phillipspaulding

Exceptions to every rule (Vinny Roscigno, a former editor of ASR, is a graduate of a program outside the top 50) doesn't suggest there’s no rule. Rather, one should view exceptions to the rules as outliers. Moreover, if you look at the current editors in the discipline, you’ll notice they tend to come from certain programs. I’d encourage individuals to look at the Sociological rumor mills and explore what scholars get the jobs. Here’s the link: http://socjobs.proboards.com/thread/3686/name-names?page=7.

Great question. The NRC rankings are terribly dated (data's from '05), and many department's have changed since then. More importantly, they dont have a measure of a department's overall ranking (which matters). In contrast, the USNWR's survey is based on data from the Chairs of each department. Taken a different way, there results point to how Chair's view other departments in their discipline. In the past, Chairs would say trust the NRC. Today, most rely on USN&WR. Cheers, Postdoc

Though the job market is a crapshoot, individuals should based their choice on the following criteria: Department ranking: They matter. Period. Anything below the top 25, and at worse the top 50 is a waste of time and energy. Specialty area ranking: This one is just as important as the department’s ranking. Say you’re interested in studying aging, and have a choice between Northwestern and Cornell. If you base your choice on the department’s rankings, you’ll choose Northwestern. However, Northwestern’s not known for scholars who do work on minority aging, and if you choose this school, you may wonder who will you work with. In contrast, Cornell’s known for health. SENIOR scholar in your specialty area who does work related to your interests: This is VERY important. Though younger faculty members (Assistants and Associate’s) may do excellent work related to your area, letters from Senior Scholars are the one’s that COUNT on the job market. Rankings should be based off of the US News and World Report (http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-humanities-schools/sociology-rankings). Basing rankings off of what someone "heard" is less reliable. I've heard pigs fly. Do you believe me? Some areas are always in demand (quant methods, health, race, and crime), while others are not (qual methods, social movements). Sincerely, PostDoc

Advisors leave/move, and students still move through the program. First, I would speak with your DGS or Chair about the department's policy on allowing individuals outside your department to remain on your committee. If they allow the faculty to do that, you're fine. Second, I would speak with the faculty members to see if a.) they can take you with them (which is unlikely) or b.) if they are willing to remain on your committee. Typically, faculty interested in bringing students with them negotiate those details with the department before they accept the position. If they did not, its likely the faculty member didnt expect to bring you along with them.

It helps programs separate the serious students from the rest of the wolf pack. If you're a serious scholar, you'll apply to the top programs in your area. If you're not, you'll have a random list of programs.