2017-2018 Application Cycle

[guest56436]

No.

To get into Princeton - as well as the top 6 in general - requires a lot of things but it's fairly straight-forward: you need a rock solid application across virtually every facet. 

That means a great SOP with an interesting project; excellent letters  (esp. from well-known scholars); (probably) a good undergrad pedigree; good stats (GRE + GPA); a stellar writing sample that shows some theoretical chops and empirical skills; some research experience (RA + thesis); and some quant skills. 

It's not rocket science. You can be weaker in one of those, but you can't be weak in multiple. The applicant pool is too competitive. 

Whether you got a perfect GRE doesn't matter for jack shit unless the rest of your application lines up as well. 

[Hamb]

1 hour ago, buckinghamubadger said:

I'm kinda assuming rejection from Univ. of Washington, but I'm not 100% certain that I should

I'm not giving up hope yet. Maybe we're rejected, but I think it's a bit premature for those calling it over. This would be the earliest they notified all accepted since the results board started back in 2006.

Maybe it was the quickest year for them in 12 years of applicant tracking, but I think there's a reasonable chance not all have been contacted.

Edited February 4, 2018 by Hamb

[ArcierePrudente]

9 minutes ago, Comparativist said:

No.

To get into Princeton - as well as the top 6 in general - requires a lot of things but it's fairly straight-forward: you need a rock solid application across virtually every facet. 

That means a great SOP with an interesting project; excellent letters  (esp. from well-known scholars); (probably) a good undergrad pedigree; good stats (GRE + GPA); a stellar writing sample that shows some theoretical chops and empirical skills; some research experience (RA + thesis); and some quant skills. 

It's not rocket science. You can be weaker in one of those, but you can't be weak in multiple. The applicant pool is too competitive. 

Whether you got a perfect GRE doesn't matter for jack shit unless the rest of your application lines up as well. 

I take your point and agree to a large extent (full disclosure: I did NOT apply to Princeton), but we can reasonably assume the majority of applicants on Princeton's 'top 50' list have what is, on paper, a rock solid application. This includes all the criteria that you list above. 

 

After that, it does really boil down to fit and a host of other particularities relevant only to the current application cycle. So I think we all agree with you, but even after all of the facets above are accounted for, there's quite a lot of chance. 

[WHC_2017]

8 minutes ago, ArcierePrudente said:

I take your point and agree to a large extent (full disclosure: I did NOT apply to Princeton), but we can reasonably assume the majority of applicants on Princeton's 'top 50' list have what is, on paper, a rock solid application. This includes all the criteria that you list above. 

 

After that, it does really boil down to fit and a host of other particularities relevant only to the current application cycle. So I think we all agree with you, but even after all of the facets above are accounted for, there's quite a lot of chance. 

Agree. My application meets all the "standard" criteria for a solid application (top-3 LAC + top MA program + 170 Quant + NPSA/ISA/MPSA/to be published thesis) and I did get into every school I applied to that has released its results (Berkeley, Duke, and UCSD), BUT I didn't get into Princeton. Even my adviser is a bit surprised. So I believe, after making the short list for any of the top-6 programs, it involves a quite much a lucky draw---or how fit you are to the faculty's interests there. 

[guest56436]

Fair enough. But what you 'need' and outcomes are different things of course. 

[PoliSci-freak]

37 minutes ago, Hamb said:

I'm not giving up hope yet. Maybe we're rejected, but I think it's a bit premature for those calling it over. This would be the earliest they notified all accepted since the results board started back in 2006.

Maybe it was the quickest year for them in 12 years of applicant tracking, but I think there's a reasonable chance not all have been contacted.

I very much hope you're right. I would just indicate: my POI who was involved in admissions assured me mid-last week that they would be deciding (didn't say notifying) admits and waitlists by Friday. Didn't say rejections. My understanding is that there were fierce debates on some files which delayed the final decisions till Friday. It could be the case that they notified those admits that were not the subject of disagreements (the "perfect" ones) and those that shortlisted but that are on the fence will need to be deliberated upon further early next week. We will learn more soon, hopefully.

[CandyCanes]

1 hour ago, WHC_2017 said:

Agree. My application meets all the "standard" criteria for a solid application (top-3 LAC + top MA program + 170 Quant + NPSA/ISA/MPSA/to be published thesis) and I did get into every school I applied to that has released its results (Berkeley, Duke, and UCSD), BUT I didn't get into Princeton. Even my adviser is a bit surprised. So I believe, after making the short list for any of the top-6 programs, it involves a quite much a lucky draw---or how fit you are to the faculty's interests there. 

Is Berkeley considered top 6?

[WHC_2017]

I would assume it is?

[Albert01]

7 minutes ago, CandyCanes said:

Is Berkeley considered top 6?

As long as I have heard, when we call CHYMPS, some say C is for Cal Berkeley and some others say Columbia or Chicago. 

[toad1]

3 minutes ago, Albert01 said:

As long as I have heard, when we call CHYMPS, some say C is for Cal Berkeley and some others say Columbia or Chicago. 

It's my understanding that C is meant to be Cal Berkeley

[Albert01]

As another anxious weekend is going by, we again delve into the seductive topic of rankings...

[PoliSci-freak]

Anybody who applied to UBC/McGill/Toronto, what has your experience been thus far? POI contact? Heard anything?

[CarefreeWritingsontheWall]

Hey all. Hope you are braving the wave of admission results. It's been awhile since I commented but the mention of what it takes to get into Princeton caught my attention. There's a bit of a coincidental mass exodus occurring this year that could be affecting how people land -- especially in IR but potentially also in other fields. The Department is losing Davis, Imai, Christensen and Gilens to other schools (Harvard, Columbia and UCLA), along with Keohane's move to full emeritus status. Some of its merit and fit, but occasionally there are things occurring beyond your control. I know I was rejected from a number of schools because the person I intended to work with was leaving, or not actually taking on students (turns out I was admitted where they moved to though, so small plus). 

[WHC_2017]

11 minutes ago, CarefreeWritingsontheWall said:

Hey all. Hope you are braving the wave of admission results. It's been awhile since I commented but the mention of what it takes to get into Princeton caught my attention. There's a bit of a coincidental mass exodus occurring this year that could be affecting how people land -- especially in IR but potentially also in other fields. The Department is losing Davis, Imai, Christensen and Gilens to other schools (Harvard, Columbia and UCLA), along with Keohane's move to full emeritus status. Some of its merit and fit, but occasionally there are things occurring beyond your control. I know I was rejected from a number of schools because the person I intended to work with was leaving, or not actually taking on students (turns out I was admitted where they moved to though, so small plus). 

Thank you so much for letting us know about this.  Now I realize that Milner is still on leave to Europe, and Davis and Imai are leaving (sadly). These are all my POIs, and guess that explains why the rejection comes out. 

[WHC_2017]

14 minutes ago, CarefreeWritingsontheWall said:

Hey all. Hope you are braving the wave of admission results. It's been awhile since I commented but the mention of what it takes to get into Princeton caught my attention. There's a bit of a coincidental mass exodus occurring this year that could be affecting how people land -- especially in IR but potentially also in other fields. The Department is losing Davis, Imai, Christensen and Gilens to other schools (Harvard, Columbia and UCLA), along with Keohane's move to full emeritus status. Some of its merit and fit, but occasionally there are things occurring beyond your control. I know I was rejected from a number of schools because the person I intended to work with was leaving, or not actually taking on students (turns out I was admitted where they moved to though, so small plus). 

Also, may I ask where specifically Davis and Imai are moving to? both Harvard or Harvard and UCLA? 

[CarefreeWritingsontheWall]

4 minutes ago, WHC_2017 said:

Also, may I ask where specifically Davis and Imai are moving to? both Harvard or Harvard and UCLA? 

Davis and Imai are both leaving for Harvard (they're married). Christensen is moving to Columbia and Gilens to UCLA. It's a tough year. 

[WHC_2017]

4 minutes ago, CarefreeWritingsontheWall said:

Davis and Imai are both leaving for Harvard (they're married). Christensen is moving to Columbia and Gilens to UCLA. It's a tough year. 

That' tough, but gratefully Milner is still there (my intellectual model). I wish I could have known these moves earlier before writing the applications though. 

[buckinghamubadger]

Martin Gilens is moving to UCLA?

[CarefreeWritingsontheWall]

4 minutes ago, WHC_2017 said:

That' tough, but gratefully Milner is still there (my intellectual model). I wish I could have known these moves earlier before writing the applications though. 

They were only announced in the last two weeks, though Imai and Davis have been deliberating with schools for over a year.

4 minutes ago, buckinghamubadger said:

Martin Gilens is moving to UCLA?

Yes, confirmed in person and via twitter. https://twitter.com/GarySegura/status/958726445123203075

[buckinghamubadger]

Given the department's poor placement in the wake of the data falsification scandal, that's just the shot in the arm that they need.

[Clytemnahstra]

9 hours ago, PoliSci-freak said:

Anybody who applied to UBC/McGill/Toronto, what has your experience been thus far? POI contact? Heard anything?

It's been quiet on my end. Given how late they accept applications my guess is we won't hear anything until early March.

[PoliSci-freak]

Does anybody have any experience with the admissions process for the MRes/Phd program at the LSE? I have an interview this week, is this part of the process for everybody applying to their program or just some applicants?

Edited February 4, 2018 by PoliSci-freak

[PoliSci45889]

14 minutes ago, PoliSci-freak said:

Does anybody have any experience with the admissions process for the MRes/Phd program at the LSE? I have an interview this week, is this part of the process for everybody applying to their program or just some applicants?

Not a PhD student at LSE, but did my Masters there and very familiar with the process as I was going to apply and gained lots of advice from my advisors there (unfortunately my research was not a suitable fit so decided not to apply there)

The interview is a good sign, it means you've been shortlisted BUT it does not mean you're going to get admitted, it's just the next step of the process. It's pretty much very similar to a job interview in terms of the process itself (they like you but doesn't mean they're hiring you at all). They'll be asking questions about your proposal and research mostly and why you've chosen the specific department and LSE. You'll most probably have POIs in the interview so make sure you do really good research on the department and your POI's areas of research too.

I haven't had a US interview so I'm not sure how similar LSE's interview is to it, but from what I've seen on US interviews they seem to be quite informal and for many, just an informal way of accepting someone. You can very much get rejected from LSE after the interview, it is 100% not a sure sign, but it is a step in the right direction for sure. Just make sure you're prepared to discuss your topic thoroughly and know the university and academics well. As for formality of the interview, from what I've heard it really depends on who's interviewing you. Some faculty like to make it super formal, while others just like to have a chat basically, so there's no certainty with that.

Best of luck though! I hope you nail the interview and LSE is a great school for sure! If it wasn't for lack of POIs in my field, I would've definitely applied

Edited February 4, 2018 by PoliSci45889

[PoliSci-freak]

10 minutes ago, PoliSci45889 said:

Not a PhD student at LSE, but did my Masters there and very familiar with the process as I was going to apply and gained lots of advice from my advisors there (unfortunately my research was not a suitable fit so decided not to apply there)

The interview is a good sign, it means you've been shortlisted BUT it does not mean you're going to get admitted, it's just the next step of the process. It's pretty much very similar to a job interview in terms of the process itself (they like you but doesn't mean they're hiring you at all). They'll be asking questions about your proposal and research mostly and why you've chosen the specific department and LSE. You'll most probably have POIs in the interview so make sure you do really good research on the department and your POI's areas of research too.

I haven't had a US interview so I'm not sure how similar LSE's interview is to it, but from what I've seen on US interviews they seem to be quite informal and for many, just an informal way of accepting someone. You can very much get rejected from LSE after the interview, it is 100% not a sure sign, but it is a step in the right direction for sure. Just make sure you're prepared to discuss your topic thoroughly and know the university and academics well. As for formality of the interview, from what I've heard it really depends on who's interviewing you. Some faculty like to make it super formal, while others just like to have a chat basically, so there's no certainty with that.

Best of luck though! I hope you nail the interview and LSE is a great school for sure! If it wasn't for lack of POIs in my field, I would've definitely applied

Thank you so much! This is extremely helpful. Yes it is two POIs who will be interviewing me actually.

[ArcierePrudente]

13 hours ago, WHC_2017 said:

Thank you so much for letting us know about this.  Now I realize that Milner is still on leave to Europe, and Davis and Imai are leaving (sadly). These are all my POIs, and guess that explains why the rejection comes out. 

This actually raises an issue on my end (especially since I was the one harping on the primacy of faculty fit not too long ago). I alluded to this in a prior profile eval, but: within my top program, one of my POIs (and recommenders) is on leave this year, but remains local and maintains a strong on-campus presence/relationship within the department. Another POI is going on leave next year but will be back and taking students the year after that. I wouldn't be shocked if the third POI is thinking about going emeritus soon, but I haven't heard anything to this effect from them or any other faculty directly, so it doesn't appear terribly imminent.

 

So no one's leaving or has left for good, but I'd feel a lot more comfortable if the first POI was actually on the adcomm or the second POI was going to be around next year. Am I doomed?