Goosefoot

I disagree. PhDs can teach at a policy school, which many with those interests do while doing consulting, working with thinktanks, etc (esp. in DC). Good quant PhDs give you loads of useful skills (applied stats not formal) which you can take straight to the NGO/private sector, especially if you end up ABD (you never know). But I agree, you are doing yourself a disservice to limit your search to NYC. Commute, learn to live apart for a while, but don't be so narrow. And, I hate to say it, this is your girlfriend, not your wife. You would hate to be in the middle of a grueling PhD program wishing you were elsewhere if she someday dumps you.

Rejected with 2 reviews (IM/BI): G/VG and VG/G. I guess I am not surprised but the rating sheets were pretty much worthless. Both parroted exactly what I had written (i.e. "Applicant proposes to do X, Y and Z" with one comment at the end - yes, I know what I proposed.) At least I know they read my proposal, and none were hostile, but Dr. G/VG gave only a dismissive throwaway line not addressing the research at all. Both acknowledged that my grasp of literature, research design, experience presenting research to academic and non-academic audiences, and record of outreach and education were "feasible", "potentially quite valuable", "a demonstrated record of success" etc. Publishing in the first two years is not standard in my field, but my conference presentations were commented upon. Due to the lack of helpful comments, I still have no idea what I did wrong, but reading the other winners/honorable mentions in my discipline, I think I just work on the wrong topic (I know others have mentioned this, too.) This was a nice kick in the nuts to wake up to, but I feel slightly better reading these: http://www.nsfgrfp.org/about_the_program/publications_about_the_program Specifically: Chapman, Gretchen B., and McCauley, Clark. “Early Career Achievements of National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Applicants: Looking for Pygmalion and Galatea effects on NSF winners.” Journal of Applied Psychology 78(5) (1994): 815-20. "Our results indicate that receiving an NSF award has a reliable effect on probability of completing the PhD (70% vs. 63%) but only unreliable effects on post-PhD professional accomplishments." (Maybe us non-winners have to work harder to prove ourselves.) "It is surprising that only about 70% of the able students who are awarded an NSF fellowship actually go on to complete the PhD." "Given the prestige value of an NSF fellowship, however, a relatively strong expectancy effect might have been expected. Consequently, the weak award effect in our results calls for some explanation." also see: Chapman, Gretchen B. “Predictive Validity of Quality Ratings of National Science Foundation Graduate Fellows.” Educational and Psychological Measurement 54(2) (1994): 428-38.

The first question I have and an adcom will have is WHY are you applying, and WHAT do you want to do with this degree? I was your age when I applied (and was accepted at a top 5) and I think it is an asset. In no way is it a disadvantage on its own. Admissions committees will look positively at your JD and undergrad GPA but anxiousapplicant is right, you need to make a strong case that you understand what you are getting into in a political science program, where research is king. Do you understand what a research proposal looks like? This is what your statement of interest should look like - it should not be about your feelings, or why you are so excited by "politics", or why being a lawyer sucks, and most definitely not about why you want to make the world a better place. It should how them that you are capable of carrying out original research that will contribute to the field. So, it would help to know what exactly you want to study. #1 - Read this: http://www2.smumn.edu/deptpages/~tcwritingcenter/Forms_of_Writing/ResearchProposal.htm #2 - Read APSR and some of the top journals in your subfield (whatever that is) so you know what is current in the discipline Your letters MUST be from professors. No one in academia cares at all what your professional colleagues have to say about you, no matter how great you are or how good they are in the field. Not following this advice could seriously hurt you. You are going to have to suck it up and get back in touch with them. Send them a cordial email, remind them of your grade and whatever papers you wrote for them (attach them if you have them), explain what you have been doing and WHY you want this PhD. This is the information they need to write a basic letter. Did you have an honors advisor or a positive relationship with anyone? If so, you should call this person and explain the situation. I can't think of a specific book about applying to poli sci PhD programs but "Getting What You Came For" by Robert Peters is an excellent guide to applying to grad school and actually getting the degree. Good luck! I feel sympathetic since I was in your shoes.