Welcome to the 2013-2014 Cycle

[TheGnome]

A caveat: An academic leave can occasionally be a signal for that person leaving for somewhere else. You might want to look into that possibility. If this scenario seems plausible, you may want to reduce the emphasis on that person in your SoP. I would still mention him/her though.

[Penelope Higgins]

At US institutions, leaves are only very rarely a signal that someone is moving to a different university. In nearly every case, they are sabbatical or fellowship leaves.

[TheGnome]

I thought more senior people occasionally moved around this way, but I stand corrected.  Thanks

[Penelope Higgins]

It does happen. But without other information, I wouldn't read too much into a faculty member being on leave for a semester or a year.

[jazzrap]

A caveat: An academic leave can occasionally be a signal for that person leaving for somewhere else. You might want to look into that possibility. If this scenario seems plausible, you may want to reduce the emphasis on that person in your SoP. I would still mention him/her though.

 

Absolutely! You're NOT writing for the adcom, you're writing for the department as a whole!

Thanks. I am writing for the department as a whole. And I was not worried about them leaving, but rather them not going to sit on admissions committees. 

Now I will just stop worrying:) No point stressing over this

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

Thanks. I am writing for the department as a whole. And I was not worried about them leaving, but rather them not going to sit on admissions committees. 

Now I will just stop worrying:) No point stressing over this

 

A lot of my POIs don't sit on the adcoms, I've learned. They've usually told me upfront in e-mails, but not as a warning, simply as a: I'll offer my opinion on your chances, but I don't actually sit on the adcoms. That said, here's why you might fit with our program... You might also want to get in touch with Prof. X.

 

[jazzrap]

It does happen. But without other information, I wouldn't read too much into a faculty member being on leave for a semester or a year.

Thanks!

[jeudepaume]

jazzrap, I am in the same situation: most of my POIs (7/9) are on leave too. It shouldn't matter all too much, but I can't help but worry that this definitely doesn't help my application either.

 

TakeMyCoffeeBlack, what do you expect from Santa Claus?   (in your signature) 

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

jazzrap, I am in the same situation: most of my POIs (7/9) are on leave too. It shouldn't matter all too much, but I can't help but worry that this definitely doesn't help my application either.

 

TakeMyCoffeeBlack, what do you expect from Santa Claus?   (in your signature) 

 

I think I have to be Santa Claus this year (well, my gf will be joining me in Germany). That probably means chocolate.

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

You'll have to forgive me folks, but I'm eager for some co-commiseration, I guess. Any cool current research projects you're working on right now? Any "alternative" ideas in case grad school doesn't work out for 2014 (I'm not sure about this myself, so I'd love to hear from others!)?

[jazzrap]

jazzrap, I am in the same situation: most of my POIs (7/9) are on leave too. It shouldn't matter all too much, but I can't help but worry that this definitely doesn't help my application either.

 

TakeMyCoffeeBlack, what do you expect from Santa Claus?   (in your signature) 

I hope it doesn't affect our applications. Well, we just have to forget these facts and focus on applications:)

[jazzrap]

You'll have to forgive me folks, but I'm eager for some co-commiseration, I guess. Any cool current research projects you're working on right now? Any "alternative" ideas in case grad school doesn't work out for 2014 (I'm not sure about this myself, so I'd love to hear from others!)?

No back up plans really. Columbia's QMSS program has a late deadline. It is funny that when I applied to its PhD program, I did not choose to select QMSS as my secondary choice because I wanted to show determination. Stupid ideas lol.

[zudei]

You'll have to forgive me folks, but I'm eager for some co-commiseration, I guess. Any cool current research projects you're working on right now? Any "alternative" ideas in case grad school doesn't work out for 2014 (I'm not sure about this myself, so I'd love to hear from others!)?

 

Some polecon courses in Europe could be an alternative, but to be honest I'll probably just try and get a job. I'm kind of fed up of this whole not enough money to last the month thing. And these app fees are not helping at all...

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

I've been playing with the idea of pursuing an MA in Economics. I come from a city with a decent research university and low cost of living, and they offer a 30 credit program. But that would set me back two years, still, since it wouldn't make much sense to apply a third time for PhD programs before first gaining the new knowledge (and knocking my GRE out of the ballpark). 

 

Otherwise, it would be time to hit the real world. I almost landed a sweet summer gig with a non-profit making over $15 an hour, but they passed me over because I was moving out of the country - she called me to say I was their first choice, but they were hoping to make the position permanent at summer's end. Maybe I could try to get into that type of work.

 

Funny thing is, just today I was looking at apartment possibilities for two of my top choices... Now I'm looking at MA programs.

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

Other than the general labor economics research, there's nothing particularly "cool" going on in my world. I think, that in the worst scenario, I'll simply stay in my position here at my University. There are a lot of perks (e.g. health care, gym, etc.) that come from sticking around. Maybe a low-level career in research like mine would be a viable back-up option for you?

 

Additionally, I don't think you should be unsure about your 2014 chances. I have faith that you'll do fine...and that's saying a whole lot (see profile name).

 

Is anyone else here either low-income or from a historically underrepresented group/gender? If so, you'd better be using fee-waivers if they are an option.

 

How do you get a gig like that? I went to a regional LAC, so research was pretty much professor to professor.

 

Thanks for the nice thoughts. I sure hope so. It's kind of crazy that we all may be colleagues in academia someday (and possibly never know who was who on gradcafe haha). 

 

I'm not from a historically underrepresented group, but I did realize (which I didn't last year...) that I'm poorer than poor. Like, my tax return from last year has my income at 20% the poverty level. That and my current limited income from my fellowship scored me fee waivers everywhere I applied that offered them. Truth be told, I applied to a few top 10 Unis that I wouldn't have because they provided waivers (I'd LOVE to go to all of them, I just wasn't willing to put my limited financial resources into such a risky bet).

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

No back up plans really. Columbia's QMSS program has a late deadline. It is funny that when I applied to its PhD program, I did not choose to select QMSS as my secondary choice because I wanted to show determination. Stupid ideas lol.

 

I don't really blame app submitting you. It's a stressful process. Only one school offered that as an option, and I put that I'd be happy to be considered for the MPP program.

[chiz13]

Urgh, the application fees.. Since no fee waiver is given to international students, I will be spending one, probably close to two months of my income on applications, GRE, TOEFL etc. 

 

As for back up plans.. None. Very likely that I will just find a job and give up on grad school. Given where I am now, there are very limited poli sci related research opportunities that I can get involve it. MA is not really an option because of funding issue. So if I cannot get in anywhere this time, I wouldn't be able to produce a more impressive CV in next cycle to try again. So.. sigh

[TheGnome]

Same here -international student- so waivers are a no no. I have been living on pasta and marinara sauce for longer than I care to elaborate. I have gone through this process before, so this is definitively my last time. Backup plans are the last thing I want to think about at this point really.

[AustinClarke]

This is informative post thank you.

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

Same here -international student- so waivers are a no no. I have been living on pasta and marinara sauce for longer than I care to elaborate. I have gone through this process before, so this is definitively my last time. Backup plans are the last thing I want to think about at this point really.

 

Then better yet, we should talk about the best ways to cook pasta and marinara sauce creatively.

Edited December 10, 2013 by TakeMyCoffeeBlack

[TheGnome]

Ground beef + red pepper paste (or tomato paste with LOTS of paprika) + basil + wee bit cumin and black pepper + just a couple of drops of lemon juice + crushed chili peppers 

 

not marinara, but this is one of the best i have come up with so far

 

the other one includes feta and walnuts, but that is for another day..

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

On 12/10/2013 at 2:17 AM, TheGnome said:

Ground beef + red pepper paste (or tomato paste with LOTS of paprika) + basil + wee bit cumin and black pepper + just a couple of drops of lemon juice + crushed chili peppers 

 

not marinara, but this is one of the best i have come up with so far

 

the other one includes feta and walnuts, but that is for another day..

 

So you like some tang, I take it?

 

I made a casserole of sorts last week. Ground sausage (I skinned raw sausages haha) and ground beef, cooked in a skillet, then added some onions and seasoning. Poured the sauce over that. Cooked noodles, then poured the noodles into the meat sauce (simple and boring, I know). Put it into a casserole dish and covered it with cheese, then baked until the cheese was melted and starts browning (ever so slightly). Lasted me half a week, so not too bad. I did have to add extra sauce later though

[zudei]

I made a great Merguez curry last night: diced grilled merguez cooked in a curry of onions, green chillies, tomatoes, red chili powder, turmeric and ground coriander seeds. Quite (spicy) and tasty! I think sharing recipes is a great idea

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

I made a great Merguez curry last night: diced grilled merguez cooked in a curry of onions, green chillies, tomatoes, red chili powder, turmeric and ground coriander seeds. Quite (spicy) and tasty! I think sharing recipes is a great idea

 

It seems poli sci people are a bunch of chef hobbyists. How many oenophiles do we have hanging out?

[IRToni]

I've been living home since November 8th because of a medical condition, so I've been kinda saving some for my application fees (international as well). In addition, I managed to score amazing funding packages from my school this year, lived in cheap India for the last couple of months, and decided at the get-go, after talking to one professor that spending 100 US$ won't lower my quality of life substantially at this point, but might make the difference between getting in somewhere with funding, and not getting in at all. I am not applying to schools that aren't a good fit, though, and decided not to apply to any schools I would not be absolutely thrilled to attend (decided not to apply to Wisconsin-Madison).

 

It's crazy. I applied to MA programs two year back, and spent tons of money then, and now I'm doing it again. Last time, it paid off, I managed to have pretty amazing options. Hopefully this time will also work out, and with better funding.

 

For those of you also looking into MAs in case the PhD thing doesn't work out, I can highly recommend doing one. I wasn't sure whether I wanted to do a PhD, so decided to do a (non-terminal) MA first.