Doorkeeper

What the fuck, Chicago? Did you seriously send an email about picking the right graduate program that glorified your school while we are waiting for our rejections?

I totally agree with your overall point - LAC positions are very competitive and one should not assume that they will be able to get them if one attends a lower ranked school in political science. That being said, there is a specific reason why I divided it between "top 10-15" and "the rest." Obviously, as you acknowledge, Oberlin and Wellesley are in a different class of LACs than most other schools - those are highly desirable positions for even those who would prefer to work in a T1 research setting. Note however that your list for SUNY Purchase and New College include only one definite top 10-15 program (Duke), while the rest are in accordance with my statement (UNC-CH is borderline depending on subfield).

I'm all for a dose of realism when it comes to graduate and professional school education, but this was over-the-top to the point that I feel like the OP is projecting his/her own poor choices onto the entire graduate community. Some on this board have received acceptances to top 10-15 programs, where their chances of landing a TT job are a lot higher than what OP suggests. Others who are applying to lower ranked schools recognize the possibility that they might be teaching at LACs, or might have to go into policy or government work after the PhD. Yes, the TT market right now is quite bad. As one mentor put it to me, "You should only be applying to a PhD if you cannot envision doing yourself happy in any other line of work." For those who satisfy this criterion and know the risks going in, then I say good for them.

Small chance of Princeton and/or Columbia, but they're most likely the following week.

Chicago's MAPSS (Master of Arts in the Social Sciences) program gives out scholarships of various amounts, up to a full scholarship. If you're in a philosophy department at a school with a good political science department, then check to see if your school has a masters degree for internal students. Perhaps you can use a year of funding from your Philosophy degree to get the political science masters.

No way I buy those Harvard postings. Harvard has never sent out acceptances before 2/19 going back to 2010. Plus they all say "Political Science" instead of "Government," which is a rare mistake to make according to historical postings. Those are trolls.

Do I wanna know If this feeling flows both ways? Sad to see you go Was sorta hoping that you'd stay

in at Berkeley!!!!! YESSSSS

Yes, I'm in the same position. I have no idea what the silence means for our application. A few theories: 1) The system sends the emails in batches and we just haven't gotten our rejection email yet. 2) This was just the first round of rejections and they still have to make more "difficult" rejections to make in the coming weeks 3) Similar to #2 - They're waiting to hear on available funding totals and so they can't make final decisions on those who are in the running 4) Most optimistically - only admitted and waitlisted people are left

Why are there no reports of Berkeley admits? I haven't heard anything and I'm confused! I feel like I'm in the eye of the storm before I get destroyed!

If you may indulge me, I have a question regarding SOPs. My *ideal* primary reserach interest is fairly interdisciplinary due to my interdisciplinary research background, and therefore appears on its face to not really fit well with any of the faculty in my subfield at the schools that I want to attend. I consider this probably to be one big unknown in my application that has held me back from admissions in the past cycle, but when I bring up the topic of potentially changing my primary research interest for the SOP with all of my advisors, they tell me to not change it for the sake of admissions. Would you agree with my advisors, or should I perhaps alter my interests so that I appear to be more in line with what faculty are currently researching in the departments? I realize the importance of "fit", but I have talked with professors at a couple of the schools that I submitted to who were not on the admissions committee and they have seemed open and interested by my research interest, even if its one that they do not have the most amount of knowledge in.

Big drops for UCSD in American and Comparative subfields. Drop for Berkeley in IR. Boost for NYU in Methods. Drop for Rochester in Methods. Boost for Hopkins in Theory (Overtaking Berkeley was surprising).

Well with my final rejection my second cycle is also a bust. I was only able to apply to 4 schools this cycle due to geographic restrictions, but I'm 0-16 over the past two years. I guess I'll have another go around next year, but I feel bad having to tell my recommenders that I failed again (and having to ask them for their recommendations again next year). I'm already in another degree program (and thus my geographic restrictions), so at least I'll have something to do for the next year. This has been quite a frustraing process considering my recommenders have all worked with me a great deal on my applications and have said I'm a strong candidate. I even had internal faculty support at two of the programs I applied to this year, so I guess you can never really be sure.

You should go ahead and inquire. He's super nice about the inquires and takes it all in stride. Don't feel bad about reaching out to him.

It is a bit odd that nobody has reported a waitlist yet from Harvard. Edit- It seems like you can also email Thom Wall to get your official status, chaetzli

You don't know the half of it. Any sense that a program releases their decisions in a staggered method, as opposed to a one shot deal, creates an insane amount of anxiety. That's the inevitabe result that's going to occur when one's potential career is on the line. The release of information should really be regularized. I applaud Princeton this year for posting all admits, waitlists and rejections at the same time. I think that's the best way to do it for the sake of our sanity. If the department wants to reach out to those accepted, they can do so right after the email is sent.

Well the results board clearly lit up with some green (There's an open question as to whether there are 6-7 trolls out there) and one poster claimed an admit (though he/she isn't a "regular"), so at least I might have one thing to look forward to at the end of this week...

Two Harvard acceptances just got posted tonight. What's going on? Can anyone claim one of those (if so, what subfield)?

For anyone still waiting on Harvard and ready for closure, you should feel free to email the Graduate Program Administrator in Gov for a prompt response.

And so my heart drops. What subfield? (Congratulations btw) I guess I'll wait a day or two before calling because it seems Harvard sent out emails over multiple days in the past.

Sorry to hear. I'm on my second go around so I know the feeling. Any chance you got an indication if all acceptances/waitlists were out?

Can you just be here the next 24-48 hours as I continually freak the fuck out about my life? haha. Edit- I'll probably end up being the sacrificial lamb to find out what's going on. Edit 2- As I write another acceptance got posted. Awesome.

So is Harvard done? Anyone brave enough to call someone there about it? I see 3 acceptances and 2 rejections from people who called...with no waitlists.

So what's going on with Harvard? Are acceptances trickling out? Edit- Are they legit?

I'm not an IR expert, but I would have to think Cornell leads the pack between these four given your general interests. Between the last three, I'm not sure. I would imagine it would have to depend on what area you're interested in for your comparative interests.