Government applicants 2014

I'm an international applicant for Government! I too wondered where all the Government applicants were...I wonder if it's a smaller course, or if we're just a silent bunch. I got the "strong enough" email as well, and am now waiting. It said seven weeks, which ends January 3rd, but I'm told LSE is notorious for waiting until March.

I've also applied for the Government course. I applied at the end of November and got my 'strong enough to be considered' email about a week later. Do most people get these emails or are they actually a sign of progress? I've also seen people saying they got emails saying they were among the strongest in their cohort or something, is this a later email or were they just considered better than me?

I'm predicting a long old wait - where else have you applied?

I had your same confusion about the emails. The "strongest in the cohort" email is sent after the waiting period sent on the "strong enough to be considered further" email, so we are all in the same boat. Interesting how other competitive courses have had only to wait 5 weeks and us 7 though: maybe there are less applicants this year? ... Less competition? Or maybe a lot of applicants who come on TSR are Oxbridge applicants too so they tend to apply for and talk about politics and philosophy or economics together for example? Speculation I know, but it happens when they make us wait so long!
I have applied to Kings, Royal Holloway, Queen Mary and Kent - LSE is something of a dream choice for me but I'm pleased I'm still in and amongst the pool of applicants. I think my personal statement is strong (cocky I know!) but my predicted grades are "only" AAA compared to others with A*s.
What about you?

Oh right, well i'll hope to receive one in about seven weeks then! Oh really I had read people saying they were getting emails stating a 6 week waiting period and that in more recent ones the number had gone up to 7. I'm probably wrong though as I don't read much on here.

I've also applied to Kings for the International Politics course. Haven't received any offers apart from Surrey as I only applied the other week but hoping to get offers from Kings, Warwick and York too.

My predicted grades are A*, A*, A in Eng Lit, RS and History. I'm not sure how good my personal statement is after looking at other examples, I had some work experience with an MP which could help though.

I'll be applying to this course next year! What books/etc. did you guys put on your personal statements? I'm an international applicant, and my country don't do personal statements so I'm a bit lost :/ I've read a few works by Machiavelli but that's really it :/ Thanks!

Congratulations on your really good predicted grades I'm slightly envious of them but this LSE application process seems not to be a known science in relation to grades, p.s. etc, so I can keep my fingers crossed.
I've gone for European Politics at Kings, I haven't heard anything back though which is slightly worrying for me. I have had offers for my other 3 unis which is really positive, so something must be right in my application at least!.
Yeh, you must be in for a long wait, it gets easier though... and then harder again haha !

I'll be applying to this course next year! What books/etc. did you guys put on your personal statements? I'm an international applicant, and my country don't do personal statements so I'm a bit lost :/ I've read a few works by Machiavelli but that's really it :/ Thanks!

I got my conditional offer today! Standard for IB, 38 points with 766 at HL.

I would have to go back and look, but I think the only book I mentioned in my PS was John Lewis Gaddis' The Cold War: A New History.

Hi! Is BSc Government at LSE basically straight Politics? I've applied for Politics and Philosophy but I am now thinking I should have applied for Government as my personal statement was more centred around Politics rather than Philosophy; I merely mentioned that I was interested in early political theory such as Plato and also John Locke's early liberalism but I don't think I had enough Philosophy in there and the joint honours personal statements are supposed to be of equal weighting for both subjects. I have already achieved A*AA in Psychology, Economics and French A Levels and I'm currently on a gap year! Sorry for the rambling but is Government basically LSE's offering of straight Politics? I have one ucas choice left to add and I'm considering applying for BSc Government as well as my other choices. Thanks!

Thanks! This is the beginning: "I am pleased to tell you that our Admissions Selector has decided to offer you a place to study BSc in Government at LSE! You will find confirmation on UCAS Track, and full details of your offer will be provided in your undergraduate offer pack, which contains both your offer letter and the Undergraduate Offer Holders Guide. You will receive your pack in the post in a few weeks' time. It is important that you read your offer letter and offer guide, as they contain important information about your offer and our regulations." Then there was more stuff about hoping I would make LSE my firm choice and such. Good luck to you all!

Yes, Government is Politics. My 5 choices are Government, European Politics and 3x Politics. Now I'm not a LSE or TSR expert but I think it's fair to ask why did you apply to LSE for a joint honours course and write very little about one subject? Personally, I will never write anyone off, but there will be others on here you will say you have just burnt a uni choice... have you seen the Politics and Philosophy thread?!
What are your other 3 choices? Are they all politics? Then I can recommend you whether to apply because they put so much weight on personal statements and if half of it isn't relevant to the course then it's probably not worth it.
The only other thing I see perhaps being a bit of an issue is that seen as you've already applied you won't have mentioned the specific course "Government" anywhere. It's not a major deal, I only made one reference to Government in my whole ps but it's something to think about. With so many people competing for places at LSE there are going to be those who are specific to LSE and mention specific aspects of the Government course and call politics "Government" half the time.
Sorry for the pretention but if there's one thing I know about it's politics and how difficult it is to get into LSE. I hope I have helped.

Hi! Thanks for replying, I've also applied for Politics at Durham, Politics at Newcastle and International Politics at Kings College. If I'd written loads about philosophy then I feel it wouldn't meet the other courses I'd applied for. I've now applied for Government at LSE for my final choice. I didn't realise that it was basically straight politics I assumed that Politics and Philosophy was their offering of a politics course but now I realise! I didn't mention 'government' in my statement as I needed a statement that would apply to all choices but all I can do is wait now I suppose!

You should be absolutely fine then! LSE will be able to see you've applied for both courses.
If you examine the courses you will see Government modules are similar to any other politics course's.
I talked about political philosophy too. My advice would be to change your Politics and Philosophy course to a different Uni's politics course. Just have a look at the LSE politics and philosophy thread on TSR and you'll see if you havnt applied for that course then it might be worth switching, IF UCAS LETS YOU (double check that!), because a lot of those who applied to P&P will be going to Oxbridge and will have talked about philosophy a lot more. Best of luck though!