Coffee Candy

This might be a late reply, but I too received the revised admission reply form. Mine is a little bit different from yours because it does not specify where to work. Perhaps, it's because I'm international? "In addition, the department is offering you the option of working with any Politics faculty member on a project of mutual interest for which you would be paid an hourly wage up to $2,000 over your first two years." I'm worried about working in the first year, so I think I'd rather decline this offer if it's possible. I should ask some grad students at the visit days about this offer.

I'm still working on my SOP and it's driving me crazy. I'm just wondering, should I show my original thought in the SOP? One of the professors who had a look at my SOP told me that there's nothing new or interesting in my SOP, just so-so, and I should show some kind of original thought in my SOP. But my guess is that however original or outstading my future reserach plan is, I should convince the admission committee that I have a good fit with school. What if no one in the adcom is interested in my reserach topic? What's your opinion?

I know this is a basic question, but I need some advice! I'll really appreicate your reply. Actually, I'm interested in both CP and IR, so I am thinking of make two versions of SOPs -- one for CP and the other for IR. But, it seems really difficult to prepare two writing sample for 2012 Fall application. Do you think it is not a good idea to submit a CP writing sample for IR program? Is it better if the writing sample is direcly related to the field of study that you write about in your SOP?

Even if I want to work with associate, assitant professors, will it be of no use if I mention them in my SOP? Is it true that associate, assitant professors don't have that much influence on the decision of the committee?