2021-2022 Application Thread

[CapTipps]

So have any of you guys heard from UCSD? I saw someone claiming a rejection, but it's not even 7 in the morning in San Diego now... seems suspicious 

[CapTipps]

9 hours ago, sbidyanta said:

Question to those who already have multiple acceptances - Have you decided which program you want to ultimately attend? When are you planning to let the programs you won't be attending know that you are declining your offer? 

Good question. I have been asking myself the same, would love to hear from you all.

Personally, I don't know what to do, because some programs will release decisions only late February/early March. Also most of the Open Houses/Visiting Days will be on March. So I haven't made up my mind yet

[LatinAmericanFootball]

10 hours ago, sbidyanta said:

Question to those who already have multiple acceptances - Have you decided which program you want to ultimately attend? When are you planning to let the programs you won't be attending know that you are declining your offer? 

I'm very happy with my two acceptances so far but I think I'm far from a decision. I'll probably only have a clear idea by the end of the month, when most results will be out, but if I'm still between similar-ranked programs it'll probably come down to the (virtual) visits and chats with faculty and students.

[soupgirl]

Have yet to hear from any of my schools but in anticipation of the worst case scenario... what is the best course of action if you don't get into any programs and want to reapply next cycle?

Should one enroll in a Master's + if so, are there any specific programs / institutions that are particularly good in terms of increasing your chances of admission into a top PhD program the following year?

Or is it better to try and get an RA role (particularly if your research experience is on the lower end)? 

Thanks in advance for any helpful advice  

[modesteffect]

24 minutes ago, soupgirl said:

Have yet to hear from any of my schools but in anticipation of the worst case scenario... what is the best course of action if you don't get into any programs and want to reapply next cycle?

Should one enroll in a Master's + if so, are there any specific programs / institutions that are particularly good in terms of increasing your chances of admission into a top PhD program the following year?

Or is it better to try and get an RA role (particularly if your research experience is on the lower end)? 

Thanks in advance for any helpful advice  

Good Q. I would find a position in govt/think tank/ngo and if I enjoy, likely I will not reapply, thinking life after phd might not be easy and interesting, not to mention 5-7 years of oppotunity cost.

[scared_phd]

10 hours ago, sbidyanta said:

Question to those who already have multiple acceptances - Have you decided which program you want to ultimately attend? When are you planning to let the programs you won't be attending know that you are declining your offer? 

I have four acceptances from T-20 programs thus far and I can't be far enough from a final decision. I am yet to hear back from the majority of the programs I applied to. I am already super anxious about the decision I will have to make eventually. Currently, I am setting up numerous meetings with professors at the institutions I have already gotten into. I am also talking to graduate students trying to understand the reality behind the scenes. The plan is to wait for the rest of the decisions to come out, have more meetings with professors and grad students at the institutions I will hopefully get into, discuss with my mentors and make a final decision after weighing up the financial packages, availability of research funding, advisor(s) and program fit, etc. I don't expect to make a final decision until after the visit days in March. But I don't expect the decision to be easy at all. The fact that everyone is telling me this might be the biggest decision of my life is also scaring the shit out of me. I am just grateful that I have mentors who can help me through this decision. I would advise everyone to reach out to their mentors/recommenders because they will definitely know something that you won't which could end up being super important. 

[jjiffy]

1 hour ago, CapTipps said:

So have any of you guys heard from UCSD? I saw someone claiming a rejection, but it's not even 7 in the morning in San Diego now... seems suspicious 

Its their IR Phd, not the actual poli sci one. 

[pbspoon]

11 hours ago, foucaut7 said:

Can someone please help me decide what to do? I indicated on my phd application that I am applying to the dual jd/phd program, but i am not ready to take the lsat so I withdrew my registration and won't be applying to the law school anymore. Should i reach out to the phd admissions and let them know? Is it going to hurt my chances? 

I would definitely reach out to the administrative contact on your PhD applications and let them know. It's unlikely to hurt your chances (I don't know for sure, but seems like they wouldn't care?), but it's possible there are administrative things that they will need to do differently because you're not doing the JD. (Like they probably forwarded their decision to the law school rather than the grad school which might hold up/confuse when or whether you get your results.)

 

[SchnozEP]

Talking the UCSD one, is there any guy who applied both their PoliSci program and the joint program?

[CapTipps]

27 minutes ago, jjiffy said:

Its their IR Phd, not the actual poli sci one. 

Oh, yes. My bad. 

[HJ95]

Hi all! What is the list you all refer to say Top 20 school? USNews?

[scared_phd]

3 minutes ago, HJ95 said:

Hi all! What is the list you all refer to say Top 20 school? USNews?

I primarily use USNews

[AnotherPerspective]

2 hours ago, IAMK said:

University of Colorado, Boulder... What the Happy Luna year? I really don't like that kind of letter in these periods...

What did they do? lol

[scared_phd]

Also, when I say T-20, I specifically refer to the CP rankings on USNews. They can be markedly different for other subfields. I don't know if people usually refer to the general poli sci rankings when they talk about top 20 schools. 

Edited February 1, 2022 by scared_phd

[ShowroomDummy]

1 hour ago, soupgirl said:

Have yet to hear from any of my schools but in anticipation of the worst case scenario... what is the best course of action if you don't get into any programs and want to reapply next cycle?

Should one enroll in a Master's + if so, are there any specific programs / institutions that are particularly good in terms of increasing your chances of admission into a top PhD program the following year?

Or is it better to try and get an RA role (particularly if your research experience is on the lower end)? 

Thanks in advance for any helpful advice  

No good news for me so far. I am considering take a second master and then job. Going through another cycle next year sounds so torturing

[Lostinthewoods]

19 minutes ago, SchnozEP said:

Talking the UCSD one, is there any guy who applied both their PoliSci program and the joint program?

I did! Rejected from joint program last week 1/27, the email said at that time PoliSci hadn't made a decision yet.

[SchnozEP]

1 minute ago, Lostinthewoods said:

I did! Rejected from joint program last week 1/27, the email said at that time PoliSci hadn't made a decision yet.

That's very interesting. I thought they would reject applicants at once who applied the both, and it seems that the joint program rejects ppl in several rounds.... can't imagine the logic

[Tiago Chan]

11 minutes ago, AnotherPerspective said:

What did they do? lol

@AnotherPerspective @IAMK

Aha! I also received that email from CU Boulder. Feb 1st is Chinese NewYear, also known as Lunar New Year. I assume @IAMK is also a Chinese applicant. 

[pbspoon]

Anyone willing to claim the UChicago admit on the results page? Seems early for them! How did you hear?

[SanC]

1 minute ago, pbspoon said:

Anyone willing to claim the UChicago admit on the results page? Seems early for them! How did you hear?

Same question! Also about the Brown admits.

[soupgirl]

6 minutes ago, SanC said:

Same question! Also about the Brown admits.

Heard from Brown (accepted) about an hour and a half ago - email with link to portal.

[jjiffy]

46 minutes ago, pbspoon said:

Anyone willing to claim the UChicago admit on the results page? Seems early for them! How did you hear?

I’m confused. A friend of mine was admitted via email earlier today but it’s so quiet otherwise. 

[phdhell]

do you know what subfield your friend is in?  was it an email from a poi?

[bmo103]

20 minutes ago, jjiffy said:

I’m confused. A friend of mine was admitted via email earlier today but it’s so quiet otherwise. 

Was your friend admitted to the political science program or the political economy program? They have separate admissions.

[jjiffy]

Admitted to PoliSci but is still waiting to hear back from PolEcon.