Welcome to the 2013-2014 Cycle

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

Seriously, glad to see I'm the only one.

 

It's funny because I'll run through multiple iterations, and in the end (after all the editing) I'm left with the same damn list. =_=*

 

Oh, and hi everyone. Finally stopped lurking and created an account. Apparently, even "applying" for a gradcafe account makes me anxious.

 

Welcome to the group! I put off joining for the longest time last year and just lurked.

[TheGnome]

Welcome cautiously_optimistic!

 

+1 for the name

[zudei]

welcome to the group

 

Thanks. Again, glad to see I'm not the only one! (FYI typo/word-omission in first post...which is great, because I can now obsess about whether there are typos in the SOP I submitted yesterday)

 

 

Thanks!!

 

Anyone applying in the American Politics or Methodology fields?

 

welcome to the group! i'm applying in methodology (formal theory). are you as well?

[doctoralgrad23]

Today, I sumbitted 2 of my list. I just realized I did a funny mistake in SOP that I send one of them:) Wish me luck..

[catchermiscount]

Advice to the applicants:

 

1. Make sure this is really what you want to do. 

 

I have questioned myself once a week since being here if this is what I really want. I have come to find out that academic political science is really theoretical, which is fine, but theoretical does not mesh well with me. I am interested in one subsection of the discipline, so the rest of this stuff I care nothing about. So it is tough for me to stay motivated. I am hoping once I get to the stuff I am interested in, things will change (this may just be first year/semester blues and adjusting to it)

 

2. Go where you can get a job

 

People in my department are delusional. It appears as if there was some deception in recruiting students into who really gets TT jobs. This + having difficulty in staying motivated in my classes is not a good combination. Ask for placement record OF ALL GRADUATES, not just who they list on their website.

 

 

THERE ARE NOT MANY JOBS IN POLITICAL SCIENCE

 

and the ones that are available go to Top 10 students and MAYBE Top 25.

 

http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/08/26/mixed-news-political-science-job-market

http://drezner.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2012/12/07/is_the_political_science_job_market_an_oligopoly

 

I do not mind working in the private sector/NGO/Non-Profit/Gov. sector, that is the only reason why I have not dropped out yet.

 

 

3. Go somewhere with low first year requirements & Funding

 

For someone fresh out of a BS, or with limited academic writing (like me), requiring a research paper in the first semester is not wise. I know at top schools, some do not even require you to teach or write a research paper in the first year. At state schools, this is completely different. Try to get a hold of the handbook/syllabi before hand and see if you mesh with the course work

 

Also, in terms of funding. It appears that at some schools, the requirement is 3.0-3.2 GPA to keep it. Mine is 3.5GPA. This will create a major amount of stress that you do not want. Ask for funding requirements BEFORE accepting your offer.

 

***It seems as if schools have PhD programs just to have TA's for their classes. And they do not care if you pass. 

 

It really is remarkable how quickly people get the hang of grad school!

 

In seriousness:  the first year can get pretty existential.  It should get existential.  If you still feel like you're going to write the exact same dissertation that you mention in your SoP one semester into your training, something's amiss.

 

Also:  technical training can be added to the "make sure you want to do this" section.  Not only are we absurdly abstract and useless:  we're absurdly abstract and useless with lots of Greek letters.

Edited December 3, 2013 by coachrjc

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

Well, I did it again. I had to return to the list and think about where else I could be applying. Just sent an e-mail to one of my LORs asking if I'm going overboard by adding another school (that would make it 9 altogether). He's known for being candid, so hopefully I will get a candid response.

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

***It seems as if schools have PhD programs just to have TA's for their classes. And they do not care if you pass. 

 

There's actually a huge debate that's been waged in the past years on this very topic. In some schools, Assistantships are being used more like slave labor.

 

Sorry to hear your experience isn't turning out as great as you'd hoped - though I do hope it improves! What could have improved your experience, personally?

[silver_lining]

Well, I did it again. I had to return to the list and think about where else I could be applying. Just sent an e-mail to one of my LORs asking if I'm going overboard by adding another school (that would make it 9 altogether). He's known for being candid, so hopefully I will get a candid response.

Applying to 9 schools is definitely not going overboard. Every time I asked about a school, my LORs response was typically "just add it to the list, we can have a discussion about schools after you are admitted."

I know this question must have been asked elsewhere, but for the SoP, should you put a header on the top labeled "Statement of Purpose"? I've only been doing this for schools that specifically stated a particular format. 

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

Applying to 9 schools is definitely not going overboard. Every time I asked about a school, my LORs response was typically "just add it to the list, we can have a discussion about schools after you are admitted."

I know this question must have been asked elsewhere, but for the SoP, should you put a header on the top labeled "Statement of Purpose"? I've only been doing this for schools that specifically stated a particular format. 

 

Since this is round 2 for me, I can't help but feel this is also the last round for a while, whether I get in or not... I can only change so much between March 2014 and application season 2014.

 

Unless there's been a specific format, I've been using a header that goes:

 

FIRST LAST (name) | UNIVERSITY ... | Ph.D. Political Science (or Government)

[silver_lining]

Since this is round 2 for me, I can't help but feel this is also the last round for a while, whether I get in or not... I can only change so much between March 2014 and application season 2014.

 

Unless there's been a specific format, I've been using a header that goes:

 

FIRST LAST (name) | UNIVERSITY ... | Ph.D. Political Science (or Government)

Thanks!

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

My prof provided a bit of feedback, all suggesting theoretical approaches to the question, "When have I applied to too many?" Namely, could I imagine going there, and is there any combination of the schools I'm already applying to that, if I were accepted into - say - 4, the new one could be a first choice? Reasonable enough!

 

Oh, and he said this. "Hope that helps. I will lift a glass of wine and toast your endeavors at the Christmas party to which [other adviser] has graciously invited me."

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

TakeMyCoffeeBlack, your kind and wise adviser makes a great point about the added value a program must bring to a list. (  he would be a great adviser if he would also send you a bottle of wine to drown out toast the process of applying)

 

And I'm sure he would, were I not an ocean away! He's now retired from the university, but just published with Oxford (twice!) - an old-school academic, for sure. And he makes more than a great point about the added value a program must bring, he also makes a great point about the value of wine. Which is why I ran out to the store before it closed tonight to grab a bottle (an Austrian Blauer Zweigelt).

[astreaux]

A question-- how many faculty members are you listing in your SOP? I've tried to identify at least three in each program who are a good match, but I'm struggling with one school in particular. There is one Professor who is an excellent match, and I have already confirmed that he is accepting new students. Do I list additional faculty, even if they're not such good matches?

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

A question-- how many faculty members are you listing in your SOP? I've tried to identify at least three in each program who are a good match, but I'm struggling with one school in particular. There is one Professor who is an excellent match, and I have already confirmed that he is accepting new students. Do I list additional faculty, even if they're not such good matches?

 

This is a terribly difficult question. There are some schools, for example, that have faculty members working in the various subjects I'm interested in (and I feel silly listing them all), and others - like you say here - where only one really fits the bill. In that case, you might consider identifying the really good match professor and talk about their research, but provide the names of other professors from whom you could really learn/benefit?

[BFB]

This is a terribly difficult question. There are some schools, for example, that have faculty members working in the various subjects I'm interested in (and I feel silly listing them all), and others - like you say here - where only one really fits the bill. In that case, you might consider identifying the really good match professor and talk about their research, but provide the names of other professors from whom you could really learn/benefit?

 

This.

[astreaux]

This is a terribly difficult question. There are some schools, for example, that have faculty members working in the various subjects I'm interested in (and I feel silly listing them all), and others - like you say here - where only one really fits the bill. In that case, you might consider identifying the really good match professor and talk about their research, but provide the names of other professors from whom you could really learn/benefit?

 

Thanks-- that sounds like a good plan.

[silver_lining]

Another faculty member listing/"FIT" question:

If your writing sample and SoP clearly places you around the Neo-liberal/Constructivism camp, is it ok to list a Realist as a person of interest? Or is that committing some deadly sin? There are other faculty members that I am listing, but I do think I could benefit from his expertise as well. 

Edited December 4, 2013 by luckyducky

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

Another faculty member listing/"FIT" question:

If your writing sample and SoP clearly places you around the Neo-liberal/Constructivism camp, is it ok to list a Realist as a person of interest? Or is that committing some deadly sin? There are other faculty members that I am listing, but I do think I could benefit from his expertise as well. 

 

 

x1

[TheGnome]

If your writing sample and SoP clearly places you around the Neo-liberal/Constructivism camp, is it ok to list a Realist as a person of interest? Or is that committing some deadly sin?

NOOOOOO. Don't be tempted ducky! Don't you know that he (curiously it is almost always a he) will persuade you to switch to the dark side?

[BFB]

Another faculty member listing/"FIT" question:

If your writing sample and SoP clearly places you around the Neo-liberal/Constructivism camp, is it ok to list a Realist as a person of interest? Or is that committing some deadly sin? There are other faculty members that I am listing, but I do think I could benefit from his expertise as well. 

 

Hmm. That depends. As a primary advisor—unwise. But if you make it clear that you want your work to benefit from a wide range of perspectives, and Professor Mearwaltzenschweller would be an ideal person to force you to do the best work you can possibly do, I'd buy it. I actually think that's a really smart strategy in general.

[BFB]

Another faculty member listing/"FIT" question:

If your writing sample and SoP clearly places you around the Neo-liberal/Constructivism camp, is it ok to list a Realist as a person of interest? Or is that committing some deadly sin? There are other faculty members that I am listing, but I do think I could benefit from his expertise as well. 

 

I should add—speaking only for myself!—that additional persons of interest don't really do much for me if they're not a solid fit. I care whether you've correctly identified a primary advisor who's a good fit for you. Beyond that, I'd rather read more statement of purpose than read an increasingly tenuous story about how the entire subfield consists of persons of interest.

[TorrentOfArdentPathos]

I should add—speaking only for myself!—that additional persons of interest don't really do much for me if they're not a solid fit. I care whether you've correctly identified a primary advisor who's a good fit for you. Beyond that, I'd rather read more statement of purpose than read an increasingly tenuous story about how the entire subfield consists of persons of interest.

 

This is something that I struggled with.  I felt compelled to mention additional POIs, but could never figure out how much to talk about them.  I didn't want to spend as much space on them as I did my primary POIs, but I didn't want to merely list names with no additional details either.  

[silver_lining]

Hmm. That depends. As a primary advisor—unwise. But if you make it clear that you want your work to benefit from a wide range of perspectives, and Professor Mearwaltzenschweller would be an ideal person to force you to do the best work you can possibly do, I'd buy it. I actually think that's a really smart strategy in general.

 

 

I should add—speaking only for myself!—that additional persons of interest don't really do much for me if they're not a solid fit. I care whether you've correctly identified a primary advisor who's a good fit for you. Beyond that, I'd rather read more statement of purpose than read an increasingly tenuous story about how the entire subfield consists of persons of interest.

Thanks for your reply! Although all of the advice you have given recently has been post-OSU submission, your advice will hopefully be useful for the other schools I am applying to. I did not mention Schweller in my SoP and I am definitely not applying to Chicago (though it is a lovely program). 

I would like to apologize in advance for my use of 11 point font, single-spaced via LaTex... I also apologize for mentioning more than 2 potential advisors and not explaining why I want to work with them. I just assumed that my research "proposal" would have demonstrated that. Also, I ran out of space and, therefore, would have gone over the two page limit. 

[BFB]

 

 

Thanks for your reply! Although all of the advice you have given recently has been post-OSU submission, your advice will hopefully be useful for the other schools I am applying to. I did not mention Schweller in my SoP and I am definitely not applying to Chicago (though it is a lovely program). 

I would like to apologize in advance for my use of 11 point font, single-spaced via LaTex... I also apologize for mentioning more than 2 potential advisors and not explaining why I want to work with them. I just assumed that my research "proposal" would have demonstrated that. Also, I ran out of space and, therefore, would have gone over the two page limit. 

 

 

Seriously, don't sweat it. In the grand scheme of things, the number of people you mention, the number of pages, the font, etc., etc., will probably make zero difference. I mostly answer these questions because you folks ask them   … not because the answers are make-or-break.

[silver_lining]

This is something that I struggled with.  I felt compelled to mention additional POIs, but could never figure out how much to talk about them.  I didn't want to spend as much space on them as I did my primary POIs, but I didn't want to merely list names with no additional details either.  

 

I guess this is a little late since the Columbia deadline has already passed, but Dr. Humphreys offers good advice (from his perspective, of course). He doesn't seem to care too much about the "fit" paragraph since that should have been demonstrated throughout the SoP from your research questions. However, this may vary across schools and even within adcoms. 

http://www.columbia.edu/~mh2245/advice.html