PoliSciAm1512

PROFILE: Type of Undergrad Institution: T20 LAC (US); transferred from T50 US university Major(s)/Minor(s): Political Science, Peace Studies Undergrad GPA: 3.87 Type of Grad: N/A Grad GPA: N/A GRE: N/A didn't take Any Special Courses: N/A Letters of Recommendation: 2 political science professors, 1 from VP at my current workplace; I expect all 3 were stellar Teaching/Research Experience: 1 semester undergrad TA; 2 years as a research assistant at a policy think tank Other: Took a gap semester to work for an advocacy organization that ties in with my research interests Subfield: American Politics RESULTS: Acceptances: UW-Madison, Northwestern, Cornell Rejections: University of Chicago (accepted to MAPSS... quite the ripoff if you ask me) Waitlists: Georgetown, University of Michigan, University of Minnesota Attending: UW-Madison LESSONS LEARNED: To echo what others have said year after year - fit was by far the most important thing when it came to my application and where I got accepted. I had direct research interests that aligned with the faculty at each school I was accepted to and could see the gaps in my research profile at the places I was waitlisted or rejected. If I could do it again, I wouldn't apply to the schools where I knew the fit wasn't right from the start. I only applied to Georgetown because I currently live in DC and I think they could tell. I think this cycle was particularly stressful, as I had to make a decision on a condensed timeline to ensure my funding wouldn't be pulled. I ended up receiving an offer deferral from Northwestern, so I would have to matriculate in Fall 2026 instead of 2025. I hope this isn't a trend that continues in future cycles, but I wanted to note that it did happen this year for anyone reading in the future. Ultimately, the factors that helped me make my decision were fit with faculty interests/research, location (I really couldn't imagine living in Ithaca for 6 years), vibes of the current graduate students and my incoming cohort, and financial compensation. I was able to negotiate with UW-Madison to essentially match another offer, so it is possible and I recommend everyone try to do so if they have competing offers. Finally, I would recommend just taking the GRE. Even if you don't get a stellar score, it can open up doors to even apply to schools I didn't get to. You might as well throw your hat in the ring, right?!

Hi all I found it very helpful to review the results and advice of those who applied in prior years. Since it's now April 15, I thought I'd post this thread so people can post their results and give advice to those in the future! PROFILE: Type of Undergrad Institution: Major(s)/Minor(s): Undergrad GPA: Type of Grad: Grad GPA: GRE: Any Special Courses: Letters of Recommendation: Teaching/Research Experience: Other: RESULTS: Acceptances: Rejections: Pending: Attending: LESSONS LEARNED:

Is this for Michigan? I am on the waitlist, as well, for AP. It's good to know I'll know one way or another in the next few weeks. What subfield are you and do you happen to know anything about AP's yield so far?

FYI - my offer from Northwestern was deferred to Fall 2026 this afternoon. I was not planning to accept, regardless, but I do really urge people with offers to accept one as soon as absolutely possible - it doesn't yet seem like schools have pulled funding or offers from students who have already committed.

Laughably I still have not heard from Georgetown after a very off-putting interview in January with the American Government faculty. I am planning to commit to a school next week and I just think it's in poor taste to not at least let students know they're on the waitlist if I am indeed in some sort of unnamed waitlist purgatory. Additionally - I am hearing about an increasing number of schools rescinding funding guarantees to students who have not yet committed. This is certainly expediting my own process and others may want to think about making a formal decision sooner rather than later. I'm not banking on many schools digging into their waitlists this year.

No, this person has just been posting in the gradadmission subreddit with similarly hostile statements (if it's not them, then there are multiple people asking this exact same question with similar backgrounds). I am just sad that they argue with anyone who says they're getting into top programs and disclosing a disability...

I am confused why you keep fighting with people here and on reddit about your perception that is just not grounded in reality. People on both forums have told you that they shared their disability in their statements of purpose (so the schools would see it) and still received admissions from top schools. I understand you want some validation, but I am not sure anyone will be able to give that to you with any certainty. You may want to consider the parts of your application to improve for the next cycle, including how you frame your disability. I am sorry this cycle didn't go as you had hoped.

Hi! I am super curious to hear about how you like living in Ithaca? I live in a northeast metropolitan city and honestly living in an area like Ithaca is one of my biggest hang ups.

They said fewer than 1 in 20. They also didn't accept applications this year for IR so I am surprised that number is so high and the acceptance rate is so low.

Claiming Cornell acceptance! AP subfield

Yeah, I interviewed with them mid-January but I’ve heard nothing since.

I’m sure it won’t make you feel better, but I went to GW and transferred out, in part because of how poor the TA quality was. I get that larger universities require TAs- heck! We’re all gonna be one- but my introduction to international politics TA was the most miserable and unhappy woman I’ve ever met. Friends reported similar low TA quality in the department, so I think that speaks to how PhD students are treated and their experience, if only from a periphery view.

According to their admissions statistics, they received 595 apps in 2021, 505 in 2022, 474 in 2023, and 508 in 2024. So while it’s certainly an increase, it isn’t all that drastic. They’ve admitted between 3 and 5 percent of applicants in the past few years. I’m treating my Michigan waitlist as a rejection, as I have offers I’m happy with, but I do wish they’d be more transparent about the unlikeliness of getting off the waitlist instead of getting applicants’ hopes up.

I had to respond to Northwestern about whether I would be attending their prospective students day by February 9 and the event is on February 21, so I would venture to say all acceptances have been sent, but I don't know that with 100% certainty.

Fit matters! I just got waitlisted at Minnesota after getting into Northwestern and UW-Madison. I know they are relatively comparable peer institutions, but this really shows that fit makes a difference because both of the schools I was accepted to so far I think are a better fit.