ThisSlumgullionIsSoVapid

David Gibson (previously at UPenn but recently hired by ND) does conversational analysis. Perhaps look into his work.

Most of all though, relax, celebrate, and enjoy yourself* I don't know how I left that out.

Definitely read a lot. Read for fun though as you aren't going to have time to set aside for that for a long while. I would suggest trying to get in the habit of knocking out a book and more a week. If you aren't coming from a sociology background then spend some times reading some intro text books and maybe some books about (or by) the "founding fathers" of sociology.

If anyone here is contemplating ND but wants more information, maybe stuff they were afraid to ask while they were still in the interviewing stage, feel free to PM me. Good luck with your decisions everyone!

Congrats everybody. This is really exciting seeing everyone getting their acceptances.

Notre Dame

Obviously biased, but Notre Dame is where it's at. Check out http://csrs.nd.edu http://cssm.nd.edu (new website coming soon for that) and http://mobilizingideas.wordpress.com/ The best thing (coming from someone with religious movements as my focus) is that there are a lot of faculty and a lot of grad students that will share interests in religion with you. We have weekly workshops for culture, movements, education, and religion that allows peer to peer support. It is a very collaborative environment. People present drafts, paper ideas, r&r's, etc. at these workshops and the professors and students who attend read the paper and offer constructive feedback. It's a great place to be, plus you can really get plugged in fast with the department. So, long story short, if you're interested in religion check out ND - especially if you also have any interests in culture, family, education, social movements, or social networks.

Great funding, collaborative, and very supportive faculty. Honestly, I couldn't be happier.

You think you're stressed now, wait til all of the posts about people getting responses! February/March are pretty intense on here. Best of luck to everyone.

I'm echoing what others said, check out Boulder Plus, Colorado is beautiful.

Were you at the PSU & friends reception at the ASA last year (2011)? I feel like I've met you... or at least I met someone with very very similar interests.

Thanks man. And not even summer, winter! I'll be back in December (possibly November). I still owe you dinner and drinks!

UNC, ND, Pitt are all social movements programs worth checking out too

As someone who took the Kaplan courses, my bit of advice: don't underestimate what stress can do to you. However well you are doing on diagnostic exams now expect to do less than that. When you take your practice tests its usually in a stress free environment but when you take the actual thing the stress goes up a few notches. Also, when you schedule your exam, keep in mind the time of day you are taking it. I took the exam the first time and had an 8am exam but was still a "night person" - this really screwed with me. The second time I took it I got into routine for months of being used to taking exams, doing work, being up and functioning early in the morning and I did a lot better my second time. Get in routine earlier on so that you can predict how your body will respond.