StrengthandHonor

Another rankings question: Let's assume, for a moment, that you are considering two programs. Similar funding, etc. School A is ranked in the 10-15 range, but the subfield you are interested is comparatively weak. School B is ranked in the mid-30's, but the subfield you are interested in is comparatively strong. The professors, etc. at each school consider the other school as roughly equal to them. They compete strongly for applicants in that subfield. Which is better? Should you just go where you have the best fit?

Those without answers are on the waitlist. In past cycles, UVA has made waitlist offers up until April 15th.

I'm pretty sure that Notre Dame was ranked 36th or something overall last year. They just are very strong in a small number of areas (such as theory). A more general question, though: should we be looking at the subfield rankings, or the overall program ranking?

Hey, To be completely honest, a Ph.D. in political science is not a good course to take if your real goal is political activism, or if you hope to be a practitioner of politics. The Ph.D. system is intended to produce political scientists who conduct research and teach within an academic context. Have you considered pursuing a masters in public policy or public administration?

All quiet on the Western Front. At least I have a conference presentation tomorrow to take my mind off of the remaining Schrödinger's Applications

Is anybody else in at UNC Chapel for theory (current students or accepted students)? Any feedback on the program, overall?

Claiming a Northwestern rejection. I, too, am waiting for ND--theory.

Your response killed me. I'll be chuckling about that one for a while.

If the past years are any indication, we should be receiving rejections from Chicago in the next few days. I'd appreciate some closure, at least!

Thanks. I guess that means that I'm still in the running at Northwestern, then.

Where do you find the rejection on Northwestern's portal? Is it just on your main profile page? I'm still seeing nothing, and just want to make sure that there isn't some alternate system like Duke's.

Well, another week has passed with no more verdicts from my schools. So far, 2a / 1w / 1r / 5p. Are any of the rest of you slowly going crazy? I'm just keeping myself busy with a conference paper I'm writing. I've got a couple of good options, but I'd certainly like to hear from the rest of those schools so I have some clue.

I just called two departments and asked about their process. Northwestern says that the adcom is not finished yet. They've sent out some rejections and some acceptances, but they are still finalizing their list. I was told that we could expect that process to be finished within a week. So for everyone who hasn't heard either way, there is still hope. University of Virginia: The department says that they have sent out their acceptances and their rejections, and that if you have not heard either way, you are on the waitlist. *EDIT* also, UVA didn't say how many students were on the waitlist.

Is anyone claiming the new(er) acceptance to ND?

As another theorist hoping to get in to Notre Dame, good luck. I hope your interview goes well!

@aroundandabout on the main cycle thread had an interview with ND, and reported this: "I came back to share my interview experience with eveybody else. Maybe it could be of help for those who are interviewing with ND! So the professor asked three questions, why ND, what field I am most interested in (including a possible minor field). The last question was most difficult. My POI asked me where I have been accepted to, here, I kind of panicked because I didnt know whether telling them the whole list was appropriate, but I blurted out the list. My POI asked how much possibiity there is for me to go to ND if I were accepted. As ND was one of my top choices in terms of fit, I said the possibility was high. The follow up question was what the deciding factor of choosing a school would be, so I replied that the visitation weeks would be most crucial since I belive what I feel being at a certain school with particular faculty would be most important. For those who receive a similar question (the last one) how would you reply without seeming rude or undecided where to go (as all the schools I have been admitted to are a great fit)?"

Of the top of my head, I know both Baylor and Boston College have had good success with placement in TT positions.Of course, it seems like there is almost a secondary market in theory, for people of a more Straussian/Classicist bent--Notre Dame, BC, and Baylor are attractive to a lot of the same students, and to the same types of colleges for placement. *EDIT* Also, for instance, UNC Chapel Hill (department wide, not just theory) has better placement than U Chicago. Now, the jump between #5 and #13 is not huge, but I think that it goes to show that placement records can be more telling than ranking.

It's always worthwhile to look at placement records. There are some lower-ranked theory programs that have an excellent placement record in theory.

Slightly off-topic question... I applied to all of my programs as a theorist-- usually with either American or Constitutional Law/Development as my minor (though I did methods at a couple of schools). However, a couple of the programs I am looking at have relatively weak theory creds, but are very strong in American or methods (say, 10-15 spot gap in the ranking). Is it weird or unusual to swap over and focus on American politics instead?

Boy do I ever have some good advice/closing thoughts. Primarily, don't try to write your SOPs as you're desperately trying to finish a 100+ page thesis in a single semester. As I've read over my admissions material again (also, don't do this), I see so many errors (or just general drabness) that I know stemmed from pouring every ounce of energy into my thesis.

I relate to that so much. I have a conference paper that I've been procrastinating for the last month.

What subfield? And was the email from the DGS or a POI? And congratulations, by the way!

It's been a little bit of an up-and-down cycle for me so far. I got a very early and enthusiastic acceptance to a top #15, a couple interviews, and an acceptance from a lower ranked program with good fit, and then a long string of silence. I've only gotten one actual rejection (Duke). So anyway, I'm just desperate to hear actual responses from the last few programs.

Did anyone confirm the ND acceptance? Am I going to be able to focus on my work this afternoon?

Congrats, all of you who recently received acceptances, especially those coveted Stanford and Columbia acceptances! Also, I would like to formally request that my college stop sending me emails until this cycle is over. I'm tired of getting psyched up every time I get an email notification only to read some pointless communiqué about a campus event.