KevinJHa

Accepted Northeastern's offer. Glad this is all over and congratulations to everybody for surviving :).

Accepted Northeastern's offer. Glad this is all over and congratulations to everybody for surviving :).

Accepted Northeastern's offer. Glad this is all over and congratulations to everybody for surviving :).

Accepted Northeastern's offer. Glad this is all over and congratulations to everybody for surviving :).

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

Hi All, 
I just accepted Ohio State's offer of admission and declined my offers at Notre Dame and IU-Bloomington! Best of luck to everyone in their decision making and to everyone on wait lists at their dream schools!

Kevin,
I felt really good after visiting Albany even though I was not very interested in the department before. Everyone there seemed very happy and nice. I felt they would make sure I'd succeed. I was also impressed by the number of first/second year students publishing with faculty members. CUNY is great, but it can be difficult to get professors' attention and students are all over the place working. I've taken many PhD level sociology classes there, so you are welcome to PM me if you have any question. I feel Northeastern has a smaller department? Maybe you'll get more attention there.
 I'm ready to commit to Albany as soon as they offer me funding even if I get off the waitlist at UConn or UPenn or Temple. The only thing that could change my mind is a generous funding package from NSSR (very unlikely).
Congratulations! I remember you were quite stressed during the process. I'm happy you are excited to move to a great city and attend the program you like.
 

Chiming in:
Although I came with 1 acceptance out of 7 schools, I realize what make your choice easier are department visits AND gut feeling. I was devastated I didn't get into Penn State this year and entertained the idea of trying again next year for it, but I went with my gut feeling with UAB and visited. I realized that the department (UAB) was small enough for individualized attention. The faculty also had connections ALL OVER the school that includes the School of Medicine, School of Dentistry, School of Public Health, etc. that the opportunities to do my research was infinite. This was something the Penn State couldn't offer had I gotten in. Yes, they're more prestigious, but my visit made me realize that UAB offered a better environment in terms of learning and having access to opportunities that Penn State didn't have. Penn State is quant-heavy. UAB is quant-heavy, but balances it out by making qual-methods a mandatory course so you have training in both. They also told me that we can do our dissertations in any med sociology topic and support the scope of what we want to cover, but also offers the option to guide you if the topic becomes too narrow. Penn State flat out told me that my research is narrow.. (but hey... their lost on studying minority health disparities). They also told me that they're concerned about how I'll survive their quant-heavy program. In short, the department visit re-affirmed my decision with UAB and forego reapplying.

But other things to consider include city-life, cost of living, etc. I got lucky since Birmingham is upcoming (just like St. Louis where I'm coming from). It has the right balance of academic life and having a personal life. 

Thanks for sharing. Fingers crossed!
I am on the waitlists of UC Irvine and IU Bloomington. Both match my interests well, and I will definitely accept it if either extends an offer.

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

Well, I started this post for inspiration, but now I will post here to inspire others. After finishing interviews this cycle, I was waitlisted without interview at one university and waitlisted after interview at three universities. I have since been admitted to my top choice! I hope that others start getting admissions offers as those with multiple offers make decisions. The last few months have been such an emotional roller coaster!

That's great to hear, im so happy for you!! I hope you get some good news on funding soon.

I called them yesterday -- they said they'd have decisions out in like 2-3 weeks. But I already have a friend who received an acceptance so I'm confused. Though shes an international student.

Thanks for that info -- really hoping to hear this week haha. 
I'm not sure exactly when she heard but I think last week. Considering no one on gradcafe has heard from BU, im hoping they made an early decision for her because she's international and will release regular decisions together.

Happy Monday!! Just got hit by NYU's wave of rejections 

Thanks! You should join anyway

Hey!! So there are a few pros and cons to taking another year in my opinion. I think if you took a year to bolster your application, you'd have a good chance at getting into the schools you wanted; however, you'd have the use to year wisely. I'd imagine this would involve more research experience, maybe try and get a publication rather than trying to improve your GRE. Maybe network and meet with some prospective faculty as well. If you're able to do this I think it would pay off exponentially. I don't think its impossible.
On the flip side, you would be turning down acceptances which can be a hard thing to do but if you have the time and energy to dedicate to another year why not! I'd say trust your intuition on this one. Best of luck <3 

I totally get that and unfortunately this isn't something people tell you, but I was fortunate enough to have a great mentor. Before I applied I made a habit of networking, every faculty I've read about or my research interests aligned with I would send an email telling them how much I appreciated their work and would love to just meet with them. Half would say yes others wouldn't respond. If I could secure a meeting I would just go and meet, talk about how their work influenced me and what my research is and ask for advice. (People love giving advice, and im example A lol). 
Anyway this was how I found one professor who was willing to give me a research assistantship at CUNY for a few months and offered to write me a letter of recc. One professor that I met with at Princeton said he'd keep an eye out for my application. I was rejected but my point is that there can be so many opportunities that present themselves to you by sending one simple email haha. 

Right?! Message me your number and download GroupMe. I can start it up.
 
Aw thanks haha! and thats exactly why this could be cool - it'd definitely be cool to meet you in person 

So I had an idea I wanted to pass along to this thread.
Considering how dense the network of sociologists is, I figure it could be cool to start a GroupMe (It's a free group texting app) for gradcafers who are interested. Even if we all end up going to different schools and have different research interests, there is a high probability that we'll be at similar functions, conferences, and meetings down the road. 
 
This would give us a space on our phones to:
(1) Casually chat in real-time
(2) Share information on upcoming conferences, meetings, social gatherings, etc.
(3) Share our final application decisions
(4) Ask each other questions and help out each other out when we're in need
(5) etc.
 
Obviously this is just an idea I wanted to pass along, but if people are interested I could start it up. All you would need to do is download GroupMe and then DM me your phone number so I can add you to the group.
 

I totally get that and unfortunately this isn't something people tell you, but I was fortunate enough to have a great mentor. Before I applied I made a habit of networking, every faculty I've read about or my research interests aligned with I would send an email telling them how much I appreciated their work and would love to just meet with them. Half would say yes others wouldn't respond. If I could secure a meeting I would just go and meet, talk about how their work influenced me and what my research is and ask for advice. (People love giving advice, and im example A lol). 
Anyway this was how I found one professor who was willing to give me a research assistantship at CUNY for a few months and offered to write me a letter of recc. One professor that I met with at Princeton said he'd keep an eye out for my application. I was rejected but my point is that there can be so many opportunities that present themselves to you by sending one simple email haha. 

Thank you for the advice, Kevin! I'm very frustrated because I couldn't put my research interests first and just applied to schools around NYC. I think I have decent research experience. I'll try to get my master's thesis or a class paper published. I wonder if I can get a job in research sometimes soon... I get extremely nervous talking to people, especially professors. How do you network?
I wouldn't turn down any acceptance if it comes with funding that's enough to cover all the expenses. 
 
Albany told me I'm pretty high on the waitlist for funding. UConn and UPenn told me to wait until mid-late April. Temple told me to accept an offer from another school if I have one.
Does s/he commute to Albany from NYC? 

I'd love to join if I decide to go this year. This is a great idea, Kevin!

Hey ya'll I made a groupMe so we can chat on the go  message me if you want an invite!

Right?! Message me your number and download GroupMe. I can start it up.
 
Aw thanks haha! and thats exactly why this could be cool - it'd definitely be cool to meet you in person