Graduate Study in

Political Science?

What are the important things to consider when applying to graduate school?

How do I go about registering for the GRE, and doing well on it?

How does the application process work?

How do I prepare myself for graduate work?

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~When applying to a graduate program, there are a few things you should keep in mind: 

• Application deadlines (for admission and financial support),
• Application fees (ranging anywhere from $25-$65),
• Personal Statement (usually about your intents),
• Academic References (2-3 usually),
• Graduate Record Examination,
• Writing Sample,
• Resumé.

*~Many colleges prefer that applicants take the GRE CAT (computer-adaptive test).  The turn around time is about four weeks, whereas the written test takes about 6 weeks to receive your scores.  A good source of preparation is by using The Kaplan Three-Level Master Plan.  You can register online at http://www.gre.org

~*~The application process varies from school to school.  Obviously, some requirements are higher than others.  Some schools put more emphasis on a particular type of study, offering only degrees in areas like International Relations or Public Policy.  Furthermore, make sure you put a lot of attention into your personal statement.  Many on the admissions team have said that is what they use to finally determine one student above another.

~~*Ball State's Political Science department offers three options for a political science major:

• Option 1:  Political Science, Liberal Arts
• Option 2:  Political Science, Economics
• Option 3:  Political Science, International Studies

Other ways to prepare:

• Political Science majors at BSU are required to complete one foreign language at the intermediate level.  A lot of the graduate programs (usually the Ph.D.) require proficiency in at least one language.
•  An undergraduate major in Political Science provides for a good liberal arts foundation.
• Study, get good grades!  Tutoring is available in the Learning Center for some undergraduate courses.  If you need advanced help, talk to your professor or a member of Pi Sigma Alpha to see if they have any suggestions for you.

Of Interest?

(to complement your major)

Minors:        African American Studies

                   African Studies

                   American Studies

                   Asian Studies

                   Chinese

                   Clustered Minors in Environmentally Sustainable Practices

                   Communication Studies

                   Criminal Justice & Criminology

                   Economics

                   European Studies

                   French

                   German

                   Greek

                   History

                   Japanese

                   Latin

                   Latin American Studies

                   Medieval and Renaissance Studies

                   Native American Studies

                   Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution

                   Psychology

                   Sociology

                   Spanish

                   Women's Studies

                   …plus a lot more!

Organizations:       *Pi Sigma Alpha*

                             University Democrats

                             College Republicans

                             Ball State Libertarian Party

                             American Civil Liberties Union (BSU Chapter)

                             …and many others!

Application Process

Junior Year:

Starting early can only help.

• Start thinking of professors you could ask for letters of recommendation. These will play an important role in your completed application packet.
• Begin researching all the graduate programs in the field you would like to pursue. Get information from a lot of schools, even the ones to which you may not be initially drawn.

Summer between Junior and Senior Year:

This is the time most students start getting serious about graduate school, so don't worry if you haven't done much yet. Begin or continue your researching of programs. You will want to receive up-to-date catalogues. Talk to students and faculty from programs you are interested in. As you start to compare programs, begin to weed out the schools that don't interest you.

• Send for applications from the schools you are looking at. Some schools not longer have paper applications--they are done strictly on-line.
• Begin researching scholarships and fellowships to help you pay for school.
• Get federal and institutional financial aid information.
• Sign up for and begin reviewing for the standardized test you will be taking (unless you are applying to medical school, then you will want to take this test earlier). Make sure to find out if GRE subject tests are required.
• Estimate expenses. This will help you work the expensive process of graduate school application into your fall semester budget.
• Make photocopies of the paper applications and begin to fill them out.

You will be very busy once you begin your fall semester courses. Try to get as much research done during the summer as possible so that you can concentrate on the programs that interest you most when you time is more limited. Also, it can be very helpful to get a jump-start on the applications when you have some down time.

Fall of Your Senior Year:

September:

• Finalize you list of programs to which you will apply.
  Make note of all your application due dates and whether or not the school has rolling admissions. Then create a deadline for yourself to mail each of your completed applications.
• Put together a packet of information to give the people who you will ask to write you letters of recommendation. This may include a copy of your unofficial transcript, a very rough draft of your statement of purpose (to give your recommenders a better idea of what you are interested in studying and why), a list of schools to which you are applying.
• Prepare your resume.

October:

• Take the standardized test required for your program if you haven't already.
• Write your statement of purpose and have it reviewed by a faculty mentor or a writing coach.
• Request OFFICIAL transcripts.
• Complete financial aid and scholarship forms.
• Think about alternatives to graduate school. 

November/December:

• Finalize all application packets.
• Contact your recommenders and kindly remind them of the deadlines for your application (if they have not already completed and mailed them). Make sure to send them a thank you letter after they mail your recommendations.
• Mail your application packets. (Spending the extra money on return receipt is a good idea so that you are guaranteed the school received your application.)
• Follow-up and make sure that each school has received your application packet and that it is complete. You wan to do this at least 1 ½ weeks prior to the deadline so that you can resend anything that didn't make it to the school.

GRE General Test Overview

What Is It?

The GRE® General Test measures critical thinking, analytical writing, verbal reasoning, and quantitative reasoning skills that have been acquired over a long period of time and that are not related to any specific field of study.

Analytical Writing — The skills measured include the test taker's ability to

• articulate complex ideas clearly and effectively
• examine claims and accompanying evidence
• support ideas with relevant reasons and examples
• sustain a well-focused, coherent discussion
• control the elements of standard written English.

Verbal Reasoning — The skills measured include the test taker's ability to

• analyze and evaluate written material and synthesize information obtained from it
• analyze relationships among component parts of sentences
• recognize relationships between words and concepts.
• Types of Questions: Analogies, Sentence Completions, Reading Comprehension, Antonyms

Quantitative Reasoning — The skills measured include the test taker's ability to

• understand basic concepts of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and data analysis
• reason quantitatively
• solve problems in a quantitative setting.
• Types of Questions: Multiple Choice, Quantitative Comparions (you are given two columns and must determine if one is greater than the other, they are equal, or that it cannot be determined)

Study Guides – Personal Recommendation – Kaplan's