<p>EXCLUDING IVIES and EXTREMELY difficult schools to get into(10-20% acceptance rate for me)</p>
<p>what colleges/universities have good polisci programs?</p>
<p>Look for programs with many of the following characteristics:</p>
<ol>
<li>Courses covering the major political science subfields (typically including political theory, comparative political systems, international relations/global issues, American politics)</li>
<li>Courses covering quantitative methods in the social sciences </li>
<li>Full time faculty covering each of the major PS subfields, with doctorates from major research universities</li>
<li>Small classes (with many discussion/seminar classes enrolling less than 20 students and taught by professors not grad students)</li>
<li>A senior thesis or project requirement</li>
<li>High PhD production rates compared to colleges of similar size (you can look this up on the NSF/webcaspar site)</li>
<li>Social science research and internship opportunities</li>
<li>High admission standards relative to your own qualifications (but not so high as to be out of reach); good financial aid; good 4-year graduation rates for the whole college</li>
</ol>
<p>Possibilities:</p>
<p>Swarthmore, Amherst, Williams, Pomona, Carleton (these may be too selective)
Oberlin, Vassar, Middlebury, Wesleyan, Colgate
Colorado College, Colby, Kenyon
Lawrence, Skidmore, Wooster</p>
<p>Georgetown, Johns Hopkins, Emory, Tufts (these may be too selective)
Boston University, University of Rochester, NYU, George Washington</p>
<p>Berkeley,Michigan
Wisconsin,Texas
Maryland</p>
<p>What is a good graduation rate for a college?</p>
<p>OP, Dickinson is another school to consider. American is also right in the thick of things in DC, which means good internship opportunities.</p>
<p>American Univeristy
Texas A&M</p>
<p>^^ Many of the most selective private schools (including all the Ivies) have 4 year graduation rates above 80% or so. Rates for top public universities tend to be a bit lower. However, the rates for Berkeley, Michigan, UNC, UVa, and William & Mary (5 of the most prestigious state schools) are above 70%. If an otherwise desirable school has very low graduation rates compared to similar, peer colleges, you might want to ask why.</p>
<p>Strong poli sci that are get into-able and give good merit money? Dickinson, University of Denver, American University, and many others</p>