IcedCovfefe
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Posts
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Everything posted by IcedCovfefe
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Oh jeez that’s rough
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No news yet. I'm hoping that since they call most people individually and they started late this afternoon, they'll have quite a few people to notify tomorrow still. At least, that's what I'm hoping.
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Congrats! Are you also an Americanist or are you in a different subfield?
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Pretty common reaction to comparative tbh
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Desperately clinging to that hope right now.
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Hahaha anxiously refreshing my email every 15 seconds now, thanks. Congrats btw.
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I’m about to be really jumpy whenever my phone buzzes this week. Hoping for that call from California ?
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Seems odd that an early decision would be waitlist rather than something definitive too.
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This 100%, as well as most of the things I want to know are about departmental culture which seems like something to be observed rather than asked about. Additionally there are questions for current students like "what's it like working with Professor XYZ" where facial expression and intonation could tell you a lot more than a carefully typed out email.
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People from programs keep asking if I have any questions. In most cases, I either don't have questions yet or I'd rather ask them in person on a campus visit, but I feel stupid just telling people "nope I'm good" when they're reaching out. Anyone else struggling with this?
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When cold-emailing profs I tend to go for “Professor so-and-so,” but after that my rule of thumb is to address someone with whatever they signed their previous email with. I find that really the preference for this varies by individual, but I agree with the comment above that mentions a collegial relationship rather than the undergrad/instructor one.
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Extra congrats to the lucky few admitted, then. The odds were not in your favor.
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Especially since they mention that “over 400 applicants” number. So we’re talking probably slightly over 16 admitted across all subfields? Hmmm.
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PSA: check your email for a Michigan rejection
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Anyone want to claim that Stanford interview? What’s going on there?
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Oh I'm not underestimating math in polisci at all--quant is very important. When I said those classes are only useful in the admissions process for signaling, I was just pointing out that most programs have a methods sequence required for all students in which you'll learn the cutting edge methods you're talking about. So to the extent that taking those classes shows that you're ready to take the methods sequence, then you have an advantage. But everyone will have to take the methods classes anyway, as most top programs won't allow you to transfer in a linear algebra course in place of a political science methods sequence. There are better ways to develop your application by doing research and connecting with people in your substantive interest area, rather than taking classes you'll basically have to take over again.
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Exactly. I think a strong math background signals that you could be successful in a methods sequence (which they’ll likely make you take in house anyway), but you don’t need calc 3 to achieve that. So maybe it’s helpful, but in no way determinative.
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I think this is a bit of an overstatement and possibly subfield dependent (more important for American, perhaps). Having a strong math background is definitely an advantage and I agree that linear algebra and calc iii can make someone a stronger applicant. However, I think all of us here are putting too much weight on easily observable things like GPA, GRE, and which classes we’ve taken, while SOP, letters, and writing sample are really doing the heavy lifting. I know of quite a few people who don’t have that kind of math background who are doing extremely well this cycle.
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I had to raise my quant score and I mostly used the Manhattan Prep 5 lb book of GRE practice problems. It’s not expensive on amazon, it has tons of questions, and it has diagnostic tests so you can pinpoint what you need to work on. It took me from 60th percentile to 90th+. It didn’t “teach” the concepts so much but the repetition from doing so many problems made it easy to recognize the types of problems and the trick questions.
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I agree with everything here. There are a lot of different factors beside rank that you need to evaluate when you’re getting ready to commit the next 5+ years of your life. You need to examine the funding offers and cost of living, you need to meet with your potential advisers and determine if they’re people you could see yourself working with for 5+ years, you need to talk with current graduate students to determine their happiness with the department and how they feel about the mental health factors of the program, attrition rates, time to completion, and the list goes on. These are important variables that take time to evaluate. I understand OP’s frustration with how the process plays out, but I don’t think that we should get irritated with people who want to compare their options and choose the best one for them individually.
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It was just before 5 et
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In at Princeton!!! I’m completely shocked, still can’t believe it. CP/IR.
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No news yet, but I’ve got high hopes for this week. Good luck, everyone.
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Paging @BFB: would you be willing to disclose a ballpark number of how many PhD students you guys admit each year? For science?
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Look out we’ve got a social scientist here
