Welcome to the 2013-2014 Cycle

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

Now that most of us have gotten most responses, I am wondering what the long-term perspectives are/what long-term perspectives are out there etc. So, what's your ideal outcome, what would you consider a realistic outcome, what would make you turn away from academia, stuff like this?

 

Since I'm not from the US, I am not at all/very familiar with the US system (I did not know what TT was before this cycle, e.g.). I understand schools are classified into R-1s and Other, with sub-classifications? There's also (selective) liberal arts colleges and community colleges, where the teaching load would be higher, but research output expectations would be lower?

 

I'll chime in at a later point, since I'm not quite sure of that yet, and am still reading up on the US system, and also what options there are globally ;-).

 

TT R1 anywhere between New England and Virginia.

 

Or (S)LAC in an awesome city with decent enough pay. 

[IRToni]

TT R1 anywhere between New England and Virginia.

 

Or (S)LAC in an awesome city with decent enough pay. 

 

Does PhD institution choice affect location afterwards, do you think? TT R1 would be a 2-2 load, right?

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

Does PhD institution choice affect location afterwards, do you think? TT R1 would be a 2-2 load, right?

 

What do you mean? As in ranking vs. placement? I've gathered that institutions place better in the immediate area, but that could be a matter of convenience. Yes re: 2-2 load, as far as I know. 

[victorydance]

It has a huge effect. Way bigger than it actually should. Many of R1 positions in the US are utterily dominated by top 5-10 schools.

Edited March 18, 2014 by HopefulComparativist

[IRToni]

What do you mean? As in ranking vs. placement? I've gathered that institutions place better in the immediate area, but that could be a matter of convenience. Yes re: 2-2 load, as far as I know. 

 

Let's say you attend an institution in the mid-west. Is your chance of getting a job in New England lower than if you attend a similar NE institution?

Edited March 18, 2014 by IRToni

[victorydance]

Let's say you attend an institution in the mid-west. Is your chance of getting a job in New England lower than if you attend a similar NE institution?

 

I don't see any evidence to suggest there are large geographical factors. Some universities do have histories of hiring ph.d. students from X university, but that's about it.

[AuldReekie]

I don't see any evidence to suggest there are large geographical factors. Some universities do have histories of hiring ph.d. students from X university, but that's about it.

 

I've seen this with with a few lower end SLACs, but not sure if it's really a factor at research intensive institutions. 

[IRToni]

Thanks everyone!

One other, possibly stupid Q: What would a 2-2 load translate to in the quarter system? I've seen 2-2-2, but I've also seen 2-2-0 mentioned.

[victorydance]

Thanks everyone!

One other, possibly stupid Q: What would a 2-2 load translate to in the quarter system? I've seen 2-2-2, but I've also seen 2-2-0 mentioned.

 

I have no idea how a quarter system works.

 

But 2 + 2 is teaching two (approx.) 15 week classes each semester (these classes typically have 2-3 hours of lecture per week). So whatever that is comparable to in a quarter system is probably your answer.

 

I've seen this with with a few lower end SLACs, but not sure if it's really a factor at research intensive institutions. 

 

Not sure how it works at LACs. But there have been some studies on this subject (for research unis) that basically show that ranking has a huge effect, but any other factor is negligible or doesn't appear to have a large effect.

 

Subjectively, I would say adviser plays a large role as well. But that variable is often hard to hash out because typically higher ranked programs have greater dissertation advisers on average.

[BFB]

It has a huge effect. Way bigger than it actually should. Many of R1 positions in the US are utterily dominated by top 5-10 schools.

 

As it happens, I've been looking into this. If you measure Ph.D. placements per faculty member in political science (to control for size of dept.), a few departments do stand out, but mostly you see a big bulge in the top 25. Data are here.

[catchermiscount]

And, while you do want to think about your end results (very much!), it is dangerous to put too much faith in these things.  You're not just picking a school; you're picking a you-school dyad.  To take an extreme example:  we have had people come to Rochester because it is generally known for placing well.  You know who gets placed well from Rochester?  People that did well at Rochester, which in turn ends up being people that have an aptitude for learning the tools necessary for our kind of work (and, more importantly, like our kind of work).  This sort of fit thing is generally well-addressed at the application level and at the acceptance level, but it's not perfectly addressed.  

 

So yes, think about placement, but also think about how good and marketable the <insert school here> version of you will look.

 

Also, BFB:  thank you for the helpful email about that one thing a few months back.  It came through.

Edited March 18, 2014 by coachrjc

[Nords]

Just got a phone call from the DGS at Pittsburgh (top choice!). Admitted off the waitlist! One of the best days of my life! 

[AuldReekie]

Just got a phone call from the DGS at Pittsburgh (top choice!). Admitted off the waitlist! One of the best days of my life! 

 

Well done, that's fantastic! Say hello to the Cathedral for me .

[IRToni]

Just got a phone call from the DGS at Pittsburgh (top choice!). Admitted off the waitlist! One of the best days of my life! 

 

Congrats! So glad for you! Guess you'll be turning down all your other offers (and the other WL) now?

[Nords]

Well done, that's fantastic! Say hello to the Cathedral for me .

Will (most likely) do!

 

Congrats! So glad for you! Guess you'll be turning down all your other offers (and the other WL) now?

Thanks so much! Yes, most likely. I haven't made a final decision quite yet though. I have a visitation day this week at Riverside this Friday. Since I didn't expect to get a call from Pitt this soon, I agreed to the visit at Riverside and since they already arranged a flight and hotel, I at least want to give it a shot to be fair. But I think I'll turn down all the others now, yeah. It would take something quite special from any of the other schools to suddenly change my mind =)

[roprisko]

Placement

 

When looking at graduate programs, I strongly suggest applying for the PhD, even if you have no desire to move past the MA.  It will increase your chances of funding and the investment that your program will put into you.  You can always change your mind and get the PhD, which you are already set for.  Going into an MA program only, will almost always come without funding and will alter the value you bring to the department.  

 

I strongly suggest leaving for a better program following your MA if you were not directly admitted to your PhD program.  The worst thing a better program can do is say "No" and you can continue as normal.

 

My research on placement can be found in the following articles:

1)  http://gppreview.com/2012/12/03/superpowers-the-american-academic-elite/

2)  http://gppreview.com/2013/08/21/pushing-up-ivies-institutional-prestige-and-the-academic-caste-system/

3)  http://gppreview.com/2013/09/15/placement-efficiency-an-alternative-ranking-metric-for-graduate-schools/

 

Comprehensive paper)  http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2303567

 

Power Point Presentation)  https://www.academia.edu/4266759/Honor_Prestige_and_the_Academy_A_Portrait_of_Political_Science_Tenured_and_Tenure-track_Faculty_in_Ph.D.-granting_Institutions_2012-2013_

 

The first three are quick reads, the fourth is a comprehensive paper.  The final link is a power-point presentation that I gave at APSA.  The most important point, however, is that this method shows the competitiveness of these programs.  Yes, it only looks at placement in R1 programs, but that's by design.  I strongly caution you to pay attention to anecdotes and numbers (statistics without citations) from Profs or programs.  If they don't have hard data, it's for a reason - the data doesn't reflect positively on them.

 

Many people will tell you a "truth" they want you to believe.  I think that you should look at the numbers, read up on it, and decide for yourself.  The absolute worst way to enter graduate school is unable to think critically.

 

Good luck to you all.

[IRToni]

Will (most likely) do!

 

Thanks so much! Yes, most likely. I haven't made a final decision quite yet though. I have a visitation day this week at Riverside this Friday. Since I didn't expect to get a call from Pitt this soon, I agreed to the visit at Riverside and since they already arranged a flight and hotel, I at least want to give it a shot to be fair. But I think I'll turn down all the others now, yeah. It would take something quite special from any of the other schools to suddenly change my mind =)

 

Of course, did not mean to pressure you! Pitt advertises that it had 11 papers in top 3 journals. What are those top 3 in the US? What about IR/CP? I'm guessing IO and ISQ for IR?

[Nords]

Of course, did not mean to pressure you! Pitt advertises that it had 11 papers in top 3 journals. What are those top 3 in the US? What about IR/CP? I'm guessing IO and ISQ for IR?

I haven't actually asked about which particular journals they're referring to. Subfield would certainly matter haha For me, the heavy departmental focus on the EU is a huge factor, since I'm a Europeanist =) For that, the top journal would typically be the Journal of Common Market Studies, but I doubt that that's what they're referring to as a top 3 in the discipline, since it's quite interdisciplinary. 

[cooperstreet]

 

 

When looking at graduate programs, I strongly suggest applying for the PhD, even if you have no desire to move past the MA.  

 

This is highly unethical.

[IRToni]

I haven't actually asked about which particular journals they're referring to. Subfield would certainly matter haha For me, the heavy departmental focus on the EU is a huge factor, since I'm a Europeanist =) For that, the top journal would typically be the Journal of Common Market Studies, but I doubt that that's what they're referring to as a top 3 in the discipline, since it's quite interdisciplinary. 

 

That was more a general Q, since I've gotten to know so many new programs through seeing where everyone has applied, and I feel very ignorant about poli sci on the other side of the pond . I guess the American Political Science Review is #1 in the US, but then?

[AuldReekie]

Placement

 

When looking at graduate programs, I strongly suggest applying for the PhD, even if you have no desire to move past the MA.  It will increase your chances of funding and the investment that your program will put into you.  You can always change your mind and get the PhD, which you are already set for.  Going into an MA program only, will almost always come without funding and will alter the value you bring to the department.  

 

I strongly suggest leaving for a better program following your MA if you were not directly admitted to your PhD program.  The worst thing a better program can do is say "No" and you can continue as normal.

 

My research on placement can be found in the following articles:

1)  http://gppreview.com/2012/12/03/superpowers-the-american-academic-elite/

2)  http://gppreview.com/2013/08/21/pushing-up-ivies-institutional-prestige-and-the-academic-caste-system/

3)  http://gppreview.com/2013/09/15/placement-efficiency-an-alternative-ranking-metric-for-graduate-schools/

 

Comprehensive paper)  http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2303567

 

Power Point Presentation)  https://www.academia.edu/4266759/Honor_Prestige_and_the_Academy_A_Portrait_of_Political_Science_Tenured_and_Tenure-track_Faculty_in_Ph.D.-granting_Institutions_2012-2013_

 

The first three are quick reads, the fourth is a comprehensive paper.  The final link is a power-point presentation that I gave at APSA.  The most important point, however, is that this method shows the competitiveness of these programs.  Yes, it only looks at placement in R1 programs, but that's by design.  I strongly caution you to pay attention to anecdotes and numbers (statistics without citations) from Profs or programs.  If they don't have hard data, it's for a reason - the data doesn't reflect positively on them.

 

Many people will tell you a "truth" they want you to believe.  I think that you should look at the numbers, read up on it, and decide for yourself.  The absolute worst way to enter graduate school is unable to think critically.

 

Good luck to you all.

 

Thanks, some interesting things in there. 

[Nords]

That was more a general Q, since I've gotten to know so many new programs through seeing where everyone has applied, and I feel very ignorant about poli sci on the other side of the pond . I guess the American Political Science Review is #1 in the US, but then?

Unfortunately, I can't say I know much about U.S. poli sci compared to Europe. I'm technically a U.S. citizen, but I grew up in Europe as well and have always been much more focused on that  

[cooperstreet]

In IR its international organization, international studies quarterly, international security, world politics

[TheGnome]

You're not just picking a school; you're picking a you-school dyad.... So yes, think about placement, but also think about how good and marketable the <insert school here> version of you will look.

 

I think this should be memorized by every prospective student.

 

 

As it happens, I've been looking into this. If you measure Ph.D. placements per faculty member in political science (to control for size of dept.), a few departments do stand out, but mostly you see a big bulge in the top 25. Data are here.

 

Thanks for the link! I went ahead and checked their data from ICPSR. I am sure it will be of interest to many people, since the graphs only contain so much information. Here is the link http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/icpsrweb/ICPSR/studies/34697 

 

In IR its international organization, international studies quarterly, international security, world politics

 

I think in US people usually mean APSR, AJPS and JOP when they talk about top 3 in political science in general. I am certainly not the authority on this, and the journals you list are definitely great outlets, but I believe things get a bit more blurry after APSR, AJPS and IO for IR. ISQ is surely great, has high visibility, and I am sure many consider it to be among the previous group. I just think that the previous three is more uncontroversial. World Politics, it seems to me, became a more comparative politics-ish journal rather than an IR-ish journal in the recent past. Depending on their bent, many people may prefer Journal of Conflict Resolution over International Security. JOP, while considered one of the top 3 generalist journals in the discipline, lags behind IO for IR. Then there are other stuff like British Journal of Political Science, Quarterly Journal of Political Science, European Journal of International Relations etc. Anyway, I wasn't aiming to throw random comments on journals. My point is, in the US, for IR, much of it depends on the context when singling out individual journals for "top-ness" after APSR, AJPS and IO. 

Edited March 19, 2014 by TheGnome

[MiroslavBass]

claim LSU acceptance.

They said, no assistanship is available for me, but they nominated me to Graduate School
Tuition Award. It covers all the tuition fees, but I do not know whether it provides monthy stipend or not. How do you think?