2 Questions about getting funded and ranking list

[gaygaygay]

Hello,

1st Question:

Is it easier to get funded as a PhD candidate in a Private University?

Should I eliminate Public ones to increase my chances to get funded?

2nd Question:

Do top sociology department lists tell the very truth? For example: Emory, Vanderbilt or Boston College are not favourable places in USA? Is there so much difference between 7th deparment and 40th department in the list?

Thanks,

Caner

[Bonkers]

To Question 1: Funding is not necessarily more abundant in private than public schools, so I don't suggest you cancel out public schools in your application process. It varies by department, so you should think about which schools are good fits for you and then figure out what their funding packages are--the best place to actually look this up is on the grad cafe "results" page to see trends.

To Questions 2: I am guessing your question asks if the US News and World Report ranking of graduate schools for sociology is valid? Well, it's sort of a self-fulfilling prophecy... how the schools are ranked is--and don't take my word 100%, I remember reading this about a year ago but my memory sucks--by professors' opinions on each school's reputation. Reputation of course has the ability to reproduce itself in very real ways. Top rank schools definitely offer better funding and top-of-the-field faculty, but I think it is more important to find a school with a faculty group that has strengths in your field of interest.

Hope this was helpful in some way.

[hoobers]

I see from your profile that you are from Turkey. Public schools often have a hard time funding people who are not US citizens. Some simply aren't allowed to do it, or have very restricted funds for it. Also a lot of public universities have different tuitions for in-state and out-of-state students, which means that it would cost the department more to support you. This differs from school to school and is worth looking into. If you email the departments that interest you and ask for funding for non-citizens, they will probably tell you. Private schools rarely face either of these restrictions.