Received almost all the rejections --- looking for some advice

[Tillyfan]

Not sure if my case is a typical one, but I would appreciate any advice and comments. Many thanks.

My status:

Applied for 6 top programs in the state (including Chicago, Harvard, Stanford, and Michigan), but only got rejections so far. I am pretty sure that I will be rejected by the remaining ones. Pretty sure that I can continue my study in my current program.

My profile:

MA student, will receive my degree soon. Studying in a sociology department which is ranked around 35-45 in 2011 US news. I have huge support from two of the best profs in the faculty, and both of them graduated from Top5 programs in the States.

Undergrad: a top one in my home country. I got my BS in another field of social science, though the school does not mainly focus on this area.

Grad GPA: 3.93

Recommendations: all from my profs in this program, and I believe that they are good.

GRE: 580v, 780q, 4.0w (yea, that's low )

PS: Was reviewed by my favorite Prof here and he thinks that it's good. Though I am not sure.

Focus: social movements, political sociology, historical/comparative sociology

Possible solutions:

1. Quit and reapply 2. Get into the Ph.D program here and reapply in fall 3. Stay here. But actually I would like to stay in the States and become a researcher or if possible, a professor.

Thanks again

[samoth]

Hi there, Tillyfan.

First of all I do hope you'll be surprised with an acceptance from one of the remaining programs.

However, if you do decide to reapply one thing I'd strongly recommend to you is to email the departments you were rejected by and ask if they could comment on what would make your application a stronger one for next year. Some of them won't answer, but even if one agrees to give you some feedback it would be much more helpful than anything we could say on this forum.

Some departments / admissions offices actually have an address in their FAQs for people who wish to know more about their rejection. In other cases, an email to the department registrar could do the job. In any case, I am sure that a well written (not reproachful!) email would get some attention from at least some departments, especially if you state your intention to reapply.

Best of luck!

Not sure if my case is a typical one, but I would appreciate any advice and comments. Many thanks.

My status:

Applied for 6 top programs in the state (including Chicago, Harvard, Stanford, and Michigan), but only got rejections so far. I am pretty sure that I will be rejected by the remaining ones. Pretty sure that I can continue my study in my current program.

My profile:

MA student, will receive my degree soon. Studying in a sociology department which is ranked around 35-45 in 2011 US news. I have huge support from two of the best profs in the faculty, and both of them graduated from Top5 programs in the States.

Undergrad: a top one in my home country. I got my BS in another field of social science, though the school does not mainly focus on this area.

Grad GPA: 3.93

Recommendations: all from my profs in this program, and I believe that they are good.

GRE: 580v, 780q, 4.0w (yea, that's low )

PS: Was reviewed by my favorite Prof here and he thinks that it's good. Though I am not sure.

Focus: social movements, political sociology, historical/comparative sociology

Possible solutions:

1. Quit and reapply 2. Get into the Ph.D program here and reapply in fall 3. Stay here. But actually I would like to stay in the States and become a researcher or if possible, a professor.

Thanks again