dodger
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Posts posted by dodger
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pretty sure you'll get into at least one of Yale/Columbia/WashU/NYU. based on other yalies who majored in poli sci, most of them have done pretty well for themselves
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good luck. great school, great program. would love to go there, but am realistic about chances.
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yeah, it's definitely not 8000 for poli sci. if i recall correctly, they have about 13000 applications for their A&S + professional schools faculty, and Yale grad A&S receives maybe 8000-10000 applications a year
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1. GPA / GRE
is it true that a 3.5+ threshold and a 700+ on the quantitative are the basic minimums (give or take a few points), and that the differences between these numbers among candidates are not as important as other factors?
2. personal statement
this is apparently the most important part of the application? at least, it's what one of my professors told me, and stressed that it was important to highlight different interests and show how one thinks about problems.
3. writing sample
how important is this? it's obviously important to show original research and cogent arguments, but having said that, most applicants aren't expected to be submitting publishable-quality work, but just some demonstration of being a future scholar.
4. letters of recommendation
probably the most important part of the application, depending on who writes them? if they are from well-known or star professors, these letters trump all? if they are from regular profs, then the personal statement trumps the LORs?
5. extracurricular activities / work experience
irrelevant unless directly related to PhD program in some capacity (e.g. previously worked at a think tank; editor of a student publication; etc.)
thoughts on this? essentially, it's: 2>>>4>>>>>>>>>>3>>1>>>>>>5?
unless the LORs come from renowned profs, then it's: 4>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>2>>>>>3>>1>>>>>5?
accurate?
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I'm applying PhD polisci to Yale, NYU, UC-San Diego, Johns Hopkins and Columbia. Any idea of my chances or should I first get a masters to build up my credentials? I have been accepted to Cambridge Mphil in Contemporary South Asian Studies (this is my region of focus).
Background:
Yale BA, distinction in polisci GPA: 3.72
Currently, Yale Fox International Fellow at Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi, India (one of the top five schools in India), researching globalization in India
State Dept Critical language Scholar for Arabic
was president of major student organization at Yale
one rec from dean of a college at Yale but other two are from junior faculty (one prof. told me he wrote a "very strong" rec)
GRE: 550 quant/760 verbal. Waiting for AW score. (I have stressed in my SOP that I use more qualitative than quantitative methods in my research)
presented papers at three conferences in US and in India
two papers published in student journals, one peer reviewed
one paper published in Indian academic journal
languages: Hindi, Urdu, Arabic, Spanish, English
you have great credentials, especially with languages. i'd say that you'll most likely get into Hopkins and NYU, and have a good chance at Columbia, Yale, and San Diego. Yale might not take you though since you went there for undergrad, and they don't like to "inbreed".
The Shame of Reapplying--How to Contact Profs
in Political Science Forum
Posted
So I got shut out of my applications this year, not so much because I think I aimed too high, but because I screwed up parts of my application, which was, all in all, a good learning experience for me. Worst year to be applying ever because of the economic crisis aside, I've zeroed in on some things to improve on for the next application cycle, and I have determined that I will give it a second (and final) shot next year. I'm also pretty sure that my recommendations were very solid and likely not to blame for my shortcomings this year--which lie almost exclusively at my own doing. How and when should I contact my recommenders about my mishap, and what's a good way of asking whether they would be able to provide another recommendation in the next application cycle? Thanks for the advice, guys! Good luck to the rest of you still waiting.