ThisSlumgullionIsSoVapid

and so the plot thickens....

I'll start getting especially nervous/disappointed when I start seeing a batch of people posting their acceptances in the results because if I'm not in a wave of acceptances I'll probably be jumping the gun and assuming I'm left for the batch of denials.

If you have an iPod, iPhone, or iPad, download the Kaplan GRE vocab app. it has 500 words and is separated into average difficult and hard. It allows you to quiz yourself too. I found it really useful. Oh, and best of all it is a free app.

All but 2 of my schools I applied to I would actually look forward to going to (living at I should say). The two that I would have one of the "mehhhh" type responses to the location are lower ranked programs that I might need to go to if I don't get into my better choices so, at that point, it's not like I would have much say. I'm used to fast-paced lifestyle so I'm not sure how I'd handle living in the boonies.

Oh, and it is really hit or miss with some people. I had a few people reply very apathetically "I don't have a say in admissions" (or something of that sort). One of my professors at my current university told me that I could probably get a good feel for how working with certain people would be strictly off of how they are in e-mail exchanges (if they're willing to even reply/how they talk towards students/etc). The one that was most helpful and forwarded to the grad chair also sent me some articles he wrote in the past that are right up my ally. So, anyways, to future readers just send them an e-mail and see what happens. I used the title "Research Fit" then I proceeded to let them know when I was applying, that I have read some of their research (listed the article/s that I read) and then shared my research interests and, to get some kind of response from them, I asked if they were accepting/working with students next year and if they felt we were a good fit.

Out of 15 programs, I tried contacting about 7 of them and got good responses from 4 of them. Two of them I have had at length conversations with. One of them even forwarded our conversation to the graduate chair and then I proceeded to have an exchange with him. I'm really hoping this conversations help me out because it is at a university that, if I were accepted at, I would choose over most programs I applied to. The other strong contact I made was at the ASA. It was a friend of my mentor that has similar research interests to me. I applied to his university and, while I would be a great fit with him, I wouldn't be so much for the whole program so we'll see how that one pans out.

321

Beer. Lots and lots of beer.

show off

Ya, that's normal. You'll probably hear back end of January - March still.

If you really want to kill time, do as I do and go to the City Guide part of the forum and read about all the different cities you might end up in. It's a total time suck sitting there fantasizing "well what if I want there....I wonder what living there is like. What do other people say?" Then, of course, as you start getting your decisions your dreams will start getting shattered city by city.

Great analogy. Graduate school admissions are indeed just like a dirty hotel room. In fact, I once took a black light to them and nearly blinded myself.... I haven't quite been the same since.

Forgive me for not understanding but why is it "Latin@". I'm not sure what the @ is supposed to provide? Is it a symbol to incorporate the o and the a for latino/latina?

And, to be honest, this board is actually pretty demoralizing. It seems those with the strongest applications like to come on here and post up their stats to get some kind of extrinsic confirmation to what they already know inside... "Oh, hi.... can someone tell me if I would be a contender for a university? I have a 4.0, a 1500 on my gre, OUTSTANDING letters of rec, a magnificent written sample, summa cum laude, a stunning statement of purpose that perfectly expresses the exact fit I have with the professor I want to work with (who even emailed me back saying he wants to work with me too tehehehe) and I have published work! Oh, and my chancellor said I'm the brightest student that's ever come through my university. So, how bout it guys? Think I'm graduate school material?"

^ I'm assuming people who post on this board know enough about the application process where they applied places where they had POI's (notice all the people saying they're getting phone calls from potential advisors). This board I wouldn't say is a perfect representation of the average person applying to graduate school. I know people who apply to places just because it's local or don't have any research agenda in mind. The people posting on here seem to have done some research into who they could work with and for ways in strengthening their application. I applied to top tier, mid tier, and low tier schools as well but I didn't choose off of only the name of the university. I went through the list of schools and found people that I actually had good fit's with, looked where I would want to live, how they fund students and then decided where to apply. And if you had a 4.0 GPA and a bad GRE obviously they'd see the gpa too. It isn't a GRE takes all type of situation. In my e-mailing of potential advisers some told me that the programs heavily relied on GRE's and then others emailed me assuring me that the entire application gets assessed and no one thing is weighed heavier than the others. I've also been told the GRE is more of a cut-off type of tool; once people who score above ____ (1100, 1200, 1300) they move onto the other parts of the application including SOP, fit, gpa, and writing sample.

Oh, and one professor I spoke with (because I retook my GRE too) told me that it would raise some eye brows if you did considerably worse on your re-take of the exam when it's obvious you were trying to improve over your first exam. Ex. you got a 1100 on your first exam and then retake it and get a 980. The 1100 might get you into some departments while the 980 wouldn't. In situations where you would have been a lot better off just leaving your mediocre score instead of retaking it and getting an abysmal score wouldn't kill your applications but they would at least see that it happened.

From what I have observed during my admissions and what I have gathered from e-mailing professors (and speaking with my professors) is they take the highest total score. That is, the highest total exam. I haven't seen any program that combines scores during my application process. Also, sociology pays respect to both Q and V. I've heard from some that certain programs would be more impressed by a higher score in Q than V but nonetheless they don't ignore either one; both quant and verbal are equally important. Also, it doesn't really matter how long is between the tests; they won't take the most recent because scores are equally useful as long as they are within 5 years of your application date. "Does it make sense". Well, for sociology it makes sense that you would need to be decent in both q and v. There is significant writing and there is also statistics and research. Sociology is like a blend of philosophy, humanities, the scientific method, and statistics.

and so it begins.... congrats!!! If you don't mind me asking, what were your stats?

Our next few weeks....

Waits, it sounds like you have a strong application. I'm sure you're a contender at some of your schools if, like you said, the fit was good. Don't stress it so much..... although easier said than done, I know. I'm refreshing this site and my email 20+ times a day. My app stats are almost exactly like yours, Supernavosky. I'm routinely going from optimism to pessimism and back to optimism.

I applied there as well. I've become a hodge-podge of nervousness, excitement, anxiety, optimism, pessimism, and fear.

Oh, and what section are you speaking in at the PSA? I'm presenting at an undergrad round table too

If you do killer on your GRE and have well defined research interests I think you would be a pretty good contender for top 10 PhD programs.

It will take longer than 1 year. People who major in Sociology and go to get a MA in sociology typically take about 2 years. Reading your other thread you said you majored in something else, you'll probably be required to take some courses that undergrad's would take in addition to the typical masters work.

What was your major? And I think if you score 1000+ or 1100+ on the GRE you shouldn't have an issue at many masters programs; they're usually less competitive than PhD programs.