of 11-20. Wish I had added a safeties instead of more reaches.

That is what I did. Since a lot of grad schools have deadlines at the start of December, they know very well most people aren't going to be able to show fall grades on their transcripts. Plus, the fact that some schools explicitly ask for them, implies that they're not sent out to all schools as a matter of course. If you're really worried about it, you could call the grad admissions office.

Double post, sorry.