Welcome to the 2011-2012 Cycle

[saltlakecity2012]

I only applied to a few top schools that have either a Pol. Econ. PhD or a Econ. PhD with Pol. Econ specialization since a professor from my home country already offered me a PhD position.

Applied to:

- Princeton (Sub-Field: Methods, intended field of research: Pol. Econ.)

- Stanford (Pol. Econ.)

- Harvard KS (Pol. Econ & Gov)

- Georgetown (Economics - intended field of research: Pol. Econ)

- MIT (Economics: ok, I really do not think I have the slightest chance of getting accepted there but I applied because my Master thesis provides empirical evidence for Acemoglu's theoretical model)

What about you? Only NYU, Harvard, Princeton and Stanford? Unfortunately, I have a very low verbal GRE score (but high TOEFL), which makes me doubt that any of these schools will accept me.

I applied to several of the same programs as well as a bunch more - I'm a comparativist and IPE. I also added Yale, Duke, and several other programs that offer PE as a subfield.

[ohsnap]

I'm applying for normative theory. What I hope to do is look at the political theoretical tradition and see what it has to say about current American politics and just war. Kind of a cross-over between two/threeish fields.

[Gradhorn]

RE: The UT-Austin page. Last year I saw the application page do the same thing with new tabs popping up. I don't think it meant anything about my status, since it was another 10 days or so until I received an admission decision.

[balderdash]

I applied to several of the same programs as well as a bunch more - I'm a comparativist and IPE. I also added Yale, Duke, and several other programs that offer PE as a subfield.

Did you end up applying to Oxbridge? And if so, can I ask who you want to work with, and at what colleges? PM me if you want to keep it on the dl.

I'm still so anxious about Stanford, largely because it's one of the 3 that could make me decline a Madison offer. I'm thinking offers come today, but then what do I know.

[Helix]

I'm still so anxious about Stanford, largely because it's one of the 3 that could make me decline a Madison offer. I'm thinking offers come today, but then what do I know.

I'm in the same boat--there are a few that could make me decline Madison, but also Stanford seems like a good bellwether for determine if/where I might get offers in the next few weeks. I applied all over after getting burned last year so I'm grateful to have an acceptance under my belt, but the waiting is painful nonetheless.

That said, I'm not sure if offers would come today. Seems like from the last couple years, they send out offers ~3.5 weeks after the start of the quarter, and since (as someone remarked earlier) their quarter started a week late this year, I'm wondering if we won't get put off til next week...

[balderdash]

That said, I'm not sure if offers would come today. Seems like from the last couple years, they send out offers ~3.5 weeks after the start of the quarter, and since (as someone remarked earlier) their quarter started a week late this year, I'm wondering if we won't get put off til next week...

It's a good point. We'll know in 7 hours either way.

Apologies, and I'm not trying to humblebrag, but: I wrote an article for small news outlet on Wednesday. Today I found out it had been copied and reprinted on another site, including my bio, picture, etc. without my (or the news outlet's) permission. So today has been spent trying to track down the "editor" and convince him that it's wrong to pretend to readers that I wrote an article for his very, very sketchy website. Nightmare...

[balledematch]

Also eagerly awaiting Stanford. I have plenty of things to do other than just sit on this website and panic, but I can't seem to bring myself to do any of them. Oh well....if this cycle doesn't work out, my step-brother has a job waiting for me----driving a semi truck.

[deleteduser0333]

Just wondering, if my decision status for UW-Madison is still "pending", when will I receive the rejection letter?

[balderdash]

Just wondering, if my decision status for UW-Madison is still "pending", when will I receive the rejection letter?

I'm sorry to hear that you didn't receive an offer. Based on last year's results, it seems rejections will be sent out in about 2 weeks.

[iwouldpreferanonymity]

So today has been spent trying to track down the "editor" and convince him that it's wrong to pretend to readers that I wrote an article for his very, very sketchy website. Nightmare...

I experienced a similar problem in the past, so I understand that this sort of thing can be maddening. If the site has infringed upon copyright (and it presumably has), you could file a DMCA notice against them, or their hosting company. Just an idea.

[icedance]

Mine of Wisconsin is also pending~~ So it means rejection, right? Just need to wait longer time to get a confirmation

[potbellypete]

Most of you have probably seen this but I just found "So you want a PhD in Political Science"

Good luck staying sane!

[brent09]

Mine of Wisconsin is also pending~~ So it means rejection, right? Just need to wait longer time to get a confirmation

No idea, but I assume that the first wave are accepts. I haven't seen any waitlisters yet, though, so it's possible that the remaining pool is being considered for the waitlist. If I were you, I would just call the department (

608.263.2414) and ask. Probably better than the uncertainty,

[RWBG]

I'm a Roc. app. Good luck!

Great! The more applicants who are on this board, the greater the likelihood that >=1 of us will be accepted and will be able to let the others know when offers have gone out.

[whirlibird]

Most of you have probably seen this but I just found "So you want a PhD in Political Science"

Good luck staying sane!

Don't you love how this doesn't dissuade any of us? Maybe there's just something wrong with us all...

[Secret Squirrel]

As a theorist, this doesn't affect me. I do just get to shout my insights about politics!

[whirlibird]

As a theorist, this doesn't affect me. I do just get to shout my insights about politics!

Haha! True, true! For what it's worth, I'll care what you have to say/shout.

[kem140]

Of the Madison acceptances, what are your subfields?

[Max Power]

i too am still pending from wisconsin. while it would be better to be accepted, i don't think its necessarily an automatic rejection. everywhere is playing yield games and accepting students in waves. inevitably some of the people who got into wisconsin will get better offers and that will free up spots to admit a few more people and it will continue to cascade this way at all schools. I'd be willing to wager that some people who are pending from Wisconsin today will get offers at a later date

remember, even if schools know that their historical yield is X, they don't really want to count on it holding constant. unlike a law school where if two extra people accept, they just cash some big checks and slide an extra two chairs in their classrooms, having an extra person or two accept funded offers can blow a total hole in a department's budget for the year. the goal is to get to the exact number without going over

[kem140]

Jsclar--what is your subfield? Have you heard back from anywhere as of yet?

[Max Power]

i'm American (behavior) and methods. so far i've had a phone interview with MIT and have one scheduled with Vanderbilt, plus I got some fairly encouraging news through back channels about Columbia

[RWBG]

I don't want to discourage anyone, but political science Ph.D admissions tend to try to avoid admitting students in waves, and instead start off by admitting more people than they expect to enroll using previous yield rates as a guide. A small number of waitlists go out each year, and if you are on a waitlist, you will likely be informed of it shortly. In the past two years, Wisconsin appears to have informed waitlisters at the same time as admitted applicants; three years ago, it looks like someone was waitlisted a few weeks after the main round of admissions.

In any event, I wouldn't be too discouraged by any individual decision, as each committee has highly idiosyncratic ways of evaluating candidates. It is not uncommon for lower ranked schools to reject applicants who get accepted to schools in the top five.

Edit:

Re Kem140: As I mentioned in an earlier post, I'm interested in formal IPE/methods.

Edited January 27, 2012 by RWBG

[Max Power]

there's a good chance thats more accurate than my guesses. i know more about the machinations of departments in other fields than political science. my dad is in another field and has never been allowed to send out more acceptances than he can fund.

[kem140]

Congrats on interviews and encouraging feedback, Jsclar--good luck to you!

[balderdash]

I don't want to discourage anyone, but political science Ph.D admissions tend to try to avoid admitting students in waves, and instead start off by admitting more people than they expect to enroll using previous yield rates as a guide. A small number of waitlists go out each year, and if you are on a waitlist, you will likely be informed of it shortly. In the past two years, Wisconsin appears to have informed waitlisters at the same time as admitted applicants; three years ago, it looks like someone was waitlisted a few weeks after the main round of admissions.

In any event, I wouldn't be too discouraged by any individual decision, as each committee has highly idiosyncratic ways of evaluating candidates. It is not uncommon for lower ranked schools to reject applicants who get accepted to schools in the top five.

This. I'd add that I was waitlisted at Princeton last year the same day that the acceptances went out.

My earlier guess that there were multiple waves at Columbia was mistaken; I had repressed forgotten that people posted fake results ahead of time last year. Although I was explicit about the fact that this was a guess, mea culpa.