2020-2021 Application Thread

[icemanyeo]

Also definitely take what I and others say with a grain of salt, as ultimately we're also applicants and may have a biased view of the process and everything else. 

+ Get off the forum sometimes. Saying this to myself as well ? but compulsively checking GradCafe is not good for our mental health. If you're in the U.S, get your government-approved 20 min walk if possible (unless you're in a snowy area of course), watch some Netflix, read a book, anything else to get your mind off the cycle.

[HobbesianKant]

11 minutes ago, icemanyeo said:

Concur as well. Honestly my best advice is to let the waves take you wherever they want -- prepare yourself mentally for the worst outcome, but don't count yourself out of a top 10 admission just because you were rejected from a t20-50 school.

One of the best examples I would provide of the importance of fit is someone I met at my own PhD program, which is top/mid depending on the field. By most metrics, like the GRE and GPA, this person would probably not have gotten an acceptance. With that said, their research interests was close to a few faculty members and, thus, they are about to enter their dissertation years. The importance of fit cannot be understated and, after reading the forums for a year, is the only quality which provides some consistency as to if one will get into a program. 

Edited January 26, 2021 by HobbesianKant

[icemanyeo]

6 minutes ago, loiewo said:

my grad gpa is 4.0 from top state school in a non-thesis masters. undergrad gpa is 3.5, 99th percentile for verbal/93rd percentile for quant, 5.5 writing. BUT, no research experience. 

Honestly, once you clear the prerequisites, it all comes down to chance factors. Can't infer much from this except that you'll probably get a close look where you apply.

[icemanyeo]

1 minute ago, HobbesianKant said:

One of the best examples I would provide of the importance of fit is someone I met at my own PhD program, which is among the top in the United States. By most metrics, like the GRE and GPA, this person would probably not have gotten an acceptance. With that said, their research interests was close to a few faculty members and, thus, they are about to enter their dissertation years. The importance of fit cannot be understated and, after reading the forums for a year, is the only quality which provides some consistency as to if one will get into a program. 

Yup, same here! My master's program is highly selective (average 3.8-3.9 GPA / 4.0), but one of my peers had a 3.2 and got in. But they had a great interview experience and demonstrated fit+potential.

[funfetti]

1 hour ago, elnovice said:

Does Berkeley usually do phone calls? Is this another troll or are the acceptances actually legitimate?

Hate to revive the "IS IT REAL?!?!" debate, but is anyone here claiming one of the Berkeley admits? If so, can you drop us some POI initials? 

Phone calls seems out of the norm... but anything can happen.

[icemanyeo]

1 minute ago, _nutella_ said:

Hate to revive the "IS IT REAL?!?!" debate, but is anyone here claiming one of the Berkeley admits? If so, can you drop us some POI initials? 

Phone calls seems out of the norm... but anything can happen.

I'm outside of the US so I hope phone calls are not a thing ?

[BrownSugar]

3 minutes ago, icemanyeo said:

I'm outside of the US so I hope phone calls are not a thing ?

They’ll typically always send emailed or portal offers even if an initial acceptance is done by phone. Documentation is key I think. 

[BrownSugar]

13 minutes ago, icemanyeo said:

+ Get off the forum sometimes. Saying this to myself as well ? but compulsively checking GradCafe is not good for our mental health.

Totally agree, or at least stop checking the results page. I think we can all agree there are too many trolls affecting the ‘reality’ of or ‘truthfulness’ to the results posted on there. 
I personally haven’t checked it at all today because I wish to avoid any added anxiety. Hopefully I can say the same tomorrow haha

[icemanyeo]

1 minute ago, BrownSugar said:

They’ll typically always send emailed or portal offers even if an initial acceptance is done by phone. Documentation is key I think. 

Okay, great!

[funfetti]

Props to the people going straight to the source on the results page >.<

[icemanyeo]

4 minutes ago, BrownSugar said:

Totally agree, or at least stop checking the results page. I think we can all agree there are too many trolls affecting the ‘reality’ of or ‘truthfulness’ to the results posted on there. 
I personally haven’t checked it at all today because I wish to avoid any added anxiety. Hopefully I can say the same tomorrow haha

Yes, definitely! Unless someone posts of an admission result on this thread, I am not touching the results section. It's just not worth it since we already know there are trolls. If someone claims the Berkeley phone call fine, but given that their decisions are most likely just around the corner, I would not be surprised if that was another troll trying to raise our collective blood pressures. ?

Edited January 26, 2021 by icemanyeo

[funfetti]

I keep expecting to see someone on Polisci Rumors gloating about making prospective students go insane on gradcafe... 

[Indeed]

I just received an email from Notre Dame's the DGS inviting me to their virtual visit day. It states "This event is for finalists for our program’s 2021 cohort and will allow us to get to know you better and for you to learn more about our program and university." Was it sent to everyone? 

[plus]

29 minutes ago, _nutella_ said:

Hate to revive the "IS IT REAL?!?!" debate, but is anyone here claiming one of the Berkeley admits? If so, can you drop us some POI initials? 

Phone calls seems out of the norm... but anything can happen.

I believe that these submissions were true, but I wouldn't worry too much about it. I imagine that only domestic applicants already somewhat close to faculty would get personal phone calls.

[plus]

10 minutes ago, Indeed said:

I just received an email from Notre Dame's the DGS inviting me to their virtual visit day. It states "This event is for finalists for our program’s 2021 cohort and will allow us to get to know you better and for you to learn more about our program and university." Was it sent to everyone? 

As per the Admissions Timeline e-mail sent on 16/12:

• The Admissions Committee will review application materials during the next few months.
  •  If you still need to submit official GRE, TOEFL, or IELTS scores, please do so as soon as possible. You may upload the scores through the “Post-Submission” form in your application. Please also notify psdgs@nd.edu that your scores have been updated so the committee can be made aware.
     
• Finalists for admission will be invited to a virtual visit February 18-19, 2021

 

So no, these e-mails weren't sent to everyone. Congratulations on your interview!

Edited January 26, 2021 by plus

[Indeed]

Just now, plus said:

As per the Admissions Timeline e-mail sent on 16/12:

• The Admissions Committee will review application materials during the next few months.
  •  If you still need to submit official GRE, TOEFL, or IELTS scores, please do so as soon as possible. You may upload the scores through the “Post-Submission” form in your application. Please also notify psdgs@nd.edu that your scores have been updated so the committee can be made aware.
     
• Finalists for admission will be invited to a virtual visit February 18-19, 2021

 

So no, these e-mails weren't sent to everyone.

Thank you for your response! I wonder what they mean by the finalist... Will  I interviewed or am I already accepted? So unclear...

[guest789]

Just now, Indeed said:

Thank you for your response! I wonder what they mean by the finalist... Will  I interviewed or am I already accepted? So unclear...

It means you're a finalist, congrats.

I presume it means you might not get in or you will, but it's better than not being invited to this event.

I didn't apply to ND.

Edited January 26, 2021 by timeseries

[polisciphdhopeful]

Claiming a UCSD reject!

[nivy25]

16 minutes ago, polisciphdhopeful said:

Claiming a UCSD reject!

Wow I didn’t know they had started sending out decisions yet! 
 

UCSD was definitely one of my top “fits” IMO.

Did you just hear? And was it via email or website? 

[ExileOnMainSt]

Haven’t heard back from UCSD yet, ugh. Is this the Pol Sci program or the other one @polisciphdhopeful? Thanks for informing us anyway!

[uncle_socks]

18 minutes ago, polisciphdhopeful said:

Claiming a UCSD reject!

can you clarify if it's like UCSD GPS (or whatever it is) or UCSD polisci? 

[PoliScie]

35 minutes ago, Indeed said:

I just received an email from Notre Dame's the DGS inviting me to their virtual visit day. It states "This event is for finalists for our program’s 2021 cohort and will allow us to get to know you better and for you to learn more about our program and university." Was it sent to everyone? 

Congrats. Is it the political science department or the Kroc Institute?

[applicant19]

Hi guys, I am a prospective student like all of you awaiting results. I have been very nervous so far--checking this website hasn't been particularly helpful, but I need to hear from those experiencing the same anxiety/pre-emptive sadness/uncertainty. Does anyone have helpful coping mechanisms for how to not think about this constantly?

[afjackie]

31 minutes ago, Indeed said:

Thank you for your response! I wonder what they mean by the finalist... Will  I interviewed or am I already accepted? So unclear...

I was invited to Notre Dame's Political Science and Peace Studies virtual week, and my understanding is they usually invite 12 people as finalists. I think the Peace Studies program admits around 6 students per year, and clearly not all of the 12 accept, so while I'm not taking it for granted, I think that as long as you do well on the interview and take the meetings seriously it is a very good chance you will receive an offer for admissions. I could be wrong, but I'm assuming the straight Political Science PhD is similar. 

[Indeed]

10 minutes ago, PoliScie said:

Congrats. Is it the political science department or the Kroc Institute?

Thank you. It is the political science dep, havent applied to peace studies