PoliSciGuy00

Hi Theory007. It’s good to hear from you. I hope you’ve been doing well. I’m sorry to everyone for my absence. Like many folks, I got off gradcafe during grad school, partly for mental health reasons but also because of the whirlwind of graduate school. Now that I’ve had a bit of time to reflect, I’d like to share the following: Several years ago I decided to attend a somewhat lower ranked program because I believed I would get better mentorship than a higher-ranked program I was also admitted to. I’m not sure that was a *mistake* but, like every decision, there are some things I know now that I wish I knew back then. I’ve gotten good mentorship at my program, but I realize that mentorship isn’t the only thing that is necessary to produce good research. In my opinion, most of us on this forum need four things to produce good research (we’re all smart enough, I imagine). (1) Patience. (2) Mentorship and advising. (3) Money/time. (4) Research skills. I’ll skip over patience because I think that’s relatively self-explanatory. In my somewhat lower ranked program, I’ve struggled with numbers 3 and 4. Research is a time-consuming process that can be expensive and requires technical skills. What I’ve learned now is that sometimes the best mentorship in the world doesn’t help if you simply don’t have the skills or time or money to actually write or run your data or visit the archives or whatever. And now back to the ultimate point of this section: picking PhD programs. If you’re lucky enough to get more than one choice I’d say there’s two general methods for deciding: picking the highest ranked program or going with your gut. I went with my gut—but knowing what I know now I’m not sure I would’ve made that same decision. Visiting days can be perfect but that doesn’t mean the program itself is perfect. Furthermore, I think it’s safe to say lower-ranked schools will hustle to recruit you, whereas higher-ranked programs generally don’t. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll have a better experience at a lower-ranked program. I’m not sure if going with your gut or simply picking for prestige is better. But I’ll offer just a few more thoughts. If you’re deciding between a prestigious program in the cold northeast or a lower ranked one in balmy LA, and you’re someone that absolutely can’t stand snow and would be miserable in the cold, then perhaps it makes sense for you to go to LA. Why? Because you know with a high degree of confidence that LA is warm. Picking based on factors like mentor quality is riskier because your information at the time is limited. Without picking on my current program too much—there’s too many miserable people on the internet—I just want to reiterate that factors like endowment, wealth, and prestige can be important, measurable factors you should consider. I didn’t pay as much attention to that as I should’ve. Generally, but not always, those are synonymous with a higher-ranked program. Those factors can determine whether or not you have the time and money to actually complete a (good) dissertation. Also, try and talk to as many grad students as you can at the programs you are seriously considering. Don’t stop with the students that show up on admitted students’ day. Generally, they are the most engaged and getting the most out of the program. You need to make sure you talk to the median student in the department to understand what experience you’re most likely to have. So, anyways, that’s my two cents. I wish everyone here the best of luck. If you have more specific questions, please PM me. I’m gonna try and hang around here at least a bit, but I probably won’t be posting anymore on the forums.

Well said. I will also be around, especially during this summer. Feel free to DM me and I will do my best to respond.

Just wanted to make a quick note here for anyone accepted to Chicago MA programs, its worth asking them for more $$$, especially if you have a funded offer somewhere to use as leverage. There's no guarantee of course, but Chicago is a wealthy school so its worth asking them for more $$$.

Great advice here. I'm not sure I have much more to add, except that I'd echo point #3. This is especially important, and hard to do, unfortunately, on Zoom. I'm not sure I really have a good answer. Although its a pain, try really hard to talk to at least 2-3 current students.

I see. In that case, I'm not sure I have a really strong recommendation for you. I would agree with you that if you go to Columbia, or anywhere else, for a 1 year MA, it would probably make sense to wait a year, as you won't really have gotten out of the program what you need in just 2-3 months. If you're going to put the effort/time/money into an MA, I think it makes sense to wait until you have finished one year before applying to get the real benefit of the degree during PhD apps. I don't think there's any harm in waiting, personally. Sometimes professors will hire, either full or part time, former students to serve as RAs. That's no guarantee, of course, but it could be possible at somewhere like Columbia. The only other thing I'd say right now is not to focus too much on the "type" of master's degree, but to consider what you think you can get out of the program in terms of (1) coursework and (2) connections with faculty. Speaking hypothetically, and if finances roughly equal out at different schools, if you think you could develop stronger connections and take more rigorous coursework at LSE vs. Columbia, then I'd go there (I'm not sure if this would be the case, just using an example). I know its hard to gauge this stuff, especially during Covid, but just go with your gut and get as much info as you can. Some master's programs, too, will offer much greater flexibility in coursework, so keep that in mind. If you're trying to be competitive for a PhD, you don't necessarily want to spend all your time in a master's program taking classes on project management or leadership or whatever, you need to have some freedom to take classes that will help you develop research skills. I'll chew this over and see if I have anything else to contribute later.

Hi friend, Congrats on making the decision to pursue the (long) PhD journey. Before I give any specific recommendation, I just wanted to ask for some clarification. You say you have a Fulbright secured for a 1 year MA at Columbia? Does this mean you would have tuition covered and a stipend for that one year? Furthermore, does that Fulbright apply to any other school, or just Columbia? If it is only Columbia, I would absolutely suggest you go there. As anyone on this forum will tell you, debt sucks. It sucks even more if you are trying to get a not super lucrative job in academia. Columbia, while I have my problems with it, is an excellent option if funded. It sounds like that is the case for you, but I'm not entirely sure based on the info you provided. If that is your only funded option, I'd go there without a second thought.

This discussion shows that people can have productive conversation on the internet....and on this forum! Who knew.

I think both of the above comments are excellent. I'm not sure I have much more to add. As someone who is prone to mental health issues, I think you ought to know that a PhD can be a lonely and sometimes disheartening experience. It can be hard for me to be alone all day and see my worked picked apart by professors and peers (even if the feedback is very positive and constructive). I'm sure Covid has a part in this that hopefully won't be a factor by the time you are looking at apply. That doesn't mean you shouldn't pursue a PhD, you certainly should, but it does mean that you try and select a department (if you have a choice) that seems well-functioning and supportive. Also, it seems to me that most American PhD programs will give you health insurance that includes free or low-cost therapy and you should absolutely use those services if you feel like you need them. I'd also note that I don't think you necessarily need to do a second master's program at a prestigious school like Oxbridge or LSE or wherever if you excel at your first, even if its at a school with less name recognition. Names matter in this industry, of course, but if you get stellar grades, recs, and research experience at your first program, I don't see any reason to apply for a second master's without giving PhD apps an earnest attempt. Study hard for your GRE, but understand that it isn't everything. Make a point when you're in your master's program to write at least one or two strong pieces of writing that are 20+ pages that you can polish later and use as a writing sample. I'd echo what others have said too, fit matters. When you are selecting what program to apply to, don't blindly follow rankings, match your fit with faculty members in the program. Best of luck to you!

Nice to see a law student on here. One of my mentors had a PhD and law degree and was a terrific scholar, teacher, and mentor, so I don't think that will work against you at all. It will probably help. I think you have a great profile, but as smug-face mentioned, those are all highly competitive programs and even top students may not get in. I e-mailed with a faculty member at UChicago last year and they told me the department generally receives around 500 applicants each year and maybe admit 25-30. I imagine the other programs you applied to are just as competitive. Covid might throw a wrench in that this year, for better or worse, I'm not sure. I don't say this to add to your angst, but rather to suggest that if you aren't admitted anywhere this year that you broaden your list of schools to maybe 7-10 if you choose to apply again. Most people on this forum apply to at least one or two "safety" schools that are outside the top 10-15. In my *limited* experience these schools generally get 250-300 applications instead of 500+, so that improves your chances and can still give you great career opportunities. But now that your apps are presumably finished, I'd do your best to relax and not stress too much. I think you've got a fighting chance at all those schools, but don't immediately bag the whole enterprise if you aren't admitted this year.

Thank you for your kind words. Glad I was able to find a way to make my procrastination socially responsible. Good luck with the process!

Nothing wrong with shooting for the stars. Of course, everyone could've always applied to more school, but I think you have a strong profile. With my limited knowledge of your situation, I'd say apply to Vanderbilt or Texas-Austin only if you can really imagine yourself going there. Both are strong programs, but I don't think it's worth "anxiety applying" if you're not serious. I'm not sure about European schools. Ultimately, at this point, most of your work is finished. Take a few days off this weekend, and keep away from this forum, and then see if you feel like you really need to apply to more schools.

As I've said to others, I think you have a good chance of getting at least one admit, and perhaps more. This year is weird because of COVID and the lack of GRE, but I wouldn't stress too much.

I would not panic. I think you are very likely to get at least one acceptance at your schools and probably more. This is a weird year because of funding and GREs, so that adds uncertainty, but I would rest easy.

I would not do this. You can probably get away with a few extra pages on your writing sample. But, don't do it with your personal statement. A few sentences is probably okay, but unfortunately OP should cut down to 2 pages double spaced. 2 single spaced is too long.

I listed all the classes for my master's and bachelor's. Definitely was a huge pain, especially because I wasn't admitted, but I would do as much as you can. If you don't have textbooks, that's probably okay, but I'd at least list the class.