Profile for PhD in Soc! Evaluate please!

[Socio]

I am applying to PhD programs in Sociology for Fall 2009. I am wondering what you guys think my chance of success is given my profile below and the list of schools I will be applying to.

My profile

GPA: 3.9 cumulative (4.0 in a a non-soc major and a mathematics minor)

GRE: 580 verbal, 670 Quantitative, 4.5 AW

Only an introductory course in Soc.

Schools I am applying to:

1. UW-Madison

2. Indiana U

3. Iowa

4. Iowa State

5. Rutgers

6. Stony Brook

7. Albany

8. Notre Dame

9. Cornell

10. Kentucky

11. Cincinnati

Thank you in advance for your evaluation!

[Dreams]

The stats are only one part of the application. Do you have any research experience? What about experience presenting at conferences or publishing anything? Teaching experiences or any fellowships?

Also with only an intro class in Soc, how close is your undergrad major to Soc? These are the things that will be more helpful to us in answering your question.

[Socio]

My undergrad major was econ. I have experience as a TA and research assistant, but not publications.

[rising_star]

You'll need to make a strong case in your SOP that sociology is right for you, especially since you've only ever take one sociology course.

[misterpat]

I am applying to PhD programs in Sociology for Fall 2009. I am wondering what you guys think my chance of success is given my profile below and the list of schools I will be applying to.

My profile

GPA: 3.9 cumulative (4.0 in a a non-soc major and a mathematics minor)

GRE: 580 verbal, 670 Quantitative, 4.5 AW

Only an introductory course in Soc.

Schools I am applying to:

1. UW-Madison

2. Indiana U

3. Iowa

4. Iowa State

5. Rutgers

6. Stony Brook

7. Albany

8. Notre Dame

9. Cornell

10. Kentucky

11. Cincinnati

Thank you in advance for your evaluation!

With an economics major, I think you should be fine switching over to sociology. It's a cousin discipline, and a lot tougher of an undergraduate major than sociology (at least I imagine so, I majored in History and Sociology). WIth only one course in sociology, Madison, Rutgers, Cornell and Indiana might be a stretch. But I would bet on you getting in somewhere, provided that you write a convincing statement of purpose and have a good writing sample.

Also, I would play up the fact that you are looking to do Quantitative sociology. If you sell yourself as a Qualitative sociologist, your application might have a higher risk of ending up in the hands of someone who doesn't appreciate Economics very much. I assume this is your goal anyway, with the Econ background, but you definitely don't want to write your SOP about how you don't have much experience in sociology. Talk instead about how relevant your Economics coursework is for what you want to do as a graduate student.

[slothy]

I think you'll definitely get into at least one (and maybe more) of the programs you're applying for as long as you make clear that you understand what sociology is and can propose some interesting economic sociology research topics in your SOP - the truth is that sociology programs aren't the hardest grad progams to get into. Your GPA is very strong and your GRE's are probably around (maybe a little above) the medians for the programs you mentioned with the exceptions of Cornell and Indiana (both of which I happen to be applying to), probably also a little low for Wisconsin. If it's not too late, make sure you get strong letters that play up any research experience you have!

[misterpat]

Princeton is a cool economic sociology program, so you might want to check that out, too. Deadline is the 15th.

I also think that with your GPA, you could even aim a little higher than those last couple schools (or save your money). I don't even know if those schools are in the top 100. I think University of Illinois-Chicago has a decent economic sociology program, and it isn't too competitive. Also, Georgia is supposedly a very underrated program that you might want to check out.

[Tritonetelephone]

I think you have a decent chance at some of those schools, depending on your SoP. Research experience is a big plus. Honestly, UW Madison is probably way out of the question, and Indiana seems unlikely as well. I don't think that I'll get into Indiana, and I have a 660V 690Q 5.0W, 3.96 GPA (Jr/Snr yr), BA in Soc, research experience, and community experience. Like others said - your biggest challenge is leaving the committee feeling like you will stay committed to Sociology after only 1 intro course. Have you received any advice from your recommenders?

A UT prof once told me that most of their applicants want to stay far away from math of any kind, so they highly value SoP's that mention a preference for quantitative methods. A recent Stanford grad also told me that some PhD students in the program with him would do really well, up until the advanced stats courses. Then they would fail and get kicked out of the program. So yes, quantitative skills are a plus.

Your best bet is to sell yourself on your quantitative skills/interests, but I'm concerned that your GRE scores might balance it out. 670 seems a little low for an Econ major (Sorry - I'm not trying to be harsh!). Last year, I had a 550V 690Q 4.5W and didn't get into the schools I wanted (UT and Stony Brook - nowhere near as tough as Madison). The advice I've received since is that each section needs to be at least 600, and writing needs to be at least 5.0. If you're selling yourself mainly on quantitative skills, you might need to back it up with a 700Q at least. (I know it's probably too late now, so let's hope I'm wrong.)

I don't know much about a lot of the schools you listed, but it might be a good idea to choose another safety school or two to balance out those reach schools. Mine are FSU and U Delaware. Delaware isn't due until February 1st.

Remember also that, although Soc. programs are perceived as being easier than most to get into, when the economy is down people go back to school!! I'm expecting to be competing with people who have already been successful social workers or researchers for 20 years and are suddenly concerned that they'll need a PhD to survive the current job market. Every school I applied to last year said sincerely that they had an "unusually high number of applicants" - and the economy got so much worse this year just in time for people to start thinking about applying.

One more hint: Stony Brook loves community experience! I'm still hoping to go there myself.

[slothy]

I don't think that I'll get into Indiana, and I have a 660V 690Q 5.0W, 3.96 GPA (Jr/Snr yr), BA in Soc, research experience, and community experience.

Either your expectations are unrealistically low or mine are unrealistically high; those numbers (especially GPA) are probably at or above their medians. I mean, I'd concede that the chances of getting into any single given research PhD program are at best 50/50 even for the strongest applicants given all the variables at play that are out of one's control (it really seems to be random sometimes...), but I certainly wouldn't be pessimistic on the basis of a profile like that.

[Tritonetelephone]

Thank you, that's very nice! I do come from a bottom 10% undergrad institution, though, so I'm constantly fighting against that. I was much more optimistic last year and didn't get into the school that I was most invested in - so yeah, I'm just trying not to make the same mistake. I'm hoping to get accepted with funding from at least one school, but I think Indiana's my biggest stretch. Good luck to all!