Welcome to the 2011-2012 Cycle

[shavasana]

Thanks! However, I'm probably going to decline GWU. Aubrey, I think I noted somewhere that you went to NU. As NU and GWU are my only two offers so far, I'd venture so say that NU is the stronger program overall and considering the fact that I got funding from NU, it seems like the better pick. If you know anything about the program at NU's strengths, that would also be helpful.

I'd definitely be able to answer questions. (Full disclosure: I'm IR/Comp with a Middle East focus) I haven't really worked with any of the Americanists or theory people, but I can honestly say that I think that the biggest plus of the department is the availability of the faculty. As an UNDERGRAD I never had any trouble getting meetings with pretty much any professor I thought might have valuable input for my thesis.

For IR, Hendrick Spruyt is just awesome. I'm a bit biased as he wrote one of my LORs, but I LOVED LOVED LOVED his IR Theory class (without a doubt my favorite class I've ever taken.) For security, Jon Caverley is really awesome and so smart (one of those people with just loads of information floating around in his brain). Will Reno, aside from being a cool person, is incredibly knowledgable about anything conflict and really well connected. Wendy Pearlman has really successfully studied Israel without making any serious enemies (as far as I know) which is pretty impressive in my book. [These are people I've personally worked with, but I've also heard that the Hurds are wonderful.]

I've found that there aren't a HUGE number of courses offered at the grad level in Poli Sci every quarter, but that the department really emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches to looking at things, which I would definitely argue was a strength of the program. It's common to have media studies, African American studies, Econ, etc. people in seminars which I think really enhances the pluralism of ideas during discussion.

(And for the record, all of the Poli Sci grads I know at NU are awesome. Not crazy competitive like some places...)

[Doorkeeper]

Okay - big news! Columbia HAS NOT sent out all their acceptances. I just spoke with the woman who puts together the admissions folders for the political science department, and she said that not everyone who has been accepted has been notified yet. All notifications will be made by the end of this week.

Things are definitely pretty crazy this year... both Berkeley and Columbia sending out trickles of acceptances, a wave of rejections, and apparently instead of having waitlists, just holding a group of applicants till the last minute. Maybe they'll have waitlists, too. Weird.

Oh wow! Thank you for this!

Keeping my hope alive since I think I can safely assume not hearing from Harvard and Chicago = rejection.

Edited February 27, 2012 by Doorkeeper

[shavasana]

Apologies to everyone for that overflow of NU Poli Sci enthusiasm. Clearly, I have loved my time here.

Anyone who wants specifics about certain profs is free to PM me!

[kolja00]

Apologies to everyone for that overflow of NU Poli Sci enthusiasm. Clearly, I have loved my time here.

Anyone who wants specifics about certain profs is free to PM me!

Same as adblanche, if anyone has any questions about Uchicago, PM me as well!

[saltlakecity2012]

Same as adblanche, if anyone has any questions about Uchicago, PM me as well!

Yeah, and I can definitely field questions about Columbia.

[potbellypete]

I didn't go to an undergrad place with a PhD program in political science. If anyone wants to ask anything about tonights Daytona 500, feel free

[Max Power]

@saltlakecity, still nothing from berkeley here

[Adornopolisci2012]

I didn't go to an undergrad place with a PhD program in political science. If anyone wants to ask anything about tonights Daytona 500, feel free

I'll just ask Mitt Romney since he has some "friends who are NASCAR team owners." Not to bring nonsensical U.S. politics to this hallowed ground.

[kolja00]

Finally got my Columbia rejection!

[saltlakecity2012]

Claiming my Columbia rejection, too. I think they're coming now because I just spoke with the department - I told Fortna that a bunch of people were still in limbo, and she said she would speak to the DGS about it.

Edit: whoever is having fun downvoting practically every post I make, knock yourself out. I hope you find it satisfying on some deep, spiritual level.

Edited February 27, 2012 by saltlakecity2012

[grantman]

I am glad to hear some people receiving acceptances today, I am sure that you will go on, where ever you end you, and become very prolific scholars. To those you received rejections, I am sure your day will come, while I am not optimistic about my chances should not mean you cannot be.

[Doorkeeper]

Got the Columbia rejection too. Assuming Chicago and Harvard are rejections, I will be 0/11 this cycle.

Thank god I applied to law schools as well. Looks like that JD/PhD will have to be a JD for at least one year...

[Adornopolisci2012]

Still haven't heard anything from Columbia, which is strange because i'm sure a rejection is on its way.

[Megan]

I still haven't heard anything from Columbia either....hmm...I wonder what this means...I called them and they had said that if I hadn't heard I was rejected, but that was a week or so ago, and apparently that wasn't true? Just as I had gotten over being rejected there too.

[Jwnich1]

Claiming my Columbia rejection, too. I think they're coming now because I just spoke with the department - I told Fortna that a bunch of people were still in limbo, and she said she would speak to the DGS about it.

Edit: whoever is having fun downvoting practically every post I make, knock yourself out. I hope you find it satisfying on some deep, spiritual level.

Your edit made my day. I've felt like posting things like that a few times! I was laughing so hard, I scared the lady sitting next to me on the train...

Edit: read it as knock yourself out, as in unconscious. Work today didn't do anything for my mental state. Whoops

Edited February 27, 2012 by Jwnich1

[saltlakecity2012]

Your edit made my day. I've felt like posting things like that a few times! I was laughing so hard, I scared the lady sitting next to me on the train...

Edit: read it as knock yourself out, as in unconscious. Work today didn't do anything for my mental state. Whoops

Ha, that's awesome. Not that I disagree with the way you read it!

[RWBG]

Ha, that's awesome. Not that I disagree with the way you read it!

Well, for what it's worth, I think you've made a number of positive contributions to the forum and should be commended on them. I'll compensate for the downvoting when I can, but I also wouldn't concern yourself too much with the reputation system of an internet forum

[Eudaimonia]

I am glad to hear some people receiving acceptances today, I am sure that you will go on, where ever you end you, and become very prolific scholars. To those you received rejections, I am sure your day will come, while I am not optimistic about my chances should not mean you cannot be.

This is moving. Hang in there, grantman! You'll be a prolific scholar too!

Also: Congrats to the Georgetown acceptances! What are your subfields? (It seems mostly IR?)

[saltlakecity2012]

Well, for what it's worth, I think you've made a number of positive contributions to the forum and should be commended on them. I'll compensate for the downvoting when I can, but I also wouldn't concern yourself too much with the reputation system of an internet forum

Thank you. Same here! Don't worry about compensating - it doesn't matter. I don't normally pay attention to it, but I happened to be browsing back through a few threads and noticed that someone had been busy on my posts. Hence my hope that whoever it is finds the act of pressing the red arrow fulfilling, as it certainly doesn't impact me

And grantman - you're awesome, as usual!

[balderdash]

x

You know.

[Megan]

You know.

HAHAHAHAHA. This made my night.

[saltlakecity2012]

You know.

Ha! Totally. Thanks for that. And congrats on making your decision! I'm sure you have some enviable peace of mind now, but do you miss the frantic, frenzied, obsessive panic days of mid-late January?

[kolja00]

Anyone claim the Georgetown admits?

[Apill]

I'd definitely be able to answer questions. (Full disclosure: I'm IR/Comp with a Middle East focus) I haven't really worked with any of the Americanists or theory people, but I can honestly say that I think that the biggest plus of the department is the availability of the faculty. As an UNDERGRAD I never had any trouble getting meetings with pretty much any professor I thought might have valuable input for my thesis.

For IR, Hendrick Spruyt is just awesome. I'm a bit biased as he wrote one of my LORs, but I LOVED LOVED LOVED his IR Theory class (without a doubt my favorite class I've ever taken.) For security, Jon Caverley is really awesome and so smart (one of those people with just loads of information floating around in his brain). Will Reno, aside from being a cool person, is incredibly knowledgable about anything conflict and really well connected. Wendy Pearlman has really successfully studied Israel without making any serious enemies (as far as I know) which is pretty impressive in my book. [These are people I've personally worked with, but I've also heard that the Hurds are wonderful.]

I've found that there aren't a HUGE number of courses offered at the grad level in Poli Sci every quarter, but that the department really emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches to looking at things, which I would definitely argue was a strength of the program. It's common to have media studies, African American studies, Econ, etc. people in seminars which I think really enhances the pluralism of ideas during discussion.

(And for the record, all of the Poli Sci grads I know at NU are awesome. Not crazy competitive like some places...)

Thanks! Your enthusiasm makes me all the more eager to get a taste of NU, which is rapidly looking more and more like my future every day. I'll message you a couple of specific questions I have about the program. Thanks!

[CairoKid]

I really hope GWU and Georgetown aren't done with their admits, because those were my last hopes at a PhD. I will not be looking forward to the pain and agony of waiting for admissions decisions again next season, but alas, I must do so to pursue my dreams. =P