try2seeme

@grrlfriend - No you are correct. If you do not come out of a top program in your discipline, you will more than likely not be teaching in a top program. As you said, there are exceptions to the rule, but it is rare. More than likely you will be teaching/working at a University that is of the same rank or below the one you graduated from. That's still not a terrible gig though....a 9-month salary for a Mid-west state University would be about 55,000-60,000 and go up to 70,000 in 5 years. While you might say that's not great money return....it's not the worst and you get more say in your schedule than someone who works 9-5. Not to mention there is less pressure at many "lower-tier" schools than ones in the top 10. There is very high pressure at Research 1 institutions.

In recent years there has been a large amount of talk about tenured positions being cut and turned into adjunct positions. Despite this, graduates are STILL getting tenure track jobs. I am in a lower PhD program for Sociology ranked in the 70's and over the last two years, just about every graduate who was looking for a tenure-track position got one prior to graduating. Yes, they will have to publish quite a bit, but that's part of the job. If it's really something you want, consider all factors, talk to professors in the field, talk to graduates on the market, and even people in the legal field who are also looking for a career change. Don't pay too much attention to the pesimists of the interwebs though. There are jobs out there for motivated individuals. And at the very least, if you have your PhD, there are a number of private firms who would love to have a PhD on their team - public opinion/survey firms especially. Having the legal background will be a plus.

Does anyone know what the personal statement should consist of (for a non-degree student)? Like should it be the same as a personal statement I would submit for regular graduate school admission, or specifically tailored to being a non-degree seeking student?

Thanks for the reply. I contacted the graduate school and they told me to not bother applying through the graduate school (as non-degree seeking), but through the department itself (for non degree seeking). I think my best bet would be to just contact the professors directly (of the classes I want to take), and be up front about my plans to apply as a non degree seeking student and what my goals are etc. Then hopefully they'll advise me on what to do and if they will allow me to take their classes etc.

I'm thinking how I should approach this. I want to alert the department that I am applying for a non-degree student admission into the graduate school. This way when they get my application, they will know who I am. I was thinking of sending a cover letter and copy of my transcript to the graduate chair. Does this seem like a good idea?

Thanks for the replies! @SocHope I will be sure to check the policies of the graduate school. Thanks for pointing that out to me. @DustSNK I was thinking along the same lines as you. I think it could be a good way to put a face to my application at this particular graduate school. And aside from that, it will be a good way to get some experience taking graduate school classes. At this point, the money is not too much of an issue for me and if the credits can transfer over, it can't hurt if I end up getting accepted and decide to go to this particular program. I will just be sure to do my research before committing to this plan.

Has anyone taken courses in a graduate program as a non-degree seeking student? I am taking the coming year off to work and reapply to graduate school for fall 2012. I was considering taking one or two classes as a non degree seeking student in a sociology grad program to get a feel for the coursework and maybe get to know the faculty of the university better. Money aside, has anyone done this and do you think it's a good idea?

Thanks for the advice Benny!

Thanks for the replies guys. I am applying to sociology programs. My goal in trying to raise my verbal score is simply to raise it. I'm not concerned about the quantitative because I have been consistently able to raise it through practice and review. Verbal has been a different story. If I have the ability to raise my verbal score, I would like to. I've decided to focus on vocab and word roots while just continuing to practice through verbal quizzes and tests.

Well I know there have been a few threads on this topic, but I would like some fresh opinions. I have been studying for the GRE and while my quantitative section has been continuously improving, I cannot seem to bring my verbal up. My quant is at around 710-750 right now, but my verbal is only at 560-590. I would like to get it up to at least 660. I have studied all of the Kaplan strategies and have memorized the 200 most common words, but I am still not getting my score up. Looking over my old tests, I seem to be missing an even number of questions in each section. My reading comprehension is the best of the 4 sections for me. Does anyone have any tips on how to bring up a verbal score? I have started memorizing word groups, but it is very time consuming and difficult. Any other tips would be much appreciated. Thanks!

I think it would be a benefit to your application if you were to retake the GRE as your scores are on the lower side. That being said, you should only retake it if you think you have the time to seriously study and improve your score for a retake. If you can't be sure of that, I would just apply with your score. Also consider as you mentioned that the new GRE will (apparently) be much harder than the old one, so if you're going to retake it, take it before August. The GRE is just one piece of the puzzle, also keep that in mind.

Thanks for the response. Nope, I have not heard anything from them. If I did get funding, I would definitely consider going.

So I got accepted into the MA program at Kansas for Sociology. I have not heard anything about funding, but the department said they would be sending funding decisions in mid-March. Has anyone heard back from them yet? Thanks.