2018-2019 Application Thread

[StormingTheCastle]

32 minutes ago, Tobz said:

Anybody here still thinking that not having heard from northwestern at this point may mean anything but a rejection? 

I'm assuming a rejection, but still hold out some hope. Intuitively, one would assume that if they only had rejections, they would just send them out in a form letter in a relatively short window, no? I can't imagine why they would stagger them for weeks if they were all firm rejections.

[Tobz]

1 hour ago, Onwarrdz said:

I mean, it seems like they'll mostly be rejections? I applied last year and was rejected on Feb 22nd. But logically, I just CAN'T imagine why they would have SOME rejections, but not all of them. So like, maybe there are very few admits left, but mostly rejections? 

Does anyone know if they waitlist? I don't think they do, but I'm not 100% sure. 

So I take from this that it did not go down that way last year?

[Onwarrdz]

Just now, Tobz said:

So I take from this that it did not go down that way last year?

I mean, maybe it did? (I only found gradcafe this year, for better or worse)

Basically my point is that the rest of the decisions should be coming out this week, and I'm not holding out too much hope.

[Tedmonkey]

13 hours ago, MidnightSkywalker said:

Yeah, I have a temporary job at a local NGO that ends in July, so probably I should have time to prepare for the next round.

How did you improve your application? I don't even know what the biggest problem was. Maybe everything? I am not sure if I am just not right for the Ph.D. program, or my application was not good enough overall. I should have had other people evaluate my profile before I decided where to apply 

Don't give up hope until all schools have responded. However, if you do need to reapply next round I can let you know what I did for my second round that has been successful. I studied and retook the GRE to improve my scores, I personalized all of my SOPs with detailed information on my fit to each individual department, I also have been working on an independent research paper and submitted it to present at conference (and was accepted). One other thing I did was to create an Excel file of every PhD program in the country, and a few Canadian ones, where I created a formula that weighted different factors of fit. For example, since my research deals with the LGBTQ community, does the school contain a PhD, Master's, or Graduate Certificate in a field related to gender or sexuality studies or political science faculty that did research in this area. These columns were weighted at 3 times value, other things that are more wish list were weighted at 1 times value, and some between at 2. Then I sorted by the total of the weighted value and chose high, mid, and low ranked schools to apply to. Last year I applied to 11 schools and got 10 rejections and 1 wait list (that failed). This time I only applied to 5 schools and so far am at 2a/0w/1r/1p and 1 withdrawn application (back-up school and already got in somewhere I prefer more). The school I am thinking of going to, at this point, is ranked around 50 so a solidly mid-ranked school. Also, reevaluate your reference letter sources and see if you could have done better there.

[Tobz]

in case anybody is interested: i just called up northwestern and the graduate program coordinator told me that they were still waiting to send out an entire second wave of decisions over the next two weeks so i guess the wait may still be a little while longer 

[mliliu]

24 minutes ago, Tobz said:

in case anybody is interested: i just called up northwestern and the graduate program coordinator told me that they were still waiting to send out an entire second wave of decisions over the next two weeks so i guess the wait may still be a little while longer 

Thanks for doing this!

[taraeh]

47 minutes ago, Tobz said:

in case anybody is interested: i just called up northwestern and the graduate program coordinator told me that they were still waiting to send out an entire second wave of decisions over the next two weeks so i guess the wait may still be a little while longer 

Thank you so much. I have some contacts within the department and they didn't seem to think that all the decisions had been made yet either. I am holding out hope - I networked there pretty hard and feel really confident about my fit.  I am not assuming a rejection at this point at all...

[KeepRefrigerated99]

Does anyone know if Washington - Seattle is done with acceptances? I saw a few acceptances in the past few weeks and then rejections these last few days...but I am still holding in some hope. Had an interview and felt like it went well. I might just call otherwise 

[IR1995]

Really hoping Columbia releases decisions soon..

[eggsalad14]

4 minutes ago, IR1995 said:

Really hoping Columbia releases decisions soon..

Totally agree, and also Yale. I've applied to so many schools to be safe but of course my 3 undergrad dream schools are the absolute last to notify. I totally did not have dreams about Yale last night. 

[IR1221]

11 minutes ago, IR1995 said:

Really hoping Columbia releases decisions soon..

Same. I know its a long shot for me, but I can't stop thinking about it since it's my dream school. Will feel better knowing.

[sandmoon]

Got an email from a POI at Penn. I was told decisions would be released "very soon."

[Gbrog]

21 hours ago, MyWay said:

Notre Dame has Perez-Linan and Coppedge now and Scott Mainwaring will be returning next year. Seems like a no brainer for me...

Yes, ND does have some heavy names, and a 5+1 program provided you finish on time. However, my experience in my Master's here in Brazil is with survey research, political culture and behavior, and Vanderbilt is home to LAPOP and has several professors working with Latin America and political behavior, so it's a better fit. Plus, its program is higher ranked. 

It really makes me wonder...

 

Thanks for the input, by the way.

Edited February 20, 2019 by Gbrog

[scdaaljobe]

Has anyone reached out to NYU about rejection emails? It's been so long since all the acceptances were sent out and I don't understand why they'd wait so long before sending out the rejections. Could it be similar to Northwestern's situation mentioned by tobz?

[eggsalad14]

6 minutes ago, scdaaljobe said:

Has anyone reached out to NYU about rejection emails? It's been so long since all the acceptances were sent out and I don't understand why they'd wait so long before sending out the rejections. Could it be similar to Northwestern's situation mentioned by tobz?

I have no idea what exactly is happening at northwestern, but NYU is more likely reconsidering those that they plan on rejecting from the PhD program for the master's program in political science. Today is the RSVP date for their visit so I highly doubt there are more PhD acceptances coming soon. 

It just struck me that this may be why at least Columbia and maybe Yale are slower schools - I think they both consider for MAs in the department or related departments if the PhD application isn't successful. 

Edited February 20, 2019 by eggsalad14

[scdaaljobe]

2 minutes ago, eggsalad14 said:

I have no idea what exactly is happening at northwestern, but NYU is more likely reconsidering those that they plan on rejecting from the PhD program for the master's program in political science. Today is the RSVP date for their visit so I highly doubt there are more PhD acceptances coming soon. 

 It just struck me that this may be why at least Columbia and maybe Yale are slower schools - I think they both consider for MAs in the department or related departments if the PhD application isn't successful. 

Makes sense... bummer

[pp30]

Is there anyone who has been accepted to Brown (CP field) and is going to decline? 

[upsy]

UPenn is closed for weather today, so I doubt anything will be out from it: https://www.publicsafety.upenn.edu/alerts/weather-advisory-3/ 

[IcedCovfefe]

When have Penn results gone out historically?  Are we expecting them this week (apart from weather delays)?

[upsy]

1 minute ago, IcedCovfefe said:

When have Penn results gone out historically?  Are we expecting them this week (apart from weather delays)?

I think we would be. They came out Feb 19th last year, on Feb 20th in 2017, and on Feb 15th in 2016. I think it's still likely they'll be out by the end of the week. The weather's not terrible and I'd be surprised if things weren't back to normal there by tomorrow.

[as2472]

2 hours ago, upsy said:

I think we would be. They came out Feb 19th last year, on Feb 20th in 2017, and on Feb 15th in 2016. I think it's still likely they'll be out by the end of the week. The weather's not terrible and I'd be surprised if things weren't back to normal there by tomorrow.

I live next to UPenn and can confirm snow has stopped and is rapidly melting on roads, so I can see no reason why they would be closed. fingers crossed on results soon, even if it's just for closure! 

[IcedCovfefe]

44 minutes ago, as2472 said:

I live next to UPenn and can confirm snow has stopped and is rapidly melting on roads, so I can see no reason why they would be closed. fingers crossed on results soon, even if it's just for closure! 

Agreed on that last point--Penn is one of the last couple I'm waiting for, and I'd just like to be done with the waiting games one way or another.

[yubs89]

Do you guys think USC is done sending out its acceptances?

[upsy]

10 minutes ago, IcedCovfefe said:

Agreed on that last point--Penn is one of the last couple I'm waiting for, and I'd just like to be done with the waiting games one way or another.

Huge ditto. I really hope my last 3 all come out this week

[morri081]

Have any of the Syracuse admits received their official letters yet?