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joops

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  1. You're absolutely right about the hazing part. I believe that this process is much more difficult than it could be in order to "separate the boys from the men," as my awesome mother would say. I suppose the extra hoops are good to keep those who aren't serious out of the application process, but for those of us who are willing to do whatever it takes, the difficulty adds all sorts of extreme, unwarranted stress. That transcripts thing is absurd. I have somewhat the same problem but to a lesser extreme. The college from which I transferred is simply awful about doing anything, and I'm not 100% sure they are competent enough have my old transcripts sent out, let alone on time. I also applied to BU. If all goes right, maybe see you there!
  2. After guiltily bogarting of the SOP forums, I have written what I believe to be an acceptable statement. However, I would love it if some of you could look it over and tell me if it contains any kisses of death/blatant omissions. Also, does using "to be" in the subjunctive make me sound like a pretentious pirate? I've posted the whole thing for 1) expediency's sake and 2) to help future applicants who are struggling as much as I am. Thank you in advance. If invited to join the (University of Awesome,) I plan to focus on the sociology of religion, as this topic was always the one in which I was most deeply fascinated. In particular, I intend to study how religious attitudes influence the gay rights movement in the United States. To do so, I will examine how the individuals who compose both conservative and liberal organizations come to hold their beliefs, and the steps that these individuals take to ensure that their beliefs are reflected in legislature. Further, I wish to examine how the actions of religious conservatives affect patterns of secularism within the US. According to the General Social Survey, the rate of secularism in the US is rising, while the rate of atheism and agnosticism remains stagnant. I want to understand whether or not this rise is in response to the continued social conservatism of many religious organizations. The extensive research experience I have, which encompasses both qualitative and quantitative methods, well prepares me to explore these topics during my graduate career. I was first exposed to research methodology during my second semester at (My UG) in my Linguistics Field Methods (ANTH 305) course. In this course, I learned how to conduct interviews and record data for the purpose of linguistic analysis. I designed a study that would measure the incidence of post-vocalic /r/ deletion in the Boston area when correlated with age, gender, and socioeconomic standing. In my Sociological Research (SOCL 212) course with (Professor Professorson), I completed a quantitative study with two other classmates that examined students’ attitudes toward their future career and familial goals. Specifically, we sought to determine how gender affects a student’s willingness to sacrifice long-term career plans in order to raise a family. The first independent research project I conducted was under the direction of (Dr. Really-good-at-getting-LORs-in-on-time) in Sociology of Well-Being (SOCL 376). For this project, I interviewed other students in order to ascertain how their religious beliefs, or lack thereof, affected how happy they considered themselves. I found that those who define their purpose in life as “helping others” do so because they believe that they are fulfilling a mission from the God in whom they worship, and that these individuals enjoy an increase in well-being from their sense of purpose. My second independent research project, completed in Statistics for Social Research (SOCL 211) under (Dr. Also-good), was a statistical analysis in which I examined how liberalism, frequency of prayer, and frequency of church attendance correlated with acceptance of homosexual relationships. (should I write my findings here?) My research experience extends beyond academic settings. During the summer of 2009, I was a research assistant for a firm called (Awesome Research and Consulting) (ARC). (ARC)’s main focus is on the (Awesome) project, which is funded by the (governmental org) and aims to measure (some pretty cool stuff). My role in the (Awesome) project was to recruit research participants and to ensure that they met the study’s criterion. I also wrote a literature review for a different but similar project that aimed to test how individuals from different cultures react to stress. I am confident that what I have learned from my research experience has prepared me for graduate level work. The qualitative research I did in Linguistics Field Methods, Sociology of Well-Being, and at (ARC) has taught me how to work one-on-one with human subjects and to obtain information from them in a thorough and ethical manner. Through this research, I became familiarized with the inner-workings of institutional review boards. Further, I have learned from (Professor Professorson’s and (Dr. Also-good’s) courses how to conduct large-scale studies and how to interpret the data that these studies produce. (UoA) is an ideal institution at which to utilize the skills I have acquired through my research experience. First and foremost, I am enticed by the department’s strength in both the sociology of religion and in social movements. There are numerous professors with whom I would be interested in working. Among them are Dr. (A)’s and Dr. (B)s’ expertize will guide me in understanding not only how social movements are catalyzed, but also how they proliferate and influence the societies into which they are born. Dr. ©’s and Dr. (D)’s research into cultural institutions evinces their ability to help me understand social patterns in the United States. Dr. (E)'s knowledge will assist me in answering the questions that I have posed regarding the role of religiosity in society. While I am drawn to UofA for its sociology faculty, the department’s mission and the University’s resources also make it a desirable place at which to earn my doctorate. In particular, the Awesome Institute provide an indispensable tool for completing graduate work. (too vague/boilerplate?) As I wish to become a professor following the completion of my doctoral studies, the department of sociology’s emphasis on preparing students for teaching is obviously desirable. I am a person with an inquisitive mind and a desire to share the field that I love with anyone who is willing to listen. When I observe a social phenomenon, whether it be an interaction between two people or a trend that spans the entire globe, I do more than just passively internalize it; I list possible factors that contributed to my observation’s occurrence and hypothesize what consequences may follow from it. As an undergraduate, I was able to satisfy my propensity for questioning the social world, and I am now ready to translate this propensity into a career.
  3. With difficulty. I just grouped them into three based on specialty, and said why the profs in each group would be good for me to work with. At this school, it seems that each student has five dissertation advisors, so I figured it wouldn't be too bad to put so many in. Any thoughts?
  4. Thanks for your speedy reply! Both you and my friend (who is already in a PhD program) believe that seven is too much. I will cut the number down, then use wording that indicates that I am open to working with more than just the people whom I mention. I've only been mentioning profs I'm interested in working with, but I always feel like there might be others at these schools whose interests match mine, but for whatever reason this information is not shown through the journal articles I scan or lists of their specialties. Thanks again, strangefox. You've been nothing but wonderful in this very stressful process.
  5. Hey again everyone. Sorry if this topic has been exhausted before, but I have a pretty specific question regarding SOPs. I plan to mention specific faculty in all of my SOPs, but I'm wondering if I may be taking a risk by not mentioning every single prof. I may be able to work with at each school. Is is possible that I'm shooting myself in the foot by mentioning only two or three potential advisors? I mean, if a professor is interested in my application and feels that my interests align well with his or hers, then will he or she be offended if I haven't mentioned him/her? To try to avoid this problem, I mentioned about 7 professors for an SOP that is due today. Is this a mistake? Should I just mention a few and if there is a professor who is interested in me, will he or she excuse the fact that I didn't talk about him or her in my SOP? Thanks again, and sorry if I am clogging this board with so many topics!
  6. Hi there. Thank you for your advice. I did not plan on using it as a conclusion, and I will chop it down to one or two sentences for future applications. Do you think it's okay if I already used it for an SOP that specifically asked what led me to choose this career path? Will the adcomm just giggle and toss my application? I'm a little worried now.
  7. Hello everyone, I understand that there is much disagreement about whether or not one should add an anecdote to an SOP. As of right now, I've added one to mine because I find it to be directly relevant and a good means of showing why I wish to earn a PhD. I need you lovely people to advise me on whether or not it works. Thank you all so much. I think it's great that total strangers are willing to help out total strangers, and I plan to pay it forward! Here is the paragraph. My interests and career goals changed slightly during my second year at my transfer institution. I was president of the (My UG) Freethinkers Society, a club that I founded after having trouble meeting other students who were skeptical of a supernatural entity. The first few meetings went well, but I soon realized that the students in my club, while well versed in their metaphysical beliefs, lacked knowledge of the role that religion played in their society. In response to this, I decided that I would have a meeting where I would present sociological questions regarding religion. I perused the General Social Survey and pulled up some figures that would incite discussion. At this meeting, my club members and I discussed the disparity in secularism across gender and race. As I listened to them excitedly bouncing their ideas off of each other and me, I began to understand how much I enjoyed introducing other people to sociology and leading them in discussing the subject matter. In fact, I enjoyed leading this discussion so much that over the next few weeks, I focused most of our club meetings on the role of religion in society. After the fourth meeting on this topic, in which I presented my then in-progress research into religiosity and well-being, I realized my unmistakable passion for teaching, and that I no longer wanted to do nonprofit work. At this point, I decided that I would obtain my doctorate in sociology because I wanted, and still want, to become a professor. By providing an inspiring learning environment for students, I will still be able to fulfill the goal that incited me to become a sociologist in the first place.
  8. I believe that there is no difference between "anthropological linguistics" and "linguistic anthropology" in terms of the kind of research each entails. However, one terminology is much more common than another. Here is the way my professor explained it: "Anthropological linguistics" is redundant, as language is a uniquely human phenomenon. For this reason, most people chose to say "linguistic anthropology," which is a sub-discipline of linguistics that examines language as it pertains to culture. He noted, however, that it is not unheard of to use "anthropological linguistics," and there is even a journal of with this title. Hope this helps.
  9. Yes, this is more or less what I did. I began with a very short story (one paragraph) about how I decided to become a sociology major. Then, I talked about how I got into sociology of religion. I did make it a narrative, but I think I did a good job of showing how my experiences incited my interest in obtaining a PhD. I don't want to make it sound like a creative nonfiction piece, but I also don't want to bore anyone. Thanks for your help!
  10. Thank you so much for your advice, it was very kind of you to help me. I now have a much clearer idea of what I'm going to write. I wonder why the SOP is the hardest part of the application for so many people!
  11. Hello everyone! I'm having some trouble with my statement of purpose. Normally, I have no trouble with writing, but for some reason this part of the application process has been very difficult for me. I would like to know: 1) Does anyone have any general advice? 2) How specific should I get when I'm talking about the research I want to do? At this point, all I really know is that I want to study soc of religion, and would especially like to study the role that religion plays in social movements. I don't know much beyond that. Any advice? Thanks a bunch! Best of luck to all.
  12. Hi everyone, this is a pretty stupid question, but what is "thesis defense format?" U of Minnesota says that the writing sample should be written in this manner, but I'm not quite sure that it is. I did do a google search, but nothing clarified what it was. My library is pathetic, so it doesn't really have any info. I'm assuming it's something like a paper in a journal, am I wrong? Thanks!
  13. Hi everyone, I posted a couple of days ago and got some great replies. Thanks to everyone. However, I realized that I forgot to ask one question. I have good stats (3.7 overall/3.9 sociology, internships, LORs, etc..) but there is one glaring problem with my application, and I want to know how big of a problem it is. I transferred to my current school from a two-year college. Even though it was a two year college, I only got a year's worth of credits from there, so I have 3 years from the 4-year college I'm graduating from. The thing is, my grades from the first college were NOT spectacular. The college was absolutely terrible, the "professors" were terrible, and they treated every student like they were stupid, so (think labeling theory of deviance) I acted stupidly. Anyway, my grades were like A,B,B,B,B-,A,A,A- then I'm not sure about the last four, but they were something like A-, C, C,C-. One of the C classes was statistics, which I'm actually very good at (I got an A in the one at my 4 year college and am now a tutor.) So, my question is, will my grades from my first college hurt my chances? Or will they let it go because it was four years ago? Thanks in advance for the advice. BTW the GPA from my first college didn't transfer.
  14. Thanks for the advice, and for letting me know the book title. I'm going to get my hands on it in May. So I'm going to aim high, but I don't think I want to apply for programs with a 3-5% acceptance rate, only because when the numbers get that low it really comes down to luck. I know what you mean about back-ups. How much easier would this be if it were like undergrad, with safeties, matches, and reaches?
  15. I'm actually interested in all aspects of the sociology the religion. The reason why the research I did was on well-being was because the professor who I did the research for specializes in well being. If I had to pick one main interest, I would say that I would like to study religious movements, how religions are formed, etc. However, I'm really interested in all of it. Thanks for the reply.
  16. Okay, thanks for letting me know!
  17. Yeah, I think it's ridiculous how little time they give you on the GREs. It's also COMPLETELY unfair the stuff you have to go through to get extra time. I know that I'm going to have trouble on mine, and I'm not looking forward to it. I'm wondering if you've ever thought about taking some medication? It's pretty easy to get. If you're worried about becoming dependent on it or whatever, I'm sure you could just get a prescription for the time you need to study and take the test. It's not giving up or conceding, it's just leveling the playing field for you. Best of luck!
  18. Hi there. Do you know when this new test is going to come out, and where I can information on it? Thank you!
  19. Thanks for the school suggestions and the blog links. I'm trying to steer clear of programs that are run through a divinity school, as I'm a nonbeliever and I think that my interests would clash with the rest of the department. Am I wrong for thinking this?
  20. Thanks for the book recommendation! I'm going to order it from my school's library system in May, when I begin the application process. I understand what you mean about the statement of purpose making and breaking chances. Thanks again!
  21. Hi everyone! This isn't a "what are my chances?" thread, but rather I would like some advice on whether or not my plans sound realistic. I want to head straight to a PhD program, preferably in Soc of Religion (through a sociology department, NOT a religious studies department), although I would also be happy studying other topics. Here are my stats: My bachelor's degree is from a very good state school, but I'm not sure how well known it is. Overall GPA: 3.72 Sociology GPA: 3.94 GRE: Haven't taken them yet but I have literally nothing to do this summer but study for them, so probably high 600's, low 700's Research: I did one (qualitative) study on the relationship between religiosity and well-being, and another (quantitative) study on the relationship between gender and career aspirations. LORs: Strong, including one from a professor who is prominent in the field. Awards: -My school has a special day each spring where the best students present their work, and both of my studies were chosen to be presented. -"Promising Sociologist" award -Nominated by my department for something called "Presidential Scholar." Other: Two summers ago I also had an internship working for a nonprofit. I created a social-networking program that would help the company re-recruit alumni. Then last summer I was an intern at a researching firm where I helped screen people and did some literature reviews. -I'm going to use the study I did on religiosity and well-being as my writing sample. I am going to apply to about 10 programs. Right now I have Emory, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Duke on my list. Am I aiming too high? I ask because I'm seeing people getting rejected from 9,10,11 programs and am beginning to freak out. Thank you for your advice!
  22. Thank you for your advice. I would LOVE to go to University of Pennsylvania, as William Labov is a professor there. However, do you think given my stats I would have a decent chance at getting into the schools you mentioned? Also, I'm not sure what I would write in an email to a potential professor. Do you have any advice about that? Thank you so much!
  23. Thank you so much for your reply. I do plan to apply to a mix of PhD and terminal MA programs. I hope to get into a PhD program because I'm afraid that if I get into an MA program I somehow won't be able to go on to get a PhD, but I feel like that's not a huge concern as long as I do well in the MA program. I have begun to look at the specializations of professors and found a couple of programs I think would suit me. Silly question, but how would I go about emailing these professors? What would I say in the email? Sorry, I'm very new to this. Thank you for your help.
  24. I am most interested in sociolinguistics. As for research, I would want to carry out a study using Labov's paradigm. To be more specific, I want to examine how certain features (g-dropping, post-vocalic r deletion, etc) correlate with factors such as age, class, race, gender and other variables. If not sociolinguistics, I would also be interested in historical linguistics (specifically, how AAVE evolved to become what it is today) or language acquisition (examining the critical period hypothesis). Would I be correct in assuming that graduate school admissions committees assess how good of a fit I am by looking over my statement of purpose/writing sample? Thank you for your help.
  25. Hi everyone, I have recently decided that I want to go to graduate school for linguistics. I would be okay with an MA program, but I would rather head straight to a PhD. No one else I know is applying, and my professors can't help me very much, so I'm not sure where I should apply. Here are my stats: Undergrad: Unknown but good school, sociology major GPA: 3.7 GPA in relevant courses: 3.84. Relevant courses are: sociolinguistics, linguistics field methods, linguistic analysis, language and culture, 4 Spanish classes, statistics, social research GRE: I haven't taken them, but I will probably get around 600 for the math part, 660 for the reading comprehension part and 4 on the writing section Research: I haven't done a directed study, but I have done two research projects for classes (both in sociology) and designed a linguistics study (but did not carry it out.) Letters of recommendation: 1 from my linguistics professor and then 2 more from sociology professors So, given my stats, could someone recommend a couple of places where I have a decent shot at getting in? Also, if you know of any schools where I would likely get in, I would love to know. This is not a "chance me!" thread, but given the lack of information on linguistics grad schools, I need some direction from this forum. Thank you in advance!
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