That Guy

My only experience with terminal MA programs is with unranked programs in the Rocky Mountain region.

If you can talk specifically about how it pertains to your research interests and how it gives you insight into a method, group of theories, or a relevant body of literature then you might be able to make it work for you. It will just take some effort on polishing how you speak about it.

I let CSU know yesterday that I was not coming to their program. Hope that frees up a spot for you.

Committed to Cal-Davis today.

I got my MA and recently was accepted at 2 PhD programs for this upcoming fall (yet to decide which one I will go to). I chose the MA route after applying to PhD programs straight out of my undergrad with no success. That March I scrambled to find terminal MA programs in my region that had rolling admissions, or late deadlines. Ultimately the school I chose was able to give me some funding for my first year and a promise of funding for my second year of the program. I got my MA from an unranked agricultural school where the MA is the terminal degree. It was nice being at the top of the student food chain as an MA student and not have to fight for attention as I navigated the process of developing my own research. Additionally the cohort size of 5 allowed ample opportunity for collaboration without competition. As I applied to PhD programs I had ample support from the faculty and my advisor helped to develop an application strategy for finding PhD programs that fit my interests and had personal network connections to the faculty at my school. Coming from an unranked terminal MA program, we felt that networking seemed to be especially crucial. I felt like I had to overcome the (lack of a) reputation for the school I was at when applying this year. Ultimately, I found the MA process was incredibly beneficial and helped me with two major aspects of professional development. 1) I improved my CV substantially. I gained experience as an RA and TA, I published, and ran my first independent research project. 2) I began to develop my professional identity, substantive interests, and a long term research agenda with an eye towards entry into a PhD program and eventual entry into the job market. My advice to you if you are considering a terminal MA program: 1) Investigate what their student outcomes are. Do they typically prepare students for non-academic jobs (my school) or are they set up to feed students to PhD programs? 2) Thouroughly check out the faculty, just as you would at a PhD program. Who do they seem to be networked with? 3) What is the reputation of the school at the places where you would like to be for your PhD. Is its reputation local, regional, or national? This factor is likely to influence what schools will respect a degree from your chosen MA program. 4) Be prepared to repeat coursework when you get to a PhD program. I have found (at the 3 schools I have talked to) that having an MA from another school rarely helps to accelerate the timeline of how long it takes to get a PhD from whichever school you end up at. (Schools want the time to mold you as one of THEIR students). I hope this rambling mess helps.

My friends and I had this discussion and attempted to come up with a list of the worst reasons to pick one school over another. This is what we got: Which mascot could win in a fight? Which faculty could win in a thumb war, pie-eating contest, or free-style rap battle? Is it a dry campus? (Wait....this one might be legit. #dissertation) The ratio of coffee shops or cafes to student population. The willingness and/or ability for a student riot. Which college has had the best famous person go there?

I have been accepted to CSU and UC-Davis. I visit UC-Davis this upcoming week, but the real driving factor in my decision is what schools my wife gets into in earth sciences. I will probably be telling CSU/UC-Davis my decision around the first of April. Sorry to keep a spot hanging.....

I would think that it depends on the department/program you are applying to. Some academics are misttrustful of activism as a qualification for a position, while others feel that the discipline is not nearly as involved in affecting social change as it needs to be. Get a feel for who your audience is by looking at their CVs and the CVs of current students to see if activism is seen in a positive light there. However, at the end of the day, if you feel activism is a core part of who you are include it anyway. Do not misrepresent who you are just to get a spot. If a program is so misttrustful of activism that it would cause problems for you, odds are you probably would not be happy there anyway.

Try writing some papers and submitting them to the American Sociological Association conference student section. The call for papers is usually around December/January and you would probably know around March if your paper was accepted. That way when it comes time to apply you can have some papers at least marked at "under review" on your CV

I plan on doing all those neat, quirky local things that I always wanted to do but never seemed to get around to. That odd looking bar on the edge of town, local museums, hiking trails, try restaurants I haven't been to, and use my grill so often it breaks!

Last year I was waitlisted at two institutions (ultimately did not get in). My advisor reccomended that there really isn't anything you can do other than to follow up once to let them know you remain interested, and then once again would be appropriate on the 1st of April.

I have heard absolutely nothing from Rutgers at this point, no interviews, nothing. Based on your experience I believe it likely that I too have been rejected.... just not notified.

Has anyone heard any scuttlebutt coming out of the programs at Rutgers or Minnesota (Twin Cities)? Those are the only two programs I have not had any word from.