amlobo

Last year I had two visits that conflicted, and the other school arranged for me to come another day, and I set up my own meetings with professors and grad students and such. They still gave me the full visit stipend. It wasn't UNC or Ohio State, but I'm sure they'd work with you

"Practically" speaking, when I applied, I really only applied to top 30 universities and would say my list leaned toward mostly top 20 programs. Part of that was the fact that universities doing the research I wanted to do happened to be in the top 30... and part was strategic in that I want a shot at a job in academia at the end of all of this. After getting into programs, it became very clear to me which program would be best for me. I think placement rates, the "culture" of the department, the fit of my general interests, and the program's resources were all part of my decision. I visited a few schools, and one just stood out above the rest... people were doing the kinds of research I wanted to do and accomplishing the kinds of things I knew I needed to. In the end, the real decision becomes very individual because not everyone wants the same things... and not everyone responds to the same style of department/advisor.

^^This! Last year, people kept posting acceptances and rejections from a particular program... and I never heard anything. April rolled around, and I finally got an email from the program informing me that I had been accepted (off some sort of waitlist, I suppose). I didn't end up attending that school, but the moral of the story is that it really *isn't* over until you get an official rejection. I remember this anxious freak-out time last year very well... hope you are all holding up ok (other than the normal "checking gradcafe/email/app status every 5 minutes" compulsion...) Best of luck!!

The ones I visited had a set "ceiling" on the amount they would pay. It would probably depend on the school's protocol; I'd ask any program where you get admitted.

Every school is different, and some might give info on the stipend in a later email. But, I agree with Maleficent - it's perfectly fine to just ask. I visited a few schools last year, and each one had a different amount/arrangement - some provided accommodations, while some didn't and just gave a higher stipend.

Most schools will invite you for a visit day after you are accepted. March is the prime time for admitted student visits; when you get your acceptance, the school will probably include information on the dates of the visit and how much of a travel stipend they will give you. Visits generally have scheduled activities, with presentations on the program, dinners with faculty/current students, and time to meet with specific professors. It's really a time for you to get to know the program better and have all of your questions answered. I thought the best part was meeting with current students and professors; it really helped solidify my decision as to which school to attend. The visits were laid-back and enjoyable - plus, free trips! Rice, Notre Dame, and Emory are the only schools I know of who have "interviews". So, when you are invited to those interview visits, you are basically on a "short list" of applicants, and the interviews help them make their final decisions.

Last year, I only emailed professors when they were the only person I could work with at a school, to make sure they could advise me if I did get in. Where there were multiple professors in my area, I didn't bother. I definitely don't think it's necessary. The professors who ended up showing the most interest in me, I never contacted - I just mentioned them in my SOP. The ones I did contact responded just encouraging me to apply and telling me to contact them with any questions about the program; I really don't think it made a difference. So, basically, it's not going to hurt you, but I don't think it really "helps" much either, beyond just seeing if the professor is taking new students or would be a good fit for your interests. Best of luck!

Just FYI, last year, the first school to notify was in late January... then they continued up until March (then, waitlist admits up until April 15). Just so none of you guys stress too much over the holidays. Enjoy the lull

I had the same decision to make last year, and I ultimately decided to apply to their straight Sociology program instead of SHIPS. I will echo what Aaron and jacib have said above and say that part of it was that I was afraid of the marketability of a more specialized degree within academia. Another part was that I felt my interests didn't fit squarely enough in the Soc of Ed program, and Sociology gave me a bit more freedom. I ultimately did not get in to Stanford, but in my current program, I am in the Sociology department and have already started developing relationships with Education professors who are in my workgroup, and quite a few Sociology students have advisors who are Education professors. I also will say I agree with jacib that in this case, contacting a current student might be a good idea. I'd pick a Sociology student who studies education and ask them about the difference between the programs; I think they will probably be straight with you about it. Good luck!

I think one way would be to discuss "how" a professor conducts their research. So, if they are in your broader area and employ the methods you want to use or "see" a similar issue the way you see yours, that is a way to argue a fit. Another way would be to find a department with a critical mass of people (could be as few as 2, really) that are "adjacent" to your interests, to show how the department's strengths overall would contribute to your development. So, it could be that this person studies disasters, and this person studies urban sociology, or perhaps multiple cultural people could support your interests methodologically. Just some examples And, I would look at affiliated faculty, as well (as long as they have a practice of advising sociology students). I was admitted to one school where my best fit was with a professor in a different department, who was only "affiliated" with the sociology department... but who had a history of advising sociology students (I contacted her ahead of time to check before mentioning her in my SOP). And, just remember that cohort size does not equal # of admits. For instance, at NYU, say they aim for a cohort of 8... they probably admit at least twice as many to obtain that yield. Obviously, all of these schools are still selective, but even the top schools are admitting probably twice as many people as their intended cohort size, so just keep that in mind so you can gauge your chances accordingly.

Good luck! Vocab was my weakest area going in to the GRE, so those flashcards definitely became my friend. Lol. I think 80th percentile is a great goal because I remember seeing a few top schools' websites indicate that they considered "strong" GRE scores to be 80th percentile or higher.

Mine were 165/165/5.0. But, I will say that I also know people with similar GPAs that got in to very good schools with lower GREs than mine. I don't feel like there is a cut and dry "formula" for GPA/GRE combos... but certainly, having one of them be high can help keep you "in the pile" at top schools.

I would say that you should definitely apply to more than just Yale and NYU; Yale is selective and NYU might have the lowest acceptance rate in the country. I think perhaps you are approaching the "fit" issue a bit too narrowly and that you might need to be more creative in seeing how different advisors would serve your interests. For instance, you said your interests are more cultural, so you might be able to find a cultural sociologist who could support your research, even if they aren't doing the exact "topic" you are interested in. And, the same with environmental sociologists - they may be tackling similar issues but from a different perspective. If your interests are a bit unique, it would be worth contacting some of these professors who may not be a perfect fit, just to see if they would be interested. They might even have other professors to recommend to you, who knows. If you do have people you want to work with (ie - the Yale and NYU folks), reach out to them first, of course. It might serve you well to post a new thread asking about advice on programs/professors for your interests, as I think you might get better responses rather than becoming buried in this big thread.

I had around a 3.4 UG GPA (also not in sociology), and I got in to multiple programs. Granted, I was not straight out of UG, so I'm not sure how much my GPA really mattered in the grand scheme of things. I tried to focus on rocking the GRE since I knew my GPA was a bit low (and I could still "affect" my GRE score - my GPA was out of my hands, lol), and I spent a lot of time on the rest of my application to make sure the GPA was outweighed by the rest of the "package." If you are aiming for top schools, I'd say you might need the rest of your application to be a bit better to offset the GPA (research experience, GRE, SOP, whatever). But, hardly anyone has a perfect application; almost everyone has some weak spot. So, it is not something I'd worry too much about. If you have a good fit with the university and your application is strong overall, I think a 3.4 won't limit your options.

I applied geographically, in that I only applied to schools within cities of a decent size, for my husband's job prospects. But, I was very fortunate in the fact that most of the schools that fit my interests were also in places where he could work without real issues. There were a few schools where I did not apply because of location (ie Penn State, Indiana), but I would say to apply to a few Florida schools if you want to stay, but also expand a bit to give yourself some options. You never know how you will feel when you actually get in and start weighing schools. I definitely wouldn't apply anywhere that you "couldn't" move to... but in the same vein, I wouldn't apply somewhere "solely" for location that didn't fit your research interests. Best of luck!

No one can tell you your actual chances, as you acknowledged. While your perfect verbal may keep you "in the pile" at top universities, if you are an otherwise strong candidate (as you sound to be), your chances will largely depend on your fit at the university. I wouldn't apply to top schools just to apply to top schools, if you don't have a good research fit. Apply where you think you can do your best work, and explain in your SOP why that place is *that* school. I would find schools that could support your research and are in a range of rankings... apply to a few top 10, 20, 30, etc.

Check out NYU. I know some people there are doing similar work.

Ok, first look at what I posted in this thread: Now, let me clarify beyond what Bradley said, since I am a JD to PhD, as well. Law school GPA is a completely different beast than UG GPA. As you will see in my other post, my law school GPA was a 3.3-something, and I didn't feel the need to address it in my SOP (and it wasn't even from a top-tier school). Law school grades are curved, and GPAs are much lower than UG GPAs because of it...and thus can't be compared to them, really, at all. I was like you - did poorly in the huge courses and very well in my seminars and writing courses. I had a much lower UG GPA than you (3.4-something), though from a top 15 school, and I had high GREs. I was very happy with my admissions cycle and got in to a few top 15s. So, obviously, law school GPA is not the be-all end-all of grad admissions. However, I do think you need to have a compelling case as to why you are switching gears... and just keep the rest of your application as tight as possible. I studied a lot for the GREs specifically so my score would offset the lower GPAs a bit, and I put a ton of time and effort into the rest of my application... and well, something worked. Your GPA is what it is, and it's just one factor of many... so I'd just focus on making the ones you can control as good as possible. I would really spend some time thinking about what you want out of grad school before picking a list of schools. I'm sure a lot of schools would fit your interests, and I'd apply to a range of rankings - I definitely think I got in to schools where I "fit" better, regardless of ranking. You never know where you will get in, and if you are interested more in teaching, a mid-ranked school could still fit your goals nicely, as well. Just a word of advice on your SOP - don't trash the law, lol. A lot of people will see your background as an asset, so I'd focus your energies on explaining why you feel sociology is a "better" route for your interests and how your legal experience will benefit you. After all, the "skills" you learn in law school are incredibly transferable as far as critical thinking ... and even just finishing a rigorous course of study. If you took classes in your area of interest, that's definitely a plus. I was sure to bring up that kind of thing in my SOP, to show the progression of my interests (and used a paper from one of said law classes as my writing sample, with some editing). And, as far as the "will you like it?" goes... only you can answer that. Personally, I wouldn't go through the time, money, and energy in applying if you aren't really serious about finishing a PhD program. Worst case scenario, wait another year to apply and really think about it. Also... if that full ride to UCLA Law was a merit scholarship, be sure to put that on your CV

I was actually History/PoliSci undergrad, and I switched to Sociology for grad school. I had a variety of letters, but none from sociology profs. And, I was very happy with how my season turned out, so I would say it didn't hurt me at all I would go with who you think can give you the best letters, whatever discipline they are.

I'm starting a sociology PhD program this fall, and I was a practicing attorney beforehand, so perhaps I can provide some insight. My law school grades were not stellar... I had a little over a 3.3 (though I did have some academic awards, law journal, and a law journal publication, so perhaps that helped?). And, I got in to multiple programs. I did have a reasonably strong application otherwise and was able to explain how my legal education was an asset, which I think is the main thing you need to do with having a JD. Law school is incredibly different from grad school, and I think adcomms know that. So, I really don't think law school grades are that relevant. I would simply point out where you excelled and how that pertains to grad school. I focused very much on my background in the subject matter I wanted to study (education). The experience of law school itself is the asset, in my opinion, as it gives you a new way of thinking and improves your analytical skills. Many profs I talked to said they thought the analytical and persuasive nature of legal education prepares students very well for a career in sociological research. One prof told me that one of the hardest things for grad students to grasp is understanding how to write for your audience, which is incredibly important in getting published; you need to be persuasive but also simply be able to comprehend how to approach a topic to make it appealing to your target audience. Ok, that more than answered your question, but I hope it helps! Feel free to PM me if you have other questions. I found this site to be incredibly helpful when I applied, so good luck to you!

When I visited, I met one person who lived in North Austin. He was married with kids, so it was the only way he could find something affordable; he said he took the bus, and it was fine. Everyone else I talked to lived close to campus, but, that said... my husband and I are planning to buy a place farther out after renting for the first year. I think the social aspect won't be bad, especially since you'll be at school so much anyway and can always go out "in the city" instead of close to where you live. If you are worried about affordability, I'd maybe look for a room in a house with other students or sharing an apartment - you can get a lot more bang for your buck that way! We are looking closer to campus for the first year, and we are using an apartment locator whose name we got from a friend. I am moving at the beginning of July because I'm starting my assistantship early, and we are planning to make a trip down to look at apartments with our agent in a few weeks.

Hello all! Now that this year’s application season is over, I just wanted to take a moment to express my appreciation to all of the members of the Soc board for their guidance over the past year. A little over a year ago, I came to gradcafe seeking support and information in my quest to change careers. When I joined gradcafe, I was 6 years out of undergrad, 3 years out of law school, and had never taken a sociology class in my life. Basically, I was clueless about just about everything. I did not think I would be applying this year, but my circumstances changed and, with them, my plans. I suddenly found myself feeling dreadfully unprepared for the application season that awaited… and this board was really my only source of information for sociology admissions. Everyone on the board was incredibly patient and helpful over the long and stressful months that followed. The advice I received and, more importantly, the friendships I made on this board provided invaluable support and guidance over the past year. I will be attending one of my top choices in the fall, and I know it is due in large part to all of you. So, please accept my sincerest thanks for your role in helping me turn what I thought was a pipe dream into reality. I am looking forward to this new adventure...

I'm not in your discipline, but I'm almost 29, and I had a very successful application season and will be starting a PhD program at one of my top choices this fall. I had the same experience as the other poster - my age and background were really a "plus" for me. I am coming from an established career in another field, so I was advised to explain my transition in my SOP, which I did. One of the schools where I was admitted, hardly anyone was straight out of undergrad, so I got the feeling it was a common path; I think the nontraditional students might just be a bit underrepresented on a site like this. As far as the "beyond" applications... I really can't comment since I haven't started. I am a bit wary of being 7 years older than some of the other students, but I am not really worried. I have wondered how being older will affect my ultimate job search, but many people have assured me that it won't matter in my field - that I am actually the "average" age for a PhD student. Just think, if you finish in your 30s, you will still have around 30 years of work ahead of you - I don't think 7 years is going to make much difference... at least that's how I look at it

I won't lie; it was a lot of work! I am a huge nerd and love editing, but cite checking was the pits. Editing my issue, while grading the write-on competition, was probably the most hellishly busy time of my life... but very rewarding.

I second the idea of an apartment locator if you have specific requirements. I looked at A LOT of apartment complexes, and none of them were furnished, except for a few places that offered "executive apartments"... which are pricey because they are meant to be short-term. I know a student in my program was looking for someone to take over their lease (and their furniture) while they were abroad for a year... so I'd try checking the university website for off-campus housing to see if you can find something furnished: http://www.utexas.edu/provost/housing/ Also, UT has campus housing for grad students (apartment or UG dorm)... might be worth a look if you're worried about furnishing. Also, if you can find a room in a shared house, the current students might already have furnished most of it.