Andromeda3921

Thanks for this! I have posed the same question in both the forums as well. Given the lack of responses, I figured there might be no harm in posting here as well.

From past experience narrated by friend, consultancies do not really help much. They basically key in information that you give them. As for the essays, they mostly follow templates that they have - most universities would be able to recognize the exact consultancy each candidate comes from. Instead, it really helps to begin early and write out multiple iterations of your essays. Get your friends and professors to read through and give you comments!

Hi, I'm interested in applying for a PhD in Fall 2019. Choosing schools in the US is particularly hard because I am conflicted between Sociology and Geography programs. I hold a Masters in Development Studies from a premier institute in India and have close to 2 years of work experience in the public policy & academic research sectors. My expectations are as follows: 1. Emphasis on qualitative research/ room for qual research 2. My specific interest is in urban studies, so would prefer a research cluster on cities/urban spaces. Interests: Urban studies - Qualitative Transportation, Identities, Spatiality, Heritage ; Comparative Research; International Development; South Asia; Public Policy Expectations from Programmes: Program: Interdisciplinary, Allowing students to choose courses across departments, emphasis/known for applied approach Resources: Ongoing projects with vibrant research space, Access to funding, Encouraging collaborations, Good enough brand to ensure employment on completion of programme, preferably located in an urban area to aid fieldwork.  Look forward to suggestions from you guys about which department might be a better fit and potential school options too!

Hi, I'm interested in applying for a PhD in Fall 2019. Choosing schools in the US is particularly hard because I am conflicted between Sociology and Geography programs. I hold a Masters in Development Studies from a premier institute in India and have close to 2 years of work experience in the public policy & academic research sectors. My expectations are as follows: 1. Emphasis on qualitative research/ room for qual research 2. My specific interest is in urban studies, so would prefer a research cluster on cities/urban spaces. Interests: Urban studies - Qualitative Transportation, Identities, Spatiality, Heritage ; Comparative Research; International Development; South Asia; Public Policy Expectations from Programmes: Program: Interdisciplinary, Allowing students to choose courses across departments, emphasis/known for applied approach Resources: Ongoing projects with vibrant research space, Access to funding, Encouraging collaborations, Good enough brand to ensure employment on completion of programme, preferably located in an urban area to aid fieldwork.  Look forward to suggestions from you guys about which department might be a better fit and potential school options too!

Thanks @sociopolitic, this is super helpful!

@European Lumpi Thanks for the feedback. I am really rethinking the entire GRE scene now. I have been searching for sociology departments that have profs that work in the areas that I'm interested in, with inter-disciplinary programs. But I will take your advice and look up which ones favour qual-focused research as well.

@high_hopes Thanks for your response. Would you say this is applicable only to North America or anywhere else too? @jriveracal Thanks for your inputs. I did have a section on why I was choosing that particular school and those particular professors. But I'm still unclear how to improve the overall status of my application, given that I am an international applicants and not many schools are keen on us right now.

I went through the hugely popular 'Am I competitive'? Thread in Government Affairs and was wondering if it made sense to create an overall thread in this forum as well. I only noticed three very specific threads on here (linking the one I found to be slightly more general). Hopefully, I get answers and others who are asking themselves the same/similar questions get on here and find answers as well! Program: PhD in Sociology Schools Applying To: Columbia University, University of Chicago, Stanford University, University of Pennsylvania, National University of Singapore, University of California - Berkeley, London School of Economics, Sciences Po Long-listed Schools: Harvard University, University of California - Los Angeles, Yale University, Princeton University, University of Wisconsin - Madison, University of Amsterdam, New York University, Cornell University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of North Carolina, University of Texas -Austin, Brown University, Duke University, Boston University, John's Hopkins University, Northwestern University, University of California - Irvine, University of California - San Diego, University of Maryland Interests: Urban sociology - Qualitative Transportation, Identities, Spatiality, Heritage ; Comparative Sociology; Applied Sociology; International Development; South Asia; Public Policy Expectations from Programmes: Program: Interdisciplinary, Allowing students to choose courses across departments, emphasis/known for applied approach Resources: Ongoing projects with vibrant research space, Access to funding, Encouraging collaborations, Good enough brand to ensure employment on completion of programme, preferably located in an urban area to aid fieldwork.  Graduate Institution: Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, India Graduate Major/Degree: MA in Development Studies (Integrated Course, no undergraduate degree granted separately) Graduate GPA: 7.99/10 Undergraduate Minor: Operations Research GRE: V 168/ Q 156 / AW 4.5 TOEFL: 113 (iBT) Age: 25 Languages: English & Tamil - Fluent ; German - A2 completed, B1 in progress ; Hindi - Working Knowledge Work Experience: (2 years research experience currently, 3 years professional experience by Fall 2019) > 1.4 years at Indian Center of International policy think-tank : Spearheaded research project on on-going urban policy scheme in India > Currently freelancing as urban research consultant for local organization apart from volunteering with organizations dealing in gender and mental health advocacy > Multiple research internships as student > Policy report & newspaper OpEds published > Presented in multiple International conferences since undergraduate days SoP: Not begun yet, but will focus on specific research I hope to do (along lines of a proposal) LORs: 1 from Masters supervisor (senior Indian Urbanist and extremely well known internationally for seminal work on Urban informality) ; 1 from Professor during Masters degree (rising Anthropologist in India, knows me well personally) Can obtain 1 from previous boss (Head of Research at International policy think-tank, Member of PM's Economic Advisory Council in India) - however, would be one year since I quit the job. Concerns: 1. Low Graduate GPA 2. No academic/journal publications yet 3. Applied to Northwestern, NYU, U.Penn & U.Minnesota for Sociology PhD for Fall 2018 and got rejected by 3. U.Minn placed me on the Waitlist, but did not convert to an admit Would really love feedback if I am competitive for the range of schools I plan to apply to. I am posting early only to gain an understanding of what I can fix for the next round of applications.

Thanks for the advice @chocolatecheesecake! Will post on the Sociology forum!

Program: PhD in Sociology Schools Applying To: Columbia University, University of Chicago, Stanford University, University of Pennsylvania, National University of Singapore, University of California - Berkeley, London School of Economics, Sciences Po Long-listed Schools: Harvard University, University of California - Los Angeles, Yale University, Princeton University, University of Wisconsin - Madison, University of Amsterdam, New York University, Cornell University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of North Carolina, University of Texas -Austin, Brown University, Duke University, Boston University, John's Hopkins University, Northwestern University, University of California - Irvine, University of California - San Diego, University of Maryland Interests: Urban sociology - Qualitative Transportation, Identities, Spatiality, Heritage ; Comparative Sociology; Applied Sociology; International Development; South Asia; Public Policy Expectations from Programmes: Program: Interdisciplinary, Allowing students to choose courses across departments, emphasis/known for applied approach Resources: Ongoing projects with vibrant research space, Access to funding, Encouraging collaborations, Good enough brand to ensure employment on completion of programme, preferably located in an urban area to aid fieldwork.  Graduate Institution: Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, India Graduate Major/Degree: MA in Development Studies (Integrated Course, no undergraduate degree granted separately) Graduate GPA: 7.99/10 Undergraduate Minor: Operations Research GRE: V 168/ Q 156 / AW 4.5 TOEFL: 113 (iBT) Age: 25 Languages: English & Tamil - Fluent ; German - A2 completed, B1 in progress ; Hindi - Working Knowledge Work Experience: (2 years research experience currently, 3 year professional experience by Fall 2019) > 1.4 years at Indian Center of International policy think-tank : Spearheaded research project on on-going urban policy scheme in India > Currently freelancing as urban research consultant for local organization apart from volunteering with organizations dealing in gender and mental health advocacy > Multiple research internships as student > Policy report & newspaper OpEds published > Presented in multiple International conferences since undergraduate days SoP: Not begun yet, but will focus on specific research I hope to do (along lines of a proposal) LORs: 1 from Masters supervisor (senior Indian Urbanist and extremely well known internationally for seminal work on Urban informality) ; 1 from Professor during Masters degree (rising Anthropologist in India, knows me well personally) Can obtain 1 from previous boss (Head of Research at International policy think-tank, Member of PM's Economic Advisory Council in India) - however, would be one year since I quit the job. Concerns: 1. Low Graduate GPA 2. No academic/journal publications yet 3. Applied to Northwestern, NYU, U.Penn & U.Minnesota for Sociology PhD for Fall 2018 and got rejected by 3. U.Minn placed me on the Waitlist, but did not get converted to an admit Would really love feedback if I am competitive for the range of schools I plan to apply to. I am posting early only to gain an understanding of what I can fix for the next round of applications.

Hello, I applied for PhD in Sociology for Fall 2018 and was unsuccessful. I plan to re-apply for Fall 2019. However, certain priorities have changed and I'm listing them below. I would really like some help in identifying the schools that I should approach. I hold an Indian citizenship and would love to go to grad school in Asia, Europe or the United States. Background: Masters in Development Studies. Work Experience as RA with International Policy think-tank. Multiple research internships as student. No academic publication yet, but policy report & newspaper OpEds available, apart from International conference presentations. Scores: 7.99/10 GPA | GRE Verbal: 168, Quant: 156 | TOEFL (iBT): 113 Research Interests: Urban studies (core area) , Education, Gender, Applied as well as Comparative Sociology Criteria for Applications: Program: Interdisciplinary, Allowing students to choose courses across departments, emphasis/known for applied approach Resources: Ongoing projects with vibrant research space, Access to funding, Encouraging collaborations, Good enough brand to ensure employment on completion of programme, preferably located in an urban area to aid fieldwork.