Welcome to the 2012-2013 cycle

[Mnemonics2]

How do we feel about 3 years of funding versus 5? Does that calculation change if the incoming student has an MA?

Edited February 6, 2013 by Mnemonics2

[TTP25]

In at Amherst! Two in two days!

 

Good luck everyone! I truly hope you all hear good news soon!

[PoliSwede]

How do we feel about 3 years of funding versus 5? Does that calculation change if the incoming student has an MA?

Some programs might choose to give funding for just 3/4 years and then depending on "progress" after that. The definition of what exactly "progress" is probably varies quit a bit between programs. It might be that a program only offers three years of funding to all/most of its admitted students, but that it is really easy to get it extended as long as you do well in the program.

 

At least that's how I understand it to work.

[Mnemonics2]

Some programs might choose to give funding for just 3/4 years and then depending on "progress" after that. The definition of what exactly "progress" is probably varies quit a bit between programs. It might be that a program only offers three years of funding to all/most of its admitted students, but that it is really easy to get it extended as long as you do well in the program.

 

At least that's how I understand it to work.

 

Ok. That makes me feel pretty good actually. Thanks

[setgree]

Hello fellow nerds. 

 

 I...imputed some of the missing stats based on GC-reported results. 

 

I've uploaded the file, which you can download here: http://wikisend.com/download/570440/Polisci%20PhD%20admit%20data.xlsx

 

Enjoy!

I do spreadsheets for a living, this was welcome. Two notes- if you make this a google doc, maybe other people can add directly, and 2) Chicago's letter says they received "nearly 500 " applications So maybe that's worth updating.

The sour grapes on the board is not super surprising. There's a great book about it, called of all things "Sour Grapes" by Jon Elster,pol. theorist at Columbia; he talks about the ways in which "adaptive preference formation" fit or don't fit rational choice theory. Anyway the point is none of it is personal, and I definitely sour grasped UCSD when I didn't get in.

[PoliSwede]

Ok. That makes me feel pretty good actually. Thanks

What I'd suggest, is that you ask for more specifics regarding the funding from the department itself if you want clearer answers.

 

If you don't feel comfortable doing that, ask current graduate students (might be worth doing this anyway).

Edited February 6, 2013 by Lemeard

[CGMJ]

I do spreadsheets for a living, this was welcome. Two notes- if you make this a google doc, maybe other people can add directly, and 2) Chicago's letter says they received "nearly 500 " applications So maybe that's worth updating.

The sour grapes on the board is not super surprising. There's a great book about it, called of all things "Sour Grapes" by Jon Elster,pol. theorist at Columbia; he talks about the ways in which "adaptive preference formation" fit or don't fit rational choice theory. Anyway the point is none of it is personal, and I definitely sour grasped UCSD when I didn't get in.

 

Thanks setgree. Is there a way to post a google doc anonymously? If so I'm happy to do it (we all seem to be maintaining some level of anonymity here, so going public would seem weird). Thanks for the Chicago stats, I'll update. Is that from the 2012 letter or this years'? 

[Mnemonics2]

Thanks setgree. Is there a way to post a google doc anonymously? If so I'm happy to do it (we all seem to be maintaining some level of anonymity here, so going public would seem weird). Thanks for the Chicago stats, I'll update. Is that from the 2012 letter or this years'? 

 

Just make a throwaway google account and upload it. Of course, everyone would have to do the same in order to see it...and then you open yourself to potential trolls...

[CGMJ]

Just make a throwaway google account and upload it. Of course, everyone would have to do the same in order to see it...and then you open yourself to potential trolls...

 

yeah, that's what I thought (and didn't want to bother). I'll probably keep updating this as results come in, so people can send me changes or add and upload them themselves. 

[GopherGrad]

What I'd suggest, is that you ask for more specifics regarding the funding from the department itself if you want clearer answers.

 

If you don't feel comfortable doing that, ask current graduate students (might be worth doing this anyway).

 

It is absolutely, positively appropriate to ask both the department and grad students about the specifics, including how many students get denied, whether the funding stays consistent if it is re-awarded and what the rubrics are for evaluating students after the three year mark. The risk of losing funding should discount the value of an offer you receive and it is important to understand the nature of the risk to apply the right discount.

[polisciftw]

You can make a Google Doc with a throwaway account, make it private, and then ask people to PM you with their email addresses to be added. That'll keep the trolls at bay.

[PDCU]

This waiting for UCLA is slowly draining my life away...

[BornAndRaised]

With regard to MAPSS and CIR at Chicago, do they only tell you when they send you the official rejection for the PhD, like it's sort of a consolation? 

[PDCU]

With regard to MAPSS and CIR at Chicago, do they only tell you when they send you the official rejection for the PhD, like it's sort of a consolation? 

 

I got one last year as part of the rejection package... I believe it was around first couple days of March. I think Chicago doesn't give out official rejections until near then because they send some "very close" applications to CIR/MAPSS for another review.

 

Edit: I just called UCLA, and they said the "admission decisions has not yet been made" and will make final decisions by "mid-February." This is vagueness is killing me as "admission decisions" also include rejections which goes out weeks after admissions. I don't know what more I expected to get when I decided to call. Bad life choice on my part.

Edited February 6, 2013 by PDCU

[clangeroo]

With regard to MAPSS and CIR at Chicago, do they only tell you when they send you the official rejection for the PhD, like it's sort of a consolation? 

Judging by last year's results, yep. So you'd get those tuition offers in March. Which I guess is good - by then we should know if we got in anywhere else?

[BornAndRaised]

I got one last year as part of the rejection package... I believe it was around first couple days of March. I think Chicago doesn't give out official rejections until near then because they send some "very close" applications to CIR for another review.

 

Oh. Thanks for the info. 

 

 

Someone just posted a UWashington reject on the results board. Does that mean they're sending out all decisions today? I just checked my mail. I have nothing. 

[USCoregonian]

Hey guys, also part of the UCSD bloodbath and no word (ie. most likely rejection) from Chicago.

 

I also got that message from UCSD about the MPIA, which seems very policy orientated, with most graduates going on to work outside of academia. I'm unsure as to why they'd suggest such a masters, and if it's a generic message every rejected applicant receives?

 

I just got denied by UCSD and got the same letter. I already have a masters degree, which leads me to believe it's just a form email they send to everybody.

[polarexplorer]

PhD in Political Science or PhD in IR/PS?

For heaven's sake, UCSD. I know the perfect weather and surfer culture slows everything down, but c'mon.

[rkmattson]

Edit: I just called UCLA, and they said the "admission decisions has not yet been made" and will make final decisions by "mid-February." This is vagueness is killing me as "admission decisions" also include rejections which goes out weeks after admissions. I don't know what more I expected to get when I decided to call. Bad life choice on my part.

 

Gah! Well thanks for calling and posting - I guess more twiddling of the thumbs

[theapolsci]

Someone just posted a UWashington reject on the results board. Does that mean they're sending out all decisions today? I just checked my mail. I have nothing. 

Would also love to know if this is an actual rejection or another one of the 'assumed rejections'. Haven't heard anything about an interview or being rejected, so curious to know what's going on there..

[frankentheory]

With regard to MAPSS and CIR at Chicago, do they only tell you when they send you the official rejection for the PhD, like it's sort of a consolation? 

That's how it worked when I first applied to Chicago.  However, my understanding is that they don't just offer admission to MAPSS to everyone who got rejected from the PhD program.  Rather, the Political Science department forwards those applications they see as promising (but not quite good enough for a PhD offer) to MAPSS, and then they review your application.  All said, it does feel like a consolation to some people, but my experience was that MAPSS afforded me an invaluable academic opportunity that I know made me a much more competitive PhD applicant this cycle.

[PDCU]

That's how it worked when I first applied to Chicago.  However, my understanding is that they don't just offer admission to MAPSS to everyone who got rejected from the PhD program.  Rather, the Political Science department forwards those applications they see as promising (but not quite good enough for a PhD offer) to MAPSS, and then they review your application.  All said, it does feel like a consolation to some people, but my experience was that MAPSS afforded me an invaluable academic opportunity that I know made me a much more competitive PhD applicant this cycle.

 

It's actually not as cash-cow as Columbia, NYU, etc. "consolation MA" since they give tuition scholarships and travel reimbursement for visit days.

[CGMJ]

I got one last year as part of the rejection package... I believe it was around first couple days of March. I think Chicago doesn't give out official rejections until near then because they send some "very close" applications to CIR/MAPSS for another review.

 

Edit: I just called UCLA, and they said the "admission decisions has not yet been made" and will make final decisions by "mid-February." This is vagueness is killing me as "admission decisions" also include rejections which goes out weeks after admissions. I don't know what more I expected to get when I decided to call. Bad life choice on my part.

 

Thanks for taking one for the team

 

So when you called UCLA, did they say your decision hadn't yet been made, or the decisions hadn't yet been made? If they said the latter, then it would seem odd that they have already notified some acceptances?

Edited February 6, 2013 by CGMJ

[RiffRam]

Would also love to know if this is an actual rejection or another one of the 'assumed rejections'. Haven't heard anything about an interview or being rejected, so curious to know what's going on there..

Same here. I've been nervous about Washington since I saw others were getting interviews and I had yet to hear anything.

[Quigley]

Does anyone claim the UCLA admits from this morning... are they legit?