MIT, Umich, Princeton

[rathernottellyou]

Methods and theory subfield (public opinion / political behavior)

newly admitted. Can't decide between the three. 

Any help / info would be appreciated!!! 

[Determinedandnervous]

Congrats on getting into those schools! That's a huge achievement. I think you should visit all three, talk with the faculty, and get a feel for each place. If you end up not being able to decide from that, take a look at placement record for people in your subfield. If you still can't decide, then use a random number generator, assign a number to eachs school, and see what it picks. Either you'll find that you're okay with the option that it chose, or you'll find that you wish it chose a different school. In the latter case, choose that different school.

[alphazeta]

I think you must have meant methods and American? Public opinion/political behavior are not part of political theory.

These are all good choices.  I'd caution that one of the major factors in the rise of methods at MIT was Jens Hainmueller, who has left for Stanford.  

[ultraultra]

With those schools you can't really go wrong, and so you should definitely visit and see how you feel. If I were you though, and they all stacked up similarly, I would default to Princeton as HPS are in their own league in terms of placement and prestige.

[GK]

Be sure to look at placement specific to your own subfield(s). A program can have strong placement in one area and struggle in another.

[Propda]

As someone waitlisted at Princeton and Michigan, you definitely want to go for MIT my friend. Definitely. Don't know anything about the program, but definitely. (Though I would mention that for behavior, you should definitely look at the work of Betsy Levy-Paluck at Princeton, but only to look, mind you).

[RWBG]

If you want to be a methodologist, I'd probably pick Princeton (Michigan has good methods folks, but Kosuke Imai seems to be more active in placing students as methodologists). However, if you want to do methods-y public opinion, you might be better served at Michigan, which I think has a stronger public opinion group, and a very long history of training people in the area.

[rathernottellyou]

10 hours ago, Propda said:

As someone waitlisted at Princeton and Michigan, you definitely want to go for MIT my friend. Definitely. Don't know anything about the program, but definitely. (Though I would mention that for behavior, you should definitely look at the work of Betsy Levy-Paluck at Princeton, but only to look, mind you).

Thx for the advice! Even if I end up choosing Princeton or Michigan, I still open up a spot in the waiting list for you. Good luck!