What Programs Am I Looking at?

[AmericanQuant]

Hey guys,

I'm starting to think about what level of grad programs I should be thinking about and wanted some help calibrating my expectations.

I went to a top-10 SLAC and graduated in '11 with a 3.6 gpa and majors in Physics (3.8 gpa) and Poli Sci (4.0). I'm working for as an analyst for a pollster now, but am hoping to start a PhD in Poli Sci in 2011.

My GRE's are 166Q and 162V and a 5.5 analytical.

Does it make sense to apply to the very top tier CHYMPS programs, or am I going to be excluded from those because of my GPA?

Are there some programs that put more weight on GRE than GPA in admissions?

Thanks!

-Quantard

[Bdeniso]

All I have to say is that don't assume CHYMPS are the best programs for what you want to do. UC Berkely, Michigan, U Chicago all are top tier for different things. Since I really don't know more I can't say what is the best but I feel it would be folly to think that those schools are the best just because of reputation and not look at what the poli sci departments are known for and are best at.

[saltlakecity2012]

Don't be too concerned by your GPA - that 3.8 in Physics is a very clear signal to most admissions departments that you can hack it in terms of the math, and if you did very well in your Poli Sci degree too you should be fine. I got into a group of top 10 schools with a somewhat similar profile. You really want to demonstrate at this point that you have interesting ideas and will be capable of providing some value in the field - and Bdeniso is right, if you're interested in quant you should really be looking at places like Stanford, Michigan, Rochester, NYU, UCSD, UCLA - what subfield are you interested in?

[Zahar Berkut]

Your GRE scores, major GPA's, and research experience should at least give you a shot at any school. But as Bdeniso suggests, fit is the far more important factor. Decide where you'll find the faculty who will work best with your interests and apply to those.

[AmericanQuant]

Quick update... I took the GRE this weekend (the pair of 164's I mentioned earlier was from a practice test) and I ended up with a 170Q 168V.

I'm interested in studying American Politics and Empirical Methodology; my particular interests are campaigns and elections, political behavior, causal inference, networks and experiments. I'm sure that list will change while I'm in grad school, but that's where my interests lie now.

Here's my preliminary list of places to apply, should there be some safer schools on this list? Are there top departments that I'm missing out on? Advice is much appreciated.

Berkeley

Columbia

Harvard

Michigan

Princeton

Rochester

School

Stanford

UCLA

UCSD

UNC

Yale

-Q

Edited September 12, 2012 by Quantard

[Bdeniso]

I have no idea about American (IR sorry) but some good advice is only apply to schools you could see yourself at, safety school serve no purpose for a PhD. You should figure out the top programs for your interests and apply to any you feel you could do well at.

Hope it all works out!

[catchermiscount]

Quick update... I took the GRE this weekend (the pair of 164's I mentioned earlier was from a practice test) and I ended up with a 170Q 168V.

I'm interested in studying American Politics and Empirical Methodology; my particular interests are campaigns and elections, political behavior, causal inference, networks and experiments. I'm sure that list will change while I'm in grad school, but that's where my interests lie now.

Here's my preliminary list of places to apply, should there be some safer schools on this list? Are there top departments that I'm missing out on? Advice is much appreciated.

Berkeley

Columbia

Harvard

Michigan

Princeton

Rochester

School

Stanford

UCLA

UCSD

UNC

Yale

-Q

You should definitely apply to School ;-). Thanks for sorting A-Z in your spreadsheet prior to copying and pasting! :-)

[AmericanQuant]

but some good advice is only apply to schools you could see yourself at, safety school serve no purpose for a PhD. You should figure out the top programs for your interests and apply to any you feel you could do well at.

There are a number of other schools that I might attend if I didn't get in anywhere else. For instance, I'd almost certainly go to Ohio State or UW Madison if admitted, but I'd be less likely to attend those school than anywhere else on the list above, so by "safety school" what I really mean is "places to which I'd be almost certainly be admitted and happy to attend."

I was thinking that UNC would be such a place, but if my list was aiming too high, there could be others.

-Q

P.S. @currentpsstudent I plan on walking to "School." I hear it's uphill both ways.

[RWBG]

There are a number of other schools that I might attend if I didn't get in anywhere else. For instance, I'd almost certainly go to Ohio State or UW Madison if admitted, but I'd be less likely to attend those school than anywhere else on the list above, so by "safety school" what I really mean is "places to which I'd be almost certainly be admitted and happy to attend."

I was thinking that UNC would be such a place, but if my list was aiming too high, there could be others.

-Q

P.S. @currentpsstudent I plan on walking to "School." I hear it's uphill both ways.

I don't know if there are that many schools in the top 30 that the vast majority of people can characterize as a place they would "almost certainly be admitted." With fit considerations, varying tastes of admissions committees, etc. it's not uncommon to see students who are accepted to top five schools also be rejected by some schools ranked far lower. That being said, your profile looks good, and depending on the rest of your file I'd imagine you'd have a shot anywhere.

Michigan definitely sounds like a good fit for you. I don't know if Berkeley, Yale, or Columbia would be as great fits if you really want to do teched up empirical work and American politics. Consider adding WUSTL, plus possibly Duke and NYU.

[BrunoPuntzJones]

Agree with RW. It's a solid list. I think Duke would be a good addition, as would Vanderbilt.

[midwest513]

If your interest lies in experiments, NYU and MIT offer people who do that stuff very well. UCSD might not be so much your alley from what I see of your interests.

[AmericanQuant]

UCSD might not be so much your alley from what I see of your interests.

I'm a little surprised to hear that. I thought that Fowler, Hill (who I recognize is just an AP), Zheng and Jacobsen would all be good fits for me. Or do you know something about UCSD's program that I don't?

[midwest513]

Jacobsen doesn't publish all that much and Fowler, Hill and Zheng are all great, but at least in American Politics if you aren't doing the genetics stuff, placement hasn't been all that hot.