chances in top 15 poli sci phd?

[mscuriosity]

Sorry to bug with this somewhat stupid question. I realize that noone would be able to tell me if I can get into the schools I chose or not, but it would be helpful to know if I am being realistic about my goals or not.

Below are some info about me:

BA & MA with scholarship from an average university with scholarship

1 publication coauthor

3-4 conference presentations in small conferences

Have research assistance and internship experience during my BA and MA.

My top choice is comparative politics in berkeley, columbia and princeton in addition to other lower ranking programs.

Any ideas? Am i day dreaming?

Edited November 20, 2011 by bgk

[Penelope Higgins]

We can't answer this question without info about the schools you have attended (a 3.6 GPA for an MA looks very different if it is from Princeton Woodrow Wilson vs. from Temple political science) and your interests to see whether you're a good fit at these places. All we can say so far is that your GRE scores are good enough for your file to be considered.

[balderdash]

Echoing Penelope, based on the info you've given, you're just as competitive as the rest of them. But further information and specific interests are required for a bit more fine-grained commentary. (For example, I won't be applying to Columbia's program this year because of the relative lack of comparativist-Africanists who do the same work as me. You might be in the same boat, or you might have chosen schools that are deep in your specialty).

[mscuriosity]

Hi Penelope and Balderdash thanks for your replies. My Masters degree is from Notre Dame. My specific research interest is in political economy of redistribution particularly in post-communist countries with abundant natural resources.