PoliSci2026

I have heard from friends that applied to MAs that they asked to postpone the response deadline until they received offers from all places. Some received an extra week or even more. Idk if it will work the same for PhD, but it's worth trying. Good luck!!

1. A top choice doesn't have to be the #1 program, there are other factors. 2. Waiting for GU doesn't tell you anything about my other options. It doesn't tell you where I applied, or where I got into. 3. I'm not going to tell you where I got into, not with this attitude of yours. But I'm happy with the options I have. You can believe me or think I'm a liar, it won't change the reality. 4. I won't "take the L" because I didn't lose. I'm thrilled with this cycle results. Did I hope for more acceptances? Sure. Did I get into places I'll be happy to get into, including my top choice? Also yes. 5. I'm sorry for you that the cycle went badly for you, it doesn't mean this is the case for everyone else. 6. I'm even more sorry for you that your way of feeling better is lashing at random people in the internet and trying to make them feel bad with themselves. 7. I respectfully ask you, leave me alone.

I don't know who you are, and with what knowledge or authority you decide that people are lying about getting into their top choice or about anything else. Why would we be lying? This forum is anonymous, no need to pretend. From what you write, I understand you're frustrated with this cycle's results, I understand you hoped for better results. But don't lash out at me. And most certainly, don't tag me and accuse me of lying. Since I last wrote here I had several updates, but I'm most certainly not feeling like sharing them now.** Many of us had several complicated months. For some it was better, for some it was worse. Being nice to each other won't hurt. ** and for all those who are anxious and following for every piece of information - my updates are already in the admission results page, just not linked to this profile/forum

Yeah... 😕 but congrats on getting your top choice! I'm happy for you! I'm still waiting to 4 universities (including Harvard), but I also got into my top choice. So even if this cycle ends with only this one acceptance for me, I'm still happy haha at this point, I feel I want acceptances mainly as affirmation, not necessarily bc I intend to go there 😅

Thanks, and congrats again I hope this means I still have a chance (I'm IR, and if the portal didn't update yet maybe they're still making calls). But I'm not optimistic

Congrats for your acceptance to Harvard and all the other places! Are you the one who posted in the status update page about the call? Some people (including me) posted questions- when did you receive your call? Which subfield did you apply to? And do you see the decision in your portal, or just got the call for now? Congrats, and good luck in the PhD!

I think it's due to admissions being extremely competitive this year. Personally, so far I received only 1 acceptance and no interviews or waitlists. And I know someone with a very similar profile to mine, that 4 years ago got into several places. I don't know your profile or the materials you submitted so I don't know to assess them, but it seems overall like a super competitive cycle. So I think with several acceptances you should be really proud

Yeah I saw it too, but thanks anyway for bringing it up here! I also assume a rejection for now, but I'd love to be surprised and find out that we were wrong haha I don't think they mentioned subfields, and several people commented, so idk but I'm also front a different subfield and hoping for the best. But as mentioned, for now I assune it's a rejection

I'm wondering the same thing. I'm coming from abroad to the visitation days, in a 16 hours flight, and it's so hard to plan when I don't know what to expect I'm waiting for answers from several universities, but from those I'm waitibg for, GU is the one it's most important for me to visit if accepted So any info would be appreciated

Yes, plus, because many people knew this is going to be an extra-competetive year, they applied to more universities than they would usually apply to. Personally, I applied to at least 4 universities that I wouldn't have applied to in "normal" years. And I know that several universities received this year a record number of applications. So, there are both more applicants to each university AND smaller cohorts... resulting in less chances for each applicant

Thanks for the update! It's written like this for me too, I didn't even have an interview, so I pretty much assume rejection

Someone wrote a while back that sometimes it's stuck over bureaucratic stuff, basically an administration worker who should press a button and doesn't do it. But I hope it means we're still in the game there, I'm also waiting for them (same with UW Madison, btw. They released decisions in January but didn't release rejections yet) I respect the universities that release rejections and acceptances at the same time so much. It's much more fair for us applicants...

I'm IR how do you know these subfields were notified? I saw only one person who posted yesterday, maybe there are more to come?

One person posted yesterday an acceptance to Penn, but there was no other update (neither other acceptances, nor waitlists/rejections) Did anyone hear anything from them? Do we know how many people they plan to admit this year? My portal still shows nothing new and I wonder what's going on, it seems weird that only one person posted hearing back from them... I wonder if they sent all acceptances or there is still a chance

I know everyone who was accepted should inform the universities by April 15 whether they will attend. So I guess sometime in March (some even say end of March), but waitlisted applicants may hear the final decision only later (even end of April)

Someone wrote in the GradCafe updates that they've heard some people were interviewed for Harvard, Yale, Penn and Cornell. Does anyone know anything about this? Neither GradCafe nor the excel sheet mention anything about interviews to these universities...

Duke I think I saw some waitlists but I don't remember if there was anything else. I'm still waiting for them too. As to Penn, I haven't seen anything and also waiting for them --- On a similar note, does anyone know when it is okay to email the programs to check my status? I'm specifically wondering about the ones I assume are rejections, since others heard from them and I haven't. I did get into one program I really want and was invited to their visit days, but since I have a 14-hour flight to the US, I want to plan the trip in advance... And as long as I don't receive official decisions, it's much harder to plan.

Haha I'm with you. I did get one acceptance which I'm really happy about, but most programs I applied to said nothing so far (2 rejections, 1 acceptance, 2 silent rejections, and 8 pending)

In the rejection letter from UMD (which seems like a template email) they wrote to me: "The Graduate School relies on graduate programs to evaluate applications and make admission recommendations. Should you have any questions about this decision, please contact the Doctor of Philosophy program in Government and Politics to which you applied." Do you think it means they may be willing to provide a feedback on the application, if I ask them? So I can learn what went wrong? Or is there another reason they wrote it and it's not an invitation to ask for feedback?

I think that if you're from a country from which many people tend to apply to US universities, they are probably aware of this fact. I can tell you that I'm from a country where it's exactly the opposite - we're on a 0-100 scale, and when converting to the American scale, it's super easy to reach 3.9+ GPA. I thought my high GPA would help me, but when I spoke with an American professor who is a family friend, he told me something along the lines of "everyone knows that in your country it's easy to get high grades" so basically no one cares that I come with high grades, I need more impressive achievements. So I guess you're on the other side of the same coin - there is a chance they know what you're describing and taking it into account.

It's good to hear! Thanks a lot for the explanation

I just saw in my University of Maryland (College Park) portal that my application status changed from "Under Program Review" to "Under Grad School Review". Any idea what it means? If it even means anything at all? btw, about Brown, same here

During October-December, I heard that many programs expected to reduce their cohorts due to budget cuts and uncertainties stemming from the Trump administration, but I haven't heard of a program that said that for sure. It was the speculations of faculty members and stuff said vaguely in info sessions, nothing concrete. Does anyone know something more concrete about specific programs?

I was wondering that too, I'm IR subfield. I saw some interviews and acceptances are out, but I didn't hear anything from them (and actually thought it was a great fit)

Yes I also received this email, they said they aren't taking any new PhD students to Political Science this year I don't understand why they waited so long to give this notification... I know some schools (like SAIS) decided in advance they're not taking new PhD students this year, seems so much more fair...