Should I Apply to Programs With Lower Rankings?

[Yue Lee]

Hi all! I'm a newbie here and I'm applying for comparative politics PhD programs now.

 

I kinda freaked out when some of my friends suggested me to apply for a couple more programs with lower rankings. So I think maybe I can get some advice here

Here are my stats:

 

International student

Research interest: Civil society activism in China, maybe some comparative studies between China and some other authoritarian state

Undergrad: Government, Top 2 university in China (Best in political science, I guess)

Undergrad GPA:  let's say 84/100, or 3.41 (GPA calculation method is kinda different), no so good.

MPhil: Political Science, Top 2 university in Hong Kong

MPhil GPA: 3.87

GRE: V157， Q170，AW4.5 (not a native speaker of English)

Research method: I'm not super quantitative, but ok with SPSS, STATA and stuff

Experience: part time research job at some LGBT and women NGOs

No publication

Language: Mandarin Chinese, English, some Korean

I plan to apply for programs in MIT, Berkeley, Wisconsin-Madison, Cornell, Notre Dame, and Maryland. Do I have a shot at these programs, or should I find some programs with lower rankings to replace them? 

 

Thank you so much : )
 

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

You have a shot at the programs, but nothing's guaranteed. Problem is, it wouldn't be guaranteed at the "lower ranked" universities either, since it's all about fit. Make a small list of universities you could be really happy at (which you already have) and put everything you can into it. You've got a decent spread here from the top 30. From there, it's a mixture of preparedness and luck.

[Yue Lee]

You have a shot at the programs, but nothing's guaranteed. Problem is, it wouldn't be guaranteed at the "lower ranked" universities either, since it's all about fit. Make a small list of universities you could be really happy at (which you already have) and put everything you can into it. You've got a decent spread here from the top 30. From there, it's a mixture of preparedness and luck.

Thank you TakeMyCoffeeBlack! 

[TheGnome]

I echo what TMCB said. However, if there are other schools that you think are good fits, would be happy to attend, and have the extra money for the application fees, I would go ahead and apply to them as well.

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

I echo what TMCB said. However, if there are other schools that you think are good fits, would be happy to attend, and have the extra money for the application fees, I would go ahead and apply to them as well.

+1

[steedyue]

Hi all! I'm a newbie here and I'm applying for comparative politics PhD programs now.

 

I kinda freaked out when some of my friends suggested me to apply for a couple more programs with lower rankings. So I think maybe I can get some advice here

Here are my stats:

 

International student

Research interest: Civil society activism in China, maybe some comparative studies between China and some other authoritarian state

Undergrad: Government, Top 2 university in China (Best in political science, I guess)

Undergrad GPA:  let's say 84/100, or 3.41 (GPA calculation method is kinda different), no so good.

MPhil: Political Science, Top 2 university in Hong Kong

MPhil GPA: 3.87

GRE: V157， Q170，AW4.5 (not a native speaker of English)

Research method: I'm not super quantitative, but ok with SPSS, STATA and stuff

Experience: part time research job at some LGBT and women NGOs

No publication

Language: Mandarin Chinese, English, some Korean

I plan to apply for programs in MIT, Berkeley, Wisconsin-Madison, Cornell, Notre Dame, and Maryland. Do I have a shot at these programs, or should I find some programs with lower rankings to replace them? 

 

Thank you so much : )

 

Peking University right? i don't know there is a political science department in China mainland, if you understand what i mean.

 

By the way, I happen to know some other Chinese students applying political science Ph.D. this year, and they are from Yale, Stanford and Columbia. A very identical characteristics is that they would shoot for 8-12 schools. 

Edited November 23, 2013 by steedyue

[Yue Lee]

I echo what TMCB said. However, if there are other schools that you think are good fits, would be happy to attend, and have the extra money for the application fees, I would go ahead and apply to them as well.

Thx!

[Yue Lee]

Peking University right? i don't know there is a political science department in China mainland, if you understand what i mean.

 

By the way, I happen to know some other Chinese students applying political science Ph.D. this year, and they are from Yale, Stanford and Columbia. A very identical characteristics is that they would shoot for 8-12 schools. 

Yeah, and yeah, I know what u mean...

Thx : )