psylocybha

Something to check, if you are a US citizen or resident, is whether your university withholds and reports your stipend income. Mine does neither, but this is unfortunately not the case for us foreign students.

Hey Tino (and anyone else). What do you feel about F1 visa holders with valid I-20 etc needing a return ticket to travel to the US? When I arrived in August they didn't check if I had a return ticket. What if I want to go to a third country to visit, do I need a ticket from the US to my home country when I return from my travels at the US port of entry? Any experiences?

Drexel university: http://www.drexel.edu Syracuse university: http://www.syr.edu No need to be pedantic about word order or a missing letter, IMHO

I think what shoaibakram was trying to say, if you look behind the bravado and posturing, is: PhD students can be pretty obsessive. Don't let it overwhelm you.

I agree with asquare, although I feel that there may be more latitude in the tone than his post suggests. After all, the adcoms will be reviewing hundreds of apps - yours has to stick out. Unfortunately, most current and prospective Phd students have hardly seen any decent SOPs, only their own (myself included), so asking that question here may not be overly useful. You'll get people telling you how they did their SOP because it worked for them. That, of course, is the logical fallacy of affirming the consequent. Best advice: get your hands on as many successful SOPs as possible.

Hi Ivo ... I'm flying off in a couple of weeks, I guess the same as you ..? As to whether your friend should say that he is currently a PhD student or working, it depends on what his transcripts show and what the referees say. In any case, I don't think it will present a problem if he has registered for a PhD, especially if the SOP explains it in the way that you mention. After all, most US Phd programmes include a masters, yet they admit many people who already have masters degrees or who are currently grad students.

I agree with Cridamour that not having finished the first PhD presents a window of opportunity. You can present yourself as a current grad student looking to get a decent PhD, not as a PhD looking to get another, which will be tougher to sell. I don't think it will be too difficult to explain your motivation, as in the academic world, where you get your PhD matters considerably, which won't be lost on the adcom. The major difficulty however, as mentioned by Cridamour, will be winning support from 3 of your currents profs for you to abandon their ship and feather your nest elsewhere. Unfortunately, there's also lots of jealousy in the academic world and it is not inconceivable that one of these profs will by put out because you have opportunities that he/she didn't and are looking to get a more prestigious PhD. My two cents then: it all depends on your current profs. If you can gather together 3 who support your application, I think you're on your way. Just don't finish the PhD before you apply. Adandon it, write it off to experience, etc.

Why not try the GRE again, hopefully with a better AWA, AND submit a sample that shows how well you write ... try and eliminate any weak spots in your application

It is not conventional to put your referees' alma maters in your CV. In any case, you have to submit LORs anyway, so why include an additional list of referees? I say don't do it: the adcom will most likely see it for what it is, an attempt to impress them.

I'm in the same boat, although my visa is valid for 3 years. I posted something a couple of weeks ago and Tino, among others, gave me advice. It seems you understand the situation. It is a visa office-specific arrangement; You can either stay the whole time in the US or get a new visa every time you leave; I'm not yet sure if you can get a new visa in Canada - I'll be investigating that at some point. 1 year is really harsh - I hope you're able to get a new visa in the country you visit when you leave the US, or else your travel will be severely curtailed.

On thegradcafe.com people compared the size of their disciplines packages (!) I'm not sure who won. Anyway, check it out: http://forum.thegradcafe.com/viewtopic.php?t=468

Has anyone managed to shake out some extra money from their school to pay for relocation or flight costs? I'd love to know if this happens or is possible because my ticket is burning a hole in my credit card...

York is more highly rated in economics. See: http://www.hero.ac.uk/rae/rae_dynamic.cfm?myURL=http://195.194.167.103/Results/byuoa/uoa38.htm

I think the F1 is only good for entry up to 30 days prior to the start of your program. You will need an additional visa. Given that you will be presenting research, you may need to apply for a J1 (?) visa rather than a tourist visa.

Hi Clodo I think that the MA will definitely help you decide if you want to do a PhD. However, it probably won't help you too much in your PhD application. Given your uncertainty about your future, I think the MA in Spain is a pretty good way to do something while getting a clearer sense about where and what you want to do. My feeling is that it is OK to bumble through sometimes, especially in the mid-20s. And, you get to live in another country for a couple of years, which, in my book, is always a plus. I also wouldn't worry too much about being 'too old' for a PhD program (26!!). If you decide that your life is happening now, and not when (if?) you graduate, your age doesn't matter.

That's very optimistic coolpaggy! My view is that the US is in fact one of the MOST suspicious and mistrusting countries when it comes to applying for a visa! There are not a lot of places that require interviews for all visa applicants. As for the brother situation: I think it may be a problem. The fact that they ask in the DS-156 about whether your family members are in the US and their visa status, suggests that they have flagged it as a 'risk factor'.

When I went for my interview they checked all the documents before we entered the consulate. They let someone in with the wrong size picture, but suggested that it was up to the discretion of the consul. You don't want that additional stress ...

Well done!! You're on your way.:tup: Hmmm.... So they'll do research so that you can go and do research?

Don't take me so seriously! I'm trying to inject a note of melodrama for the lurking public...;) My I-20 said the program would be 84 months!! On my DS-156 or whatever it was, I said 5 years. I think the 3 year thing was deliberate and typically bureaucratic. By the way, Tino, what standard PhD's take 2 years in the US? That's crazy talk! Thanks again for your comments

Thanks Tino, that's a great help. Its a mystery why these bastards deliberately granted me a visa that expires before my studies finish. I guess that's the machiavellian joy of being a consular official. Oh, I meant to ask (before I got carried away): do I have to get a new F1 visa in my home country, or can I apply at an embassy in any country outside the US?

I received my F1 via courier last week:), but then a not of concern crept in when I saw the expiry date: may 2009 - only 3 years,:hmm: although my PhD program will be more like 5 years! ... My understanding is that if I stay in the US, its no problem, but if I leave after May 09, I will need a new entry visa: Does this sound right? And will I need to get that new visa in my home country? What a mission. Is this a common occurrence by the way, or did I just luck out? Thanks for any info

You really need to get positive letters. If you're not sure about a prof's attitude towards you, you can always ask: say something like "I am applying to X univeristy, do you feel you are able to support my application?" They'll understand that the effort and cost of application can all be wasted with one lukewarm letter. Definitely try and do research projects. Research exp. is helpful in an application and a potential letter writer will get to know you. Other ways of developing a better relationship with your profs is to speak to them after class, show an interest, ask questions, etc. - get yourself known. You could also approach them for advice on grad school. When doing this, you may also want to ask whether there are any schools that they recommend you apply to, and whether they have any contacts there you could write to. These type of links will give you a big help when applying. When you finally get to writing to profs at target schools (perhaps in the summer?), make sure you are familiar with their work, briefly describe your research interests, and ask whether there is a fit with their or the dept.'s work. You could also mention some of your profs names if they have suggested you contact this person. Most will reply; many will have a stock response - but will give clues as to what they're looking for; and some will show real enthusiasm. At minimum, your name will be on the radar screen.

In a nutshell, the chances are not great. For anyone. Those type of programs have acceptance rates of between 5 - 10%, so its tricky at the best of times. By the way, the top 5 in IR, according to USNEWS is harvard, stanford, columbia, princeton, michigan. If you're gonna concentrate on prestigious schools, apply to at least 6 or 7. 'Mediocre' references will put you out of the running, full stop. consolidate and improve your relationships with your referees now or set your sights lower. The SOP is crucial in polisci, make sure it is tailored for each school and is fairly specific about an area, perhaps even a topic, that you know something about. Write to profs at your intended schools and consider favouring those places where the responses are enthusiastic. The GRE is not too NB. In polisci you'd probably need at least 600V, 650Q and 5AWA to avoid questions being asked. More is, of course, better, esp. for the AWA. Extra activities and languages will only be helpful if they relate to your SOP. You worked in a 'developing country': will your proposed research have something to do with this country? ditto for your languages. If not, they will add no value. Good luck!

Hmmm.... I don't agree that Grad school will necessarily take up all your time so that you can't develop personal relationships. I worked up to 40 hrs a week extra during my master's degree and things got a bit crazy, but if you cut out TV and crossword puzzles, it can work. I found that my hectic schedule made me use my time better than my peers, most of whom weren't working. I finished my thesis quicker than most of them. The main issue as I see it, is allowing your work (whether studying or employment) to take over your life at the expense of relationships. You can treat studying like a job and set boundaries of how much work you will get sucked into. Diminishing returns mean that even if you work only half as much as some of your colleagues, you'll get 80% of the level of success.

Age: 27 M/F: M Location when applying: South Africa Major(s) in undergrad: literature, psychology Undergraduate institution: universities of Natal & Cape Town Major(s) applying for: Political science Area of specialization: comparative politics Degree(s) earned: BA hons (1999)/ MPhil (2004) Degree(s) applying for: PhD Undergrad GPA (try to adjust to 4.0 system): ? Class Rank (if applicable): ? GRE Verbal: 700 GRE Math: 770 GRE Writing: 5.5 How many months did you study for GRE general: 1 month GRE Subject (if applicable): N/A How many months did you study for GRE subject: N/A TOEFL: N/A Researched as undergrad in University (y/n & years): N Researched as undergrad in Industry (y/n & years): N Published (y/n & # of articles): Y, 1 under review Other: TA Advice to those applying to grad school: Consolidate relationship with referees. Try make contact with lots of potential profs the summer before. SOP is vital: Sex it up to make you stand out of the crowd (soc sci / humanities esp) Accepted Schools (aid: y/n and how much and what form; date notified and method of notification): WUSTL ($18+3k TA/RA, except 1st and last years) Arizona ($13k TA/RA) Rejected Schools (date notified and method of notification): Michigan Stanford Berkeley Waitlisted Schools: N/A Chosen School: WUSTL