KnowVac

I am a current graduate student at IUB. Feel free to send me a message if you have any questions about the program or the application process!

Sociologists are different. I'm taking a sociology class right now and a girl is writing a paper on how people use water fountains. I'm sure some interesting social themes will come from it, but like I said....different.

I was in the same boat when I was applying. I already have 2 kids and I wanted to make sure I wouldn't be raising them somewhere like Chicago! As far as CO goes. I am not sure, and at least none of the programs are reputable enough to be obvious candidates. GSU I believe is up and coming. I got my Masters at USC (the real USC, South Carolina). My mentor actually left the same year I did to go teach at GSU, he's really amazing so I know they have at least one awesome staff member over there. Now let me tell you what I DO know a lot about. Indiana University-Bloomington has the most underrated PhD program out there. It's located in an amazing place to raise a family. Housing prices in Indiana are relatively low if you are willing to live outside the city of Bloomington and commute 15-20 per day and gas prices are not bad.The University itself is a HUGE R-1 institution with an overwhelming amount of resources available to its students (we have Edwin Sutherland's original handwritten notes in one of our libraries, so cool). The CJ program is awesome. The professors and students have a great relationship, the program is focused less on competition and more on learning. This is particularly great for those of us with families because it takes some of the pressure out of grad school. There is currently around 25 students in the program, so it's small but not too small. Additionally, all CJ grad students MUST choose a minor and take classes (in most cases 12-15 credit hours) in that department. You can choose any discipline as long as it's related to your CJ focus in some way. This means you can take classes from top programs at IU like sociology, psychology, stats... and many more. Many of the professors and current grad students have families so the department is especially understanding when it comes to family issues. The department funds every student it accepts and the funding is generous. Funding usually includes tuition remission, health insurance (which covers pregnancy almost completely), stipend during the school year (my stipend was $7000 over the average stipend provided at top programs like UMD) and some candidates are offered an additional stipend of $4000 for the summer (my stipend for the first calendar was $27000). All in all, IU-B has been a dream program for me and it sounds like it might be a good fit for you as well! Hope this helps!

Ahhhhh, the memories. Can't say I'm jealous of all of you going through the application process. Just came back to say if anyone applying to Indiana would like to pick my brain just let me know! Oh, I can also probably tell you about USC (the real USC, South Carolina!) Good Luck guys!

Hey all! I just got back from my visit to IU and I formally accepted my offer from Indiana today. I was really impressed with the department and the direction that it seems to be heading. I just kind of wanted to update on here for two reasons: (1) I hope that I can meet with all of you at future conferences, it would be nice to meet everyone who has been so helpful throughout this entire process! And (2) I hope that next year's applicants who are feverishly re-reading our time capsule of sorts next year, might find some information on IU's program helpful (as there seemed to be a lack of that for me this year!) IU's program has really been restructured in the past few years and a lot of new faculty have been and are being brought in. They will have two new faculty members this year and a very exciting prospect for the following year! I was very impressed with the comradery of the program's current students and also, the diversity of interests within the department. Additionally, interdisciplinary research is encouraged and in fact required, as all phd students must have a minor outside of the department-choosing from top programs like IU's sociology and history departments. The impression I got is that most students that are accepted to the program are fully funded. To to my fellow forum mates: thanks for all of your help and free counseling this application season! I would've gone insane without y'all and I look forward to meeting you guys and possibly working with you all in the future!

Good luck! I feel your pain, waiting is excruciating!

@liesandfish I appreciate the rambling! Haha it's been so awesome to be able to bounce thoughts around with everyone on this forum! Do you think it would still be okay to politely cancel if the school is paying for it? @Partinrn thanks for the reply! I really feel for the people who where accepted to a lot of programs! I could not send that many "thanks but no thanks" emails lol I'm over here having anxiety attacks about possibly, maybe, potentially having to write one haha

Well, I have found myself in a bit of a situation here. I emailed UDs director today and he informed me that there is no news yet... So I am still waiting. I know that if they offered admission I would accept. I've determined that wouldn't be able to fly to IN until April 4 and I am nervous that I will hear from UD after I have a visit scheduled in Inidiana. Will Indiana be understanding if I were to cancel the visit? I wouldn't want to visit knowing that I will not be accepting their offer. I still haven't responded to IN's directors email.

@liesandfish that makes me feel a little better about the visit! I think what I'm scared of the most is going there without an itinerary, I love having a plan! Haha

I still haven't heard anything from American so I am assuming rejection. I am still on Delaware's waitlist (which I see someone got off of today ? Not me). So far my only offer is from Indiana! Indiana has invited me out to visit. As they have given me free reign to schedule the visit I am assuming I will be the only one there at the time of my visit... This has me very nervous! It's different when you can visit a department with a group of others who are in the same situation as you. Did anyone else visit a school solo?

Congrats @1428 Elm St!!!

Good luck @ThesisTerror724 and @1428 Elm St!!! I'm sure both of y'all will do great!

I was waitlisted and notified about a month ago. I responded to the original email and told the director that I was grateful and excited about the opportunity. He said he hoped to have more information for me soon but it has been a month and the April 15th deadline is quickly approaching. I am wondering if I should send another email to reiterate my interest in the program? And in that email should I also ask for any updates even though he basically told me that he would contact me if there were updates? This school is my top choice. Although I am on the waitlist, I do believe it is a very small list or that I am near the top of it as the original email told me that there was a good chance I would be offered admission.

@Partinrn congratulations! I am definitely interested in keeping in touch, networking is truly the key!

Okay awesome! It feels like no matter how much I hear back from schools I always end up with more questions than answers!