Chances and Advice

[secondarydefinitions]

Hey everyone, I'm interested in applying to PhD programs with a focus on political theory. Here's a rundown of my record: It took almost six years for me to finish undergrad and I finished with a 2.62 GPA but with a 3.5, 3.67 major (one seminar, three upper level courses) after returning for my last three terms after having served a suspension. My only significant extracurricular in college was writing a weekly column for the sports page and my work experience is nil in political science type jobs. I have two professors who are going to write me good rec letters, but not a third, so I guess the third rec letter is going to have to come from someone else. I took the GRE yesterday and got a 1470, 730 V 740 M, and I am pretty sure I got a 5.5 or 6 on the issue part of AW but a 4.5 or a 5 on the argument part, which I slipped up a bit on. Last, though there are some papers I could use for my writing sample from school I am going to do some research and write a new piece as my views have evolved significantly since finishing up and clearly I could really, really use an exemplary writing sample if I can pull it off. My questions are: should I take the GRE again? and should I bother applying to any programs in the top 20? I would have to take the new GRE, but I think I could shoot into the 99%+ composite range, whatever that would be on the new scale (I could also get a 6 on AW, I think). I was disappointed with my scores yesterday as I had been 1500+ on most practice tests and right before I got my scores I was thinking 1550 or so.

[Penelope Higgins]

I would not spend the time taking the GRE again in your situation. Your scores are high enough to be the strongest part of your application as it currently stands (nobody looks at the writing scores, since we have a sample of your writing in the packet), and will get the admissions committee to read your file even in top 20 departments. I would use the time to work on your personal statement of research interests, your writing sample, and finding a third letter writer. Your chances will be significantly hurt if that third writer is not an academic - I would find a professor outside political science to write on your behalf.

[Zahar Berkut]

As if often mentioned in this forum, you may want to apply to strong terminal MA programs in addition to PhD's on the offchance your GPA poses an issue at top schools. You could spent a year in that program and get new rec's/reset your academic record and writing sample (even if you're willing to produce a new paper independently). Just a back-up option-- you still sound competitive even with the academic issues you went through.

[secondarydefinitions]

Thank you for the replies. The terminal ma program option sounds good and I will consider that. As for the GRE, I understand your point but could it ever be a tiebreaker at the end of the app reviews?

[Penelope Higgins]

No, the GRE will never be a tie-breaker in selecting among candidates. At least I have never seen such a conversation in my several iterations of doing grad admissions. It is simply used as a way to make a first cut of candidates, then we have conversations about the substance of the file, fit with department/faculty, and balancing the admissions pool over subfields etc.