grace246

Hi all, I'm going to be starting a PhD program in the fall, and was wondering how easy it is to get a visa to stay in the US after graduating (assuming you get some kind of job in academia)? If it makes any difference, I'm currently in the US on a J-1 visa, as a specialist at a University. Thanks

I was in the same situation, but with Chicago's MAPSS programme (1/3 tuition offered). I emailed them and they replied and said the offer is final and not subject to change. I'm sure it's worth asking (they didn't seem to mind my email) especially if you think there are new things they don't know about, but from my experience it seems it's unlikely to yield any success.

I still haven't got my rejection from Chicago. Surely they sent out a mass email? Why must they drag it out even further?!

I just called Northwestern, she said they'd have all the decisions out by the end of the week. I asked if it'd be on the website, and she said "you'll get an email". This is probably reading too much into that, but this hopefully means it's not an immediate rejection, since the people on Saturday didn't get an email.

Anyone care to speculate as to where this leaves those of us still waiting for a decision from Northwestern (given their open house dates are March 1st-3rd)?

To the person who posted in the results survey asking about the BC acceptance: I will probably be accepting (just waiting to hear from NU and to visit in a couple of weeks). And I'm comparative, not theory. Will obviously give them an answer as soon as I know!

Arrgghh my NU online page status hasn't changed. This is waiting for almost certain rejection is painful!

I also have a question about visits (and figured putting it in this thread was the most logical thing!). I've been invited to visit a school I've been accepted to, but it's a small programme and there isn't an event but they've offered to arrange for me to visit. The professor who emailed me asked me to let me know who I'd like to meet with. How many people do you think I should be looking to ask to meet? And is there anything in particular I should ask to do or see whilst there?

Hi all! Another infrequent poster here - congrats to all, and thanks to everyone who has posted frequently incredibly helpful advice! It's made a really positive difference to my application experience!! I got a letter yesterday from Boston College offering me a place, which is quite the relief and very exciting! I was rejected from WashU, and haven't heard back from Northwestern and Chicago (which I'm taking to mean that offers from either are highly unlikely). Given that, I wondered if anyone had any kind of insight into BC and it's programme? I applied somewhat late in the day, and not coming from the US, so my research and knowledge on programs its quite limited. If you'd prefer to PM me so as not to clog up this thread that'd be fine too, but I'd be really grateful if anyone does have any thoughts on the program/school! I think I'm probably going to accept the offer, but a part of me is also considering re-applying to more/better schools next year, since I'm sure I could improve my application with more time and better knowledge, so it would be good to have more information to weigh this against! Many thanks, and good luck to all still waiting to hear from places!

To those with WUSTL emails - did they seem to be sent all at once from the Dept, or from a Professor. Haven't head anything, and trying to work out if there is any hope... And congrats to all those with offers!

Hi all, Thanks so much for the help so far. I had a few other questions about the schools currently on my updated 'schools I'm interested in' list, and I was just wondering if anyone had any thoughts on a) Funding opportunities/likelihood (some of the website are very clear that everyone who gets admitted gets funding, and others are less specific) Which fits my interests best - which, as I mentioned before, is a Comparative approach to identity (esp gender), nationalism and democratisation (but esp in terms of identity and nationalism). Boston College Brandeis College Brown Chicago U of Illinois Chicago John Hopkins Northwestern WashU UC Berkeley U of Washington (esp keen to hear any thoughts on funding here) Penn State UPenn I promise I'm not just being lazy in my research, and I've obviously spent lots of time on these websites, but not being plugged into a Political Science department in the US its kind of hard to work out some unofficial but important things about departments you pick up from being 'in the system'. Thanks!

Thanks for advice! I hadn't seen that competitiveness thread, so was very helpful. Um, yes, more specific advice would be great if anyone is feeling generous enough to offer it. I did my undergrad in Social & Political Science at Cambridge, and got a 2.i (67), which doesn't translate that easily to this system, but put me about 30th in my graduating cohort of 120. My degree was a combination of History of Political thought, some work on China, on the Politics of Security of Development, Modern Britain and some IR stuff. The area I'm most lacking in but also am most keen to develop in the course of a PhD programme is formal theory and methodology stuff. I'm taking the GRE soon, which I guess will give me a better indication of where I should be pitching myself. I should have good letters of recommendation, and I'm currently teaching at a University in the US (an Intro class in speech & argumentation, and coaching a debate team). I'm interested in issues of gender and ethnicity, and specifically how they play out in electoral systems, as well as issues of nationalism (especially in reference to democratisation). Anyone got any thoughts on good places to apply given these interests, and/or what kind of schools I should be realistically aiming for? I also wondered what you guys thought about letters of recommendation. I'm going to get 3 from people at Cambridge (from my Director of Studies, my Tutor and one of my supervisors), but I wonder how important one from my current employer (so it would be my Department Chair) would be? I've not told them I'm applying, and ideally I don't want to have to tell them until I get an offer, since the most likely scenario is that I don't get in, in which case I don't want there to be ill-feeling or a sense that I'm wanting to leave when I've only just arrived. Will the lack of a letter from them be problematic? Thanks all!

Hi all, Firstly, am very grateful to everyone who posts on this message board, which has given me a much clearer idea about lots of things regarding the application process and PhD system in the US. Coming from the UK where the system is quite different it's extremely useful! In that vein, I have a question about a few of the programmes I'm currently considering and wondered if anyone could offer some advice! Not being very familiar with that many departments or Universities in this country, beyond looking at boards like this and rankings, its hard to work out which will be the 'harder' ones to get into. Now I completely understand that there is no right answer about which are 'easier' to get into, but I'd ideally like to apply to 7ish schools (it becomes prohibitively expensive and time consuming otherwise), and would like to at least be a little strategic and include some slightly 'easier' (I use inverted commas since I know nowhere is easy to get into!) schools in my final list. So, can anyone offer any advice about the following schools? Boston College Brandeis U of Chicago Columbia U of Illinois, Chicago John Hopkins Northwestern WashU U of Michigan My vague sense is that of those, BC and Brandeis would be marginally easier? And that U of Michigan, Columbia and Chicago are my longest shots? Anyone any thoughts? Oh and I'm looking to apply for Comparative Politics; my research interests include democratization, identity questions of race and gender, and China (mainly in relation to the previous two areas). Thank you!

Hi all, I wondered if anyone had any useful thoughts on a number of questions I have! I'm from the UK (where I did my undergrad), though am now teaching at a University in the US. I'm in the process of applying for PhD programmes here (though I'm only just starting the process, which I realise is quite late - do you think its unrealistically late?!). I haven't taken the GRE yet so not sure how I'll fare on that - which is my first question. How long before an application deadline do you need to take it? Keen to put in as much practice as I can... I also wondered if anyone had any idea on how schools look at International degrees and how they 'convert' to a GPA? I have a 2.i (67) from Cambridge in Politics. Its hard to know how well this will be looked on and what kind of level school I should be pitching myself at. I guess when I have a GRE score this will be easier. I also have worked for a politician in the UK, but have no publication or research experience (I am teaching at the moment, though not in Political Science). I also was wondering if anyone had any tips on the best way of narrowing down school choices. So far, I have a list of about 30(!) schools narrowed down - I've eliminated ones in locations I couldn't bring myself to live in, ones without any name recognition at all (which you might think unwise, but I may end up returning to the UK and not working in academia, in which case, however good a Political Science department it is, it will damage my chances of a good job etc.) and ones where I already know their area of specialisation doesn't fit with my interests. In case anyone with lots of experience in all of this is feeling extra generous and wants to recommend some schools: I have fairly broad ranging interests at the moment (is this a problem do you think?), but I'm interested in Democratisation, Political behaviour, Nationalism/ethnicity and its part in politics, and Security & Development issues, China and International politics. Also, how many schools do people generally apply to? Would really appreciate any help that you can offer! Grace.