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lyrehc

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Everything posted by lyrehc

  1. No, I don't. I think I remember seeing one way back but I can't guarantee that I did. I know the NCA one is up.
  2. There are programs that aren't recognized by NCA and ICA. I think any that don't make their list would be important to avoid.
  3. Are the theory classes which you struggled in within your discipline? If so, that will hurt you. But if you took (for example) philosophy theory classes or political science theory classes and those hurt you, that won't matter as much.
  4. Before I switched fields I bought ASA's graduate school guide. It listed how many applied the previous year as well as how many were admitted. The one number I don't remember seeing was those who received offers and turned them down.
  5. Questionable programs are an entirely different matter. I'm coming at this from the perspective of someone who is in a program that other programs view as "solid" but which isn't top 10. For me, the rank matters less than knowing that the department chair is committed to funding all students for 4 years, knowing that there is a diverse faculty pool of which the vast majority want to mentor students, knowing that my program requires a research component and fits it in as a "class" for those students who are unsure about how to set up and pursue a project, of knowing that there is a wide range of interests so the chances are high that if my interests shift I still have professors available to work with me. . . Programs that are at schools that are often viewed as questionable are ones I would steer clear of.
  6. It is my personal opinion that program ranking doesn't matter as much as what you produce and how well you fit with the program. Transfers should be related to seeking a program that better matches your research interests (or to follow a professor who is moving from your old program to the new one).
  7. I felt that the GRE for Dummies book had the best practice questions, but it could fit into the "prep exam" category.
  8. I'll second that. It is really easy to over think SOP, but all you need is something that says "I want to go to your program because. . . " I'm in Comm but almost decided to go Soc (I debated between the two). The programs I almost applied to (all sociology) would have had very similar letters. This is the one I used (identifying information removed): This statement is not fancy but my department liked my straightforward and concise approach. (If I had decided to follow the sociology path I would have probably mentioned Dr. Quarantelli, Dr. Dynes, Dr. Fothergill, or Dr. Tierney and how their research has affected my research path.) HTH
  9. I did that when I applied. Sociology was considered a very viable option to have a background in for communication.
  10. I asked for an extra LOR and I'm really glad I did. One of my LOR never got completed because the professor has some of the worst time management skills ever. I asked him because he was the graduate coordinator of my master's, but if I had stopped there and not gone for my extra I would have had an incomplete file that never got evaluated.
  11. I submitted my professional certification. I think it helped.
  12. I actually have my emails saved from when I was exploring programs so I'll paste what I used that worked (with identifying information removed). You want to personalize the message to whatever the faculty person has on his or her page and look at articles he or she have published. I received good responses to both queries, but ultimately only applied to one of the programs. However, by corresponding with the professors I had a excellent feel for how well the program would meet my needs. I hope this helps. If you have any questions feel free to ask.
  13. It isn't *necessary* but I argue that it is *important.* I am not in the "science" end of the communication spectrum - lab-based experiments leave me cold. But having established a good rapport with a professor on faculty in my program is a major reason, IMO, that I was admitted with full funding.
  14. I found the best prep for me was GRE for Dummies. I went through the book thoroughly, following the steps they outlined, and it helped immensely.
  15. Does your university have a graduate student center? That would be a good place to work on making connections. As far as the professor goes, I don't know what to tell you. Do you have others you can build rapport with or take an independent study from?
  16. What about Colorado State University, University of Delaware, or Oklahoma State University? If you have an interest in the environment those three schools are leading programs in disaster sociology which has a lot of potential for future jobs.
  17. When I was looking at what field to pursue I read a study released by ASA that currently the field is operating at a deficit, with more PhDs retiring from academia each year than new PhDs graduating to replace them. Granted, some departments are shrinking but I think you are actually in a fairly good position if you're a sociologist. It also depends whether you're willing to teach at a community college or join a research center rather than teach at a 4-year institution, at least the first few years after you complete the doctorate. As far as getting funding/experience goes, it really depends on the school. I feel like I get more experience in my department than the sociology department offers at the university I attend, but they do have a decent funding package.
  18. When I contacted the professor where I'm attending it took him about a week to reply. I don't know how that reflects across programs. I contacted someone else in the same department who never responded, but from my interactions with her now that I'm here I think it may have been her email filter because anytime I've sent something to her from a offcampus email I've not gotten replies.
  19. My school isn't on your list but I'm happy to talk about University of Oklahoma if anyone has questions.
  20. The disclaimers I have seen are that the fee is not a gratuity. It reimburses wear and tear, but if you want to actually provide a tip it is additional.
  21. I don't know anything about funding in the locations you mention. I like OU - Oklahoma City has lots of things to do and isn't terribly far away. I have kids and they spend a lot of time at the zoo and children's science museum - which are comparable/better than comparable programs in Portland, OR. There are also professional sports teams, theater, opera (there is an opera company in Norman), other museums, nice dining. It's rather surprising what you can get fairly local - and Dallas isn't a terribly far drive if you want a bigger city. Oregon State University offers a Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies (MAIS) and the communication department is generous about funding if you have at least one area of the degree be from them. My husband went there back in 2000-2003. His focus was more rhetorical at the time. Corvallis isn't a big city but it is a different environment than Oklahoma. You might check into there if you're willing to move to the Left Coast.
  22. I did some checking and it sounds like the two departments do not have great relationships.
  23. A lot of these fees are used to reimburse the driver for mileage. Why wouldn't you want to do that?
  24. The number one factor that helped me was establishing rapport with the professor I wanted to work with and specifically mentioning my desire to work with him in my SOP. I was initially offered unfunded admission and because I had already been interacting with him he pushed the department until they gave me a funded position.
  25. Does the program have an academic advisor? When schools do that is the best place to start. The graduate liaison is also helpful but I found the academic advisor actually knew more related to application types of questions/questions that I needed answered before deciding to apply.
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