woode2013

Hi everyone, I'm new to this site, but I could really use some insight from current or other prospective PhD candidates. I'd like to apply for admission this fall, but I've got some concerns. I'm 25, graduated from undergrad in 2010 with majors in English, Sociology, and Multicultural Studies with a strong GPA. I then went to law school, somewhat on a whim (I know I know), but thankfully I had a full scholarship. I went to UCLA for law school, but my grades there not great. I graduated with a 3.2, though my grades in seminars and independent studies were much better, all A's and 1 B+. My large doctrinal class grades pretty much tanked. I actually considered Soc PhD programs back in 2009 when I applied to law school, but didn't think I would have much of a chance of getting into a good program - my school was not well known, and while my grades and GRE scores were very strong, I didn't have a clear idea of what I would want to research other than gender studies in general, and wasn't sure about the quality of my writing sample. I'm wondering if 3 years at a top 15 law school will help my application, even though my grades were not good while there? I do know now that I have a much better idea of what I want to research - specialize in deviance, law, and social control, and specifically study gender deviants and their treatment in the legal system. I wrote a term paper for a law class "Human Rights and Sexuality" about the U.S. response to transgender inmates, that I think with some tweaking would be a very strong sample. But I worry that my JD might hurt more than help and they'll look at me as a perpetual student... My classes in law school, when I got to pick them, centered around social justice and law and sexuality. I also for the most part really hated law school. I found the professors disengaged and pompous, the fellow students self absorbed and classist. It was so different from undergrad. I consider the law to be dry, hidebound, and rife with institutionalized discrimination that it refuses to acknowledge. I worry that by starting a grad school program, I'd be diving into another program I might dislike. I'm down to earth and am also interested in public sociology. The idea of teaching is just as exciting as researching to me. So maybe I should think about programs that are not top tier? If I even have a shot at those types of programs. Just for reference, my undergrad GPA was 3.83, law school was a 3.2, when I took the GRE In 2009 I got a 740 on the verbal section and 700 on the quantitative, and a 4 on the writing. I'd probably take it again to try and get my quantitative score up a bit. What do you folks think? Should I go for it? If I do and get in anywhere, will I like it? Thanks!