Advice for 2012 Sociology Applicants

[jacib]

So last year we made a big long topic called I think there is a lot of good advice in there, and I thought it would might be useful for some of you to add to, emphasize, or critique that advice.

Basically, what do you know now that you wish you knew months ago? What do you guys think were the key elements of your success? What do you wish you had done differently? Which old threads had particularly useful advice? What did you find out the hard way? What did you learn about Sociology applications specifically and graduate school in general?

[This one might get fewer replies because we started the other one way earlier, before people had made their decisions and stopped using the board]

[socgraduate11]

Last year there was quite a bit of discussion about "fit." I'm going to emphasize this again. As I was applying, I had a broad range of research interests so I made a point of adjusting my personal statement accordingly for each of the 13 diverse programs I applied to. However, the writing sample I used for all 13 schools was on one specific topic. As a result, I was accepted only to the programs where that writing sample connected directly to the work of professors in the program. It's hard to make a case for your interest in a topic if you can't show that you've pursued research in that concentration. This isn't to say that's the case across the board, but I was also making up for a terrible undergraduate GPA. Related, there's also been some debate over the weight of GRE scores. I had relatively high scores and would like to think that balanced out my less than stellar undergrad GPA. Ultimately, the decision process ends up seeming incredibly arbitrary, but if you can focus on making every piece of your application strong and consistent, then you'll be fine. Good luck applicants!

[goodmp]

1. The GRE

1.1. You will have to take the GRE. There is no way out of it. Every program will require this test.

1.2. You are not as smart as you think you are. There is no aspect of this examination thatyou can just “wing.”

1.2.1. It doesn’t matter that you read a lot; your vocabulary is not GRE specificenough. This isn’t an evaluation of your current vocabulary. Begin doing flashcards and learning words as soon as you can – even 10 new words per day is anamazing start.

1.2.2. Math is hard, but not impossible. Cultivate your mental math skills and begin working on this immediately. Make flash cardsfor important definitions.

1.2.3. http://www.urch.com/forums/gre/ is agood resource to work with other people on prepping for the GRE and asking questions. It is also a good source of practice questions to test your knowledge.

1.2.4. Don’t be afraid to take practice tests. I didn’t take any practice tests until the weekend before the GRE because I didn’t want to psych myself out. In retrospect, thiswas a mistake because I never worked on pacing.

1.2.5. Don’t ignore the writing section. This isn’t like writing an essay or a newspaper article. It is a specific type of writing that you should specifically prepare for.

1.2.5.1. http://search.barnes...e/9781402250507is the book that I used to prep for writing – I feel it was a pretty worthwhile investment.

1.3. Start planning early. It is never too soon to begin studying forthis odious test.

1.3.1. The test changes in August – all of the free and available online resources aregeared towards the old test. You maywant to consider taking it early to ensure that you can be as prepared as possible.

1.4. A course isn’t absolutely necessary. I bought several practice exams and a smalllibrary of GRE prep books, but did not buy a Kaplan or Barron’s class. If you’re self-disciplined and can learn onyour own, there are great opportunities for cost savings.

2. Contacting Professors

2.1. You don’t have to contact professors at everyprogram you want to apply to. You canstill get in if you aren’t already besties with your POI.

2.1.1. It probably doesn’t hurt to contact professors at your top couple choices.

2.1.1.1. Don’t be frivolous. Sure, you have an agenda – they know that youhave an agenda in contacting them. Havemore than just your agenda, be familiar with their research and be inquisitive. Don’t just blindly mail outyour SOP to every DGS you can find online.

2.1.1.2. Be formal and respectful. Don’t be hurt if they don’t get back with youin a timely fashion. Avoid txt speak,over familiarity, and so on. Don’t hassle them.

3. Statement of Purpose

3.1. Different schools have different wordlimits. Mine ranged from 500 words to1500 words. Have multiple versions thatyou can submit based on the requirements.

3.2. Tailor it to each university. Make a point to explain to each school whyyou want to go there. Don’t ignore other aspects of your essay, but make sure to include why the university is a goodfit.

3.2.1. Personal Anecdote: I had an incredibly successful applicant season – the only two schools I didn’t get into were the two schoolsthat I cut the “Why I want to go to your university” section from my SOP due to length requirements.

3.3. Read Asher’s Graduate Admissions Essays (http://www.amazon.co...e/dp/1580080421),no one that has read it has come back and said, “That was a waste of time.

4. Writing Sample

4.1. Make sure you have one good piece of academic writing that you can submit. If yourschool is anything like mine, you won’t necessarily have that. Work with your faculty mentor (you have oneof those, right?) and polish up a paper that you can be really proud of. Bonus points if you can make sure to use references from publications that faculty at your top couple of schools have written.

5. Letters of Reference

5.1. Unfortunately, if you haven’t cultivated astrong relationship with one or two professors at this point in the process, itis probably too late.

5.2. Let them know that you’re going to be lookingfor letters of reference from them as early as possible. This will engage them in your application process and will likely get you a lot of insight and advice.

5.3. Gifts are generally inappropriate, as this ispart of their job and they could get in trouble for being seen to take bribes. A thank you letter is neverinappropriate

6. Application Submission

6.1. Something will go wrong. Submit it before the very last minute.

6.2. Schools would prefer to have all of your lettersof reference by the due date, this isn’t hard and fast though. Submit early enough that this is a feasibility.

6.3. Submit everything possible in PDF format. .doc and .docx can look completely differentto someone else than it does to you. It can also be edited, which means something else could accidentally deletesomething or add an unintended typo while reading it.

7. Cost

7.1. Budget for this to be an expensive process.

7.1.1. My average cost per school, including transcripts and GRE scores, was around 100dollars. I ran out of money near the end and had to nudge up against deadlines to afford submissions. I got lucky, I think – but you should plan ahead better than I did.

7.1.2. Visitations are going to incur costs as well. Not every school will be able to fly you out. I spent about 500 dollars on this aspect, and that was also unexpected.

7.1.3. You’ll likely have to pay more once you’re accepted to confirm with your school ofchoice (particularly if it is public). My wife had to pay 45 dollars to Miami University to confirm, I had to pay 200 to confirm with UNC. Plan for this so it isn’t a surprise.

Disclaimer: I didn't proofread this, but I believe it is generally accurate. It is one dude's opinion though, and you should consult other sources. Copying it from word deleted some spaces -- sorry, I tried to fix most of them, but I am sure I missed some.

Edited April 13, 2011 by goodmp

[lambspam]

- Know the schools you're applying to. As socgraduate11 pointed out, fit is everything. Know the department specialties, general rank, what they're looking for, funding policies, all that stuff. The more you know about a school, the better able you'll be to decide whether it's worth throwing down $50-150 on a grad application. Also, the better you will be able to tailor your application to that school's culture and priorities. Read articles by POIs before you contact them. Knowing their research will tell you whether you might want to work with them and will give you ways to make connections.

- Don't apply to schools that don't specialize in your area(s) of interest. If no one can supervise your research, you will not get in no matter how fascinating your proposed research may be.

- It's very important to have multiple "safeties" (though there are really no "safeties" anymore), but don't apply anywhere you would never actually go. That's just a waste of time and money. Don't apply to only top-10 programs, either, 'cause that's a great way to screw yourself out of going to grad school next year. It's scary out there.

- Be organized. Have a system to coordinate the application process. Maintain a complete list of all requirements for each school -- deadlines, number of LORs, writing sample/SOP length, number of transcripts, application fees, contact info for POI, etc -- and check things off as you go along. Document everything. Consider the application process a part-time job. It will take several hours per week and will last for weeks or months. Build it into your schedule.

- Network. If you're in undergrad, find out whether your professors know anyone where you're applying. Academia's a very small world, and you'd be surprised who used to be poker buddies or grad school friends. This will help you.

- Strong LORs from non-famous professors are much more powerful than mediocre LORs from famous professors. Make sure your letter-writers have something to say about you. Provide each of them with your CV, the latest draft of your SOP, a writing sample (preferably from a class you took with them), and a list of schools and deadlines. Never underestimate the value of a nice, hand-written thank you note.

- Submit PDFs whenever possible -- they look more professional and the formatting won't get weird on the other end. Label every document you submit with your name, program, and applicant number or SSN. The adcom is dealing with thousands of pieces of paper, so make it easy for them. If you're submitting a paper copy of your application, find out whether they prefer it piecemeal or all in one envelope. Include a cover letter.

- As goodmp noted, something will go wrong. Your LOR writers will zone out. Your transcripts will get lost in the mail. The online system won't take your credit card. Do not wait until the last minute. Plan to have things submitted weeks before they're actually due, especially if you're submitting a paper copy. It's bound to get lost (related: pay the extra 50 cents and get a delivery confirmation).

- The statement of purpose is the single most important part of your application. Write well, and even with a little bit of humor if you feel comfortable enough, but don't be too cutesy. No stories about how you read the Washington Post every day as a five year old and that's how you decided you wanted to be a political sociologist. In my experience, faculty generally treat grad students as junior-junior-professors (which is one of the best parts of grad school). Do your best to sound like one; demonstrate that you have focus, attention to detail, a theoretical perspective, an interesting background, a plan of attack for your grad work, and ambition toward your future.

Sorry if that's too much. It got me into my top picks, though, so maybe it'll help someone out there.

Edited April 13, 2011 by lambspam

[barilicious]

I definitely would like to add my "advice" or rather reflections on this crazy process, as this forum was beyond beneficial in my own application process. Hopefully I can remember everything I'd like to reflect on...

It has been said over and over and over, and well over, again, that FIT is important, and I definitely feel like it is a major player, but from my own experience, I'm not convinced that if you are not a good fit then you won't get in. From my own experience, I only applied to Ohio State because I live in Columbus, and I think my family would probably think I was crazy if I didn't apply there. So I applied. It was not a fit in any way to any of my research interests. They specifically have NO ONE in my major field of interests. However, I got in. I still haven't quite figured it out, and even when I visited and spoke to professors on the phone, they told me that no one there does work in my specific field. Nonetheless, I don't know why you would apply to a program that wasn't a good fit for you, but if you do (for say the sake of location, prestige, whatever), if you have a good application, you still may get in. Again, this is from my own experience and seems rather rare.

Having said that, let me now contradict myself. I'm not fully convinced that applying to "safety" schools is great advice. I think you should apply to programs where you want to go. And I may be a ranking snob, but as going crazy has posted on here a few times, research shows that rankings/prestige matters post-graduation. If you have a good fit with many of the top 20 programs, then apply to them. This process is expensive as noted above, so apply where you are a good fit and where you want to go. Because of the price of the application process, I decided that I was going to apply to 8 programs. I had my list narrowed down to about 10 programs. I ended up cutting Yale & NYU from my list, so I could have 2 "safety" schools - Florida State & Boston College. Boston College was not as good as a fit as I think Yale or NYU would have been, but because I wanted to apply to at least 2 "safety" schools, I decided to apply there over Yale or NYU. Needless to say, Boston College rejected me, and I shouldn't have applied. If you have a damn good application, then shoot for the moon because I think this whole "safety" school idea is crap, IMO.

For the GREs, the test sucks. I got a 1280 (620V/660Q/5.0W). Obviously, from my experience, you can get into top 20 programs with this score. However, I'm not sure about breaking the top 10, as the other 2 schools besides BC that I was rejected from were Berkeley (which wasn't a good fit, but I wanted to apply to a top 5 school) and Northwestern (which I thought was one of my best fits). I do know though that to get a university fellowship you need to do better than my score. Both OSU & Florida State nominated me for university fellowships, and the reason I didn't get them at both schools was because my GRE scores were too low. These university fellowships are up against science majors and so forth that have 800Q, and the GRE scores way heavy into this process, so for funding purposes, you should shoot as high as you can. For me, I don't think I could have done much better, I suck at standardize testing.

As something stated a million times on here, and which was quite evident during my recruitment visits, your SOP and Writing Sample matter immensely during this process. At each recruitment event, professors who were on the admissions committees would tell me vivid details about my SOP and/or Writing Sample that they remembered/were impressed by. These two pieces show who you are as a scholar and where your interests lie, and I don't think it can be overstated that your majority of time should be spent on these two things. Hell, I spent so much time working on my writing sample, I've now sent it off to a peer-review scholarly journal, so you can always keep in mind that in devoting this time to a piece of work it can serve many ends. As for the SOP, I tailored the last paragraph to each individual school, and specifically named why it was a good fit and who I wanted to work with and why. It obviously should be done. As for SOP word limits, and writing sample page limits - I ignored them all. The places that had SOP word limits (IU) and Writing Sample page limits (OSU) - I got into. So if you write something well, and the quantity is quality, just send it, and don't fret over word/page limits.

I personally HIGHLY recommend not only contacting potential professors that you want work with BEFORE YOU APPLY but also graduate students already in the program (and who have similar research interests as you do). When I started narrowing down schools I had a list of 40 that I intensely researched, obviously by the time I got down to about 15 schools, it became hard for me to cut. By contacting professors and seeing what they are working on now and by contacting students who shared similar interests as me to see how well their departments actually support those interests, I was able not only to cut more schools from the list, but also I was able to talk about some of the specific things that these profs or students said to me in e-mails in my SOP - information that was not listed on their website, and I think, possibly made my SOPs stand out even more. I don't believe though that by contacting professors before hand will help in gaining admission. Each person on the admission committees who spoke to me at the recruitment events about how they liked my SOP or writing sample were not people I contacted nor people I specifically wanted to work with. To me, having a good application gets you in, and I don't think contacting or not contacting professors a head a time will give you a leg up in getting in or not.

I'm sure there are a million other things I could write about, but these stick out now, and I'm sure as other posts, other reflections of mine may be triggered. Overall, I'd say aim high, treat the process as a job, stay extremely organized, and dream a little, because a few months once the process is over, sometimes your dreams come true! Best of luck!!

Edited April 14, 2011 by barilcious

[new123a]

I agree with a lot of what has been said here, but I do want to point out that it's entirely possible to get into Top 15 and Top 10, and indeed, Top 5 schools with a GRE score below 1300. I got into Yale, Michigan, NYU, and Harvard and only had a 1290. I really do think that the "total package" is all that matters during the process... once you reach a certain threshold, I don't think a school will reject you. SOP and LORs are much more important. And I agree with the previous poster--don't apply to "safety schools." Apply to where you want to go and have a back up plan if you don't get in--why waste your time in a program that you don't like?

[supplicant]

- If you can attend a campus visit, go even if it means skipping a few classes. Even if you're only applying to two universities because you're stuck somewhere geographically and you only expect to get accepted at one, having information will be helpful if you do need to choose.

- Make sure you know exactly where your documents have to be mailed, right down to the person in charge and the office number. If you can hand anything over in person or mail it yourself, do it.

- Getting transcripts mailed in from out of province or state will be a pain. Get started on it early and follow up on the status of your application in case something goes wrong.

- If possible, request letters of reference during the Fall semester. That way, you can combine your thank you note with a Christmas letter.

- When requesting a letter of reference, prepare a package in a folder. Include all the forms needed with your part already filled out, your statement of interest, CV, transcript, research proposal and a writing sample. Your writing sample should showcase your ability to work with theories and your research potential. If necessary, included one theoretical paper and one research paper.

[Roll Right]

I've been down this road twice, and finally I'm at a phd program that fits my interests. Its been a long process. Well worth it however.

I won't talk too much about GRE's, GPA, or personal statement. You obviously want a good SOP, a high GPA and a high GRE score. We don't live in fantasy land, however. Realistically, tons of people have mediocre GRE's, GPA's, and off the wall SOP's. I had a terrible GRE and probably a crazy SOP. This post is for people like me.

First of all - don't consult lists like the U.S News and World Report. This is the same as playing the prestige game. You don't want to go to a no name institution, but you don't need to go to an ivy league institution either. It would be nice to be at Harvard, but you will still have a job if you go to Wayne State. Consider this - it may be better to be a star in a small, up and coming program than an average student in an ivy league program. This decision is ultimately yours, but don't feel like you have to apply to Princeton or Cornell because they're well known (Not bashing these school at all either, just providing some insights from my experiences. I'm also not telling you to avoid these schools. Just don't apply to them because they're the 'smart' schools.).

Read the work of professors you'd like to study with. Go to the library and look for their publications. Then email them and introduce yourself, and discuss your interests VERY BRIEFLY. You should be networking with these people long before application season begins.

Get an early start on apps. Especially GRE admissions. These constantly get lost in the mail, and ETS is so slow when sending them out.

After you send your application in, email every professor you mentioned in your SOP. Tell them your app is in and let them know you're very serious about the possibility of working with them. Copy the graduate director to this email so she can see this.

Don't be afraid to contact the director of grad studies with questions. This is what they're there for.

Most importantly - consider the economy and current social climate in the nation. This is important, and we're sociologists - we do this best. This obviously plays a role in the chances of acceptance. Right now it will be hard to get into a program because of the growing interest in high education. The economy sucks - people want to go back to school. I suggest applying to an MA program as one of your back ups. This allows you to have a chance to enter a grad program and improve your chances of getting into a PhD while waiting for the next application season you're eligible for.

There's so much more to say, but that's all I can think of for now.

[daytripper]

Thanks everyone for the advice.

Now, can we kill this thread so no one else sees?

Edited April 16, 2011 by daytripper

[Fizzy Bubelach]

I thin someone mentioned this, but try to get recommendations from people who went to the schools you are applying to. Call it nepotism, but it works. It just makes sense a glowing recommendation from a known entity is better than a glowing recommendation from an unknown. When I was talking to DGSs at the various schools they specifically cited the recommendation of my professor that they knew, and I have to imagine that all three of my LORs said roughly similar things. Sociology is a small world. These guys meet at conferences, collaborate, and stay in touch, so a recommendation from someone they knew goes a long way.

[RefurbedScientist]

Hey All,

Great advice. It seems there is consensus that "fit" with one or more profs in the department is paramount. As I develop my spreadsheet on potential POIs at each school, a question occurrs to me. I would appreciate the board's input. Put simply, what constitutes "fit"? Do I need to be interested in researching exactly what a POI already does, in the same region/era and with the same methods? If it helps, allow me to elaborate on my question.

Generally speaking, I see three categories into which a professor's research interests can be lumped. The three categories refer to substantive, theoretical, and methodological areas. For example (drawing on Doug McAdam's work), a researcher may use some surveys or interviews (method) to typify individuals' decisions to join the American Civil Rights movement in the early 60s (substantive), perhaps confirming claims of the political process theory (theoretical). Obviously this is a simplification of social research and does not apply universally, but it helps me mentally organize the many many sociologists out there, so bear with me.

As I identify professors with whom I see myself working, how closely should we fit? That is to say, if I really fit with a department's methodological strength (say ethnology) but not so much with the substantive topics of individual profs (especially regional/historical areas), does that constitute good or bad fit?

Take me for example. I am interested in social movement/ community organizations and how they interact with their urban environment, specifically in Latin America. All of my research to date has fallen under this interest (two conference papers and a documentary), but I understand changing interests during graduate school is common and appropriate.

There are any number of strong departments with profs in social movements, organizations, and urban sociology, but few combine these areas with the regional focus on Latin America. Is it appropriate to consider a professor who deals with social movements a potential POI even if she/he does not have any interest in the geographical region that sources my case studies?

I hope this rather specific question makes sense. And thanks to all the posters for their great advice!

Peace.

[danseparc]

Such great advice so far, everyone! And congrats to all of your successes.

I will too echo the "fit, fit, fit" spiel. I am going to the school that was my best fit, even though I was anxious because of the location (nearly 1000 miles from my home state). However, now that I'm in and seeing stuff actually materialize, I couldn't be happier.

Don't be afraid to go to a school that isn't first tier. The place needs to be right for you and what you want to do. If you find that you need more, or you're not comfortable going somewhere... Defer if you can, or apply to terminal MAs, as well.

Study for your GREs. While I did above average after only 2 days of cramming, it made me realize I could do so much more with myself and my scores. I didn't retake it, but probably should have. If you have any doubts, study and take early, and then retake. It's a pain in the neck, but it will help you.

If your GPA isn't so hot, it WILL affect you. It isn't everything, but there's a reason for this-- and a stunningly high GRE can offset this (see "hot tip" below).

Try and do research if you can help it. Even if it's a small project or a one-year thesis-- go for it. It will make your application so much stronger.

Revise revise revise--- your application, your SOP, your diversity statements (if application), your writing samples... Everything. Turn in something you are proud of, both in terms of minutiae and actual content. A passionate letter and a creative, well-written research paper/thesis both go a long way with adcoms, especially if your program has some cool fields.

Hot tip. I've heard of a few big schools having points cut-offs. Not necessarily in terms of a minimum GPA or GRE, but a formula that combines those two (usually GPA*GRE > x). While that information is usually kept under wraps, some schools are transparent about it. If you can't get over that hurdle, then you're going to have a really hard time pushing your app forward, even if you have gobs of research experience and beautiful letters from professors who really know you (this happened to me).

That said, even if you aren't totally there for a school's PhD requirements, you could get into an MA or MS in their department if it's offered. From there, you might be able to transition if they like you. If this happens, don't be afraid to consider it. It'd be a struggle for awhile, but if you really want this, then hopefully it will be worth it. Remember this: Even if you don't get in to the PhD right away, but you are offered an MA/MS, someone there really wants you. You wouldn't have had been considered for the master's program.

Finally, don't give up hope, but be realistic. It's easy to get discouraged and even depressed, but remember that there's always next year. The financial hit sucks, and so does the sting of rejection, but it's really competitive out there right now... Anything can happen.

Good luck everyone, and I look forward to seeing the successes of this round of applicants!

Edited April 19, 2011 by danseparc