hip2btriangle

Honestly, and I welcome others' feedback as well, but I've learned that you should ONLY apply to schools where you know you want to attend. This year is going to be too difficult as far as admissions, funding is going to be limited, and if you get in somewhere with funding...you need to make your applications count. Don't waste money on applications if they aren't places that look like good fits, regardless of rank. If you have a job and it's an option to wait another year (perhaps when the economy is better), apply to places that you'd only really want to go (apparently the safety schools aren't places you really want to go), and work on building your resume in the next year. Then apply again.

Hey all, After some emails with a prof. at a program I'm interested in I've been asked to meet with him/her/zir face to face. Any tips before I head into this? Obviously I know it means nothing as far as admissions and is really just a good way to get to know the professor and see if we'd get along. But...any to do's or to don'ts? -h2bt

So I currently live in NYC, and as a result I think a lot about money and managing my finances efficiently. Right now I'm working full time AND paying for my MA program, which has been really challenging but I've been able to make ends meet -- even with the high cost of living. I'm trying to conceptualize what my "income" will be like per month as a new PhD student next year. Say I have a $17,000 stipend and a tuition waiver. I KNOW that doesn't break down to a little over $1,400 / month to pay for housing, food, and anything else. There must be other costs (health insurance? fees? books?) to work into this equation. And although I thought studying anywhere but in NYC would be easier as far as paying for housing, I noticed that even cities like Boston are just as expensive -- one school listed student housing at like $14k+/year. Are there any helpful guides that break down how much students will generally be working with per month given X waiver? Assuming I have no other sources of income or savings, should I be ready to take out loans...even if awarded a generous stipend? Any thoughts or relevant links people might feel comfortable sharing? I know each school publishes a very vague breakdown of expenses, but these numbers don't always apply to people with stipend packages. Word, -h2bt

FYI, I recently called a few "top" departments (including Stanford and Michigan), and found out that they actually take the best scores you have from each section (V/Q/A) across any number of exams.

this is a good idea. how should we do this?

My first time, as well. Would be cool to have a gradcafe-ish drink one night early in the conference week. We should create a new post in late July for people attending to hang. Following this video, it sounds like Patricia Collins would encourage some nightly conference fun.

See video: http://www.asanet.org/cs/meetings/2009 Can't wait for the conference! San Fran! Socio-good times! /woot

i think you could def get in. got into their phd program with similar stats.

Hey all, I'm preparing for applications in the fall, and I'm trying to do better research on the departments that I'm going to apply to this time around. I initially deferred to a lot of the rankings various sites/publications provide (and even the ASA guide to departments) to find departments that have a strong background in gender studies and sexuality. The problem is, these guides generally suggest departments that focus on traditional research of gender studies/sexuality -- women's studies, The Family, childrearing, etc. All good stuff, but I'm a new wave gender studies student. I'm interested in constructivist perspectives on gender, sexuality, and desire...trans experience, queer theory, and masculinities/femininities. I'm getting frustrated by looking through departments at all these "top" schools and not finding curricula or even professors that address this kind of stuff. I guess I'm just looking for general advice -- if I want to be trained to be a sociologist and possibly get a job, should I be happy applying to these top schools with strong "gender studies" departments? I imagine I would spend 6-ish years working with people that study gender stuff on the periphery of what I really care about. Or should I instead try to find schools that have more professors with my own specific interests? I've heard lots of criticism about going somewhere just because you like a professor. Any thoughts? Any other gendery people feel similar frustrations?

few seem to mention this...but probably for good reason...higher ed administration! one day in the great beyond, i'd love to be a dean of students type.

Thanks for the feedback, all! I'm much more calm about my first real Open House coming up. Going to go in with an open mind and then do some serious thinking. Thanks again!

I mean, the other thing that's nagging on my mind is...I applied this year almost on a whim, pretty much knowing my application wasn't really that strong...but that I have passion for the field and that I needed to give it a shot. Next year it will definitely be pretty darn awesome. I'm getting rejected from places I really had my heart in, places that I could probably get into next year that are closer fits and better ranked, and probably in areas that are more fun. I guess I just have to decide for myself whether to go for it this year or take another chance next year.

Yeah, I just think the position I put myself in -- go to Irvine, or apply again next year with an infinitely better application -- puts a lot of pressure on my visit next weekend. I know that post-grad you don't have many choices in terms of geography (though I may still go the administration route), but for the next 5+ years I'd prefer to have a social life. Grad school is still many parts academic and some parts social.

viewtopic.php?f=59&t=15231 has some good questions to ask in general

Okay, so I was all happy about the fact that I got admitted somewhere (Irvine) with great funding. I applied knowing full well that my chances of admission to any of these schools would be very slim (mediocre recs, okay GREs, only 4 grades from my current MA program, no research experience), and the fact that I have an offer from a energetic and fairly well ranked department is awesome. Then I read this: viewtopic.php?f=67&t=15528&p=70566#p66933 I had been worried about the social climate in Orange County, particularly because I went to an undergrad that more or less was of the stone-throwing variety for minority students. I know that the soc department at Irvine is super friendly and very cool, but do I want to spend 5+ years in a place like that? I'll know more after the Open House, but in true GradCafe form I'm anxiously posting now. Here's what's on my mind: - If I decide to go, is it possible to transfer out after the first year? I've heard that transferring mid-PhD program is actually fairly hard to do, but I could swing some great recs from my current MA program and I'd now have research experience and a summer presentation at the ASA. - Should I try to defer for a year and finish more of my current (top Ivy) MA program, and also apply to other schools that have a better social fit? Would my chances of admission differ if I applied as a transfer during my first year or if I applied again as a MA student next year? The thing is that I really WANT to start a program sooner rather than later, but I don't want to hurt my chances down the road if things get rough there. Should I try to stop freaking out now, wait 'til I go to the open house, and then start worrying?

Oy. I'm also really seriously considering Irvine as well. Particularly because I applied to grad schools on a whim this year (my chances of admission weren't really that great, but next year I will be a substantially better applicant), and Irvine whipped out some major funding. I have yet to go to the open house for Irvine, but I'm already very concerned about diversity/class issues and dealing with that for 5-6 years. I went to an undergrad where for gay students and other minorities it was practically social suicide, and I've nearly forgotten that social environment is a big deal. Honestly, I could deal with an environment like that for a year if I knew that, should things suck, transferring was an option. I've just heard that transferring mid-PhD program is very difficult. Do the top 20 (sociology) departments accept many transfers? Going to crosspost this to the Soc forums too...

Well, I mean speaking for myself -- there are many Compelling National Issues related to my research interests that I'm very passionate about and could probably spend 4+ years researching. I guess I just meant...unlike undergrad, maybe I shouldn't write a paper about masculinity and Buffy the Vampire Slayer

I'd also like to invite any commentary people might have on not only picking a specialization, but possibly the actual paper topics/dissertation topics you take on as a grad student. I'm also hearing things about how PhD students need to really start thinking about how marketable their research is in terms of finding employment (meaning, don't write about gender in online video games...write about something that addresses a Compelling National Issue!).

Phew. This is all good to hear. Yay stress-free trip to SF!

Wahoo! A paper of mine has been accepted into a roundtable at the ASA meeting in August. Has anyone ever done one of these before? This is actually going to be my first time presenting ANY piece of research (ever), and I really welcome any long-winded explanations about what their experience was like and yada yada. Do I just read my paper? Since it's a roundtable -- not a formal presentation -- does that mean everyone gets a copy of the paper and then we just discuss it? I'm really coming from nothin' here. Help!

It also just occurred to me that this might be a funny thread for people who aren't studying in the U.S. I was abroad in London for a year during undergrad and addressed teachers as Prof. X. A history professor of mine, new to the department, laughed and corrected me. She said that it's only Americans who address every college teacher as professor -- in England, the term is only used for distinguished teachers. Over there apparently you just use Dr.

So all these profs I've been speaking with sign with their first name. Does this mean I should not address them as Prof. X? I've always been pretty hyper respectful of titles in academia, so obviously I don't want to make a mistake when I meet these folks at open house. Any advice?

haha, masculinities competition! we should all have a butch throwdown, or something. or maybe just cry together and pray for the best.

I'm fairly certain NYU admits are pretty much done. They were only admitting like ten or so, right? And there have been a handful of notifications on the results page.

yeah -- the results page indicates a few acceptances and funding. i'm not sure what the count will be like though at open house.