Creating a gangsta application

[rustytrix]

i will be graduating this summer and will be a phd applicant (poli sci of course) next year .... i have 6-7 months between graduation and the app cycle so i was wondering what i could do to polish up my application (apart from doing research on prospective schools)...since i have already taken the gre i was thinking doing some more research (beyond my senior thesis) would be helpful...is there anything else i could do?

[jackassjim]

Write a better statement of purpose. Tailor it to every school you are applying to. Don't apply anywhere you don't have a great match with the faculty. Go to ICPSR and get letters from profs that you meet there!(is it too late to register?).

Unless you publish the additional research, I don't see how helpful it's going to be. If it can help you present a better writing sample, then go ahead. Make sure a prof reads it before sending it though.

Work as a research assistant for a prof that lets you do something else than coding.

[rustytrix]

Go to ICPSR and get letters from profs that you meet there!(is it too late to register?).

Are you talking about the "Summer Program in Quantitative Methods of Social Research"?

[AllFiredUp]

Specify in the SOP what hood you are from, what colors you wear, how many thugs you've capped.

[rustytrix]

Specify in the SOP what hood you are from, what colors you wear, how many thugs you've capped.

rofl!!!

[jackassjim]

Are you talking about the "Summer Program in Quantitative Methods of Social Research"?

That's it

[rustytrix]

That's it

that really seems like a great opportunity except for the fact that it costs a min. of $6000, which i cannot afford at this point.

also, i am planning to take some calculus based probability (and probably mathematical statistics) before the app cycle. will these courses strengthen my app if my research interests are quant. based?

[jackassjim]

that really seems like a great opportunity except for the fact that it costs a min. of $6000, which i cannot afford at this point.

also, i am planning to take some calculus based probability (and probably mathematical statistics) before the app cycle. will these courses strengthen my app if my research interests are quant. based?

I think you don't have to attend the whole thing (= less $). But yeah, it is really expensive and I could not afford to go either.