resDQ

Miracles happen. FINALLY got my Georgetown rejection.

This. BUT I would not rule it out as a possibility. With all of the computer science types taking jobs in California, you would have to be open to living in a different state if things do not work out. And I do not think it will be any easier to get than a TT job at a LAC. You would probably have to take a job that you are overqualified for (if your qualifications don't scare people off) then move your way up. Think tanks that require quant skills is an easier option. That said, people do get hired at Facebook and such (look at Stanford placement). No one here knows the answer. Get your training and keep your fingers crossed that you get a job.

I looked into this and I would say that it is a reasonable plan if you are a data scientist at a think tank. Outside of that atmosphere, you need to know C++, Python, etc., very well. Not sure what a "coding bootcamp" would entail. I don't think any PhD program has a bootcamp that includes C++.

I can tell you that a lot of the numbers floating around here are borderline ridiculous. No DGS at any school can control the number of students that ACCEPT offers. The only number that is in their control (after dealing with the grad school and possibly others) are the number of offers ISSUED.

Each department is different, but a cohort of 8 does not mean they only admitted 8 students. Wanted to clarify this for anyone who may be reading this thread.

I'm guessing this question is a result of what I said elsewhere. I didn't attend a T5 or T10 for undergrad. I can't imagine it being an issue for the very top departments. If you are like me and got your BA at a large public university that is in the T25, it is not ideal to stay in the same department if I have other options. I didn't even apply to my undergrad institution. Your advisor would probably be the better person to ask.

I was told not to do a PhD at the same place you did your BA. I'm not in your subfield, so things may be different. You should probably talk to your advisors. If you don't accept the GMU offer, would that burn bridges and make attaining letters (you may need one even if you are getting letters from Chicago) difficult? What are your career goals?

jeez. Am I the only one visiting programs before making a decision?

A PhD isn't the best thing to do for the private sector (for the most part). With that said, you need good quantitative training to get anything out of your program for the private sector. I doubt your other programs will offer training that is better than what is offered at School D.

It depends on how much of a risk taker you are. People with MA's do get rejected from PhD programs. I, personally, would take the Cornell offer.

I'm going to count Harvard as a rejection. That concludes my cycle. An acceptance to any program means you've had a good cycle. Worst case scenario would have been straight rejections and that did not happen to me. Very thankful.

I don't have an MA (I have taken numerous MA courses in the stats dept.) and I am not in PE, but I am kind of frustrated by some folks I know that got admitted to a T20 (I've been admitted to a few T10 schools, so I am not saying this out of jealousy). They are very smart, but you can't understand what grad school is all about from taking 1 substantive grad course while taking 2 blow off undergrad courses. Who your advisor knows can help you get admitted to some places (provided your file is at least average). Those that got admitted to numerous places had a good file all around (networks, gpa, etc.). That said, sometimes people do get admitted because their advisor is friends with someone and that is the frustrating thing about admissions. Not something that happens often, but it does occur.

"Significant reduction in the number of spots due in part to high yield last year." is something a lot of schools (from my sources) have mentioned. *so much so I doubt how true it is. In the case of Harvard it may be, but I doubt they don't have a high yield every year....

That is rarely an option, but it probably varies by school. You should probably just ask them.

Not only AP, but they've had a hard time retaining faculty in other fields because of some apparent drama. Juniors are always looking to leave (I think this is normal when you don't have tenure...). That said, it is Yale. Whatever is going on it probably won't be a permanent problem. Whether it will change quickly enough for incoming grad students I cannot say. *No insider information. Just gossip I've heard from my professors. FWIW.

if anyone has additional suggestions, please add!

Americans have been doing field work for a very long time. Most comparativists do field work. It has nothing to do with wanting a job in the region/country they study.

Agree with @Comparativist. The best we can do is take the USNews rankings and possibly divide them into tiers so that minuscule ranking differences are gone.

Grad school isn't undergrad and making switches between comparative and IR is not irregular, but confused between American and IR? No offense, it is a bit strange that you do not know what you are interested in. Unless you are an IR person examining something like the US role in the world....What did you write in your SOP?

I've heard that comparative and IR are the most competitive. American less so and Theory is competitive because most programs don't admit the same number of applicants as they do the other subfields.

I don't think there is a single program (that I can think of) that would answer that question. Putting aside qualities of an applicant, there may be internal restraints. For example, maybe too many people accepted offers the previous year and they can only admit a limited number this year, maybe your main POI is not taking on new students, maybe the POI is leaving, etc.

I have not received a formal rejection, but all acceptances are out.

and with that, all I am waiting for now is Harvard and that is highly unlikely for me as well. Calling it an end to my decent cycle.

same for me. If Yale is all out, then all I'm waiting for is Michigan and Harvard.

This is a good idea, but I think Columbia is a good substantive fit for you anyways. And waiting around for a waitlist when you have a comparable or better option may not be worth it. Give it an hour, IMO.