IRToni

Bumping, just for the sake of it! Also, if anyone has something to add, please feel free!

Since the Open House season seems to have started, and I'm guessing a fair share of us won't be able to make it to them, I wanted to start this thread to collect information and impressions from Open Houses. Those attending, would you be so kind as to share your experiences? Thanks in advance, IR Toni

Just got my official Harvard rejection as well. Disappointing!

Huge congrats! Extremely happy for you!

Congrats to making your decision! I am a little envious of you right now, because it's OVER!!! Good luck at Boulder!

At least the latter two are policy schools, which historically release decisions later (around March 15th).

If it's only about name recognition in the US, the only plausible choices for me would be Oxbridge and LSE. Everything else will probably elicit the same response in the US. Kings is highly regarded in the UK, but I highly doubt anyone will ever have heard of it before (again, outside of academia). It honestly sounds like you decided you want this M.A., and now want our validation of your choice. However, probably 90% of the people posting here (in the PoliSci subforum) want an academic career, and will make recommendations based on this. For a PhD in the States, you don't actually need a M.A., and a KCL masters will probably not hinder, but also not help you in getting in or even preparing you for doctoral work. If you're location-bound, though, why not look at programs in the US? I don't actually think a distance-learning MA will bolster your marketability in the non-academic world either, because (1) a lot of what makes you employable are quant skills and networks, both of which you would not gain, and (2) online degrees just aren't worth that much. There are certain federal payscales for which you need an M.A. more out of formality, but that's about it. This is just my opinion, of course!

I'll say it again: It ain't over till it's over. Pulling for you! Us East Asia people need to stick together... However, looking to the UK might make sense for your interests. Would you be pursuing a M.A. or a DPhil/PhD? With your interests, you might want to look at continental Europe as well. Berlin (FU) is pretty big on Japanese studies/political science. There's a new PhD program within the Graduate SChool of East Asian Studies, which might interest you. You'd get a PhD in PoliSci from Freie, but would be with other regional scholars (economists, sociologists etc. on East Asia). I think the deadline for this year might have passed, so just some food for thought for next year.

Essex actually has one of the only MA/PhD programs in the UK with a strong methods component.

I wouldn't give up just yet. It isn't over til you've got that last rejection in your email. Even if you do get shut out this year, life does not end. Multiple really smart people got shut out their first year, and ended up going to really good programs, incl. Top 5 in their next year!

It sounds to me like taking a leave of absence to get your research interests figured out, and figure out whether this is what you want/ the university you're at can provide you with this, would be a good idea! That way, you can spend some time figuring things out without the pressure, and there is the option of coming back/reapplying elsewhere/doing something else with your life!

I also don't know. Seems strange for Harvard to be making offers when they're still not done yet, but might be a connections thing. That said, there were multiple UCSD spams in one day in January, so everything's possible. Anyway, I'm not banking on an offer from them, but also don't cound myself out just yet!

Yep, that was depressing for me, being a first-generation college student!

Yes, but it isn't like they make it seem. Harvard had a financial aid form (in the supplementary forms tab) that you need to fill out to be considered for need-based financial aid. This, unsurprisingly, included a Q for marital status

This is one of those international affairs/public policy PhDs I mentioned. Wasn't aware Jackson had one as well, though it does look interesting. Note that you need a Masters for this one, though!

I would say it the other way around: If they have more spots than they have applicants, then it is likely you will receive an offer.

Coming from another system, I can't believe that 3.3 is a bad GPA. My M.A. GPA is a whooping 0.8 away from the highest possible, and it's one of the best GPAs in my class. Strange system!

Although someone talked to a person there, who said they wanted to get away from this professional-program image they've been having. Maybe this is the transition period, but the online system doesn't reflect their shift away from not funding grad students yet?

Masters notifications tend to be later, and are mostly discussed in the Government Affairs Forum. I wouldn't count yourself out just yet. In this game, unless you heard otherwise, no notification means no notification, nothing more, but also nothing less!

I would say that a US academic PhD program probably won't help you at all. Getting a M.A. in IR (for your interests, I would look especially at SAIS as a top-tier, and UCSD IR/PS as a 2nd tier program; though most good professional IR M.A. have people doing Korea), if you decide you want to go in the direction of NGO/UN work (substantive). If you want to do translating/interpreting, getting a M.A. in translation/conference interpretation, and spending some time in the country will be key. These two fields are very different, though, so I would try and figure out which one you want to do first. Getting a PhD can be useful for think tank work, but if you're sure you don't want to go into academia, going for an academic PhD in the US is not worth it, I think. You could look at more professionally-minded PhDs (SAIS, Fletcher, Georgetown, possibly UCSD IR/PS) that tend to be shorter, but require a Masters and work experience already, although I might try to make it work without a PhD first, and only get one if you feel yourself not being able to get ahead.

Last we heard was beginning of March, so next week would be most likely, I guess! Really want to hear back from them so I can start planning!

Would anyone be interested in trying a placement ranking (possibly by subfield)?

I know how you feel! I'm happy with my options etc., but getting rejected by my two top choices still stung. Didn't mind the other two rejections all that much!

In the same veign, I see that methods people have been placing really well recently, which also explains good placement records of some places. A lot of it is, however, I believe idiosyncratic. UCSD places extremely well, for example, especially in IR, and from all accounts, this is in large part due to the subfield chair, who makes grad training a priority.

Official Columbia rejectioj here as well! Would have loved living in NYC, but admittedly not the best fit!