2018-2019 Application Thread

[eggsalad14]

11 minutes ago, IcedCovfefe said:

So I’m still waiting on Yale, Columbia, and Harvard.  What are my chances of hearing something before the weekend?

In my opinion, kinda low based on my remembering of the data I looked at over the weekend. Yale is most likely and will probably be within the next week, but they've trended closer to Feb 20 recently. 

Actually wait also very strong maybe for Columbia now that I look at the data again. 

Edited February 14, 2019 by eggsalad14

[IcedCovfefe]

9 minutes ago, eggsalad14 said:

In my opinion, kinda low based on my remembering of the data I looked at over the weekend. Yale is most likely and will probably be within the next week, but they've trended closer to Feb 20 recently. 

Actually wait also very strong maybe for Columbia now that I look at the data again. 

Cool.  Feels good to be nearing the finish line, either way. 

[eggsalad14]

3 minutes ago, IcedCovfefe said:

Cool.  Feels good to be nearing the finish line, either way. 

Yeah, I'm so ready to just know everything, one way or another. Then there will be no more 3am gradcafe/email checks just in case. 

[mackeycold]

Any feeling on when TAMU and Vanderbilt should be out? 

[rtrpolitico]

38 minutes ago, mackeycold said:

Any feeling on when TAMU and Vanderbilt should be out? 

Vanderbilt says they plan on sending acceptances next week and early the week after; rejections won't go out until between March 4-18.

 

[Dwar]

1 hour ago, eggsalad14 said:

Yeah, I'm so ready to just know everything, one way or another. Then there will be no more 3am gradcafe/email checks just in case. 

Oh I feel that in my soul, even if the last one is a rejection. I just can't wait until I no longer keep grad cafe open on my browser. 

[dreamschoolcometrue]

Any news on USC? Interviews, or info on their decision schedule?

[seaofbooks]

5 hours ago, usmeme said:

In at Cornell.

just received the email.

Congrats!! I waited all day for an email from Cornell, but alas my inbox is still empty. Are either of you theory? Any chance Cornell could be sending theory acceptances later, or would that just be wishful thinking?

 

Edited February 15, 2019 by seaofbooks

[sandmoon]

1 hour ago, seaofbooks said:

Congrats!! I waited all day for an email from Cornell, but alas my inbox is still empty. Are either of you theory? Any chance Cornell could be sending theory acceptances later, or would that just be wishful thinking?

 

The DGS is comparative, so maybe theory admits are still coming?

[calvinssy]

2 hours ago, dreamschoolcometrue said:

Any news on USC? Interviews, or info on their decision schedule?

I am also waiting for USC. Have contacted my POI, but she didn't know the exact date for decisions.

Its website says the results will be released by mid-Feb. Hopefully tomorrow we will hear something. Good luck!!!

[pascal450]

On 2/6/2019 at 6:11 PM, pascal450 said:

I was rejected by Princeton, Berkeley, Duke, and Wisconsin-Madison. My first acceptance came today, and all I can say is that the process is extremely arbitrary provided that you meet the minimum requirements.

People on this forum have talked about math, SOP, research experience, GPA, etc being important factors in the admissions process. But my experience tells me that even if you excel in all these areas, it's still not sufficient. (N=1, so take my words with a grain of salt.)

I took advanced math and programming classes and graduated with a minor in computer science. I worked as a research assistant for two CHYMPS political science professors and got recommendation letters from both of them. My GRE scores are in the 95% percentile for all three subsections, and my GPA is in the top 20% of my class at a top 20 university. I wrote my undergraduate thesis on political economy, and the project involved a lot of heavy programming. The two CHYMPS political science professors read my SOP and said it was good. I wrote two paragraphs for each school emphasizing research fit.

All that is to say that I still got rejected almost everywhere despite these credentials. I honestly do not know what I would do differently to improve my chances. I would think it's the same for a lot of great applicants, like @acmnny and @Chronicoverthinker.

Also, I think research fit is too subjective to be a useful topic of discussion. I met with another CHYMPS professor recently, and he said my research idea was "uninteresting" and "did not speak to any larger issue in political science." But the two professors I worked with both liked my proposal and one said he hired me because I wrote it in my job application.

I think a more productive approach to rejections is simply accepting the arbitrariness of life. If you meet the minimum standards (90% GRE, okay GPA at a known university, good letters from people who do research, some research experience), there's no use faulting yourself for rejections or thinking you could've done things differently to improve your chances. The process is simply just random, like job searches and the search for a romantic partner or a true friend.

Finally, there's a lot of reporting bias on this forum. I wouldn't have created an account to share my experience had I not received an acceptance today. So when you see people getting multiple acceptances, know that they are hundreds of others who have been rejected everywhere or who have only gotten into one school. Please don't think less of yourself as a person or as a political scientist just because there are two or three people getting accepted everywhere.

TLDR: The process is random. Pedigree definitely matters, especially when it comes down to picking two people out of the final ten. Research fit is super subjective, so don't worry about it if you've said what you wanted to study in your SOP. And if you don't think there's anything you can change, either apply again next year or find a job! The application process says nothing about you as a scholar let alone a person.

Apologies for quoting myself. The tide has really turned -- I was fortunate to be accepted to all seven schools that sent out decisions after the initial four rejections. All are in the USNWR's Top 15.

So please don't despair! Sometimes the best news comes at the least expected times!

[eggsalad14]

2 minutes ago, pascal450 said:

Apologies for quoting myself. The tide has really turned -- I was fortunate to be accepted to all seven schools that sent out decisions after the initial four rejections. All are in the USNWR's Top 15.

So please don't despair! Sometimes the best news comes at the least expected times!

Congrats! What are the schools, if you don't mind me asking? 

I'm sure a lot of hard decisions lay ahead. 

[nietzsche's moustache]

26 minutes ago, sandmoon said:

The DGS is comparative, so maybe theory admits are still coming?

I claim a theory admission to Cornell. But probably I will decline their offer after the visit, because I have an offer from a better fit. So if they will put you on the waitlist, you shouldn't despair. But I hope that you get accepted as well! 

[nietzsche's moustache]

Also, for the friends in theory subfield, I was accepted to UC San Diego's political theory program and declined their offer. So chances are high that they will offer a place to another theorist.

[Theory007]

1 hour ago, nietzsche's moustache said:

Also, for the friends in theory subfield, I was accepted to UC San Diego's political theory program and declined their offer. So chances are high that they will offer a place to another theorist.

where might you go instead?

[nietzsche's moustache]

36 minutes ago, Theory007 said:

where might you go instead?

Looks like Chicago right now. 

[usmeme]

5 hours ago, seaofbooks said:

Congrats!! I waited all day for an email from Cornell, but alas my inbox is still empty. Are either of you theory? Any chance Cornell could be sending theory acceptances later, or would that just be wishful thinking?

 

I'm IR/CP. I am not too sure about the theory subfield, but I think chances are high that they already released most of the acceptances, according to the content of the email.

On the other hand, you never know what will happen before the official notification comes out. Be patient and don't despair. Good luck!

[amyvt98]

If you applied to AU's School of Public Affairs, check your portal. I was surprised to see a acceptance letter there this morning (no email, just randomly checked and it was there). 

Edited February 15, 2019 by amyvt98
Clarifying language

[sandmoon]

Is anyone planning on going to the UCLA and UCSD visiting days? They are only a few days apart from each other, and I was thinking of doing both. Transportation wise it seems like the only viable option to go from UCLA to UCSD is Facebook ride share? Would love to get more advice on this or go with a fellow political science student!

[upsy]

10 minutes ago, sandmoon said:

Is anyone planning on going to the UCLA and UCSD visiting days? They are only a few days apart from each other, and I was thinking of doing both. Transportation wise it seems like the only viable option to go from UCLA to UCSD is Facebook ride share? Would love to get more advice on this or go with a fellow political science student!

I'm not sure as to whether I'll be there, but I checked with a friend who's from the area originally, and he recommended Amtrak.

[sandmoon]

9 minutes ago, upsy said:

I'm not sure as to whether I'll be there, but I checked with a friend who's from the area originally, and he recommended Amtrak.

Thanks so much! I found a bus that goes from downtown LA to La Jolla as well (for 9.99). Getting around the U.S. with public transportation is always so fun (ugh).

[DuBois]

17 hours ago, eggsalad14 said:

In my opinion, kinda low based on my remembering of the data I looked at over the weekend. Yale is most likely and will probably be within the next week, but they've trended closer to Feb 20 recently. 

Actually wait also very strong maybe for Columbia now that I look at the data again. 

Did Yale conduct Interviews? It is my only hope now!

[sandmoon]

12 minutes ago, DuBois said:

Did Yale conduct Interviews? It is my only hope now!

Don't think they did. Good luck!! I've heard mixed things about the department as a whole though... Would love to get more thoughts on where Yale stands among the CHYMPS schools.

[PBandMachiajelly]

30 minutes ago, DuBois said:

Did Yale conduct Interviews? It is my only hope now!

From what I've been told Yale does not conduct interviews, but take that with a handful of salt.

[Dwar]

welp, looks like I won't be getting in anywhere this cycle. Congrats to those who have been admitted!