Green_Bee

My declines: School Name: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill Sub field: Theory Funded/not funded: Funded Type of funding: Assistantship/fellowship combination School Name: Cornell University Sub field: Theory Funded/not funded: Funded Type of funding: Fellowship School Name: The University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Sub field: Theory Funded/not funded: Funded Type of funding: Fellowship School Name: The University of Pennsylvania (*I was wait-listed here*) Sub field: Theory Funded/not funded: Funded Type of funding: Fellowship

Here are my thoughts (a year out of the MAPSS program) posted on a different thread. PM me if you want to talk more!

Are you in too? What do you study? And where were you when you heard?

Thank you! I'm glad I found a supermarket parking lot in which to catch my breath (and check the website!)

Thank you!! I'm hoping to do critical race theory and democratic theory.

I'm claiming a Yale acceptance (theory). Came as a complete, amazing, almost-car-accident-causing surprise: was directed, via email, to check the online decision. (No word on funding, visiting days, etc.) Don't lose hope!

RE: Harvard, if anyone's wondering --- and hasn't emailed him yet --- Thom Wall writes: "No offers have gone out yet, but we hope to notify students this week."

I took a class with him but Patchen Markell supervised by my MA project. Also my correspondence from Chicago has been signed by Bernard Harcourt -- department head but not DGS

I came to political science (theory) late in my college career but decided to apply to PhD programs anyways. That was a mistake. I was an unformed candidate with little working knowledge of the field or its vocabulary and I was shut out (though, shockingly, initially wait-listed at Michigan). Fortunately I had also applied to my alma mater, University of Chicago, and was referred to MAPSS program, partially-funded. I was initially hesitant (MAPSS doesn't have the best reputation among snarky U of C undergrads) but I am so glad that I looked past some unfair biases and went for it. That I knew the University well helped make my MAPSS year especially focused and fruitful -- but even students who are initially overwhelmed by the school and forced into making important decisions very, very quickly CAN and DO benefit tremendously. My experience echoes what's been said here: you get out what you put in. Dabbling in different classes and fields will quickly neutralize the value of the MA (for graduate programs). But sticking to a sub-field, taking advantage of generous faculty, seminars, workshops, etc. will put anyone in a good position to go on the PhD. I should also plug the advising system MAPSS has devised to ensure its graduates place well in programs. An adviser with MAPSS (also an instructor and recent U of C PhD) works very closely with students to help make sense of, shape, and ultimately narrate their interests into a succinct and compelling research program. They have nearly 100% *funded* placement rate. Not only has MAPSS given me some excellent options for my continued graduate research, it's also, as a program, a really valuable place to find what you're interested in and pursue it very rigorously for a year. It made me a better PhD candidate and a better scholar.

Cornell - March 12-13

I've seen enough Yale posts on the survey to think that they're probably done admitting the first wave BUT none of those admits seemed to be theory. Does any theorist want to claim one? My thinking (read: hope!) is that, given the often rolling nature of acceptances, comparative, American, IR, etc. decisions have been made but, for whatever reason, there are theory admits outstanding.

I'm going to claim a Cornell (theory) offer. But is this true about Yale? I didn't see *any* theory admits on the results board....

Officially: democratic theory and critical race theory...though I've dipped my toes in just about everything after a very liberal arts heavy undergrad experience

I'm a theorist, wait-listed by Chicago this morning, though, for some background, my circumstances are unusual since I did both my BA and MA (through MAPSS) at the U of C.