Bonkers

I think it is fine to mention it but only within the frame of how being afflicted with ADHD has influenced your current research interests. I would avoid content along the lines of: "and how I used to be embarrassed about it but am now grateful that it's lead me to my academic interests and made me work very hard to be successful and live up to the high standards I set for myself." This is too sentimental and froofy. Relate it to your work. Avoid borderline self-helpish comments. Good luck!

I use a backpack because I am getting old. The uneven weight distribution of messenger bags hurts me. I strategically picked a red backpack (going to pick up some reflectors this week) so I am more visible when crossing the street---I would hate to get hit by a car before finishing my degree.

To Question 1: Funding is not necessarily more abundant in private than public schools, so I don't suggest you cancel out public schools in your application process. It varies by department, so you should think about which schools are good fits for you and then figure out what their funding packages are--the best place to actually look this up is on the grad cafe "results" page to see trends. To Questions 2: I am guessing your question asks if the US News and World Report ranking of graduate schools for sociology is valid? Well, it's sort of a self-fulfilling prophecy... how the schools are ranked is--and don't take my word 100%, I remember reading this about a year ago but my memory sucks--by professors' opinions on each school's reputation. Reputation of course has the ability to reproduce itself in very real ways. Top rank schools definitely offer better funding and top-of-the-field faculty, but I think it is more important to find a school with a faculty group that has strengths in your field of interest. Hope this was helpful in some way.

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I think your intro (the first four paragraph) should be reduced to one. In addition, I would stay away from discussing your father's accomplishment and directly state what you are interested in and briefly why. Move the paragraph about your past experience up so that it comes after your intro. Elaborate a bit more on your research intentions during graduate school---contextualize the matter and elaborate. Why are you the best person to carry out this work? What gaps are there in currents works in this sub-field? How are you going to go about executing this project? The bit on how you want to become a college prof should be pushed up and made clear in the first paragraph. Hope this was helpful. Good luck in the upcoming application year!

While it might have been one of my last considerations during the application and matriculation process, as I am getting ready to move away, I worry about what is to happen with my relationship. My S.O. of two years is also an academic and will be finishing his PhD in the next year. Seeing as how many of his newly graduated colleagues are doing post-docs in Germany (where science funding still exists), I am becoming pessimistic. Every time someone asks about us, I say, "we will worry when the problem presents itself," which is my usual response for anything having to do with the unforeseeable future. However, after all these years of worrying about what I want and taking care of my own ambitions, I am feeling stupid for getting all emotional and crap about being geographically distant from my S.O. I feel really stupid and lame. I was so excited about graduate school--and of course, I still am--but suddenly now, I am getting nervous and sad. I feel very stupid for not being as excited as I was a couple of months ago. I am nervous about living alone again and not having both my S.O. and the cats with me. Will it ever feel not lame to try to coordinate things in your life so you can be closer to someone? Similar stories out there?

I have known plenty of people accepted into sociology doctorate programs without a previous degree in the field (but usually in another social science, though I used to be in a class with a woman who came from a hard science and she adjusted very well), so no worries there. First, I am a bit curious as to why you would want to go into sociology if you have not read many sociological works. Or maybe I misunderstood and you did, but in very specific sub-fields? Well, for the application I would suggest that you read up on sociologists that have done work in your area of interest, just so that you have a background for your proposed research project. Worry about reading the basics after. Then, before the school year starts I would read up on the fundamental books/articles that are covered in all undergraduate soc courses: (1) Marx and Engels Reader --not the whole thing, German Ideology and Manifesto should be fine-- (2) Protestant Ethic and Capitalism by Weber (2) Suicide, Durkheim (3) Origins of Religion, Durkheim (4) Asylums, Goffman (5) Heat Wave by Klinenberg. In addition to the classics, I would also suggest looking into recent works--diversify with articles in networking, epidemics, qualitative and quantitative methods, etc. etc. etc. Okay, good luck!

Good luck on your next exam! Wish I could say otherwise, but even if all else is relatively solid, a GRE score below 1000 will hurt. I did not do well the first time on my GREs either, but after months and months of studying, I did eventually improve. At this point, keep up your awesome GPA in this last school year, secure LORs from professor who you are certain will say outstanding things about your work, think about which writing sample you want to use and edit it, and write a kick-ass mission statement. One of my professors had offered to write in my defense, saying my GREs are not reflective of my academic work. While I did not take her up on her offer, that is an option--to discuss with your adviser(s) your concerns about the GRE. Again, the best of luck to you!

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