Ahab

This is not worth stressing about. Schools are seeking people from all kinds of different backgrounds. I'm sure you'll be fine with the list of schools you applied to. A significant amount of NGO and public affairs work involves banking. If I were you, I would turn that experience into a strength and talk about how it makes you a better candidate. That is, of course, unless all your statements are done.

I wouldn't worry about your quant/econ background. The AW score would probably trouble me a little more but I you should be competitive at both schools.

Are you looking at 2011? That would be cutting it pretty close. Most of the deadlines are about a month away. I'd start with the Foreign Policy "Inside the Ivory Tower" rankings. Most of the recommendations you will get will include those schools. From that point it's really more about figuring out the specific strengths of different schools vis-a-vis your interests. National security is a pretty big subfield.

Hey, I'm also an current ETA, so I understand the pressure you are going through. If you definitely feel that you can't continue and you have something valuable that you could be doing elsewhere, I think it's fine to leave the program before the grant period ends. Does it suck? Kinda but you have to make the best decision for your life and future. That said, there is a point where you are technically considered a "Fulbrighter" regardless of whether or not you actually finish the full term of your fellowship. I believe it's at the 6 month mark but I'm not completely sure. If you reach that point and leave you don't really need to tell anyone that you didn't finish; therefore, it shouldn't negatively affect your future at all. I have a good friend that knows more about this than I do. Let me know if you need more info.

Program Applied To Asian Studies/Security Studies Schools Applied To: GWU, American, Pitt, Others? Schools Admitted To: Schools Rejected From: Still Waiting: Undergraduate institution: Small Public Liberal Arts University Undergraduate GPA: 3.89 Undergraduate Major: Pol. Science GRE Quantitative Score: 690 GRE Verbal Score: 700 GRE AW Score: 5 Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable): 1 Years of Work Experience: 2 Describe Relevant Work Experience: I had a number of relevant internships during college. This year, I'm on a Fulbright fellowship in Asia. Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc): It's not groundbreaking. I played it pretty safe because there just isn't much you can do with 500 words. I'm interesting in the research of a few particular professors, so I mentioned their work and I plan on contacting them in the next few weeks. Strength of LOR (be honest, describe the process, etc): I feel really good about my LORs. All three are from professors that know me well and one is from a Asian politics expert with considerable clout. Other: The wait begins...

Why did you choose Korbel in the first place? What are the differences between the Korbel location in DC (which I don't know anything about) and GWU? Also, tuition at Korbel is surprisingly expensive. Do a good number of admitted students also receive substantial funding? What are the differences between a Korbel student and a comparable student at one of the more "traditional" options - in terms of geographic proximity to NY and DC? For the sake of context, I'm primarily interested in GWU because of tuition cost and location. I haven't noticed anything at Korbel that would draw me there instead but I'm an open-minded kinda guy : ) Thanks for fielding questions!

<br /><br /><br /> Hey Narak, I'm with you waiting on CLEA notification. From what I understand the Taiwan Fulbright committee sets up all of the CLEA awards. I don't think we need to do anything at all. I'm really hoping that we hear soon. Congrats Starfish21! If any other Taiwan ETAs want to chat sometime, I just set up a new email: ahabtaiwan@gmail.com I'm stoked to meet you all and get started on this fellowship! I'm finishing up my last week of undergrad but I can't stop looking up random facts about Taiwan.

Accepted for an ETA in Taiwan! Good luck to everyone still waiting and hang in there!

Any Taiwan finalists want to email J. Akeley and ask if notifications came out this week? I think he is probably tired of my queries but I want to know how soon to expect this thing!

<br /><br /><br /> Hey. You're the third Taiwan finalist on the boards. Based on last years results we should be hearing back this week but I don't know for sure. I emailed our director a month ago and received this message: "The exact timing varies each year, but notifications for Taiwan are typically sent out in early to mid April."

Hooray! I knew this would be a good week for Asia applicants! Congratulations.

It's a new week! C'mon East Asia and Pacific notifications, it is time for some good news!

Hey Pomchem, I'm a CLEA and Taiwan ETA applicant as well. From what I understand, the program from CLEA recipients is pretty much set up in advance. They application had a section where you could suggest a location/program, as you stated, but I don't think that is necessarily where you will end up if selected. Honestly, that's about all I know It's pretty wild that we don't hear until April and could be leaving in June!

I'm really struggling to figure this stuff out. So far I've received 4 rejections and I was not in the group of Washington admits that went out this past weekend. I feel like I could analyze this process to death and not have any idea where I went wrong. GPA: 3.9cum/3.95polsci (Small liberal arts university with growing reputation) GRE: 1390 - 700V/690Q Great LORs but not from scholars with national name recognition Multiple research projects and conference presentations. My writing sample won a national award. My personal statement was short but I received a lot of help on it and I thought it turned out pretty well. The one thing I'm worried about is that I over emphasized the interplay between academic politics and real-world politics. I was trying to explain how I had gone from focusing on a career in the federal government to a career in academia but maybe it just made me sound like a lightweight. I applied for comparative politics with a focus on East Asia/China. I tried to keep it broad but I talked about democratization/political socialization/internal politics. I'm really happy for all of you that got in to top schools because I can only imagine what that feeling would be like. Maybe I just need to look in a different direction...

Washington is emailing decisions, probably early next week.

Thanks for the info. I think I'll take your advice and hang here. Most of my "big" rejections have already come through anyway

This will probably sound dumb, but what do you guys mean by the "results" page? I feel like there is a whole world of anxiety that I have yet to tap!

Hey APGRAD - I know a student from my university that was wait-listed at Rochester and then offered a spot sometime in March. You should definitely keep that option open if you are really interested.

UNC said that it has made application decisions and will now be establishing a wait-list (although I'm not holding out much hope)

I received the same rejection from Duke. It's been a rough day.

News from UW-Madison (If anyone is still waiting): Our department has indeed sent out offers of admission. Assuming that we get a reasonable yield on these offers, I don't expect to admit more students. However, there have been years in which the yield runs low and we go back to the pool. It's not exactly a wait list, but we have not officially rejected applicants so that we may admit later if necessary. Feel free to check in with me again in late March to see if the situation has changed.

Does anyone have any info on Univ. of Washington (Seattle)?

Hey polisciFTW, what is your subfield?

I just received this email from Michigan (I was worried that my transcripts hadn't been received): "We did receive your transcripts. Your application is complete and is currently being reviewed. We should have decisions made within a week." _______________________ Cornelius Wright Department of Poltical Science University of Michigan

Congrats JollyWag! How were you notified?