namul
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Posts posted by namul
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Finally got a rejection. I would really like to know what took so long.
I was also rejected today. I was told two weeks ago that I was on the waitlist. I think you were also on that list, bugbear.
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Just accepted UCLA offer of admission. According to a friend of mine there, it looks like things will be done by next week.
Are they finished with the admitted students visits?
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My impression is that admissions in theory is probably much more LOR based than any other subfield.
Where do you get that impression from? Is there a reason that the LOR should play a bigger role in theory?
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You asked whether there is anything to loose by applying next year, and I think there actually is. First, you use another reapplication, which may be limited (I don't think this is a big loss - hopefully you won't be applying more than three times). More importantly, your application will have only improved marginally, which means you may get in somewhere, but the chance of significantly improving your choices is slim. So lets say that you do get a funded offer applying next year - of course you'll take it and you'll be on to your PhD. Congrats! There is nothing wrong with this, however, if you wait to significantly improve your application you are much more likely to have the best options possible. If you're going to put in the effort to enroll in an MA program, you might as well get the most out of it (also - I am not sure how schools would evaluate your application if you applied with the intention of quiting the MA, or if they would require you to complete the degree before enrolling. That's open to speculation). By waiting to apply, your application should be significantly better and with any luck you'll have numerous funded options, allowing you to choose what is really the best program for you. My argument is that by waiting another year, you maximize your return on the MA, while also positioning yourself to attend the best program possible.
Great point. I never thought of it that way.
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It sounds like you'll be making some considerable sacrifices to do the MA, including depending on your wife for support. Please bear in mind that the political theory job market is abysmal, by far the most competitive in political science. My friends who applied for the PhD this year ONLY considered top 5-10 programs, and were not willing to attend shy of that for fear of being out of a tenure-track job.
I am not saying don't do it, but you must have very strong reasons for believing a paid master's will sufficiently boost your application to a top program. Your GRE scores are stellar, of course, so it's definitely possible. Be sure, though, that you'll get strong letters from reputable (and reliable) faculty, develop a quality writing sample that will be of interest to admissions committees, and have a strong enough record to show you've got the chops for theory. You might also ask the department directly about the "placement" record of their MA grads into theory programs.
Have you looked into MAPPS at U Chicago? I know at least one person doing theory there. Since it's not exclusively a polisci program, your low PS GPA may not count against you as much. They can also offer some funding, so if the amount exceeds your savings from living at home in NJ, it might be worth consideration. But then, maybe you also want to stay close to your wife and family.
Finally, can I ask what your area of interest is in theory? As an international studies major, you've piqued my interest. You can PM it to me.
Thanks for the thoughtful response. I really appreciate all of the feedback on this thread.
Definitely true about the political theory job market. Sometimes I wish I was an IR or political economy guy, but it's just not for me. My undergrad adviser also gave me a look of pity when I told him I wanted to go into theory and reminded me about my chances of landing a decent academic job. That's why I only applied to top 20 schools instead of Rutgers (which is right in my backyard).
I've heard others mention MAPPS, but I will have to look into it since you say they offer some funding. It may be worth dragging my wife out to the Midwest if they accept me with funding.
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Adaptations, who had a pretty stellar admissions season, has already counseled against this. I tend to agree with him.
For starters, you'd really only have ten weeks of school under your belt before you'd have to start asking for letters of rec and writing your statements. Are you really going to so impress faculty in that time as to see real improvement in those previously tepid letters? Get so much polisci knowledge that your statement will shine from the pile?
Second, depending upon when your grades post and how fast you can forward on the new transcript, you will submit one semester's worth of grades as the admissions committees are already meeting. Will they see these grades? If the issue with your application currently is a lack of polisci courses, is that semester going to sway the committee?
Third, application forms often ask that you disclose prior application attempts. (Some schools close off applications after three.) I don't know for sure that this is the case, but some ... image problems ... might arise if you apply every year for three years running.
It's pretty clear to me that your application will be heaps stronger during your second year of the program than during your first (when, in my opinion, it will only be marginally better than this year's). Further, most predict that program competitiveness (by the numbers at least) peaked this year and will start sliding. I know it's not clear what you have to lose by applying next year right away (besides money and time), but it's really hard to fathom what you would gain, either.
Those are some really good points that you bring up about waiting until I complete a full year of the MA program. I guess I could have more patience instead of trying to push everything through this year.
Also, I had not thought about possible limits on re-applications. I think that would be the key factor for me in deciding whether or not to apply for the next cycle. I know that my application may not be much stronger by this December, but my reasoning was: "I have nothing to lose, right?" Do you know if that is widespread among top 10 programs? I did read something about that on Columbia's website, but I don't think I saw anything about limits when I was researching programs like Princeton and Harvard.
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I was the one who got waitlisted yesterday.
I called two days ago, and they wouldn't tell me anything, just: "wait until the end of this month."
Then yesterday I finally got a response from the GA that I e-mailed two weeks ago, saying that I am on the waitlist.
No other news from anyone here?
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Thank you everyone for your feedback. Yeah, lots of things to consider there....
BTW, since I last posted, I have been waitlisted by UCLA, so there is a slight ray of hope for a PhD program this Fall.
Here are some other considerations:
NYU is definitely expensive, but I currently live with my parents in New Jersey, a 45-minute bus ride from NYU. My only expenses for the next year would be tuition. Sorry, Mom and Dad, but I will be eating out of your fridge. My wife is also working full-time and willing to support me until I get into a PhD program (isn't she great?).
I looked into the nearby state school programs, but they either don't have a stand-alone MA, or they don't have political theory. (Rutgers - Newark would have been a good choice, but they only do things like urban policy and American politics.) The only feasible options for MA programs seem to be NYU, Columbia, and New School.
I was thinking of taking three classes this Fall, just to get better grades and LOR, and reapplying in December. At least the admissions committee can see an updated transcript. If I do get in to a PhD program next March, then I don't have to finish my MA do I? If I still don't get in, then I guess I'll finish my MA and reapply again.
I'm also waiting to hear back from the MA programs at Columbia and New School. I know that New School sometimes offers partial scholarships for MA students.
If I do decide to go the Master's route, I will definitely apply for as many outside grants, scholarships, and fellowships as I can find, and NYU does match outside funding. Outside grants is another discussion, but any ideas on good ones to apply for?
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Yeah, it was an e-mail that alternated congratulatory sentences with sentences offering condolences for the ph.d rejection. April 10 deadline to accept.
RWBG: Any idea where you will be doing your Master's?
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Called USC and UCLA demanded a response . put myself out of the misery. Ahh moving on...glad I called UCLA said they would send a letter in 2 weeks....
Did UCLA tell you anything about your status? Or did they just say you'll have to wait to get your letter?
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Hey guys,
This question is similar to a lot of others, but I wanted some more specific feedback for my situation.
Quick summary of my stats:
Boston College '09 - International Studies
3.75 GPA
GRE: 800 V; 780 Q; 5.5 AW
Seeking: PhD in Political Theory
I was rejected from all my PhD programs and offered a consolation MA by NYU. I think most people would just wait until October and reapply, but there are several reasons that I believe I should do the one-year MA (despite the financial burdens):
- I have limited coursework in political science and no previous courses in political theory.
- My GPA for those poli sci classes is around 3.2 (overall GPA is 3.75).
- I have a strong feeling that 2 out of my 3 recommendations were tepid at best.
- I think my personal statement betrays a lack of research experience in political theory.
By doing the MA at NYU, I think I can improve my chances of getting into a good (or any fully-funded) PhD program for next year. By busting my ass, getting A's in political theory classes, getting better recs, and getting help from my professors on my writing sample, I think I might have a chance of getting into a good program.
Anyone here ever tried this before? (Graduates of NYU's MA program especially)
Thanks in advance!!
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yeh she said they said she was on waitlist
I call the number every day, and no one ever picks up. Maybe I should leave a message?
I e-mailed Joe Brown yesterday, still waiting for a response.
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They sent out some positive responses last year during the first week of March...
Just praying to get wait-listed. I'm 0 for 4 now, so UCLA is my only hope.
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Any guesses about Harvard? The waiting is driving me crazy.
I saw someone post on the results page that Harvard told him/her that they would be finished reviewing applications at the end of this week.
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Hi! I've been lurking around the board like an academic gremlin, and I have a pertinent question regarding this application season. Apologies if this has been posted before. Here goes:
I've applied to seven PhD program in Political Science, sub-field focus in American. However, it looks unlikely that this season will yield any acceptances for me. (I've also applied to three Masters programs because I didn't preclude the possibility of being shut-out this season). The PhD programs I've applied to are as follows:
Columbia University
Brown University
Princeton University
Rutgers University
University of Rochester
CUNY Graduate Center
NYU
My question is this: Besides Columbia University, which of these programs is known to offer a "consolation" Masters, or at least review the applicant's file in consideration of this? It may be paranoia, but as the application season gets down to the wire, I just wanted to pacify my raging nerves. Thanks in advance!
I'm also applying mostly in the NYC area and interested in consolation MAs.
I know that NYU also offers one. It's a box that you check when you fill out the online application. It says, please consider me for a Masters if I am not admitted into the PhD program.
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Im telling myself that they havent notified me yet because they are still putting together my lavish funding package....
Haha. Nice. I'll try that one too.
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Don't do this... and stop freaking out. I read through this quickly, but if I read correct you were only rejected from one program.
I was accepted/had interview offers at a few really great schools last week, one almost Ivy, and the others were really great programs. I was rejected from a much lower rank program too.
You don't know what goes on in departments, the politicking of who is going to get money to take students, etc. Two weeks ago I felt dejected. Things change fast.
Thanks, Dude
I'll hold my horses for a couple more weeks.
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Same here.... damn that Decision Status page.
I guess I'm hoping to get waitlisted, but not so optimistic since I just got rejected by UVa.
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Things are looking pretty bad so far. I got rejected by my safety school and still waiting to hear back from six others, most of which are way out of my league, even though I feel they are great fits for me. According to the gradcafe boards, five of those six have already sent out a ton of acceptances... so yeah, not looking good at all.
There is one program that I feel is a perfect fit for me - Princeton - and I recently started to consider e-mailing the department head there just to let him know how serious I am about my future with that program - sort of begging I guess, in a dignified way. I feel like I'm gonna get a rejection letter from them pretty soon, so I just wanted to make one last-ditch attempt to move them. Any thoughts? Has this ever worked in the history of PhD admissions?
MA programs in Political Science
in Political Science Forum
Posted · Edited by namul
My personal experience with the Columbia MA program.
I applied to 7 PhD programs (political theory) last year: Harvard, Princeton, Columbia, and others, and I was rejected by all seven. On my application to Columbia, I asked them to consider me for the MA, and I was accepted. I decided to do the MA at Columbia despite the cost ($40K total tuition for the one-year MA) because I felt that I had no other way of getting into a top-notch PhD program. My plan was to use the one year to get great recommendations from theory faculty and deepen my knowledge of the field in order to improve my application.
I ended up making a good impression with two theory faculty there through my written work, and they were more than willing to write me recommendations for this year. I reapplied to four top-notch schools: Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and Columbia. Last week, I was notified by those two professors that they had decided to admit me into the PhD program with fellowship. I'm still waiting to hear from the other three schools.
I know other PhD students at Columbia have followed a track similar to mine. The MA program is a great chance to prove your mettle with faculty and beef up your application. The great thing about it is that it only takes one year (I graduate this May).
Hope that helps.