animal_whisperer

Interesting...

Claiming a Michigan rejection.
 
Admittedly it stings a bit less in hindsight but still, was in competition for my top spot - I thought it was a great fit. Either way, I couldn’t be happier with my cycle and will be going to Princeton now that my admissions season has effectively come to a close (still waiting on a few but was predominantly waiting on Michigan or Princeton). I’ll be declining other school’s offers over the next few weeks, so hopefully this helps open up the waitlist!

Northwestern better be sending those rejections, as promised, today. Just want to get it over with and finally start obsessing about Cornell.

Claiming Georgetown (IR sub) acceptance. POI called me this noon, indicating there are two admits in IR this cycle. Total applicants are over 500. Decisions likely to be released next week. Fingers crossed for everyone else then!

I talked with several PhD students and most of them said that you should at least try to negotiate. Obviously you can't just go around saying "give me more money" but you can ask in a more polite manner. A PhD student I know said that he mailed couple of universities and asked: "I would love to study here at Y, but I also got an offer from X. Could you match this?" or something along these lines. You can also emphasize that you're dependent on this funding. In short, I'd say go for it, there's no harm in asking -as long as you ask in a direct but polite manner- since these packages (to my knowledge) are more or less same for 4-5 years. 

Hi guys! Update again. I spoke to the admissions chair at Georgetown. Decisions will come at the end of the month. They’re still in the process of deciding. 

I have a similar perspective. If you're going to do a PhD, you gotta do it for yourself since its a crap load of work. Probably shouldn't be in it for the job prospects alone. 
I also want to highlight that in this economy, a guaranteed income for the next 5 years might be really desirable to some people. So, if you are given a funding package and are able to do something you love for the next few years and not have to go into debt for it....seems like a win-win to me!

(Can't believe I'm saying this)
Claiming a Northwestern acceptance!!! Political theory. I was sooo skeptical due to the 1% acceptance rate this year. Elated is an understatement 

I also think the GRE is less important than usual, otherwise they would have made it compulsory or at least recommended. I personally didn’t take the GRE and therefore did not submit scores. 

Just got an offer from UCLA! Apparently UC's just love sending out their decisions in the dead of night lol. IR Subfield
I'm so excited I don't think I'll be able to fall asleep any time soon but I hope you all wake up to good news ❤️
 

To add to this discussion for anyone else thinking of places to apply for next year etc: if you're an international student, that also really complicates matters. For example, I know I need an R1 job if I want to stay in academia in the US. Teaching colleges aren't going to sponsor my visas and stuff. Needing an R1 job means applying to an R1 program, which is all I did this year and plan to do next year.

Respectfully, it is overpriced but Berkeley is anything but a "garbage town". I've got family that went to Cal and I grew up near there. It's a great city/area. The food, the bars, the nightlife, the proximity to everything else the Bay Area has to offer, the great public transportation, the redwood covered hills directly behind the campus. It's not Palo Alto but it sure is a beautiful place, and on most days from most of the eastern part of the campus, you've got a panoramic view of the Bay Area including downtown San Francisco, Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge. It's a beautiful place. I'm sorry for the folks that didn't get in, but no need to denigrate a great city. 

After reading the previous discussion, guys, here my 5 cents: Academia is not about money. No. It is about love-love to science, to the breathtaking feeling of discoveries and understanding that one is developing, doing something noble. It is about a fit between an inner (often innate) avid desire to learn and accumulating something that will always be with you. It is about a permanent journey and the spirit of the eternal youth. 
I'm not preaching, do not get me wrong: While having challenging stats classes, I'm asking myself quite often: " should I have swapped my highly paid job and quite relaxed way of life for the sleepless nights of a Ph.D. program?..." - But, when "that" paper is finally done, the semester is over, and I'm drinking a cup of coffee with a few sips of cognac, I feel fabulous. I feel I was right when I made a decision. And I understand that otherwise, I would be self-flagellating until the rest of the life if I did not try the taste of Academia.
Academia is tough, transformative, and quite often painful, but the majority of you, I believe, will love it too.
And yes, money...- In short: Be a good scholar, and you will have a well-paid job.

Thank you  

Got a personalized congrats email from my POI in Berkeley after acceptance from the department yesterday. My POI said the applicant pool is twice the size of that in normal years.
So just wanna say IT IS a competitive year, but don't lose hope or count yourself down if you haven't heard anything positive until now. I'm not sure about Berkeley's timeline to release all decisions, maybe miracles will happen eventually - who knows! 

Claiming Umich Theory!! The email is from the DGS. Beyond happy especially after Princeton earlier today! Best of luck to everyone 

Claiming an acceptance to University of Cincinnati, Political Theory! So thrilled 

Claiming an admit at Michigan (Law & Politics)! Received it yesterday, but it got stuck on my spam folder. 

For those interested in CIR or any of the other master programs at Chicago in the wake of rejection you can send an email to the Student Affairs Administrator to let you know if your application was forwarded to them by the PHD committee. 

Claiming Umich Theory!! The email is from the DGS. Beyond happy especially after Princeton earlier today! Best of luck to everyone 

Claiming Umich Theory!! The email is from the DGS. Beyond happy especially after Princeton earlier today! Best of luck to everyone 

Claiming Umich Theory!! The email is from the DGS. Beyond happy especially after Princeton earlier today! Best of luck to everyone 

Claiming Umich Theory!! The email is from the DGS. Beyond happy especially after Princeton earlier today! Best of luck to everyone 

Claiming Umich Theory!! The email is from the DGS. Beyond happy especially after Princeton earlier today! Best of luck to everyone 

I honestly don't understand why they don't send rejection mails right away and make us wait for days even after they send acceptances to other applicants. I mean, rejection mails should be the same so it should be easy to just automate them and send them right?