2025-26 Applicants!!

[honeydew]

Hi all! Thought I'd make a post on here for those of us applying to Sociology PhD programs this cycle. Hopefully this can be a space to discuss application progress and updates, tips and tricks, and general venting. Can't wait to hear from everyone! 

My stats/academic background: I am coming from an R1 & top 10 global university (2025 graduate), majored in Sociology w departmental honors, 3.84 GPA, ~2 years of research experience and counting, TAing experience, soc department diversity ug rep, 3 papers in preparation for publication at academic journals, received awards for my undergrad honors thesis from both the soc dept and the university, and I am now currently employed part-time as an RA by my university (in a gap year). I recently took the GRE for the first time and kind of bombed (with the exception of my awa score) -- so that is certainly going to be the weak spot in my application. Luckily, many of the schools I am thinking of applying to are GRE optional or don't accept scores at all. 

My current feelings on grad apps: I am feeling truly just overwhelmed. I'd say the area I am struggling in the most is narrowing my list. Ha. I thought that would be the easiest part! I have about 16 schools on it currently and am aware this is likely just too many schools. At the same time, I decided upon those 16 schools very intentionally and each and every one has strengths in my area of research, 2-3 faculty I would love to work under, and would be personally sustainable for a variety of reasons. I would love to go to a top 20 program. I want to apply to all of them and for some reason have it in my head that it will be feasible, but I want to be thoughtful and realistic and don't want to screw myself. I also feel embarrassed and nervous to send my list of schools to my recommenders since it is long and competitive. How are you all narrowing your lists? How is application material crafting going??

[julesevar]

Looking for funded MA programs in sociology. I have looked at a variety of online programs but they are mostly too quantitative for me and mostly self pay. I am interested in either minimal statistics classes or just one.  If I can take a test to waive out of statistics I would like the opportunity. I am interested in theory, politics, culture and qualitative methods.  I can see that statistics (could) be important for some applied sociological work, but I don't understand why some departments want 2 (or more) quantitative/statistical classes or methods classes. Any suggestions?

[coolcat6]

I've just finished my master's dissertation at the University of Edinburgh this summer and now I'm applying to PhD programs this fall. I'm a bit limited in where I can apply this cycle because I'm not applying to programs that require the GRE. Due to writing a dissertation this summer and studying full time the last two semesters, I don't believe I've had enough time to study for the GRE and get a good score. Maybe I'll study some more and take it just to see if I get a good enough score somehow, but I just don't feel prepared at the moment and I'm not sure if there is enough time left to study and take it for this application cycle. My top choice is Northwestern anyway and they don't require the GRE; therefore, while I'll apply to a couple other programs, I figured I'd focus most of my energy this cycle on the application to Northwestern. My interests are culture, family, displacement, and immigration. At the moment I'm stressing about the personal statement and would appreciate any tips! Wishing all of us good lock on this PhD cycle!