nandoswitharando

Accepted Harvard GSE's offer. Good luck to anyone on the waitlists at Penn/UCI/UT Austin!

I've declined UCI's offer – fingers crossed for you!

I feel strangely zen about it. Of course, I am eager to know the result, but I know that (at this stage, at least) it is not a make-or-break for me. Naturally, I realize that not all of us are in the same situation. I think part of it comes from being an undergrad applicant. There is always next year and I have already identified some more fellowships to which I will apply next year (assuming that I am not awarded).

I want to get off NSF's Wild Ride

this might be what you're looking for: http://www.phdstipends.com

Accepted off Oregon's waitlist this evening. So happy. 

You already have a masters? I can't see any way that getting another one will help you at all. The MA at Columbia is also largely just a cash cow for the university, so I don't think you should expect a level of quality significantly above the program at CUNY.
It also seems to me like the reasons you list for considering the MA at Columbia are not going to help with the weaker points of your profile. You already have great research experience, have presented at conferences, and have had the opportunity to network with/get recommendations from faculty (at CUNY). It sounds like you already do have fleshed out research interests from your MA thesis as well. You're ahead of me in all of these categories and I had a relatively successful application season, so I don't think you should be worried.
It does seem like your GRE would be the most immediate way you could make a tangible improvement. I don't think your scores are bad, but bumping up your quant and writing scores, paired with your research background, would make you a great applicant. One thing you haven't mentioned is your SoP. I don't think any of us on the forum is an expert in writing these, but maybe that's another area you could look to?
I think with a couple tweaks you could be a very strong applicant, so I would seriously advise against going into debt and doing the Columbia MA as a hail mary.

Hey @pinoysoc, mind sharing that ted talk with us? Sounds like t might be worth a listen

@KevinJHa yeah I did. I just haven't said anything on here since everyone is concerned about the big name schools on here so I decided to keep the news to myself. I haven't heard about funding, but going to talk to the grad director tomorrow and I have a million questions to ask about the program! Lol.

Although I didn't apply to UWM, I do agree that programs tell me directly that I'm rejected. It's hard waiting to see if we get in or not because all of our life circumstances are SOOOOOO different. 
I told my mom this and she told me to just not base everything on decisions (and I see her point)... however, from what happened this application cycle... I was about to purchase Sam Smith AND Justin Timberlake tickets for their concerts in August and December respectively, I get an e-mail about an acceptance. Don't get me wrong, I'm ELATED and THROUGH THE MOON about it, but sometimes it's very hard to move on with life or look forward to things if life throws a curve ball. Lol. I'm still waiting on Penn State, U Penn, and Vanderbilt. 
 

I got in at Notre Dame!! Woohoo!!! International student from a developing country, applying out if my field. I can't believe it. I'm over the moon!

Rejected by Columbia, which I could see from a mile away. As pompous as it sounds, I've got my hands full when it comes to making a decision, so I'm kind of glad I didn't get in.
(ETA: I get easily overwhelmed by choices, so this decision ended up being best for my mental health.)
 

Just wanted to chime in here and post some resources. There are several places where academics with institutional affiliation share resources with independent researchers. I don't want to post the links on a public forum, but please feel free to pm me and I'll connect you. Researchers also upload a lot of material on ResearchGate and Academia.edu. Here is UCSB's list of open access sources: https://www.library.ucsb.edu/scholarly-communication/open-access-repositories. eScholarship is particularly good.

Also posting some *maybe* helpful links for folks trying to publish who don't have supervisors to guide them. It is hard to publish while unaffiliated, but not unheard of perhaps.
* For researching the review process and turnaround time for various journals: http://www.socjobrumors.com/journals.php; http://turnaround.wikidot.com/; https://scirev.org/
* Impact factors are really hard to judge. I tend to look at where my favourite up-and-coming researchers are publishing, make a list of common journals, and then rate them from highest to lowest impact factor using http://www.scimagojr.com/journalrank.php.
 

Rejected by Columbia, which I could see from a mile away. As pompous as it sounds, I've got my hands full when it comes to making a decision, so I'm kind of glad I didn't get in.
(ETA: I get easily overwhelmed by choices, so this decision ended up being best for my mental health.)
 

I found this somewhere else. Might be good to keep in mind to reach out to advanced grad students. (Feel free to disregard the disgruntled, crude language if you wish)
 
"REMINDER to all prospective students to seek out advanced graduate students and recent grads of the department for their perspective on the quality of training they have received.
These people are not necessarily going to be easy to find. They're busy doing research, preparing for the job market, or working towards tenure. They don't usually even show their faces at visit days. But they're absolutely going to be giving much more candid advice about your likely outcome should you choose to attend their alma mater.
Visiting prospective students are going to spend 95% of their time with young students in their starry-eyed first few years of bull**it course work who literally have no idea what it actually takes to get a job and succeed in academia. Don't listen to any students until they've gone through a round on the job market and have an actual sense as to whether the department has actually done an acceptable job professionalizing them.
I WISH SOMEONE HAD TOLD ME THIS."

This post moved me, and I am frustrated by the obstacles that we, in a structural sense, allow parenthood to create. I also deeply admire your grit, courage, and perseverance. I am currently involved in motherhood penalty-related research, and WOW does your situation hit home, especially "I guess I thought from an ideological standpoint, the ONE place that would be supportive of a working mother would be a Sociology dept but alas, nope nope nope."
I obviously don't have influence in the outcomes of this app cycle for you, but I do have tremendous respect, admiration, and frustration for your situation.

After my dejected post about Davis, I just found out I got accepted!!! I was truly convinced I hadn't made it in...so to those still waiting, don't give up hope just yet! 

I am happy to share a good news with all of you that I just got accepted from Cornell  
I cannot believe it. I'm nauseous now...  
 

Got an email last night with an acceptance at Utah, with funding TBD. 

Let's keep the friendly and supportive atmosphere, folks   I think everyone is stressed waiting to hear back, but we should treat each other with respect.

I was asking because you replied to a comment about NYU, and NYU has not released anything, you genius... with that attitude...

This is really random, but I've gotten so good at typing "gradcafe" with one hand in my URL bar. It's like typing in my own phone number lol.

Without getting too specific (i.e. without doxxing myself), I'm interested in the integration of immigrant/refugee/English learner students in the U.S.

Rejected by Berkeley. Not surprised, but not upset either because I got into Harvard GSE a few hours ago :^) good luck to everyone else!

Rejected by Berkeley. Not surprised, but not upset either because I got into Harvard GSE a few hours ago :^) good luck to everyone else!