2018-2019 Application Thread

[Leo9]

Hey guys!! ?

 

I think it is about time to start this year's application thread. I'm sure many of you have already started the application process and some are finished. I hope this thread will help you in ways it can and give you as much info on schools as possible. 

I am applying for the third time (due to financial reasons could never accept the offers), you know what they say third is the charm. Personally i will be applying for MA in International Relations/Affairs with concentrations in Development and Human Rights. 

 

Best of luck to all of you and hopefully this time i actually get to go to Grad School  

And below are the schools that i would be applying to for the Fall 2019 term:

1. Yale Jackson Institute of Global Affairs
2. Baruch CUNY Austin W. Marxe School of public and International Affairs
3. Penn State school of International Affairs
4. University of Georgia
5. Seton Hall University 

My UGPA is 3.6 i will have worked 2 years by next summer. My GREs are in the 153s not that but i will try to work with it. 

[IR1995]

I’m working on my applications now and am trying to decide on a writing sample. I know it will be a portion of my thesis, but various schools have different limits. My question is this: will it look bad to programs with a 50 page limit if I submit a sample that’s only 35 pages (in order to comply with other limits)? I think it’s really unlikely that the adcomms are going to read 50 pages, and in order to increase from 35 to 50 I’d have to add a new chapter of my thesis and I don’t have another analytical chapter that is less than 20 or so pages. Thoughts?

[misaki_rabbit]

On 11/3/2018 at 2:32 AM, IR1995 said:

I’m working on my applications now and am trying to decide on a writing sample. I know it will be a portion of my thesis, but various schools have different limits. My question is this: will it look bad to programs with a 50 page limit if I submit a sample that’s only 35 pages (in order to comply with other limits)? I think it’s really unlikely that the adcomms are going to read 50 pages, and in order to increase from 35 to 50 I’d have to add a new chapter of my thesis and I don’t have another analytical chapter that is less than 20 or so pages. Thoughts?

So far I've only encountered 1 school that has 50 pages as their limit and the rest recommend 15-20 pages. Since I'm an applicant, I don't think I'm qualified to give any advice. But for my own application to that particular school, I'm going to submit a writing sample that's around 35-40 pages. I'm also not using the additional pages to add another chapter, but to expand the discussion of literature, theory, and methodology. Essentially elaborating on what I don't get to say in 20 pages.

Also, is anyone still working on their applications? Would love to know that I have company ?‍?‍?‍?

[mcm1]

On 11/8/2018 at 4:21 AM, misaki_rabbit said:

Also, is anyone still working on their applications? Would love to know that I have company ?‍?‍?‍?

One over here. This is my third cycle. Not looking forward to the process, but it has to get done.

[magicdonhuang]

Deep in the process. 2nd cycle for me but now with a Masters degree, conference papers, and a more zeroed in research interest. Hoping for more luck than last time. When is the first application due for everybody? Irvine is first up for me with a Dec 1st deadline.

[Imperator_Taco]

On 11/12/2018 at 6:58 PM, magicdonhuang said:

Deep in the process. 2nd cycle for me but now with a Masters degree, conference papers, and a more zeroed in research interest. Hoping for more luck than last time. When is the first application due for everybody? Irvine is first up for me with a Dec 1st deadline.

UC Irvine for me too. I'm applying with Comparative Politics as my sub-field.

[OmniscienceQuest]

On 11/9/2018 at 5:00 PM, mcm1 said:

One over here. This is my third cycle. Not looking forward to the process, but it has to get done.

Hi - I checked out your profile from last year and am surprised at the outcome based on your stats and background. Did you use the same reccomendation writers both years? And are you applying to (all/mostly/some/few/none of) the same schools this year you applied to previously?

[Chronicoverthinker]

Hi all, first-time applier here (Comparative Politics PhD applicant). What's the general wisdom on writing samples: should I include works cited/appendices in the page count? Should I include them at all?

[IR1995]

11 minutes ago, Chronicoverthinker said:

Hi all, first-time applier here (Comparative Politics PhD applicant). What's the general wisdom on writing samples: should I include works cited/appendices in the page count? Should I include them at all?

This is also my first time applying, so keep that in mind. I have included the endnotes in each sample. I have pages/words to spare in each case, so there’s really no reason for me not to. For every school that mentions this on the website that I’ve seen, it has been noted that references do not count in the word/page count. 

[misaki_rabbit]

Well I hope that this will be a great cycle for everyone! Good luck, magicdonhuang. My first deadline is shortly after, Dec 3 for UC Berkeley. They have a countdown in their application portal. It's both helpful and frightening at the same time

[mcm1]

On 11/16/2018 at 6:23 PM, OmniscienceQuest said:

Hi - I checked out your profile from last year and am surprised at the outcome based on your stats and background. Did you use the same reccomendation writers both years? And are you applying to (all/mostly/some/few/none of) the same schools this year you applied to previously?

I'm definitely bringing my school choices down a few notches; I'm not applying to as many top 25 places. I got entirely new recommenders for my second round.

[BritishPS]

Hey everybody I've applied to UoT, Ohio, Brown, Northwestern and Rice in Polisci.

British background (Polisci undergrad), russian and post-soviet politics MA.

Two articles submitted for publication.

GRE little on the low side V158, Q149, AWA 5

Let's do this right?

[dvxyzijil]

Hi everyone! This site has been so useful to me all year. I think I may have read every single substantive thread ? 

Thanks a ton if you posted last cycle. I’m at a big state university where advising is hard to come by, and I had no idea what the statement of purpose / writing sample / etc were supposed to look like before landing on GradCafe. You guys are life-savers.

I just submitted the last of my apps: 15 total lol. Good luck to you all! Glad to have a place to vent throughout the long, long months to come.

[dvxyzijil]

5 minutes ago, dvxyzijil said:

Hi everyone! This site has been so useful to me all year. I think I may have read every single substantive thread ? 

Thanks a ton if you posted last cycle. I’m at a big state university where advising is hard to come by, and I had no idea what the statement of purpose / writing sample / etc were supposed to look like before landing on GradCafe. You guys are life-savers.

I just submitted the last of my apps: 15 total lol. Good luck to you all! Glad to have a place to vent throughout the long, long months to come.

Oh, forgot: PhD programs, Comparative Politics

[uncle_socks]

Finished applying to programs (mostly top 20) a few days ago in American/methods. Very anxious about results. Hope these next two months can fly by quickly 

[PolisciappDZ]

Hey guys and girls! International applicant from Africa with IR MA and research MA (top 1% GPA) applying only for top 20 programs. GRE very low: (152 147 4) but not native speaker and qualitative background. Let me hear back from you guys and you details. Wish you the best (do I really?!?)

[eggsalad14]

On 12/16/2018 at 5:51 AM, PolisciappDZ said:

Hey guys and girls! International applicant from Africa with IR MA and research MA (top 1% GPA) applying only for top 20 programs. GRE very low: (152 147 4) but not native speaker and qualitative background. Let me hear back from you guys and you details. Wish you the best (do I really?!?)

Do you have a backup plan if you don't get in anywhere? Even with a solid GRE score it seems risky to apply only to top 20, and your scores are well below average at all top 20s. 

[Dwar]

Hey all, 

I have a question about the GRE. so I know that  fewer programs are caring about those scores, but do exceptionally low scores still have a negative effect on admissions decisions? 

For context, I took the GRE this past summer and received 162 (91%) V, 4.5 (82%) AW, but I only got a 147 (26%) Q. During my undergrad I have taken two methods courses, got a 3 on the first tier course and a 3.5 on the second tier one. So I guess im asking if y'all think that my dismal Quant score will effect my admissions, or if the methods courses and Verbal score will negate the negative impacts?  

 

Thanks so much for all your help! 

[eggsalad14]

1 hour ago, Dwar said:

Hey all, 

I have a question about the GRE. so I know that  fewer programs are caring about those scores, but do exceptionally low scores still have a negative effect on admissions decisions? 

For context, I took the GRE this past summer and received 162 (91%) V, 4.5 (82%) AW, but I only got a 147 (26%) Q. During my undergrad I have taken two methods courses, got a 3 on the first tier course and a 3.5 on the second tier one. So I guess im asking if y'all think that my dismal Quant score will effect my admissions, or if the methods courses and Verbal score will negate the negative impacts?  

 

Thanks so much for all your help! 

That Q GRE as well as your methods grades imply you might have a hard time in a methods sequence. For the most part at top 20 schools, it looks like Q is more important than V. Even beyond those 20 schools, Q scores seem to be on par (scaled score, not percentile) with the V score. The big exception is if you're in political theory or applying to masters programs (especially policy vs political science ones) where Q is much much less important. 

[Dwar]

15 minutes ago, eggsalad14 said:

That Q GRE as well as your methods grades imply you might have a hard time in a methods sequence. For the most part at top 20 schools, it looks like Q is more important than V. Even beyond those 20 schools, Q scores seem to be on par (scaled score, not percentile) with the V score. The big exception is if you're in political theory or applying to masters programs (especially policy vs political science ones) where Q is much much less important. 

Thanks for the reply! Wouldn't the 3.5 in the methods course show that I understand the material? in my school a 3.5 is the second highest grade you can get in a class, they round the grades so it lands on a .0 or .5 grade

[amyvt98]

Wow, I wish I'd found this thread earlier. I just finished the application process and am so glad there's a place to hang around and commiserate while we wait!

I'm a first-time applicant for PhD programs, although I already have an M.A. I've got about 20 years of work experience in political consulting and data analytics, and I want to study American politics and methodology. I went to a big public research university for undergrad (try to guess which one based on my user name) and finished with a 3.7 for undergrad and a 3.9 for grad. Got a 170 verbal and 161 quant on my GREs.

I have to stay in the DC area for school for the next 5 years or so for family reasons. I've applied to the following schools:

1. Maryland
2. Georgetown
3. George Washington
4. American University. 

Good luck, everybody!

[Dwar]

2 minutes ago, amyvt98 said:

Wow, I wish I'd found this thread earlier. I just finished the application process and am so glad there's a place to hang around and commiserate while we wait!

I'm a first-time applicant for PhD programs, although I already have an M.A. I've got about 20 years of work experience in political consulting and data analytics, and I want to study American politics and methodology. I went to a big public research university for undergrad (try to guess which one based on my user name) and finished with a 3.7 for undergrad and a 3.9 for grad. Got a 170 verbal and 161 quant on my GREs.

I have to stay in the DC area for school for the next 5 years or so for family reasons. I've applied to the following schools:

1. Maryland
2. Georgetown
3. George Washington
4. American University. 

Good luck, everybody!

Hey! Did you consider applying to George Mason? I think its in the metro DC area

[amyvt98]

Just now, Dwar said:

Hey! Did you consider applying to George Mason? I think its in the metro DC area

Hi! I didn't, primarily because I want to study political psychology, and there isn't a professor at GMU with that specialty. Are you in Northern Virginia, too?

[Dwar]

4 minutes ago, amyvt98 said:

Hi! I didn't, primarily because I want to study political psychology, and there isn't a professor at GMU with that specialty. Are you in Northern Virginia, too?

Nope, I was just also interested in applying to DC based schools, so I did a bunch of research and visits to a bunch of schools in the area. In the end I ended up only applying to one DC based school, American. 

Wish you the best of luck though! Georgetown has an AMAZING campus, hope you get in! 

[eggsalad14]

13 minutes ago, Dwar said:

Thanks for the reply! Wouldn't the 3.5 in the methods course show that I understand the material? in my school a 3.5 is the second highest grade you can get in a class, they round the grades so it lands on a .0 or .5 grade

What an odd grading scheme. I was assuming a standard American grading scheme where 3.5 is in between a B+ and an A-, and I think for the most part top schools expect mostly As. 

I'm going to preface this again by saying that my words really only apply to about the top 25, because I am not familiar  with admissions statisticsbin lower ranked schools.

 I don't know what kind of school you're applying to, but top schools get so many applicants that's they're looking for reasons to reject you, not for reasons to accept you. At top schools, there are going to be plenty of math/econ/stats majors that have great methods course grades AND high Q and V scores. A very low quant score is a reason to reject you.