2020-2021 Application Thread

[icemanyeo]

3 hours ago, SPN123 said:

Category is: Grad School Rejection! Got one from Syracuse today, arrived by email at 7:09 am. 

Sounds like someone watches RPDR!

[comradecommissar]

8 minutes ago, The Converse said:

There has been nothing on MIT that I have seen.  I have been wondering when they may make announcements.  It seemed like there was some question as to how many, if any, admissions they were going to make this year.  It is entirely possible it will be a very small cohort.  

What makes you think it'll be a small cohort?

[The Converse]

Just now, comradecommissar said:

What makes you think it'll be a small cohort?

A conversation I had with someone in the department.  They implied that they weren't sure how many applicants would be admitted, but it was implied the program was weighing the impact of the pandemic on funding.  This obviously may have changed.

[ps10]

3 minutes ago, The Converse said:

A conversation I had with someone in the department.  They implied that they weren't sure how many applicants would be admitted, but it was implied the program was weighing the impact of the pandemic on funding.  This obviously may have changed.

When did you have this conversation?

[The Converse]

Just now, ps10 said:

When did you have this conversation?

Late Nov/Early Dec

[loiewo]

1 hour ago, Sharpweaselz said:

Just called, and they clarified that yes, they have reached all decisions and all they need to do is send out letters.

BUT they told me that they are releasing letters in random order, not based on admission result.

So while decisions are finalized, not all admissions have been sent out yet. People who are still waiting are just as likely to be admitted as people who heard early on.

this is so infuriating. why don't they just look you up when we call to see if we've been admitted?

[loiewo]

1 hour ago, BunniesInSpace said:

Most schools do have efficient ways of sending rejections...Northwestern literally does this every year though where they send a bunch of accepts earlier, and drag the rejections on forever. Read some old threads and y'all will see that this is Classic Northwestern behavior. 

 

I believe that many schools don't want transparency because the system is easily gamed. In retrospect, it's not hard to do all the things needed to get into top political science programs if you have enough time. It's just hard to know what those things are, and have access to all those things, at the right time. And it just so happens that elite undergrad programs already have you doing these elusive things, while less prestigious undergrad programs just don't. 

How could the system be gamed? If you don't get in, it doesn't change anything that they tell you now or later... You can't game yourself into an acceptance. I think it's telling of their culture at the school. They prefer hiding the ball to being transparent. I'd be curious to know if people in the program still experience that type of behavior after being let in or if it's a supportive environment at the school.

[BrownSugar]

9 minutes ago, loiewo said:

How could the system be gamed? If you don't get in, it doesn't change anything that they tell you now or later... You can't game yourself into an acceptance. I think it's telling of their culture at the school. They prefer hiding the ball to being transparent. I'd be curious to know if people in the program still experience that type of behavior after being let in or if it's a supportive environment at the school.

All I can say is I’m not surprised that it’s happening with NW. I’ve heard terrible things about NW from professors and was cautioned not to apply, which I didn’t. 

[StarkDark1]

9 minutes ago, BrownSugar said:

All I can say is I’m not surprised that it’s happening with NW. I’ve heard terrible things about NW from professors and was cautioned not to apply, which I didn’t. 

Out of curiosity what things did you hear?

[BrownSugar]

8 minutes ago, StarkDark1 said:

Out of curiosity what things did you hear?

I'll msg you privately. 

Edit: If anyone wants to know as well, msg me pls. I don't want to post publicly because it's not my personal experience and I don't want to be an outright influence on people. 

Edited February 19, 2021 by BrownSugar

[loiewo]

46 minutes ago, BrownSugar said:

All I can say is I’m not surprised that it’s happening with NW. I’ve heard terrible things about NW from professors and was cautioned not to apply, which I didn’t. 

I'm stupid and don't know how to PM you, but I wanna know what you heard too if you don't mind!

[Indeed]

Did anyone contact MIT or Stanford about the timeline?

[poliscihopeful2021]

Claiming a Cornell waitlist in CP! Received quite a nice personal-sounding message from the DGS saying they had a pool of 559 applicants this year of 'unprecedented quality'.

1a/3w/4r/5p

[ThucydidesLatte]

1 minute ago, poliscihopeful2021 said:

Claiming a Cornell waitlist in CP! Received quite a nice personal-sounding message from the DGS saying they had a pool of 559 applicants this year of 'unprecedented quality'.

1a/3w/4r/5p

CONGRAAAAAAATS!!! 

[Prof2B]

12 minutes ago, poliscihopeful2021 said:

Claiming a Cornell waitlist in CP! Received quite a nice personal-sounding message from the DGS saying they had a pool of 559 applicants this year of 'unprecedented quality'.

1a/3w/4r/5p

Congrats!! When did you receive it?

Saw it was from the DGS

Edited February 19, 2021 by Prof2B

[poliscihopeful2021]

2 minutes ago, Prof2B said:

Congrats!! When did you receive it and was it from the DGS or the coordinator?

It came in around 8 hours ago. A message from the DGS but forwarded by the coordinator.

[Prof2B]

Just now, poliscihopeful2021 said:

It came in around 8 hours ago. A message from the DGS but forwarded by the coordinator.

Is Livingstone the DGS this year? Congrats again! I hope you get a place!

[poliscihopeful2021]

30 minutes ago, Prof2B said:

Is Livingstone the DGS this year? Congrats again! I hope you get a place!

Yes I believe so! And thanks again, fingers crossed

[IvanC]

On 2/17/2021 at 7:37 AM, Saina92 said:

Hi Icemanyeo,

I saw someone had posted a rejection result in Result Search section, so I checked my portal and it said " Regrettably we cannot offer you an admission. A clarification has been sent to you". I have not received any emails though.

I feel you ?

Did they say why they rejected your application? ?

[nivy25]

One more week ends, one more week closer to the end ?

[icemanyeo]

Yale, where art thou?

[StarkDark1]

Another week ends!

What are y'all planning on reading this weekend?

[Saina92]

5 hours ago, IvanC said:

I feel you ?

Did they say why they rejected your application? ?

Thank you Ivan,

My POI told me the number of students accepted this year were very few (due to pandemic). He also said most of them were Canadians and the faculty could not afford as many international students as the previews years. The surprising point is that my POI and I were almost sure about me being accepted but it did not happen! ☹️

It feels terrible but I think we should stay hopeful ?

[IvanC]

1 minute ago, Saina92 said:

Thank you Ivan,

My POI told me the number of students accepted this year were very few (due to pandemic). He also said most of them were Canadians and the faculty could not afford as many international students as the previews years. The surprising point is that my POI and I were almost sure about me being accepted but it did not happen! ☹️

It feels terrible but I think we should stay hopeful ?

Thank God it had nothing to do with your degree. I’m pretty you’ll be accepted somewhere! ??

[BrownSugar]

Here’s to hoping next week is filled with acceptances for everyone!! 

I think everyone who’s waiting on Georgetown should finally hear (given what was said in the email). And, I’m strongly hoping we hear from Yale on Friday instead of the week after ??