Bobb Cobb

I am not sure, but I would speculate that it means either rejection or waitilist. Mine says the following: The Admissions ProcessCurrent Status:Congratulations! You have been admitted to Texas A&M University. We will send your acceptance letter via postal mail.

Cool. I have been once and really liked it, especially the political science facilities. I will be going back for the admit weekend at the end of March for a full introduction, so that should give a good feel for what atmosphere and grad life is like.

That's cool. Have you been able to visit yet?

I can confirm this as well. It often takes 3-5 declines and sometimes more for departments to turn the waitlists. Even then there are other things considered like subfield, fit, etc. Some departments will call it a hold list and then reevaluate those applicants once they know they need more people to round out a cohort. This system does not work like it does in law or medical schools where there is a specific order and exact number of applicants involved.

http://www.politicalstudies.org/pdf/psr/hix.pdf http://psruckman.com/UPSlinks/PSRankings2.pdf http://jhfowler.ucsd.edu/social_networks_in_political_science.pdf http://www.stonybrook.edu/polsci/grad/phdrankings.html There is one more, but I am not sure where it is located. The Stony Brook one has several, which is handy just to glance at.

I find that when there is an awkward silence the best thing to do is to discuss the flux capacitor in detail. This always fills the time until your next meeting.

My advice is for those considering reapplying. First, don't give up. I think everything that has been said so far is true, but I have a bit more to add. My GREs are probably amongst the lowest on the board, and while I was not admitted to any top programs (this year or last), I have had some success (TAMU, Georgia, Florida, UNT, UWM, Mississippi, Oklahoma and more down the line). Of these, TAMU is the most competitive and demanding in terms of GRE scores, but the first three are not easy to get into. I went to a below 4th tier state school in the south, but I made the most of it. I think that, along with visiting departments before I applied, made the biggest difference. My LORs are from no-names, I mean no names at all, but they are all Political Scientists with decent publication records. I was also able to wrestle 5, and they all were very detailed in their thoughts on my ability to succeed in an advanced program. Many letters say great student, made A's, etc., but the key is having them say that you are a student who is better than the rest where you are and that they unequivocally believe that you will flourish in the PhD program. Next comes the personal statement. In this you have to be clear about why you want to be at that program. I am talking much more than stuff like "great reputation", "great mentors", etc. I am talking you need to know what they can offer you and what you offer them. Students with high GPAs, top GREs, and good pedigrees are a dime a dozen. Then there is the writing sample. Do a writing sample that is PhD, journal/conference quality. While some say that the WS does not matter, I say why take the chance with a steaming pile of dookie? Do a quality WS using advanced methods, and it will likely get someone's attention. Use this asa chance to explain why you are different than the other applicants. Perhaps the "handicap" of a low tier school or international degree may work in your favor if you spin it the right way. No department wants a cookie-cutter mold for a cohort. Take some advanced courses in the off season and also submit a paper to a conference or even a journal. Just showing that you are attempting to get involved in the discipline shows that you are at least that serious about this thing. Last, get to know the people in the department. If you are set on reapplying at the same places, then contact the DGS and ask what you could do to improve your application, and if it would be reconsidered next time. Also, consider other places. No matter which place, get to know someone there. It speaks volumes to have an ally/allies on the adcomm. I suggest visiting the department in early/mid-fall. If they set up a schedule for you, then you know that they are at least happy about considering you. If not, screw them and try somewhere else. You do not want to deal with people that act like they are too busy for you. What went wrong? Who knows? I suspect that if you had high GPAs/GREs then you must not have clearly conveyed why you want to get a PhD and why it needs to be in the department in which you are applying. Again, there are always going to be plenty of high GRE/GPA/Pedigrees so you have to set yourself apart in some other way. Some people may say that I am wrong and that those things are the only things that matter, forget them and keep trying. Most importantly, be original and make yourself wanted in ways that others never think of. I certainly wish everyone the best, and I know what is like to not get into places that you had your heart set on. Keep your heads up, and show them that they missed out by becoming the next best thing, albeit a year later.

Somebody, somewhere is not telling the whole truth.

Good job! Do you know what size cohort they usually shoot for? 29 seems like a fair amount of admits.

I will take you word for it. It was funny to me as I had no more gotten through reading that thread there and then I saw your post here.

Lol @ the standard errors. PSJR anyone? http://www.poliscijobrumors.com/topic.php?id=21722&page=3

Thanks. Do you have any suggestions on house finders or good sites with listings?

Upward by a couple hundred, seriously.

Fair enough. Does anyone have any suggestions on places to live or areas that are good/not good?

I think they usually have very small classes compared to peer schools. Also, I know that their funding was weak last year as well. I know someone that knows someone in that department, and they mentioned that the funding was going to be real tight this year too. Of course that is 3rd hand so grains of salt and what not... Either way if so that is a shame because they seem to have a good program with some good potential mentors.

Rats in political advertisements.

That stipend should work pretty well in Columbia. I am not sure what else they have in terms of fringe benefits, but with CP you should be pretty well set if that's where you choose to end up.

Not top ten, who cares? Sorry couldn't help it. Seriously, Mizzou has a good department. I think it is underrated, although this partly depends on your subfield. One of my thesis committee members went there, and he does quite well. He knows methods very well. He is also well published, and has a few more in the pipeline for top journals in CP. I think their funding is pretty standard for the regular GA slots, at least that is my recollection from him. By that I mean 15-16. Congrats on a good school!

Putin

I agree too. When I said I was dealt air, I was merely saying that I did not attend the best undergrad and that my stats were not that great, yet I was able to make a pretty strong move towards success in getting into a good program. In the end I think we all have things to overcome and things that work to our advantage. Ultimately this should add to the diversity of the discipline, our departments, our research, and our ability to positively influence students. People of all kinds from all sorts of backgrounds tend to underestimate and misunderstand diversity, and what it really means for an environment of learning.

Shit no, damn I need to be more clear. I am currently in an unnamed program that is that way. It is not top 50. I am moving to TAMU in the fall, and it is top 25. To be clear, I am bashing the environment in my current dept., not TAMU! All of my experience with TAMU has been great so far! My main point there was that some departments are dysfunctional, and this could be worse at lower ranked programs.

I am saying that I am transferring to a program that is top 25. By <25, I mean it is ranked a number less than 25 which of course means a better ranking. These rankings and numbers become confusing.... Don't worry, I am very happy with TAMU and its ranking.

Any word on the perceived low-funding issues?

That's my point. Poppy, while I agree that it is possible to go to a >top-50 and have a rewarding career, it is not necessary to call anyone "pricks." This is especially true on the internet, where you really do not know anyone. We can discuss the merits of attending these programs and the different paths that we have all taken to this point in our lives, but let us keep it civil. Having said that, I went to a non-ranked southern state school for my undergrad and MA, my GREs are not as good as many people here, I applied last year and was rejected by all places in the top 45 or so, and now I am currently in a >top-50 PhD program. The training here is terrible, and most of the faculty are either delusional or not active. This creates a terrible environment. The other students are not good peers, and most of them are absolutely clueless about the discipline and what it takes to land a TT job. So, I am transferring (more or less starting over) to a <25 program. Having understood the process after my experience last year, I was in much better shape application-wise this time. I have won several awards since then, improved my GREs, and gotten much better recommendations and contacts. All of this led to my success this time. While this program is not top-10, it is well recognized as a strong program for my interests. Simply put, I worked hard, moved up, and I am making the most out of my situation. That is what most all of us here are doing. While some may have been dealt some sort of "royal flush" others were dealt "two pair" and have worked hard to get to where they are. I was dealt air, and I am attempting to still walk away from the table with some chips. Go to whichever program you get into and are comfortable with. If that is the best that you can do, then make the most out of it. I do not think that people will look down upon you. One of my favorite mentors got his PhD at a >100 outfit, and I think he is brilliant and directly responsible for much of my success. You will have to work harder than some, but your program may be a fair amount easier and less stressful. There are always trade-offs. I wish you luck, and with hard work you can easily get a job. Some people do have snobby attitudes, and indeed I have experienced this first hand. The best way to show them off is to outwork and outpublish them and let them wonder how you are more successful than them. Other than that, name calling in anonymity does not improve the situation in the slightest.

While I agree with some of what you are saying, I think starting the conversation as you did will make it difficult for a realistic discussion.