panasic

Does anyone know what the spacing requirements are for writing samples? Are they expecting 15-30 pages single-spaced or double-spaced?

Which top 10 programs conduct interviews? Berkeley and Stanford don't have anything on their websites about this.

77th percentile is ~740 on the old scale, which fits nicely in the average for selective sociology programs... it's the demography part I'm nervous about. UCB joint Demog-Soci program does not list statistics for standardized tests. I am applying to Stanford as well.

I've made contact, but haven't had in-depth contact with professors. Many programs understand that pre-application interviews initiated by the student may be attempts to gain favor and discourage their professors from engaging too much. They just say they can answer specific questions, but each student will be accepted on their own merits. Hope this helps. They at least may remember your name and be curious what you're about.

Decaf, there are only two schools I really want to go to based on fit and location. I realize the PhD is a huge commitment and I really don't want to apply to programs I really am not that interested in Hence the risk... If I don't get in, I will strengthen my application and apply next year.

Two. Both in top 10. A gamble.

I am interested in studying social demography with an emphasis on im/migration, race and ethnicity. I am applying to a few sociology departments and a sociology-demography program (UCB). I know population studies is heavily based in statistics and I am afraid I am coming short on that. I am a strong researcher, writer, and speaker. I have background in spatial analysis and statistics, but no formal training in statistics. In fact, I withdrew from a statistics course in college, because it wasn't a good fit for me (I missed the 2-week cut-off and had to get a W on my transcript.) Math has always been a challenge for me. I am not bad at it, but not amazing. I am confident I would do OK in a methods course in graduate school. I am familiar with R and SPSS as well as statistical applications of Excel. Some background: I received a less than satisfactory quantitative GRE score: 77th percentile Verbal was fine: 94th percentile (English is not my first language) Writing: 5.0 GPA from an Ivy League school: 3.63 Major: A social science, but not sociology I wrote an honors thesis in undergrad and received the high honors distinction. I had an internship with a demographer at a think tank; another 6 months of research experience with a political science prof; and the thesis. As I mentioned, I have done substantial work in spatial statistics and analysis. I know: R (starting to learn), SPSS, ArcGIS, Excel (VBA and statistical applications). Can anyone speak to how heavily math is weighed in sociology admissions, especially in degree programs with a demography component like Berkeley's Graduate Group in Sociology and Demography? Will my other strengths make up for less than stellar quant GRE score and academic record in math? What are my options and what do you suggest I do in order to strengthen my applications? Thanks for your time.