So who else applied to UC-Boulder?

[Supernovasky]

Any particular professor of interest? What are the research topics you are interested in?

Boulder invites should be going out around the 13th-15th, if last year is any representation, for the open house. Last year, those who got the open house invites even had travel expenses paid for by Boulder.

Really looking forward to hearing from this school. I LOVE the city of Boulder, and I feel like I'd work well with several professors there.

[Chuck]

I didn't apply, but now I wish I had! Boulder is a beautiful town, and CU is a gorgeous campus. It's sunny for 350 days a year in Colorado, and the opportunities for outdoor recreation are simply unparalleled. From what I hear, their Soc. department has some great things going on. I hope you get in, Supernovasky! Crossing my fingers for you.

[sociolog86]

Last year, those who got the open house invites even had travel expenses paid for by Boulder.

When I visited two years ago they did pay for all my travel expenses directly. I had to contact some travel agency there in town with an authorization code and they booked my flight. GOOD LUCK!

[ThisSlumgullionIsSoVapid]

I did but I would be really surprised if they accept me. There's only one professor in the department I'm really wanting to work with and he's the outlier to the departments specializations.

[Supernovasky]

When I visited two years ago they did pay for all my travel expenses directly. I had to contact some travel agency there in town with an authorization code and they booked my flight. GOOD LUCK!

Did you decide to attend there?

What was the meeting like? Was it informal? Was it more of a personal interview thing? I'd love to hear mroe about it, I've been in contact with multiple POIs at Boulder.

[Supernovasky]

I did but I would be really surprised if they accept me. There's only one professor in the department I'm really wanting to work with and he's the outlier to the departments specializations.

What specialization/professor? I've talked to a few, kind of curious to see if we share any particular POIs.

[ThisSlumgullionIsSoVapid]

What specialization/professor? I've talked to a few, kind of curious to see if we share any particular POIs.

Culture and Theory, Isaac Reed

[Supernovasky]

Alright, he's not one of my POIs, nor is it my specialization and itnerest, so we're not competing, per se

[sociolog86]

Did you decide to attend there?

What was the meeting like? Was it informal? Was it more of a personal interview thing? I'd love to hear mroe about it, I've been in contact with multiple POIs at Boulder.

I did not attend there. The year I visited there were about 23 or so invitees, but the week after we all went home the department got word of some budget cuts from the state legislature. They only ended up with a cohort of 4-5 that year. Rather than wait to hear if I'd be selected as one of the 4-5, I took another offer (more $$) at the advice of a POI there.

The day was relatively comparable to other programs I visited. Here's the itinerary as best I recall it:

1- breakfast on campus with all the other invitees and a couple faculty dropping in to briefly introduce themselves

2- In the same room as breakfast, presentations from people about the university and other things. The only thing I remember is that there were people who talked about apartments. I think we all got a packet of stuff.

2- brief campus tour

4- I don't remember it, but I'm sure there was a lunch in there somewhere

5- a series of 30 minute meetings with faculty (some I listed on my SOP, others who were interested in meeting me, and another couple who they put me meeting for no apparent reason)

5- dinner with faculty and some grad students at a restaurant nearby (somewhere at the Pearl Street Mall)

6- going to a bar for drinks with grad students

They put all the prospective students up together at a hotel near campus (maybe a Days Inn or something). Roommates were randomly assigned based on which concentration you listed in your application. As far as what to wear, I wore khakis, a plain button down shirt tucked in, and a north face jacket with some kinda casual brown dress shoes and fit right in.

Hope this helps!

@slum: I met Isaac Reed when I visited. He was super cool to talk to. We didn't really fit well as far as interests go, but he was super supportive, outgoing, and friendly.

Good luck to you all!

[giacomo]

@sociolog86: can you elaborate on "the advice of a POI there"? did he say "take the dough"?

[Supernovasky]

Sounds like a really fun event, although it kind of sucks that they had to narrow it down to a cohort of only 4 or 5 students. That feels even more competitive than a lot of the top schools! Hopefully they don't have to do that agian this year.... in fact, hopefully they are going to make up for the smaller cohort this year, haha!

[sociolog86]

@giacomo: I believe her advice was "one in the hand is worth more than two in the bush". . . .so yes "take the dough" basically. My case was special in some ways because the best offer I received--relatively unheard of because it was better than the PhD programs I applied to--was some serious funding for an MA program at an R1 university (tuition+insurance+TAship+a super duper sweet fellowship). However, the fellowship had a March 15 acceptance deadline which was just a week after the Boulder visit day, so I had to rush to make my decision.

@supernovasky It really was weird they only took 4-5...if you look on the website, they usually end up with cohorts of around 10. Good luck!

[lovenhaight]

I didn't apply to UC-Boulder, but a friend in my MA cohort did. She hasn't heard anything thus far. She does post things in the Results Search, and has already gotten into what is probably her top choice, but as soon as she hears anything from Boulder I'll let you know.

[Supernovasky]

Awesome... The more people who applied to Boulder that accept elsewhere, the better for me

I am really, really hopeful on this one. Boulder would be such an amazing place to live and study.

[Supernovasky]

Waiting for them to drop the interview invites! You know this is coming soon!

[giacomo]

how large/small is Boulder's program?

[Supernovasky]

Apparently they usually take 10-12 people, although last year they took only 5 of the 25 that went, due to budget cuts.

[Supernovasky]

Today, last year, Boulder sent out invites to the interview stage.

[sociologygradgirl]

I applied. The grad coordinator actually emailed me several weeks ago saying that their visit is scheduled for March 2nd. I haven't heard anything about being invited and no one in the results survey has posted anything. Seems strange considering the visit day is only 2 weeks away...

[Supernovasky]

Thats why I can only imagine invites are happening today or tomorrow.

[sociologygradgirl]

i hope so. i've developed a nervous twitch everytime my email goes off...

[Sociograd]

I have a question about this open house. I thought that being invited basically means you are accepted. It's up to the student at that point to accept or decline the offer. Is this not true? It's kinda disappointing to know that we will be invited, but we may still be denied.

[giacomo]

I have a question about this open house. I thought that being invited basically means you are accepted. It's up to the student at that point to accept or decline the offer. Is this not true? It's kinda disappointing to know that we will be invited, but we may still be denied.

i think most open houses are "admitted students" weekend events, although there are exceptions. emory, for example.

[Sociograd]

Different programs do it differently. Last year boulder invited 20 or so students I think and they did not accept them all!

I'd bet UC-Boulder Sociology receives at least 200 applications a year. If 20 people are invited to the open house, that seems to me like a reasonable admit rate on par with other schools. Maybe 8-12 of those people would accept the offer. But what about the people who are invited but do not attend? And, why would Boulder invite people to their open house, pay their airfare and hotel, with the understanding that some people will be denied in the end? And, on a side note, why are these people denied after they attend the open house? Did something go just terribly wrong? Something doesn't seem right in this situation. I'd be willing to bet that most, if not all, people invited to the open house can expect to be accepted. One person posted that due to unforeseen budget cuts at the State level that the program needed to trim the offers. I can understand this extraneous circumstance to an extent. However, looking at the newly admitted graduate students last year, I think 10 or so where accepted. The year before that, only 5 or so. And the year before that, another 10. This pattern repeats itself throughout their student admit years. So, it does look like it may be a light admit year for Boulder. Lots of questions about this program...sorry, I'm just free typing.

[sociologygradgirl]

From my experience applying to my MA program, not everyone who was invited to the open house was necessarily in. SOME were sure things by the time they arrived. The school did invite some people they wanted additional info from and the chance to meet them before making an absolute decision.