maicondouglas

Yeah, you're trying to get into a top school, so aim to improve your test score. The costs are pretty low when you consider the fact that you have until like November to retake the GRE. Study gradually and have the 800 in the back of your mind.

Yes, math and economics are great backgrounds for PP degrees. Just realize that work experience is generally a more salient factor during the app process compared to most social science graduate degrees.

Absolutely not! I do not have a masters and I was admitted to a top 15. I know this was also the case with a bunch of posters here as well as many of the kids that I met at grad weekend. While there are certainly valid reasons for doing an MA prior to a PhD, jumping right in is a great way to elude the hefty price tags associated with most MA programs. What I suggest you do is start preparing now for your applications and GRE so everything is picture perfect when you do apply. If you want to get into any of the programs you mentioned, having a solid math and stats background is practically essential for admission. Same goes for the GRE-- you will be competing with kids who will be in the 650v/750Q range. So load up on quant heavy courses and buy yourself a stack of GRE test prep books and practice tests. Crank out a working draft of your statement of purpose and rework it again and again until it's flawless. Then start lining up your LOR writers and bring them your draft, so not only do they know what your research interests are, but they also know that you're fully comitted to conquering this goal of yours. Oh, and I forgot to mention, by the time you approach the people who will be writing your letters, have a shortlist handy of the schools that you plan on applying to. Show this to your writers and let them know what the app deadlines are well in advance. Ask for their input and allow yourself to strategize with them. After all this, taylor in department specific tidbits into your SOP for each school. Mention what resources you wish to take advantage of, who you wish to work with and mention papers authored by faculty that you found interesting and/or that align with your research interests. Meanwhile, since the app process at top schools is highly competitive, have some fallback MA programs on your back burner that you could apply to. With regards to funding, most of the upper echelon departments will be able to cut you a decent stipend that should keep you a hair above the poverty line. However, there are certainly exceptions to this rule (If I remember correctly, Georgetown was particularly stingy with funding this year. I'm not sure check the fall, 2011 thread for more details.) I know that this post goes far beyond the scope of your questions, but I think that these tips will help you conquer your ultimate goal: getting in to top PhD program. Just throw yourself into it If you have qualms about not giving it all you got, then you're probably not ready to start a PhD. Anyway, I apologize for the rambling-- I am procrastinating studying for finals at the moment. Also, I aplogize for the typos; I am writing this on my phone. Good luck!

You do not need to be campus affiliated to have a shuttle. In fact, I would HIGHLY avoid campus affiliated apartments for a number of reasons. First, they are packed with underclassmen and community college kids. There is a major shortage of on campus housing and so freshman are referred to these apartments when they don't get placed in a dorm. These places are therefore able to fill vacancies without ever really having to compete with other complexes on amenities and quality. The result: horrible, dirty apartments on delapedated land. Furthermore, they will nickle and dime you on the most egregious of moving out fees (I paid $15 per burnt out lightbulb in my room). Management is inaccessible and you will be continually stonewalled by 19 year old "leasing agents" if you ever need anything or have any complaints. There are some really cheap duplexes (or townhouses as they are referred to on craigslist) that are on a shuttle route and are mostly rented out by grad students. But beware that they are in one of the sketchiest little neighborhoods that are full of shirtless unemployed men on the streets. I am told that there are countless drug dealers there and at least one expositionist. I would sincerely consider moving in around waterford/Oviedo/university passed dean road. The shuttle is alluring, but I assure you that it is not worth what you're giving up in terms of quality, quietness and safety.

I'll tell you what, there was a three year gap between calc 1 and calc 2 for me and the way that I prepared was by reviewing an AP Calc BC test prep book. Everything was taught using clear step-by-step examples and I think it really got me up to speed. Otherwise, stewart 5th edition is what they use in most ug calc 1-3 classes. It's a pretty solid textbook with an outrageous amount of questions. If you do this, do the odd problems and you can go to www.cramster.com and see step by step solutions. you'll need to set up an account but it's free. When you get stuck and don't understand the problems go to khanacademy and watch his video lectures. They're short and extremely clear. I think you could really teach yourself a lot this way and get a solid background in calc. Do a bunch a bunch of problems and stick with it.

I think it depends on your program, but at the very least, you will be expected to complete a stats/formal theory course series. I have heard that at a lot of schools these courses are designed to start from scratch, but move pretty quickly. I think that you would certainly not harm yourself by brushing up on a little bit of calc and linear algebra before you get the ball rolling. I think the guy over at www.khanacademy.org is a brilliant instructor and explains things very clearly. As for myself, I took 3 semesters of calculus, a semester of differential equations, two semesters of linear algebra, a proofs course and a semester of mathematical modeling. At my campus visits, I got the feeling that people's math backgrounds were kind of all over the place. There were guys who did a lot of undergrad math, a few kids who did relatively little, and then there were those who got their backgrounds at MA programs.

I'm in for a PhD in poli sci. I think I'm going to try and grab a room off of Craigslist near WashU. I am looking for a place in the forest park and CWE area because I think it would be nice to ride my bike to school through a park everyday.

I can't speak to how hard it is to publish experimental research. Just remember that the hoops you have to jump through when dealing with human test subjects are ridiculous. Everything needs to be approved by oversight committees and any snag could set you back six months or so.

I've never taken a poli sci class, and I got into some decent programs. I know this is true of others in the field, and they've made fine careers for themselves despite a deficit of political science coursework at the undergrad level. I would stay away from listing that you're involved in College Republicans because most schools have a left leaning bias.

I have a very tentative idea about how adcoms work, but if I were admitting anyone to any graduate program, I would scoff at such a score. I imagine you're applying for the 2012 cycle based on the timing of this post. So, my question to you is why on earth are you planning on taking the GRE now? You should not hold yourself to such a low standard and take a shitty GRE as a given. You have about 7-8 months to take the GRE. In that time you could completely master the test. My quant GRE score jumped a solid 200 points after studying one month. You're obviously not averse to handwork given your success at tulane, so just buck up and kick ass on the GRE.

Anybody going to WashU on Friday?

Abhishek, I know of people who largely avoided quantitative work, but be aware that you will be expected to complete coursework In stats/methods regardless of your research plans. I've also heard that the quant section of your GRE is an important peice of your application even if you plan to study political philosophy, so be sure to prepare for this when you apply.

Other than my undergrad gpa, you seem to have better stats than me (GRE, publication, etc.) and I got into two top 25s, one of which was WUSTL which has a comparable ranking to UNC. So it's completely doable.

I am going to WUSTL for grad weekend in a few weeks and would like to know what I should expect format-wise. Also, what the hell does one wear to one of these events?!?

Any experience with undergrad language courses? I would like to brush up on my Portuguese.

I haven't received anything yet either. What are your sources?

As someone at the tail end of his application process, I can tell you that you might have a chance. Your GRE scores are definitely good enough to get into a good program. Your GPA is probably on the low side, but I got into 2 top 15s with comparable stats. My GPA is more in the 3.7 range, but I only scored a 760Q /600V on the GRE. But then again there are so many other factors that influence admission (especially in Political Science). For example, I have about 30 credit hours of math/stats class, including a handful of 400 level courses. I have also been told by a person at an adcom that my SOP and LORs were highly influential. It may be a long shot, but if you're willing to fork out a few hundred bucks to apply to some good PhD programs, then I say go for it. Then go ahead and hedge your pipe dream with some sound safety MA programs. That's what I did and my luck paid off. Just make sure that your application is spotless. Make sure your letter writers know you and your interests and then revise your SOP again again and again until it's something that you're really proud of.

I think it really depends on how you learn best. Some people will have a hard time learning math directly from videos and textbooks. Others will have no problem with that. Whatever you do, remember that with Math you do most of your learning by practice. So it's important that you do a lot of problems and not just follow lectures. Another online resource is http://www.khanacademy.org/. He has a ton of short lectures on Calculus, Differential Equations and Linear Algebra that are quite helpful. I never really used it much for Calc or DE, but his videos came in really handy for Linear Algebra.

I'm claiming a Maryland rejection. I'm in Political Economy/ Comparative. I'm quite surprised because it was my safety school and I got into much better places. Oh well, good luck to you all.

No word yet, but I wouldn't fret. Their app deadline was 2/1 I think.

Congrats to you Harvard admits. I look forward to resenting you from snatching up all the good jobs in 5 years time (just kidding!). Allow me to pose a stupid question to those attending recruitment events: what do you plan to wear?

Sorry for misrepresentation then. I was told by a faculty member in the econ department at my current university that the adcom used phone interviews and staggered acceptances for the reasons explained above. However, that may not be the case for all departments.

I'm no expert, but I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that adcoms like to "test the water" by sending out a few acceptance letters at a time. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that most applicants are more likely to withdraw their application after they've been accepted. Out of some strange mixture of ego and curiosity, I want to see what sort of offers I get from my safety schools even though I am about 80% sure where I want to go already and about 95% sure that I won't accept an offer from any of my safties. So, schools want to see how their best applicants (who are likely to have been accepted at other high ranking schools) react to their offers before they send out offers to middle-tier schmucks like you and me.

I believe the phone interviews have all to do about gauging the applicant's enthusiasm and stacking up their offer against the other guy's.

I received an email offer last Saturday. Don't get your hopes up though; the funding was quite dismal.