bluefoxblue

WOW! that's awesome! what a game-changer!!! that's a great program. Good luck and congrats

FINALLY rejected by Vanderbilt. And with that, I've heard back from all programs.

Accepted to UC Irvine! 
It's a late acceptance and my only acceptance so I'm trying to not go crazy and consider my options for next year. Anyone else heading to UCI?

Accepted to UC Irvine! 
It's a late acceptance and my only acceptance so I'm trying to not go crazy and consider my options for next year. Anyone else heading to UCI?

Yes @bluefoxblue it's definitely good to find a place to air out these thoughts/concerns!  I've been out of school for nearly nine years.  whaat??  I feel super self conscious about it and a bit doubtful of my idea to jump back into the grad school fold, but on the other hand I feel like the experiences will be relevant and help me manage my time better and it's something I've always wanted to do.  I feel like when I got married there were so many voices of doubt when my husband and I decided to go abroad instead of settle down and start a family that one thing we've learned is to trust ourselves more with decision making instead of doubting ourselves so much.  Everyone's got a path, and only we can choose our own .... 

I'm feeling awkward, too. hahaha  I'm 32 and just applying to a PhD now.  I have a lot of friends who are on their tail end of PhDs and some who are more settled in jobs.  I also know a couple people with grown kids and established careers that are jumping back into a PhD, but I feel like they have a bit more stability in their lives...  I have had really good, really interesting jobs and international experiences which I wouldn't trade at all, but it does feel like it's a bit of strange time to start a PhD.  
About the family thing -- I've been really surprised at how much more family-friendly programs are becoming.  We don't have any kids but we're thinking about starting a family while I'm in the program.   A good friend of mine struggled with infertility (which  I'm discovering is super common) towards the tail end of PhD program said and her advice, for what it's worth was, "If you don't think you're ready, then that's one thing, and you should listen to it.  But, if you really want to start a family now do it, and work with the program to find accommodations because there are a lot of ways to manage it.  Sometimes you wait and wait for the best time but there really is no best time and you find it's too late."   Lots of people disagree with this, and that's totally fine.  It's such a personal decision.  But of all the conversations I've had that piece of advice resonated the most... 

And hang in there @HopefulSocPhD I can very much relate. I'm also a teacher and an older applicant. In fact, at 40, I'm more of an outlier. Although I have some research experience from undergrad and grad studies, none of it is directly related to the type of research I'd like to pursue in a sociology phd program (my recommenders were anthropology and poli sci professors). I'm also transgender and my proposed project relates to the emergence of the transgender rights movement so my research agenda isn't a "great fit" with too many departments out there. In other words, I'm not an easy sell. But even though this application round has been soul-crushing thus far, I'm not giving up. As per the helpful advice of many of you, I'll look for research positions for the coming year, revise my writing sample, start contacting professors whose work interests me, and maybe even try to publish a paper or two (though first I have to write something of publishable quality!)
Hugs to all my fellow applicants who have seen nothing but rejections thus far. We'll be ok! 

hey berkeley soc, 
 

same. for all we know the lucky few have been notified and just don't post here. i mean, only like 2-3 people post acceptances in the survey each year. small #

wow wow wow. Congrats to all that have received a flurry of good news today! Sympathetic and empathetic feels to those "denied admission" or waiting ANY NEWS.
No one has heard anything from UC Berkeley? Waiting........a lifetime. 

feeling mostly jealous right now and increasingly concerned, doubting myself and whether these departments have received my materials at all. What is the difference between someone who doesn't get in anywhere and someone who has their pick of three to four admits, already this early in the game? it's not black and white, "they are better and I am worse." This process is so strange. I wish us all the best. 

That same thing happened to me!!! Except it was for a writing sample. They admitted that their system was backed up though. Still haven't heard from them......
But....is it late in the game?Nervous about not hearing anything other than one rejection. 
P.S. - Your username is priming me to eat ramen for dinner tonight, on top of the dinner I already ate.