2017-2018 Application Cycle

[scarseed]

5 minutes ago, ilyosha said:

Well. Hopkins is (tied for) my #1 choice, and I've been obsessively refreshing this page since yesterday waiting to see if someone claims an informal POI email. It seems like that's their usual method for accepting, and they usually come around this week. I think the problems are, as far as I can tell, the following:

(a) Hopkins is basically great at Theory and little else. Even when they had a chance to bolster their IR faculty they doubled down on Theory. (b) Even within Theory, they are unusually focused on Critical Theory and Continental perspectives (it's one of the best places to write a dissertation on, say, Foucault and Deleuze, but good luck writing "An Interest Theory of Rights" or something). (c) There are very few jobs in Theory, and if poliscirumors is any indication there are a lot of poli sci people who are, on the whole, fairly condescending towards 'theory only' people. These few jobs tend to go to people from mainstream departments working with mainstream methods. (d) The Hopkins Theory 'brand' has a bit of a reputation of having declined in quality over the last decade or so, especially since thinkers like Deleuze and Ranciere have become old news.

Anyway, that's my impression from reading around the web, which has a way of distorting one's perspective. I still think it's a great program and I'm definitely not in this game for the naysayers. My guess--perhaps totally wrong headed--is that the Hopkins PhD still has good value in more 'Theory' friendly and 'Continental' friendly environments, and you'd probably do better to expect to head to the UK market if you're aiming at getting a PhD from Hopkins.

This is good to hear as its precisely why I applied so thanks. My application is a fairly odd one for multiple reasons so it may be a longshot but its good to have someone confirm what I had assumed about the department. My long-term hope would be to teach in the UK, anyways, so very happy to enter into a continental/theory heavy milieu. 

[SDMSK]

1 hour ago, skhann said:

I've not got any interview requests from Vanderbilt. If there was a chance, a request would have arrived by now. Judging by the DGS email pre-application-deadline, I'm assuming a rejection.

Same here. You are not alone.

[skhann]

3 minutes ago, Qw23 said:

Same here. You are not alone.

I know. I have long assumed it as a rejection though. Soldiering on for the rest of the cycle

[skhann]

47 minutes ago, jnewcomb08 said:

i interviewed with vanderbilt on friday.  had a good time as well afterwards of picking myself apart about all the things i could have said differently, lol.  oh well, hopefully it was more a chance for the department to see if i was not crazy and i have a great shot of acceptance.

Congrats! I guess they only interviewed those they really wanted in the program. You have bright chances of getting admitted.

[ilyosha]

25 minutes ago, scarseed said:

This is good to hear as its precisely why I applied so thanks. My application is a fairly odd one for multiple reasons so it may be a longshot but its good to have someone confirm what I had assumed about the department. My long-term hope would be to teach in the UK, anyways, so very happy to enter into a continental/theory heavy milieu. 

Yeah, that's why it's my #1 choice! I think it's basically perfect if you know what you're getting into and you know it's what you want to do more than anything else you could do with your life. But if that's not somebody's thing they would definitely do better to go somewhere else. Also, don't know if I'm a total weirdo, but the more I write about why I love Hopkins the more I fear jinxing myself into rejection.

[scarseed]

10 minutes ago, ilyosha said:

Yeah, that's why it's my #1 choice! I think it's basically perfect if you know what you're getting into and you know it's what you want to do more than anything else you could do with your life. But if that's not somebody's thing they would definitely do better to go somewhere else. Also, don't know if I'm a total weirdo, but the more I write about why I love Hopkins the more I fear jinxing myself into rejection.

From looking around online, I do get the sense that given it's lower-ranking in comparison to many mostly conventional political science programs, some less theory-oriented folks apply to it as a backup program. Not sure how that all plays out but I'm sure you have a great shot. Good luck!

[deutsch1997bw]

Anyone claiming the Iowa acceptances?

[toad1]

Is it me or was there a lot of action during the last week of January and we're now in the eye of the hurricane? These forums have been relatively calm the past two weeks or so.

[csantamir]

I’ve given up on ND and Indiana. Hoping CUNY will start releasing decisions soon.

[audre.bored]

Question for the UT Austin people: outside of the DGS did you receive emails from professors not mentioned in your SOP?

[buckinghamubadger]

1 hour ago, toad1 said:

Is it me or was there a lot of action during the last week of January and we're now in the eye of the hurricane? These forums have been relatively calm the past two weeks or so.

I've gotten nine of my ten decisions, granted two of them were waitlistings. Am I just finishing up early?

[toad1]

10 minutes ago, buckinghamubadger said:

I've gotten nine of my ten decisions, granted two of them were waitlistings. Am I just finishing up early?

Hmm.. maybe it just feels like every day/week takes a bit longer then. 

[Clytemnahstra]

1 hour ago, toad1 said:

Is it me or was there a lot of action during the last week of January and we're now in the eye of the hurricane? These forums have been relatively calm the past two weeks or so.

I'm with you on that. I applied to 12 programs and I've only heard back from 4, and one of the four was just an interview

[SerenityNow!]

For me the inactivity is regret - I wish I had applied to more programs. My mentors said it was crazy to apply to more than 5 but nearly everyone on here applied to 8-9+! With that said I got into the program that has the professors who's interests match perfectly with mine (American local government, innovation, and water politics) but at the same time I wish I had applied to more so I could have options to weigh.

[artibasos]

38 minutes ago, Clytemnahstra said:

I'm with you on that. I applied to 12 programs and I've only heard back from 4, and one of the four was just an interview

I’m at 4/14 and am also slowly losing my mind.

Edited February 13, 2018 by artibasos

[proctorvt]

On 2/9/2018 at 5:08 PM, redfive said:

i'm theory. i've got some questions ready and i've read up on the interviewer's research and so on, and he is the POI for me at penn so i think it should go OK. pretty nervous tho! 

How did it go? I'm sure you nailed it.  Any specific word on when decisions would be made? I'm not buying the "few more weeks" that I was told...  that will, of course, be when final rejections go out.

[Wiesbaden]

I got an acceptance letter from the Univ. of South Carolina- Yes, it's not USC.

 

However, there is no funding notification and moreover, the final decision for funding will be made by April 1. The thing is, this is the exact date when they want to decide their offer! If I accept this offer. I just have to look forward to giving money!. What the heck...

[Hamb]

10 hours ago, izmir said:

The forum has been really slow lately. Are people bored of writing or visiting here?

 

2 hours ago, toad1 said:

Is it me or was there a lot of action during the last week of January and we're now in the eye of the hurricane? These forums have been relatively calm the past two weeks or so.

I think part of it may be that there's been an overall slowdown in big programs notifying everyone. We had that late-January/early February boom and now we're all just waiting for the mid-February storm that hits most years.

Plus I think it might be in part that those who haven't heard any good news might be feeling down and trying to stay away for mental health, and those that have heard good news are now less worried about hearing back the moment the email gets sent out.

[buckinghamubadger]

28 minutes ago, Hamb said:

 

I think part of it may be that there's been an overall slowdown in big programs notifying everyone. We had that late-January/early February boom and now we're all just waiting for the mid-February storm that hits most years.

Plus I think it might be in part that those who haven't heard any good news might be feeling down and trying to stay away for mental health, and those that have heard good news are now less worried about hearing back the moment the email gets sent out.

Do you think it's time to start the 'lessons learned' thread yet?

Edited February 13, 2018 by buckinghamubadger

[BobBobBob]

I think, in the next couple of weeks of so, we will see a huge influx of decisions from schools we haven't heard and rejections from those that already sent out acceptances. 

In the meantime, for those that are waitlisted and want to fight for a spot, email their DGS about any offers you have received from other schools and express your enthusiasm about their programs. On the one hand, show them that you are a competitive candidate. On the other hand, tell them their program remains your top choice. Maybe also ask your recommenders to write an additional letter of support if possible, though I'm not too familiar with how this works. Maybe others can chip in on this.

For those already with their hands full of offers, maybe consider declining some schools that you definitely will not go already. Doesn't make any difference for you but may make a huge difference for someone else.

Hang tight folks. We've come this far.

[Hamb]

28 minutes ago, buckinghamubadger said:

Do you think it's time to start the 'lessons learned' thread yet?

Probably! I think whenever one's cycle is "finished" is the time to do it.

[poliscibi]

Hey! Anyone know where I could find updated information on subfield rankings?

[redfive]

3 hours ago, proctorvt said:

How did it go? I'm sure you nailed it.  Any specific word on when decisions would be made? I'm not buying the "few more weeks" that I was told...  that will, of course, be when final rejections go out.

i was told end of feb, so a few more weeks. best of luck. i thought i was given pretty good signs but who can tell with these things. seriously, good wishes, be well, this is hell, etc

[deutsch1997bw]

10 hours ago, not@prof_yet said:

When is appropriate to email a department asking if a decision has been made? For example, I still haven't heard anything from Northwestern, but it is clear acceptances have been sent out.

I haven't received a rejection from Northwestern, either. Could it be that some acceptances were sent out, and that they are waiting to hear back? Depending on how many people the department hears back from, could more acceptances be sent out? I'm tempted to email the Director of Graduate Studies just to find out. Interestingly, some acceptances were sent out on 1/26 last year, and others on 2/13.

Edited February 14, 2018 by deutsch1997bw

[Victor xu]

On 13/02/2018 at 1:36 AM, buckinghamubadger said:

Waitlisted at Brandeis. Somewhat surprised because they sent me recruitment emails, but also not that surprising given that their website says they accept two to five applicants every year.

Accepted: Notre Dame, Missouri, Colorado, UC Irvine

Waitlisted: Brandeis, WashU-STL

Rejected: Michigan, Princeton, Univ. Of Washington

Pending: USC

May I ask when did u receive the offer from Colorado? I have not received any information from it, does it mean that I am out ? thanks