ewurgler

This is so annoying--it really bothers me that my undergraduate experience is like night and day to mostly everyone else I know. Grades completely took a back seat after I found something I was truly interested in and the majority of people around me did the minimum possible to get into law school, mba, or make lots of money. I'm not sure what makes them so entitled, but I DO think the focus on money or a graduate career that will ultimately make you money (law school) makes average students feel deserving about grades because they have a career goal/lifestyle goal that requires it. All I have to say is WATCH OUT for me as a TA. That shit will not fly when I am grading papers. College is about disorientation, rethinking and challenging much of what we assume to be "true" and "real." I can't think of 3 other people in my undergrad who shared this view.

Nope, I graduated in june. You?

You went to UCSD?? Me too!!!! Maybe they like us over at indiana. In case you are interested--Brian Steensland from INdiana sociology is giving a talk at ucsd on friday.

admissions for all schools seem to have been a bit wacky. I just saw someone has an interview with indiana--after they already sent out a few acceptances. Very weird. Maybe the funding issues have really put adcoms into a tailspin.

Yes, but the conservative anti-intellectualism that has most recently been tied to patriotism is a relatively new tactic of the neoconservative moment. Back in the 50's during the rise of neoconservative out of anti-communism, there were some serious intellectuals and theorists contributing to the ideology--this has since been overtaken by joe the plumber.

Congrats Hardboiled! You have some tough decisions between great programs.

Even those who are supportive but are not familiar with academia just don't "get it" and probably never will--just like many other professions. Could be fear, jealousy, scared you are veering away from what they "value," but you know it has to be done and you are committed, emotionally and intellectually, to what you will study. You don't have to sacrifice your familial relationships, but I suppose they will be strained for a time. My own intellectual pursuits have brought me into serious conflicts with my family's "values" (mainly their evangelical christianity). Just hope that they will take the time they need to make peace with who you are/what you do, and continue to work on a relationship with them, on terms both parties can be happy with. On your side, remain open with your studies and what is happening with that aspect of your life, but don't expect them to want to know about the details of the project you are researching, etc. And for now, blame the religious right for the anti-intellectual, "real american" sentiments they have been spewing since the 80s

nada.

Sorry for the confusion. What I meant was that instead of having funding for five years, these people only had funding for four. Rather than cutting you off after one, they just cut it down a year. They basically said they didn't have any TA positions for them, and if they want to keep tuition remission and health insurance, they would have to find a TA-ship or RA-ship on their own. For most, this meant being a TA for interdisciplinary undergrad programs that had no grad students of their own (gender studies, film) or the various undergraduate required writing programs. Some of them also approached various professors who had grants and were able to get RAships, others appealed to endowed chairs to get funding. It just basically meant that instead of the department handing you a position, you had to find it on your own. One thing you may ask current grad students is if this has ever happened, and what the students ended up doing. But, for the most part, departments will keep up their end of the bargain.

You are safe for next year, but as there is a chance they may cut your 5 year guarantee short (yes, even though you signed a contract). This happened at UCSD (my undergrad university) and everyone is usually able to find funding in another department.

So, I will be visiting IU in 2 weeks. Any recommendations of places or areas to check out to give me a good sense of the town?

I also know an ABD in the social sciences who has spent all but the summers in other places--her country/area of study (Jordan and the middle east), as well as just completing the rest of her diss in Norcal so that she can be with her husband. I think as long as your funding package allows you to work remotely or you have a fellowship, they don't care where you are. My boyfriend is ABD in Comm at ucsd and will be moving with me where ever I end up to finish his diss. I think as long as you work it out with advisors and such, no one really cares. From those I know who are ABD, they are hardly on campus anymore even if they are still in town.

Well, there probably is an unofficial waitlist--they just don't inform you of either decision until they know how many people accepted/declined their offer. My undergrad university did this in a few departments.

So, us with no word: do we think waitlist, second round of rejects or last minute acceptances? Or, did the grad coordinator get tired on friday, went home early, today was a holiday, and we will all get our notifications tomorrow?

was annie the girl who took daniel to the bomb?

both departments that have admitted me are top 15, and I am quite nervous. This is not because I think I lack any intellectual firepower, but more because I am coming from a different discipline and am not quite as in sync with current scholar as I assume most others will be. This frightens me, but I have 6 months to read like crazy

Also, for some departments/schools it is common to not contact those on the waitlist until they can offer acceptances or inform of rejection. Something to think about.

My acceptances and rejections via email have been unprompted emails directly from the department. What discipline are you in? And have the schools you applied to informed other applicants? If they have, I say wait 1 week and then email the grad coordinator or DGS and say you have other offers and are trying to schedule visits, etc.

I am 22. WIll be 23 when I start. I bet the average age for 1st year grad students in soc is approx 24 to 25, with considerable variation. I really don't know. That is a guess.

Hey-- So is anyone planning to visit? I just booked my flights for the weekend of feb 26th. Anyone else?

HAHA!!! Me too, sort of. It is almost every day I come home so stressed and anxious and say "oh god, I need a drink!" So, I open a bottle of wine, make a few cocktails or crack a beer at 5:30pm, and slowly drink so that I'm nearly asleep my 9pm. Let's all hope this stress drinking is temporary

Wanted to update: Indiana's offer for soc this year was a minimum of tuition waiver and health + $12,500 (5,500 each semester and 1,400 during the summer) guaranteed for 5 years. But, they are still working on some fellowships, so it could go up. Not great, but bloomington is so fucking cheap I feel like I'm stepping back in time when I look at craigslist. Seriously--I can get a 3 bedroom house on 4 acres right in town for 1/2 of what I pay in San Diego. AWESOME!!! Sorry to those coming to southern california after years in the midwest/south. It hurts and you never stop being angry about high rent.

Best super girly drink I had for the first time this weekend: mudslide: equal parts vodka, bailey's, kahlua, and cream (Half and half). ANother good drink I made for the first time: ginger caipirnha: muddle mint leaves, ginger slices and sugar in lime juice. Add rum and gingerale. AWESOME!! Made the weekend fly right by.

Even though I'm not in anthro, I found this to be pretty annoying It's like, really? Would it be that hard to do a google search and find some profession more suitable for her character?

3 out of the 4 people you mention are dead--that particular soc department doesn't exist anymore. We are talking current intellectual firepower. And yes--Erik Olin Wright is influential and at wisconsin. I too find it annoying that people find ways to completely dog public universities that have done more with much less for decades. I am not a huge fan of wisconsin, mainly because I find their practice of not funding grad students pretty unethical. But seriously, look at the publics in the top 15 ranking--Michigan, Wisconsin, Berkeley, UNC, and Indiana. THey are all rockin schools overall and have serious faculty doing serious work.