SocProf
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Posts posted by SocProf
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First, thanks to eyepod for the kind works. Second, I usually advise students in your position to apply to approx. 10 PhD programs that offer full funding, with a few being top places, and then a few safer options where you'd fit well and where you'd be willing to go if it were your best option.
Regarding MAPSS, a close friend of mine went that route 15+ years ago and it did help get him admitted to a top-5 sociology department. The money would've been a big issue for me though, and a better bet might be to be a big fish in a smaller (and cheaper) pond someplace else such as your local state university. Many of my students have gone the cheap MA/MS to PhD route and have emerged without crushing debt loads.
Best of luck in any case. Hope to see you at a conference down the road some time.
Gabe
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Zouzou,
It sounds like you've done your research and are on top of things, and that Sociology is probably a good fit for you. However, because your field experience doesn't fit neatly into any of the standard sociological subfields, in graduate school you'll need to develop a dissertation research project that leverages your experience and skills while also contributing to a recognized sociological subdiscipline (or a few such subdisciplines). Finding a graduate program that will facilitate this may be tough.
Regarding your age, what I often ask students in situations similar to your own is how they'll feel in 5-7 years when their friends are moving up the corporate ladder, making nice incomes, buying houses etc. while you're still in graduate school dealing with nerdy students and departmental politics. This had better really be your calling.
I wish you all the best. Drop me a line some time to let me know how things work out.
Gabe
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I'd just mention them in one sentence in your personal statement, just as you have done above but with slightly more detail. You should probably be OK, although you'll want to clearly communicate that the medical conditions were serious but also that they won't hinder your progress in a graduate program.
Best of luck,
Gabe
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I'd just mention it briefly, but in no more than one sentence. I think you can rest assured that the admissions committee will evaluate your application holistically, without focusing too much on any one standardized test score.
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sierra,
Yes, absolutely. But of course you never know the ins and outs of that faculty member's relationships with the other committee members. Still, it sounds like you're in good shape.
Gabe
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Yes, definitely. You should discuss the production of culture perspective and whatever contemporary organization theory is relevant.
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Kilenee,
About 15 years ago I was where you are now, and my solution was to do a dissertation on a mainstream topic (environmental sociology) and do cultural and theoretical projects on the side until tenure, when I switched to working on text mining and theory full time. So in grad school I played it safe because I was scared witless that I'd end up unemployed, and everything worked out OK (if not entirely ideally) in the end. You should consider doing the same, although the job market has have changed somewhat, and may be even a bit more culture-friendly by the time you finish your program.
On the other hand, knowing more now about how universities work, I'd be wary of marketing yourself as a cultural sociologist first and foremost. Aside from a handful of elite programs and possibly some liberal arts colleges, it's hard for chairs to justify requesting a faculty line for cultural sociology. Your only option is to compete for an open hire (as I did), which may be the toughest job opening of all.
Though it's on theory in American sociology rather than culture, Omar Lizardo's recent talk may help:
http://akgerber.com/OpenBook010.pdf
Best of luck!
Gabe
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smcg,
It might well come down to the wire, so I'd stay in communication with the graduate admissions committee chair. Basically keep doing what you're doing.
Gabe
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OK thanks, that's good to know.
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Thanks Gabe. I've really appreciated this conversation.
Actually, there is a small minority of environmental sociologists who are actively engaging in interdisciplinary research with Feminist theory, particularly Intersectionality. In my applications I clearly cited the one professor at the university who actively engaged in this type of research. I then rounded out my application by citing other faculty in the department who were also engaged in environmental sociology and used ethnography as a methodology. So, in that regard, I felt my applications demonstrated a very close fit between the research agendas of existing tenured faculty and my research interests. I mean there are like maybe a dozen people doing this type of research. How much more fit can their be?
OK, it sounds like you're very well informed in this area.
I will definitely drop all references to GT going forward. Dumb question: does the writing sample have to be produced while enrolled in a degree program?
No, but I guess it's sort of expected.
Over the next few months, I could write a sample that clearly demonstrates my ability to do statistical analysis, as well as my knowledge of sociological theory. I don't know why, I just figured PhD admissions committees would want to see writing samples that were either a) published or
are derived from the master's thesis. I wouldn't write something new, but maybe just tweak your current writing sample. Honestly, you seem to know what you're doing, and I'm not sure what if anything I can tell you that you don't already know at this point.
Best of luck though!Gabe
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Hi Alex,
I wouldn't send the whole book, particularly if it's in draft form, as would be just too much information for admissions committee members to handle. The better move is to send a sample chapter (the best one you have), and to mention the name of the publisher in your personal statement and maybe resume.
Best of luck!
Gabe
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Hi Qeta,
I would be absolutely shocked if your publications hurt your application. Naturally you'll have to specialize while in grad school, but you've demonstrated you can do professional-quality research and see a project through from concept to publication. You should be in great shape.
Best of luck,
Gabe
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Qeta,
Where will your papers be published? Are they co-authored?
Admissions committees will look very favorably on two legit publications at your career stage. At the end of the day publications are THE currency in academic research, and if you have already produced some (and presumably have the ability to produce more) you'll have a leg up on your competition.
Best of luck!
Gabe
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Psychita,
For sociology and probably for psych too, I think admissions committees will see an applicant with your extensive experience as qualified for doctoral study but also possibly as someone who is likely to gravitate toward more applied research. I don't see this as a problem (and it could be an opportunity), but it's something you may want to address in the SOP. How you address it will depend on whether you are more attracted to a career in basic or applied research. But whatever you do be honest, because you'll want to find a program that is the best possible fit for your background and career goals.
Best of luck!
Gabe
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That is helpful feedback that I can actually use. I wish it would have come up in conversations I had with faculty at Minnesota. So, will I need a different writing sample altogether then?
That will depend on your available alternatives. But the low hanging fruit would be to say less (or nothing at all) about GT in your personal statement.
I did use my master's thesis as my writing sample and it's all based on GT/Ethnographic research.
My choices of where to apply were not based so much on presitge as they were on faculty who actually do research on environmental sociology, trauma and have understanding of feminist theory.
I may be out of the loop on this, but environmental sociology and feminist theory don't go together in my mind, at least not within American sociology. Aren't American environmental sociologists still pretty much positivists, male, and anti-capitalist? I wrote my dissertation in this area, but that was a long time ago!
I chose my master's program on prestige and had no real faculty support in the sense that they were engaged in similar veins of research. Does that come up at all for a committee - the match between a candidate and the faculty they want to work with?
Yes. 1000%! Your #1 goal is to find a department where you could see yourself working closely with 1-2 faculty members for several years.
They specifically asked for faculty I want to work with; and the faculty I cited in my application were all more or less amenable to ethnography. I figured the admissions committees were interested in seeing if there was a fit between advisors and incoming students, but it doesn't seem like that is the case...
"more or less amenable" just isn't enough. You want faculty who are a very close fit.
Hope this helps!
Gabe
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Noki,
Starting from sociology and then specializing down the road makes more sense than trying to do it the other way around, and I discourage you from entering pre-professional programs if you aren't fully committed to a career in that specific profession. For people (myself included) who are maybe a little ADHD or just like to try new things, sociology is a happy place to be because it's a multiple-paradigm, fragmented field where you can change your research focus every few years if you feel like it. On the other hand, as a professional sociologist you obviously need to specialize in order to build a reputation within a specific subfield.
All of that being said, for me, I think it's important that your (or my) desire to learn new things be balanced with a healthy fear of failing to commit to any one field of study and of consequently being unemployable. It can be hard to remain focused on any one thing without that fear factor coming into play.
Hope this helps.
Best of luck!
Gabe
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OK, For a top-20 Sociology PhD program the red flag in your application is the writing sample, as grounded theory is a dirty word (OK phrase) in most US sociology departments. Fair or not, admissions committee members are likely to interpret GT as some combination of "hasn't read the literature," "has a superficial understanding of the role of theory in sociology," and "hasn't mastered any methods besides ethnography." While there may be faculty members at Minnesota and elsewhere who are more charitable toward GT, you should assume that if they're on the admissions committee they're likely to be outvoted.
That said, you seem to be well qualified, and should be able to get accepted into a few good programs. If you're up for trying again next year, I'd drop all references to Grounded Theory and apply to a broader range of programs where your lowest-ranked program is ranked 50-80 nationally. Actually you might want to apply to some unranked departments in the hope that they'll offer a better funding package to attract you. Program prestige matters, but money matters too.
Best of luck!
Gabe
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Jphye,
What were the rankings of the lowest- and highest-ranked programs to which you applied?
Gabe
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Hi Sakanie,
I don't know the social work field well, although I have cousins and sisters in that field. If possible I'd try to get one academic reference, and yes, I assume a prior masters will carry weight because it shows that you are capable of completing an advanced degree.
Hope this helps!
Gabe
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DaDocStruggle,
I think you're basically on target, and I'd only add that the interview is quality control in two ways. First, the faculty needs to make sure the applicant isn't totally nuts. And second, they need to be sure the applicant wants to be there and will fit in. But in my experience, if the applicant is a reasonably stable personality who wants to join the department, the interview is pretty low stress, with the faculty doing most of the talking (as we are wont to do).
Good luck, and congrats on getting an interview at your top choice.
Gabe
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Synvilla,
I'd apply for both masters and doctoral programs simultaneously, maybe 2-4 masters and 5-10 PhD programs. Then you'll have to decide whether you are ready to commit to the PhD programs that admit (and fund) you, or whether it makes more sense to start in a masters (preferably a relatively affordable one) and use that as a springboard to a more competitive and better-funded PhD program. In some cases you may not even need to complete the masters degree, but simply to show that you can do graduate-level work for a semester or two. That can make the difference in being accepted into a competitive and well-funded doctoral program.
Best of luck!
Gabe
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Midwestern Aloha,
We're extremely busy and only read emails that seem urgent. It's not a bad idea to write a brief email to the faculty members you felt you connected with best, but I wouldn't do more than that.
Best of luck!
Gabe
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Cyniel,
If you are applying to top-tier sociology departments you'll want to emphasize your research interests and skills in your personal statement, because (as you apparently recognize) a few admissions committee members may be concerned that you're now on a teaching track where research is secondary, and to succeed in a high-level PhD program requires total commitment to research for at least a few years. No one will hold your teaching experience against you, but they may wonder if your heart will be in your research or if in the end teaching is your thing.
Best of luck!
Gabe
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Lilymasala,
I do think you will get into a few competitive PhD programs. It's likely that admissions committees will look closely at your undergrad transcript to identify your areas of strength and weakness, but if your GRE scores (esp. verbal) are good and you have strong letters of recommendation, you'll get into a few places.
Best of luck!
GI
Sociology prof who will answer any question about grad school applications
in Applications
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jvpjvp,
I'd apply to about 10, with a few being top programs and a few safety schools where you be willing to attend if it were your best option. Regarding the "tiers," you might look at this article:
http://www.slate.com/articles/life/education/2015/02/university_hiring_if_you_didn_t_get_your_ph_d_at_an_elite_university_good.html?wpsrc=sh_all_dt_tw_bot
Regarding the code of writing letters of recommendation, there's this:
http://leiterreports.typepad.com/blog/2010/01/the-differing-codes-in-which-letters-of-reference-are-written.html
Hope this all helps!
Gabe