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Tritonetelephone

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Everything posted by Tritonetelephone

  1. I was going to say something similar. We shouldn't be evaluating the job market by how it is in the moment (assuming we're all just entering or about to enter or thinking about maybe entering grad school). Our competition to get into grad school has been rough in the recession, but that just means a lot of people are going to grad school to keep or advance the jobs they already had. If they were admitted, they won't necessarily be competing against us for tenure-track positions, like so many of us fresh-out-of-college, new-grad-admits are interested in. Plus, schools were poor this year and accepted less people across the board. Shrinks the competition even further among our cohorts. Not to mention, there is a generational changeover underway for my subfield (sex/gender). A LOT of profs (presumably, who got involved in the field during the 70's feminism movement) will be retiring by the time we're looking for TT jobs. I don't know if this is true of other subfields - just what my prof said to explain that now is a great time to enter grad school for sex/gender.
  2. To input a second opinion: I agree 100%. Journal-type work is what they expect you to be capable of. The first year I applied, I sent in a very creative but not-so-professional college paper about my experience violating gender norms, though I cleaned it up by adding a lit review and methods section. The second year I sent in a semi-boring (cut most of the methods section for shorter length req's) but very analytical, nearly journal-quality write-up of some quantitative work I'd done, just to demonstrate the techniques I could do and the theory I could connect it with. MUCH better!! Looking back, it should have been obvious the first one wasn't going to cut it.
  3. Sorry to do a lazy composite post, but most of what I want to say has been touched on. I should start by saying, though, that a) I don't know much about your subfield; and my experience is probably different from most of the people on gradcafe because I went to a really crappy undergraduate university (#100 for soc, I think) and I did alright for myself. This is true in my experience too. Private schools I looked at had way more international students than public schools. I agree. Pubs aren't a big problem, but they will give you an edge if you have them. I had a writing sample that I would have liked to publish but didn't end up working out, but in my SoP, I mentioned a specific goal to have X pubs by the time I finish my PhD. That might have helped, who knows. LORs are really seriously considered, but I disagree that it heavily matters who writes them. I'm sure it helps, but a good LOR from a lesser-known sociology prof can still go a long way. I didn't apply to an Ivies though - I'm just speaking from my experience. Yes! Great advice. The best thing you can do is research your schools very thoroughly. Maybe but not quite. Where you come from matters in that it serves as a "weight" to your GPA (a good school means your classes were probably harder) and provides some reliability that you learned everything you should have as an undergrad. So, yes, it is a big help but trust me: it can be overcome by a strong personal statement, LORs, writing sample, and GRE. Top 10 grad schools specifically may be more strict, but I focused on rankings within my subfield and got into the #3 school for sex/gender, so... Experiences may vary. I guess it just depends on the department. I just don't want you to be totally discouraged if you come from a not-so-great school. Focus on what you have control over (starting with your WS). I wouldn't even risk that weaker programs will accept a bad WS. Have your profs review it. Show off your creativity and theory/methods skills! I see what Jortylander is saying, but I would like to rephrase it for my advice. Program fit is, in my experience, very important to the school accepting you, so it's very important for applications. They want to see that you are a match to the school and that your work will be well-supported. However, it is even more important to attend a school that has plentiful resources and options outside of your narrow focus. You just never know how your interests may change and you want to make sure that you will have space and resources available to you to blossom into who you'll become. My new advisor isn't doing exactly the research I want to do, but he thinks what I want to do is really interesting and he knows enough about it to point me in the right direction if I'm in need of related literature or whatever. And there were lots of faculty members I would love to work with there, including very strong people in my secondary interests' areas. So apply with program fit in mind, but choose a school that will be as supportive and resourceful for you as possible. These are often things you can't get a clear picture on until you visit. I chose to apply to 10 departments because I wanted to increase my chances of admission and I could legitimately see myself attending any one of them (that's very important!). It was, however, expensive and time-consuming. I would advise applying to 3-4 "dream" schools, 2-3 medium-tier schools, and 1-3 "safety" schools... but only apply if you would seriously attend if they end up being your only option!! Try looking at the top 10-20 of your subfield; schools that are listed there but NOT in the top 10-20 of general sociology are probably great options for medium and safety schools.
  4. Hip2b!!! The dreaded round 2... (Don't worry, it's actually much easier the second time around. ) I know what you mean about being frustrated with traditional gender studies ("women's studies")! What I've found is that the courses/curriculum that schools offer hasn't really caught up, so it's best to look at profs' more recent works to find common interests. Even if you don't find yourself in exact alignment to a prof's research, the important thing is that they are supportive of your interests, can provide the intellectual resources you need (point you in the right direction), and be a valuable committee member. I have three schools to recommend, just because I had personal experience with them this year: Florida State, UMass Amherst, and USC. Florida State has a reputation for gender based on their gender & labor curriculum, but in the last 5 years or so, they've started pushing the sexuality route. Doug Schrock in particular has done a LOT of work on trans identity and experience, and he's offering a new masculinities course, starting Fall 2009. He is a really cool guy. UMass Amherst has queer theory courses, access to faculty and resources at Smith and Amherst College etc., and Amy Schalet, who has an ongoing grant for culture and adolescent sexuality. What's most attractive about them though is they have a TON of grad students interested in the same things we are, so there is a lot of potential for coauthorships and community. USC was my pick, even though on the surface they may seem a little more traditional "gender studies." Tim Biblarz is my mentor - he's doing the quant. family stuff that ewurgler warned you about . But again, for me it was more about support, combining talents of several faculty members, and having those resources.
  5. I received consistent advice from the current grads in my dept to live in Los Feliz, Echo Park, Silver Lake, Miracle Mile, Koreatown, West Hollywood, etc. A few lived in Pasadena but the commute sounded like a little much. Each region seems to have a distinct personality - I was told that Koreatown is a little more urban, Echo Park is hipster-ish, Pasadena is more like a suburb... I'm hoping for a place in Miracle Mile, personally. But I heard anywhere north of Olympic should be safe enough. I've been looking at the googlemaps streetview of different neighborhoods, which has been helpful. There's a website that is extremely helpful for looking for housing in LA: http://www.westsiderentals.com (since Craigslist absolutely sucks for housing.) You can do a guest search to see what info they provide, but you have to subscribe to get phone numbers and addresses. Subscribing costs $60, but it pays for itself because they'll cover some of your credit checks and give you discounts on moving resources, etc. The only problem is you can only sign up for 2 months... I might wait until later this month since there will probably be a huge wave of listings in mid-July that will be ready to move into in August. I've gotten pretty far with just doing guest searches in the West Hollywood region, but my department is going to cover the cost of the subscription once I'm ready (/bragging).
  6. I'm excited for mine! What really matters is where they are at the time you're looking for a job, though...
  7. Delaware combines soc and criminology. Might be worth looking at.
  8. I will be attending the University of Southern California (USC). Deciding factors were... Fit: program's focus and several faculty with similar interests Funding: 2 yrs 21K fellowship, 3 yrs 19K TA/RA, additional summer RA opportunities, vast majority funded until graduate Faculty/student attitudes: enthusiasm, strong relationships, healthy atmosphere, supportive, etc. I also really liked the location (weather, job opps for my partner, convenience, entertainment, etc.), graduate placement, program structure, rank, level of rigor, opportunity for co-authorships... I found a near-perfect program (for me, not everyone)!! YAY! Congrats everybody!
  9. I asked one school for 2 extra days to decide and they granted me 1. You have to be VERY careful when asking though. I talked about how they were at the top of my list but I had an unfortunately-timed visit just before the 15th and two days to objectively evaluate my options would help ensure I make the right choice. Also acknowledged that they have a waitlist and I'd understand if they couldn't accommodate my request.
  10. I'm jealous! I wish I had applied there so much. That's the one school I feel that I really overlooked. I hope you enjoy it!!
  11. I just asked UMass (very politely) for two extra days and they granted me one. I won't be getting back from visiting USC until 4/14, so I'll take what I can get. Is anyone else thinking about asking for more time?
  12. I'm not sure what part you're referring to, and my comprehension of insurance documents is pretty low. But the grad students I met there all emphasized that dental and vision were covered and that it was the best insurance they'll probably have in their lives. I don't think the PPO is necessarily university-based, because they said you get free therapy with anyone. They really wouldn't shut up about how great UMass's insurance is, and I can definitely say that their maximums/copays/deductibles are way better than anything I've seen anywhere else. Maybe you should contact your department for more info. You can also see more here: http://www.aetnastudenthealth.com/stu_c ... pID=100106
  13. I might be going to USC for Soc. What have you heard about where would be good to live?
  14. Their health insurance is so amazing, it actually equalizes a funding offer I got from another school that was $1000's more. Here are some details: http://www.aetnastudenthealth.com/schoo ... et0809.pdf
  15. Does anyone know anything specific about the apartments USC's website suggests for graduate students, such as Seven Gables? My main concern is living somewhere close but QUIET.
  16. I just got into USC, but I'm worried about not knowing the cohort. Is anyone here going to attend - or at least got to meet the people who will?
  17. You may find some answers here, I haven't read it in a while: viewtopic.php?f=8&t=14753
  18. That is one thing influencing my dilemma as well. One of my schools is in a mecca of the culture that I'm trying to study. Which I would think translates into better academic opportunity? Plus, they have a major airport nearby (vs. my other top choice, where I would never get a direct flight anywhere). But their funding offer is the smallest (I haven't started bargaining yet), their cost of living the highest, and the weather is the opposite of what I'm used to. I've been hung up on the weather thing until now, but you're right about those other things being very important when considering location!
  19. I'm in a similar but opposite boat. I'm pretty sure that I'll turn down School B because it wouldn't be as good for my career as the others (the "thinking" part), but I'm having trouble getting myself to say no because the "feelings" I have for that school were so strong. I won't say no until I'm ready (or until April 15th... whatever comes first).
  20. I'm seeking advice on an awkward situation: School A has Dr. X, who is the top expert in one of the very specific subjects I'm interested in. School A accepted me but without funding, so I can't attend. Now I want Dr. X's opinion on which of my other options would be best for that specific subject. This is more specific than a subfield, so I can't get this info from any better source. But how do I ask Dr. X for it?? I haven't yet contacted School A or Dr. X regarding my admission, but I've spoken with Dr. X before and know that he's cool. All of my other schools have been really nice and honest about their opinion of the other schools that accepted me, but this conversation is difficult because it will be in the context of "I'd like to work with you... but I can't... because your department is too poor... so who else should I work with?"
  21. It's not a comprehensive list (I tried to say "a lot" of soc depts, not all) - some of my schools aren't on there either. But it's better than nothing. Here's another resource: http://chronicle.com/stats/stipends/
  22. The Chronicle published some data on stipends and health benefits in 2004. This page compares amounts for English, Biology, and Sociology at several univ's: http://chronicle.com/weekly/v51/i08/08a01001.htm On this page, you can choose your school and look at details of what they offer across different departments: http://chronicle.com/stats/stipends/ Departments usually include: English, History, Sociology, Economics, Biology, and Mechanical Engineering.
  23. Reviving an old topic: one of my schools gave me this, which compares the standard financial offer at a lot of Soc departments (in 2004)... http://chronicle.com/weekly/v51/i08/08a01001.htm Hope you guys find it useful!
  24. Is anyone else using the power of colorful spreadsheets to weight their funding offer against area COL? I made a spreadsheet using the COL index from http://realestate.yahoo.com/neighborhoods. A value of 100 for the COL index is the national average, and 110 would be 10% more expensive, etc. I used the following formula: [stipend/Fellowships - Fees] * 100 / [COL index]. That way, a large offer in the northeast often evens out against a lower offer in the midwest, etc. The problem with a COL index, though, is that its heavily influenced by mortgage rates and house prices and things that aren't going to affect a grad student. So, I also looked at the average apt and energy costs in the area from bankrate's COL calculator, as well as what I thought I might actually end up paying for housing based on what current grad students pay. I then divided the funding offer by 12 and subtracted those potential housing figures to understand how much I would make in-pocket each month. Has anyone found a better method? BTW: Also in my spreadsheet: area demographics, weather stats, department specs (cohort size, # of qualifying exams, etc.), walk score, and squirrel quality
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