schuaust
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Posts posted by schuaust
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If they were supportive of your transfer during the application process, I'm sure they'll be understanding and a simple thank you will suffice, maybe with some nice notes.
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2 hours ago, dpan said:
Thanks for your time and for answering my question- I really appreciate it!
Could you please explain what is 4-4's job? Teaching and research is my professional goal, so that's why I am seeking a high status program. I need to keep my chances realistic though and find a nice place to live as well, as I would spend the fourth decade of my life over there.
Would you suggest any specific programs? Regarding quantitative skills, they are essential in IR from what I've understood so far. Would you recommend anything I could do to get some in order to increase the chances of admission?
Thanks again!
A 4-4 would be a job where you teach four classes a semester. Most professors in my program are on a 2-3, which is more research oriented. Some Universities have 2-2's, and smaller state schools will often have 3-3's. You would have minimal expectations for research in a 4-4 school (probably 2-4 publications while your tenure clock is going, and some of those would be book reviews in peer-reviewed journals).
Realistically, getting into 'top schools' is a crap-shoot. You might get in, and having relationships through the Fulbright program might help, but you really should apply widely and consider what a 'top program' means to you. Your research interests should primarily be what dictates your applications, so see who is publishing in your area and where they are. If some University has a critical mass of scholars you are interested in (think 3+, or someone who is really, really interesting) then that is a good place to apply. As for the quantitative skills, I'm not really sure what to tell you. You will have a methods sequence, and that's where you will acquire those skills. Taking a stats course where you learn regression analysis and perhaps knowing some calculus wouldn't hurt. I didn't have the calculus but I did have the stats - I think it was somewhat helpful, but not especially. I don't think methods training will make or break your application - but then again, I've never served on a selection committee. Perhaps ask that question in the "faculty perspectives" thread, and also ask about what Universities might think about people who have gotten one PhD and are applying for another. I'm sure it's not common, but I doubt it's unheard of.
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On 4/14/2019 at 4:57 PM, dpan said:
Thanks for your insight! My studies are narrowed down to the history of a small region and offer me almost none employability. My university doesn't have any exceptional status either.
When I spent time at Columbia O was excited with IR theory and political science in general. These things are not something I can do myself. I need to get quantitative skills and dive into game theory and get the opportunity to work in a productive environment.
I am not rich, so I will also need funding.
Several thoughts here (current PhD candidate at a lower-tier R1):
1) If you have regional expertise it seems like working for the government would be an option, but I'll assume you've considered this and that you prefer to stay in academia
2) If that's the case, is working at a teaching University an option? Even with a degree from a top-tier program lots of people end up with 4-4's, and there's nothing wrong with that kind of job (except in a world where we've devalued teaching).
3) If you are shooting for an R1, IR theory isn't really going to be what gets you a job. It is not true that IR is non-quantitative, there are certainly IR scholars who are oriented toward theory, but most of the ones getting jobs at R1 schools have quantitative skills (there are notable and interesting exceptions, but speaking from a position of having to game the market a bit, you will at the very least need to demonstrate competence in some 'empirical' methods). Most of the IR 'theorists' getting jobs are more sociologically oriented, so they aren't doing the same kind of inductive theorizing that Waltz/Mearsheimer/etc. did/do.
4) Even with that degree you aren't ensured a better job than you can get now.
5) Quantitative skills might help you get into a program, but all programs will have a required methods sequence. I don't think that's going to be something that kills your chances.
6) I'm sure you already know this, but this is likely 5 more years of making very little money, there's a big opportunity cost to think about.
I'm not trying to dissuade you, but if you haven't thought about some of these things, you likely should.Good luck!
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On 4/12/2019 at 3:41 PM, Chronicoverthinker said:
Technically, yes, although the funding package isn't quite as good as I've seen some other schools offer.
This is really a tough decision to make. As someone who struck out on applications, I'd lean toward the funded program because you aren't guaranteed something better. At the same time, an MA makes getting your PhD easier (just because you've read more high-level academic work) and it really could help you get into a better program. I know that's not really all that helpful, lol
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11 hours ago, in praxis said:
This is encouraging news--thanks so much!
My grades, then--which are not low but neither are they impressive for a PhD applicant--shouldn't deter me from applying to some elite programs? UCSC looks great for my interests, and I'd actually been doing some research on their Politics Department recently. I'll check out the other places you mentioned (I'd written off Brown, UCLA and Berkeley on account of my relatively mediocre grades).
This program looks super interesting, thanks for recommending it!
PM me if you want more details on UA, I'm in that department and political science. Per your grades, they aren't 'bad', if your application file is good you'll get considered by some programs. The process is really unpredictable, so IMO, applying to a variety of programs is a good idea.
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Finally got a rejection from Northwestern. No luck, staying at my current program.
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You look like an excellent candidate for any of those places. Judging by the schools you are looking at, Brown, British Columbia, UCLA, Berkeley, University of Delaware, and Cal Santa Cruz might be places to look at. If you are thinking about funded masters programs, Alabama's Women's Studies (really gender and race studies) program places a lot of people into good schools and does a lot of the kind of theory you'd be interested in (and our political science department has two interesting IR theorists in Waleed Hazbun and Daniel Levine you could also take classes from; fair warning, though, Alabama is a horrid place to live). University of Victoria has RBJ Walker and University of Hawaii has Michael Shapiro, and depending on your career goals, could be good places (I wouldn't recommend anything but top 40 if a job at an R-1 political science department were your goal). Also, you might look at ISA-NE when you get to going to conferences.
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PROFILE: Low tier
Type of Undergrad Institution: small, state school
Major(s)/Minor(s): Political Science
Undergrad GPA: 3.63
Type of Grad: Large, state school
Grad GPA: 3.93
GRE: 161V/154Q/4
Any Special Courses:
Letters of Recommendation: three well published critical theorists
Research Experience: RAship building a large dataset for which I am writing conference papers now, worked for Correlates of War (doing so again)
Teaching Experience: 2 years, excellent teaching reviews
Subfield/Research Interests: IR (theory, civil conflict), Political Theory (international ethics, empire, postcolonial/decolonial & queer theory)
Other:
RESULTS: 1 Acceptance ($$ @75-85 rank, waitlist @ top 20, rejected at 8 other schools ranked from top 5 to top 40)
Going to: The school I've been waitlisted at if accepted, otherwise staying where I currently am.Transfering is difficult unless you have extraordinary circumstances (which, being gay in the deep south isn't easy) or are transferring to a less prestigious program, I don't know that I'd recommend trying. The best advice I've got is that rejections aren't an indictment on your potential or character. If I had to speculate on what to avoid based on my experience, I think retaking the GRE if your quant score is lowish (undergrad scores, figured graduate grades in stats/methods would compensate) and varying the 'type' of recommender might matter. Was told by all recommenders that my application materials were excellent, but I'm sure that my writing sample and statement of purpose weren't perfect.
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1 hour ago, pp30 said:
Does anyone have some input about the PhD program at Brown for comparative?
They have Dr. Ashutosh Varshney who is an incredible scholar. If you are thinking about doing ethnic politics as a part of your work he would be an amazing person to be on a committee. Snyder has also done some interesting stuff on the 'resource curse' in civil conflict. I'm sure they have other very good comparative scholars, but those are the two that stick out from the work I've encountered in graduate school.
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Northwestern does have a shortlist, but is unlikely to move on it. Good luck to anyone else on it, this is the only offer I have outstanding, so fingers crossed (but fortunately am already in a PhD program).
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Is anyone else still waiting to hear from Northwestern? Emailed people again, but no luck.
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2 hours ago, SuperSmash said:
In at Notre Dame's IR PhD Program but also got into Chicago's CIR with half tuition. Both are amazingly great fits, but Chicago would mean I'm taking on a good probably 50k worth of debt. What should I do?????
Notre Dame is a good program, you'd have no guarantee of a better offer after CIR. That being said, a better offer would still be possible, so it's really up to you.
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1 hour ago, Tobz said:
did they email you or how did you find out about this?
Emailed another professor in the department, he was very nice. He said that his intuition was if we haven't heard anything back at this point we are likely wait-listed (hence why I say likely, not certainly). He said to contact Dr. Reno. Was very nice.
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2 hours ago, peggy.olson said:
FINALLY rejected from Northwestern lmao
EDIT: likely wait-listed, told to contact Dr. Reno.
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Looks like Hopkins sent out their IR decisions earlier today. I haven't heard back and my status portal isn't updated, but I'm guessing I didn't get in. Definitely the biggest disappointment of the cycle. Still waiting for Northwestern, but guessing that's also a 'no.'
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Rejected at Penn. Hopkins says that decisions have been made and will be sent out this week.
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The work is going to be hard, and the lifestyle taxing, no matter where you go. Don't add the anxiety of post-graduation job prospects unless you have a really, really good reason for doing so (such as, you know that students of a particular professor from a department place well, and they would lead your dissertation committee).
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28 minutes ago, IcedCovfefe said:
Perhaps we can report those posts or get the mods involved somehow? They’re ruining the results page and it’s not like there nowhere for discussions.
I've been reporting them as spam as they are posted. I haven't looked back through to see if they've been deleted over time.
- IcedCovfefe and Onwarrdz
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1 hour ago, MidnightSkywalker said:
Yeah, I have a temporary job at a local NGO that ends in July, so probably I should have time to prepare for the next round.
How did you improve your application? I don't even know what the biggest problem was. Maybe everything? I am not sure if I am just not right for the Ph.D. program, or my application was not good enough overall. I should have had other people evaluate my profile before I decided where to apply
Here's a bunch of stuff that probably isn't helpful or reassuring at all, but hopefully has the intended effect (to be reassuring and encouraging).
Looking at where you applied it looks like there are really no mid-range programs other than Florida State (which is really well respected). It looks like you still have quite a few pending, so don't give up hope, and remember that it is a very idiosyncratic process. Most of these places have 10-50 applications for every one that they accept (for example, Washington-Seattle accepted 10 people and had over 160 people apply). At the 70-100 range the competition is a lot less, but obviously the career prospects aren't as 'good' (if by 'good' you mean becoming a tenured professor at an R1 institution).
I'm currently at an institution in the 90-100 range, and reapplied to programs because where I am does not have LGBT support ... at all ... and so in my second go-round with quite a bit of training and a massive data project under my belt I've gotten in only at a similarly ranked University, with a few still pending. So, it's kind of a brutal process that requires really solid applications all around, and even then, it's still luck of the draw (some people are exceptions and just stand above the rest). So don't give up hope, hopefully you get in at one of the schools you are waiting on a decision from (and fingers crossed we will see each other at UPenn, lol), but if it does require a second go-round remember that fit is the most important thing for getting in (beyond the strength of your applications) and to apply widely based on that. When you do, you'll see that it naturally constrains where you apply within each rank (so for me, that looks like --- Elite tier: Berkeley (UCLA, if I applied) -- High: Northwestern (haven't heard back), Minnesota, UPenn (UBC, if I applied) -- Mid-high: Washington-Seattle, Hopkins -- Mid-low: UC Santa Cruz -- Lower: Delaware, remain at home institution). Regardless, even at the lower institutions, a postdoc can really give you a better chance (we've had people get jobs at Kansas and South Carolina recently and are ranked pretty low). There's also a possible selection effect in some lower ranked Universities, at mine there are very few of us who want to be at research Unis, so most people are looking for teaching jobs at liberal arts colleges, or to work in the private sector. The people that have wanted research oriented jobs have generally been able to get them. I don't know how far that travels to other institutions.
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1 hour ago, devotee said:
Thank you. Are there any ways to politely ask if there is an available "slot" (I really do not know the terminology here, LOL) for me to be his student? In other words, how can I ask the chances of him being my advisor? Or would this be considered inappropriate at this point? I really want to make sure and this will be a crucial factor regarding my decision as he is the only person in the faculty whose research interests completely coincide with mine.
This is something that is generally determined after you are in the program (currently in a PhD program).
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9 hours ago, Bosco said:
May you update us on here after you hear back from Northwestern please? I am also waiting for the decision.
Will do!
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As the bizarre trickle of Northwestern rejections continues I'm beginning to feel an odd combination of hope/nihilism. I still haven't heard back, does that make it more or less likely I'm in or on the wait-list? Who knows? Will be emailing them on Monday.
Help with SoP (comparative)
in Political Science Forum
Posted
If you have a Professor writing you a recommendation, they aren't going to mind looking over your SOP and providing some pointers. Go into the prior application cycle threads and see what people have to say about what they thought made their applications successful or not. Some people put in those threads that they are willing to share SOPs.