balderdash

So I guess the Princeton admitted students' event is over. Did anyone go? Are you accepting or rejecting? What's your subfield? Any and all responses greatly appreciated.

Columbia email just came, directed to website. Official process now over. Final results: 0 acceptances, 1 waitlist, 6 rejections. So it goes. Time to start working on a better personal statement.

Check the board. Last year the rejections were all 13-14-15 March, and there's no reason to believe this year would be any different. Plus the admits and waitlists went out in February, as per usual for the last few years. If you haven't heard by now (which I haven't either, by the way), assume rejection with 99.9% certainty.

As a 21 year old, let me chip in. I completely agree with you. I sit here and think that I have this incredibly focused research agenda, and then I talk to my peers (some as old as 40, 42, etc). I hear about their background, experience, and interests that have resulted. It honestly puts my "focus" to shame. Right now I'd be happy researching any one of 10 African states, individually or collectively, focusing on either current trajectory or historical development. So I think there's quite a bit to be said for getting a deeper perspective. Then again, it may just be because I've been unsuccessful this year that a few years off is starting to sound good. In any case, at least time away from the ivory towers will give me a chance to pay down student debt. On a different, related note: has anyone here accepted or rejected their offer from Princeton? If so, what field? Cheers.

Hey, congrats humanprovince! fsmn36 - I don't think there's a shortage of comparativists studying conflict - Scott Straus, Chris Cramer, and Kevin Dunn are just a few that stand out from recent readings, but I'm sure there are others. I think the problem is rather that when we're dealing with situations like Taylor's Greater Liberia, borders break down to the point that distinguishing IR and CP is largely spurious. Anyway, I wish Columbia/Chicago would just send out the rejections so that I can finish up my cycle.

I think I counted six on the board from 2-3 weeks ago, as well as a waitlist.

I am. I think Chicago is normally late responding to rejected applicants, but they could also be reviewing them for the MA program. That said, they gave 1 March as the response day, so we might hear something tonight.

Congratulations, and I mean it sincerely. I think you should choose based on a few factors, really: quality of advisors, placement record, and funding stand out for the most important. But since you're choosing at HYP, it's not going to vary that much among them (I would imagine). Thus your decision will have to be based on "softer" factors. For me, it would really come down to the city, the campus, the cost of living, and where you want to be geographically. As far as I'm concerned, Harvard wins because Cambridge is gorgeous and Boston is a college town. Both Stanford and Princeton are also in beautiful locations, but in smaller satellites outside their respective "cities" (SF and NYC), whereas Harvard is central and right on the red line. But I do have to say this: I have a massive interest in you declining your P offer, so if nothing else, do a guy a favor.

I'd love the same for Princeton CP.

Me!

I'm gonna go ahead and claim that Harvard reject. I emailed Thom because I knew it was coming and didn't want to sit here wondering.

Well now that it worked, the confusion should be over and he can turn the attention to ourselves. But I do have to say, I can't think of many people I'd rather see get an offer, Tuf. Good stuff.

Jesus comes through!

Congrats. What's your subfield? Which school are you leaning toward attending?

Ah, you'll have a terrible time picking between Stanford and Harvard.

Let's not make a straw man out of the argument. I fully understand faculty commitments and the like. However, there's no good reason why there can't be a set deadline that's late enough to guarantee it gets met. Think back to your days of applying for undergrad schools: most respond on April 1. They're actually pretty sure about the incoming class, at least 95% of it, by the first week of March or so. But they set the date far enough in advance that they have time to maneuver, and rarely release decisions before then. What I'm trying to say is that rather than have a school say "sometime in February" and then spend all month worrying before getting a response the 18th, I'd prefer they'd just say 1 March and stick to it. Sure, we'd find out later. But at least the anxiety wouldn't be there.

Agreed except for a small typo in your post: Red Sox*

The only guess I have is that it'll take a baby Jesus miracle to get me a spot. I think it helps in making the wait bearable.

I'm not trying to be rude, but I can't address your question because I can't really understand what you're trying to say: the grammar and syntax is a bit too messy for me to decode. Can you please rephrase?

I'm guessing rejects/waitlists. Are a lot of departments closed today because of the holiday? I hadn't thought about it, being across the pond and all, but I suppose some people have the day off.

You don't take the test, then pay someone to forge the "official" report. Or you send a cousin to go take the exam for you, and (s)he slips an envelope of money to whomever is doing that "strict" monitoring.

It's funny how this thread ramps up on tuesday/wednesday, hits a peak friday morning, then settles into absolute silence for saturday/sunday morning. Let's hope this week is better than last. And if anyone is looking for a distraction, I recommend Radiohead's new album. Given the beauty that was In Rainbows, I am going to go give it a thorough listen.

Congrats, dude. Out of curiosity, why did you say on the board that it was so clear they're not done with admissions?

Well, they got around 600 apps for ~40 acceptances, right? So the odds of seeing more than, say, 10 on the board would be pretty small. But that's just my $.02.