Mnemonics2

Hey blaspheming... What made your statement of purpose so good? As in, what is it that you think made it stand out enough to be the primary reason you got in? Thanks!

Thank you both for your links. They've been really helpful on helping me get a grasp of what I want to write (particularly after I looked at my application from last year and was shocked at the state of my statement!).

Thanks for the comments...that's great! Does anyone have any SoP pointers or links to other good threads about the SoP? I'm currently constructing mine, but I'm not sure I like it!

Hey all, I'm back for a second run at applying for a PhD this year. Last year went poorly for me...though more in a mixed sense than for some, I gather. I got a bunch of waitlists and an unfunded offer that was just unfeasible. But I'm returning now and targeting fewer schools that have better fit...and I'm predictably unsure about my chances. My background - I went to a top 5 public undergraduate...and didn't do well. I got super sick and got a low gpa (2.75ish), though my last two years are significantly higher and I even got Dean's list at the end. So I went to do an MA at a great up-and-coming school in DC (got in with 1400ish GRE scores). Got a 3.85, did an internship at a prominent think tank and published a couple of papers in second tier journals. I applied to a bunch of great schools (which fit me decently) and got the above result. This year, I've picked much better schools, but I'm obviously still encumbered by my low undergrad scores. Since I applied last time, I've interned at another prestigious research think tank, become a research fellow in my issue area (proliferation and bargaining with a focus on East Asia) at an even more prestigious one, presented at a conference on a major research project with a former professor and have published a number of both short and journal-sized pieces. My target schools are Mason, UVa, Maryland, Hopkins government and GWU. What are my chances, and moreover, how best to express myself and my desire to move into academia in a statement?

Wow, the results pages are just red all over today... No results at night, applicants delight... Red results in morning, applicants mourning...

@Ironheel I'm very much in the same boat as you, having received only two decisions (a rejection and a waitlist) out of 7...it feels like redemption will never come. The wait for UVA, brown and gwu is killing me. But really, congrats to all who are in!

Not to break too far away from the top ten timbre of the conversation at the moment, but has anyone heard anything further about UVA and Brown?

UNC rejections out on the website, no email. I can claim one. That's zero for two of seven, admittedly the first two were big reach schools, but meh. This is so tortuous and depressing.

Yes, I've never been sure about how accurate rankings are in the 40s there. And according to petersens, there are less than 50 applicants a year...makes Brown a bit hard to judge...

This is somewhat of a non-sequitur, but can I ask the community here what the thinking on Brown is? I've applied and I really like several of the faculty there but I've not really been able to grasp Brown's position amongst other departments... Anyone else here applying?

Definitely agreed here, the results seem to trickle out here. Also, since my states are similar (lower UG, higher MA and a publication or two), I really hope we have good news ahead of us! At worst, optimism helps with this feeling of sheer terror! Stay strong, we can do this!

Oh I'm sorry man, big congrats!!

Unless its a POI calling prematurely I find this single one hard to believe. I know for a fact they are not done reviewing. Anyone want to claim it?

That's awesome, congrats! And yea, I'm hoping that my really strong recs, sop and a peer reviewed article during my MA this year will help me out! Particularly from now on (only heard from one and it was a duke rejection). Thoughts? And

Hear hear! Anyone else in this position? More importantly, anyone else in this position that's already got in somewhere?

I too am waiting with baited breath for the good folk in Chapel Hill to decide, but I had a question based on those stats....when it says average GPA, is that all undergraduate? For example, I have an MA GPA that is super high (almost 4) and an undergrad that is low (badly sick for a long time)...which of mine would they take for the average?

I actually know a couple of the grad students at Virginia and it looks like they're not done with their process at all yet. And thanks RWBG, I suppose that wait list is a possibility at Duke. It's odd though how schools are sending out decisions in waves, no? Particularly with people being accepted but not getting funding offers yet too (IL Yuna above).

Hey all, this is my first post on this thread this year, though I've been posting on others. I agree that Chapel Hill will probably be coming our way. I figured that the single post result was a troll or an exceptional POI contact. But if I may, I'm beginning to get nervous about Duke. I've still received nothing (no start change on applyyourself either) and I know that a lot of decisions have come out already. Have many people received rejections yet or is that to come? If so, I'm unsure whether or not this means that myself and the rest of the expectant applicants here have been wait listed or are being considered in a second cut...hmmm... What is the consensus?

Ok well that sounds doable. As for fit, are we just looking at similar interests to professors, research interests that the department sees as relevant to the course they are taking? Also, coach, what kind of program did you get in to? Ranking, subfield, large/small, etc...

I'd be really interested in hearing opinions about this too. I had a fairly low undergraduate (~2.9), focused in a couple of semesters around when my dad died, but my MA gpa is significantly higher, around 3.75. WIth solid recommendations and a good statement that talks about real research interests and practical research goals for the PhD, what are the chances? I'm looking at some of the same schools, Duke, virginia, penn, etc....