[IR/Security/Public Affairs 2011]

Hello all!

Just wanted to get a some international (or US!) impressions on the War Studies program at King's? I've applied to a few PhD programs in the UK, though usually in the department of development studies (where suitable supervisors were based) but I'm really keen on the King's program. Having said that, I'm not sure how well known it is outside the UK and it'd be great to get some opinions from you guys!

Thanks.

[Factors more important than prestige?]

How do people feel about the fit vs. prestige when it comes to MA programs (my situation)? I'm leaning toward prestige since the MA years are more about classes than lots of research and the name-brand will likely help when I apply for PhD programs in a few years. Thoughts?

At MA I don't think fit is such an issue - you're not going to be working so closely with a supervisor and your research is going to be wider and in less depth.

[Factors more important than prestige?]

As a PhD applicant, fit definitely trumps prestige where the fit is much much better, and the 'lesser' university is still really good, or perhaps has a particularly good reputation in my field as opposed to an all around 'brand' name.

I have a question though, which I hope isn't so personal that it doesn't apply or isn't of use to others...

My top two choices are both GREAT research fits for me, my potential supervisors are amazing, and both offer great opportunities to be part of research groups etc. They are also literally across the road from each other so location isn't an issue. One of them has a more widely recognised name outside the UK, is known for being generally excellent, has a great reputation for the department I'd be studying in. The other has an amazing reputation for my department for those in-the-know, but is less known outside the UK and even in the UK doesn't have quite the same reputation. I have an acceptance from the second one (where I have spoken to my POI and really liked him), and am still waiting on the first, so this question may be moot, but does anyone have any advice on which they would choose? I already have a masters degree from the first place, and have worked as a fellow in a top US law school, then as a research scholar at an Ivy - does this mean I could discount the difference in reputation on the basis that I have plenty of international "names" on my resume already so shouldn't concern myself too much with prestige? If I get offers from both (with funding) the prestige factor and the question of future career choices (they would take me in quite different directions) would be the deciding factors, so it'd be great to know how important people think the prestige thing is, all else being pretty equal?

[Anyone else been waitlisted at Oxford?]

Yep, I had the same - applied for the Nov deadline, re-evaluated against the January cohort. I think they aim to give decisions around 17th March for January applicants, so guessing we'll be the same time.

In terms of what it means... no way of knowing really. Departments often have a limit on the number of people they can accept from the November round of applicants, and so only accept their top top choices. Everyone else gets evaluated together, but the fact you weren't rejected outright is good. It's not a 'soft rejection', it just means they have not made up their minds yet.

[Academia.edu Keywords]

Haven't experienced this in relation to grad school (though now I'm going to go back and check the search dates with when I contacted POIs/submitted my apps) but generally it sends me crazy wondering who is searching for me!

[I'm striking out, and need some advice....]

Keep in mind that a British Ph.D. and an American Ph.D. are not equivalent - with a British degree, you don't exactly come out as an expert in your field as you do in the States. If you want to go on the job market in the States after you finish, this might pose a problem, and it will be much harder to network from overseas to prepare you for the job market. Not to scare you, just something to think about.

Not true at all, though sadly some in the US still view things this way which can make getting a job there with a UK PhD more difficult.

[Rejected at lower ranked school]

For me, chocolate works better than alcohol to help me face the mailbox. (I only ever get bills or ads anyway.) Watch insult add to injury as I gain 10 pounds this month...

I think that the best cure for your application-itis is to socialize this weekend. Eat (chocolate), drink (your preferred adult beverage), and be distracted.

Totally with you on the chocolate thing. I was getting through 2 king size bars per day for weeks, then as soon as my first acceptance came I stopped completely. Now the euphoria has worn off and I'm looking for my next fix - I'm hoping it'll be in the form of another acceptance rather than another Green and Black's Toffee chocolate bar so that I can go back to fitting in my jeans!

[Human Rights/Development Studies Programs]

I did the MSc in Human Rights at LSE- the course is pretty flexible so you can also take courses in the department of international development, which I loved. So much so I'm applying for a PhD there though not holding out much hope...

[The ONLY one out of my peers who hasn't heard ANYTHING from ANYBODY--tearing my hair out]

No real news for me either - applied to 5 places, and unfortunately in the UK there is no April 15th deadline. Oxford told me they're holding my application back to evaluate with the second round of applications that came in in January (so glad I killed myself trying to get my application in by the first round deadline in November!) and SOAS are just sending cryptic emails. All I can work out is that if I am in, it's for 2012. But I can't even work out if I'm accepted, my application is being evaluated now for 2012 entry, or my application is just being forgotten about until next year when they will resurrect it and look at it for 2012. Aaaaah! No news from anyone else - Cambridge have said we probably won't hear till August, despite a November application deadline (6 months - seriously!!) and the other two who knows. I just really need to stop checking!

["On hold"]

Its really bizarre, but they clearly stated I am not on the wait list. Also they said that my application was complete....so I'm not really sure what the hold up is. Based on the Results section, it looks like they sent out interview invitations in Dec and early January. However, there last interview session is in only a week or two. If they are going to reject me I'd rather they just say "You're Rejected" so I can move on.

If they have several gathered fields of applicants they may be holding your application to re-evaluate with the second field. That is what is happening with me with Oxford - they have a maximum number of places to award to the first gathered field of applicants, and send out acceptances and rejections on January. If, like me, a person is good enough not to be rejected, but not at the very top therefore not awarded one of the limited places available for that round of applicants, they are held back to be evaluated against the second round of applicants, with rejections/acceptances sent out in March. It's not being waitlisted, since no-one needs to reject an offer before they can make one to me, it is just literally putting me on hold till they have more people to evaluate me against.

But yeah, I would just ask them what exactly it means as it might be different for your uni!

[Email from admissions - what does it mean!?!]

How obnoxious of this school and what a stinky circumstance for you.

The email(s) are definetly ambiguous, hopefully they actually will get back to you with more info, but if they don't I'd lean on the side that you'll be highly considered for acceptance next year if you choose to leave your application on file. I say that because it is a specific superviosor you want to work with and they will certainly be looking at all applications sent in 2011 for 2012 as well. I'd imagine you'd be a high candidate since it sounds like you were top choice this year, but hopefully that means you were a top candidate at other schools as well and better news is coming your way...and news that isn't so confusing!

Thanks! I've given up trying to get a straight answer from them and am just going to wait and see. I have still to hear from my two first choice programs so I'm in no hurry ... other than being intensely curious now!

[Email from admissions - what does it mean!?!]

So I emailed asking directly "Am I admitted for 2012 entry,or are you holding my application to then consider it for 2012 entry?".

They replied...

Thank you for your email. We are currently processing your application for 2012 entry and will be in touch shortly with the details.

Am I being a complete idiot, or is this still totally ambiguous? I think it sounds hopeful but I don't want to celebrate only to then be disappointed. The two people I've shown it to seem to think it's still totally unclear but sounds promising...

Aaaaaaah! I thought I couldn't be in any more limbo after being waitlisted by Oxford, but I think these people might have taken it to a whole new level!

[Things not to say to someone who has just been rejected by their dream school]

"Well this just means you can get a real job and become a productive member of society." <------my parents, I'm sure.

My parents too, and my sisters. Actually pretty much everyone in my life. My family thinks academic studies are for people not capable enough to do something 'real' with their life and are only capable of being a bookworm/recluse!

[Email from admissions - what does it mean!?!]

it sounds like you are in for 2012, although it is a bit ambiguous when they say "considered for 2012."

Is this one of your main schools of choice? Would it be worth waiting until 2012?

Yeah, I couldn't work it out! Glad it's not just me who found it ambiguous.

LSE and King's in London are my first choices (I'm totally split between the two), then this uni and Oxford are my joint second choices, with a slight preference for this one I suppose. I don't have any other offers (yet - I hope!), so I emailed to say "yeah sure , keep me for 2012" - now I'm just wondering what exactly I've said yes to!!

[Email from admissions - what does it mean!?!]

I received this email this morning:

Thank you for your application to study for a research degree at XXX.

I am writing to let you know that unfortunately the department is unable to offer you admission for 2011 entry as no supervisor will be available. However, they recommend admission for entry in September 2012 when a suitable supervisor will be available.

Please let me know if you would like your application to be considered for 2012 entry. Please reply promptly, since if I do not hear from you within the next two weeks I will assume you do not want your application to be carried forward to 2012 and will treat your application as withdrawn.

Thank you for your interest in XXXXX.

Yours sincerely

Turns out the person who had agreed to potentially be my supervisor is unexpectedly going on sabbatical for the 2011-2012 academic year. So does this email mean I'm admitted, but for 2012, or that they will not consider my application until 2012?!

Thanks!!

[Pre-admission reading list]

After reading Carmer's article on Homo Economicus going to war, I've also been meaning to read his book, but I haven't found a copy anywhere in the region. The Straus book is interesting and thorough, and if you haven't checked it out yet, Lee-Ann Fujii's book is a nice companion to it. I'm also glad to see that Straus has translated Chrétien's excellent primer on the Great Lakes. Does Lemarchand still teach at all? I was under the impression that he was out of the game. Where did you meet him?

I'm coming from a very diverse background that doesn't exactly include poli sci, so while I've read a lot of area-specific stuff, I'm less grounded in more theoretical works, at least those from the Anglo-Saxon tradition, but I imagine that if I get accepted anywhere, the first year will take care of that.

If it's not indiscreet, where have you applied? I have a feeling that we might be shooting for some of the same slots, although I'd like to work on the Middle East as well as Central Africa.

I have a feeling I might be joining you and Balderdash in terms of area interests/applications etc. Would you mind PMing?!

[Pre-admission reading list]

What's funny to me is that literally every post you make is intended to be inflammatory. For all of your proclaimed familiarity with the academic literature, you've missed out on the one essential attribute of all successful social scientists: humility. So good luck getting a job even if your doctorate is from Harvard. I'm sure everyone will want to hire an arrogant weasel as their colleague.

Anyway, back to the topic at hand.

I forgot to add an edited volume, The Lord's Resistance Army, by Allen and Vlassenroot. Beyond that, I need a few in-depth studies of particular rebel movements in the Great Lakes. Does anyone have recommendations on the RCD, FDLR, LRA, or ADF?

I'm just reading Severine Autesserre's book on the DRC (The Trouble with the Congo) which is super interesting. I'm a huge fan of Tim Allen's though, and his book Trial Justice is definitely worth a look, as is his colleague David Keen's book Complex Emergencies (which is not so much in depth on rebel movements but still a great read.)

I'm getting the impression that we are very much aiming towards the same sort of research - would you mind PMing? I'd love to find out more about what you're doing, where you are now, where you're applying etc. I'm in the US at the moment but applying to UK universities...

[how does Oxford notify applicants of a decision?]

I received an email with a scanned letter attached telling me I'd been wait-listed. I think that because I'm in the US they scanned rather than posted the letter. Other UK applicants seem to be hearing by post.

The impression I get is that it really depends on the department, which is not very helpful but can explain why people receive offers/rejection at different times and by different methods. I certainly don't get the impression that it's a very unified system.

[how does Oxford notify applicants of a decision?]

No, sorry, I applied for a Social Sciences MPhil.

So long as they haven't changed from last year, it's not numerous ways. To reiterate, as I wasn't clear: You will hear that a decision has been made via email, but you will not know what that decision is until you receive the letter.

I saw that you're applying for a PhD this year - what department? I've applied to QEH...

Also you said you were wait-listed - was that for your MPhil? I've been wait-listed for the PhD and just trying to figure out how it all works!

[What's your experience at Oxford University?]

Hi wreckofthehope,

Thanks! I didn't know anything about Oxford's college system but my potential supervisor asked me to choose her college, which is St. Cross. Any comments on St. Cross?

Thanks,

Peanut

I've also applied to St. Cross, for a social sciences subject PhD. I liked the fact it was a grad college, got the impression it wasn't sports mad, was central and old, a good size, and most importantly they offered a scholarship I could apply for. Second choice was St Anthony's where my potential supervisor is based. Good luck in your application!

[Human Rights SOP]

I did the MSc Human Rights at LSE (great program btw, with a lot of flexibility in terms of what courses you want to take), and also the LLM in Public International Law at LSE after. I am working at Columbia at the moment, at NYU in Human Rights the year before. And my undergrad was at UCL (which also has a v good human rights program). The point of all this is to say, yes, in the UK SOP's are MUCH less emotional than those expected in the US. I wrote a very straightforward explanation of my motivations, experience etc. Stick to that and I can't imagine you'd have any problems getting in!