ZajoncSays

Actually, this person is currently finishing a post-doc and is starting next fall as a TT assistant professor. I don't know where you're getting your information, but you're off.

Maybe you should talk to people on the CS forum/board? This forum is for people who are interested in going in to political science, not leaving it...

PROFILE: Type of Undergrad Institution: large, well-known midwestern university Major(s)/Minor(s): philosophy Undergrad GPA: 3.1 (pursuing pre-med as long as I did was a giant mistake) Type of Grad: MA from university ranked in the top 15 for political science Grad GPA: 3.98 GRE: V: 165 Q: 161 W: 5.5 Any Special Courses: Political economy, causal inference, linear models at the graduate level Letters of Recommendation: 3 political scientists, all who said they would write me a 'strong' LoRs Research Experience: RA and work experience in quantitative and qualitative research Teaching Experience: none Subfield/Research Interests: American politics and political behavior/psychology Other: RESULTS: Acceptances($$ or no $$): Vanderbilt, UPenn, Stony Brook, UIUC, Northwestern, Michigan (all $$) Waitlists: Michigan and Princeton Rejections: Stanford, Cal, Minnesota, UChicago Pending: none Going to: Michigan LESSONS LEARNED: I only applied to schools where the research fit was strong. I had many discussions with my recommenders about where they thought I should apply and who would be good to work with given my research interests, and got feedback from them throughout the process. I read books and journal articles by all of the professors I was interested in working with to determine fit and removed schools from my initial list of 15+ schools because research interests didn't seem to mesh as well with mine or I felt I would have a hard time justifying why I wanted to work with someone/be in a department. I didn't target based on rank i.e. only apply to top-10/15 schools. Apply widely! Also - only apply to schools that you would attend if you are admitted! If any of the schools I applied to were my only offer, I would be happily going there. This is my second cycle - the first cycle I only applied to four schools, had no idea what I was doing, and was rejected from all of the programs. Two of the schools I applied to my first cycle I received admission to this cycle. I did not reapply to one of the schools because I realized it was not a good fit for my interests. My SoP and research interests were much clearer my second cycle, which I owe to being in a MA program and doing independent research. SOP: I discussed the research question I want to pursue in a doctoral program and then discussed how my question ties in to and builds upon current research in the field. I then explained how my MA research was a start to answering the question I'm interested in and what methods I hope to use and continue to use to pursue my research question. My last paragraph was tailored to each school and discussed why I am pursuing a PhD and fit within the department, targeting at least two professors with research interests that fit with mine in some way.

I just got off the waitlist at Michigan so it's likely I'll be seeing you there!! I'm still in shock!

Regarding letter writers: use a service like Interfolio. They just write you one letter, place it on Interfolio, and then you can send it where ever you like. Occasionally some schools won't allow you to submit Interfolio through the online applications, but often times if you send a polite email to the department you can send your letters directly to someone and they will add them to your file.

So ignoring the fact that you've probably insulted a lot of people and their research with your previous statement... While it might be nice to have something published while in undergrad, if you don't have that I don't think it will break an application. Key question: what is the research question you are interested in and what methods/tools/hammers are you currently interested in using to explore it? This is really going to be key, as you're going to have to justify your desire to go to graduate school to admissions committees in order to be accepted. You stated general (dis)interests above but I unfortunately can't tell what exactly you're interested in studying or what your research interest is, just that you're against quant. From what I can tell about world systems theory, it's a Marxist approach to analyzing change. Which is fine, but I'm unclear if you're a theorist (in which case, the job market can be very, very, difficult - your advisers weren't wrong - though this doesn't mean don't pursue it) or interested in qualitative, ethnographic approaches. Additionally, if you think you want to do government work you probably only need a MA for that, not a PhD. Edit to add: Agree with Slacktivist about the New School being a place that might be of interest.

Noticed a few admissions to UChicago master's program on the board. If you have any questions about the program feel free to PM me.

I claim a Penn acceptance! And with that I'm no longer waiting on any schools: in at 5 and wait listed at 2. Whoa.

Thank you for the update! I promise not to hold it against you if you end up going there in the end.

Depends. Are you an Americanist? If not, we're probably better off taking our bargaining elsewhere. Best of luck to you!

Gah! Waitlisted at Princeton!

I'm also waitlisted at Michigan. I'll take it! If people get better offers please consider bowing out as soon as you make a decision! Congrats to everyone who got Princeton today!

So, Chicago has a second round of admissions into their 1 year master's program in the Social Sciences and everyone who applied to PhD programs in the social sciences is often considered for admission to the MA program. Knowing this might not help much, but they aren't just holding rejections for no reason.

It looks like we almost did! Whoa.

I'm claiming the Vanderbilt admit!