Political Science PhD Applications - any feedback really appreciated

Graduate School
1

<p>I'd really appreciate any feedback you guys have on my application chances. I'm applying to 18 programs for specialization in comparative politics/political economy. I know, 18 - but I'm terrified, so 18.</p>

<p>Here are the stats:
Graduated from Columbia 2009 - 3.65 overall, 3.92 major, major poli sci minor math. I graduated in 3 years (I took a year off to work full time in development in the former USSR during my junior year), and my GPA from my last year was a 3.98.
GRE: 800 Verbal, 790 Quant
LORs: 1 very well known professor who has done some awesome work in my field (but more of a practitioner - he's my academic mentor), 1 up-and-coming poli sci professor (thesis advisor), and 1 from former employer in former USSR
Statement of purpose: I shopped it around and did like a million rewrites, and I feel pretty confident with it. In each one I mention at least 2 professors I'd like to work with in the department and why their work interests me.
I've got 2 years work experience after undergraduate, and I worked in microfinance in the former USSR and then in clean tech, focusing on developing markets (I wrote about how the first job immersed me in the political economy of my region of interest and the second job has exposed me to a new side of the energy trade, which will be a crucial component of my doctoral studies).
I presented at a pretty high-level conference my senior year, have lectured in Argentina, did an undergrad thesis based on original field research done with a fellowship grant, and was invited to present at some conferences in Asia.</p>

<p>Here are the schools:
1. Stanford GSB Political Economics
2. Harvard Political Economy and Government
3. Columbia Poli Sci
4. SIPA MIA
5. SAIS MA
6. Washington U Poli Sci
7. Berkeley Poli Sci
8. UCLA Poli Sci
9. UCSD Poli Sci
10. Brown Poli Sci
11. Yale Poli Sci
12. Oxford Development Studies (mphil)
13. Cambridge (same)
14. LSE (same)
15. U Chicago Poli Sci
16. Duke Poli Sci
17. U Mich Ann Arbor Poli Sci
18. NYU Politics</p>

<p>I know this is super long, but if anyone gets a chance to take a look I'd love some feedback.</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>I’m sorry, 18?!?! You really need to cut down the list and realize that the sky won’t fall if you don’t get in anywhere and will need to try again.</p>

<p>I’m shocked that your professors are allowing you to apply to so many places. You really should be finding programs (as a whole) that actually fits your true research interests. If you’re applying to 18 programs, my guess is that you’re still not clear on what is it that you want to study in a PhD program.</p>

<p>And also, a LOR from a employer in USSR is not the best way to get in an academic PhD program. All of your LORs should be from professors with a PhD who can assent your abilities as a graduate student.</p>

3

<p>18 is not unusual given how competitive things are. I applied to 11 and I’m feeling nervous.</p>

4

<p>I don’t know anyone who’s going under 10-12 at this level of competition. There are some pretty serious reasons why it would be much easier to go next fall than have to wait another year, which is why I’m applying to so many, but I’ve researched the departments at all the schools and there are people I would love to work with at all of them. I’m not applying anywhere I wouldn’t be happy to attend. </p>

<p>Yeah… the third LOR sucks, but he’s not actually from the former USSR - he’s Swiss, he’s a consultant. but since I graduated in 3 years I didn’t have a lot of chances to build close relationships with poli sci professors. Re: the letter - it’s definitely too late to change that, but hopefully the fact that this guy did his grad work at Harvard, so he knows the American system, and will write a glowing recommendation will help a bit?</p>