Welcome to the 2016-17 cycle!

[as2472]

To the Hopkins admits, what were the initials of your POIs if you don't mind my asking (I mean names work too but that always feels iffier somehow)? Have essentially abandoned hope on it (I get that it's only a few so far but it's just easier for me to assume the worst) but am curious as to whether it's already basically game over for my POIs given that contact this year seems so individualised 

[The0ry]

3 hours ago, as2472 said:

To the Hopkins admits, what were the initials of your POIs if you don't mind my asking (I mean names work too but that always feels iffier somehow)? Have essentially abandoned hope on it (I get that it's only a few so far but it's just easier for me to assume the worst) but am curious as to whether it's already basically game over for my POIs given that contact this year seems so individualised 

I got an email from WC. 

[CarefreeWritingsontheWall]

9 hours ago, selectionbias said:

Feeling super anxious about Yale!  Anyone else thinks it's weird acceptances albeit informal going out over the weekend...hoping it's just some enthusiastic POIs courting their most desirable admits.  Perhaps there will be more to come on Monday. 

Also, did anyone note the post on the results page from a Religious Studies (Yale) candidate who claims he or she was "recommended" for admission but ultimately rejected by GSAS?  Could be a troll or do folks think there's any truth to GSAS having more autonomy/oversight at certain institutions?

I haven't heard of this happening during the admissions process, but there are some odd processes where someone's DGS will ask their GSAS to terminate them and they just do it (without consultation with their advisors, or even the student). No matter where you go, it's important to shore up allies who will defend you if shit goes down. 

[ugurcanevci]

Hi all! These are some answers that I sent to someone who is considering the MA Program at NYU. I thought it could be beneficial to submit the same information here. 

 

• Answer about funding: I came here as a Fulbright Scholar, and when you have some external funding, GSAS waives the tuition fee. But other than that, I believe that some people did act as graders, although I do not know how much as the pay. Lastly, there were RA positions available (I was indeed one) but they are extremely scarce. Like, the first year there was only one opportunity, and the professors were seeking for two RAs. I got lucky because they were looking for someone who is interested in the ethnic conflict in Turkey and well, I am Turkish. Therefore, I would not rely on a RA expectation. It was 12 hours per week, and $20 per hour, although I wasn't paid due to my Fulbright stipend.

• NYC Answer: Not dangerous at all (Except some areas that you would never go anyways :)). You just have to be street savvy, but if you lived in a big city, you'll be fine. It's very fun here, all kind of food, bars, entertainment... Literally, you can find everything you want. Any kind of opportunity. Any type of music, art, conference, UN events... It's quite impossible to capture everything that's about NYC in a single message. Also, being an international here is extremely easy because everybody treats you as if you were a local.

• It is very expensive. Rent is quite high. A room in Manhattan would be around $1300 to $3000. If you go to Brooklyn and Queens, you can also find expensive rooms, but there are others available for as low as $800. You'll also need a metro card in that case, which is $120. For the rest of the costs, you can try to have a look at numbeo.com. It is mostly accurate in terms of prices.

• Answer: Nicole Simonelli is going to be your advisor. There are no topic specific advisors. You pick your thesis advisor later. It can be anyone who approves to be your advisor. Including the faculty members. But, you have to have a good explanation on why you want to work with them, and it is better if your subject is something quantitative. 

• Answer: Professors get along well, but the problem is that the core courses are taught by the adjunct faculty. So, many people in our program actually end up taking no single class from a faculty member, but they only met adjunct people. Their advisors are also the adjunct faculty members. You can see the link below, some of the classes are only open to MA students, and some others (including Przeworski, yes) are open to both MA and PhD. However, I believe that no single MA student could take his class because it required extensive knowledge on game theory. 

  http://politics.as.nyu.edu/object/ma.scheduleFall2016

  As an RA, I was working with two faculty members. They were super helpful, and now they are also my thesis advisors. They were indeed the best thing happened to me in this program. I am sure that other professors would also be willing to advise you, but you have to have a very specific idea that why you wanted to work with them, and how is your subject is in line with what they do. Because it is very likely that you will end up not taking any courses from them, and they won't know you. So, it will be your task to convince them to advise you even if they don't know you. 

[selectionbias]

42 minutes ago, CarefreeWritingsontheWall said:

I haven't heard of this happening during the admissions process, but there are some odd processes where someone's DGS will ask their GSAS to terminate them and they just do it (without consultation with their advisors, or even the student). No matter where you go, it's important to shore up allies who will defend you if shit goes down. 

Yeah, neither have I.  That explanation seems plausible. Perhaps it's also related to administrative/financial constraints whereby GSAS has stated they will reduce "admissions slots" (e.g. Harvard GSAS this year).  A bit in poor taste for an informal notice to be sent before confirmation though. I could only imagine what that'd be like although (even) presumptive Yale admits are bound to have numerous alternatives methinks.

Edited February 19, 2017 by selectionbias

[Monody]

Going to Columbia. I am quite certain that I haven't misclicked anything.

[magicdonhuang]

Just got an email to check the website for UC Santa Barbara. Rejected.

[Syas]

Hey Everyone!

Congratulations to those who have been accepted. Keep your hopes up if you have not been accepted yet, it is still early in the cycle. 

I am a first year PhD student at Indiana University. If you are considering to attend IU, do not hesitate to send me a DM =)

[krapp]

Come off a completely silent week for me I'm really hoping I can start to wrap up this cycle this week. I'm still waiting to here from a few programs - Northwestern (silent rejection by now), Georgetown (assuming the same), Michigan State (if I don't hear this week I'll assume rejected), and CUNY. CUNY is the only one that I wouldn't necessarily expect to hear from yet, they seem to usually be a bit slow. But I'm more than done with all this waiting and getting pretty jealous of those of you who are getting some closure with all this! 

With that said, congratulations @Monody!

[Wongs]

IS Notre Dame a silent rejection for me already?

[Bibica]

13 minutes ago, Wongs said:

IS Notre Dame a silent rejection for me already?

I'd say no, they've accepted 2 people? From what I can see at least. I'd wait at least a few more days. Maybe by Wednesday or Thursday, if you don't hear back, I'd consider it a rejection.

[cydxb]

42 minutes ago, Wongs said:

IS Notre Dame a silent rejection for me already?

Mine seems to be the only acceptance posted. So fingers crossed for you mine just happened to be one of the first ones to go out. If I hear anything more I'll certainly share. 

[CarefreeWritingsontheWall]

7 hours ago, selectionbias said:

Yeah, neither have I.  That explanation seems plausible. Perhaps it's also related to administrative/financial constraints whereby GSAS has stated they will reduce "admissions slots" (e.g. Harvard GSAS this year).  A bit in poor taste for an informal notice to be sent before confirmation though. I could only imagine what that'd be like although (even) presumptive Yale admits are bound to have numerous alternatives methinks.

It does seem strange that a department wouldn't have profiles approved prior to issuing the informal notice, but it might be that they assume no trouble, and leave it to them to update the website. Most departments also have a confirmation of the number of people they're allowed to accept long before they send out emails. Seems like someone must have made a huge mistake to issue a change into the admissions cycle...

Two years ago IHEID had a massive technical error where they sent out automated acceptance emails to many people, only to have to rescind them two hours later. I was on the receiving end of that pair of emails sadly, though luckily I woke up to both. It's certainly a bizarre bureaucracy at every institution. 

[AsymptoticallyUnbiased]

Well, after thinking I got rejected from Yale due to the long silence after first confirmations, looks like I got accepted after all! Got an e-mail from my POI this evening.

AP subfield. So there may be hope yet for those with procrastinating POIs

[dih2]

Should we expect Harvard this week? I recall someone saying it would be the last couple days of Feb, which I guess would be next week

[guest56436]

1 hour ago, dih2 said:

Should we expect Harvard this week? I recall someone saying it would be the last couple days of Feb, which I guess would be next week

Highly doubt Harvard will come this week.

[GradNYC]

On 2/17/2017 at 11:23 PM, Mnemonist Kenny said:

I have not received anything from NYU as well, online application is still shown 'under review'

Any news? 

[RevTheory1126]

Agreed on Harvard not being this week, seems like they will wait until next week.

For those waiting (with me) on Vanderbilt, if you don't hear by the end of today, it is almost certainly a rejection.

[international_IR]

Claiming a UPenn admission!

[Bibica]

Harvard probably won't be this week, and certainly wouldn't be today (university holiday).

UPenn is starting to come out now. Friend just received her acceptance.

@international_IR beat me to it, congrats!!!

Edited February 20, 2017 by Bibica

[Wallflower8]

Just received a Upenn admit too. :-) good luck all. 

[Stadimeter]

Waitlisted at Penn. Planning to decline. Hope that gives others a chance. Good luck!

[VMcJ]

Well, UPenn acceptances settle this cycle for me. Now I'm just waiting for emails informing of rejections, or maybe late waitlists. And a difficult choice lies ahead of me...

Congratulations to those accepted!

[changeisgood]

20 hours ago, Monody said:

Going to Columbia. I am quite certain that I haven't misclicked anything.

Very nice.  The chance to work with Gelman is one in a lifetime.  I wish you the best.

[changeisgood]

I didn't see too many public policy/public admin folks on this thread, but just in case...I declined an offer from Oklahoma this morning.  If anyone knows anyone who's interested, just wanted to put that out there.  Policy/Admin is a specialty of OU and their placement is much better in those fields than their program rank would indicate.  That being said, if you're a reasonably good candidate, they'd probably take you no matter what your subfield is.