Do I have a chance? (profile included)

[Sbrail2]

Hey all, I'm a current graduating senior and I'm looking to apply straight to PhD programs and I'm wondering if it looks like I have any real chance or if I should focus on MA programs first. I'm looking to apply to Ohio State, Georgetown, WashU and GWU. My biggest concern is mostly that my school is nowhere near what you'd consider top tier, I think its ranked 129. I haven't taken my GRE yet and I know that makes it a bit more difficult to judge based on that, but I'm taking it the 30th of this month.

PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad Institution: Large State University
Major(s): Political Science - American Government concentration
Undergrad GPA: 3.9 cumulative, 4.0 in major
Type of Grad: N/A
Grad GPA: N/A 
GRE: Taking it the 30th but I'm hoping for 155+

Letters of Recommendation: I have three very strong LORs, one from the department chair of the Political Science department here who does have many connections.

Research Experience:  Only what I've done via my classes

Teaching Experience: N/A
Subfield/Research Interests: American Government, Political Theory
Other: 4 years of military experience, strong work resume, great academic performance.

[wpg205]

Looking at your profile I would definitely think you have a good chance.  I would strongly suggest aiming for 160+ on your GRE.  From my experience it is a learnable test and if you put the time in those scores are possible for most people.  Considering you want to go into American Studies, which can be very quantitative now, and theory, which is more qualitative, it will be important to do well on both parts of the GRE.  Other than that, get a strong writing sample together and I think you should be in good shape.

I would also consider adding more schools.  Even for schools you are totally qualified for it is a crap shoot.  There are simply too many qualified applicants for too few spots.  Applying to only three schools just isn't enough to overcome how random the process is. 

Good luck. 

[cooperstreet]

who knows. your grades are good; thats all we know. undergrad prestige isn't terribly important, dont's sweat it.

[yaddayadda]

If I were you I would try to get research experience

[GradSchoolTruther]

Research experience as an undergrad in political science is not that useful. 

[Hopeful23]

^could you elaborate?

[Determinedandnervous]

 

I don't think you will have much of a problem getting in somewhere. I suggest that if you have time and if you're feeling insecure about the lack of research experience, talk to one of the professors about doing an independent study. I'm doing one next semester with an econ professor because my senior thesis is likely to be wrapped up pretty early in the semester.

[GradSchoolTruther]

^could you elaborate?

Because the quality of the vast majority of undergraduate research is not close to what is expected at the graduate level. You don't get much methods training as an undergrad. Heck, most professors who are realistic about the field expects grad students to even present at conferences until their second or third year of a Ph.D. program.

[Sbrail2]

After doing some research, I think I'm going to still be applying at OSU, Georgetown, WashU and GWU, but I'll most likely also be applying to University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, Duke, and Emory. Do you guys think, given my profile, that I have a chance being accepted or should I expand my search or apply to MA programs?

[cooperstreet]

Everyone with high enough GREs and a high enough GPA (3.5 and over 160) should apply everywhere. That means you are in the running and have a shot. After you clear those hurdles its really up to your statement and letters. Letters you can't judge well but you have 100% control of your statement.

[Sbrail2]

I'm really nervous about the GRE, as I admittedly waited entirely too long to register and begin preparing for it. I don't really feel like I'm very ready and will really only have the time to take it once before I send out my applications. Granted all other things, would a mediocre GRE score hurt me greatly?

[wpg205]

A weak GRE will definitely not help you. If you are very strong in other aspects of your application it can be compensated for, but there are definitely cut offs.  What I would say is the GRE is very, very learnable as a test.  I would cram as much as you can for it.  I used magoosh, its kind of expensive but really, really good.  

[Sbrail2]

A weak GRE will definitely not help you. If you are very strong in other aspects of your application it can be compensated for, but there are definitely cut offs.  What I would say is the GRE is very, very learnable as a test.  I would cram as much as you can for it.  I used magoosh, its kind of expensive but really, really good.  

I'm currently using the Princeton Review and Kaplan for prep and I'm going to take my first practice test either today or tomorrow. Honestly I'm hoping for at least a 155, but who knows.

[Sbrail2]

I'm currently using the Princeton Review and Kaplan for prep and I'm going to take my first practice test either today or tomorrow. Honestly I'm hoping for at least a 155, but who knows.

I just took my first practice test and received Verbal: 152 Quant: 145

Are these poor or could they be considered competitive if I get similar to those on the actual exam?

Edited October 22, 2015 by Sbrail2

[Determinedandnervous]

Being brutally honest, they would be well below the cutoff. I got 163 on the verbal and 155 on the quant my first time taking the test, and I was advised by my professors and people on this forum pretty much unanimously to retake it. Study hard. Get your hands on as much test prep as you can. It got me up to 170 on the verbal and 161 on the quantitative the second time.

[cooperstreet]

a score of V154 and Q145 will prevent you from getting into top programs and will significantly harm your chances of getting into a mid-tier program.

[wpg205]

You have 8 days.  Study hard.  For American you need quant and verbal, so I would definitely try and get quant above 155 for mid ranked schools.  

[cgfren08]

GRE math is so easy if you know how to reverse-engineer the problems. I only took basic stats in college, 7 years ago and got a 170 on the Quant section. Buy a couple of the practice tests and use the free online practice problems. 

[Sbrail2]

Yeah I ordered the Princeton Review and Kaplan books and I'm pushing my test back a couple of weeks. I'm hoping to raise my scores both by 10-15 points at the least.

[MastersHoping]

Being brutally honest, they would be well below the cutoff. I got 163 on the verbal and 155 on the quant my first time taking the test, and I was advised by my professors and people on this forum pretty much unanimously to retake it. Study hard. Get your hands on as much test prep as you can. It got me up to 170 on the verbal and 161 on the quantitative the second time.

Did they suggest you retake it because the quant wasn't high enough? Or were both low enough to retake? I mean,  I know it's always advisable to do the best you can, but if you got, say, 163 V and 161 Q the first time, what that have been fine? 

I got 163 v, 162 q, and 5.0 w, and no one's ever told me they were low to the point where I should consider retaking (Which I don't really want to do, especially since I'm not sure I'll do better). Congrats on 170 btw

[greMS15]

Congratulations on your great score. Can you advise which mock tests helped you in real test? Is difficult levele of real test is similar to power prep ETs tests or its tougher?

Thank you in advance!!

 

[Determinedandnervous]

MastersHoping - They told me to retake for the quant score. The 163 verbal is probably fine, it is the 90th percentile. If you feel uncomfortable with it, you can retake it, but if you don't feel like it - don't. It's not a big deal. To be honest, the 7 point difference between the first and second tests was almost totally the result of looking up in the test books how to approach the question and reading over some vocab lists the night before the test.

GreMS15 - the mock tests did help me in terms of practicing endurance for the test, and time management. However, I would suggest you go through all the test prep books you can get your hands on (Princeton Review, ManhattanGRE), take the practice drills for whatever you keep getting wrong, and possibly view some instructionals on youtube for it if you're still having a hard time.

[aspiringivyleaguer]

Hello to everyone!

Could someone please evaluate my profile and tell me if it's possible for me to get admission to an ivy league school. My profile is as follows.

PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad Institution: Some uknown european university, BA International and European Studies 
Major(s): International Law  Minor : International Economic Relations
Undergrad GPA: Not convertible to US grading system, but top 10-12% of my class
Type of Grad: MA International Economic Relations
Grad GPA: Top 10% of my class
GRE: I am sitting the test in a few days, but i hope for something like 155 on both sections

Letters of Recommendation: One from my graduate thesis supervisor, one from an undergraduate professor and one from a professor at my master's degree and a director at a research center with whom i worked for three years as a research assistant 

Research Experience: 3 years research assistant, master thesis, pubished articles in the form of working papers via a research institute

Teaching Experience: None
Subfield/Research Interests: Political Economy
Other: One internship in the financial sector (mainly quantative work-data collectioning and writing reports), member of the board of two NGO's for two years (organising conferences, delivering spechess and cooperating with affiliated NGO's from other countries), active in politics from a very young age, foreign languages skills

What really concerns me is the possibility of getting low GRE scores and the fact that my home institution is practically uknown. On practice tests i score around 155, so i believe my actual score is goint to be somewhere near that range. Is it possible for someone with my profile to get into the ivies or the low GRE scores are going to be detrimental? What do you think?

Thanks in advance!

[cooperstreet]

Why are you basing your decision on the sports division that schools are a part of?

GRE scores in the 150s will make it almost impossible to get into top programs. Some top programs are also in the Ivy League athletic conference, some are not.

Who do you want to work with at Brown? Columbia? Penn? AFAIK, Penn only has one person in IPE.

[aspiringivyleaguer]

Thanks for the reply!

It's not the sports division that makes me lean towards ivy league programs but the prestige it comes with their names. Moreover, i do not intend to stay in the academia after i graduate from the Phd program. I want to move into real life politics or international organizations. I am even thinking the private sector if the other two won't work for me. In the country where i come from ivy league schools along with Oxford and Cambridge are very well respected. In any case, i believe that the education i will get at Brown and UPenn is devinitely superior to the one i could get in my home country and i can't think of very places that can provide me with greater oppurtinities (apart from the obvious ones Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, Berkeley, MIT). .   

Mark Blyth, Rick Locke and Richard Snyder fom Brown 

Julia Gray, Jennifer Amyx and Julia Lynch from UPenn. 

I decided not apply to Columbia because i am sitting again the GRE and the deadline of that program is December 2. 

So, do you think i am competitive enough for Brown, UPenn and Cornell especially? Does any of you have any idea about the GRE scores required for these Phd programs?

I am not looking for words of comfort here. I want your honest opinion so please be candid. 

Thank you all!