2024-2025 Application Thread

[smoothoperator77]

14 minutes ago, set.seed123 said:

 

Hi, current PhD at Columbia PoliSci. Yes, our administration plans to slash PhD enrolment in the coming years. The reasons could be a few things: Trump, expected drastic raise for PhD stipends (our union is demanding 72k starting 2025-2026), the larger trend of insufficient job opportunities for PhD graduates, etc.. No one knows, except the leadership. 

As for PoliSci, I heard rumours. One is that we will not accept any student this cycle. The other is that we accept 5-7, all in one subfield (eg, all 5 AP in the coming cohort). I don't follow these news very closely, but these are the words in the department.

This sounds very bad, especially since Columbia is my top choice.

Thanks for the info! And please accept my jealousy if your union is successful in demanding 72k, man that is quite a number compared with some other programs.

[set.seed123]

52 minutes ago, smoothoperator77 said:

This sounds very bad, especially since Columbia is my top choice.

Thanks for the info! And please accept my jealousy if your union is successful in demanding 72k, man that is quite a number compared with some other programs.

Sorry for bad news, pal. Keep in mind, these are just hearsay, and I am sure they are still deciding. Wish you all the best!

[OP4599]

So, no posts on the results page of gradcafe and no one claiming an acceptance here. It seems like someone accidentally ticked the acceptances out checkbox for Brown on the grad admissions spreadsheet. Tell you what that spreadsheet is really not that reliable.

Edited February 4, 2025 by Omkar Poojari

[PolSciComp]

anyone claiming Washington-St.Louis offer for Comparative politics? Have seen some AP acceptance posts, that's why I've wanted to ask.

[floatingworld]

claiming official NYU acceptance, PE

[OP4599]

Anyone claiming Brown? I see a result being posted on the results page 

[LanaFan]

For Brown, I see IR and CP being claimed... any AP?

Edited February 4, 2025 by LanaFan

[nnb1]

There seem to be several acceptances from Brown and Notre Dame. I haven’t received anything from those universities yet (I’m at 2r / 5p). Does anyone know if they send acceptances in waves? 😢 Thanks and good luck! (I’ve been closely following this forum for some company, so grateful to everyone)

[Withoutbannisters]

same here (Political Theory subfield) and nothing from Brown

[LanaFan]

Hoping AP acceptances just haven't been sent out yet for Brown... (copium lol). 

Does anyone have any guesses for Northwestern results? It seems pretty late compared to the result dates historically. 

[OP4599]

It is strange- last year they released all acceptances and rejections on the same date. So, if we do not hear back today (even if it is a rejection), it is a bit unusual. Not sure but there have been many troll posts recently on the results page, so well (maybe wishful thinking but yeah..)

[CrazilyCriticalIPEGal]

Interviewed by brown a while ago, IR subfield, and received nothing so far; but it is the most bizarre interview experience that I have ever had in my life so far, so I won't feel surprised (even sad) if it is rejected.

[Withoutbannisters]

5 minutes ago, CrazilyCriticalIPEGal said:

Interviewed by brown a while ago, IR subfield, and received nothing so far; but it is the most bizarre interview experience that I have ever had in my life so far, so I won't feel surprised (even sad) if it is rejected.

Haha oh wow, why Bizarre?

[CrazilyCriticalIPEGal]

38 minutes ago, Withoutbannisters said:

Haha oh wow, why Bizarre?

No serious questions are asked - and the professor has even asked about the weather, the quality of food, whether there are good restaurants for my country's food in the city that I currently live in, and whether I can cook. When it proceeds to the more serious part related to my research interests, things have to be cut short as we have spent too much time on random talk - I do not feel I have performed well on this part, as I am clearly over-stressed and confused for what has happened at the beginning.

 

Anyhow, I feel I completely deserve to be rejected, yet I just wish the rejection letters would come faster... The long wait for an already-known negative outcome will turn my soul into a canned herring.

Edited February 4, 2025 by CrazilyCriticalIPEGal

[LanaFan]

We now have Brown acceptance posts for CP, IR, and PT. 

[i_kant_anymore]

1 hour ago, Withoutbannisters said:

same here (Political Theory subfield) and nothing from Brown

Claiming official PT at Brown. Portal status update message, no prior contact w/ faculty. 

[polisciad]

The two acceptances from WashU seem to be informed from their portal. Are these legit? Has anyone here received a decision from WashU?

[OP4599]

16 minutes ago, i_kant_anymore said:

Claiming official PT at Brown. Portal status update message, no prior contact w/ faculty. 

Congrats!! When did you get the email?

Also, were you not interviewed?

Edited February 5, 2025 by Omkar Poojari

[nnb1]

12 minutes ago, i_kant_anymore said:

Claiming official PT at Brown. Portal status update message, no prior contact w/ faculty. 

Congrats! 

[Withoutbannisters]

26 minutes ago, i_kant_anymore said:

Claiming official PT at Brown. Portal status update message, no prior contact w/ faculty. 

congrats!! 

[i_kant_anymore]

23 minutes ago, Omkar Poojari said:

Congrats!! When did you get the email?

Also, were you not interviewed?

Hi Omkar, got the email ~4 hours ago. Still giggling and kicking my feet...

In political theory, admissions interviews are relatively uncommon (frankly, grown-up theorists also prefer to write each other rather than talk). AFAIK Hopkins used to be one of the only schools who interviewed theorists (and that's more so to understand if they match Hopkins' Critical Theory focus). Berkeley seemingly decided to interview across all sub-fields this year, including theorists. 

[LanaFan]

Going nuts... no posts about Brown for AP.. no posts for Northwestern, and I've gotten no acceptance OR rejection OR interview from U-Wisconsin... 

[nnb1]

Strongly hoping that universities are sending acceptances in waves—this feels like forever 😵‍💫

[OP4599]

36 minutes ago, i_kant_anymore said:

Hi Omkar, got the email ~4 hours ago. Still giggling and kicking my feet...

In political theory, admissions interviews are relatively uncommon (frankly, grown-up theorists also prefer to write each other rather than talk). AFAIK Hopkins used to be one of the only schools who interviewed theorists (and that's more so to understand if they match Hopkins' Critical Theory focus). Berkeley seemingly decided to interview across all sub-fields this year, including theorists. 

Congrats. That is really great news. Yesz Berkeley doing interviews was a big surprise this year. Honestly, if the trade off is scrapping GRE and making interviews the norm- I think that is fair.

Btw Is Brown your top choice? (sorry, also asking because I just got waitlisted lmao)

[jaliren]

28 minutes ago, nnb1 said:

Strongly hoping that universities are sending acceptances in waves—this feels like forever 😵‍💫

Same here -- a lot of schools I was hoping I would have heard from by now (based on past years) haven't sent anything yet. Each day I keep thinking this will change, but alas...