Fall 2010 Admission Results

[APGradApplicant]

Emory - phone call inviting me to interview. Said they were inviting "about 10 people" and that decisions would be made after that.

Thanks, for the 411 bsquar. If I don't hear anything tomorrow or Thursday at the latest, I'll just assume that I'm not among those ten, haha.

[Ziz]

a Harvard acceptance is up...

Do we think the Harvard acceptance is legit? Seems early compared to last year and there's only one...you'd think with the number of people who apply, there would be another one on Grad Cafe.

[Wesson]

UCSD has had several senior faculty leave in the last year or so--Cox, McCubbins, Poole. These things happen, and I have no idea how much, if any, influence the economy had. But it's just wrong to say that no one has left.

[Ziz]

Of course maybe that's just what I want to believe

[tomorrows verse]

I find the Harvard acceptance hard to believe. I think said individual would love to share that fact with others, but it seems more likely that he/she is trying to get a rise out of us PoliSci folks, since this discipline is one of the most active on the GradCafe forums. If I'm wrong, then my sincerest congrats to you, anonymous Harvard acceptance!

[tskinner]

PoliSci appliers: Unite!

[Ziz]

It's probably good I'm not planning to go into psych because I really don't understand why anyone would bother posting fake results. It's not like you get attention for it because it's anonymous, and what pleasure do you get from seeing us debate its veracity?

[flyers29]

I have heard this rumor from many sources. FSU is not as bad as Florida, a school that is firing tenured faculty, but all state schools in Florida are in bad shape with professors leaving if given the opportunity. It is not as bad as the mass exodus from California schools, but it is something to consider when making a decision.

As far as schools limiting their incoming class, I have been told that some programs like Ohio State are not admitting any new students unless they receive graduate school funding. I was told this in October, so that policy might have changed by now.

True, but Florida's poli sci department is still about 50% larger than FSU's for some reason.

[someone else]

"Mass exodus from California schools"? I can really only speak of the two programs I know best, Berkeley and UCSD, but who exactly has left in this mass exodus? Berkeley is supported by an endowment along with university funds, and they made a new hire last fall. UCSD remains a thriving young program with some of the best professors in the country. True, California is going through some tough times balancing its budget, but the political science departments at these UC schools are much better off than you would think.

As was posted above, some have left and many more will leave in the future unless something drastic occurs. Eastern and the more financially stable Midwestern programs are strategically targeting top researchers in California. It is widely believed that during the spring semester and over the summer we will see some interesting moves. In light of this possibility, before someone commits to any California program, I would have a serious talk with the professors that you wish to study under. I love UC-Davis's program, but this fear kept me from even applying there.

[rc47]

As was posted above, some have left and many more will leave in the future unless something drastic occurs. Eastern and the more financially stable Midwestern programs are strategically targeting top researchers in California. It is widely believed that during the spring semester and over the summer we will see some interesting moves. In light of this possibility, before someone commits to any California program, I would have a serious talk with the professors that you wish to study under. I love UC-Davis's program, but this fear kept me from even applying there.

"It is widely believed"?- so your argument basically rests on your perceptions of speculation. I do not know as much about UCSD, but three professors leaving certainly does not constitute "mass exodus." Berkeley is adding faculty and in relatively good shape because of its departmental endowment. Many of the rumors circulating around about the UC polisci departments come from people without credible information and do not stand up to close scrutiny. I suggest that you stop using them as your basis for expertise.

[Bobb Cobb]

For some reason there is a perception among many that half the faculty are going to leave the UC schools anytime now. However, as stated, the actual event has yet to happen except for a few, and there is no indication if these few left for economic reasons. It appears that much of the speculation regarding the economy's effect on pol sci departments is just wrong. Although, we do know that many are not hiring, and/or have cut a line or two. I suspect that the bigger, stronger schools are going to be fine, whereas the lesser outfits are going to shoulder more of the cutbacks, if any. This is a moot point anyway as most folks around here are aiming for the bigger, stronger schools.

[someone else]

"It is widely believed"?- so your argument basically rests on your perceptions of speculation. I do not know as much about UCSD, but three professors leaving certainly does not constitute "mass exodus." Berkeley is adding faculty and in relatively good shape because of its departmental endowment. Many of the rumors circulating around about the UC polisci departments come from people without credible information and do not stand up to close scrutiny. I suggest that you stop using them as your basis for expertise.

Believe what you want to, we all have the agency to discern for ourselves what we what to and what we do not want to believe. According to my sources, which I discern as credible, there will be a mass exit of professors from California state schools as soon as the positions become available. Some key names have already left and many will come. If you have a source that says something different, I would be interested in the information. As it stands now, just because some departments are hiring new professors, does not mean that professors will not be leaving.

My whole reasoning behind the post was to state that people need to be careful before they head to a program in a state like California that is having trouble doing simple things like paying their GTAs' stipend and the travel funds of the faculty. Talk with the department about these issues and make sure that you are comfortable with the program and are committed to spending the next 6 years of your life there. Despite saying that, if the bubble does burst and a lot of more senior professors do retire, then this could be a moot point for we will see a lot of movement in the field as a whole.

[Bobb Cobb]

Believe what you want to, we all have the agency to discern for ourselves what we what to and what we do not want to believe. According to my sources, which I discern as credible, there will be a mass exit of professors from California state schools as soon as the positions become available. Some key names have already left and many will come. If you have a source that says something different, I would be interested in the information. As it stands now, just because some departments are hiring new professors, does not mean that professors will not be leaving.

My whole reasoning behind the post was to state that people need to be careful before they head to a program in a state like California that is having trouble doing simple things like paying their GTAs' stipend and the travel funds of the faculty. Talk with the department about these issues and make sure that you are comfortable with the program and are committed to spending the next 6 years of your life there. Despite saying that, if the bubble does burst and a lot of more senior professors do retire, then this could be a moot point for we will see a lot of movement in the field as a whole.

I agree that people should make sure that the funding packages are sound, and that they should at least enquire their potential advisors about their future plans. I have been told by many as well about this "coming exodus," but it simply hasn't happened yet. By the time more positions come open, the crisis in California may look totally different. I guess we will just have to wait and see, and in the mean time I hope nobody gets screwed in grad school as a by-product of this event, if and when it occurs.

[blankets]

This thread now has over 20,000 views

[kmp34]

Harvard already?!!

[Keller65]

Believe what you want to, we all have the agency to discern for ourselves what we what to and what we do not want to believe. According to my sources, which I discern as credible, there will be a mass exit of professors from California state schools as soon as the positions become available. Some key names have already left and many will come. If you have a source that says something different, I would be interested in the information. As it stands now, just because some departments are hiring new professors, does not mean that professors will not be leaving.

My whole reasoning behind the post was to state that people need to be careful before they head to a program in a state like California that is having trouble doing simple things like paying their GTAs' stipend and the travel funds of the faculty. Talk with the department about these issues and make sure that you are comfortable with the program and are committed to spending the next 6 years of your life there. Despite saying that, if the bubble does burst and a lot of more senior professors do retire, then this could be a moot point for we will see a lot of movement in the field as a whole.

This is a disturbing, chilling story you tell. Many professors may be compelled to wheedle students into the UC system, knowing full well they will get out of dodge at moment's notice. Visiting weekend at some of these places will be very macabre.

[Ferrero]

Yes, just consider this macabre photo of a recent visiting weekend -- toasty!

[thatsnotmyname]

A second Harvard admit on the results page- until someone claims them here I call bs. Looking over the past four cycles, all admits to the PhD occurred in late Feb. with rejections happening around or after that. So basically I'm not worried. (Okay yes I am, but that's just the main emotion I've been feeling since I finished all apps, so nothing unusual really.)

[SuddenlyParanoid]

A second Harvard admit on the results page- until someone claims them here I call bs. Looking over the past four cycles, all admits to the PhD occurred in late Feb. with rejections happening around or after that. So basically I'm not worried. (Okay yes I am, but that's just the main emotion I've been feeling since I finished all apps, so nothing unusual really.)

I hope you're right. It is really early, but Stanford was really early this year too.

For the rest of the week I'm predicting we hear from:

Yale

Duke

Rochester

[tomorrows verse]

I think your bets are pretty good, SuddenlyParanoid. I hope we hear from Yale especially. I want to get my first rejection out of the way so I'll know how it feels when the rest of my decisions start coming in.

[thatsnotmyname]

I hope you're right. It is really early, but Stanford was really early this year too.

That is true. I'm still waiting to see someone claim them, all though it is possible that no one that is accepted is also a forum member.

And I agree with you rml015, it would be nice to start hearing- whichever way it goes.

[tskinner]

This thread now has over 20,000 views

1/2 are mine.

[Ziz]

With respect to Harvard, it is possible none of the accepted are Forum members, but at the same time, in order for them to post on the results page, they have to at least be aware of the board. I don't know about you, but if I got a Harvard acceptance and saw all the questioning about it being real, I'd start an account and claim it!

[Ziz]

does someone want to be brave and email thom wall at harvard to verify when decisions will be coming out?

I'm too afraid that the email back to me will say "No decisions have been communicated yet. However, when yours is, it will not be good news."

I mean, I know that the chances of getting into Harvard are slim to none, and later in February I will prepare myself for the rejection, but I kind of like the fact that at the moment I can still hope .

[Ziz]

I just checked last year's results (for the millionth time) and saw that last year Harvard sent out email acceptances over 2 days. If they do that again this year (assuming the acceptances we've seen are legit), that means more acceptances will be out today. So now of course I am in a tizzy of "oh my god, imagine I got into Harvard today!" I try to remind myself it's not going to happen, but I can't help it.