Gusvalo

I am, can't wait .

Thanks, I already asked for the list of landlords and after selecting my options will ask about specifics.

Bumping this thread. Apparently the best cost-effective option to live in Champaign-Urbana is to find one or more roommates. Anyone can provide input on how roommate matching services work? (particularly, I'm considering ONE North & South as I haven't found places with a similar service yet). I will be moving from overseas so I must trust blindly in the quality of the place and the company. Alternatively, if you're living in or moving to the area and looking for someone to share a place feel free to PM me.

PROFILE: Type of Undergrad Institution: Top University in South America. Major(s)/Minor(s): BA in Political Science. Undergrad GPA: Roughly translated to 3.66 Type of Grad: None Grad GPA: NA GRE: 157V/157Q/4.0W Any Special Courses: Did a grad level course on quantitative methods (mostly non-linear regression and a bit of causal inference). Went to Summer School on Mixed Methods after graduating. Letters of Recommendation: 4 from PS professors who graduated in different places in the US, distributed them strategically (I don't recommend this as things get unnecesarily complicated, just pick your best 3 and sent a fourth to those places where it would matter). Research Experience: RA in 4 projects in my department, 1 Research Internship, 1 peer reviewed publication and 2 conference presentations Teaching Experience: TA in 5 courses (some of them in multiple occasions) Subfield/Research Interests: Comparative, Democratic and Government Institutions Other: Things work different in South America, so take all of this with a grain of salt RESULTS: Acceptances($$ or no $$): UIUC ($$), Pittsburgh (no $$) Waitlists: UNC Rejections: Princeton, Columbia, Michigan, St. Louis, Northwestern, Notre Dame Pending: NA Going to: UIUC LESSONS LEARNED: 1) It is true that the GRE doesn't matter that much, but remember you're competing with people which profiles are EXTREMELY similar to yours, so everything counts, I'm pretty sure my test scores where a factor that kept me out from many places. 2) Speaking about the GRE, don't be cheap about it. I studied and improved a lot, but used only free or borrowed material. Spend some bucks (or whatever is your currency) in a good online course. By the time I realized this, I didn't have enough time to retake, but I was mentally prepared for doing it if a second cycle became necessary. 3) Like others have said, fit is everything. Take your time to tailor your SOP and write one for each university. Pick 2 to 3 people in the department and describe how your interests benefit their current research agenda and viceversa. This may sound obvious but it's a hard thing to do, it takes a lot of time to realize how things "fit" together. Take your time starting the application process and do not start a new application until you have finishid the current. 4) Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. Use ranking to inform your decision and define a bottom limit and apply to a broad range of schools (ideally, everywhere fit allows). Don't give up to holes in your admission and go for the shot at top programs, have some backup alternatives (in or outside grad school). 5) If this is really your thing, you shouldn't mind going for an extra year if things don't go well. Conversely, don't waste your chance if you got accepted in a program which wasn't your first choice (BTW, all your applications should be your first choice, why else would you apply there?), you can still transfer. In the long run everything falls in the right place. SOP: PM.

Congrats to everyone who got in, I hope you end up going to the right place. For the rest there's still hope, just stay tuned for deadline madness. Still, if nothing happens this cycle, remember that an extra year can only improve your chances.

Accepted at UIUC, DGS told me they were facing some budget limitations so they were being pretty cautious this cycle. This should apply to many public schools so there's still hope for everyone.

3+1 sounds good, but usually there are departmental policies related to this issue, so pay attention.

Once you're in it's highly probably the department will pay for summer schools, at this point you don't need to have one in your CV anymore. Beyond that point, I guess they look good only if they contribute to your research agenda. Edit: dyslexia

I would go to A all the way, more good things to put in your application. You'll end up getting better letters from people who actually work in your field of interest, the thesis may become a good journal article and/or writing sample, RA-TAship will add to your CV, etc. Also, if you want to get a PhD you should be prepared to work in any context, being close from home shouldn't be an issue. That said, University B sounds like a nice safety option.

Beer without R is Bee. I don't like bees.

Comparative. I guess things will start to move relatively soon, people is already withdrawing from acceptances/waitlists.

Waitlist means you're worthy of pursuing a PhD, it's just a matter of when. I'm quite ok with that.

I approve this

I will officially declare it as a waitlist of the waitlist

Just received an e-mail from Pittsburgh but I still can't figure out what it means. It said the department is not able to recommend me for admission, but they may eventually contact me before mid April to see if I am still available (?). Not sure if it's a waitlist or an extremely polite rejection.

Can't you just apply both to McGill and US programs? As i see in the results page admissions seem to occur in the same time window.

Try this, it list only results for Political Science: http://www.thegradcafe.com/survey/index.php?q=%28politics%7Cgovernment%7Cpolitical%29&t=a&pp=25 There is one rejection from today.

There is a waitlist posted on the results page from Feb. 10. Looking at previous years, I'd say at this point no notification may mean implicit rejection (same with UIUC). I'm still going with no news is good news, though.

This. Yet it's only a waitlist, and as the adcom member explained to me it depends a lot on which people end up accepting offers (Guess it's the same in every department).

In other news, I'm waitlisted at UNC Chapel Hill. If you're comparative and accepted somewhere else i'd appreciate the gesture. We can arrange some kind of payment in beer at some future conference.

Wait, the "C" in CHYMPS is not for Columbia?

Reverse question: Do you love research enough to put up with math? In my experience, it doesn't bother as long as the research topic - including regional focus for CP - is interesting and you feel you're using the right method, but in the end is a matter of taste.