shavasana Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Just started this thread to see how many people in this forum are going straight from undergrad (me) or how much professional experience people have going in. Pros/cons to each? shavasana 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PickMe! Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Going straight through! Solidarity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PoliSci27 Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 I went straight from undergrad to a JD/MPP. Now I'm applying for a PhD. I can say with certainty that I would have been unprepared for a PhD right out of undergrad. For me, that was entirely due to the undergrad I attended. It was a small, private school that lacked any rigor. I think that the JD was a good step toward the rigors of a PhD. It is certainly possible that someone's undergraduate experience could adequately prepare them for grad school. One advantage of heading straight in is that you'll finish at a younger age. Furthermore, you are still acutely aware of what it is like to live as a student. The biggest concern that I have is the possibility of getting burned out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shavasana Posted February 9, 2012 Author Share Posted February 9, 2012 Going straight through! Solidarity. You got into Chicago? What's your subfield? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tara1936 Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 I'm trying to go straight through. I don't know if I'll be getting in anywhere *fingers crossed*, but its cool to see other people trying it too. Hi! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lordvader Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 me too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohsnap Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 I'm going straight through. I couldn't imagine doing anything else, really. I work a semi-normal job over the summers (summer camp at a gym), and it is mind numbing. A regular job would probably be bad for my soul, or at least my sanity. No gap year of working for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yinche Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 (edited) me too! I had to be in the military, but it was a mandatory service. Edited February 9, 2012 by yinche Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CafeAuLait12 Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Straight through here too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AuldReekie Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 I decided to take a year out to revise for the GRE and make sure I'm prepared. I'm paranoid of course that I will end up failing to be accepted anywhere and have wasted a year! Three months left of my undergrad so I'm starting to get back into researching schools etc. now. Pros.. Time to study for GRE New staff to get references from A summer to read and refine research interests. Cons. I've lost a year and may not get in! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PickMe! Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 You got into Chicago? What's your subfield? American. I just booked my flight for the visit. What about you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shavasana Posted February 9, 2012 Author Share Posted February 9, 2012 I'm primarily IR, although I do a lot of regional work on the Middle East. I'll definitely be there on the 9th, as it's just a short-ish drive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eudaimonia Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 I'm going straight through from undergrad too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PickMe! Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 I'm primarily IR, although I do a lot of regional work on the Middle East. I'll definitely be there on the 9th, as it's just a short-ish drive. Nice! I'll see you there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wordshadow Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 Straight through likewise. Bring it on! wordshadow 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apill Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 (edited) I'm also applying straight from Undergrad for a Political Science PhD. I applied to a lot of schools- 21- to increase my chances lol. Edited February 10, 2012 by Apill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohsnap Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 I'm also applying straight from Undergrad for a Political Science PhD. I applied to a lot of schools- 21- to increase my chances lol. Whoa! I thought I was on the high end, but 21 certainly takes the cake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astrez Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 Also going straight from undergrad. Expecting an interesting few months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apill Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 (edited) Whoa! I thought I was on the high end, but 21 certainly takes the cake. I really didn't want to take any chances. I know for sure that this is what I want to do, and I don't really have anything else lined up, so I'm totally sure that come what may, I'll be going to a PhD program in the Fall. So I wanted to maximize my choices as much as possible. Considering the fact that I'm 1 for 6 right now, I think applying to so many was a good idea. Edited February 11, 2012 by Apill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eudaimonia Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 I really didn't want to take any chances. I know for sure that this is what I want to do, and I don't really have anything else lined up, so I'm totally sure that come what may, I'll be going to a PhD program in the Fall. So I wanted to maximize my choices as much as possible. Considering the fact that I'm 1 for 6 right now, I think applying to so many was a good idea. If you have the money to do this, I don't think it's unreasonable at all I was advised to apply to as many as I could afford. I applied to 15. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puddle Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 2 years out from my UG and I now have an MA, a few years reserch experience, a handful of TAships, some research trips abroad, conference presentations, working towards some publications. When all is said and done, the accomplishment has been working out what I want to study (something I did not know for sure in my undergraduate because the time I might have spent deciding what field really interested ME [rather than my favourite professors] was devoted to athletics). I am happy with where I am now but I might have been equally happy going straight into a PhD (gotta love the counterfactual). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amblingnymph Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 I went from undergrad, to one semester of a master's program (I figured I might as well be doing something while I wait for responses - also, what if I didn't get anywhere? Better to have started a program and then just complete it before reapplying), and will be going to a PhD program. The pro that really does it for me is being able to continue studying at a school where I'm funded. Not all of us have the money to pay for graduate programs, and I have been very fortunate up to this point to have had my education paid for by scholarships and grants. The con that I'm worried about is not being (or at least feeling like I'm not) 'up to par' compared to my fellow students. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PDCU Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 I'm finishing my undergrad in 3 years and straight through at the same time! All rejections so far... haha I guess I overestimated myself. :/ Nevertheless, I think this is a humbling experience for me. I could only imagine how cocky I would be if I got into PhD after 3 years of college. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amblingnymph Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 I'm finishing my undergrad in 3 years and straight through at the same time! All rejections so far... haha I guess I overestimated myself. :/ Nevertheless, I think this is a humbling experience for me. I could only imagine how cocky I would be if I got into PhD after 3 years of college. Not to sound pretentious or anything, but I finished my undergrad in 2.5 years. :x I went to a community college (couldn't afford state university) and then transferred to a university. I was lucky to get into a few PhD programs. I think why I was accepted was a mixture of my GPA, nice verbal GRE (math was average) and having written a paper that I presented at a conference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kolja00 Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 4 years of college went by fast. Can't imagine how fast the next 5 to 3949583 years in grad will be. Time goes so much quicker the older you get. Yikes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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