allhandsonthebadone

Any idea of what cohort size are they aiming for?

It wasn't that it was a safety school. On my list or really anybody's list there isn't such a thing. Security came more from the concept of feeling like you had at least one admittance in the bag. Now I feel I am in the ether of not knowing if I will get in anywhere. Anyway, although Indiana was a good fit I think there are six schools on my list that fit better. I'll try to stay optimistic.

Thanks for the words of encouragement. Although I prepared my hardest for the interview, all this talk of this being a casual interview sure to be followed by an acceptance really got my hopes up. I was really looking forward to having the security of having one acceptance. The places I applied to is a virtual murderers row. To no longer have the security that I thought I had is just unsettling right now. I fear this may have been my best chance. Perhaps I need time for the shock to wear off.

I did get my email. Waitlisted. I guess I'm the outlier. So depressed.

I didn't get an email yet. Now I am really worried I bombed the interview horribly.

One of the major inspirations I have for entering the field of sociology is the hope that my studies can provide a bit of an instructional manual for stigmatized groups to use for upward social mobility. So I do have rather "activist" aims. First and foremost though I am a social SCIENTIST. Not only is it my duty as a traditional academic to report society as it really is (or the closest approximation that our methods can allow) but also its a duty for those groups I hope to empower. Having them base their destigmatization strategies based on wishful thinking does them no favors. It certainly isn't an either or proposition. They can overlap and you can have both.

I never said that everyone with an activist bent falls into that pitfall but it's certainly conceivable that some do. An all or nothing dichotomy was never proposed.

We are bound by language though. We have to communicate the facts. These are colored by the words we use (or don't use in the case of omission) This is true for the hard sciences and especially the social sciences. There can certainly be instances where those who let their desire for activism and/or ideological adherency trump up some facts and omit others in the hope that their cultural capital as academics can help their activist aims to be a self-fulfilling prophecy. Fortunately we have peer review to stop shoddy work from going too far.

This is the more intersting question. In my opinion it depends on the discipline of the academic researcher. Much like someone who goes into medicine with the hope to cure cancer or AIDS; someone who aims to get into sociology with the hope to cure social ills may wish they can find cause of the illness but will certainly do no one any favors by manipulating or fabricating information and hoping via the social capital of academia it will come true. I aim for my sociological studies to be applied in public policy and social mobilization strategies. However, putting ideology and personal wishes before science will lead to false information when applied would undermine the goals had in the first place. As for the original question I don't see how institutionalism and praxis-oriented approaches are diametrically opposed. I don't feel you have demonstrated how the institutional structure of current academia itself is inherently stifling to the real world application of sociological work. I can see how overriding ideologies can get in the way but these are exogenous of the institutional structure itself. Personally as long as I (or anyone else) have the tools to pursue their sociological studies I am good. This is the only grand vision I have. I don't see how institutionalism standing alone gets in the way. I get a chance to work and learn from some of the greatest minds in the discipline, I get access to more resources to better my sociology, and I get paid for it and improve my resume. Works for me.

While having difficulty uploading my information from my community college the admissions rep at UCLA told me I didn't even have to bother loading it. Works for me. Makes my GPA 3.93.

Melba toast

Just had my interview and I sweated it anyways. Despite my paranoid ruminations I probably did just fine. Hoping for good news at the end of the week.

bottoms up

After my lackluster tax return nothing special at all. Have to save for a possible move more than anything.

#1 $$$ #2 $$ #3 $ Although conceivably fit and rank/prestige could trump this in some cases it will most likely come down to the best funding package. I can imagine being happy anywhere I applied to.

Based on your background kbirch I'm surprised you didn't have more success. What did you think you had to improve on?

I'm interested in social movements but not really of a political sense. I'm more interested in interest and identity groups and their ability to mobilize in terms of destigmatization and making a better public perception of their group. I am especially interested in how the internet made it possible for groups made of members highly stigmatized and/or scattered groups to organize groups based on their shared identity and the possibility for social mobilization. It's an exciting field as there isn't much precedent and many angles to pursue it from. Indiana, which just requested an interview, seemed to be great fit as well as Northwestern, UCLA, Berkeley, Princeton, and many other of the schools I applied to. All are great fits for very different reasons.

That's very auspicious. I'm still getting ready to get grilled nonetheless. Can't be too prepared right?

I got the invitation as well and am very much looking forward to the interview. My SoP was more a little of my research background and interests and a base idea of how I feel I would fit into Indiana sociology. With this approach the 500 word SoP makes sense in as much that they use interviews to allow the strongest canddiates to expound on their interests.

No noose is indeed good news.

Congrats elw4y8! Sounds like you really owned in your Masters Program! Any word on whether this will be the week they are handing out acceptances or if they are phoning everyone who got in? My first school where they are handing out acceptances (besides those Chicago outliers). The nervous factor intensifies....

Swedish chef

Reading Railroad

very cute! I especially like the whole song and dance description at the end.

weather balloons