Applying from masters to PhD at same school

[kmt65]

Curious if folks have experience applying to PhD programs where they know a number of the faculty already. I'm currently in a master's program in a school of policy, and am applying to the (top 20) sociology PhD program at that school. Both of my masters thesis readers are on faculty in the sociology department, and both have offered to write letters of recommendation. Does it come across as strange to apply to a program with letters of recommendation from faculty in that program?

 

My application is otherwise strong: high undergrad GPA, GRE scores in the 160s, and multiple publications / reports as a lead researcher at a national think tank

 

Thanks!

[sociopolitic]

If they're good letters, I think this can only help you. One of my letter writers had just started a job at one of the programs to which I was applying, and he was CC'd in my acceptance email. (Then again, he was one of the people I'd mentioned in my SOP.)