Homeless

So, it may not work this year but (a) it may work out next year, (b) the people who supported you did so because they wanted to and hoped for the best for you. Good luck with everything, but don't feel too down (especially this year when there are fewer slots for more applicants).

Then I would talk to your LoRs and anyone you've felt a positive connection to at your current program. If you can spin it as a change in your research interest or something along that lines it will probably help. More specific than that depends on your situation.

It's difficult but not impossible. Given your circumstances it might be a good idea to contact your undergrad advisors and explain the situation, although anyone from your PhD program who you think would be understanding and write a letter for you would be a plus. How far along are you in your program? Usually the less far along you are the more understanding admission committees are.

I would contact the DGS for those with conflicting visits. They won't reschedule things, but they may set up another time to talk with a POI and a grad student or two.

I would email the DGS before calling, but if you don't hear anything it might be ok to call.

It may be worth checking with the DGS on that. Most schools have an agreement that prohibits them from setting deadlines before April 15 (and I think Albany is one). It may be different for you, but there may have been a mistake.

Is the deadline from Albany? If so it might be worth getting in touch with someone as their deadline shouldn't be before April 15th. If it's not a CGS (Council of Graduate Schools) member then you might want to reach out to UGA to tell them about your deadline. It might not change anything, but it's probably a good idea.

Thought I would bump this up, since my own visit day is coming up soon. How have people felt about/dealt with the zoom aspect of things?

Just want to chime in that you don't have to do this, and those who aren't in a position to do so shouldn't feel any pressure to do this. A kind email and an update on your plans is usually enough. Remember that for your profs this is a part of their job, and it should be something they're happy to do (obviously this depends on how well they know you). I'm not saying you *shouldn't* give gifts if you want to, but it's not the norm, and shouldn't be in my opinion.

I don't know. I think you should talk with people more knowledgeable about your work (LOR writers, POIs at the schools that have accepted you) before making any decisions. Don't get me wrong, there's a million and one reasons not to go to a phd program right now, and if you can imagine yourself being happy doing something else, I would say do that. BUT, as one stranger on the internet to another, I would say that you're letting this get to you more than it should (and I understand the feeling, trust me). Happy to talk about this more in dms if you want.

Two admissions is nothing to sneeze at! And while it's fine to change your research interests in grad school, don't do it just because you weren't the right fit for other schools. You might be able to pursue those interests at the programs you're admitted to--indeed, they may be excited for you to do so! There's so much that goes into an admit decision and so much of it is beyond your control that I would urge you not to give up something you're interested in.

I would argue that the program in the History of Political Thought at QMUL/UCL has a pretty good track record, but may or may not be worth the price tag. SOAS also has a program in Comparative Political Thought that I was looking at, but that may depend on your interests. What's your timeframe? If you're looking to apply next year, I'd recommend oxbridge and LSE, but it may be too late to get funding from them at this point for Fall 2021. For the US there's MAPSS and MAPH at Chicago, but they're notoriously expensive. Finally, a word of warning on one-year programs: You won't be able to develop solid enough rapport with your profs by the first semester for you to get LORs, so you're committing to finishing the program before you apply to PhDs. That may not be a problem for you, but make sure you've got a plan for what to do with that time away from school.

First of all, congratulations! It's an especially tough year so getting into multiple programs is quite the achievement. I'm not in IR, so I won't offer my opinion on the quality of the programs, but I will pass on some advice that's been given to me. 1) Think carefully about cost of living and your stipend. You'll have to be at your program for a minimum of 5 years. That's a long time, and you want to make sure your program is offering you the resources to keep out of debt. Funding matters a lot for your quality of life, so I would make sure to compare offers and negotiate better ones if possible. 2) Fit matters. We say this a lot, but in terms of your research and career prospects, having a well known prof at a less well known school can be to your advantage. On the flip side, keep in mind that your research interests may change, and if they do you want a program that has people who can take you on. 3) Look at placement data. Programs should be keeping track of "alt-ac" positions their students are going into, so you should see for yourself how these things matter.

I think it depends, but like others have said, think about the money. One thing you could do is get you MA at the phd programs and (assuming it's not a great fit) transfer after your first year. That being said, I would also think about what your specialty is and how the PhD program reflects that.

Can also claim a UCLA admit, sent a couple of hours ago. Theory. Totally expected to be shut out this year.