guest789
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Posts posted by guest789
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If this is related to your research interests, apply!
- verschiedene, NeedaMormon and Mazarin
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I think I'm going to stop checking the survey page. I know this forum is only one step above in terms of verification and anyone could lie here as well, but the survey, man... we just don't know how accurate the entries are, so all it does is raise your blood pressure.
- BrownSugar and funfetti
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6 minutes ago, _nutella_ said:
Can you link to some threads?
From a UMass professor (I feel like this is even worse than say Yale - I would have thought that with such a large ugrad program, UMass would need the TA labor) :
In econ, but still (nothing on halving acceptances though):
I saw a tweet from a Yale grad student/ABD in poli sci months ago saying they were halving their class as well. Twitter sucks when it comes to digging up old tweets, so I'll try and find it but no promises.
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Academic twitter is talking about how it's a bloodbath this year (FML) - double the apps, half the spots.
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They (usually) release acceptances on one day, rejections on another.
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I honestly don’t think grad school departments think that deeply about it. Maybe it takes them an extra day to sort through waitlists and rejections. The fact that we even know that others are getting in is relatively new as well - since 2008 or whenever this site started.
ETA: I don’t think the standardized dates work well either. This isn’t their job, whereas undergrad admissions do that full time, so they can more reasonably set expectations for timing. Profs OTOH have way more priorities that take precedence.
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2 minutes ago, ndhafner said:
Hey all!
So I am a senior at UIUC and have applied to a couple of school psychology programs. Today I received some news that I have gotten an interview extended to me by Illinois State, so that is pretty exciting. I also had an open house, virtually, with Eastern Illinois University today. However, I am having some doubts about myself. Has anyone felt that when they see their competition (as I met some of the people at the open house and heard their stories) that they are not as special or should be in the position that they are at?
I would love some interview advice, just general advice on how to keep your head up in a competitive world, or on graduate school admissions and the chance of getting in if offered an interview!
Hi, I don't know how much advice we will be able to offer as this is the political science thread. I think there is a psychology forum on here as well - I'd go check that out if I were you.
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This may get lost in all of the results, but I read this advice piece from Justin Grimmer (a Stanford poli sci professor) yesterday: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/56cbca73e707ebc39cef7c52/t/5fb56fe1351dd83f652e32ff/1605726177551/Kanye.pdf It looks like a very good guide, take a look if you haven't already.
- Crossed_fingers and PolNerd
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Acceptances last year came out on Jan 26, so I hope we get news soon!
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13 minutes ago, mypolisciguy said:
In my humble opinion, this is the only thing from your list that really matters. Professionalization (in this context) is the degree to which you can show that you can operate and function in a scholarly community. Knowing how to do multilevel models, survey experiments, or RDDs, and thinking that it is the predominant approach to studying politics, doesn't make you any more professionalized. Being able to present and publish original research does, however.
I don't think they are saying people can't get in without these characteristics - they can. Clearly knowing causal inference, etc. isn't a prerequisite. There are, however, some people who get into all CHYMPS and who are "recruited" for lack of better word because their applications are stellar. Nearly all applicants - probably even most people who are accepted! - do not have 100% stellar applications, but they do have one or two things that stand out. However, I think the ones who get into all must have a higher degree of professionalization - the odds are stacked against them otherwise.
(This is also just my opinion - and FWIW I am also an applicant (with zero acceptances so far) so take what I say with a big grain of salt. I should note that I just want to get into one school and do not think I'm in the group I described in the preceding paragraph at all.)
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5 minutes ago, BunniesInSpace said:
I'm thinking specifically about things that you do in everyday political science, but if you come from a lower ranked undergrad you might not encounter (where going to a PhD is highly uncommon) :
- how to write a research paper, like how to structure it, how to write like an academic
- having methods training beyond like very basic OLS or chi-squared tests
- knowing what to say in the statement of purpose (ie no "I want to change the world through my research" lmao)
- having read political science papers before (lots of undergrads just read textbooks/an occasional monkey cage article for example)
- knowing where the field is, methodologically (ie "causal inference" or "identification strategy" means something to you)
- knowing what the current frontiers of research are in your subfield (and importantly, whether the questions you pose in your SOP are "solved")
Thanks. I'm someone who is pretty clued into current poli sci - my writing sample uses causal inference methods - but I know a lot of people aren't. I don't think it does applicants any good to "waste" money by applying if they don't know what top departments are looking for.
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41 minutes ago, baby__yoda said:
...your writing sample will be an indicator of your writing abilities.
In the same vein, it would be great if departments would use the writing sample as an indicator of our quant abilities, if we're applying to a quant field. Get rid of the GRE.
- AHD and Crossed_fingers
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10 minutes ago, BunniesInSpace said:
"professionalization"
Can you give some examples of what professionalization implies?
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32 minutes ago, _nutella_ said:
My advisors just informed me that their department did experience the widely-discussed huge increase in applications.
They waived the GRE and saw a considerable number of applications from people who appear to have applied just because they could. In other words, a decent portion of this year's marginal applicants were unprepared for graduate study and seemed to lack an understanding of what it means to be a doctoral student and to conduct political science research.
This is just one university, but it made me feel a little better. It affirms what someone on this thread previously noted: just because applications doubled does not mean that the competitiveness of admissions doubled.
Does this impact how they view apps without GRE scores? If someone is competitive but did not submit a GRE score, will they still take the application seriously?
Secondly, what does this mean in terms of turn around - do they expect a delay in reporting admissions? Or given the increase in marginal candidates, does that have little impact on reporting times?
ETA: I think most departments will reinstate the GRE next year haha - they can't be happy about this.
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Chicago, Columbia (QMSS not political science)...
But...
1) Don't count yourself out yet!
2) If you do find yourself in that situation, I'd strongly encourage working first - you earn money instead of spending it on tuition, which is key. Look at places like Pew, Brennan Center, Wilson Center, Urban Institute. Or look at journalism (data journalism? The Economist is hiring a trainee data journalist which would be a GREAT gig for a potential political scientist. They already have a brilliant one on staff.). Alternatively consulting, data science, data analytics. Or things like JPAL. Anything quantitive would likely be a bonus, given that political science is 90% quant at this point.
There is also nothing wrong with getting a normal job that doesn't relate to political science or data at all.
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Just now, gingerantelope said:
I didn't have an interview with OSU! I'd emailed a few profs prior to the application cycle, but I never received an interview invite.
Damn I just removed that post, oh well LOL.
Someone posted a few pages back about getting an interview at OSU and they were told they'd hear in 3 weeks, which is why I was wondering.
I didn't apply to OSU, so I don't really have a stake in this and probably should speculate too much which is why I deleted it ha.
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Edit: Needless speculation, removed.
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3 hours ago, Theory007 said:
It does not seem slower to me. The only two programs you can really count on to release decisions in January is Madison and OSU and several others are beginning to come out now as well. It is quicker than usual actually. Try not to check your email every 5 min. Many programs will not release decisions for another month or two.
I think it feels slower because we're all stuck inside with very little to do due to pandemic.
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24 minutes ago, mypolisciguy said:
I think it's a fairly safe assumption that there is a decent chunk of programs - even top ones - that will have reduced cohort sizes this cycle.
Yes - for example, I was going to apply to HKS PEG this fall, but they emailed us before the application deadline and said that all applicants - if "accepted" - would be waitlisted as the number of deferrals from last year meant that they already have a full class this year.
Congratulations to everyone who has heard good news!
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21 minutes ago, Indeed said:
Well, I have some bad news. I have contacted Northwestern pol sci before the application deadline and they told me that it will be an extremely competitive year for admissions since they will accept 1-2% of the applications instead of the regular 10%. So I suppose we all got rejected if they did not decide to admit more people.
I think this is a possibility - not only have the # of applicants increased, many schools that don't need tons of TAs (private schools, usually) are shrinking their class size. I saw a tweet from a Yale grad student a few months ago who said that Yale is halving their class.
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I did include a link on my CV. I saw the other day that someone from a college town (I applied to the university this year as well) was looking. This is a school that generally doesn't release their results until the end of February, but it sounds like they're going through our profiles now.
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Do y’all think website views mean anything (note I don’t have many views when I’m not applying for things, it’s not a well trafficked website or blog LOL)? It’s going to suck if they’re looking because they’re curious but they wind up rejecting me anyway, ahh.
2020-2021 Application Thread
in Political Science Forum
Posted
You mean for grad school advice or in general? I found that tweet by searching "grad school" in the search box. I follow people in my subfield - I find Americanists are pretty active on Twitter - as well as people who are active in other areas (e.g. R Twitter and so on). Whatever your interests are.