Lately I have been thinking applying to queen mary university in london for a MSc in Global and Comparative Politics. I am checking the rankings every year and it seems that unis tend to change place dramatically from one year to another. What's happening??? What if i apply for QM, get accepted and next year they drop 10 places in the rankings? Does the rankings provide a real insight in the unis quality?

Don't give up!I fully understand you.I also got bad grades,55% with 2 resubs.But the first time I ever wrote an essay was the first essay I had to submit for my MSc.So,that makes sense. When I asked references for my MSc I actually told me referees to write 7 letters for 7 unis,while I only wanted to apply for 6.I asked from 3 people to give me references,and then opened the envelopes and checked which were better. ;) But yeah, I think it's a good point to have a discussion over your personal issues with your referees.When I was doing my MSc i told my supervisor that I could use all help provided because I was used to a different educational sustem. It actually helped me a lot being honest, my supervisor helped me more than I expected, exactly because I had been honest with my lack of knowledge on essay writing. That's a difference between greek and UK unis,in Greece if you asked for helped you were considered as "dumb", in the UK they see it as a student who wants to do its best...

I 've checked some unis offering '1+3'.An MRes and a PhD.Is it better to apply for a MPhil and try to get into a PhD or apply for a '1+3'???

Hi, i want to ask about GRE. I am thinking to apply to US uni but most of them want you to take GRE tests.I would like to ask if anyone knows how difficult it is.I already have a MSc in Politics from the UK,how difficult is to achieve high scores? What's considered as "high scores"? I would also like to know how long does it take to study.I am starting my military service in the next weeks and it's going to last until May 2011. I am thinking applying next winter.When should i start studing for GRE??? Also I am not a native english speaker but before studing for my MSc in Britain,I achieved 7.5 in IELTS with only a month studing.

Thanks again for any answers understand that everyone is really pressed.

i know that and that's a problem.I mean the work in a dept can be really rewarding and tough,as I consider the work in Bristol but if it's not high in the rankings then you don't get the recognition. Apart from the rankings what can else can be useful? I have heard about Aber that it's really good,but the dept it's low in the rankings.How do these come together? How important is to have a MSc or a PhD from a prestigious institution? Can it give you more access to jobs?

How about MPhils?

p.s. I got admitted in Bristol cause I had really good grades in the relevant area, 9,5/10 and I was offered a place for a Diploma.I managed to upgrade it although i was told only 20-25% of non native english speakers manage to do it.so i think of myself as a fighter :-)

Hi!thanks for your reply!

I don't want to justify myself nor I am the kind of guy who puts the blame on other people. The thing is that I grew in a different educational system.Exams and learning by heart is the greek model of education. Logic,arguing,using references etc. seem too revolutionary.The first time I ever wrote an essay was in Bristol.By that time i didn't even know what referencing was. Essays, jstor, journals, google scholar, all these things are not even heard in Greek universities. i really enjoyed ?t although I really had to struggle and study my ass down.I really enjoyed my dissertation, I enjoyed doing research,i really like it. Yes, i think that i have really few chances of making it,but i want to try.I mean,i prefer try and fail than don't try at all. I don't think that LSE is that selective, i know a lot of people who got selected, they didn't all have great grades.i had a friend admitted with almost the same grade as me with 2prof. years experience.

What do you think for the "1+3"?I 've checked some and it looks really interesting? What do you think about MPhils?are there any usefull?

What's up with the rankings?e.g. doing a MSc in a top uni makes it easier to apply for a PhD in a lower ranked?

thanks again for your reply!

Hi, it's the first time i ever write here. I finished my BA in Greece, and got my MSc from Bristol, UK, in politics. My aim is to do a PhD, but I have no clue what to do next. My main problem is that I don't have a high grades. My BA was 6,7/10 and my MSc just "pass". I have 2years of experience in a shipping company and 6months as an intern researcher. I am thinking to apply for a second MSc preferably in a better uni,Chicago,Oxford,Camb,etc. after completing 1,5year of internship which I am applying now for. Is that going to help being admitted in a better uni in UK?e.g. having a MSc from Chicago makes you a better candidate for let's say Warwick?or LSE?or something like that? Some unis also offer MPhils. Is it better to pursue a MPhil than a MSc? Does that make you more eligible?

Too many questions? sorry guys and girls,but I am completely lost and need some advise. thanks again anyone who replies :-)