Publications

[fsmn36]

I've been seeing a lot of comments on the results board saying "4.0 gpa, 800Q, 3 publications..." and they're still being rejected. Now granted, I don't know how many of those are from political science applicants, but it made me curious. How many of you have any publications? Are they from undergraduate universities? What about masters students? Publications maybe not in journals but from jobs?

My school is very focused on journal pubs, but as a masters student, all my professors insisted I should focus on things besides attending MPSA and trying to rework papers over Christmas to get into journals. Obviously, it's a little late, but I can't help but wonder if I've wasted my time as a masters student and that all of you excellent people who got into the likes of Harvard and such have 2 or more publications in or pending at top journals.

Edited February 23, 2011 by fsmn36

[Count de Monet]

I did a 1 year MA program last year, so I had asked a couple professors about getting things published and they told me that in an MA program you just don't have time. As a PhD student you want to write papers for classes with the thought that they could also be published. As an MA student you don't have the luxury of doing that because you are taking more classes so you have too many things to do. You write papers for the sake of getting them done and having them not suck, not for the purpose of publishing them.

Now, this year that I've been out of school I've gone back and worked on some of my papers and have submitted a couple of them to journals, have presented one at NPSA and will present another at WPSA, but I would not have had the time necessary to do this as a masters student.

I am not getting into Harvard, Yale or any of those tip top super schools, but I doubt I didn't get in because of not having publications.

[adaptations]

Much like Count de Monet, I did a one year master's degree (a couple years ago) and from papers I wrote in that program I did a couple conference presentations (MPSA) and submitted one article to a journal that was under review at the time I submitted my application (eventually rejected). I only listed one professional publication on my CV, as I don't think my non-academic articles were that relevant and my CV had enough other things to include (still keeping it to 2 pages).

In the end, I got into some of the top tier programs and have great choices, so publications clearly aren't everything (or even that much). I think my success is based on strong LORs, SOP, and solid credentials across the board (but not 4.0gpa or 800s on the GRE).