wannabee

Congratulations to the U Penn admits! I wonder if they are done or just getting started with the two acceptances that went up. In 2010, 7 acceptances and 3 waitlists were posted.

I can say from a personal perspective that I majored in an area studies undergrad and then decided that I wanted to adopt a disciplinary approach to the region because it seemed to really offer some focus. After I decided that my heart really lay in political science I applied to a bunch of poli sci Phd. and MA programs where there were people who specialized in my area. I had never really taken any poli sci courses in my area and had only taken one political science course total and none of my references came from political scientists. I did have a strong background in the language and culture of my area and had done some outside language programs where i studied in the region. I have been accepted to two very good programs and am waiting for more replies. Additionally, I applied to one are studies MA as a backup plan. Hope this helps.

I am not in English but this happens quite frequently in political science. A student applying to one highly ranked program often applies to a number of schools in the "top 10", and several of these could be ivies. They are often accepted at more than one and then must make a choice. So don't count on it, but don't give up hope either....

I'm sorry. I don't understand what you are saying. The Poli Sci Department at Pittsburgh requires you to say "yes" to entering their program before you receive details on funding from the Graduate School of Arts and Science? That doesn't make any sense.... Or am I misunderstanding what you've said? It's quite late here and my brain may not be up to par...

Varshney at Brown also does India.

U Penn is still out. Last Wednesday, they told me they'd be responding "soon". Nothing yet so I am assuming this coming week.

In this situation, if there is still time, I guess I would drop a phone call to the Director of Graduate Studies or whichever staff members is the graduate coordinator (or whatever they call it) and just clarify your attendance on the phone, making sure there is nothing else you need to do.

Can definitely appreciate and understand.

I am sorry. I am not clear on this. Have you been admitted or have they requested you to attend? Is this an invited event or open to all applicants?

I think you are being too hard on yourself, although this whole situation is not easy. Can you write them to get information on the size and likelihood of pulling people from the waitlist? Programs often have some sense of this. I read all 169 pages of last year's thread and, near the end, a considerable number of waitlistees did make it in.

Thanks very much. It is good to know this so we can mentally move on.

This is great. Hope it works out for you.

My hearty congrats to you. Every time I see someone grab the ring for the first time, it's a great thing. So much blood and sweat goes into each of these admits. So many years of work and hoping... Also congrats to all the new Princeton, NYU, and Rochester people.

Many thanks. That is exactly how I feel. I am also a crazy fan of baseball so your analogy is well taken.

I once heard that the average quant score at Yale was 730 (can't remember where) and that is the figure I had in my mind. However, when I checked on the NRC data released last fall, it lists 753 as the average. I don't know about verbal.

Regarding Yale... There wasn't anything posted on my application. (I looked.) Just a friendly email from a professor. I can't totally understand or explain why I was admitted. I am no "super star"! I would describe myself as a "non-traditional" candidate. I have very few poli sci courses and only one college math class. In terms of the Middle East, my background in area studies and language is strong...great references but none from poli sci professors. My quant GRE is 50 points below the average at Yale. My gpa and verbal GRE are very strong, and I have spent considerable time studying in the Middle East. I also put a lot of effort into my SOP and my writing sample which was a chapter from my thesis. I only applied to schools with Middle East specialists. That meant my list of applications was very quirky! Chicago and Yale were the only top twenty in my list. I was rejected from Chicago (I assume) and accepted at Yale.

So happy... Accepted by Yale. An email from a professor mentioned in my SOP. Comparative...Middle East/South Asia...conflict studies.

I do not think the procedures for a Poli Sci or Govt department would be the same for English and Medieval Studies. The quant score is much more important in Poli Sci than for humanities disciplines.

On a totally different topic, the grad administrator for UPenn said that decisions on admissions should go out "soon".

Slacktivist, Moremegil, J.Phoenix, I was one of the early Maryland admits (comparative)and I am excited about that. I know that last year a few people were admitted very early and the other acceptances were scattered between February 18 and March 2. Remember that, unlike many schools, Maryland does not have an admit weekend in February or March. Since they don't have the pressure of getting everyone there speedily for an admit weekend, they can take more time making decisions. Last year, seven acceptances were posted on Grad Cafe. This year, only two were listed. So my guess is that more will come, but this is a guess....I have no special knowledge. Good luck everyone! I really hope you make it. This whole process is tough. I am stranded at home awaiting word if my current program will resume in Cairo, and I can return there. I am trying to keep busy with reading and such but I keep checking my emails to see if I get any word on anything.

Regarding Princeton....I have not contacted them. In my case, I was waiting for the notification that my program was resuming in Cairo. I thought I would add that question into my email when I explained I was returning to Egypt. Unfortunately, we do not yet have word on the program and I am still in a holding pattern. I don't think a polite inquiry would be out of line. Last year, a day or two after the short list notifications went out, those who were rejected were also notified. Still, I fear that it's possible Near Eastern Studies is cutting back on admissions and none of us made the cut (or at least I didn't).

I have a feeling that the Stanford model may repeat itself here. Last year, the Chicago acceptances and waitlists came out Feb 10-12. However, the rejections and referrals to their one-year MA programs were sent by email only on March 3. I am definitely in "chicago limbo". A disappointment for me, although I am grateful to be admitted with funding to one program.

Anyone claim the latest Maryland acceptance?

Does anyone have any information on the Princeton short list? It should have gone out some time ago, and perhaps it did. But I am surprised that no one has posted anything. Over the weekend there were two queries about this on the "results" database that were subsequently removed as spam. Last year, by this time, the short list notifications had gone out plus a number of rejections.

Perhaps this will help. Here is a thread from last year where applicants posted their SOP in poli sci last year....