PDCU

I have similar question... what about random elective classes like French and Philosophy? I've taken like four elective PNP. Would they affect me negatively if I wanted to apply for PhD in Polisci?

Would anybody be willing to share their statements? Or teach me how to write one in the format they want?

I'm thinking about doing grad research in the UK. Could you guys tell me a bit about how your application was different from your US versions?

@strangertimes: Really? The single at I-House is like $2150 per quarter, which is like $700 a month. I don't think it's too bad. You can register for I-House application account without UCID here. I didn't apply yet, since they have yet to open for Fall 2012, but I will soon. @verdigris: Are you PhD student? What TA positions?

Just a random question, I heard that people with UK degrees have hard time getting academic jobs in the US. Is that the same deal with Canadian degrees?

I heard you get it couple weeks after you submit your acceptance letter.

I finished the Graduate Housing application just now. But I'm also applying to I-House. I probably won't get an apartment of my own. I like things furnished and maintained for me!

I did!

Does this mean they'll accept less next cycle?

I would like any information on Brown and JHU please!

For whatever its worth, there is also this: http://oira.unc.edu/faculty-salaries-plus-compensation.html

Hi everyone, Stanford is my number one dream school. I applied this cycle, but I was, unsurprisingly, rejected. My research interest is in sovereignty and regime theories, so my POI was Krasner and Sagan. If there is someone who made successful application to PhD in Stanford who is willing to share some of your success strategy, could you please PM me? Also, if you went to prospective students day, could you please give me some feedback on your first impression? Thanks!

@verdigris: I came back from CIR visit day yesterday, and I must say that I was very impressed with the program! As far as the first impression goes, I found that Chicago is very heavy in Realist tradition coming from American perspective. I attended Bob Pape's lecture on strategy and was little bit phased by his idea of "off-shore balancing". I suppose Mearsheimer is similar since he was Bob's mentor. I think the Polisci tradition in Chicago is geared more towards qualitative methods, although Ethan BDM provides some training in quantitative methods. I also liked the close guidance provided by the preceptors helping you preparing for future PhD applications. And also, the program seems to be very academically oriented than policy due to the heavy emphasis on the master's thesis and workshops. Coming from semester-based college, quarter system scares me a bit, but I guess I'll just learn to live with it. Also, in terms of preparing for PhD, preceptors told me that most students are advised to take a year off or pursue joint degree with Harris or do second-year specialization (very competitive) before applying. Not much of a feeder program to PhD than I hoped.

link don't work bro

@verdigris: Will do! I hope you have good options to choose from! @strangertimes: Sadly, for me, CIR is my only choice. I wish I had such good range of options like you. At this point, I'd kill for SAIS (even though I got cocky and only applied to PhD). Bad PhD cycle . This is more like an arranged marriage and going to see the suitor for the first time. But from what I hear, CIR is very strong academically and is good for PhD prep program. It's unlike any other terminal master's out there since it's a lot less policy oriented. Also, Robert Pape and John Mearsheimer are to me as Justin Beiber and Ryan Gosling are to girls. And Chicago is the only terminal MA that I found to give any substantial funding! I come from super poor family, hence my name. And uh... it's short and flexible! I plan to reapply to lots of PhD again next cycle, but if that still doesn't fall through (according to my concerns) then there is option for 2nd year specialization! Or I can do a joint program with Harris! Finally, I love Chicago as a city!

@stangertimes: I am! But after talking with my professors and others, I'm pretty set on going there! Edit: Oh btw, are you more of policy or academic person?

I'm a student in the US, but I am interested in applying for DPhil or PhD in the UK (hopefully Oxbridge! I know it's a long shot). I got into MA in CIR at UChicago, and I want to give it a shot since UK PhD/DPhil require MA from applicants. Oh and I hear they don't require GRE! My GRE wasn't so hot. But as poor as I am, funding will ultimately determine if I go or not, assuming I get in. How does funding work? Is there TA/RA award like in the US? Are only EU and UK citizens considered for departmental funding? Is there a different system? I have no idea how it works over there. Any information will be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

@adaptations: The system says you can't get any more messages...

I was also rejected from every single PhD programs. Chicago was nice enough to offer me one-year MA in IR with partial funding. I guess I'll be going there after the visit in April. Looking forward to the next cycle! But I have a question... how does one fully utilize an one-year MA? I would be barely finishing my first quarter when most of the apps are due. I probably won't get a recommendation from a professor there unless I am stellar. I'm not sure if I'll have enough time to send off the transcript. Only thing I could work on is adding couple lines to CV and polishing my SoP. Could someone tell me what else I can do to fully use one-year MA to my advantage?

Hi guys, Is there anyone who is currently attending UChicago's CIR MA program or already completed it willing to give me some advice on it? If you are currently attending, what are you doing and how is it? If you completed it already, how did it help you go into PhD and what would you have done differently? Is there anything I should know before coming in? As the program is only 1 year long, I would hate to waste any time and be unable to fully utilize the resources and opportunities. Thanks in advance!

I guess HDS didn't make their decisions today... Here's to another week of agony! *cheers*

From the past results, it seems like HDS will make the decision this Friday. I got rejected by Princeton MDiv despite having 3.9+ GPA and strong church record. I'm guessing because my PS was too liberal and I'm not religion major. Which is ironic, since all my pastors didn't want me to go to PTS because PTS was too liberal. I went to HDS's DivEx thing last year... so hopefully HDS works out for my liberal PS.

50 McNuggets for $10, for the win?

I guess I'm more of a mixed-method person. In terms of "-ism", I am a real-constructivist. But if I had to choose a camp, I'd side with the qualitative. I've heard both sides, and I find both of them useful, but my biggest problem with quantitative methods is that it assumes that all actors are rational. When it comes to human behavior, there are too many unknowns and inexplicable and unpredictable factors only qualitative analysis can even attempt to answer. So, in my opinion, quantitative methods has the most explanatory power in the general sense, but qualitative methods can provide the most normative power in case by case basis. In my research, I try to combine both methods to use qualitative analysis to conceptualize the identity and interest of actors and then use quantitative methods (game theory) to explain their interactions. Then again, I think it's also a value judgment. Where is the value of "good" Political Science? It tries to explain a political phenomena, but is it ultimately trying to predict the future? Or is it trying to make a normative criticism and provide a new order?

I finally heard back from CIR. They said that they simply have no more money, and they made more scholarship offers than they can manage since they expect majority of them will turn it down. I guess I'll live in my car and eat McMuffins for 9 months!