Advice for Undergrad

[Andrejez]

Hi everybody. I need some planning advice for the next couple of years in college. To not disclose too much, I am a sophomore at a top 20 university in the US.  I also transferred into this college from a small college close to home. I have been heavily looking into doing a PhD in political science after graduation, though I am deeply confused as to the steps to getting into a program. I would greatly appreciate any help in figuring this out.

First of all, this is probably an odd question, but do I actually have to get a standard political science BA to be competitive for a top 20 graduate school? My college offers a joint stats-poli sci major. I was thinking this is a good idea for better methods training and also in case I want to do something besides a PhD. Is this major a good idea for graduate schools? I figure the extra quantitative training is helpful just in general too.

Also how much research is needed and to what extent? I am going to be volunteering for a professor next semester, but I assume I need to do more than that. More so, does the research I do in undergrad need to be very similar to what I want to do in graduate school? I am still exploring topics so I am not sure what sub-field I would specialize in grad school.  I have been looking into hopefully being a paid research assistant next year as well and looking into summer research programs. Do professional internships matter at all also?

Also what is a good GPA for a top 20 graduate program? I have been scouring their websites and seem to not find a consistent answer or much data on average incoming GPAs. I assume higher is better, but to what extent? I am mostly asking since I am wondering if it is more important to have very extensive research background or a really high GPA. Obviously the goal is have both, but if I need to prioritize improving one over the other, which should it be? I am a transfer student so I know they will look at my GPA from my old institution, but I have a clean slate for my new college.

Also are very any other factors I should take into account for setting myself up to get a PhD that I didn't list? I don't know anybody here who is even interested in doing a PhD so that hasn't been helpful.

Would love any help y'all can offer, thanks!

 

 

[uncle_socks]

14 hours ago, Andrejez said:

First of all, this is probably an odd question, but do I actually have to get a standard political science BA to be competitive for a top 20 graduate school?

No, there are a number of people in top Poli sci PhD who have never taken a poli sci class prior. 

My college offers a joint stats-poli sci major. I was thinking this is a good idea for better methods training and also in case I want to do something besides a PhD. Is this major a good idea for graduate schools?

Yes.

 

Also how much research is needed and to what extent?

Research isn't specifically needed, but in reality you'll probably need it to 1. get good recs from professors and 2. get a good writing sample. 

I am going to be volunteering for a professor next semester, but I assume I need to do more than that.

I'm at a top school. I volunteered for 2 semesters and the rest of my research has just been extensions of projects that I've done for classes. 

More so, does the research I do in undergrad need to be very similar to what I want to do in graduate school?

Really depends. You'll probably be collecting data or playing with data, in which case, yes you'll do that at grad school. But you probably won't be tasked with the hard methods parts, which you'll also have to do in grad school. 

 

Do professional internships matter at all also?

Depends. RA for a think tank? Probably helps, but only marginally. Intern for McKinsey just doing Excel business stuff? Not really. 

 

14 hours ago, Andrejez said:

Also what is a good GPA for a top 20 graduate program?

It's all the same above 3.9, 3.7+ are generally never a problem. If it's lower you probably need some kind of valid excuse (changed from a hard irrelevant major, used to not care about school but your final 2 year GPA is great, etc)

 

I have been scouring their websites and seem to not find a consistent answer or much data on average incoming GPAs. I assume higher is better, but to what extent?

Yeah don't stress about individual A-s. Everyone knows all grades are not created equal, so I don't think it's a big part of the process as long as you're above an A- average on classes that matter. 

I am mostly asking since I am wondering if it is more important to have very extensive research background or a really high GPA.

Extensive research background, no doubt. That will get you good recs and maybe publications, which will weigh a lot more heavily than a perfect GPA will. 

 

Also are very any other factors I should take into account for setting myself up to get a PhD that I didn't list? 

Building relationships with your professors. Deciding on a subfield and writing a good paper within in for your writing sample. Consider taking graduate level courses if you think you can get As in them.