Profile Evaluation for PhD: Both US and UK

[Chuck Mangione]

Type of Undergrad: Top 25 undergraduate institution
Major: International Relations
Undergrad GPA: 3.181 cumulative, 3.327 major
Type of Grad:  I'll just be frank here, it was the University of Chicago CIR Program
Grad GPA: 3.75
GRE: 160 V, 158 Q, 4.5 W (planning on retaking them to break 165)
Any Special Courses: Nothing aside from a few Asia-focused classes I took since I research that area heavily and wrote my thesis on it
Likely Letters of Recommendation: One from a very well-regarded professor in the field I study and two others from professors I knew at my undergrad who like me a lot and still keep in contact with even after retirement.
Research Experience: This is where it's a bit iffy. I have a summer where I researched abroad and worked at an international law firm as an intern during undergrad. Aside from that, I've just been trying to find something right now.
Research Interests: Political economy, East Asia international affairs, Korea and Japan relations
Quantitative Skills: STATA, SPSS, Excel, MATLAB

Other: I spent (read wasted) a year applying to law school and that didn't pan out. I'm going for a PhD at this point. Also applying for some internships and research programs but I won't know until August whether I'll get into them.

What my main concern here is my lack of research experience, alongside whether or not I can feasibly get into any good Political Science programs with my stats. I don't know if doing a Master's program (even if it is Chicago) makes up for a lack of research experience.

My undergraduate GPA was frankly shit because I started off as an engineer and it just went downhill until I just churned out A's and B's once I made the switch to IR. Also, I don't really know how the UK (i.e. Cambridge, Oxford, LSE, Imperial College) goes about their PhD applications. I'd imagine the process isn't that much different from the US but I really do want to know what tests are needed or if there's anything I need to prepare before I apply there.

In any case, thanks for any future advice!

Edited May 21, 2017 by komina12345

[Concordia]

Oxbridge will say they expect a certain minimum performance in undergrad, but US grades don't translate so cleanly, and a good master's result can give them beer goggles when they look at the transcripts.  Just make sure you have a compelling proposal, since you'll be starting on your dissertation right away.  I don't know about IR, but for history, you will need to sell it hard in less than 1,000 words.  

They won't ask for GREs, although high scores will appear on your CV and might reassure them.  

Start looking over your thesis or other good papers for writing sample(s). If you know anyone you'd want to study with, they can also go to bat for you.  

One thing you'll find is that there is so much filtering out before the applications are submitted that the nominal acceptance rates are much higher than in the US.  The big barrier will be funding, for which international applicants have to walk on water in front of the right people at the correct time of day.

Edited May 21, 2017 by Concordia

[guest56436]

Why do you want to do a Ph.D.? You make it seem like it's a plan B because you didn't get into law school. A Ph.D. program should never really be a plan B because it is a MASSIVE commitment.

Listen, I had similar 'stats' as you and I got into a few top 15/20 programs. But I also had a lot of research experience, good letters, and a pretty defined project/writing sample to make up for some of those weaknesses, do you have those things?

If you don't, it's going to be really tough for you...especially for top 10s. You are going to be competing against people that have known and prepared for Ph.D. programs and applications for multiple years WITH perfect stats and all the rest.

Edited May 21, 2017 by Comparativist

[Chuck Mangione]

28 minutes ago, Comparativist said:

Why do you want to do a Ph.D.? You make it seem like it's a plan B because you didn't get into law school. A Ph.D. program should never really be a plan B because it is a MASSIVE commitment.

Listen, I had similar 'stats' as you and I got into a few top 15/20 programs. But I also had a lot of research experience, good letters, and a pretty defined project/writing sample to make up for some of those weaknesses, do you have those things?

If you don't, it's going to be really tough for you...especially for top 10s. You are going to be competing against people that have known and prepared for Ph.D. programs and applications for multiple years WITH perfect stats and all the rest.

It's not a Plan B, and it's my fault for poorly conveying that in the form of a bad joke. It was more or less something I ultimately came to pursue as I was initially going to pursue a PhD after my Master's program before I decided that I wanted to take a step back and take a break before completely burning out. Applying for law school was something I did as a second though given I had already taken the LSAT during my undergraduate education.

As I stated before, my lack of research experience is what concerns me the most, outside of my time interning abroad which I am hard-pressed to even call "research." I appreciate your bluntness and candour in giving me advice though.

 

3 hours ago, Concordia said:

Oxbridge will say they expect a certain minimum performance in undergrad, but US grades don't translate so cleanly, and a good master's result can give them beer goggles when they look at the transcripts.  Just make sure you have a compelling proposal, since you'll be starting on your dissertation right away.  I don't know about IR, but for history, you will need to sell it hard in less than 1,000 words.  

They won't ask for GREs, although high scores will appear on your CV and might reassure them.  

Start looking over your thesis or other good papers for writing sample(s). If you know anyone you'd want to study with, they can also go to bat for you.  

One thing you'll find is that there is so much filtering out before the applications are submitted that the nominal acceptance rates are much higher than in the US.  The big barrier will be funding, for which international applicants have to walk on water in front of the right people at the correct time of day.

So in the event that my undergraduate GPA is as horrendous as mine was but I managed to make it up with a Master's program, would it still be an application send straight into the trash? I'm a bit traumatized by law school admissions which were more or less nothing but a pure statistics game, which I failed to realize that my Master's program had little to no effect upon helping me get into. I am happy to hear that there is a lot more filtering and that chances are high if I can get past this, though funding isn't too much of an issue for me if that is the case.

Thank you for the solid advice!

[Concordia]

Make contact with a supervisor, making sure you put your best foot forward.  That worked marvels in the places I applied, although I was careful to listen to their advice, and had a few solid credentials by the time I was ready.

[Chuck Mangione]

15 hours ago, Concordia said:

Make contact with a supervisor, making sure you put your best foot forward.  That worked marvels in the places I applied, although I was careful to listen to their advice, and had a few solid credentials by the time I was ready.

By supervisor, do you mean the professor I'd want to work with even if I haven't sent in an application at this point?

On a side note, thank you for the advice you've been giving so far!

[Concordia]

Yes.