Applicant Rubric

[CurrentSocPhD]

There are entire threads dedicated to what you will be evaluated based on/what matters...and now I have the ability to actually share it. This is not my normal profile, I don't want to be identified/get in trouble for sharing. I hope it helps some of you to understand this year's results and helps those preparing for future years. This is for a program that does consider the GRE (although, they are in talks to not include this in the future so I am unsure which parts of the rubric change or if the point totals just decrease). 

This is just for one university (and is not finalized, it is being reworked):

 

Component & Max Points	Points values
Research  Max = 4	3:  Outstanding; includes publications, presentations, awards, etc.  2:  Good; includes UG research experience or work related research experience 1:  Limited 0:  No research experience +1 extra for McNair Scholar, Honors thesis, etc.
Letters of Recommendation  Max = 3	3:  very strong letters 2:  moderately strong letters 1:  average letters -1:  below average / red flag in letters
Sociological/social science knowledge / experience  Max = 2	2:  sociology major; substantial experience 1:  other social science major; substantial social science coursework 0: no social science coursework
UGPA  Max = 3	3:  3.7 to 4.0 2:  3.2 to 3.69 1:  3.0 to 3.19 0:  < 3.0
Personal statement  Max = 5	4:  strong fit in Sociology + Faculty 3:  good fit in Sociology + Faculty 2:  good fit in Sociology OR Faculty 1: unclear fit in Sociology + Faculty 0: poor fit in Sociology + Faculty  +1 extra for hardship, disadvantage
Writing Sample Max = 3	3: Strong; Excellent framing/flow/writing 2:  1: Adequate 0: Weak; Poor framing/flow/writing
GRE Quantitative Reasoning  Max = 2	2:  above 70th percentile 1:  > 30th and < 70th 0:  less than 30th
GRE Analytical Writing  Max = 2	2:  above 70th percentile 1:  > 40th to < 70th 0:  less than 40th
GRE Verbal Reasoning  Max = 1	1:  Above/equal to the 40th percentile 0:  below 40th percentile
Total Score:	20–25: 1st tier 15–19: 2nd tier 0–14: 3rd tier / do not admit

[lkaitlyn]

Care to share any info about what school this is for? Even just a ranking or location range? This seems very strangely numeric for a lot of programs.

[CurrentSocPhD]

5 minutes ago, lkaitlyn said:

Care to share any info about what school this is for? Even just a ranking or location range? This seems very strangely numeric for a lot of programs.

It is for a top 30-40 range ranked program (depending on the ranking website and year). I don't feel comfortable giving much more information because I don't think they wanted us to share (but it got sent out to all graduate students by accident so it felt safe to share/harder for them to pin it on one of us). 

[lkaitlyn]

2 hours ago, CurrentSocPhD said:

It is for a top 30-40 range ranked program (depending on the ranking website and year). I don't feel comfortable giving much more information because I don't think they wanted us to share (but it got sent out to all graduate students by accident so it felt safe to share/harder for them to pin it on one of us). 

Oh fail re: the mass email. That's a bit funny.