pinoysoc
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Posts posted by pinoysoc
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I agree with @sociopolitic. A graduate director chastised me and pretty much said that my low GRE scores were a big factor because their department is quant-heavy. However, I found out that in some regards, it comes down to the right program (and fit) to give you an acceptance. First-year Ph.D. student and the program I'm attending now is the only I got into, but it's also the only program that's guaranteeing me two-degrees (also getting my MPH at the same time) by the time I finish.. So I win. LOL.
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I have to agree with all three. In addition, I think you should take courses or electives that interests you and helps you shape your research interests. At the end of the day, it comes down to research fit with the department. Some students make the mistake of applying to brand name schools instead of thinking if they'll be able to do their research if the person they want to work with leaves the program. Also, try opting to get a year or more worth of research experience related to the research you want to do. That sets you apart in a sense that you have started "doing research." Also, try to TA or RA as much as you can. It's something that I wish I did differently, but I came from a school where the program was small and opportunities were limited.
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On 5/4/2018 at 2:25 PM, lorenzen said:
As usual, I am turning to this forum for advice. Thank you in advance for taking a look at thus topic.
I was offered an assistantship position in a Sociology Master's program that provides tuition and a stipend. It is stated that this has been granted for 2018-2019, and then I would have to apply for it again. If my performance is not good enough as a student and TA, it may not be renewed.
If a department gives you funding the first year, how likely is it to be renewed the second year if you are a good TA and student?
I am nervous to commit to a program and then have the "carpet" pulled out from under me.
Sincerely,
AfraidOfDebt
Hey!
I totally understand what you're going through. Department funding for MA programs are pretty much a guarantee as long as you're making good progress towards finishing in two years. That may mean different things for different schools, but usually it's: 1) No grades below a B; 2) You're on track to defend your proposal by the end of your first year; 3) You meet your job as a TA or RA (or both if that's how you're assigned); and 4) You have a good or better second semester review. The review is often the basis as to whether or not you get funding. Again, assuming you're making progress, it shouldn't be an issue. The department is supposed to find/help you get the funding. Let me know if you need more information or need to talk to someone!
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Chiming in:
Although I came with 1 acceptance out of 7 schools, I realize what make your choice easier are department visits AND gut feeling. I was devastated I didn't get into Penn State this year and entertained the idea of trying again next year for it, but I went with my gut feeling with UAB and visited. I realized that the department (UAB) was small enough for individualized attention. The faculty also had connections ALL OVER the school that includes the School of Medicine, School of Dentistry, School of Public Health, etc. that the opportunities to do my research was infinite. This was something the Penn State couldn't offer had I gotten in. Yes, they're more prestigious, but my visit made me realize that UAB offered a better environment in terms of learning and having access to opportunities that Penn State didn't have. Penn State is quant-heavy. UAB is quant-heavy, but balances it out by making qual-methods a mandatory course so you have training in both. They also told me that we can do our dissertations in any med sociology topic and support the scope of what we want to cover, but also offers the option to guide you if the topic becomes too narrow. Penn State flat out told me that my research is narrow.. (but hey... their lost on studying minority health disparities). They also told me that they're concerned about how I'll survive their quant-heavy program. In short, the department visit re-affirmed my decision with UAB and forego reapplying.
But other things to consider include city-life, cost of living, etc. I got lucky since Birmingham is upcoming (just like St. Louis where I'm coming from). It has the right balance of academic life and having a personal life. -
I just downloaded the app and you have my number! This is so exciting!
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48 minutes ago, Ericnm said:
I know this has been discussed at length on many threads, but what is the point of the grad school rankings?
I checked the PhD program for the school where I live now and felt optimistic looking through the professors and different areas of research they specialize in. They seemed to have at least a few professors who had lots of published research and interesting material. My heart sank when I searched their ranking and found them to be tied for #102 with a few other schools, higher only than those schools that had no ranking at all. This seems inauspicious.
Getting a PhD where I’m living now would be ideal for many reasons due to my life circumstances and personality, but if it’s a last place rank, would it just be a terrible decision?
I think rank should be the last thing you think about when making a decision. You're applying to get the experience and expertise. Look at the here.
It'd be nice to go to a high-ranked program, but why get in, and then struggle to survive in it? It's really up to you, but the value of a graduate school education is based on what opportunities you take on while being enrolled. Here's another good article to read.
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9 hours ago, qeta said:
University of Toronto has a funded one-year MA program. They apparently get 150 applications and accept ten students per year.
You can also add Saint Louis University to that list. They have a great program that's very heavy on methods, urban sociology, medical sociology, and public policy. It's a good start as well.
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On 11/2/2017 at 8:19 PM, WildeThing said:
So in my program pretty much everyone is a TA, only we don’t assist, we teach an entire class (some people more than one per semester). It just recently came to my attention that this might not be normal. Can anyone confirm that? How many TA positions involve being the primary instructor or at what stage do TAs shift from assisting to teaching (not that assisting isn’t teaching)?
Are you talking about recitation classes where it's a supplement to the larger introduction course?
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Teaching positions are often filled through the basis of need. GA-ships are usually TA or RA. Those who get GTA-ships are TA's for introductory classes. It's also dependent on skill level. If you're further in the program, you usually get to teach your own class (which is the case for most doctoral students finishing up). Or if you're in the middle (i.e. second/third-year) you might be the lab instructor/assistant for classes that have a lab component to them. Of course, this is from a social science (sociology) perspective; and it will vary as well based on the academic field you're in.
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24 minutes ago, socl said:
For those who have gone through this process for a second (or third) time - were any of you accepted to programs that may have rejected you the previous cycle?
I applied to a couple of local programs this cycle as a "soft" attempt, knowing that I had no intention of moving my family this year and that I still needed to work out some of my interests. I'm completing a MA and trying to divide time between school, a research project, full-time job, and family left little time to focus on a wide range of applications. FWIW - my undergrad grades are terrible (and very outdated), 4.0 Masters GPA, 162V/157Q/4.5AW (and I'm willing to retake since I didn't study for that attempt).
If any of you are willing to share what you think made the difference between your first cycle and second/third, I would be grateful. Thank you!
I think what made the difference for me, anyway, was that my research focus was more fine-tuned. During my first time, I had this grandiose plan of studying macro-level changes and globalization and its effects on cultures. Yet, but by taking time-off, I realized that my true passion is medical sociology/sociology of health and illness/race and ethnicity and the intersection with the changing landscapes.
What are your interests?
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1 hour ago, krd_BME said:
Thank you, I honestly did not even think about the masters route. Even if I decide to apply to masters next year, I am still in the boat of "what is next?" in terms of a job for the year. A BME job that gives me relevant research experience is very hard to obtain. Understanding if it will help me or hinder me is the challenge, should it only be a research position? I will be applying all over the country in hopes of getting something, I have mainly been looking for r&d or tech positions. Masters is a good idea too, and from the looks of it I have some time to think about it! Thank you for the advice.
I don't think it should only be a research position. Look for practical experience as well. Having that experience in research is good since a lot of programs at the master's & doctoral level generates new information through research.
You don't have to find a job in the BME field, per se, but find something close or relevant that you can use your undergraduate education in. In the process, you might be able to find a focus that will help you in your future applications.
Does that make any sense?
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9 minutes ago, krd_BME said:
Hey all! I am pretty sure that I will not be receiving acceptances. I know that it is my fault for only applying to a few schools, but hey I am broke(apps are expensive) and had an incredibly busy semester so applying to 10 schools was impossible. I was applying for Biomedical Engineering PhD programs.
I had overly optimistic PI's and recommenders who believed I would get in to at least one of the 5 schools I applied to, but alas, nothing. Realistically, I did not plan well or apply to any safety schools, so I fully take responsibility for my rejections. Looking back at last semester I should have added at least 3 more schools to my list but it is too late now, so please in comments, refrain from saying things along the line's of " you only applied to top schools, of course you would get rejected" etc...I have already figured that much out LOL.
No official rejections at these schools but UPenn and Tufts have already had their interviews, BU has sent some acceptances and rejections out, and I interviewed at Mayo Clinic but they have already sent out acceptances, so I am patiently awaiting a different type of email. The other school I applied to was a flat out rejection, but it was for a masters abroad with a scholarship so I had planned on that being a rejection.
Overall I am not upset, just not sure what the next best steps are. Getting industry jobs in BME is not always the easiest, and what types of jobs should I be looking for. I fear that the farther away from undergrad I go, the farther away my recommenders are. I want to put myself in a situation where I will be a competitive candidate next year and will still be able to have strong recommendations after my gap year.
Thanks and good luck to everyone else waiting for responses.
Hey! Just wanted to offer some Grad Cafe advice.
I totally get you feeling the fear of being "away" from recommendation providers. I suggest that you keep in contact with them to maintain a relationship with them. Have you thought of finding a job that's related to BME? What I found (that worked for me) is to only take on jobs that will add to your experience and won't detract you from your end goal of going back to school. Of course, when I did this, I had the luxury of living with my family until I got into grad school. You could also do it step by step. What I mean is, why don't you apply to master's programs first to get more experience and get used to the academic life for the Fall of 2019? Of course, you have to find a program that's funded at the master's level...because THEY DO EXIST! You just need to the leg work.
Hope this helps!
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9 minutes ago, Ascaris said:
Hello,
I'm an international student and I interviewed on Jan 31. After my interview, the program director told me the department will send out offers before March 15. I know its just the 2nd of March but the suspense is killing me. Should I contact the program director and ask for my admission status?
Thank you for your time.
Hey! It's up to you, personally. I ended up contacting programs because I didn't keep waiting and acceptances were coming in left and right and didn't want to wait for nothing.
As for your case, maybe give it until after the weekend? From the little that I know, usually international students get acceptances first because they need to work visas.
Hope this helps!
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13 hours ago, speechfan222 said:
I have not thought about private companies, no. I can do some research looking for private companies where I live now, but I don't plan to live here forever. Ill look everywhere and see what I find.
I'm not too worried about nothing having experience with other software programs or a BA/BS in Sociology as I am about not having experience. I'm going to search indeed tonight and see what I can find. I'm hoping to get several applications/resumes submitted and hopefully I'll hear from someone soon.
I noticed you're in a Sociology program as well. Which school are you attending if you don't mind sharing? Also, are you in an online or in-person program?
If you don't mind me asking, what's undergrad degree in? I would also suggest looking for research opportunities in your undergraduate field and highlight the training you got in Sociology to add to the company's or wherever you end up looking.
Also, I received my MA from Saint Louis University last May (on-campus since it was the only option; I also moved from Guam). I got into UAB's PhD program in Medical Sociology for the upcoming school year. So I'll be moving to Birmingham at the end of the summer.
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11 minutes ago, speechfan222 said:
Hey @JSTOBIAS!!
Yeah, it's been awhile. This Master's program has been a little crazy. It seems like I only have time for working full time and studying. Hah.
Thanks so much for this information! I will definitely check indeed by searching for 'research assistant' as you mentioned. I'm hoping I will find some options that I can apply fr. Another thing I'm worried about, that I forgot to mention, is that some companies require experience and knowledge with statistical software. I have a little experience using SPSS from a stats course I completed within my program. All companies are different, so I'm not really sure which software programs to become familiar with. There are so many!
I will consider the VA too and I will research options at the university here as well. I have looked at a few research positions within the university and most require experience. It seems like Ill never get experience if I can't gain a position that requires experience. Seems like a giant circle, but I will definitely keep looking.
I don't have a BS/BA degree in Sociology, so I'm a bit new to the field. I really liked the stats and research methods course I completed. I wouldn't mind working with stats all day either. And I'm interested in conducting research and analyzing data. Anything related to research and stats is interesting.
I'm going to keep looking and hopefully Ill be able to gain some experience somewhere. And I prefer they are paid positions, so I can leave my current position, start something new, and gain experience.
Thanks for the help. Any other suggestions are appreciated!
Have you thought about research at a private company as well? Usually, there's a lot of analyst positions within companies that can utilize your skills.
At the same time, don't get too discouraged with your lack of experience with SPSS or not having a BA/BS in Sociology. Many companies usually train you to learn and gain more than what you were expecting/looking for in the first place.
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Don't forget about yourself! Remind students that you're a student as well and have your own deadlines, things, etc. Also, don't spend too much effort if the students look like they don't give a rat's ass. You'll just lose energy and get discouraged.
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Hey @speechfan222!
It's been a while since your last post! If this advice helps, here it is: I suggest looking at Indeed and searching for "Research Assistant" as the keyword. This will be the most straightforward way to find experience that you also get paid for. Retrospectively, you can also start looking at universities in your area that have research centers that interests you. Usually, they have what they designate as "Centers for..." that houses different projects funded by different grants. This should get your feet wet in gaining research experience. As for medical research, have thought of working for the VA? Some VA Medical Centers have a research unit that does projects on the side. Perhaps, a medical school near you?
Would you mind elaborating as to what your end goal is/stats?
You can PM if you'd like!
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2 hours ago, Ekinsu92 said:
Hello again,
Has any of you heard from University of Alberta?
Hey! Have you tried calling the department? more so, e-mailing them asking for an update?
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gazelles graze
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I did. I came from Guam where the University of Guam is the only school accredited by WASC located in the Pacific. It's super chill and got to know my professors beyond the classroom. Then I moved to Saint Louis University two years ago for my MA. Big jump for big fish in a little pond to what seemed like an ocean. However, I made the most of it. I'm now entering a PhD program in August and feel much better.
Of course Stanford is an even bigger ocean, but it's all about perception. Getting a master's and PhD is no easy task so you shouldn't take it lightly. Of course, you also need to keep in my mind what's your end goal? Academia? Working for the private sector?
PM me if you have questions!
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5 hours ago, AnnaGG said:
I am sorry you feel this way. My initial reaction was what? you got accepted to three universities and you're still unsure? but when my bite of jealousy subsided I was able to see how you'd be bothered and would wonder what is it that UWM wanted that you didn't have. I was only accepted to one school and had to question their standards if they thought that I'm good enough. But that's not the point. The point is there are humans in those universities. They aren't gods or clairvoyants and I believe making the choice is just as difficult for them since they can't be sure they're betting on the best of the best either. People drop out from the best programs. And succeed in okay programs too. Look up a list of where world's Nobel laureates graduated from and you'll see it's a very broad range of schools. Some of those people got rejections too in their time and someone might have regretted turning down a renown specialist because one of their recommendation letters was not exactly stellar. It's a betting game for everyone, in a way. They way I look at it, it's not worth putting on a pedestal a school that didn't select you. Their rejection doesn't make it unreachably good. It's just that you're not the horse they're betting on and that's okay. Instead, I want the school that chose me to be really really proud of it some day. You can even choose which of the three schools will get to put your picture on their "distinguished alumni" wall.
I agree with this. Penn State's committee noted they had great concerns about my GRE scores and my ability to survive in their program. They also said something in the line of your research interests are too focused and don't see the value in it in terms of the department. It forced me to grow up and accept that you can't be with a program that doesn't want you or see potential in you. Matriculate into a program that sees value. For the first time in my life (after applying in three admissions cycles), I feel empowered because I finally believe in what I want to do.
PM me if you want to talk.
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16 minutes ago, Sapphire120 said:
So I ran into two of my students in the library this afternoon before the course midterm tomorrow for the class I'm TAing. I casually chatted with them about how studying was going and they each showed me their detailed, thorough study guide/outlines they made (one was 17 pp., the other 20). When I asked, they also told me they had multiple exams this week. They're really hard working students, don't complain, write well, and participate in class.
They asked me general questions, like "Do you think my outline is too detailed or not enough?" etc. I guess I just felt sorry for them, seeing how hard they're working and how much effort they're putting in and I probably disclosed more than I should have. For the midterm, I contributed 2 (out of 20-25) of the short answer questions based on a lecture I gave on a certain topic. With those in mind, I never said directly "make sure you know X" but I strongly hinted and gave them clues until they figured out the topic. They opened their lecture notes and repeated back to me what they had written down (which was the precise answers to the exam questions). So I never actually said the question verbatim, but I let them know they should be very familiar with the information they had just verbalized to me and that if they knew that, they would know the answer to the question.
In the moment, I wasn't really thinking clearly (instead feeling sorry for their hectic exam load and impressed by how much effort they were putting in to this exam amd genuinely wanting to help). But thinking back, I'm now wondering if I crossed some sort of ethical line? Should I tell the professor of the course what I did?
In my honest opinion, I don't think so. I, for one, like seeing students succeed. However, just keep this in mind for the next time and try not to be open what they should expect. Try being broad about the exams covers.
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3 hours ago, -0-0-0-0- said:
U Penn rejects: I'm sorry to see that, and I hope you guys have better offers. Care to tell me how you found out? And if you did not get an email at this point, does it mean that you could be on the waitlist?
1 hour ago, DT888 said:Is anyone still waiting to hear from UPenn?
Most likely rejections. I wouldn't get your hopes up. Sorry guys. In the same boat
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I'd do it if it's free... It's basically a resource that's available to you. At my MA institution, it was free, and I ended up dropping out because I saw it as extra work. However, at my incoming institution, the teaching certificate is more confusing AND you have to pay for actual credit hours.
Always make the most of it!
Research Intern vs Research Assistant
in Sociology Forum
Posted
Put it! It counts!