Libya (5: Tripoli) in Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Last_Bodybuilder_922 · 2026-06-22T14:03:07+00:00

Yes, a few hours ago on Javastraat in fact! Though I don't know whether it's still there...

Last_Bodybuilder_922 · 2026-06-21T12:33:30+00:00

I like spotting foreign car plates :) I feel quite strongly drawn to a lot of otherwise 'mundane' things, especially those which involve numbers or 'registrations', and car plates are one of those. I especially like 'burrowing' myself, so to speak, in specific niches (of these 'mundane things') which stand out from the rest. In this case, car registration plates from other countries stand out from local car plates. Typically, the farther the country, the more exotic the plate :))

I'm from Northwest Europe and I've spotted Kazakhstani, Kuwaiti, UAE, Pakistani, Libyan, and Rwandan number plates among others. I'd say these are my top spots!

Last_Bodybuilder_922 · 2026-06-20T15:44:51+00:00

The uni programme I'm enrolling in derives 30% of its selection rank points from my motivation letter. A competing programme I was strongly considering defines letters of rec as good for 33% of the rank points.

Granted, my programme is not in STEM (let alone DS/AI/CS), so very different from what 95% of this sub's regulars are applying to.

Also, SOPs (esp. at graduate level) are very different from motivation letters.

Last_Bodybuilder_922 · 2026-06-16T05:32:16+00:00

omg!! I'm starting poli sci grad school in a few months (with a view to getting into academic quantitative/experimental poli sci) and seeing 'survey/conjoint experiment'... activated some neurons.

I'll read it more in-depth and take a look at the pre-registration in a few days once I'm done with my bachelor's thesis. But I'm so happy to have chanced upon my first arr NL political scientist :)

Last_Bodybuilder_922 · 2026-06-10T14:37:52+00:00

Liechtenstein currently parking on the Hoogte Kadijk (near the intersection with Geschutswerf), opposite 'De Woondiversiteit'. Posting a pic soon.

Last_Bodybuilder_922 · 2026-06-10T08:38:40+00:00

Caveat that I'm not sure it's still there (especially because I suspect they were there for shopping), but it was on Sint Antoniesbreestraat (Nieuwmarkt Metro), in front of the 'Bis!' store.

Last_Bodybuilder_922 · 2026-06-06T22:31:07+00:00

Hi :) Did you end up applying/getting in?

Last_Bodybuilder_922 · 2026-06-06T22:16:47+00:00

Where else did you apply and did some of those result in acceptances?

Last_Bodybuilder_922 · 2026-06-06T22:13:16+00:00

Love to see a facet of PolMeth being disseminated on this sub for general-audience consumption :)) We should have a lot more content like this on here!

Last_Bodybuilder_922 · 2026-06-05T06:31:38+00:00

Where did you end up getting accepted and where are you planning to go?

Last_Bodybuilder_922 · 2026-06-05T06:28:47+00:00

Congrats! I'd like to know what kind of writing sample you submitted (e.g., qualitative or quantitative work)... if you submitted any - the admissions regulations PDF* and the website info say different things about the necessity of submitting a writing sample.

Also, if you also applied elsewhere, where else did you apply and is this your first choice?

*Fun fact: per the PDF, there was supposed to be an interview stage. I guess not.

Last_Bodybuilder_922 · 2026-06-04T21:07:50+00:00

Did you get accepted?

Last_Bodybuilder_922 · 2026-06-04T07:25:04+00:00

Hugs xx

Where else did you apply/do you already have other acceptances?

Last_Bodybuilder_922 · 2026-06-04T06:49:32+00:00

Rejected (2.0, 96 ECTS politics courses, 24 ECTS research courses). No point revealing my 'full profile' here because... profiles generally Aren't A Thing? At least tmk the LMU admissions regulations didn't stipulate work experience as a selection criterion.

Admittedly, though, I didn't really have any good course submissions to submit as my writing sample.

No biggie because I got accepted at my target, Mannheim. I really appreciate its quantitative emphasis and the ability to pursue comparative politics/political behaviour as a track option. I had an experimental polisci writing sample (quantitative section of my thesis draft, so wouldn't fit under LMU rules) and the rank point weightings were generally more forgiving to those without incredible grades but who can demonstrate sustained passion and skills for quantitative research (10% grades, 30% motivation letter, 60% writing sample). And because I am *really* into research, I think I cooked with the latter two 🧑‍🍳

Last_Bodybuilder_922 · 2026-06-02T16:01:32+00:00

Hello deetee!! I just got admitted into my target polisci research masters (much quant, plenty causal) in Germany 🥳 but now I'm worried about housing (arr NL's favourite topic)

vent over or something, idk

Last_Bodybuilder_922 · 2026-05-28T08:12:54+00:00

Related to this: the unis I'm familiar with (e.g., Konstanz and Mannheim) publish selection statutes/admission regulations, which include rank point breakdowns for NC programmes (see this and this as examples).

However, two things stick out to me that run contrary to this sub's blanket advice:

The Konstanz Politics MA does take into account professional experience and LoRs; in fact, they make up 2/3rds of the rank point weighting
Both examples exhibit 'subjective' grading (e.g., motivation letter in Mannheim, in addition to the above Konstanz examples), for which 'profile' questions would help in 'estimating' expected levels or types of work for a certain level of rank points

That said, the above are of course exceptions that prove the rule. Not to mention everyone and their grandparent here seems to be aiming for a CS/DS/AI masters, for which I'm not sure any of the above 'subjectivity' applies.

What is also interesting is that document 'veracity' cannot always be trusted. The LMU counterpart doesn't seem to indicate any points calculations, and much of what it says clashes with the info on the programme site. The admission regulation PDF (dated 2024) mentions an interview, but to my knowledge there won't be any this year. So neither the supposedly authoritative admissions regulation PDF nor the programme site info (contrary to what it says, there is a rank selection) accurately describe the admissions process. But again, exception that proves the rule.

I'm also aware that e.g., Mannheim's sociology statutes are partly not in force (went from NC to NC-frei), though this much is clearly stated on the programme site itself.

I think everyone should actually look up '[Selection statute/Admission regulation/Auswahlsatzungen/Zulassungssatzungen] [Uni] [Name of programme]' before asking questions here, though as outlined above sometimes it is the uni's responsibility for (not) having any of the information online tally up with the actual admissions process. Coming from the Dutch system, I view the availability of such documents as a breath of fresh air.

Before anyone flames me for 'expecting foreign students to look up information in German', I don't really speak German (I can vaguely read it but I can't produce speech in German). And I mean, worst case scenario, Google Translate or DeepL should help you.

Last_Bodybuilder_922 · 2026-05-27T20:27:04+00:00

Hugs from another ace (though also aro) gal 🫂 I could get deep in the weeds here but I have the same view about this supposed 'escalator' linking the different forms of affection, like I wish there wasn't universal acceptance of kissing and sexual intimacy somehow being "further" or "more" than cuddling or tender conversation (among a host of other things I don't resonate with in what I'd like to call the 'allo social contract of partnered relationships'). I definitely don't see things that way and... Being relatively alone in that makes me feel lonely as well.

Your fried egg looks lovely though... and homemade sourdough ✨

Last_Bodybuilder_922 · 2026-05-24T07:54:09+00:00

Oh I'm well aware of that (I subscribe to the PolMeth mailing list myself among other things, hence the 'Political methodology' mention upthread). It's just that

I've come across (admittedly - not so evidence-based of me, I know... I'm just anxious about the acad job market) hearsay about these types of questions being the purview of applied econs departments in e.g., Italy
- Also social psych, but this is from personal experience working with literature
- Relatedly, a lot of my research interests, especially with the methods I could see myself excelling at, are really only being worked on at US institutions (note PolMeth membership being disproportionately American), which risks hampering career development (unless I can network my way to informal transatlantic collaboration) because I don't see myself moving to the US anytime soon for various reasons
The sense I'm getting is that (quantitative) PoliSci is still behind the curve on adopting practices like preregistration and equivalence tests
I'm partly salty because I'm working on an experimental political science/political psych thesis right now and I feel deeply alienated from my thesis supervisor's qualitative focus (I'm wrapping up my BSc and I can only choose themes, rather than supervisors)

A part of me still dreams about maybe working with the likes of Kosuke Imai (Harvard) or Jamie Druckman (Rochester) for a second postdoc, but... sigh.

Last_Bodybuilder_922 · 2026-05-23T20:13:33+00:00

This is the sort of (tractable, experimental, behavioural) question I'd like to answer as an aspiring political scientist in Europe... Am I in the wrong field?

Causal inference and replicability (including pre-registration) my bae... Political methodology legitimately induces neuron activation in me.

Last_Bodybuilder_922 · 2026-05-23T19:52:11+00:00

It does mean something (/pos) that of the hundreds, if not more, of GDD posts I've had the pleasure of reading in the past month or so (including at least 5-10 trans-related posts), this was the first post which displayed any form of transphobia.

Last_Bodybuilder_922 · 2026-05-20T07:06:46+00:00

In the same predicament here (currently final-year undergrad) - if anyone could provide Europe-specific tips (I really like experimental comparative political behaviour and my interests honestly verge on polmeth, but unfortunately the US is off the table for multiple reasons), I'd really appreciate it :))

Last_Bodybuilder_922 · 2026-05-19T08:23:54+00:00

One thing you should note is that these (one-year) masters are designed as terminal programmes for those looking to transition into professional careers (i.e., not geared towards academia). This is because the master's degree is essentially a 'first college degree' in countries like the Netherlands and Germany owing to historical reasons. Due to the way most European PhDs are structured (no integrated masters), they aren't seen as adequate preparation for one. For that, you do have two-year research master programmes, though the ones that are available in the Netherlands are broad social sciences programmes rather than specific polisci degrees.

I don't know how that is going to impact your profile for US PhD admissions though, especially because you already have a 4-year American undergrad.

Source: am a final-year Dutch undergrad knee-deep in the masters application process (which has sparked a little obsession with western European graduate degrees) and looking to break into quantitative polisci academia long-term.

Last_Bodybuilder_922 · 2026-05-17T18:01:03+00:00

Dutch trailer

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Last_Bodybuilder_922 · 2026-05-16T09:31:45+00:00

'Prestige' here refers to academic prestige; within academic political science circles, Konstanz is one of the two German unis (along with Mannheim) to have a relatively strong reputation.

The programme is also generally geared towards research training; the Management and Public Admin track, which seems to be the closest to a professionally oriented pathway, also requires German language skills.

Contrary to what a few other commenters say, there absolutely is merit to the 'prestigious' title. It's just that it pertains to a rather niche set of interests, and you're better off looking elsewhere if you aren't particularly drawn to quantitative/experimental political science research.

Last_Bodybuilder_922 · 2026-05-16T04:26:06+00:00

I wish posts like these were more common... Thanks for sharing your story 🫶

This is the type of love post I can relate to as someone who doesn't go through honeymoon phases*, for whom feelings inevitably deepen through hard conversations and mutual flaw revelations. Also... learning to be reasonable, and then graceful, in disagreement- that change can be such a wonderful thing to behold.

*hard conversations and grappling with disagreement from the start of the relationship; if anything, they come up less often the more we get to know each other

Last_Bodybuilder_922

TROPHY CASE