Undergrad Stats...

[lenin333]

I am creating this topic for future generations of delusional hopefuls. List here, if you like, your undergrad stats, etc.

Undergrad Majors: Economics, Russian (Medium quality institution - Saint Louis University)

GPA: 3.8/4.0

GRE: 650v/780q/5.5awa

Math: Calc II; Matrix Algebra

Study Abroad: Saint Petersberg State University, Russia (6 months)

Teaching Abroad: St. Stanislav's Zavod, Slovenia (8 months)

Graduate Stats: MA Political Science - 2 year program in European, Russian and Eurasian Studies (High quality institution - University of Toronto)

GPA: 3.8/4.0

Additional attributes: LOR from former PM and Top Scholar in interested field; Patent Application;

[alanapsci]

Undergrad: Virginia Tech 3.4gpa Cum Laude

Major: Political Science

Extra: Study Abroad Switzerland for a semester

Masters: Political Science- International Relations George Mason University, 3.7gpa

Extra: ISA Conference presentation and Paper, Research Assistant

Internships: Homeland Security, Health and Human Services

Fellowship: E.B. Earheart Fellowship for 2 years & GMU thesis scholarship

GRE: SUCKED! 1100 total 4.5A

[lenin333]

Come on! If you are eager enough to look, why not post?

[polisciphd]

Alright, I'll bite

B.A. Asian Studies

University of Alabama

3.76 GPA in my Major, 3.02 Overall GPA due to switching majors as a junior, stupid engineering

5 semester's Dean's List

M.A. Security Policy Studies

Elliott School of International Affairs

3.66 GPA

1 Conference Presentation, 1 Publication

5 years Research and Analysis experience for a major think tank and two government agencies

GRE Scores 590V, 700Q, 5.5AW

[silencio1982]

undergrad: top 50 liberal arts college, GPA 3.63 junk laude, thesis, college honors program

grad: MA in political theory at a top 50 natl university (though ranked lower but in top 100 for poli sci according to NRC), GPA 3.83, tuition scholarship, thesis, conference presentation...

GRE percentiles: 61 quant, 97 verbal, 88 w/a

i've been working for 2 years at a non-profit organization...

applied for comparative/IR, interested in transnationalism, race & ethnicity, identity, and immigration...

accepted at hopkins (yay!)

rejected by wisconsin, minnesota, northwestern, chicago, and MIT

[flyingwalrus]

B.A. with honors

3.57 GPA, 3.77 in political science classes

Numerous scholarships and awards and an honors thesis. One publication. Some stats background.

GRE - 700Q/580V/5.5AW

[poliphil]

GPA: 3.5

Major: Philosophy

I graduated in three years because of money issues otherwise I would have tried my hand at Poli Sci as an undergrad at my highly ranked school. Now I'll be going somewhere slightly less prestigous for a PhD but it will be a nice change of pace not to work a full time (totally unrelated to my poli sci interests) job while studying.

GRE: 620v 720q 4.5 writing

[lenin333]

Great to see people stepping forward and posting. Just think of it as catharsis.

[uncapp]

Undergrad Degree: Political Science (with distinction)

GPA: 3.3 overall, 3.8 within major (started with meteorology my first 3 semesters there, really screwed up my GPA for a while)

(highly ranked public liberal arts school)

Masters Degree: Political Science - IR & Comparative (with honors)

GPA: 3.94

(unranked program - only grants M.A. degrees)

GRE: Q - 580 V- 550 AW- 5.5

Article under review for publication.

[rtrm]

International student from Mexico:

B.LL (Bachelor of Laws) from a private University in Mexico City (Universidad Anahuac del Norte) GPA: 7.34/10 (sucky!!!)

Worked for 3 years as Assistant Director for Immigration Enforcement in Baja California.

M.A. in Latin American Studies at San Diego State University w/ Poli Sci, History, and Homeland Security Concentrations

Overall GPA: 3.86; Poli Sci GPA: 3.94

Worked as a research assistant since I started the MA program, and TA during one summer. Earned a couple of scholarships in the process.

Presented 2 times in academic conferences (at the time of application) and had one of those published in the proceedings.

GRE: 580V/750Q 4.0AW

Applied for Comparative Politics.

Accepted: U of Pittsburgh

Ditched from: UW-Madison

Waiting to hear from: Gtown, WUSTL, Johns Hopkins, and Texas-Austin

Reynaldo

[iheartplato]

Graduated from the honors program of a small but well-regarded liberal arts school with a GPA of 3.56 (thanks to my first 2 years of less-than-stellar academic motivation as an undergrad; last 2 years' GPA is higher.) Major in Poli Sci/minor in Spanish.

GRE: 740q/740v/5.5 AW

Dying a little more inside each day that passes without acceptances.

[lenin333]

kick

[LaraAnn85]

GPA: 2.9 overall, 3.5 in my major (switched from pre-med after 2 years :shock:) from a top 15ish public university

GRE: 540V, 730Q, 4.5AWA

2 publications

Awesome research experience

A hell of a lot of luck

See below for current acceptances status

I

I

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[alanapsci]

LaraAnn 85.... when did you get rejected from UNC? I know they already made the picks but I never heard anything... did you just assume or did you get an email/letter? Thanks

[LaraAnn85]

LaraAnn 85.... when did you get rejected from UNC? I know they already made the picks but I never heard anything... did you just assume or did you get an email/letter? Thanks

Oh I just know that they interviewed for my department and I didn't get invited. So not a rejection per se, but it doesn't look good :cry:

[alanapsci]

Sorry LaraAnn85! I know how that feels. Congrats on University of Houston & Purdue! Thanks for letting me know.

I am awaiting American... I guess those should be out in a few weeks?? OK-- sorry to have interrupted this forum... back to undergrad stats...

[nina gorman]

Undergrad

Bucks Community College A.A. 4.0

Temple 3.6 B.A. (psych major)

Grad:

John Jay College of Crim Justice M.A. 3.84 (forensic psych major)

Temple U. M.A. in Sociology 3.6

GRE: 560 (Q)(38%) yuch; 600 (v)(84%); Analytic/Writing: 6.0 (90%)

Adjunct lecturer and psychotherapist for about 20 years (am an old dudette of 50)

with only a few poli sci courses as undergrad so returned to temple non-matric for couple courses (grad and undergrad)

regret my single parenthood kept me working 50 hours a week (no child support for 18 yrs) and no publications/ some HIV program research experience and a few conference presentations/ political volunteer work for peace, prison health, etc. political justice poet /afraid ap committees may see me as lefty

research interests: comparative politics esp. of political violence, civil wars in Africa, democratization movements

authoritarianism, nationalism, military identity and military culture/ want to write and work for non-profit/ visit lecture in Africa and China /Rejected from U of AZ- / waiting on CUNY- Poli Sci / U of Md- Soc

[sundaymonday]

Undergrad

NYU: Major Politics/Minor Economics.

GPA overall 3.75, major GPA 3.84

GREs: 1st time 630Q, 460V (????), 4.0 AW, 2nd time (one month later) 730Q, 650V, 5.0 AW

0 publications

Dean's Scholarship, graduated w/ honors

Some research experience: studied Arabic in Egypt and did field work in Dubai a year later

Took 6-7 higher levels in Middle Eastern politics, IR, econ.

One stellar LoR from a prof at Princeton.

Accepted by Johns Hopkins, Brown, UChicago (MAPSS, partial funding), Boston University (no funding), Georgetown (no funding)

,Rejected by Northwestern, Princeton, NYU, UPenn, WashU

Waitlisted by CUNY

[Canadianpolsci]

BA U of Toronto. MA Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Political Theory specialist.

UGPA 3.87 MA-GPA 3.99

GRE v700 q710 writ6.0

a number of awards. one publication in a specialized journal.

Accepts at: Harvard, Duke, Georgetown

Rejected by: Princeton, Columbia, Yale, WUSTL

Waiting on: Committee on Social Thought (U of Chicago)

[ShamPain]

BA in Econ at generic state school, magna cum laude. Poli-Sci minor.

GRE: 720q/640v/5.5awa

some awards/scholarships

LORs from senior faculty (2 Poli-Sci, 1 Econ) with good reputations, but not especially famous.

some research, as part of Honors Seminar, but no publications

Externship at government trade/intl. investment agency

[lenin333]

KICK!!!

COME ON FOLKS, FOR THE GENERATIONS OF WANNA-BE GRAD STUDENTS. STATS AND RESULTS please.

[noodlez]

School: University of North Texas

GPA: 3.5 overall

Majors: Philosophy (3.91), Political Science (3.64) (...actually I can't remember when I requested my transcripts... actual grades I sent might have been slightly lower)

Two conference presentations (one of which was a small regional affair)

A few small awards and scholarships

GRE: 720V/700Q/6.0AW

In: JHU, Binghamton (declined), Stony Brook (MA - declined)

Out: Vanderbilt, DePaul, WashU, Stony Brook PhD

Still Waiting: NSSR

Looking at the other people who got into JHU, I have to be honest: I really lucked out. Especially given that my main interest is in contemporary political theory, which it is (I think this is uncontroversial - don't yell at me if you disagree) certainly among the top three schools for. I'm not sure exactly how I landed this dream offer, but, if i had to guess, my lessons: finish strong, write a sample showing lots of potential, and have strong letters (had taken three classes from each of my recommenders, spent extensive time with two of them outside of school). On the whole, though, this should be seen as a stroke of luck, and one that confirms the importance on doing well at a good school. Vanderbilt and DePaul are great places to study contemporary philosophy, but they aren't THAT competitive. Still, for those coming from off the beaten path, things aren't hopeless. Especially if you're not looking to snobby philosophers for approval

[pointedears]

Oh well, not like we are ever in demand! But here goes-

International Student from India

School: National Institute of Fashion Technology(one of the best fashion and design schools in India)

Degree: Bachelor of Fashion Technology(BFT), major - Accessory Design/Product Design

GRE: Not required

TOEFL: 30+30+27+30

Applied for MFA in Graphic Design(studio art). Will edit post for results(and link to portfolio?) once all of them are in.

[VaclavHavel]

BA: 2nd tier liberal arts college, Political Science Major, Economics Minor

GPA: 3.547/4.0

GRE: 800V, 720Q, 6.0AW

Extras: Thesis, reasonably successful debate career, a couple years working full-time at a political research firm

[Fiddler_Crab]

BS: Large State School (in a specific biological science)

GPA: 3.1

GRE: V: 530 M: 580 AW: 6.0

Extras: three years of research experience, REU grant from the NSF, 3 presentations at professional meetings, one publication as 1st author, two publications as third author, two quarters as a biology TA as an undergrad, science Olympiad coach, some volunteer work, several departmental travel grants etc.

Obviously my grades and GRE scores aren't stellar. All I can say is that I am NOT a star in chemistry class. Additionally, I worked 25 + hours a week at an ice cream shop while concurrently being employed in two different research labs (at different times) during my undergraduate career. I (stupidly/boldly) didn't study for the GRE and couldn't afford to retake it money or time-wise. I also did not take the subject test when one of my apps. required it. I put myself out there out there anyway....feeling very skeptical....and have been offered a position in the lab of someone I have been DREAMING of working with since my freshman year! I was so concerned with my numbers that I disregarded the importance of my research, writing style, recommendations and the connections I made at professional meetings.

So, to all of next years hopefuls: don't be discouraged if you aren't squeaky clean. I cannot speak for people concentrating in different areas, but as far as organismal biology goes, the communities surrounding specific insect orders etc. are small and very connected. Institution and departmental ranking are almost completely unimportant (to a point) next to the status of your advisor in the community. I see many people applying to the top three universities on this board. Even if I had a flawless record, none of these schools would have been appropriate for me because they lack notable advisors in my field. While a nuance in school rank may be essential in different discipline, if your focus is on a specific organism or group - realize what is in your best interest for achieving a job in academia (amidst a very tight little community.)

Good luck and congratulations to all!