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2018-2019 Application Thread


Leo9

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11 hours ago, Pancho Villa said:

If you look at hundreds of (accepted) applications each year, over time you learn that (in poli sci and most programs) almost nothing is disqualifying. Truly. At least a handful of your classmates (non theory included) will not have completed a calculus class. Ever. So the one who fails, then gets a B-, often won’t be considered any worse off. Also, right, a B- can mean many things. In my story, for the student who eventually scored ok on the GRE and has a head for methods, it can even signal persistence. 

Hahahahaha, I love this take. I did just the thing that @eggsalad14 rightly warned against: I actively signaled that I'm terrible at math with a string of C's in introductory calculus courses and a just-ok GRE quant score. (And no, I'm not a theorist.) I thought I had completely disqualified myself from top schools, but I applied on the advice of my advisor and now have an acceptance to OSU and a waitlist spot from Duke. Maybe it was all of the persistence I signaled.

(For any future applicants, let me be clear that I do not recommend you what I did. I was told by one mentor in no uncertain terms that I had badly sabotaged my chances. On the other hand, if you have a serious weakness, don't give up hope!)

Edited by dvxyzijil
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12 minutes ago, quesadilla said:

Keep in mind it also just depends on who gets stuck with your application. There could be three different theory profs who each get so many applications to vet, and only one prof may take the time to interview any students.

Thanks for the kind words. I really need it right now trying to keep my hope up. Only have one waitlist, one rejection and four pending yet.

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7 hours ago, quesadilla said:

Keep in mind it also just depends on who gets stuck with your application. There could be three different theory profs who each get so many applications to vet, and only one prof may take the time to interview any students.

I don't want to discourage any ND theory applicants but my impression is that it's one of the (luckily few) schools where nobody gets admitted without an interview. Though hopefully I'm wrong!

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20 minutes ago, wara said:

I don't want to discourage any ND theory applicants but my impression is that it's one of the (luckily few) schools where nobody gets admitted without an interview. Though hopefully I'm wrong!

Is this true for all subfields or only theory? 

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13 minutes ago, peggy.olson said:

Nothing for me yet. Ugh

Nothing for me either. Maybe it's a good sign...

However, based on two rejections and even more silence, I feel like that I screwed something up that will keep me out of everywhere... When is the appropriate time to ask POIs  about weaknesses and future advice? End of April?

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Just now, IRSquirrel said:

Nothing for me either. Maybe it's a good sign...

However, based on two rejections and even more silence, I feel like that I screwed something up that will keep me out of everywhere... When is the appropriate time to ask POIs  about weaknesses and future advice? End of April?

I emailed the DGS of a rejected program (OSU) and he got back to me the next day. But the DGS of Ohio is a generally awesome guy who seems to really care about students and applicants. He even read my file and made a reference to my POI (he was retiring at the end of this year, who knew) and offered some words of encouragement. I kind of have a feeling thought that he is an outlier, I contacted the DGS of another program I was rejected from and he responded with a generic email about the strength of their applicants and how they couldn't accept everyone who applied. 

So I guess what i'm trying to say is it depends? obviously you should wait until you get the official rejection, but after that I guess it depends on the program? I reached out and asked shortly after rejection and have found mixed results.

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7 minutes ago, eggsalad14 said:

I basically always keep an email tab open. Just saw I had a new email and got excited.

 

 

Nope, it was just the chipotle I just ordered. 

literally me just now except it was a shipping notification for the clothes I stress-ordered last night I love it

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1 hour ago, cafeoverdose said:

Anyone heard from the department at Rochester? Got an official acceptance from the portal two days ago and just received an email on visitation from the department secretary. Has the DGS sent anything yet?

I got the offer, the campus invitation, and have not heard from DGS or anybody else as well.

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2 hours ago, TheBunny said:

I have a feeling that we will get important results today...

praying that you are right, so I can stop checking my email every five minutes. anyways, I'm thankful for this forum somehow my stress kind go diminishes reading your comments(my anxiety however keeps growing)

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12 minutes ago, quesadilla said:

Northwestern Rejects sounds like the name of a cover band from Portland

HAHA... OMG that was horrible. I didn't mean to call someone a "reject".  LOL.

Although on second thought... it sounds like a band I will soon be joining.

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