Thinking of Making a Serious Change in my Application Process

Graduate School
1

<p>I'm currently in the process of applying for IR degrees. I want to go into the nonprofit/development or energy/environment sector, with a focus on Japan.</p>

<p>I've finished applications for IR/PS and SIPA, and am in the process of applying for NYU and Syracuse.</p>

<p>However, with Syracuse as the second most expensive program, and as my last choice, I can't seem to get too enthusiastic about it, to the point where even if it was my only acceptance I am starting to think I wouldn't go. Additionally its deadline isn't until after I should presumably hear back from IR/PS, which I would definitely take in a heartbeat over Syracuse. </p>

<p>Now as I'm spending more time researching NYU's MAIR through GSAS, as I put together my materials and do more extensive research compared to the initial process of looking at schools, I'm discovering that this program (which is housed within the political science department) just doesn't seem to fit my needs as well as I initially thought; being part of the political science department instead of being a standalone department, it focuses a lot more heavily on political theory, and general theory at that; other programs like SIPA and IR/PS of course have specialization tracks and regional focuses, much better suited to my needs.</p>

<p>I'm thinking of telling my letter writers to just scrap the letters for NYU and Syracuse, but I'm not sure if I should do that; it may make me look like I didn't research this enough (perhaps this is true), and even worse it may make me just look lazy and like I don't want to finish the two applications, and this may reflect poorly on me when they write their letters for UCSD/Columbia.</p>

<p>Thoughts on axing two programs out of my four at this point?</p>

2

<p>EDIT: I should say that 1 out of my 3 letter writers has already finished letters to both of these schools.</p>

3

<p>You shouldn’t apply to programs that you know you’ll never attend and you shouldn’t allow your recommenders to do unnecessary work to programs to which you won’t apply. Don’t worry so much about how it will “look,” you can easily explain to your professors that after a further look, Syracuse and NYU don’t look like such good fits for you after all. It shouldn’t reflect poorly on you for the remaining letters, as this kind of stuff happens frequently - people meet their dream advisor and find out that they’re a jerk, or visit the school and just get a bad vibe, or become geographically bound or what not.</p>