<p>I'm currently getting my BA and am going to apply to Grad schools for Fall 2013 (for a Masters program). I am freaking the hell out.</p>
<p>I don't really have any experience. I'm hoping to volunteer for a certain Presidential candidates phone back from now-Nov. But that's about it. </p>
<p>I don't have any expeirence because I just discovered last semester that Political Science is my one true academic love </p>
<p>By the time I apply my GPA should be around 3.4 with either a 4.0 or ~3.8/9 in my poly sci classes. I haven't taken my GRE yet, I plan to do that in November. </p>
<p>Am I completely screwed?</p>
<p>I'm interested in American Politics and eventually want my focus to be government/ SCOTUS.</p>
<p>So far the schools I've looked at are:</p>
<p>SUNY Stony Brook, SUNY Binghamton, UNT, American University, Georgetown, GWU, U of New Hampshire. </p>
<p>Should I be looking at any other schools? Do I have a chance at any of these?
I would love some help.</p>
<p>I’m not sure why you’re rushing straight into graduate school applications, when you yourself admit that you “just discovered” your interest a semester ago. Volunteering for a GOTV phone bank in November isn’t really much to build on.</p>
<p>You should consider taking a year off and applying next cycle with more experience on your c.v. You would be a more competitive candidate.</p>
<p>Sorry, I probably should have clarified a little. Ive always wanted to do politics/government but it was only last semester that I decided to pursue just political science ( I originally wanted to be a HS teacher) Now, I want to get my masters and then my Phd. I want to go into academics and eventually do research and become a professor. Ive literally wanted to work in politics/gov’t my whole life. I want to jump in to my MA right after my BA. I don’t want to risk it down the road. </p>
<p>Also, I’m not working the phone bank in November. I’m doing it now until November…</p>
<p>Also, what would be the point of taking a year off if I can’t get a job? Why not just apply now?</p>
<p>I guess my main concern is that I won’t get in anywhere and then I really will be completely screwed. Do you think I have any chance at getting into lower level schools (UNT, American University, U Conn, etc…)? </p>
<p>Are you honestly saying that I won’t get into any Masters programs?</p>
<p>I’m saying that why would you want to borrow tens of thousands of dollars to pay for a low-tier program when, if you take a year off from school to build a stronger application, you have a much better chance of being accepted at stronger, better-known political science programs?</p>
<p>Have you done any research as an undergraduate student? You should seek out undergraduate research opportunities now.</p>
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<p>Who said you can’t get a job? Have you looked for political jobs/internships? This political season should open up a ton of opportunities to go well beyond just phone-banking and into higher-level positions that involve more than parroting a script.</p>
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<p>There’s no “risk” here. Graduate school will always be there, waiting for you. It’s not going away.</p>
<p>Okay, seriously what is it with “research”. What if none of the profs at my school can’t take on any undergrads right now? That’s going to keep me out of a Masters program? Really?
I love going to school. That is my job. I love political science and want to be in the field.</p>
<p>I honestly don’t understand how undergrads are supposed to do research…</p>
<p>Wouldn’t I also be spending money if I went to a top tier program?</p>
<p>Um, “research” is what you’re going to be doing as a master’s student and as a doctoral student.</p>
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<p>Quite possibly, but there’s always the possibility of at least partial funding. Also, you wouldn’t be spending much, if any, more for a top-tier program than a lower-tier program. If you’re spending about the same amount of money, why would you settle for a lesser opportunity?</p>
<p>No, I know what research is. That isn’t what I was saying. Everyone keeps telling me that I should have done research. I haven’t. That’s all I was saying. Everyone is acting like research is such a huge deal.
The political science prof that I had last semester never even mentioned researched when we talked about me going to grad school. So me not having done any research will prohibit me going to grad school?</p>
<p>It’s not going to prohibit you from going to graduate school. But it’s a hole that will hurt you in the admissions process and makes you a less attractive candidate than others who come in with that experience.</p>
<p>The academic job market is terrible right now, and the better of a master’s program you get into, the better chance you have of getting into a top-tier doctoral program… in turn, your tenure-track job opportunities will be better with a Ph.D from a top-tier program.</p>
<p>I want to apologize. I’m not trying to be snotty, I swear. This is just really frustrating because in my entire undergrad career not one single person mentioned research. It’s frustrating because this is my dream and my passion and I feel stuck. I feel like I’m never going to achieve my goal.</p>
<p>Calm down. Slow down. Take a deep breath. You do not need to run headlong into this and there is no need to be “freaking out.” You have years and years ahead of you. :)</p>
<p>I will be a few months shy of 30 when I earn my master’s degree next spring. You’re already way ahead of me ;)</p>
<p>Thanks Honestly. I really appreciate it. I don’t know why but I woke up today in a panic. I was like “Holy hell I have to apply in Feb. I have to take the GRE soon and I need to get LORs all in like four months ahhhhh!”</p>
<p>I have the passion, I’m just not sure that will translate on paper to the adcoms.</p>
<p>Clearly being calm is not my strongest quality :)</p>
<p>I think you should start looking for undergraduate research opportunities in your senior year (I suppose). Email or talk the professor in person, whose research you find interesting, best if you took a class with that professor and you did well (A) in that class, so that he is aware of your quality and interest. Well, that’s what I did in my senior year and I am very glad that I did it because after some researching on graduate school admission, I found that research experience is extremely important and crucial in getting accepted by a graduate school. </p>
<p>Personally, I recommend doing undergraduate research even if you are not planning on going to graduate school in the future, at least you will have more options after you are done with undergraduate. In fact, after completing the first semester of my undergraduate research, I figured that I gained more interest in the field that I was studying!</p>
<p>Just a quick question, I have done 2 semesters of undergraduate research and it turned out to be quite successful because I accomplished the initial objective and my professor told me that I might be included in the paper that he is going to publish, as one of the authors. And I have done a summer internship in my junior year (in related field).</p>
<p>Based on my experience above, would I be considered in a, let’s say second/third tier phd program? despite my GPA and GRE score. I am also going for the fall’13 admission.</p>
<p>Success (and keeping sanity) in Grad School requires stamina, the ability to shrug off inevitable frustrations, and targeted interest and curiosity. Based on your posts I’d join others in suggesting that you take a year off, work a day job, study for and take the GRE, line up some recs, and start to research departments, not schools.</p>
Honestly. I really appreciate it. I don’t know why but I woke up today in a panic. I was like “Holy hell I have to apply in Feb. I have to take the GRE soon and I need to get LORs all in like four months ahhhhh!”</p>