ivyreject

Boston College runs a small program (5 new students a year), but this one stings. I tried to do the sensible thing, given my mediocre numbers and lack of background in the field, and skip the delusions that I could get into most of the top programs. I really want to move back to Boston (I got a master's in another field from Boston University a few years back). I applied to MIT as a stretch, and figured BU might be in my target range. BC was my backup plan, and now even they don't want me, in spite of the fact that their department has more relevant resources in my area of interest than either of the others in Boston (namely Alan Wolfe and the Boisi Center on Religion in Public Life). From what I can determine, this is the least well-regarded program I applied to. And I'm out. Guess I should've applied to Northeastern, too. Ugh, thankfully I have a lot of love and good things in my life besides the desire to become a scholar. But this stings. I was putting most of my eggs in this basket. I still have an upcoming phone conversation with a committee member (at the school I LEAST want to attend).

...Charles and Abraham. 2/12/1809 - what a day. Darwin would put us in political science departments, while Lincoln would put us in government departments.

...at one of my schools. He looked at my application and thinks " it would be useful for us to chat a bit about what we offer." Sounds more like a phone interview than an acceptance or rejection. I'm guessing he wants to help discern whether the institution's resources are well matched to my area of interest?? Still, it was good to hear something from somebody. I get the feeling that none of my places will be notifying for a few more weeks, whereas most of you have some, if not most, of your decisions already. By the time my schools admit and reject, I might be here celebrating and/or crying by myself!

I, too, have mediocre GREs compared to most people here, and unremarkable GPAs from less-than-elite institutions. I applied to seven departments and I feel pretty good about 4 or 5 of them. Like me, it seems you have made the prudent decision not to waste a thousand dollars applying to a dozen top-tier schools. I will be grateful to land at any of the places I applied, but I do expect to get in somewhere. I think you should expect the same. Come September, you'll be over here on the Right Coast. When I first found this site, I flipped out because it seems that virtually everyone on this site is more academically talented and more ambitious than I am. But we all come to this game with different backgrounds and perhaps different goals and dreams. Best wishes to you in this process.

PS Only one of my LOR was from a social scientist. One was from a professor I had 5 classes with in college. And the last was from a work supervisor. I hope that doesn't sink me. But, at 28, I haven't been in school in a while and have actually managed to do fine in the real world. So hopefully the committees will care more about a letter from someone who actually knows my work and ability than a former professor who barely remembers me and who, in any event, has to crank out dozens if not hundreds of these things every fall for people s/he barely knows. We shall see... I noticed someone on the results page got an acceptance from BU and a rejection from BC.... I'd love to hear more from that person.

I feel like I may be a bit out of my league here. I am coming to political science from another field (religious studies) and applied to my schools based more on where I want to live and who I want to study with. If US News is to be believed, I applied to two great department (MIT, WashU), three good ones (Georgetown, American, and Florida) and two decent ones (Boston University and Boston College). American Politics. So, I congratulate those of you who are receiving good news, and I can see why admission to some of these programs is so competitive. I just wonder if there are any of you who applied to my schools as backups, or if there are any lurkers out there who applied to second-tier places. PS How do you create that little subscript that lists your applications, acceptances, and rejections?

I applied there too, so it's good to see that something is happening. Who knows how long it'll take to hear from GW. I applied to GW, American, and G'town in some part because I figured DC would be an exciting place to study political science. Granted, my area of specialization will be American politics, but I'm surprised that I've seen so little talk about DC-area schools, save Maryland, which seems to be on many peoples' list. My ambitions might be more modest than some of the brilliant minds and future superstars on here. I chose the schools to which I am applying based mostly on where I want to live, work, and study the next five years, and assumed that DC might provide a particularly rich environment for such things as opposed to frigid, remote outposts in the Upper Midwest. Of course, I tried to find departments which seem well-matched to my area of interest and, to the degree this can be known, that have success with placement. Just as an aside, as maddening as this process can be, I hate to think of how it will be in five years when we're all trying to get jobs at somewhere besides Joe Blow State Community College. Especially since all these boomer profs we all know and love will still be too poor to retire. Oh well, one thing at a time.

Hi. I can already tell that this site is absolutely bruising to my ego and probably not good for my anxiety. But whatever. I just want to know if I should keep hoping or give up now. I am absolutely stunned at the number of rejections posted on here last year from people with vastly better applications than mine. If any of you who have knowledge of this field and this process think that I need to just stop waiting for letters and start making other plans, just say so. It'll hurt less now than in March when the thin envelopes arrive. Okay, here's my story: -Undergrad GPA 3.52 from a small religious school; major in biblical studies -Graduate GPA 3.63 from a good-but-not-great seminary (probably top 10, definitely not top 5; such places are seldom ranked). My degree is the MTS for those who know what that is. I focused on the role of religious people and institutions in politics and public policy. Very general and flexible master's program. -GRE: 660V/620Q/5.0AWA. -LOR: One from a college prof who I had 5 or 6 classes with and thinks well of me. One from my graduate advisor who is a prominent sociologist of religion. One from a current work supervisor. I'm 28, and finished college at 21 and grad school at 23. I'm hoping a non-academic rec won't sink me. But unlike a lot of the 22 year-olds probably applying post-BA, I've been out of school for a while and had some real jobs and "life experience." -Personal Statements: I just talked about my ongoing desire to study the influence of religion in politics from a social science perspective and how I already did religion degrees but was always drawn to American politics and need a poli sci dept to continue my studies. -Work Experience: Two years in parish ministry (not a good fit for me); two years teaching at the secondary and community college level I applied to (ranked in order of my admittedly weak perception of how "good" the schools are in this area): -MIT -Georgetown -University of Florida -Washington University in St. Louis -American -Boston University -Boston College I'll go to MIT if admitted, just because I figure their post-PhD placement is probably the best. But I really would be very happy at Boston University (because I love Boston, love BU, and already have a degree from there) or Georgetown (where a faculty member who I've corresponded with via email before I applied has said my numbers are "good enough to get you in)." UF made the list because I live in Florida and it would be cheap if I get no funding. I hesitate to admit that, until seeing this site, I've considered Boston College, George Washington, and American back-up schools. Anyway, I really want to spend 4 or 5 years as a PhD student and I really want to teach students about government. I don't want to be famous, and I don't want to write a book a year. I'm not so clueless as to believe I can get in at the Harvards and Columbias, and have spent a lot of time and effort getting over my inferiority complex about not being the best or brightest. I'd like to believe I have a chance at some of these second-tier places. Thoughts?