twinsora Posted November 22, 2014 Share Posted November 22, 2014 Hi all, I know theres a forum post for this year's cycle, but I was hoping to recreate a thread for just Canadian Political Science Programs. Currently a fourth year undergraduate at McMaster, Expected GPA is 3.1-3.2, expected last two years is 3.5-3.7. Applying to MA programs in Theory/IR. Applying towards the following schools: York, UVic, McMaster, McGill, UBC, Carleton in Poli Sci and SFU & Waterloo for Public Policy/Admin. Best of luck to all in this years cycle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeetlebuice Posted November 23, 2014 Share Posted November 23, 2014 Hey twinsora, Thanks for creating this forum! I'm currently a fourth year undergraduate at the University of Guelph. My current cGPA is 3.3 (79) but I am hoping to get it to a 3.7 for funding. My third year was 3.8 and I am hoping to get around the same this year (although I have economics, so fingers crossed). I also have a thesis this year. I am also applying to international relations programs. My number one is Carleton (NPSIA), followed by Ottawa (GPSIA). I haven't decided where else I want to apply yet. I would apply to Toronto (Munk) if I wasn't so turned off by the ridiculously high tuition fees and the lack of funding. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinsora Posted November 24, 2014 Author Share Posted November 24, 2014 I know NPSIA and GPSIA offer really competitive funding packages. The former being harder to get into than the latter. Don't know too much about Munk. I'm just crossing my fingers that my average will be able to get me into one grad school, since its fairly low compared to most other applicants. I think most other applicants have at least a 3.7 in their last two years, and most schools don't pay attention to your first two years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maozedong Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 (edited) Applying to York, UofT, McMaster, and Carleton for political theory. 3.5 (cGPA), 3.61 (L2), decent EC's, ok references, no research experience. Wishing everyone good luck for this cycle! Edited November 24, 2014 by maozedong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinsora Posted November 25, 2014 Author Share Posted November 25, 2014 Nice! I'm currently an undergrad at McMaster, and I know that they recently made a new theory hire, and he seems really good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atnight12 Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 (edited) On a 4.0 scale according to this: http://www.ouac.on.ca/docs/olsas/c_olsas_b.pdf CGPA: 3.6 L2 (2nd and 3rd year): 3.8 Expected 4th year: 3.9 I'm currently applying to the political science MA programs at Queen's and U of T. I have a few questions... Does anyone know exactly fourth year marks come into play? I'm taking three courses right now (due to certain circumstances), but I'm taking five in the Winter semester. Will they be able to see/take into account my fourth year Winter semester marks? Or do they start to give out offers of admission before final marks come in...? Also, does anyone have a rough idea of how difficult it would be to get into UBC and McGill? I know that McGill accepts about 25-35 out of an applicant pool of about 350-450... should I not even bother applying? Final question -- what is the general consensus on U of T's political science MA program? I know it's somewhat larger than most of the other schools... how is the funding? Is it much harder to get accepted for OGS at U of T? Edited November 25, 2014 by atnight12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeetlebuice Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 I know NPSIA and GPSIA offer really competitive funding packages. The former being harder to get into than the latter. Don't know too much about Munk. I'm just crossing my fingers that my average will be able to get me into one grad school, since its fairly low compared to most other applicants. I think most other applicants have at least a 3.7 in their last two years, and most schools don't pay attention to your first two years. Yes, I know they offer great funding packages. I know people who go to uOttawa who were offered around $30,000. Carleton is definitely harder to get into. I am most worried about my grades, a they aren't amazing. I have a lot of ECs (Executive for Model UN, Executive for AIESEC, charity clubs, academic mentoring, etc.). I am also writing my thesis and I was an undergraduate research assistant this past summer (although it was in an unrelated field to what I want to study). I am interested in studying conflict. NPSIA has a cluster for conflict analysis, so it is currently my number one. If anyone knows any reputable conflict programs in Canada or elsewhere, please let me know! I am having trouble finding more programs to apply to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeetlebuice Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 On a 4.0 scale according to this: http://www.ouac.on.ca/docs/olsas/c_olsas_b.pdf CGPA: 3.6 L2 (2nd and 3rd year): 3.8 Expected 4th year: 3.9 I'm currently applying to the political science MA programs at Queen's and U of T. I have a few questions... Does anyone know exactly fourth year marks come into play? I'm taking three courses right now (due to certain circumstances), but I'm taking five in the Winter semester. Will they be able to see/take into account my fourth year Winter semester marks? Or do they start to give out offers of admission before final marks come in...? Also, does anyone have a rough idea of how difficult it would be to get into UBC and McGill? I know that McGill accepts about 25-35 out of an applicant pool of about 350-450... should I not even bother applying? Final question -- what is the general consensus on U of T's political science MA program? I know it's somewhat larger than most of the other schools... how is the funding? Is it much harder to get accepted for OGS at U of T? Acceptances are usually sent out before the winter semester is finished, so they usually don't look at winter semester marks when making admission decisions. They look at your winter marks for scholarships and funding. I don't know much about McGill or UBC but don't let the admission statistics intimidate you! You should definitely apply. There might be something unique about your application that they really enjoy. Again, I don't know much about U of T, but I am assuming their funding is less than generous. Someone in last year's forum said they only received $7,000 for Munk when the tuition is over $22,000. This is just an assumption, though. They might actually give generous funding packages! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinsora Posted November 25, 2014 Author Share Posted November 25, 2014 Acceptances are usually sent out before the winter semester is finished, so they usually don't look at winter semester marks when making admission decisions. They look at your winter marks for scholarships and funding. I don't know much about McGill or UBC but don't let the admission statistics intimidate you! You should definitely apply. There might be something unique about your application that they really enjoy. Again, I don't know much about U of T, but I am assuming their funding is less than generous. Someone in last year's forum said they only received $7,000 for Munk when the tuition is over $22,000. This is just an assumption, though. They might actually give generous funding packages! I know for UofT, particularly the Masters in Political Science, that they usually do not offer funding. Most students get an entrance scholarship, valued at about 1,000. I know that for acceptances, generally if you apply before your winter semester marks come in, they look at your 2nd and 3rd year grades. If you apply with your winter grades, they look at your 1st semester 4th year grades, and your entire 3rd year. This process might vary between institutions. To respond to the earlier post on programs that focus on conflict analysis - I know Waterloo has a Masters Program in Political Science, with one of their major fields being Conflict & Conflict resolution. Minimum admissions average is B+ in last two years, three letters of reference, and a resume I think. Their funding is actually pretty good, at about 15k, give or take a few depending on grades, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atnight12 Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 Acceptances are usually sent out before the winter semester is finished, so they usually don't look at winter semester marks when making admission decisions. They look at your winter marks for scholarships and funding. I don't know much about McGill or UBC but don't let the admission statistics intimidate you! You should definitely apply. There might be something unique about your application that they really enjoy. Again, I don't know much about U of T, but I am assuming their funding is less than generous. Someone in last year's forum said they only received $7,000 for Munk when the tuition is over $22,000. This is just an assumption, though. They might actually give generous funding packages! I know for UofT, particularly the Masters in Political Science, that they usually do not offer funding. Most students get an entrance scholarship, valued at about 1,000. I know that for acceptances, generally if you apply before your winter semester marks come in, they look at your 2nd and 3rd year grades. If you apply with your winter grades, they look at your 1st semester 4th year grades, and your entire 3rd year. This process might vary between institutions. To respond to the earlier post on programs that focus on conflict analysis - I know Waterloo has a Masters Program in Political Science, with one of their major fields being Conflict & Conflict resolution. Minimum admissions average is B+ in last two years, three letters of reference, and a resume I think. Their funding is actually pretty good, at about 15k, give or take a few depending on grades, etc. Thanks for your replies! In terms of the Statement of Interest... do any of you know where I can access a good example of one? I don't know how I am supposed to flesh it out in 500 words... especially given the fact that I don't have any research experience. Is it okay if the focus of my SOI is really just what my research interests are? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinsora Posted November 27, 2014 Author Share Posted November 27, 2014 Thanks for your replies! In terms of the Statement of Interest... do any of you know where I can access a good example of one? I don't know how I am supposed to flesh it out in 500 words... especially given the fact that I don't have any research experience. Is it okay if the focus of my SOI is really just what my research interests are? I'm actually struggling a bit with this as well! I have a couple of statements, and I'd be interested to do a swap to see what else is out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victorydance Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 (edited) I am finished my applications, so if anyone wants to PM to see my SOP they can. I had trouble fitting everything into the 500 word limit. I found the American masters SOP a lot easier because they allowed longer ones. I basically had to cut out most of my research experience and just focus on my interests. Edited November 27, 2014 by victorydance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbrynen Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 Hey everyone, I'm currently a student at GSPIA. If anyone has any questions about the program (or any others that I was accepted to last year) shoot me a message or write me on here! Good luck to all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeetlebuice Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 Hey everyone, I'm currently a student at GSPIA. If anyone has any questions about the program (or any others that I was accepted to last year) shoot me a message or write me on here! Good luck to all! Hey dbrynen, Thanks for offering your help! I recognize your username from last years forum. I hope you are enjoying GSPIA! I have a quick question. Did you mention the name of a professor who you would like to work with in your SOP? If so, did you contact them beforehand? Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PoliPixie Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 Hey everyone, I'm currently a MA Political Theory student at McMaster. I'm applying for PHD programs at the moment, but if anyone has any questions about the program at Mac, I'm happy to help. As for your chances, honestly, I"m not sure we can tell you that based solely on what you've written here. You really never know what will appeal to a grad program. Sometimes a really great letter of reference or statement of purpose can put you ahead of people who have higher averages. On the funding point: schools that have both MA programs and PHD programs tend to dedicate their funding to the PHD level. That doesn't mean you won't get funding, but you will get more at schools without PHD programs. Most of the time your funding will be decided based on your application not your winter semester marks, however your winter marks can change your funding. Your funding offer will be sent out with your letter of admission. Most funding offers are subject to negotiation however. When you do get your offers of admission, some of the schools will put deadlines. If you are still waiting to hear back from other schools as the deadline for a school approaches, reach out to them. They may be willing to push back the deadline to accommodate your situation. Remember, when you've received your offer of acceptance, the school wants you. They put a lot of thought into your offer of admission and will likely do what they can to get you to accept. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinsora Posted January 14, 2015 Author Share Posted January 14, 2015 (edited) Just applied to York, UVic, UBC, Carleton in Poli Sci and SFU & Waterloo for Public Policy/Admin. Contemplating McMaster and McGill. Does anyone know when in particular these programs might give an offer of admission or a notice of rejection? Best of luck to everyone! Edited January 14, 2015 by twinsora Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maozedong Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 Phew, I finally submitted my apps for York and UofT. Regretably, I wasn't happy with my writing sample so I changed it at the last minute. Does anyone know how much weight ad comms in Canada place on the writing sample? Can a bad writing sample alone kill your application? Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atnight12 Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Phew, I finally submitted my apps for York and UofT. Regretably, I wasn't happy with my writing sample so I changed it at the last minute. Does anyone know how much weight ad comms in Canada place on the writing sample? Can a bad writing sample alone kill your application? Cheers. I really doubt that they will be place all that much emphasis on a writing sample. Unless it's absolutely terrible and shows clearly to reader that the applicant is incapable of writing... I think you will be fine. Just wondering -- has anyone here applied for OGS? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shana93 Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 Hey guys, is anyone else applying for January admission at University of Ottawa, masters in political science? It's the only school I'm applying to (scary right?) because students at my university got their grades really late, when most grad schools's deadlines have passed. I have a cumulative GPA of 3.78 from an international university, with a distinct upward trend from when I started, and I'm in my final semester doing International Relations. I'm nervous about my prospects. Advice? Please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeetlebuice Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 Hey guys, is anyone else applying for January admission at University of Ottawa, masters in political science? It's the only school I'm applying to (scary right?) because students at my university got their grades really late, when most grad schools's deadlines have passed. I have a cumulative GPA of 3.78 from an international university, with a distinct upward trend from when I started, and I'm in my final semester doing International Relations. I'm nervous about my prospects. Advice? Please? Hey! I applied to uOttawa too! I definitely think your GPA is high enough to be admitted into the program. The decision will be dependent on other factors as well (research interests, letter of intent, resume, etc.), but you definitely do not have to worry about the GPA component! Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shana93 Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 Hey! I applied to uOttawa too! I definitely think your GPA is high enough to be admitted into the program. The decision will be dependent on other factors as well (research interests, letter of intent, resume, etc.), but you definitely do not have to worry about the GPA component! Good luck. Hi There! Thank you so much for replying! Good luck to you too! I'm really concerned about my relative lack of work experience though. Do you, or anyone else here, know what weighting Canadian schools give to work experience? (I mean, I did choose the thesis option though... [more academic, less applied], but still ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeetlebuice Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 Hi There! Thank you so much for replying! Good luck to you too! I'm really concerned about my relative lack of work experience though. Do you, or anyone else here, know what weighting Canadian schools give to work experience? (I mean, I did choose the thesis option though... [more academic, less applied], but still ) I wouldn't worry about it too much! I have plenty of friends who had little to no work experience before attending grad school in Canada. Every admission committee is different but I would be very surprised if you were rejected solely based on your lack of work experience. I talked to the admissions committee from my undergraduate institution before applying and they basically said that there is no one deciding factor in most cases. Canadian schools take a holistic approach to examining applications so I doubt your work experience (or lack thereof) would ruin your chances of admittance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pol Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 (edited) A three legged dog with alzheimer would be accepted in UO's masters program. (I have yet to hear about somebody not getting in) Edited January 24, 2015 by Pol yaddayadda and jeetlebuice 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shana93 Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 I wouldn't worry about it too much! I have plenty of friends who had little to no work experience before attending grad school in Canada. Every admission committee is different but I would be very surprised if you were rejected solely based on your lack of work experience. I talked to the admissions committee from my undergraduate institution before applying and they basically said that there is no one deciding factor in most cases. Canadian schools take a holistic approach to examining applications so I doubt your work experience (or lack thereof) would ruin your chances of admittance. Guess I'll just have to wait and hope for the best. Crossing my fingers! A three legged dog with alzheimer would be accepted in UO's masters program. (I have yet to hear about somebody not getting in) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archie1991 Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 I'm a current NPSIA student, accepted last cycle. Thought I'd check the forums and see if I can offer any information to anyone. Feel free to ask anything about NPSIA, I also applied and was accepted at GSPIA and Munk so I can offer a little bit of info about that too. Good luck to everyone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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