Bibica

Keep in mind that in NYC you'll be paying higher state and city income taxes than you would at Princeton, so make sure you find out your take-home pay. In Princeton, at least, you would not be paying NJ state taxes, just the federal income tax. I am not sure how it works in Columbia or NYU, but I do know that NYC has separate city income tax in addition to state income tax.

In your position, I would choose Chicago. The money thing is no joke, and not having an MA thesis would concern me. I think the most important thing you should ask yourself (outside of personal stuff like, "am I willing to spend $73k for a year-long program," which some people are more okay with than others) is: at the end of this year (or two), will I have three letter writers who have worked with me/gotten to know me/can attest to the quality of my work? I personally feel this is easier wen an MA thesis is involved, but it is also largely up to you.
I don't know any people pursuing MAs at these schools, but if you could get in touch with some of them and ask them whether the faculty makes time for them, that would probably aid your decision more than any advice we can give here, unfortunately.

Just got off the waitlist. 
 but also 

In your position, I would choose Chicago. The money thing is no joke, and not having an MA thesis would concern me. I think the most important thing you should ask yourself (outside of personal stuff like, "am I willing to spend $73k for a year-long program," which some people are more okay with than others) is: at the end of this year (or two), will I have three letter writers who have worked with me/gotten to know me/can attest to the quality of my work? I personally feel this is easier wen an MA thesis is involved, but it is also largely up to you.
I don't know any people pursuing MAs at these schools, but if you could get in touch with some of them and ask them whether the faculty makes time for them, that would probably aid your decision more than any advice we can give here, unfortunately.

In your position, I would choose Chicago. The money thing is no joke, and not having an MA thesis would concern me. I think the most important thing you should ask yourself (outside of personal stuff like, "am I willing to spend $73k for a year-long program," which some people are more okay with than others) is: at the end of this year (or two), will I have three letter writers who have worked with me/gotten to know me/can attest to the quality of my work? I personally feel this is easier wen an MA thesis is involved, but it is also largely up to you.
I don't know any people pursuing MAs at these schools, but if you could get in touch with some of them and ask them whether the faculty makes time for them, that would probably aid your decision more than any advice we can give here, unfortunately.

Applied to 5 Canadian schools, was my dream to pursue masters from the day I stepped in my crappy undergraduate institution. Told myself I didn't belong there, and decided that I will work my ass off to change it. Set an aim to go in world's topmost graduate schools for my masters. Worked very hard for 5 years (4 years bachelors and 1 year job) on performing original research, publishing, internships, moving around the country, all against big odds. Finally came to a point where my profile was impressive enough, even for a masters holder. Applied with enthusiasm and optimism to Canada...But meanwhile...
All hell broke lose in USA. An orange turd got elected and scared away all international students looking to pursue their masters/PhDs from US. All those scared shits applied to Canadian schools. The schools helped them apply by extending deadlines. Who doesn't like extra application money haan? Now there's not much choice in Canada for good universities, so only a handful (literally, 5-6) had to take the hit from the surge of applications. Result?
A university which was taking in students without even a single internship (and bad GPA) until last year, is now accepting (and rejecting) students who've worked at Microsoft, Google, published significant research, have clear research goals. Why? Because god knows why. When you get 2000 applications for about 50 funded positions total, things are going to get competitive.  Worst year for me. I could have gone to a good university in Canada had I applied last year, because it wasn't as competitive back then. And you know what's worse? Looking at the turds in your batch who didn't do anything in their lives, failed classes, just applying to expensive 9 month/14 month management programs at big name universities and getting accepted in a heartbeat! Shit!? He can't even speak English properly, barely got out of IELTS, and this? 
I'm planning to get out anyway. Will probably go for a short term course in a community college and then look for job or transfer to university. I'm not going to stay where I am and wait another year. I will lose my mind (permanently this time. Anxiety is not good for prolonged periods) if I stay here (India). 
So unfair. 

OMG! Finally, I get admitted from the waitlist of Boston College! So pumped and thrilled! Will anyone attend BC this coming fall?

Today I decided for OSU. I hope this means somebody can get good news from the other programs that accepted me.
Still have to hear definitively from Notre Dame, but to assume rejection at this point is better.

Keck retired at JHU. She was a big deal.

@Mike_Novick thanks! I'm not decided yet, but I'm really grateful.
It sounds like your scores are fine, and networking may be the answer, as well as reworking your SOP and everything suggested above. Let me know if you ever need any help with that!
There are scholars doing qualitative work at Princeton, Yale, and Notre Dame that I know of. Others probably, I lean more toward quantitative work so I don't know. 

This thread is starting to read like that thread.

I agree with @VMcJ. Although I would also say that within the Top 5 or 7 (basically, CHYMPS + Berkeley, etc.) your personal fit with the faculty matters much more than the subfield rankings. This is especially true for comparative politics, I think, where some programs are really strong in some regions but not in others (Stanford, for example, has only one Latin Americanist that I know of. Columbia, much further down the rankings, has 2 or 3.)

I agree with @VMcJ. Although I would also say that within the Top 5 or 7 (basically, CHYMPS + Berkeley, etc.) your personal fit with the faculty matters much more than the subfield rankings. This is especially true for comparative politics, I think, where some programs are really strong in some regions but not in others (Stanford, for example, has only one Latin Americanist that I know of. Columbia, much further down the rankings, has 2 or 3.)

I think it only makes a real difference if you're comparing Top10s. E.g. Stanford is better than Yale overall but inferior in PT.
And speaking of Notre Dame, I'd like to wrap things up with them and Maryland, but apparently I'll need to write to get that.

For all of you who are juggling multiple offers, how is your deliberation affecting you emotionally? Maybe I'm not the only one who thought getting some offers would end the stress and usher in a golden age of confidence and excitement, only to find that a decision now seems impossible without disappointing one or more people and sacrificing some truly great options. My advisors are split, with very strong opinions as to where I should go - they're people I want to associate with for the rest of my career as colleagues, conference friends, etc, so I greatly fear that this decision will alienate and disappoint at least one of them. Then, I worry that no matter where I pick, there won't be any excitement, just guilt and "what if's".
 
So, the questions then: how are you all coping with the stress of decision making? Are there things about it that are surprising you? Is anyone else experiencing intense anxiety about disappointing a mentor? After all, they wrote us letters; don't we "owe" them a say in our decision? I can't say this feels worse than waiting for decisions, but it certainly is a new kind of hell.
 
Anyone feel the strong urge to just wildly accept an offer and end it all, like those people who have the sudden urge to drive off the road?

I said: "I recommend." That is an opinion. You looked down your nose at me. No one is immune to criticism, but there's a way to do it. Do not tell me how i've lived my life. You're experience with me is a couple of posts, but you're somehow psychic because of that? Can I get the lottery numbers for next week while you're dissecting everything about someone you don't know? I judge your character based on the evidence that I've seen enough of your posts to make an educated guess. You smack of arrogance, talk down to people not as well off as you, and sniff your own farts out of a wine glass.
Yes, i have experienced it. I've lived paycheck to paycheck eating ramen noodles for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I've done my time (many years) at a grocery store stocking shelves. I'm putting off starting a family because of my financial situation.
Holy shit man. Get the hell over yourself. 

This is, quite frankly, elitist bs, given by someone who has obviously let the ivory tower influence their mind-frame. If you ever get down off your high horse and want to tell me what's so consequential about my 5 years of full funding at the school i chose let me know.
Not all of us got into an Ivy with a $3k pot of money that we can simply ask for every year. Yeah, it would be great. I know full well the consequences of my decisions even though my situation is so "obvious" to you. No shit life would be easier with more money and opportunities for limitless research/ writing time. I'm sure you worked very hard for where you're at right now, but not everybody is as well off as you. The people you look down your nose at who didn't get the same opportunity or whatever else you want to throw in my face still have to make decisions. Yeah, i'd probably be happier and better off at Brown with that funding than the situation that i'm in, but that's not this reality i'm faced with. 
Also, it's not your choice. I offered advice — you called it shit, so be it, but that's all it was was my opinion. I think it's important to be happy for the next 5 or 6 years. You really don't have to talk down to me and tell me what to do. You made clear that you know everything about me (you called it "obvious"), which is so smug I almost got cancer. I've seen a lot of your posts recently and you always smack of arrogance. You really remind me of that South Park episode where they fart it wine glasses and sniff it. Let me and anyone else make our own mistakes and be happy or miserable on our own account. If you think i'm wrong, cool, tell me in a professional and friendly manner, don't talk down to me like you're the second coming. God damn bro, get over yourself.
 

Hey @em97! I am considering both of these programs, also for Comparative Politics (regional concentration in Latin America, I'd be getting a minor in Methods). I really recommend emailing/calling potential advisors--I have had the opportunity to speak to faculty and graduate students at both schools and it has been very helpful. They're generally pretty honest/don't sugar coat things.
I would say that both institutions are probably going to be liberal leaning, as are most college campuses across the country. As far as rankings, the US News ones are based off of how professors in the field view each program, so I would say to look to them. They're so close in ranking that it wouldn't really matter, I don't think. Both are well respected Ivies, so I wouldn't worry about public reputation either.
If you aren't sold on academia, I would say Columbia is your best bet. You say location does not matter but being near so many NGOs (and the UN) can only help you. You'd also have SIPA as a resource at Columbia, which would put you in contact with more policy-focused/non-academic types.

@RevTheory1126--same. Just received the email. Officially done with this cycle! What a relief.

So rank tends to matter for people who are going into academia in the U.S. I'm not sure how much it matters for you, or whether you should consider fit the most. Will you be attending visiting days? I would recommend doing that, talking to professors at UCLA and Cornell to determine fit, and then making your decision. You could also email Cornell and see when they expect to let you know their final decision--technically you don't have to say yes to any schools until April 15th, so if you aren't 100 percent sure of where you want to go then I would wait.

PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad Institution: Ivy League
Major(s)/Minor(s): Government/Sociology double-major, Latin American Studies minor
Undergrad GPA: 3.87
Type of Grad: N/A
Grad GPA: N/A
GRE: 168V/160Q/5.5AW
Any Special Courses: Methods course, Python, 2 seminars in Latin American Politics
Letters of Recommendation: 2 well-known Latin Americanists, one was my thesis adviser in Government. 1 sociology professor, thesis adviser and Director of Undergraduate Studies.
Research Experience: Research assistant for 2 professors, 2 university-funded undergraduate research projects, 1 summer research program with a well-known Latin Americanist at a different institution, 2 honors theses.
Teaching Experience: N/A
Subfield/Research Interests: Comparative Politics, regional focus on Latin America, substantial interest in political behavior

RESULTS:
Acceptances($$ or no $$): UT Austin ($$), UNC ($$), Pittsburgh ($$), UMN ($$), Princeton ($$), Berkeley ($$), Yale ($$), Columbia ($$), Johns Hopkins*
Waitlists: Duke
Rejections: Harvard
Pending: Notre Dame (implied rejection)
Going to: OMG NO IDEA
 * Declined before official offer/funding details
LESSONS LEARNED:
-        I think the strongest parts of my profile were my personal statement and my letter writers. There is something to be said for making strong connections with people in your field. You do this my networking (which is hard, I know) and by being an attentive scholar. Go to office hours, volunteer for research projects (just ask!).
-        Extra-curricular are not important unless they relate to your work as a scholar/contribute to skills that would make you a successful PhD student. For people with a few years left, try to find a research group, do summer research, take methods classes or join a club that does consulting, etc.
-        Calm down. Step away from your computer. You will be absolutely miserable refreshing your email all the time. I did not take this advice, and now have to work twice as hard to finish my thesis in time. I wish I had kept it all in perspective.
-        Impostor syndrome is real. Remember that you’ve worked damn hard to be here and that countless people have done the same to push you to this point. Don’t dishonor your work or theirs.
-        Rejection hurts, no matter what. Keep in mind that rejection of your application is not a rejection of you or your work. There are a lot of reasons why a department would have to cut you from their consideration. There will always be stuff you wish you had done better, but don’t obsess over it.
-        No one has really mentioned it so I thought I should. Applying with an SO is hard, even in the best of circumstances (and I think I/we got incredibly lucky). Be honest with one another from the start, it will make or break your relationship. How much are you willing to compromise on location/program? Are you willing to do long distance? How much distance? These are all important considerations that you should discuss BEFORE acceptances start rolling in. A lot of people make love in graduate school work, but others don't, and you need to be realistic in your expectations.
SOP: PM me, I’ll consider it.

Wow @Bumblebea, how did you refrain from ripping his face off with your old-lady raptor claws? I would flip my lid.

@Bibica, if my experience should mean anything, is that after all is said and all is done, and you have options, gradually one tends to forget one's idealizations and focus in finding the best fit among those that remain. I'm afraid your decision will be much more difficult than mine, and mine is difficult enough, I think, but is getting easier and easier on a daily basis and I kind of already forgot I preferred school X or Y or Z. One can say this is like an accomodation of sorts, but I think I am far more excited about my future studies than I've ever been, now that I know where I can go if I wish so.

Mine too - he told me if I came home from work one more time and talked about grad cafe or spent the entire night refreshing grad cafe he was going to have to leave me hahaha