politolog

I just finished my first semester as well, and I agree with the OP. I'd recommend Siegel and Moore's A Mathematics Course for Political and Social Research for those looking to brush up on their math skills. It helped me make it through the first course in my department's methods sequence.

Good luck publishing in top journals in your MA program. I’m not saying it doesn’t happen, but it’s rare. Fit doesn’t matter to the extent that it does in a PhD program, but you’ll want to make sure that there are faculty with whom you can work on the research and publication goals you described above. You’ll also want to have a thesis adviser (if a thesis is required at Yale) in your area. Also, note that Timothy Snyder is a historian, and his writings have garnered a fair amount of negative criticism among both historians and political scientists. I wouldn’t put all your eggs in one basket; Snyder may leave, and given his reputation, he may not work with graduate students very often, especially at the MA level.

Has Northwestern sent out all decisions? Anyone claiming?

Anyone claiming the Northwestern CP and Theory admits?

I interviewed at Wisconsin in January 2018 (the professor I was interested in working with has now left), and I think that those who didn’t receive interview requests were rejected. I could be wrong, though. This year it’s a little different too, as it seems interview requests were not sent out all at once, as I believe they were (mostly) in 2018 (i.e., all CP requests were sent out on the same day, unlike this cycle).

Have CP interview requests gone out?

Nice! What’s your subfield/research interests?

I can confirm that the Berkeley admissions were fake. I just received an email from the graduate secretary telling me that they’ve received my updated transcript. I doubt they’d have sent that had they announced decisions today.

Have you already heard back? I didn’t apply there; I’m just curious. I think they once did interviews—maybe even on campus—but I’m not sure whether they still do.

I received interviews/waitlists at top-10 programs with a much lower quant score. I think you have a strong profile.

With respect to your methods training, you could write something along the lines of: "This training has prepared me for further coursework in statistical methods." With respect to your research interests/question, I would advise you to identify a gap/puzzle in the literature and then write about it in your SOP. You've already completed an MA program, so presumably you've had to identify weaknesses in the literature, understudied/theorized areas, etc. Build on those. What region is your area studies MA focused on?

Do you have any training in quantitative methods that might offset your quant GRE score?

I'll be applying to PhD programs in political science this fall. By the time I matriculate to the program, I will have received my MA in Russian & East European Studies.To what extent should my SOP focus on my undergraduate versus graduate education? If it makes any difference, my MA research and thesis deal with the same topic -- authoritarian regime stability -- that I worked on as an undergraduate.

No problem! I think you will be a more competitive candidate if you have some language training under your belt prior to applying. Even if it is not a lot, it will signal to the admissions committee that you're serious about studying China.

Harvard, Cornell, and Penn are each excellent programs. That said, Harvard is ranked higher tier than the other two. For example, USNWR ranks Harvard, obviously, #1, whereas Cornell and Penn are tied for #19. You mentioned that you will need to learn Chinese. Do you intend to do this before your start the PhD? I have a difficult time fathoming that you would be accepted without some language training. Then again, I have seen this happen.

I'm currently working on my MA in Russian & East European Studies, and I'll be applying to PhD programs in political science this fall. I do research on authoritarianism and political economy in Russia and post-Soviet Central Asia. I need to retake the GRE, though, and improve my quantitative score by approximately 10 points. I'm currently deciding between two plans for what to do this summer. Which sounds like the better option? Option 1: Participate in an intensive language course at my home university. The advantage of this is that I would likely have time, after my classes, to study for the GRE, which I will retake in August or September. Option 2: Participate in an intensive language course abroad. I would be doing the same thing abroad that I would be doing at home. The advantage is that I would be immersed in the language 24/7, and this could really help to advance my language skills. The disadvantage is that I would not have time to study for the GRE while abroad.