HopefulSocPhD

So is this just your personal opinion on getting an M.A., or are you actually an alumnus of the Columbia M.A. program and you regret your decision?

Although I applied to Ph.D. programs this year, I was accepted into two un-funded Masters programs, NYU and Columbia. After much analysis and self-reflection on my weaknesses, I believe a terminal Masters program will fill the gaps in my application (research experience, a thesis, advising, LORs from soc. profs) and will significantly improve my chances at a top-10 Ph.D. program in a couple years. I am seriously considering the MA at Columbia if I can secure the loans I need for funding. Before I make this decision to attend or not to attend, I am very interested in hearing about the experiences of alumni of the Columbia MA program. Feel free to PM me or respond here. Thank you!

I imagine that y'all aren't waiting for response from the Columbia MA program, but I received an offer of admission today, with no funding of course.

I just got my last rejection as well (also Yale), 0 for 9. I'll be continuing to teach science to low-income high school students.

It's heartbreaking enough to get rejected, but this... This is just awful. I hope someone gets fired for this. My sympathies, friend!

Oh my god... are you serious? That is so messed up!!! WTF Columbia??? Get your shit together... seriously. Wow. I'm speechless and I bet you are pissed. Damn them.

Well I am in a similar boat to @kelris. I didn't have any success with the Ph.D. programs I applied to. My upper div. undergrad GPA in Criminology was 3.84, GRE 160V 161Q 4.5AW. I am not sure if my GRE is just not enough to stand out and if I should have retaken it. My quant score (80th%ile) seems higher than the averages published at many departments, but my verbal is lower (85th%ile). I had a checkered past, including abusive relationship early in my undergrad career, so my cumulative GPA is sub. 3.0. I had a three year gap between the tumultuous past and returning to school and graduating with honors. I have been a high school teacher in underprivileged schools for the past two years, and tailored my writing sample and SOP to social inequality and reproduction of inequality etc. in schools. I didn't have any traditional undergraduate research experience with a faculty member but I did have an undergraduate thesis project. My LORs were from two former professors, including the director of the program, and a supervisor at the high school where I work. I, too, thought that I had a reasonably strong application but I suppose not.... sigh

NYU just sent my official email rejection from the Ph.D. program and an acceptance into the M.A. in Applied Quantitative Research. Hm... To be honest, I didn't realize that I applied to their Masters program. Go figure.

Wow, Thanks! That is really quite helpful. I spent a lot of time this fall working on a writing sample for my apps this year and I feel with some more tweaking, I might be able to try your method for publishing and see what happens. Seriously, thank you for taking the time to write it out.

I am very curious about this as well. I feel as if publications and conference presentations are things I can strengthen for next year as well. I'm especially curious about publishing and presenting when NOT affiliated with an university. I am a high school teacher (too?) and have been out of school for almost three years now. Wow, time flies.

I can't tell if this was directed at me, but no, I'm not straight from undergrad. I finished my undergrad later than most and have been working as a high school teacher of science and special education for the last two years in underpriviledged schools. So no, I'm not young. Over 30.

Sounds a lot like an unwritten rule from what I'm reading from you all. That's very frustrating to know at this late stage in the game. Alright, I'm throwing in the towel. Best of luck to everyone.

Am I the only one who didn't contact the professors at schools ahead of time? I suppose that would explain flat-out rejections from everywhere I applied if this is expected of applicants and I didn't do it...

Wow. I didn't know Yale did that kind of interviewing... Damn, I thought I sortof had a shot at this point. Damn Damn Damn. Oh and... Congratulations of course! XD

Congratulations!

Received my rejection from Brown. Email to check website.

Yup.

I'm trying to hold on a little bit of hope, but realistically I think Brown is most likely done with their offers of admissions. As @goofylemon mentioned, they have a small cohort and the accepted posts on the results page roughly match what I have seen from past years. *le sigh*

I have not contacted either program. NYU's website says specifically NOT to contact them until after March 15th. NYU notified acceptances last year starting on February 9th. Columbia started notifying acceptances last year on February 6th. So, realistically they could start to notify anytime now I suppose.

Yay! Congratulations Gingin! I was wondering the same. Though I think it's probably rejections, I'd rather know than not know, ya know?

I only applied to sociology. Since undergrad, my interests shifted more towards sociology topics rather than pure criminology.

Grats to all the acceptances today! Sounds like it was a good day!

Seriously, I've gained about 4 pounds too. It's bad. Hopefully your first news is good news. Starting off with rejection(s) is extremely rough. I'm still holding some hope for a miracle, but at least when it's all over I'll be able to fit back into my pants. The struggle is real.