duran0

Is your top priority finding a job in the States after graduation? If so, then I'd pose that question directly to USC and SF state and see which program has a better track record in getting international students jobs. My sense is that it is really, really, really hard for international students without technical training to find decent employment, so you might also inquire about OPT/CPT opportunities as well. USC definitely has a better overall reputation than SFSU, but I worry that one year might not be long enough for you to build sufficient connections to find employment afterward.

Sure, but OP is not here asking us for advice on what went wrong. Instead, the question "is why no one answers my email that I asked about my weakness for the admission." I am very, very sympathetic to the difficulty of applying to grad school as an international student, as I too was once in that same stressful position - actually from the same country that OP is from. I don't know what it's like for Germans, but there are actually lots of Korean language resources for applying to US grad school. Anyone on those websites/forums, including Korean nationals, could tell him that his low TOEFL and GRE scores would sink the application. In any case, the OP seems to think that they are entitled to a detailed response about the weaknesses of their application, which is odd since that would not be the norm from Korean universities either. Not only do they risk annoying someone who might be on the admissions committee next year, they don't need a response: the problem is perfectly clear, as you've identified. Anyway, the other thing OP can look into is certified translation for a letter of recommendation from his Korean mentor if he does not feel comfortable writing his own letter - which I totally understand. Some of my friends have used this route. If the above post is indicative of the quality of English in the SOP and other admissions documents, the OP would also benefit from getting a native speaker to proofread his materials. Lastly, this is a bitter pill to swallow, but the OP also needs to acknowledge that even the best universities, fellowships, work experiences, etc in South Korea are simply not well-regarded in the U.S. I really do sympathize, because I still feel an irrational tingle whenever I remember how I legit almost killed myself as a high schooler to get to a school that no one here acknowledges or understands. Accepting that "top Korean school" =/= "top U.S. school" is a first step. The second step is to understand that getting into PhD programs is really challenging for everyone, including U.S. citizens, and that Asian students should plan accordingly. One tip for choosing schools: check currently enrolled grad students and see if there's a history of accepting applicants from other international Asian universities. A brief glance at UCSF, for example, suggests that it's probably not a good idea to apply, since there are very few students from non-US undergrad institutions. All things considered, it seems like OP was probably shooting too high this round. (In their shoes, I wouldn't have bothered with any of the UCs.) Schools like UT and Miami are probably good "reach" programs. There are other schools that are known for being friendlier to international student admissions, like UIUC and Purdue, that the OP might consider. To strengthen the application, the OP might also think about applying to scholarships administered by the Korean government or U.S. scholarships like Fulbright. International students are more attractive if they have funding in hand. Don't give up, OP! I know how frustrating and embarrassing getting shut out can be. But you also need to acknowledge that blaming others or sending futile emails will not help you accomplish your dreams.

Oops! Yes, that's exactly what I meant. Aaand of course, I can't edit the post now.

I'm not in philosophy, so hope it's OK to interject -- but these scores are so low that they definitely outweigh other aspects of an application. I'm a PhD student in the humanities who served as grad student rep for the admissions committee in my department last year. A GRE score under 200 - especially if the overall GPA is as middling as yours - is a huge problem because of the risk that the Graduate Division would reject the applicant for crucial division-wide funding. Top programs have enough applicants with high GRE scores that there is absolutely no reason to take this risk (especially in this financial climate!). Our university has a T20 philosophy program and while I can't say for sure, I imagine that they are beholden to similar funding limitations when it comes to GRE scores. Also, I want to echo what others have said about the randomness of the process...so random that I feel quite fortunate to have been accepted in the first place!

I only mention the statistics because it signals that there might be spaces for community beyond the lab or department. I'm a mixed race person of color (and an immigrant with an accent!) so I get the fears about moving somewhere different and feeling like you won't be able to fit in. Just didn't want you to totally reject a place that you say has the best research prospects based on the bland suburban landscape of Irvine, because my sense (again, just from short visits and knowing some POC grad students there, so these are general impressions) is that there might be more than meets the eye. That said, it sucks to be the token poc/queer person/woman in a program and those microaggressions take a toll on your psyche and your health. If the only reason why you're not choosing Miami is because of the stipend, I think the 28.5K will be enough to live on - my sister did Americorps in Coral Gables for a year and survived on less than half that amount! Like I mentioned, I don't think you can go wrong with either place.

I too saw this circulating through my social networks. There have been rumors circulating about this program for some time now. It's hard to ever say that one should absolutely not attend a school, but the allegations are very serious and a definite red flag. I would try to talk to current grad students (especially if there are other queer/poc students) and see what their experience has been. Grad students tend to be more frank than faculty, so you might get a better sense of the climate that way.

The difficulty of moving somewhere different and adjusting to the culture will always be challenging. However, I find it somewhat odd that you say that UC Irvine, a school whose undergrad student population is less than 20% white, is "close to 0 people of color." Irvine is boring and suburban (IMO) but it is very diverse, in close proximity to Los Angeles and its cultural resources. Also, 28.5K in Miami is nothing to sneeze at. If you're willing to share an apartment with roommates, that's a pretty healthy stipend for Coral Gables. Honestly, I don't think you can go wrong with either place - they're both great options.

Presumably you wouldn't have been admitted to both schools without demonstrating at least some level of fit. Is the fit so poor that you'd have to change your research interests entirely at Minnesota? If that's the case then Nebraska makes more sense. That said, I don't think it's necessary (or even desirable!) that what you study fits *exactly* with what your advisor's doing. If your advisor can provide, for example, expertise on mental health treatment (but perhaps not health disparities) then I think you'd be able to find the overlapping spheres to pursue a good working relationship. More so than ranking, I'd be wary of a new program with an unknown POI, especially if you have the chance to attend an established program with an well-regarded advisor. With this info in mind I'd personally go with Minnesota, unless you have a geographical limitation (e.g. you'd like to work in Nebraska after graduation) or the fit is absolutely not there (in which case I question why you applied in the first place). Research interests evolve in grad school, and it sounds like Minnesota offers the chance to explore adjacent subfields and interests. Also, I think the opportunities to network more broadly, participate in a variety of research initiatives, and live in a larger city are valuable, especially if you want to go into industry.

Precisely. Make decisions based on financial reasoning and not "prestige." There's lots of ways to get there. You can: 1. Go to the best in-state option. There are plenty of good MPP/MPA programs at state schools all across the country (e.g. LBJ, Goldman, Evans, etc). 2. Apply to schools (e.g. Maxwell) that have a history of giving good financial support, even if they don't have the immediate institutional prestige. 3. Move to the city you want to be in (e.g. DC) and get a full-time job. Then complete your coursework part-time (e.g. at Trachtenberg or American). FWIW when I lived in DC and moved in public policy circles this was perhaps the most common pathway to graduate debt-free/with lower debt.

Funding isn't everything, but this seems to me to be a key reason against B. Having to apply every year to secure summer funding is challenging, and the insecurity can really cut down on your productivity. The deep cut in funding during year 5 is also concerning. I honestly don't know how I would finish my program if my funding were to be cut in half during such a crucial moment (wrapping up the diss, going on the job market, etc). If you feel that you could be happy at either place, I would go with the option that provides more security during the PhD program and afterward.

I'm at Berkeley now, and a professor of mine who was on the admissions committee told me that all acceptances have been sent out. Sorry..

Brutal honesty, from one (former) international student to another: Without drastically improving your English skills, it will be extremely difficult for you to get into an English PhD program. I also don't understand why you're doing an MA in Linguistics if you want to get a Literature PhD. Likely you won't be writing papers with the critical analysis/close textual reading necessary for a good writing sample, and you won't be making relationships with literary scholars for recommendations. You're already fighting an uphill battle, as your undergrad record is poor. I did my undergrad at the #1 university in my country, and graduated at the top of my class. It still wasn't enough to get into a funded American PhD program. No one recognizes my country's universities in the West. It's just a fact. Furthermore, among my network of international student friends in the humanities who did their MA in non-U.S. countries, it is extremely common for them to do a second masters here before transitioning to a PhD program, especially if their MA was in a different field from their PhD program. I'm in that boat, as I'm now getting my THIRD MA en-route to a PhD. However, without that experience, my English never would have gotten to the point where I could succeed in a "top" humanities grad program. (Caveat: my understanding is that this is totally different in STEM.) I really recommend that you think long and hard about this, because I would never suggest anyone to follow my path, which was long and arduous and STILL might not lead to a good job at the end of it. If I were you, I'd just do the MA in Linguistics and take option A (get a job). However, if you're still committed to the PhD despite all the difficulties, I suggest the following: 1. Do an MA in the field that you want to do your PhD in. An MA in Linguistics probably will not translate into a Literature PhD program. 2. A 1-year MA program is not enough time to improve your language and academic skills. Look for 2 year programs. 3. Be realistic about your abilities. Get a native English tutor who understands something about academia to work with you on your writing. That is probably more important than your French. Sorry again for the tough advice, but you should know the reality of the situation. Feel free to PM me if you want to talk more about being an international student in a humanities PhD program.

Work experience. That's not the answer that you want to hear, but experience makes the application, especially for someone who does not have a stand-out undergrad resume. WhatAmIDoingNow has great advice about getting in-state tuition through a year of residency. Look into AmeriCorps programs in Minnesota or Wisconsin that are related to your areas of interest - they pay terribly, but you can get great experience and you'll receive an education completion scholarship. Next year is a campaign year - work on a local campaign or find an opportunity in the state you desire to live in. If you're religious, look into opportunities with faith organizations. Even if it's not directly related to your field, any experience will be helpful and will show that you're not just going blindly into a grad program.

What are your research interests? If they are, say, in quantitative sociology or multinational companies and neoliberalism it will be easier to make your background relevant. There are lots of people who go into sociology PhD programs without a sociology BA, but you'll need to prove that you understand the field. That said, it'll be hard if you don't have any letters from social scientists or a clear sense of why your project belongs in sociology. I would apply to a range of PhD and MA programs. There's a list of funded MA programs floating around, but I'd also look at European programs, where the tuition is quite cheap. Hope this helps - good luck!

What are the two programs? It'll depend on your field. Did you get any funding from either place?

I transitioned from teaching at a very intense inner-city charter school (easily 70+ hours a week) to graduate school. I had crazy time management skills from my full-time teaching experience, and for the first semester, grad school felt like a vacation, especially because I didn't have any teaching responsibilities. Actually, the most difficult thing was changing my lifestyle. I wasn't making a lot as a teacher, but I was living at my parent's home (so no rent) and all my extra income went toward fun and frivolous stuff. I moved across the country to an extremely expensive area, started paying rent, and had to manage this on a grad school stipend. I really had to learn to cut back, budget, and stick to it.

http://call-for-papers.sas.upenn.edu/ for your general browsing pleasure. Though I think it might be a bit late for CFPs for summer conferences, which are pretty rare as it is...even many fall conference CFP deadlines have passed. I also wanted to throw out a cautionary note about conferences. I truly believe that conferences are much more about quality than quantity -- and by this, I don't mean simple prestige. I think you might be better served by taking the time to root out the best conference for your subfield, the best conferences for networking, the best conferences for grad students, etc. and applying for those, even if they don't take place over the summer. Consider using the summer months to submit to a conference like SAMLA (which I hear great things about) as opposed to trying to find something that's in the next 2-3 months. (P.S. You're about to start the grad school grind! No need to feel guilty about just relaxing!)

If you're for sure going to commit to grad school, take a look at Americorps VISTA programs. The stipend is pitiful, but you get a completion education grant and the opportunity for on-the-ground experience. I know people who had good experiences with Americorps programs like New Sector Alliance (http://newsector.org) or City Year. Especially for MPP programs, I really think it'll be in your favor to try to get a couple years of work experience under your belt. Good luck!

You're not wrong. Manville (the studio apts) are about as cheap as it gets for studio apartments that close together campus, barring the very, very rare in law unit. But they are SMALL and don't have a fully equipped kitchen. If you're not planning on being home often, and really don't like living with other people, it's not a bad deal. BUT it's also right on Shattuck, so you get annoying nighttime street cleaners and general street noise. My friend lives there, and he's had to put planks over his windows because of the street lamps that shine directly into his apt. Jackson House has 2-6 bedroom apartments. It's just down the street from me, and surrounded by fraternities, which can be loud and annoying, particularly during football season. But I have some friends who live there that seem to like it for the proximity to campus. There's more space than Manville, but you're not allowed to sublet the rooms, which can be frustrating/pricey if you intend to be away next summer, as the leases run for 12 months. Another big bonus about the grad school housing is that the deposit is really low. I have a friend who committed to Jackson House for that reason only. It's absurd, but some landlords ask you for THREE times monthly rent upfront, which is really hard to afford.

This is probably a long shot, but does anyone know why Scott Kurashige left Michigan for UW Bothell? I've been hearing some unsettling rumors about the AC program at Michigan..

El Cerrito is nice, but very suburban. If you're looking for a more active area (e.g. walkable to bars and nightlife), then it probably isn't your best bet. That said, I know a number of grad students who live there and really like it! You can take the BART to campus, or there are buses (free for Cal students) if you're looking to save money on transportation. Less than $1,000 is doable, but you may have to make some concessions (cleanliness, space, distance, etc). Also, the earlier you can move to the Bay Area, the better. I really regret waiting until August to move out here, as it made everything way way more difficult.

Welcome to Cal! I relocated from the east coast, and I really like it here - great weather, great food, lots of resources for my area of interest. The only thing I don't like about Berkeley is the housing market. It's really, really impacted. I'm not trying to scare you, but when I showed up in Berkeley last year in August I regularly went to open houses with 30+ people competing for one spot in an apartment. Took me nearly 3 weeks to find a place, though I was working with a lower budget (under $1000) than yours. Everything ended up working out in the end, but I'm currently living in the Piedmont St area and I echo SublimePZ's recommendation to avoid fraternity row if you can. It's really noisy, sometimes even on weekdays.

Have you tried negotiating with the schools? I know SIPA and SAIS are notorious for not giving out funding, but I have a friend who successfully got an extra 5K a year out of American after asking them to match another school's offer. Also, many folks at American work full time while attending school, which is tiring but also minimizes debt. Regardless, those are all great choices to have. Congratulations on your acceptances!

There are a number of other factors that will go into your application (fit, lors, writing sample, etc), so I hesitate to say that anything is impossible. But my sense is that your MPA from a small regional college will not entirely offset the GPA. I think the top ten programs would be really difficult. Political science is a prestige driven field. Do you have a good advisor that will give you honest and constructive advice? In terms of immediate steps, do as well as you can in your MA and get the GRE as high as possible. Good luck.

What are your specific interests within IR? Do you have the language ability to back it up? The GPA will probably disqualify you from the top ten programs, maybe even the top twenty programs. If you want a shot in the top 50, you will want to aim for above 160 on both sections of the GRE to compensate for the GPA, as the previous commenter said. Honestly, the higher the better. From what I understand, the MPA might help, but a number of political scientists don't see professional MA programs as good preparation for PhD programs. I echo the suggestion to get in as much quant as you possibly can. Good luck.