syza

Might be good idea to get a contract job that could feedback into your academic studies, like one that involves data analysis if you're quant focused or field ethnographic experience on an aspect you want to study if you're qual focused. Reaching out to friendly faculty and students with connections can't harm either.

Sure, in case it helps! By the end of February, I received all by rejections. I was devastated. I just could not process it or make any narrative sense of it. I was pretty confident that I will get in somewhere; my friends and recommendation letter writers were even more confident. It was suggested that I contact professors at schools I have applied to, asking what I could do to improve my applications next time. I just couldn't even muster the courage to do that. Really, it was a period of darkness until June. I won't torment you with my depressive state of being. Then in June, I took a 2 weeks vacation. It was a helpful change. After return back to work, I decided that I should reapply to grad schools again, after a lot of soul searching. My GRE were valid for one more year, and I was still passionate about doctoral studies, so decided to give it a shot. I read some of the statement of purpose of my friends that have gotten in. I realized they were more impersonal/citational/jargon-y in their statements, meanwhile I was more biographical and chronological. I also spotted that I had only applied to the top 10 schools (clearly overconfident, with a conflated sense of self). I decided to expand the range to top 40 instead. I decided not to apply to any below top 40, given that the job prospects are non-existent if you stray outside the hierarchy. I threw myself into the application process from July onward. Then came the process of selecting departments, working on writing samples, and writing the statement of purpose. I decided to apply to only those departments in the top 40 programs that had at least 6 professors that I would want to work with. Arbitrary number, but I needed some selection criteria. I found 18 programs that met this criteria. I then read at least 3 essay by these 6 professors in each program. After reading them, I read some more essays, especially those that were cited the most by the professors I had already read and those that stood out as particularly promising. After reading all of their essays, I ranked the professors from 1 to 5, based on my subjective interests in their work. This was really helpful in eliminating other schools. Being cost sensitive and focusing on quality over quantity, I decided to only apply to 10 programs. I ended up applying to the 10 programs that I gave the highest points, based on my essay readings. This informal literature review process was very helpful in writing my statement of purpose and tweaking my writing sample. I wrote highly individualized statements, based on what the professors had said in the essays I read, especially making use to use the keywords, highlighting key problems, and talking about how I personally would expand on this research question. My writing sample was similarly reworked to incorporate all the essays I had read, although this wasn't individualized to each program as that would be just practically impossible. I kept reworking on this till the application deadline, and then I checked out. The rest in history. I probably went overboard with this process. It was incredibly time consuming. But, I really enjoyed it. I am sure all those essays I have read will be very helpful for the actual graduate studies. I hope this helps. Feel free to ask me anything else.

Geez, this thread went from high anxiety generating to deeply toxic. Feels good that I avoided the forums this time around. My condolences to all the real humans that had to sit through the toxic troll fest. Good luck with the arduous path of an academic life for those who will be starting the PhD this year, and my best wishes to those who will try again with applications next year around. I applied to 12 programs last year, and got rejected from all. This time around I applied to 10, and got accepted to 2 programs ranked in the 10s and 2 programs ranked in the 30s. I am really excited about this, especially given that I got into one of my dream schools! Amazing things can happen...

Two came during the afternoon, but one came at around 9:15pm. Pleasant surprise!

How much did it cost, if you don't mind me asking. I ask because the domain name for my legal name is over $2,000. I am just not sure how necessary it is to shell out that much $$$ for an academic website, especially for a starting graduate student. It's not like we are in the corporate world or say Michael Burawoy, and even he does not have a private website!

What are your thought's on having a personal academic website, especially getting a domain name that is your legal name? The younger sociologists seems to be moving in this direction. Here is an example. https://www.kimberlykayhoang.com/ How necessary is this?

Wait what? You sure about Chicago? I didn't see any information on an interview on their web page....

Thanks!!! This is very comforting. See, it's not hard to send an email or website update that takes like a minute... Yeah same here. Wonder what the process is...

Nothing yet, unfortunately. You know it's basic human courtesy to let the applicant know they are rejected, or send a short email update to other applicants after the candidates have been selected. It's $100+ in application fees with tons of emotional and intellectual labor. I am hurt on a personal level with such indifference.

Add me to UMW rejection via website update, and the silence form UCB just probably means the same. Excuse me while I wrap myself in the shroud of depression....

Haha same problem here. I am on pins and needles with checking my emails till 8pm as Berkeley is 3hrs behind the current time in my city. It's incredibly stressful!

I was strongly considering UCSD, Vanderbilt, Yale, and Indiana-B cos of their great emphasis on the sociology of health. I ultimately decided to narrow my applications though cos of time and $$$ issues. Now I think that perhaps I should gave applied for more soc programs. Oh well! Let's hope it works out well for both of us.

I applied to UMW, UM, UC Berkeley, and UPennn. What about you?

Yeah same here submitted two writing samples. I feel it could only help my chances if I display multiple styles of writing. Or so I hope...

Yikes! Make that three that are vying for UWM and UM for sociology of health. Hope it works out for all of us!!