cultsoc

^ Needing to stay close to a certain area is fine as long as your circumstances necessitate it. But I also think it's a bit of a gamble because where you get in will impact your future more than whatever it is that's keeping you in or around a certain place. Circumstances change, people break up, they move on, and life goes on. Is your reason for wanting to stay close to Cleveland one that you won't regret three, four, or five years from now? You gotta ask yourself that before you make that decision. I think you should absolutely add a few more schools to your list. You sound like a competitive applicant so why not apply to 8-10 schools and see what happens? 1. You can have one or two external members on your dissertation committee and they can be from any school anywhere in the world (some departments have weird rules about that so you should check with your department). Your external member can't be your advisor, but they can certainly serve on your committee. 2. Your UG research experience is absolutely relevant. Very few UGs come with publications so programs are always interested in UG research experience, even if it's not in your area (as is the case with you). You can frame it as, "I can do qualitative research too". There's no shame in that. You want to include a paragraph stating something like, "my research experience includes..." and explain exactly what you did and how you contributed to the project. Every little detail that can set you apart from the rest is relevant. Did you learn how to use MAXQDA or NVIVO? Did you transcribe long interviews? Help narrow down interview questions? Assist with audio recording and transportation? Hell, I'd include even smaller details in there. You will likely be competing with some people with masters degrees who have a lot more research experience than you do, so explain every little detail. 3. No one can tell you what your chances are. It depends on the applicant pool and what they have to offer. Your chances depend on how good or poor the rest of the applications are, whether your concentration area is overcrowded, and whether your POI is taking new students this year. Other than that, I'd say you sound like a competitive applicant based on your GRE, GPA, and research experience (for an UG). Good luck!

I don't know much about UC Boulder but I can tell you that the funding situation at CUNY and Oregon (especially CUNY) is pretty dismal. In terms of contacting professors, the best time to do it would have been over the summer break when they have less to do than during the fall semester. If you decide to contact them, be polite and **brief**. No long paragraphs about your background or GRE scores. Tell them your interest and politely ask if they think you'd be a good fit for their program and whether they are taking on students next year. Just know that your advisor might end up being someone else once you get in the program so you might want to contact a couple of people you're interested in working with. Maybe read their recent pubs to see what kind of research they're doing now. Just because they published a series of papers on education in the 90's doesn't mean they're interested in the same stuff now. Almost all of the programs you mentioned in your post are heavy-quant. What I mean by that is: you will likely not find a single department that is "qualitative heavy". Blame the quantitative turn in American sociology over the last 40 years. It is perhaps a better idea to focus on finding qualitative researchers regardless of the kind of department they're in. I did slightly better on my GRE Q and am heavily quantitative so I don't think GRE score alone determines which direction you'll go in.

I encourage you to list your potential schools in your posts (only if you feel comfortable doing that of course) so current students can give you some feedback, i.e. whether that concentration area is still around or being phased out, and if the professors you're interested in working with are taking on more students or not.

I can't think of any programs that specialize in that area offhand but I just wanted to say you might be better off checking out each program's website to see if you can find any faculty members with similar interests. I know it can be quite tedious to visit close to 100 websites and go through the names but it's something that can help you narrow down your potential list. Good luck.

Your V and AWA are more than enough to get you through the door. Your Q definitely needs improvement but I doubt it would keep you out if the rest of your application is impressive enough. I say retake the GRE and see if you can improve your Q. If your Q score doesn't improve then no harm done; go with the original scores. I think you probably need to rethink some of the programs on your list. There are a few schools on there that are notorious for poor funding packages. Maybe the reason you were rejected last year had more to do with poor funding opportunities rather than your Q score alone? Also, I know some programs offer application fee waivers for those who need it. Not sure about the GRE though. Have you tried contacting them?

Early October is fine. I took the GRE in mid-November back when I was applying although I wouldn't recommend taking it that late. Most programs have a grace period for GRE score deadlines and will accept unofficial scores until the final round of admission committee meetings. I know this because I was involved in the admissions process in my department last year. Good luck.

i'm going to let go of the previous comments because people asked that everyone move on from that discussion. but to accuse people of being homophobic, when you have no idea what the term means, that deserves a response. look up the definition of the word before you accuse people of being homophobic and whatnot. you are epitomizing the term because it's causing a negative emotional reaction in you...get over the butthurt.

I sense a lot of butt-hurt from darth and all his bandwagon crew because I called his bs claim about negotiating. As expected.

you people and your bandwagon mentality of negative repping posts because you can't hack the truth...who said anything about davis rescinding your offer? all i said was it won't make any difference. and darth, would you please elaborate how you managed to get $9,000 added to your offer in your first year? was it your amazing quant score of 149 that did it? or are you counting "summer jobs" as a "bonus" for funding? i have been in two grad programs and am yet to see someone shmooze their way to a fellowship. heck, even fellowships at ivy programs are barely $5,000 or so more than the regular funding package. and no, summer jobs, "recruitment bonuses" (what??), and other types of "opportunities" that are open to every tom dick and harry are not considered "negotiating". i know the truth, just like most people in these boards, so go ahead and negative rep and call me a troll all you want.

and just like last year, we have mr. darth hijacking a thread and spreading misinformation. as others have noted MANY times in the past, negotiating with sociology programs over funding doesn't work, unless you're a top candidate with multiple acceptances at really top programs, or in extremely rare cases where other factors are involved. and no, ma programs at simon fraser and other mickey mouse universities don't count. if you are absolutely sure you won't be attending a program, decline the offer asap. if you're having a tough time deciding between multiple acceptances, then feel free to take your time. in either case, forget about "negoiating," programs are not businesses. i will guarantee you that you won't get a dime more than the offer you have already received. go through last year's threads where darth's posted and read about the good negotiating did for him. and darth, seriously, stop giving people wrong advice.

Steve Vaisey's the man for posting on here, jussayin'.

Please read my post carefully before you go on misleading the other members on here. I said, "programs with pre-acceptance interviews usually notify all their invitees at the same time." This is for programs that throw all-expenses-paid interview weekends, where they fly their invitees in, wine and dine them, and get a feel for who they are and what they are like. I didn't mention anything about random professors making phone calls or doing skype "interviews" on their own. I take it you are a current graduate student at such a program with experience organizing these events?

Programs with pre-acceptance interviews usually notify all their invitees at the same time. If you didn't receive an invite, you're most likely not on their immediate shortlist of applicants. However, there is a small possibility that you have been waitlisted, and will be notified if one of the invitees declines his/her interview spot. It is best to wait for further notice. You're not rejected until you get that official rejection e-mail.

IMO, you should attend your top/best fit pick. You could try to split your time between two schools as well. So, you'd be at school 1 on Thursday and early afternoon Friday, and then fly to school 2 Friday afternoon and stay till Sunday. Needless to say, not going to an interview weekend will probably negatively impact your chances. There are many people who have interviews on the same weekend, so you're definitely not the only one. You should explain the situation to all three schools and see if they can set up alternative schedules or maybe Skype interviews. The key is to explain the situation and show interest in their programs. Most programs are willing to work with you re finagling some kind of alternative set-up if they sense your enthusiasm/interest in them.

I attended an interview weekend back when I was applying to programs. I think most of these guidelines apply to skype interviews as well. Here are my experiences: 1. Take a deep breath and try to relax. An interview invite is a very positive sign so be confident. 2. Be prepared to answer questions like: "Why sociology?" "Why this department?" "What are your future plans?" Also be prepared to answer questions pertaining to your own research. Basically, know your shit. They will most likely not ask you any grand theoretical questions about other people's research, but they will expect you to know your own work and be somewhat familiar with the works of those in your subfield. 3. Ask them questions about the program. This is also a good strategy to relieve the tension early on. By asking them questions about their concentrations areas, how the prelims are set up, what the typical length of study is, etc, you are showing them that you are very interested in their program, while at the same time making them ask less and answer more. You don't want to overdo this and seem rude, but by all means ask questions you want answers to. 4. Don't ask money-related questions. 5. Don't act too competitive or uptight. Don't be a jerk. Don't criticize other people's work or get into sociological debates. You're interviewing to get in. This is not the place or time to publicize your hatred for Durkheim or Marx. No one cares about your limited knowledge of what you think you know (other than your own work) so keep it to yourself. 6. Read some recent papers of faculty members. This shows the department that you are interested in them, and that you did your homework. No need to write a grand summary, just a few minutes on each paper glancing at the intro, methods, and results will do. Doing this will allow you to throw in something like "I read Dr. X's paper on Y and think there's some overlap with my own research/your department is a good fit for my interests, etc. 7. This may sound counter-intuitive but whether you're interviewing in person or via skype, you should really focus on trying to enjoy it as much as you can. There are hundreds of people out there who would give anything to be in your shoes right now. Nail it. I will add more to this list when I have more time.

I'll just copy and paste my response to a similar thread here. It's probably more than a list of what NOT to do, and includes some stuff you should do as well. Hope this helps. You should be prepared to answer questions similar to: Why this field of study? Why our department? What are your long-term goals? Do your homework and learn as much about each program as you can. As always, the program websites are the best source of unique information pertaining to each program. Read some of the professors' recent papers. Be prepared to say things like, "I think this department is a good fit for me because ______________ (tie it to something you read on one of the faculty's papers, website, etc)." In terms of teaching experience, you want to briefly explain what you did and how your experiences shaped your research interests, future goals, and pedagogical strategies you'd like to employ if given the opportunity to teach in years 2-5, for example. Be prepared to talk in detail about your masters thesis or other research experience. Basically, know your shit. Most faculty members you interview with are not going to ask you theoretical or methodological questions pertaining to their own research or even the broader field. But they might ask you about those things as they pertain to your own research. This is where you get to show them that you know your shit, and take pride in it. Generally speaking, the department knows that interviews are stressful so they won't throw you a curveball. Although, one or two people might push you a bit during the interview to see if you're the real deal. That's fine. They're most likely trying to see how enthusiastic you are. The one guy who did that to me during the interview weekend ended up being my advisor, haha, and he's the most awesome advisor ever. Some general advice: -Dress appropriately. Some programs will tell you what the dress code. You can never go wrong with business casual. You don't want to show up in a suit, but don't wear casual clothes either. Stick to business casual. -Most people you meet at the interviews are chill and really want to get to know you. -You've been invited because they obviously think you're kinda the shit, so don't try hard to impress anybody. Know your work, know what the department specializes in and what the faculty and grad students are up to, and enjoy the process. -Don't be a jerk. There are always one or two douchebags at these events who think they're way better than the rest. Sadly for them, those guys almost always end up getting rejected. Once again, you're there because everyone thinks you're good enough to be there. Now they want to see whether you think they're a good fit for you. They also want to see what type of person you are. -So, don't act like an idiot. Don't pick theoretical fights with people, argue, act too competitive, or uptight. -Limit your alcohol if you go out to any social events. By all means, have a beer or two, just don't overdo it because of stress. -Be cool and try to enjoy every moment. This is the most important point. -Respect the graduate students because, surprisingly, they have a say in who ends up in their department as well. -Be prepared to talk to lots of folks, tell them the same research goals and experiences over and over again, and socialize. Recruitment weekend dinners are a great opportunity to relax and really get to know people. You are also the one interviewing the department, in a way. So, you should actively try to "recruit" the department as well to see if it, and the people in it, are a good fit for you. Feel free to contact me if you have more questions.

I guess it depends on the field and school. I wasn't even aware that there are different tiers of interviews. In my program, all top applicants get interviewed at the same time. The department then nominates the top 2-3 admitted applicants for fellowships, while the rest get the standard full-funding package. My understanding is that most programs that interview follow a similar mo. As for the second part of your question, my suggestion is to have one strategy for both interviews (if they are indeed different). You should be prepared to answer questions similar to: Why linguistics? Why our department? What are your long-term goals? Do your homework and learn as much about each program as you can. As always, the program websites are the best source of unique information pertaining to each program. Read some of the professors' recent papers. Be prepared to say things like, "I think this department is a good fit for me because ______________ (tie it to something you read on one of the faculty's papers, website, etc)." In terms of teaching experience, you want to briefly explain what you did and how your experiences shaped your research interests, future goals, and pedagogical strategies you'd like to employ if given the opportunity to teach in years 2-5, for example. Be prepared to talk in detail about your masters thesis or other research experience. Basically, know your shit. Most faculty members you interview with are not going to ask you theoretical or methodological questions pertaining to their own research or even the broader field. But they might ask you about those things as they pertain to your own research. This is where you get to show them that you know your shit, and take pride in it. Generally speaking, the department knows that interviews are stressful so they won't throw you a curveball. Although, one or two people might push you a bit during the interview to see if you're the real deal. That's fine. They're most likely trying to see how enthusiastic you are. The one guy who did that to me during the interview weekend ended up being my advisor, haha, and he's the most awesome advisor ever. Some general advice: -Most people you meet at the interviews are chill and really want to get to know you. -You've been invited because they obviously think you're kinda the shit, so don't try hard to impress anybody. Know your work, know what the department specializes in and what the faculty and grad students are up to, and enjoy the process. -Don't be a jerk. There are always one or two douchebags at these events who think they're way better than the rest. Sadly for them, those guys almost always end up getting rejected. Once again, you're there because everyone thinks you're good enough to be there. Now they want to see whether you think they're a good fit for you. They also want to see what type of person you are. -So, don't act like an idiot. Don't pick theoretical fights with people, argue, act too competitive, or uptight. -Limit your alcohol if you go out to any social events. By all means, have a beer or two, just don't overdo it because of stress. -Be cool and try to enjoy every moment. This is the most important point. -Respect the graduate students because, surprisingly, they have a say in who ends up in their department as well. -Be prepared to talk to lots of folks, tell them the same research goals and experiences over and over again, and socialize. Recruitment weekend dinners are a great opportunity to relax and really get to know people. You are also the one interviewing the department, in a way. So, you should actively try to "recruit" the department as well to see if it, and the people in it, are a good fit for you. Feel free to contact me if you have more questions. ps: if this is a skype interview or something, you can totally ignore everything I said, lol.

there's lots of new and exciting research going on in computational sociology. check out badhessian(dot)org. a number of the folks contributing to that blog are graduate soc students with comp sci backgrounds and tackle big data type research.

as always, jacib is pretty spot-on with his advice. i'd encourage you to relax and keep things as they are on your sop. also, you should note that adcomms know and expect your research interests will expand or go in another direction once you get started at your program. this happens quite often; people start off wanting to do one thing, but end up picking up different interests along the way. it sounds like you have clearly defined research interests that are sociologically and theoretically informed and relevant, and that's all you need to show on your sop. best of luck.

i'd encourage you to keep quiet about your applications in different disciplines, should you get an interview/visitation invite to any of those programs. most adcomms are particularly wary of students who apply to a bunch of different fields. not saying there's anything wrong with that, but you might want to keep it to yourself to boost your chances of getting in.

not on your list, sorry. i was wondering though; why is ncsu your top choice? ut, maryland and the uc's on your list have much stronger phd programs in soc.

^or, you could just tell us where you're applying and we can tell you whether we are on your list or not?

^ Most sociology programs don't do interviews. Visitation weekends are usually held over late February-late March. This sounds like an informal type invitation that's usually extended out to local students. In any case, try to have fun. Which other programs are you applying to?

^^^^Does this program do formal interviews as part of their recruitment drive? If so, I'd suggest you learn as much about the department/program as you possibly can before you go to this event. Maybe read some of the faculty's recent publications and look up their graduate students for info on the type of research going on there. If they do interviews, you will most likely be asked "why sociology? why this department/school? why do you think you'd be a good fit? what do you want to do after you graduate?" type questions. Do your homework, basically. If you have some research experience or a masters thesis, expect to be asked a few basic questions about what type of research you do and why you're interested in what you're interested in. Expect to be wined and dined, and try to be chatty and social. Be polite and respectful of people's time and interest in you as an applicant. Don't be loud or obnoxious. Don't get into any theoretical/philosophical debates with anyone, even those you disagree with. Don't be a jerk. Most importantly, have fun! Now, if the program doesn't do interviews, and you know you're basically accepted and attending a "visitation weekend" type thing, then you can go ahead and ignore most of what I said above. Still though, be nice and try to learn as much about the department as you possibly can. The idea is to make the right decision for your future! Good luck.

We are planning to have our notifications sent by the third week of January.