ThisSlumgullionIsSoVapid Posted January 26, 2012 Posted January 26, 2012 What do you guys think about the relationship between school ranking and job placement? HIGHLY correlated. One of my advisers whom I took a Social Networks class with provided some data about prestige in departments. Basically, the take home message is this: whatever rank you get your PhD from expect to work for a tier below that rank. The only real exception is top 10 programs; these programs tend to hire each other's PhD's and/or hire their own PhD's. Upward mobility in terms of ranking is very rare....although this isn't to say it doesn't happen but, in all reality, if you graduate from a top 20 school you'll probably get a job 20-40 or lower. It's very rare to see someone jump from a 30 rank into a top 10.
sciencegirl Posted January 26, 2012 Posted January 26, 2012 Of course the random exceptions to this rule if you wind up a superstar... though often, these movements are only say from top 20/30 into top 5/10, and then when they happen it is because you are a superstar in your subfield - and honestly, these cases in my mind only come up few and far between (M Zhou comes to mind, but can't think of too many others like her).
ThisSlumgullionIsSoVapid Posted January 26, 2012 Posted January 26, 2012 I see a bunch of new accounts that are registered and are viewing this forum. Don't be shy people! Post where you applied and what your interests are.
Waits Posted January 26, 2012 Posted January 26, 2012 Fair point Slumgullion! I've applied to Duke, Cornell, Berkeley, NYU, Columbia, Chicago, Northwestern and Harvard (Social Policy). Interests in political sociology and qualitative / ethnographic methods. At this point my major regret is not applying to places which accept on earlier dates, I'm not sure I can last much longer!
violet. Posted January 26, 2012 Posted January 26, 2012 At this point my major regret is not applying to places which accept on earlier dates, I'm not sure I can last much longer! YESSSSSSS!!! I want to know now. I think.
Darth.Vegan Posted January 26, 2012 Posted January 26, 2012 On job the job placement front. I do think there is a really strong correlation. That said, one of the PhD students (in poli sci, unranked department) from here, got a visiting professor position at Williams College which will hopefully turn into a tenure track position somewhere... It helps that his advisor is really well known in critical theory circles and got him the interview.
Darth.Vegan Posted January 26, 2012 Posted January 26, 2012 I don't have any "well known" professors writing me letters. At least two however came from top ranked programs (Austin, Madison) and still know a number of people in those specific departments. I am sure for those departments it won't matter, hopefully it won't matter for other departments either.
hmr08 Posted January 27, 2012 Posted January 27, 2012 Harvard Wisconsin-madison UT-Austin U-Minnesota U-Maryland UC-Irvine WSU U-Delaware Crime/education/military
hmr08 Posted January 27, 2012 Posted January 27, 2012 Harvard Wisconsin-madison UT-Austin U-Minnesota U-Maryland UC-Irvine WSU U-Delaware Crime/education/military
fallingup77 Posted January 27, 2012 Posted January 27, 2012 UT Austin Rice Baylor Oklahoma Texas A & M Religion and Gender/Sexuality
hobokennojokin Posted January 27, 2012 Posted January 27, 2012 Cal berk Wisc mad Princeton Harvard U chicago Northwestern Penn Indiana Nyu Duke Minnesota Yale Ohio state Rice Needless to say, crazy list. The way I saw it though, cast as wide a net with top tier schools, hope you catch 2 or 3 acceptances. An investment of sorts. My fellowship helped pay for about half the fee costs so I had more flexibility on that front. That said, it was a bit more stressful than even I could have ever imagined.
RunMilw Posted January 27, 2012 Posted January 27, 2012 Has anyone else who applied to Texas been accepted?
panasic Posted January 27, 2012 Posted January 27, 2012 berkeley and stanford (i love the bay area... what can i say! plus, both are excellent schools for my field) immigration, race, social demography starting to fear it was a gamble only applying to two programs...
Darth.Vegan Posted January 27, 2012 Posted January 27, 2012 berkeley and stanford (i love the bay area... what can i say! plus, both are excellent schools for my field) immigration, race, social demography starting to fear it was a gamble only applying to two programs... Seriously, only 2 programs and only in the top 5?
panasic Posted January 27, 2012 Posted January 27, 2012 Seriously, only 2 programs and only in the top 5? i saw no point in applying to places i wouldn't want to go. saved me lots of money!
ThisSlumgullionIsSoVapid Posted January 27, 2012 Posted January 27, 2012 i saw no point in applying to places i wouldn't want to go. saved me lots of money! What do your stats look like? Even the best of students get rejected from top 10 schools for some reason or another.
panasic Posted January 27, 2012 Posted January 27, 2012 What do your stats look like? Even the best of students get rejected from top 10 schools for some reason or another. i certainly don't think i am the best of students, but i have a few things going for me. the thing is, friends and grad students suggested to aim high and not bother with places i can't see myself attending. aaaand that's what i did. i know at some point it's luck, so i can be a strong candidate and not get in... we'll see.
sciencegirl Posted January 27, 2012 Posted January 27, 2012 @panasic - it seems then that location is the most important factor for you? As those two schools aren't necessarily at the very top for race/immigration... Princeton would be better than Stanford, and UCLA stronger than Cal in those fields... of course, not bad schools at all, but it seems that your choice of applying seems motivated by being the bay area.
panasic Posted January 27, 2012 Posted January 27, 2012 (edited) @panasic - it seems then that location is the most important factor for you? As those two schools aren't necessarily at the very top for race/immigration... Princeton would be better than Stanford, and UCLA stronger than Cal in those fields... of course, not bad schools at all, but it seems that your choice of applying seems motivated by being the bay area. Bay area is a big factor, but I've been looking at Berkeley's program for years. They are very strong in social demography (and immigration/race). Stanford was a more recent discovery, but a very exciting one. Those to whom I have spoken at Stanford assured me that my interests would be great there. We all apply to different places for different reasons Edited January 27, 2012 by panasic
sciencegirl Posted January 28, 2012 Posted January 28, 2012 Did not know that about Stanford... which faculty there did students mention? I always thought Stanford was super strong in social psychology and gender...
giacomo Posted January 28, 2012 Posted January 28, 2012 Stanford is strong in every possible area, isn't it?
ThisSlumgullionIsSoVapid Posted January 28, 2012 Posted January 28, 2012 Stanford is strong in every possible area, isn't it? Not religion! sleepycat and tt503 2
SocHope Posted January 28, 2012 Posted January 28, 2012 Bay area is a big factor, but I've been looking at Berkeley's program for years. They are very strong in social demography (and immigration/race). Stanford was a more recent discovery, but a very exciting one. Those to whom I have spoken at Stanford assured me that my interests would be great there. We all apply to different places for different reasons Princeton, UPenn, PSU, and Cal are the only 4 universities in the US that offer articulated joint doctorates in sociology and demography. That doesn't necessarily mean they're the best for social demography, but I think it shows a level of commitment to integrating the two fields that will ultimately benefit the student. That's why 4/5 of the places I applied to are those schools. I considered UNC-CH and Duke, but based on (admittedly not very in-depth) web research, it seemed as if support for population studies at those two schools have diminished in the past several years. UM-AA is also very well-regarded in the area of demography, but again, I felt I wanted to pursue programs where that interdisciplinary aspect was very well-defined. Besides, why not get two PhDs for the price of one? I considered Stanford, but I honestly did not feel they were very strong in the area of migration.
lovenhaight Posted January 28, 2012 Posted January 28, 2012 I've been lurking for a while, so I decided it was time to bite the bullet and freak out with everyone else. V I've applied to University of Washington and University of Oregon and have yet to hear from either, but I'm trying to convince myself that hearing anything before March would be a treat. My info: MA in Sociology from a large southeastern public university, 1310 GRE (V higher than Q). Undergrad in Sociology and American Studies from a large midwestern public university. Interested in gender, intersectionality, violence against women, sex and sexuality, and social movements. I don't mind quant, but I'm more of a qualitative methods person and lean towards mixed methods. Good luck to us all!
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