Supernovasky

I definitely have a lot that "differs" me that I emphasized. I'm emailing a ton of professors now just letting them know more about me in all of the schools that still have applications open. I'm hoping to get a bite or two...

More than just that, I'm emailing particular professors before even applying to see if they would be interested in the kind of research I am interseted in, and if I am a good fit for individual professors. The good thing is, U-Wash is full of professors in quantitative sociology, and Boulder has 2 (one of whom has emailed me back, albeit a short email), and Ann Arbor has a ton (although I doubt my Ann Arbor chances, its a major reach school, haha). I really think that U-Wash is going to accept me, with a slight possibility Boulder does as well.

I have found a few MA programs that I am applying to right now. Contacting professors from those programs too.

Lol... I was just rejected twice my UT-Austin (got the same email as when I emailed Ms. Porter).

All good advice guys. Yeah, I think my SOP probably needs work. I mean I go over everything I went over here, be it in my personal statement, my curriculum vitae, or even my writing sample, but my personal statement definitely does need some work if I dont get accepted this go around. I'm going to retool it for the MA programs I apply to. I am still hoping beyond hope I get accepted into Wash or Boulder though.

I didn't even mention environmental sociology in any of my applications though, save for mentioning the specific experience I have in environmentally related extra curriculars. That's why I've emailed a few environmental sociology professors from the universities left letting them know that while I didn't make it a focus in my ap, its something I'm also very willing to work on.

I havent even considered educational policy. I'll look into that during my MA search and possible PhD applications next year. I agree that I'd probably be competitive there... but I have to say, the thing I really have the most passion for is quantitative sociology and research methods, followed by environmental sociology. The thing that really lit a fire in me regarding research methods and quantitative sociology is the book, "The Wisdom of Crowds." There is so much in there that has thus far gone unstudied and I mention it in all of my applications. I guess at Austin, at least, there's nobody that is as interested in it as I am. I know that the quantitative side of sociology is a little smaller than the massive ammount of sex and gender, social stratification, criminology, and race disciplines of sociology... so I'm competing with fewer applicants regarding professors who are interested in this, but I'm finding also that there aren't very many professors working on this at Austin (and Boulder, although I've found one or two at Boulder I'd love to work with). One exception, Washington is TEEMING with quantitative sociology professors. I really feel like I have a shot there, if everything else seems competitive.

I'm trying to remain proactive in getting some sort of advancement in my education this year. I'm going to work on MA applications this weekend, I've emailed at least 8 professors to the schools that are still on the drawing board (a few, I would be EXTREMELY excited to work with), and I'm trying to stay abreast of their decisions processes. We'll see how it all goes! If I don't get accepted anywhere, I've got a wealth of info here to help me next time.

I still do think I have a decent shot at Washington - Seattle (Because there are SO many professors there focused on quantiative methodology and quantitative sociology, on contrast to Austin's 2 professors focused on that), and Boulder (because their ranking is slightly lower, and I actually have a lot of experience in environmental work (I worked for Americorps for some time doing environmental work)). I actually emailed professors at Colorado - Boulder telling them though I focused on the quantitative side in my application, I wanted to let a select couple professors know that I was also VERY open to researching environmental sociology given my background. Hopefully I'll get some responses from them.

I got some amazing advice in this thread. Thank you so much Chuck. I'm going to look into ALL of what you just said tonight and this weekend. I didn't consider going on a job search as well as a PhD search. I just assumed that with only an undergraduate degree, most research organizations wouldn't even look at me. I will also apply to some MA programs. I'd love to find the kind of professors you are talking about that are "dying to be noticed by people like me."

I would love to find one... but I don't have much experience beyond having a degree... I've searched before. What would you suggest I search for?

I read the average GRE score at University of Washington is 1280 or something, so I'm not far down bellow it. I've already practically given up on University of Michigan. But you think that's what it is? I just need to study for the entire year for the GRE and try to get it up before applying another cycle, if I don't get accepted this cycle?

Another question to everyone in this thread: What can I do to strengthen my application for next year? I will be 25 years old. I graduated in 2010... so I'd be applying for fall of 2013. It will have been quite some time since I have been in school. I currently work as a car salesman... I have for the last 2 years. Its the only job I was able to get with a sociology degree. I use it to pay my student loans. Here are my current stats that I am using in my pursuit of a PhD in sociology: -Started as a Mech. Engineering major, went WAY high in math. I switched into Sociology in the beginning of my junior year and got A's on every single Sociology class I took. I desribe this move in my personal statement as caused by a few things. One, a great sociology professor inspired a love of of the discipline in me. Two, even though I was in engineering, I was always handling the people side of things in my group: I gave the presentations, I wrote the papers, I was the "face" of our group. I did not leave Mech. Engineering because I was doing poorly. I had a 3.75 in Mech.E. and likewise kept a 3.75 average in Sociology. -I made As and Bs in Math ranging from Statistics to advanced calculus (Math V). -I have published research in education and curriculum design for engineering students. I studied trends in what factors improve grades in the students, and helped design an entirely new curriculum. I presented this research in Pittsburgh and it was selected as one of the top papers in the conference. I took this research and used it to teach incoming professors how to implement this kind of curriculum. I did all of this as a sophomore in college. -I went on to continue studying the effects of the curriculum throughout my sophomore year and the summer, working as a tutor in the engineering department, and collecting data on what students were having the most trouble with. I taught basic engineering math and statistics to incoming freshman in the summer between my Sophomore and Junior year. -I moved on to sociology because I realized that my real passion was in social issues and the peopel side of things. As such, I parted with the department and began to pursue a sociology focused education. -I made straight As in all of my sociology courses. I had a couple Bs in things like history classes, and a single C (the one C that I made in my entire college career) in "Media and culture," an online corrsepondence course where I feel my grades were based on the teachers disagreement with my rather liberal viewpoints on topics. -I was vice president of an environmental club on campus, I was secretary of the largest science club on campus (a 2000 member club), I organized many student evetns and protests, and had success in my off campus endeavors. -I was loved by all of my sociology professors. I was nominted for and won Outstanding Senior Sociology Student, a huge award on my campus. -I am a first generation college student, nobody even up to my 3rd cousin has even attended college. My brother and I are the only ones who are currently attending college in a large extended family. -I got a 1240 on the GRE. My quant score was higher than my verbal score. This was back in 2010, and combined, I think it put me above 75% of applicants. I got a half point bellow perfect on the writing sample. Then I graduated. I applied only to two schools at the time (Rutgers and Oregon), but one of my professors was late with his LORs, and I was not mature enough to truely realize the undertaking that I was attempting. My LORs probably were subpar, my personal statement likely sucked, and my writing sample was not what I would want to show anyone. Getting rejected from both, I instantly had to start working on paying student loans. I got a job as a car salesman, and I'm doing great at it and making money. But I feel empty, it is not what I want to do, it is not utilizing my full potential, and I feel like I am treading water. I have had no ability to improve my stats since then, as car sales is a long hours job. I can't afford to take an internship. Its hard for me to really "advance" my application, and the longer I wait, the more I feel I'm falling behind students that are just getting out of college. This time around, I had a MUCH better personal statement, a MUCH better writing sample, a proposal for research, and I know exactly what I want to get into. I suppose one of my mistakes was not contacting any professors in the universities I was applying to. I was not aware that was something people did until I found this forum. Last week, I did contact some, albeit late, but I'm not getting many responses back. My LORs, I am positive, are stellar. I managed to get a LOR from a very well respected writer for a major magezine. I just got my first UT-Austin rejection. I don't have high hopes for Ann Arbor. Boulder and Seattle MIGHT accept me (and oh my god, if they do, I'm probably going to straight up jump out my pants), but I just have no idea what I can do to make my application more competitive save for taking the GRE again... and if I mess that up, being that its been 3 years since I've been in school, I'm digging myself in deeper. I have no idea what I can do, from this point, to make my application more competitive next time around. If I DONT get accepted anywhere, I need to apply to 15 places next year, and just save up that kind of money. I know that is for sure. I know I need to retake my GRE. Does anyone else have any ideas after seeing this spill all about my stats?

I'd be a perfect fit for that program. I'll apply.

Going to look at all of these masters programs. Only thing I'm worried about is bothering my LOR writers. They were awesome when they wrote them, but I'd hate to let them think that I'm thinking I'm not good enough to get into a PhD program.

What MA programs are still accepting? I'm just about willing to apply to them to hedge my bets.

I don't know what to do afterwards if I don't get accepted anywhere. I've been working as a car salesman just to pay off student loans. I have 300 dollars in loan notes each month, plus rent, plus car insurance, it adds up to like 900 dollars. There is no way an internship is even possible for me... and its hard to keep building on a sociology ap... If I don't get accepted this year, do I give up my dream of being a PhD? I mean I know my stats aren't THAT great, but they arent terrible. 3.75, 1240 GRE, published research (in education though, not sociology), good LORs... But maybe I'm just not special enough. Should I just give up this dream if I don't get accepted this year? I'll be 3 years out of college... I cant honestly think of anything else I'd like to do with my life is the problem.

Already got my first rejection... LSU is an auto accept... so I'll be optimistic 2 acceptance 3 rejection

Anxiety is at an all time high for me. I'm facing possibly not geting accepted to ANY

Thanks guys. I have a lot on my plate right now with absolutely no right answer, unfortunately.

Now that I have a rejection, it makes this even worse... people asking me if I've heard back, and me having to tell them, "Yeah. Austin booted me."

I think I could manage an LSU --- Austin long distance relationship, but that would about cut it. If I went to Boulder, Ann Arbor, or Seattle, that would push things for me, as neither of us would really have the funds to visit each other and we'd be doing our own thing in our own cities for 5 years...

I dunno... Some universities could throw some last day of the month (Friday) decisions. But I am guessing the next big wave of decisions come Feb 3-7th

hahahaha.... Well, I guess the cat was dead ey?

Austin is 8 hours away from LSU... and I really don't want to go to LSU. I suppose if I'm forced to, I will, but I would find that distance of a relationship very hard to maintain. I'm not saying its impossible, but very hard...