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You can count on making sure it's in APA format. If you are using Word, you should definitely double space.

I agree with Karlito, though my thoughts are slightly differing. Don't e-mail professors asking about the program. Ask them about their research. I have met in person with two professors from contacting them via e-mail. One professor even set up a time for us to chat on the phone about research. Beside meeting in person, other professors have corresponded with me about research. And so, I don't believe that contacting them will give you an advantage, per se, but there are instances where faculty will put their vote in for you being accepted. My advisor, for instance, almost did not get into UVA if it weren't for a professor she met and clicked with beforehand. I personally just feel it's a good idea--it's not as though you are trying to get them to see who you are. No, no, no. It's about you getting a feel for the program as much as you want them to get a feel for you. If you are e-mailing professors at a particular program (and ONLY talking about current/future research) and no one responds, do you really want to apply there? Do you think these professors will be interested in being on your dissertation committee? This is something to consider. Palito: You are overthinking it. E-mail them, tell them about your research interests and any kind of research you have done for your master's or whatnot, and then do a one liner about their research. "I know that you do research in ___________. What kind of research are you currently doing or plan to do in the near future?" Something like that. Don't overwhelm them with a long e-mail. They are professors--they don't want to read a long e-mail by a random person.

Every single SoP I have written talks specifically about the professors I want to work with. You need to make sure you cover that area in this essay.

Already submitted for Brandeis! UCLA and Berkeley is off of my list only because I'm from San Francisco and want to stay on the East Coast for a few more years. Thanks for your response!

I didn't use my writing sample as a very big statement of purpose. I actually just used some of my master's thesis.

tt503, you definitely seem like a strong candidate for sociology programs. I wish I could retake my GRE, but I am applying for Fall 2012. Unfortunately, the revised GRE scores were not so good. Sociology27, I think you sound like a good candidate as well. You're GRE scores are really good.

Panasic, what programs are you applying to?

I've actually been told this is a good thing to do, as many programs accept from within the university. It's also good for professors to put a face to your application. What it all boils down to is whether they think you will be a good fit for the program--and by 'fit,' this means being able to form a dissertation committee by having similar research interests with the faculty. Some programs will reject you just based on not having enough research interests in line with their faculty.

I've had contact with faculty at each program I am applying to, but have only met with one professor in person. What about everyone else?

Let me go ahead and ask: Any 'safe' programs anyone can think of that has faculty in medical- and economic sociology?

I am applying to 6 and all of them are very, very good programs with a very slim entrance rate. However, I am a very good fit with all of them. I think I have a lot going for me, but my GRE scores will be the downfall of my existence. They weren't that great. I also am realizing that 6 programs = $600 I have to pay by December 15. How are you all affording 12 or even 15 programs? That's serious money. Panasic, what will you do if you don't get in to either program? My mentor told me to apply to more safe schools... a little nervous, I guess.

That's good advice. I think I will be opening up to more programs. I need to apply to more 'safe' programs, but assessing what is safe is somewhat difficult. Any ideas on this?

I can see why someone would suggest 12 programs if you are coming from an undergrad, but I think having a master's in sociology must give some strength to the application.

this fall* not false.

Oh my god--12 programs? 15 programs? I had that many in range before, but now I am applying to 6. Why 15 programs? That's a lot of work, unless you don't have a lot else to worry about this false (classes, work, etc.

How many PhD programs is everyone applying to? How many have you been told to apply to?

You should apply to economic sociology programs specifically. You would likely use the skills you have right now in terms of analysis, but also get to delve into the sociological aspects of it. MIT has a good econ. sociology program.

Brown is Ivy League. Brown has a decent Sociology program. Are you applying? Do you have reservations? I notice it's a demographer's dream

You should add specific professors you want to work with for each university you apply to. I am really hungry right now.

I would definitely make sure you make those connections. I am in the middle of applying right now, but I do know that I worked my ass off to get those recommendations. I even had one professor who I TA'd for write the community college I teach at and tell them I am more of a colleague to him than a student. That meant alot. You need to make sure you get involved with the a sociology organization (maybe AKD has a chapter at your university--if not, start it), speak out in class even if nobody else is talking, schedule to meet with professors and talk ALOT about your thesis, volunteer to proctor exams and eventually you will be asked to guest lecture. In fact, I kept volunteering to do so much that three professors in my program only recommend me to other professors for guest lecturing. That's big when a professor asks you for a favor because they know you want them to return it (with a good recommendation). Basically, be every professors BFF. This is difficult when you have a job and whatnot, but it's still doable. Recommendations are really important from what I hear, and if you don't establish those connections, professors won't have much to say about you.

Alright, so I just finished reading a post by a user who didn't get accepted her first application cycle. I am a bit confused because she seemed to have a lot of qualities that would make her a strong candidate for a PhD program, though her Master's is in anthro. This is getting me concerned, though I have already seen a lot of students graduate from my program into fully funded PhD programs and they did not even have the same amount of experience as she did in terms of research. I am also concerned about GRE scores. I took the revised GRE and sucked shit at both sections, but have already wrote out my "I bombed the GRE, I will take it again for higher scores if it is contingent on getting into your program". Though, I know of students who have gotten into fully funded PhD programs with 1200 scores. So what is everyone else doing? What is everyone most concerned about? I feel like everything in my application is strong: I did great in my undergrad, am getting my M.S. in sociology, received university awards, run two organizations (AKD-National Soc. Honors Society), work P/T as a researcher on an NCI-funded study, and my thesis is pretty damn good. I teach intro soc. at the community college. I am going to get good recommendations. My GPA is 4.0. My GRE scores are just the worse out of everything.

I don't understand why you were rejected the following year. I know people with worse GRE scores and no research experience (besides their master's thesis) who got into programs fully funded. You must not be telling us something... so spill it.

Thank you ETS for only making your GRE-Revised practice material available to PC users. It's really great that us MAC people have no way of practicing for the test, beside looking in old test prep manuals. Does anyone know of some online drills for the new GRE?

Hi everyone, I am finishing my M.S. in sociology this Fall, and have been going through a difficult time figuring out where I want to continue my education. I was originally going to stay on the path of a PhD in sociology, but after doing thesis work with a concentration in medical sociology, and being a research assistant on an NCI-funded study of CRC, I am finding that I wish I took more 'science' classes, in order to keep that door open to becoming an MD. One of my professors told me that sociologists are needed in medicine, and some medical schools are very receptive to sociology backgrounds. What would I need to do to prepare for the MCATS (is that right?) and applying for medical school, if I wanted to continue to entertain this idea. Thanks in advance.

Hi Everyone, It's getting up to the time where I am going to apply to PhD programs for org behavior/ theory. Since my Master's is in sociology, I am curious if I can apply to OT programs, but also sociology ones as well, e.g., apply to Columbia's PhD sociology program and Columbia's OT program, which are in two different schools within Columbia. What are your thoughts? I guess I am rethinking sociology programs to be on the safe side, and because there are only two cities I am applying to for programs (Boston and NYC).