2021 Cycle

[joona]

On 2/21/2021 at 3:36 AM, LMSoc said:

Thank you, I appreciate that!

@donaldduckheim @AwesomeWilliam and @LMSoc

 

Got a reply from JHU and it's bad news-

 

"The Sociology Department has sent out their offer letters. We are sorry that you were not accepted. With 182 applications our program is very competitive. You should be receiving official notice from the Admission’s Office today concerning your  application.

We wish you all the best in the future.

Sociology Department

Johns Hopkins University"

 

Hoping for the best for y'all for the rest of your applications and please remember that this has been an insanely intense application season so please don't be too hard on yourself. Love&hugs

Edited February 24, 2021 by joona

[FrigidSky701]

18 minutes ago, Ami said:

I'm just curious if these are programs that say they guarantee funding for all admitted students (in normal times)? Or are they programs that don't guarantee funding per se, but do typically provide funding? 

Baylor University's sociology program - my top choice - guarantees 5 years of funding to all phd students

[donaldduckheim]

7 minutes ago, joona said:

@donaldduckheim and @LMSoc

 

Got a reply from JHU and it's bad news-

Thank you so much for the update! Not surprised, but still.. Boo. Glad they're notifying us though. Getting salty that some other places made their decisions a long time ago but still haven't sent out rejections. I'm sure they have their reasons but I'm getting impatient ?

[AwesomeWilliam]

12 minutes ago, joona said:

@donaldduckheim @AwesomeWilliam and @LMSoc

 

Got a reply from JHU and it's bad news-

 

"The Sociology Department has sent out their offer letters. We are sorry that you were not accepted. With 182 applications our program is very competitive. You should be receiving official notice from the Admission’s Office today concerning your  application.

We wish you all the best in the future.

Sociology Department

Johns Hopkins University"

 

Hoping for the best for y'all for the rest of your applications and please remember that this has been an insanely intense application season so please don't be too hard on yourself. Love&hugs

Expected but still stings

thank you so much for reaching out to them  oh well guess better go back to job hunting now 

[Planted]

24 minutes ago, FrigidSky701 said:

Baylor University's sociology program - my top choice - guarantees 5 years of funding to all phd students

Thanks - you got accepted there and waitlisted for funding? It's crazy to me that programs continue to "guarantee" funding when they don't know if they can follow through on it. I mean, add it to the list of things that programs are doing this cycle that boggle the mind, but still. Hope your package is right around the corner! 

[letmeindotjpg]

1 hour ago, Ami said:

For folks getting admitted but waitlisted for funding - congrats on the admits, and that sounds super frustrating.   I hope your funding comes through soon!!

I'm just curious if these are programs that say they guarantee funding for all admitted students (in normal times)? Or are they programs that don't guarantee funding per se, but do typically provide funding? 

Mine doesn't guarantee it, they just said that "most" students get funding in some way or another. I'm hoping that is still the case given how weird this cycle is. 

[sluggerotoole]

On 2/21/2021 at 10:03 PM, NeckPocket said:

Nothing from Riverside, or any of the UC's except for Berkeley on my end. 

Sluggerotoole, your profile says you're from the UK. Is that current? And have you had a chance to visit Riverside? It's a great program, but the neighborhood and community is far from what people consider California living.

Yes, I'm still in UK! I'm familiar with this part of California (family in the state) and after discussions with a few people, I was just keen on the program/thought it could be a good fit. I'm (hopefully) not under any illusion of what to expect. Thanks for looking out though! ?

[LMSoc]

7 hours ago, joona said:

@donaldduckheim @AwesomeWilliam and @LMSoc

 

Got a reply from JHU and it's bad news-

 

"The Sociology Department has sent out their offer letters. We are sorry that you were not accepted. With 182 applications our program is very competitive. You should be receiving official notice from the Admission’s Office today concerning your  application.

We wish you all the best in the future.

Sociology Department

Johns Hopkins University"

 

Hoping for the best for y'all for the rest of your applications and please remember that this has been an insanely intense application season so please don't be too hard on yourself. Love&hugs

Appreciate you updating us on this, you're a gem! News I was expecting to hear, but good to finally have some closure. I'm not sure why, but I was kind of expecting it would be a higher number for JHU (even though 182 is high, I guess I thought it might be over 200). Nonetheless we tried and have applied to programs in one of the most competitive  cycles but also with all the other worldly stresses! I'm proud of all of us!

Wishing you all the best for the rest of this application cycle! What's meant to be ours will come to us (even if it's not on the timeline we want).

[LMSoc]

7 hours ago, Ami said:

For folks getting admitted but waitlisted for funding - congrats on the admits, and that sounds super frustrating.   I hope your funding comes through soon!!

I'm just curious if these are programs that say they guarantee funding for all admitted students (in normal times)? Or are they programs that don't guarantee funding per se, but do typically provide funding? 

In normal circumstances, I think majority of programs "guarantee" funding, but what that actually includes will vary. Some don't have complete health insurance coverage, others don't cover the full year, and some the monthly stipend isn't a livable wage for the area's standard of living. Most programs I looked at (and all that applied to) said fully funded if accepted. Obviously the pandemic changed some things this cycle (lol I'm waitlisted for money), but I'd say it's highly unusual for PhD programs to not be funded in some way to my knowledge in normal times.

I will say it was frustrating, but I did get clarity on the reasoning and my status with the waitlist process. It seems like most programs are just in unusual and tight spots with money (some are in it because the university at large is giving them directives on what they can and cannot do/offer). Hopefully things pick up and we all get some good news in the funding department!

[fificlear]

Hi all! Long time lurker here. Been really appreciating how helpful and positive this forum is. I want to ask if anyone has any info on UBC Sociology. I saw a few acceptances and rejections on the results page, but have not heard anything from them. Does anyone know if they're done sending out acceptances and waitlists? Would it be a good idea to email them and ask?

[chloealexs]

33 minutes ago, fificlear said:

Hi all! Long time lurker here. Been really appreciating how helpful and positive this forum is. I want to ask if anyone has any info on UBC Sociology. I saw a few acceptances and rejections on the results page, but have not heard anything from them. Does anyone know if they're done sending out acceptances and waitlists? Would it be a good idea to email them and ask?

Hey!! I'm also a lurker lol (love this forum, it's supported me even though I haven't contributed ❤️ ), and I noticed that there were acceptances for UBC (I applied to the Master's program) a few days ago, and then rejections today, but I haven't heard anything. I was planning on waiting a couple days until emailing but it feels so weird for it to be up in the air like this. Glad to know we're in the same boat! Anyone know what this might mean?

[gforgreat]

Those of you who have been accepted to your dream programs (the so-called top 10 programs, ivy league, etc.) what kind of academic experiences do you have? "Fit" to the dept is not something I can (fully) control, but experience is something I can work on over the next few months in the case of reapplying. Comparing is never a good move, but it helps me to see my weak spots - more specifically, weak spots from the perspective of the department. So I am curious, what do you think made you a strong applicant for the program(s) you got into?

[jetsetter]

5 hours ago, gforgreat said:

Those of you who have been accepted to your dream programs (the so-called top 10 programs, ivy league, etc.) what kind of academic experiences do you have? "Fit" to the dept is not something I can (fully) control, but experience is something I can work on over the next few months in the case of reapplying. Comparing is never a good move, but it helps me to see my weak spots - more specifically, weak spots from the perspective of the department. So I am curious, what do you think made you a strong applicant for the program(s) you got into?

I think for me, it was the decision to do a master's before applying to a PhD program that really bolstered my application. This had really consequential effect on the way I wrote and presented my research idea in my SOP (I came from a business background and I wouldn't have been able to frame things in a social scientific way). So if you're pivoting, a MA might be a good idea. Even then, I have been told by several POIs that having an MA is certainly an advantage and has the potential to override your undergrad GPA (if it's subpar, etc.). Unfortunately, MAs are super expensive but luckily, I was able to receive assistance to fund this decision. In this sense, you have "control" over whether or not to do a master's.

Additionally, you can really try and ace the GREs. I think the whole standardized testing scheme is BS and really does not reflect your capability as a graduate student but certain departments really have a penchant for it and they use it to sift out applicants - which is unfortunate. The test is absurdly costly as well. BUT it is something you have relative control over.

Lastly, I would recommend you thoroughly researching various soc programs and really homing in on faculty expertise for research alignment purposes. Review your literature and sharpen your SOP question. I think this can be a real game changer. You can also pick up some new skills along the way, especially if you're more quant. 

Edited February 25, 2021 by jetsetter

[JimmyR]

On 2/24/2021 at 8:42 AM, cec2021 said:

Hey y'all. I have to get on a soap box quickly. I really hate the phrase "full funding". I have been seeing people post in the results section that they have been accepted with "full funding". There is no such thing as full funding. There could always be more funding. Could we start saying "standard funding".  I have been told to my face and in writing that a school will try to match my other offers, and one school gave me recruitment funding. Another didn't, but I know they have some that they do give to some candidates. Point is, "full" implies that you can't get more and that it is enough, which is really not true for the standard offer at most programs. 

This is a great point, thank you! Can you say more about what you mean by "recruitment funding"? 

[JimmyR]

Ok, I have a "tactical" questions for folks. I'm waiting on two decisions (one is an almost certain rejection from my 'reach' school). The one that I still harbor any hope for (it's a non-sociology MA program, FWIW) had a very early application deadline (12/1), and I still haven't heard anything. I broke down and emailed my POI to see if they could tell me anything, even off the record and probabilistic. 

They said I shouldn't assume that I wasn't going to be accepted, but that funding is an issue this cycle. They then asked me if I had been admitted anywhere else. 

I don't want to be rude and not reply, especially after they replied to my questions so quickly. I have been accepted with funding, to a department I would be very happy at. Do you think giving those details is advantageous or disadvantageous? I can imagine either -- the details making them want to "compete" for me (although this seems unlikely for an MA position), or the details making it easier to reject me, as the POI would know I will land somewhere. 

I'm probably overthinking, but aren't we all at this point? Thanks in advance, and best of luck to you all for some good news today! 

[PopStudies]

13 minutes ago, JimmyR said:

Ok, I have a "tactical" questions for folks. I'm waiting on two decisions (one is an almost certain rejection from my 'reach' school). The one that I still harbor any hope for (it's a non-sociology MA program, FWIW) had a very early application deadline (12/1), and I still haven't heard anything. I broke down and emailed my POI to see if they could tell me anything, even off the record and probabilistic. 

They said I shouldn't assume that I wasn't going to be accepted, but that funding is an issue this cycle. They then asked me if I had been admitted anywhere else. 

I don't want to be rude and not reply, especially after they replied to my questions so quickly. I have been accepted with funding, to a department I would be very happy at. Do you think giving those details is advantageous or disadvantageous? I can imagine either -- the details making them want to "compete" for me (although this seems unlikely for an MA position), or the details making it easier to reject me, as the POI would know I will land somewhere. 

I'm probably overthinking, but aren't we all at this point? Thanks in advance, and best of luck to you all for some good news today! 

It's best to be honest, BUT if this master's program is the school you want to go to then you can make that clear in your response as well. If you were to say that you were accepted somewhere with funding then they may not reject you, but you might end up waitlisted for funding. A simple yes may work against you, but also weigh your options and think about which direction you want to go if you were to receive an offer. 

Edited February 25, 2021 by PopStudies

[SleeplessInSomewhere]

Popping in to say hello and hope everyone is holding up okay - saw that there were 666 replies on this thread and wanted to bump it up to 667. ?

[letsgetit21]

50 minutes ago, JimmyR said:

Ok, I have a "tactical" questions for folks. I'm waiting on two decisions (one is an almost certain rejection from my 'reach' school). The one that I still harbor any hope for (it's a non-sociology MA program, FWIW) had a very early application deadline (12/1), and I still haven't heard anything. I broke down and emailed my POI to see if they could tell me anything, even off the record and probabilistic. 

They said I shouldn't assume that I wasn't going to be accepted, but that funding is an issue this cycle. They then asked me if I had been admitted anywhere else. 

I don't want to be rude and not reply, especially after they replied to my questions so quickly. I have been accepted with funding, to a department I would be very happy at. Do you think giving those details is advantageous or disadvantageous? I can imagine either -- the details making them want to "compete" for me (although this seems unlikely for an MA position), or the details making it easier to reject me, as the POI would know I will land somewhere. 

I'm probably overthinking, but aren't we all at this point? Thanks in advance, and best of luck to you all for some good news today! 

I'd agree with @PopStudieshere. If this MA program is something you really want, I'd respond with

Yes, I have been offered admission at University X with funding. However, I feel I'd be an excellent fit at MA University and I am open to considering all opportunities presented. 

Just like a job, if they want you there, they'll compete for you and telling them you've already been admitted elsewhere would just heighten the competition for you. 

[glee1111]

Has anyone who got into Cornell received their funding package?

[townny]

25 minutes ago, letsgetit21 said:

I'd agree with @PopStudieshere. If this MA program is something you really want, I'd respond with

Yes, I have been offered admission at University X with funding. However, I feel I'd be an excellent fit at MA University and I am open to considering all opportunities presented. 

Just like a job, if they want you there, they'll compete for you and telling them you've already been admitted elsewhere would just heighten the competition for you. 

I think this is sound advice. In fact, I did something similar a few weeks ago where I told one of my waitlisted schools that I had another offer. The next morning, they accepted me with funding. 

[JimmyR]

30 minutes ago, townny said:

I think this is sound advice. In fact, I did something similar a few weeks ago where I told one of my waitlisted schools that I had another offer. The next morning, they accepted me with funding. 

Many thanks, @townny

@PopStudies @letsgetit21

!

[cec2021]

3 hours ago, JimmyR said:

This is a great point, thank you! Can you say more about what you mean by "recruitment funding"? 

Sure. It is a lump sum amount that they have offered to give in the spring of my first 2 years, in addition to TA/RA funding. Some other programs might call it top up funding or something. This school was clear in their grad handbook that it is money to try to get you to go there. 

[gforgreat]

Hi all, what do you think about reapplying to programs that had previously rejected you? 

[letmeindotjpg]

39 minutes ago, gforgreat said:

Hi all, what do you think about reapplying to programs that had previously rejected you? 

Do it. There's nothing wrong with it and nobody is going to think anything negative of you because you did it. 

[__both__]

4 hours ago, glee1111 said:

Has anyone who got into Cornell received their funding package?

I haven't yet