Welcome to the 2016-17 cycle!

[selectionbias]

lol sorry but it's a bit of a dirty secret among gs tigers owing no doubt to Princeton's lack of professional schools. I think the school attracts a cloistered kind of intellectual and because of the comparatively large ug population, there are very limited options. I also found during my residence in the graduate college where I passed many a night (perhaps too many) in the D-bar that many doctoral students from all depts come directly from college. Social awkwardness abounds.

[HermioneWannabe]

25 minutes ago, selectionbias said:

lol sorry but it's a bit of a dirty secret among gs tigers owing no doubt to Princeton's lack of professional schools. I think the school attracts a cloistered kind of intellectual and because of the comparatively large ug population, there are very limited options. I also found during my residence in the graduate college where I passed many a night (perhaps too many) in the D-bar that many doctoral students from all depts come directly from college. Social awkwardness abounds.

Well thank you for this - made my day a bit brighter

[polisci13542]

Does anyone know if schools send out decisions over the weekend? Wondering if I should be on alert this weekend

[guest56436]

4 minutes ago, polisci13542 said:

Does anyone know if schools send out decisions over the weekend? Wondering if I should be on alert this weekend

Doubtful. 

[VMcJ]

Well, it appears now that only schools west of EST might issue decisions today.

[Kenga]

6 minutes ago, VMcJ said:

Well, it appears now that only schools west of EST might issue decisions today.

That means almost certainly: WEEKEND! (one last semi-stressed weekend before the rejections will come in next week :/ ) 

[WorldPeaceMaker2010]

What schools are we expecting next week?

[Bibica]

11 minutes ago, WorldPeaceMaker2010 said:

What schools are we expecting next week?

Duke, Stanford (maybe), UMN (maybe), Notre Dame (maybe), Columbia. Might be easier to know where you applied and check the results page for previous years (search "political science" + "school name".

[waterloo715]

9 minutes ago, Bibica said:

Duke, Stanford (maybe), UMN (maybe), Notre Dame (maybe), Columbia. Might be easier to know where you applied and check the results page for previous years (search "political science" + "school name".

Penn State probably. And some more UNC decisions may trickle out too. 

[oakeshott]

Let's get a list of predictions going? Possible schools sending out decisions next week:

• Columbia 
• Duke
• MIT
• Notre Dame
• Penn State
• Stanford
• UMN
• UNC

Any disagreements? Who else are we waiting for?

 

Edited February 3, 2017 by oakeshott

[dagnabbit]

I would say Michigan is also possible next week, although if past trends hold then it would be towards the end of the week.

[RevTheory1126]

3 minutes ago, oakeshott said:

Let's get a list of predictions going? Possible schools sending out decisions next week:

• Columbia 
• Duke
• MIT
• Notre Dame
• Penn State
• Stanford
• UMN
• UNC

Who else are we waiting for?

 

UVA feels like it could be next week... ?

 

And honestly, based on the email they sent out, Vanderbilt could be a "trickle" next week...

Edited February 3, 2017 by RevTheory1126

[oakeshott]

10 minutes ago, dagnabbit said:

I would say Michigan is also possible next week, although if past trends hold then it would be towards the end of the week.

Looks like this is a good prediction based on previous cycles!

9 minutes ago, RevTheory1126 said:

UVA feels like it could be next week... ?

I'm having a hard time making sense of the UVA entries in the results database. Why are there so many waitlist-related posts and so few regular acceptance / rejection ones for 2016?  Looks like in 2015 the first wave of decisions came a little bit later in the month?

On a separate note, just got my official Berkeley rejection. Great way to end the week. 

Edited February 3, 2017 by oakeshott

[RevTheory1126]

5 minutes ago, oakeshott said:

 

I'm having a hard time making sense of the UVA entries in the results database. Why are there so many waitlist-related posts and so few regular acceptance / rejection ones for 2016?  Looks like in 2015 the first wave of decisions came a little bit later in the month?

On a separate note, just got my official Berkeley rejection. Great way to end the week. 

Yeah, that's why it's more of a "feeling" about UVA, the database is sketchy... Seriously, that's a shitty way to end the week, tell 'em to kick rocks...

[mstama123]

Looks like UC Berkeley rejections are rolling in, just in time to dampen some weekends.

Edited February 3, 2017 by mstama123

[sociology27]

long time lurker, first time poster. 

got my princeton reject today. to say it was a long shot would be an exaggeration in my favor. i might as well have slipped 100 dollars in cash underneath the door of the DGS. saved myself all that stress of caring. 

ignore my profile name. made it back in 2012, when I applied for Soc. phds. I got into a few, chose one, got an MA and decided I wanted to study the state as an actually existing organization. my cultural soc. dept. wasn't terribly fond of the idea. many said I'd be better suited to another program/discipline. so I left and applied to four poli sci programs. because I'm restricted geographically, I only applied to Princeton, NYU, Columbia and Penn. It looks like the first two are out. Columbia is also basically a waste of money. Penn is a long shot, but a shot nonetheless, I think. 

I guess I'm sharing to get some of that solidarity you guys/girls are handing out so kindly to one another. And to commiserate with my fellow discipline hopping, dream chasing peoples. 

Edited February 3, 2017 by sociology27

[VMcJ]

From my applications, I'd add Rochester to the list of likely decisions next week.

[guest56436]

36 minutes ago, oakeshott said:

Let's get a list of predictions going? Possible schools sending out decisions next week:

• Columbia 
• Duke
• MIT
• Notre Dame
• Penn State
• Stanford
• UMN
• UNC

Any disagreements? Who else are we waiting for?

 

UNC is done.

I doubt we see that many schools, but next week is historically the biggest week. Probably see a few of those the week after (Columbia and Stanford for example).

 

[resDQ]

2 minutes ago, Comparativist said:

UNC is done.

I doubt we see that many schools, but next week is historically the biggest week. Probably see a few of those the week after (Columbia and Stanford for example).

 

how do you know UNC is done? I assumed they were based on the number of acceptances on the results page, but I have no actual intel. 

[Tumiaeve]

20 minutes ago, sociology27 said:

long time lurker, first time poster. 

got my princeton reject today. to say it was a long shot would be an exaggeration in my favor. i might as well have slipped 100 dollars in cash underneath the door of the DGS. saved myself all that stress of caring. 

ignore my profile name. made it back in 2012, when I applied for Soc. phds. I got into a few, chose one, got an MA and decided I wanted to study the state as an actually existing organization. my cultural soc. dept. wasn't terribly fond of the idea. many said I'd be better suited to another program/discipline. so I left and applied to four poli sci programs. because I'm restricted geographically, I only applied to Princeton, NYU, Columbia and Penn. It looks like the first two are out. Columbia is also basically a waste of money. Penn is a long shot, but a shot nonetheless, I think. 

I guess I'm sharing to get some of that solidarity you guys/girls are handing out so kindly to one another. And to commiserate with my fellow discipline hopping, dream chasing peoples. 

Ditto on the change of discipline and the Princeton rejection. I got a double major in Philosophy and English in undergrad, got accepted into UCL and Oxford to get a graduate degree in Philosophy, only to decide to forgo that option to apply for a PhD in Political Science and Public Policy programs. I have to admit, the Princeton rejection made me somewhat fear that I'm making the wrong choice, but then I realized that the freedom to do research in what I am truly passionate about is worth it. Even if I end up rejected from every school I applied to and am on my parents couch next year instead of at a top school, I'll try again and again until I make it because I love the possibility of pursuing the life of the mind and conducting research more than just about anything. Stay in there, if it's what you love, it's worth it. 

[guest56436]

5 minutes ago, resDQ said:

how do you know UNC is done? I assumed they were based on the number of acceptances on the results page, but I have no actual intel. 

I don't for sure. But given the amount of acceptances and then two days of silence... I would wager that one is over. Maybe a couple of trickles given their history but as far as 'decisions to expect' it's done.

[dagnabbit]

27 minutes ago, oakeshott said:

On a separate note, just got my official Berkeley rejection. Great way to end the week. 

As did I, but my disappointment could not overwhelm my excitement for the weekend / my rapidly approaching recruitment weekends. Plus, Chicago is a terrific program in an underappreciated city - in the case that you end up accepting their offer, you will love it there.

@sociology27, best of luck to you! I have a strong suspicion that Penn will rise a bit in the US news rankings that come out next month, considering that they place very well and seem to train their PhDs as well as any top 20 school.

[VMcJ]

8 minutes ago, dagnabbit said:

I have a strong suspicion that Penn will rise a bit in the US news rankings that come out next month, considering that they place very well and seem to train their PhDs as well as any top 20 school.

I didn't know that. New US News rankings in March? Here goes my hope of making my decision relatively soon...

[GradNYC]

1 hour ago, sociology27 said:

long time lurker, first time poster. 

got my princeton reject today. to say it was a long shot would be an exaggeration in my favor. i might as well have slipped 100 dollars in cash underneath the door of the DGS. saved myself all that stress of caring. 

ignore my profile name. made it back in 2012, when I applied for Soc. phds. I got into a few, chose one, got an MA and decided I wanted to study the state as an actually existing organization. my cultural soc. dept. wasn't terribly fond of the idea. many said I'd be better suited to another program/discipline. so I left and applied to four poli sci programs. because I'm restricted geographically, I only applied to Princeton, NYU, Columbia and Penn. It looks like the first two are out. Columbia is also basically a waste of money. Penn is a long shot, but a shot nonetheless, I think. 

I guess I'm sharing to get some of that solidarity you guys/girls are handing out so kindly to one another. And to commiserate with my fellow discipline hopping, dream chasing peoples. 

in the same boat as you in regards to be restricted geographically. I have two more schools to go and worried  after my Princeton rejection.. 

[sociology27]

1 hour ago, Jazahmia said:

Ditto on the change of discipline and the Princeton rejection. I got a double major in Philosophy and English in undergrad, got accepted into UCL and Oxford to get a graduate degree in Philosophy, only to decide to forgo that option to apply for a PhD in Political Science and Public Policy programs. I have to admit, the Princeton rejection made me somewhat fear that I'm making the wrong choice, but then I realized that the freedom to do research in what I am truly passionate about is worth it. Even if I end up rejected from every school I applied to and am on my parents couch next year instead of at a top school, I'll try again and again until I make it because I love the possibility of pursuing the life of the mind and conducting research more than just about anything. Stay in there, if it's what you love, it's worth it. 

good vibes man. I feel you. Though I would happily accept a philosophy phd program (and will probably throw in a few philosophy apps next year if this little run at poli sci doesn't pan out) over what I'm doing now, which is Ubering! It's hard out here yo! One minute you're living a life of contemplation and critical reflection; the next you're wondering if your rent check is gonna bounce and how many months, not years, it will be until a robot takes your job; not to mention how you're gonna support three on 12 an hour. The academy seems like a fine place in comparison, though I had my complaints about it while I was there, for sure (and still do, mostly political, but political in the sense that defining professionalism is intrinsically a political contest; "every concession of politeness contains a political concession." - they love their Bourdieu but nonetheless ignore his ethics in soc.). 

So I feel you, but there is also a certain luxury in knowing that you're such a good candidate that other amazing programs want you and that the worst case scenario is your parents couch. I dropped soc. like a bad habit and now I'm getting punished for it. My advice to people down the road would be: be thankful for what you got if you do got something - top 20, top 40, top 60, be happy. It's a fucking shit show out here in the real world. You could be Ubering. I have a 3.95 UGPA, 4.0 GradGPA, 170 V, 160 M (when I took it in 2009, at 19, I had a 640 V and 800 M - I guess that's what happens when you go from Econ/Polisci to Sociology!), 2 publications (at never-read journals), TA and sole instructor experience, honors, fellowships... and yet I'm out here, likely about to get rejected from all my schools, unable to find work that does not involve packing, picking, loading or joining the national guard. 

Don't get me wrong. I'm chasing my dreams. I decided I wanted to study game theory and elections and at some point in my life help put something of a communist in the white house. It's a pipedream. But it's my pipedream and I'm chasing it alright. But would I give the same advice to my kid? Nah, I'd probably just be like, write the soc. dissertation on some discourse bullshit, kiss a few rings, get a decent job, then, maybe, when you've banked 20 or 30 k, chase your dreams. 

Edited February 4, 2017 by sociology27