aecp

Many Thanks for your candor and all your help through this thread.

These two points, particulary the last one are reassuring. I kept on hearing the "randomness" meme from students and even faculty that I became convinced of its veracity. Randomness is typically discussed when highlighting the surplus of exceptionally qualified candidates. I still want to believe, even if naively, that the AdComms pick the best students who are "best for their departments" and if you present a competitive application to the right place you'll get admitted. My biggest fear as hinted in my initial list of questions is this: "9. Is it true that many AdComm members routinely do not read certain areas of the file e.g. CV, SOP or writing sample and others generally just quickly skim the file." Thanks again, Prof. BFB

Thanks, Prof. BFB, Yes, I understand the process differs from year to year and institution to institution, but some sense at how the process worked at institution X in year Y would provide some color. Thanks for providing a little color. One thing that I am keen on knowing is how do you reach consensus during the meeting, I would imagine there are cases where tiebreakers are not so clear and a particular candidate may have a strong advocate and a strong "opponent". Can "consensus" be reached in such a case? Or is the tiebreaker in such a case the internal clout of the advocate and the "opponent"? It is a clearly a complex process with apparently a great deal of randomness - hence a lot of the anxiety we students face. We just pray for any randomness to work in our favor and for anxiety not to kill us!

Hello! Great thanks to the faculty for their guidance on this thread. Thank You! I am trying to understand the Admissions Committee’s (“AdComm”) deliberation process and I have a few questions, if I may: 1. What’s the average number of members on the AdComm? 2. Are AdComms limited to only faculty or a mix of faculty and graduate students? 3. Are AdComms dominated by older faculty or young to mid-career faculty/ 4. Is every application read by every AdComm member or are applications divided across the membership i.e. every application read by n members where n is less than the total number of committee members? 5. Are applications read on the computer screen or as hard copy printouts? 6. Are selections made unanimously i.e. every member must agree to admit a candidate or is by majority vote or even by supervotes (held by senior faculty)? 7. Can senior faculty on the AdComm veto a candidate that others support or ensure a candidate that others do not readily support is admitted? 8. How are decisions made? Open forum debate to reach consensus, voting per candidate (majority), unanimous selection, ranking/scoring of candidates by committee members – with top ranked candidates being admitted i.e. the top n applicants with the highest total scores where n is th enuber of applicants to be admitted, etc? 9. Is it true that many AdComm members routinely do not read certain areas of the file e.g. CV, SOP or writing sample and others generally just quickly skim the file. 10. How do committees resolve internal philosophical differences: some professors assess greater weight to GRE & GPA, while others rely on LORs, while others rely primarily on SOP & writing sample. Given these differences it means that agreeing on the best candidates must be very difficult, so how are decisions ultimately made? Thank you!

How do we cure this disease? I fear I will be completely unproductive (surfing blogs and forums, checking emails, etc) until I get my admission notification!

What programs are you applying to at these schoools - political science, public policy, government? PhD or Masters? Wishing you all the best!

Hello Anthony, Given your MPP/MPA degree from HKS, I would presume you are somewhat familiar with Harvard's political theory offerings in the Government department. Are you applying to Harvard/ Does the program meet your needs?

Thanks Quigley. To all: Please keep the tips and recommendations coming.

Hello All! In preparation for the upcoming PhD application season I plan on taking the GRE this summer. Please share with me GRE tips, recommendations on best prep books, prep methods, prep tools, prep classes to use to prepare for the GRE. Many thanks!

PLEASE accept the Korbel offer. 95k differential not even including the income form the RA position makes this an easy choice. Someone once told me: "graduate school is what you make of it". Therefore, I believe you can achieve all you wish to at Korbel if you are determined...and you can do so and possibly even make a "profit" from your graduate program as opposed to being in debt.

So it seems fair to assume that if two candidates are otherwise about equally ranked, the one with the ability to self-fund even if ranked slightly lower on other factors (academic history, essays references, public service, etc) would be admitted over the one who will need funding? Not good, at all.

Hello, Does HKS adopt a "need-blind" admissions policy like WWS or do they factor in projected ability to self-fund in making admissions decision? Do they have the same financial aid policy for all programs or different policies for the different programs (MPP, MPA, MPA2, MPA/ID, MC/MPA)? Thanks for sharing.

Hello All, I am still also interested in this scenario. Any informed forum members who care to shed some light on this? Thank you.

I am also interested in this scenario. Any informed forum members who care to shed some light on this? Thank you.

My sympathies, Muna. Objectively, why do you think you didn't get in? You have such a warm spirit that shows on the forum. I wish you the BEST!!!

Thanks balderdash. If my concern is not with American academia but with an African, international policy making audience, and most importantly with getting excellent training and preparation, then would SOAS not be a viable option. I am more concerned with academic training and preparation than reputation Yes, Oxford's CSAE is very attractive. Am I correct in saying that at Oxford I would most likely have to be positoned in the Oxford Economics Dept (that hosts CSAE) and not their Political & Inter Relations Dept. What would you recommend? There does not seem to be an interdisciplinary Phd at Oxford similar to Harvard's PEG program. Or am I missing something. If there is no true joint Political Science-Economics PhD at Oxford, what department would your recommend pursuing the Phd in at Oxford given my interests. I am familiar with some of the names at Oxford and LSE but please feel free to educate me. At Oxford, I'm aware of Profs Collier, Fafchamps, and Venables in Economics and Profs Soares De Oliveira and Cheeseman in Politics. At LSE, I am aware of Prof Besley. Please let me know whom I am missing. Finally, what would you think about SOAS for a Masters in say Political Economy of Devleopment then going on to Oxford for the PhD...in Economics (?) or Political Science (?)?

What do people think about non-American institutions with respect to a PhD focusing on Political Economy of African Development? Any thoughts on SOAS, Oxford, LSE?

Helix, Your second point about "name brand", reputation is a strong one..very strong one. It seems that to a great extent it is all about "credentialization"!

I'm interested in African developmental policy: policies that can lead to economic and political development of African states.

I'm considering a Political Science PhD and sometimes wonder if a Publc Policy PhD is more appropriate given my desire to work on applied issues with direct policy impact. I'm curious what prompts you to consider a Public Policy Phd as opposed to say a Political Science/Government or Economics PhD. Yes, I too know about the rule not to mention non-academy related goals... I think this "rule" is somewhat unfair...

Would you, do you imply that perhaps the HKS Public Policy PhD might better suit my purposes than the HKS PEG PhD? This is very wise advise. Thanks. Indeed I have considered MIT for those reasons: Prof Posner, J-PAl and the strength of their economic faculty working on political economy, development type issues.

Thanks to all for the continued contributions and counsel. Yes, meep and saltlakecity, my questions are HUGE! That's why I specifically referred to them as "broad questions/issues". I do need to spend some more thinking, studying with a view of narrowing/refining the questions. A few things I do know: 1. I want to focus on the normative instead of the positive. 2. I want to address the questions (once narrowed) from an interdisciplinary approach: (i) political economy or (ii) politics and economics or (iii) politics, economics and public policy. 3. I want the conclusion of the dissertation research to have a direct application to public policy.

Many thanks, meep for your wise comments. To your point above, the broad questions/issues that interest me include: How to create forms of good governance in Africa that can lead to sustained economic development? Why does Africa remain poor and underdeveloped? How can Africa grow economically and reach its full potential? What advisors come to mind in connection with the above? You are correct, I have noted that Chris Blattman's work is primarily civil war related, indeed I had him and others in mind, when I made my comment: "not particularly keen on the conflict/civil war aspect of political economy of African development.". At the same time, he does seem to have a strong scholarly interest in African development. So I guess the question is must a potential advisor's interests perfectly align with yours? I think the technique you outline below is a fair way to approximate the process of finding an advisor match Thanks again, meep and all the best to you!!!

Oh boy! I was just getting a little interested in MSU after reviewing Prof Bratton's bio and research interests. As I read it I wondered why isn't Prof Bratton at a higher ranked institution? Thanks for sharing.

Yes, balderdash, I know that there is a bias against PhD students who do not want to join the academy. It does concern me... si this bias also prevalen in Public Policy departments? A PhD is a major sacrifice, I know ...this is a valid point, but I remain convicned it's the right path for me. I do not think I can get the necessary preparation through a MPP/MPA/MA program. Thank you though for yoru candor...i do need to contiue to consider these two valid points.