Hi everyone, longtime lurker here. I've trawled through tons of posts but haven't found any on exactly my situation, so I'd really appreciate any advice you can offer.
I'm aiming to apply for PhD programs in the upcoming cycle, and my math training/grades are a serious weak link in my application.
Profile with the usual suspects:
School: Large public R1, top 25 USNWR
Subfield: Comparative
GRE: 170 V, 160 Q (5.5 AW, though I'm told no one cares)
GPA: 3.7ish overall and 3.85ish major, depending on how my final classes go
Letters of rec: 1 truly excellent from a thesis advisor well-known in my subfield, 2 passable
Research experience: 2 research projects (ethnographic independent study + thesis that used basic statistics), local conference presentations, think tank internships. No publications
Teaching experience: If you count leadership in some student clubs I can spin as academic
Foreign language: Professional proficiency in Spanish and Mandarin, both of which I've used in research
Here's the problem:
Math courses: Single and multivariable calc (all C's). 1 introductory statistics course (A+), if that helps.
Would it be enough just to say that I'm working through Simon and Blume's "Mathematics for Economists" + Moore and Siegel's "A Mathematics Course for Political and Social Research?"
I'd love to get into a Top 20 program or Georgetown/George Washington. How could I improve my chances? I have some ideas, though I'm not sure which to prioritize:
- Should I try to wrangle my research projects into something publishable?
- Should I lobby hard / get down on my knees before my letter writers?
- Should I contact prospective advisors with a charm offensive?
- Should I retake the GRE and aim for a 165+ score? (I think I know the answer lol.)
- Should I take a calc/linear algebra course online from a CC? (This would be costly.)
Last option:
- Should I just expect not to suceed this round and plan to attend an MA program like MAPSS?
Thanks a ton.