I'm also applying for Fall 2014. I'm particularly interested in cultural sociology, sociology of technology (in the direction of digital technology and the Internet, not scientific/medical tech), social psychology, and qualitative methods. My current list, which still needs some narrowing, is currently: Brandeis, BU, BC, & Harvard (I'm currently in Boston, so spreading my net wide here), and, elsewhere, Michigan, Northwestern, Cornell, Rutgers, UPenn, and UMD-College Park. Based solely on professors working in my areas of interest, I'm particularly keen on BC and UMD. I'll probably apply to Masters programs in Boston, as well, just in case.
I'm in the last year of my BLA in Sociology & Psychology at Lesley University, but as a non-traditional student - I did 2 years at one school, then a year off, then a semester at another, then seven years off before coming back to school almost 2 years ago. My overall GPA thus far, including all college work I've ever done, is only a 2.99 (though I expect an A in an independent study I'm finishing up now, which will drag me up to a 3.02). My GPA since returning to school is a 3.98, and I have a 4.0 in my major.
I'm taking the GREs on Tuesday, but my practice score is currently 168 verbal, 163 quantitative. I have two TA positions under my belt, am currently in an RA position which might result in publications (though they'll be, at best, under review as of application time), and expect to have stellar recommendations. I'm finishing a critical analysis paper this summer that I'm planning to use as my writing sample - I'm already pretty happy with it, and have suggested revisions to do and a couple more professors to run it through. The SOP makes me tear my hair out whenever I think about it (how much space - if any - do I devote to explaining why I left school twice/why my early GPAs are so not great? How on earth do I make myself stand out when my 'why Sociology' story is basically "A professor suggested it, and it turns out she was right?"), but I'm sure it'll come together once I sit down to do it.
So, good luck to everyone! I'll be biting my nails right along with all of you this winter, I'm sure.
