2017-2018 Application Cycle

[SDMSK]

One friendly suggestion: can you guys start a new thread to talk about the "top 10" topic?

I'm not saying it's not important but you are really adding on my anxiety of not hearing back from any of the schools when I open this page once every 30 minutes expecting updates from people...considering it's still pretty early in the waiting period. Maybe let's return to the conversation later when people start to struggle to make decisions - which I hope I can experience because it means I have been accepted to at least two schools.

Edited January 24, 2018 by Qw23

[politicalsciencehopeful]

37 minutes ago, Qw23 said:

One friendly suggestion: can you guys start a new thread to talk about the "top 10" topic?

I'm not saying it's not important but you are really adding on my anxiety of not hearing back from any of the schools when I open this page once every 30 minutes expecting updates from people...considering it's still pretty early in the waiting period. Maybe let's return to the conversation later when people start to struggle to make decisions - which I hope I can experience because it means I have been accepted to at least two schools.

I agree, this kind of discourse on prestige is not only premature (decisions have only just started being made -- and many of us won't be hearing from certain schools until the ass end of March), but more importantly, it's derailing the purpose of this thread.

Edited January 24, 2018 by politicalsciencehopeful

[buckinghamubadger]

Sorry about that. I'll stick to the topics at hand. I just got caught up in the heat of the discussion.

[Wiesbaden]

52 minutes ago, Qw23 said:

One friendly suggestion: can you guys start a new thread to talk about the "top 10" topic?

I'm not saying it's not important but you are really adding on my anxiety of not hearing back from any of the schools when I open this page once every 30 minutes expecting updates from people...considering it's still pretty early in the waiting period. Maybe let's return to the conversation later when people start to struggle to make decisions - which I hope I can experience because it means I have been accepted to at least two schools.

I totally agree with your opinion since I am the one too.

[DreamersDay]

2 hours ago, Qw23 said:

I'm not saying it's not important but you are really adding on my anxiety of not hearing back from any of the schools when I open this page once every 30 minutes expecting updates from people.

On the other hand, maybe if we talk about the discipline when hope to enter and implicitly about decisions made by us in April, it will be less of a draw to anxiously check this thread every 30 minutes for a jump-scare of a post by someone about a school you care about but haven't heard from?  ;-)

Though in seriousness, is there any scenario where this thread is going to promote mental health when used this way:

1. If you haven't heard from the school's you're hoping to attend, then checking this thread repeatedly for other people who got in is just going to drive you nuts.

2. If you check this thread and - to your horror - see that others are reporting getting into your target school, then this will *either* make you insanely anxious in the days or hours leading up to getting formally rejected, or it will make you insanely anxious in the days or hours leading up to getting accepted. Either way, you'll feel worse for having seen it, for more days.  

3. If you get into a school, they'll call you or send you an email, you wont find the answer in GradCafe.  If you get a rejection from a school, there is no point in checking grad cafe about it since you've already gotten the rejection. 

[WHC_2017]

Claim a UCSD interview. IR/IPE subfiled. 

[Kief13muse]

11 minutes ago, WHC_2017 said:

Claim a UCSD interview. IR/IPE subfiled. 

When did you receive the email?

[WHC_2017]

6 minutes ago, Kief13muse said:

When did you receive the email?

About 20 mins. 

[csantamir]

Hi everyone,

What if you’re a bit older, not looking for TT and after your getting your PhD just want to teach/research for a few years to just enjoy working on the subject matter, without necessarily making a career out of it? Is that even possible if you end up at a lower ranked school?

Cheers

[deutsch1997bw]

Anyone claiming the Wisconsin admit? Which subfield?

[swampyankee]

6 hours ago, DreamersDay said:

On the other hand, maybe if we talk about the discipline when hope to enter and implicitly about decisions made by us in April, it will be less of a draw to anxiously check this thread every 30 minutes for a jump-scare of a post by someone about a school you care about but haven't heard from?  ;-)

Agreed. The rankings discussion is consequential, and may be helpful to our soon-to-come decisions, whereas "who heard what from where and how by whom" is an IV drip of anxiety. Not that I blame anyone for being anxious! *wipes sweat from brow*

@csantamir, my impression is "yes," though if you're applying to a lower-ranked program, I'd talk to some of the students and get a sense of their focus. Some don't provide much funding, or tie it to so much teaching that research becomes secondary.

[ComparativeStreak]

What are the conventions around uploading fall grades? I know most portals say this is 'optional' and it seems like most programs will  (and have already started to) make a decision without them. 

[mcm1]

3 minutes ago, ComparativeStreak said:

What are the conventions around uploading fall grades? I know most portals say this is 'optional' and it seems like most programs will  (and have already started to) make a decision without them. 

I've only had two applications that asked for them, Princeton and Yale. AFAIK the rest have to mechanism for providing them, and don't ask for them anyway.

[SerenityNow!]

@csantamir I think it depends on which lower ranked school you attend and where that school is located.

I work with many people who have PhDs in Political Science, Public Policy, and Economics who all now work in the private sector and act as subject matter experts. While they are certainly not doing R1 university level research they are heavily involved in writing white papers and doing other types of "boots on the ground" research. Many of them also teach as adjuncts at some of the local universities and occasionally collaborate on research papers with full-time faculty members. Most of these people got their PhDs later (late 20s/early 30s) and didn't really make a career change just more of a pivot towards research and away from management. So yes, I think you can definitely do some research and teaching with your PhD even if it isn't "top 20" (or whatever) as long as others from your school have followed a similar path so there is an alumni network to support you and all the better if it is in a major city where there are these types of jobs and teaching opportunities.

[megabee]

At what point is it appropriate to ask a program about funding? I was accepted to one program (and I think another acceptance is hopefully forthcoming from a different institution, based on what I'm receiving from them) but no word on a funding offer yet. Looking at the results page, the first institution seems to have shared funding details via phone call in the past.

Is it too early for programs to have their funding packages together? How long after the acceptance is it okay to inquire about funding? Should I just sit on my hands and stare at my phone quietly?

[buckinghamubadger]

@megabee, how important is funding to you? To me it's one of the most important factors to the extent that I'd be willing to go somewhere that is less prestigious in order to ensure that I'll be making a decent living wage, I really don't want to end up at one of these places that throws you 15K to live in a high cost of living area. If it's that important to you, I think it's fair game to ask now. If you'd take an offer from somewhere in spite of bad funding because it's a better program, I'd keep my mouth shut.

[Hamb]

2 hours ago, megabee said:

At what point is it appropriate to ask a program about funding? I was accepted to one program (and I think another acceptance is hopefully forthcoming from a different institution, based on what I'm receiving from them) but no word on a funding offer yet. Looking at the results page, the first institution seems to have shared funding details via phone call in the past.

Is it too early for programs to have their funding packages together? How long after the acceptance is it okay to inquire about funding? Should I just sit on my hands and stare at my phone quietly?

I think a good way of approaching that topic might be to ask when you can expect to hear about funding decisions. That way if they already know, they'll likely just tell you, and if they're still sorting things out you get a better sense of what time to expect to hear from them again.

Congrats on the acceptance!

[dagnabbit]

2 hours ago, megabee said:

At what point is it appropriate to ask a program about funding? I was accepted to one program (and I think another acceptance is hopefully forthcoming from a different institution, based on what I'm receiving from them) but no word on a funding offer yet. Looking at the results page, the first institution seems to have shared funding details via phone call in the past.

Is it too early for programs to have their funding packages together? How long after the acceptance is it okay to inquire about funding? Should I just sit on my hands and stare at my phone quietly?

In my experience, funding packages were sent out 2-3 weeks after formal notice of admission. I would wait to send an e-mail, as they probably don't even have details to give you at this point. If you're curious about the stipend, this is usually pretty easy to figure out - many programs list it on their website, and there is also a database that you can search.

[izmir]

Wow it is so calm here today ?

[cpmethods]

Hey guys! Should I be worried that I did not get any interview requests from UCSD? Two of my friends received requests so I am wondering if you guys think it kinda signals me that its gonna be a straight reject for me?

 

And is anyone claiming Harvard interview? Since when is Harvard doing interviews?

 

 

Edited January 24, 2018 by cpmethods

[deutsch1997bw]

16 minutes ago, cpmethods said:

Hey guys! Should I be worried that I did not get any interview requests from UCSD? Two of my friends received requests so I am wondering if you guys think it kinda signals me that its gonna be a straight reject for me?

 

And is anyone claiming Harvard interview? Since when is Harvard doing interviews?

 

 

I wouldn't be too worried. Some people get interviews, and others don't. Are you and your friends in the same subfield? If so, then I would maybe wonder. 

Also, is anyone claiming the UNC admit?

[cb2017]

16 minutes ago, deutsch1997bw said:

I wouldn't be too worried. Some people get interviews, and others don't. Are you and your friends in the same subfield? If so, then I would maybe wonder. 

Also, is anyone claiming the UNC admit?

I am claiming the UNC admit and a GW interview! 1a/0r/13p

[izmir]

3 minutes ago, cb2017 said:

I am claiming the UNC admit and a GW interview! 1a/0r/13p

Congrats! How did you hear about the UNC admit? Do you mind sharing your subfield?

[cb2017]

2 minutes ago, izmir said:

Congrats! How did you hear about the UNC admit? Do you mind sharing your subfield?

They sent an email to check the portal. My subfield is CP.

[deutsch1997bw]

2 minutes ago, cb2017 said:

They sent an email to check the portal. My subfield is CP.

Was it an email from a POI or just a generic one?