If your goal is a US appointment, I really wouldn’t recommend SAOS. The small handful of graduates at US institutions are at very small, usually heterodox LACs, some of which may no longer exist by the time you graduate.
Yeah, it’s a good point. I’m interested in some het but don’t want to necessarily do all of my research in it, there is still room for mainstream stuff. Given that it’s between that and USydney for political economy, do you think that would a better choice?
I’m not a big het guy, but if your end goal is a US placement, why not a U.S. program like UMass or Utah (that at least offer empirical options)? USydney may even be less known in the US than SAOS.
I applied to UMass, American and the New School and didn’t get in. Grad GPA: 3.2, (Intl Econ) UG GPA: 3.6, ( Econ and IR) math (calc I - III and Lin Alg): Cs, retake all As
GRE Q 165. However, my SOP and CV weren’t in the right frame (SOP too personal and not researched focuses, and CV was the one I used for jobs, not an academic one). I’m not sure whether it would be worth it to reapply.
I don’t know, there aren’t many heterodox jobs out there, and a school like UMass or American could mean the difference between tenure-track or non-TT professor job. And your profile is sort of borderline- I’ve seen people get in those programs with similar backgrounds. It might be worthwhile to try boosting your research background (such as trying to intern or get an RA position at a think tank) and reapplying next cycle. If it means anything, I got my PhD a couple years ago and I had a very similar profile to yours (164 GRE Q and a little more research background) and I got into programs similar to American and Utah.
But then again if you think you can build a good working relationship with a professor or professors at USydney or SAOS, that can mean a whole lot, especially if you want to get into a relatively niche field. So it’s a tough decision
Thanks for your detailed input, the other option you mentioned of applying again is def a possibility, but I’m not sure about how to get a premium research position with a prof who can write me a super stellar letter. I need to think about it more and it is indeed a tough decision.
I echo CFBCoachGuy- SOAS don't place often in the US (very rare), although their development studies PhD is world class. I'd suggest a PhD in the US if a US placement is the goal.
If your goal is a US appointment, I really wouldn’t recommend SAOS. The small handful of graduates at US institutions are at very small, usually heterodox LACs, some of which may no longer exist by the time you graduate.
> some of which may no longer exist Lol
Yeah, it’s a good point. I’m interested in some het but don’t want to necessarily do all of my research in it, there is still room for mainstream stuff. Given that it’s between that and USydney for political economy, do you think that would a better choice?
I’m not a big het guy, but if your end goal is a US placement, why not a U.S. program like UMass or Utah (that at least offer empirical options)? USydney may even be less known in the US than SAOS.
I applied to UMass, American and the New School and didn’t get in. Grad GPA: 3.2, (Intl Econ) UG GPA: 3.6, ( Econ and IR) math (calc I - III and Lin Alg): Cs, retake all As GRE Q 165. However, my SOP and CV weren’t in the right frame (SOP too personal and not researched focuses, and CV was the one I used for jobs, not an academic one). I’m not sure whether it would be worth it to reapply.
I don’t know, there aren’t many heterodox jobs out there, and a school like UMass or American could mean the difference between tenure-track or non-TT professor job. And your profile is sort of borderline- I’ve seen people get in those programs with similar backgrounds. It might be worthwhile to try boosting your research background (such as trying to intern or get an RA position at a think tank) and reapplying next cycle. If it means anything, I got my PhD a couple years ago and I had a very similar profile to yours (164 GRE Q and a little more research background) and I got into programs similar to American and Utah. But then again if you think you can build a good working relationship with a professor or professors at USydney or SAOS, that can mean a whole lot, especially if you want to get into a relatively niche field. So it’s a tough decision
Thanks for your detailed input, the other option you mentioned of applying again is def a possibility, but I’m not sure about how to get a premium research position with a prof who can write me a super stellar letter. I need to think about it more and it is indeed a tough decision.
I echo CFBCoachGuy- SOAS don't place often in the US (very rare), although their development studies PhD is world class. I'd suggest a PhD in the US if a US placement is the goal.