Sociology PhD Applicant

[jesiquita]

Hello--

I'm totally new to this forum, but the waiting period is killing me and this seems to provide others with some solace. Let me know what you think of my application stats and if you have any suggestions. In particular, I'm worried I'm not really realistic with my choices:

Application Stats:

Bachelor of Arts, in progress, prestigous U.S. liberal arts college

Overall GPA: 3.89 (4 point scale); early election to PBK

Sociology: 3.97

GRE: V620; Q720; AW6.0

Received an R&R from a peer-reviewed social science journal, waiting for final review decision

Extensive research experience (fellowship, attended 4 conferences)

Senior Editor of my school's undergraduate research journal

LOR from dept. chair, a politics prof, and soc prof. All great recs (as far as i know!)

Schools:

Berkeley

Columbia

University of Chicago

Harvard - Social Policy/Sociology

Harvard - Sociology

Michigan

Northwestern

UPenn

Princeton

Stanford

Wisconsin-Madison

As of now, my first choice would be Harvard Social Policy, but I'm worried my GRE score is too low. I took NYU off my list because I didn't really see myself there. I could still apply as a back up. Let me know what you think!

[slothy]

My list of Soc programs is very similar to yours (7 overlaps) and my profile is similar as well (exact same major GPA, Q, and AW score; really just replace liberal arts college with big-state research university...). I'm really worried about the economy this year, I know my university's program (not one you mentioned) is likely to cut funded admission slots this year and I *know* we're not the only program hurting right now - in fact I would say that the anticipation of funding problems was my deciding factor in not applying to Wisconsin and Michigan, and makes me pessimistic about Berkeley. Thankfully sociology is one of the less competitive fields in the social sciences, so I'm hopeful about getting into a top 10-15 program (you've really got the top 10 in your list, save maybe Cornell or North Carolina) and I would be hopeful about your chances as well - very few sociology majors have extensive research backgrounds as an undergrad. On the other hand, I know that something like 14 out of 17 in my university's cohort this year entered with post-BA work experience, so I do worry that coming straight from undergrad may be a disadvantage (but not worth taking time off to me - I know I'd get bored really fast if I wasn't in school). I felt like I'd be more comfortable with a "safety" on my list, so I added Indiana - despite being in flyover country, it has a reputation as an up-and-coming department with a strong social policy/labor/economic soc concentration (my specialities) - similar logic motivated my application to Duke. I also decided against NYU because it's on the finges of the top 15 (i.e. there's disagreement about whether it belongs in the top tier of programs -> not great placement) and NYU has some serious university-level problems with funding grad students, not to mention the lack of a strong research fit.

As for Harvard, I've been advised to just apply for their sociology department directly and not bother with social policy since admissions to the social policy program is extremely competitive (even by Harvard standards - they only take 2 a year and Harvard only lets you apply to one program if I read the application correctly - you have to pick between general soc and social policy) and you can take the same social policy classes and do the same social policy research as a "normal" soc grad student there. The way I see it, why risk not getting into Harvard at all just for the sake of getting to take a few extra seminars that have a reputation for being extremely dry anyway?

Sorry for the extremely long reply; I just got excited by seeing someone else with a similar profile. What subfield do you specialize in?

[jesiquita]

wow! how exciting to meet someone similar to me. in fact, I don't know anyone at my school who is applying to soc PhD.

so on the issue of funding, for me this is going to be my number one deciding factor (obviously). I applied for the NSF graduate research fellowship, which I probably won't win b/c of my gre score, but I'm very hopeful. I know Stanford and Michigan guarantee funding at least the first year, but I've been trying to stay optimistic about it. I think there really isn't much I can do if I don't get funded.

I very much worry about coming straight out of undergrad, mostly because I visited Harvard's social policy program (which has amazing placement) and every single one of them had spent at least one if not several years working in related fields. I met and spoke with at length the director of the social policy program, and he assured me this would not be a disadvantage, because they look at applicants currently finishing their BA by measuring "potential" capabilities.

Harvard does allow you to apply to more than one program, hence I listed both. This was actually at the suggestion of the social policy program, who informed me of the odds of being accepted, which as you noted are basically none. I think social policy has quite a bit to offer besides the proseminar. Mainly, you have your foot in the door to the Kennedy School, which has an amazing amount of resources for people like me, largely interested in interdisciplinary research.

Which brings me to your question about my areas of specialization. Most of my research focuses on racial and ethnic conflict, preferred social distance and neighborhood segregation, with an emphaisis on quantitative research methods. I am also very interested in urban sociology, mass incarceration, and stratification. I have done research mainly in sociology, but also in political science, Asian studies, and critical theory.

Anyone else have an opinion about straight-out-of-undergrad/wait?

Anyone else apply to the NSF GRFP?

[slothy]

The good news about funding is that at the programs we're both looking at some funding is virtually assured if we get in. Hopefully, anyway. (That is, assuming you're a US citizen... I know that some state schools discriminate a bit against foreign students.) I would think that most private universities will offer a strong 4-5 year funding package for a soc PhD (with the notable exception of Chicago; I know they offered one of the grad students who ended up in my department a 1/3 *tuition* scholarship on her first application and 1/2 *tuition* on her second try - so they actually expected her to pay $16k a year on top of living expenses or something like that, which I think is completely unreasonable in a field where many jobs only pay 35k a year!) And you do have at least some ability to bargain with the programs you're most interested in if you have at least one strong funding package - it's not that uncommon to ask programs to match each others' offers, so it's a good idea to have one program on your list that should be less competitive *and* has a record of providing strong funding packages. Or so I've been told.

As for the straight-from-undergrad issue, I really don't know why so few sociology undergrads go straight to grad school and why so many grad students have extensive work histories. At my school sociology has a bit of a reputation as an athlete major; a lot of our students really have no idea what they're doing... which makes it really hard to organize the department's undergraduate events. So maybe there's just not many of us interested in applying out of undergrad? I've been told by multiple professors not to worry about applying as an undergrad (at least the departments know we're more likely to be happy living on a grad stipend if we've never had "real" jobs, and thus more likely to finish - so maybe we're "safer" in a sense).

That's interesting about being able to apply to both programs at Harvard - perhaps my advisor was misinformed. He said that many of the people he knew who had done social policy were disappointed with it, although it does open some doors. I'll take another look at the application... I have to get around to it at some point before January 2nd I suppose!

And good luck with the NSF... I would have applied if I wasn't completely swamped with coursework this fall. And you've got 2 more tries if you don't get it this time!

[jesiquita]

I just got notice that my manuscript is in press!!!!! do I contact the schools?

[notreallyno]

My guess is that you'll definitely make it through the first rounds of likely all the schools you're applying to. This being said, you should definitely send a note to the graduate coordinators at each telling them about your manuscript's publication status so that it can be inserted into your file. Can't hurt.

Secondly, in regards to Harvard Soc vs. SP, there really is no difference. "Resources" and contacts are as available to members of one program as they are the other, it's just a matter of how proactive you are at seeking them out. The boundaries are really, really insignificant. A couple of soc. students make the rounds between KSG and the soc department regularly and most of these students apply to the Inequality program in the spring of their first year which allows them to take the proseminar series with the SP students. Moreover, nothing is stopping you from taking your electives at KSG if they fit your research interests. So the division between the programs shouldn't be a huge concern for you.

[allmhrt]

Has anyone here been notified of the final responses yet for Harvard's Sociology/Social Policy PhD program? I haven't been invited for an interview regarding my Sociology/Social Policy application and so I guess I am not under consideration but I would like to know if they have notified any Sociology/Social Policy candidates yet. I don't see that on any other posts. Thanks!