artvandaley

Oh!! That sounds promising. 
Thanks so much, especially for sharing the UK applicants forum - had no idea!  

GAO means that you're 99% accepted. It means the grad department is currently reviewing if your grades and school are real. Everyone gets a conditional offer afterwards , usually takes from 3-10 days. Congrats! For more details, you can check http://studentroom.co.uk , the thread: Official Cambridge Postgraduate Applicants 2021 Thread. This is the main place where we all freak out and share results  Congrats!

Me too! Would love to gain more insights from all of the successful SOPs! With no offer in my hands right now, I am considering re-applying in the upcoming circle. And I would really appreciate it if you are willing to share your SOPs via message!
Thanks a lot in advance!

Hi all,
Sorry to hear about all the tough news. I am also in this camp - 2 rejections, 1 TBD (but likely rejection, since the school is ranked higher than one of the other ones that rejected me). I'm definitely really bummed, but a part of me is actually...relieved? I'm slightly older than most of you (30...argh!), and I've been really stressed about making ends meet financially, if i were to go back to school. While I make a decent salary, the cost of living in SoCal is just SO expensive that I'm barely making ends meet as it is - and going back to school would mean over a 50% pay cut. 
That said, I am very curious about why I got rejected. I have a BA from a top research university, a MS in Education, published articles (not academic, but for major US publications), work experience in policy/journalism, and a great SOP/writing sample. The only thing I felt was subpar was my GRE quant score (145 or something like that), though my verbal and writing were both around 90th percentile. I know I should have studied for it, but honestly standardized tests are by no means a measure of intelligence, and I thought it was a waste of time (of course, I then read the AdComm chain here and realized how important it is). Regardless, I know I did my best in all of the other areas, so I guess it's just not meant to be.
Truthfully, though, I think we should all look at this with the glass half full mentality. When I was originally debating going to PhD right after graduation, every other grad student I spoke to told me if there was ANYTHING else I'd rather do - even in the SLIGHTEST -- to do that instead of a PhD because of the lousy job market, poverty wages, and ivory tower/groupthink mentality (seriously, I have spoken to current grad students who literally have to grovel and worship their dissertation chair just to get a moment of their attention....no thanks). I have spent almost a decade in the workforce, and while I by no means LOVE my job everyday, I love being able to have the resources to live a healthy and fulfilling life.
For those of you who really, truly can't see doing anything other than academia, take this year to strengthen your application for the next cycle. For others who, like me, are moving on to other areas: best of luck!

You don't need to apologize. I understand where everyone is coming from because each sentiment has spoken to me. Let us all remember this is a trying and frustrating time, and let us not assume we know what challenges others are facing regardless of where they got accepted or rejected. @jriveracal you shouldn't have to explain yourself, but now that you did I hope we can all see that people have grave obstacles in their own lives. Let us not take our frustrations out on others. This is soc 101. We have one group of people all struggling, but status differences are turning us against each other. Again, I feel the frustrations of the other camp who has not been granted such acceptances, but now is not the time to be spiteful, especially to someone who only had good intentions.

I'm on the verge of a breakdown right now, and I can't tell you guys how sick I am of trying. 

Last year, I applied to 6 places in the US (I'm an international student with an MA), and to 6 other places in my own country. I got rejected by all 12 of them in the end, despite being waitlisted at one US institution, and being interviewed by several domestic ones. 

This year, I've applied to 10 places (9-US, 1-EU) - and all I've gotten so far are about 6 rejection letters, with an implied 7th one on the way. It's only my safety schools that are yet to get back to me. What makes things worse is that I've been unemployed for two months, and none of the applications I've sent out for contractual positions seem to be working. People around me (friends, family) are constantly asking me what my "Plan B" is, and I have no answer for them, because I don't want to settle for anything lesser than a university-level academic career. I know that anything other than this would just make me feel very frustrated. 
I feel like I've let my references down. I feel like I'm burning stacks of money on applying time and time again (and international exchange rates don't help). And I've never had a worse case of impostor syndrome than I'm having right now. I've faced terrible depression and anxiety in the past, and it's taking everything I've got to not pick up a couple of bottles of alcohol, or start smoking again. 

To make things worse, I'm also sick right now (I've had a terrible case of food poisoning over the past two days), and I had an accident about three days ago that really messed up my car as well. Having to move back in with family has been limiting - and though I'm grateful for accommodating my parent has been, it's frustrating in its own way to be moving back in as a 28-year old. 

I feel like I'm getting nowhere. And I'm sorry if I sounded like I whined a lot - I didn't have any other space where I could vent and have people understand me. Pretty sure many of you are experiencing similar/worse situations. Hugs to those of you who are - I'm with you in solidarity. 

A rough morning to Princetown and Brown applicants. Sorry, gang. Stay strong!

I agree but to be fair you compared it to a quarter life crisis. Usually when people say life crisis its referring to paralysis and stagnation. Maybe also self destructive behavior. While I'm sure its paralyzing and stressful to have a lot of good options it's clear why it might be seen as jarring by some to use that terminology for when your life is clearly moving forward in a pretty obvious general direction and things are going well but you're just stressed out. If I saw someone using that phrase I would assume they have few to no options or they do have options but don't really know what they're doing in life in a much deeper sense than "I don't know if I should go to Harvard or XYZ"

Didn't you get into Harvard? Try getting into *zero* schools and then we can talk about having a quarter-life crisis lol 

lol right? I have two monitors in my office and one of them is devoted to grad school stuff. And I don't use the other. Are you seeing the picture I just drew? 

@artvandaley  I feel you. My hope for making it this cycle is crumbling. (1 official rejection, 2 likely, 1 program is MIA/radio silence) My scores were decent (your's definitely better). Also no pubs, but working on that now. I've already begun the process of mentally accepting I won't get in. I think my SOP's were the problem. I kept them professional and well-worded, but did not focus on the "fit" aspect like I should have.
For you, all I can say is that you applied to extremely competitive programs so you may have been a fine candidate, just no luck this cycle. I wouldn't give up hope though. Obviously do what you want to in life, but if grad school is a dream or part of a dream then stay strong and apply next cycle. I know I will. I will just go back to the drawing board. I wish you the absolute best.

First off, congratulations to all those that have been admitted this cycle! 
For those who haven't, like myself, I'm wondering about the process of asking for feedback on unsuccessful applications, in order to improve applications for the next cycle...
A professor told me I should contact the Chair of the Graduate Committee, but does anyone know how one might go about finding who this is for a particular department?
Also, is this a reasonable thing to do, or is it frowned upon? And do departments tend to offer useful feedback or just generic? 

I hope things turn around for those on this thread. I've noticed a trend that many schools are taking in fewer new students this year because of lowered funding. Also, even though some of us got in several schools, we can only accept one. So spots will open up. I also think it will be a good idea to ask people on the forum to review your SoP if you decide to apply again. Or you can ask a professor in another program... this statement doesn't have to show perfect knowledge in sociology, but it should claim boldly how hard you worked and how you know this dedication will help you accomplish goals in the graduate program. Also, make sure you apply to at least one lower-tier school, several middle-tier schools, and only one or two top-tier schools. There are over 4,000 universities in the US and so many are great in their own way. 
Sorry for rambling on! 

The whole connection thing is exactly what I'm thinking about. I didn't have any friends/seniors in sociology field because of my weird language background and a one-year MA degree with only 4 cohorts ( and I am the only international student in that program). I did all the applications by myself without any person to seek advice.  My graduate program has history, literature and philosophy professors, but not really sociology professors. 
I actually found out Grad Cafe after I submitted all of my applications, so it's already too late to make any significant change. I regret not knowing this forum earlier and making friends in sociology field too. I used to resent any circle but now I wish I could at least be part of them to keep myself more informed. 
Will you apply again if this year's results didn't work out? I don't know if I can survive this whole exhausting and longly application process again anymore...

Same here. My background is not as strong as you guys tho. undergraduate in a extremely rare Eastern European language major in my home country, a MA degree in the US, no publications or conferences presentations. I don't even know how I can enrich my profile if I apply again in the upcoming circle, because there are no possibility to engage in research work in my current job, or even an academic job in my home country, given that I am a language major.
I am extremely down recently since I really need a PhD to get rid of my current work, and I really want to study in the US. 
I am from East Asia too. I guess the whole application things are harder for international students, and for students who don't have a quantitative background...

Phew what a tiring week. From decisions to trying to recover from a bout of insomnia. I just want to go to bed. 

I'm crying. I'm a first gen, dirt poor student who worked 30 hours a week throughout undergrad. homelessness, family deaths, the struggle was real. this means the world to me.

I saw one Brown admit on the board. Should I start worrying about it? I don’t think I can handle one more rejection...

Oh man, this makes me feel better about maybe going to Austin and their placement looks decent.
Another good resource on placement is here: https://scatter.wordpress.com/2018/01/08/who-hires-whom/ (sorry my hotlink isn’t cooperating on mobile). This works with older data though, so it doesn’t capture recent departmental changes as well as job rumors.

Thanks a lot! Will still try to be hopeful, my interests are in studying unorganized urban economies.
On a side note, this knowledge really hit me hard, I was imagining my PoI reading through and rejecting my application.. led me to her twitter page and then I "followed" her out of genuine curiosity. In two minutes, she follows me back. I shit-post a lot on twitter, so now i am wondering if she would read them and did i just f**k up my application unnecessarily. 
 
"is there no way out of the mind?"

This is exactly what this thread needs right now.. *Sobbing*

Hey, so I know this is a super anxious time for everyone. I know that many of us have put a lot of effort into our schooling and it's also one way that we seek validation for our efforts and sometimes, even our worth. That being said, I think it's important to not build your identity on this. Whether or not you're accepted to your tops picks or even any programs this cycle, just remember that things are going to be okay. Things will work out. My best friend and I both applied last year. I got accepted into most programs I applied to while my best friend (who was just as capable and intelligent as I was) was rejected from every program he applied to. I was so confused. The only program I didn't get accepted to was my "safety" school, which was even more confusing to me. I chose a program where I had dreamed of working with a specific advisor for several years. It didn't go as I had planned. He was a problematic advisor and faculty member, and he was fired/under investigation the week I moved across the country to work with him. I was devastated, feeling that all the work I had put into getting to that place was for naught. But it wasn't I've learned a lot about myself, my research directions, and the type of researcher I want to be through all of this. This crushing blow became a foundation that has put me in an entirely new mindset, and one I feel we need in academia. Sometimes it's going to such. So much time you put into one project or another will seem like a total waste, and if you're anything like me, you'll blame yourself, and shame yourself for not being "good enough". My friend who didn't get accepted anywhere last year had five offers already this year; four of them from programs that rejected him last year. Sometimes it's just a matter of fit or timing. Yet, regardless of what happens, don't give up on yourself or your goals. Allow yourself to feel bad for a bit because, let's be honest, it sucks when things don't go the way we planned. But it will work out if we keep working at it (one way or another). Wishing all of you the best this season, but we're all here for you, even if this round isn't going your way. Some of us have been there and we feel it all with you. 

I was not invited to or interviewed, too. But I e-mailed the school, and they told me to wait until Mid- to Late- February for finalized decisions. So, don't lose your hope. Which area do you want to work on?

Omg I can't imagine doing this all again next year...

anybody else waiting for brown results?