Applying This Fall/Winter - Questions

[Defenestration a la Mode]

Hello,

 

I'm planning on taking the GRE soon and applying to PhD sociology programs later this year, and I had a few questions I was hoping you might help me address. Sorry if this is long, but I figure the more you know, the more you might be able to help.

 

Real quick a bit about me. I graduated in May 2012 after studying Anthro and Peace Studies (major and supplementary major respectively) at Notre Dame. I will be the first to admit (and regret) that my classes weren't as high a priority for me as they should have been, and I didn't consider grad school until late in my senior year. I had a 3.3 cumulative and no real research/thesis/work with a professor. Over the past year I've been teaching preschool as a year of service, and am still figuring out what I'll do until grad school, and am strongly considering travelling. I know that's probably not great experience, but my time off has really helped me hone what I want to be pursuing. I have been pretty active about reading articles, researching grad school through this forum, grad school rulez, talking to past professors, etc, so I feel like I know what I' getting into and how to get there, but I still have a few questions.

 

Do you have any ideas on how I can bolster my application in the time I have? I am preparing for the GRE, and generally do well on standardized tests, so that should be ok, but specifically I'm worried about my lack of research, what to do for a writing sample, the feeling I can only really get one great LOR (I really regret not forming better relationships with professors), and my GPA. (As a side note, is there a good way to go about asking a professor for a LOR who you didn't know outside of class?) I wish there was a way I could get into some research in my off time.

 

I'm interested in mainly qualitative methods and the areas of social change, activism, social justice and peace studies. I was wondering if you might have suggestions for programs to consider? I know the importance of finding a "fit", but haven't found a quick way to look for programs/professors, and figured this might be a good resource. Also any suggestions for peace studies/interdisciplinary type programs (I can't find any rankings for those)?

 

Is there a level of programs I should write off with my current qualifications?

 

I know that I would be more interested in being a professor at a smaller Liberal Arts college as opposed to a large research university, what might

 

I recently got diagnosed with ADD, is that worth mentioning on a supplement to my application if I feel like it might have made a difference in my undergraduate career?

 

Please feel free to answer as many or as few questions as you feel able, and to refer me to other places, I'm still figuring out my way around here. I think that's pretty much it, thank you so much for your help.

[Chuck]

You sound motivated and like you're getting on the right track. Going to graduate school is a big commitment. Figuring out that you really do want to go and what you want to study should be a process of careful deliberation. The more you know about yourself and your interests and goals, the more happy and successful you will be as a graduate student. I've advised a few recent college graduates in similar situations. You're still quite young, so don't feel pressure to rush the application process. The more effort you put into figuring out what you want, the better your experience will be in graduate school. 

 

As is the case for most everyone who asks 'what are my chances' type questions, It's going to be pretty difficult for anyone on this board to give you a realistic picture of how competitive your application is likely to be at various programs. That said, there is a lot of advice we can offer without knowing too many of your personal details. One thing I can say with some confidence that lack of sustained contact with at least one faculty member is going to hurt your application. 

 

The first thing I would suggest for someone in your situation is to postpone the application process by at least a year. Admission to desirable programs (read: funding, positive academic environment) is highly competitive. One often has to be strategic to gain admission even to the least prestigious programs. Successful applicants are most always those who have been working towards the goal of graduate work for several years. They've been taking advanced classes in their area of interest, exploring various fields, working with faculty and advanced graduate students on research, attending conferences, doing lots of reading, developing a well-conceived research proposal, etc. It sounds like you're getting yourself on the right track by doing some reading in your field. Working towards getting yourself to a space where you are even more sure of what you want will have the added benefit of greatly increasing the competitiveness of your application. For example- you never want to be in a situation where the best possible reference you're going to get from a faculty member is "This student did very well in my class, and got an A."  You need to develop relationships with mentors who know you well and can vouch for your ability to succeed in a graduate program. Skills for success in graduate school (leadership, perseverance, maturity, tenacity, research skills, creativity, dedication, etc) go far beyond GPA- and it's evidence of these skills that admissions committees are on the lookout for.  

 

I suggest that you start by taking an advanced class in an area related to your research interest. You can usually do this somewhat inexpensively at a local public university as a non-degree student. You'll be able to develop your academic interests, form a relationship with one or more faculty, and hone your academic skills. 

[La_Di_Da]

Quickly, I want to echo Chuck's advice to postpone for a year. Based on a cursory review of your post, it appears to me that you may need some additional time to 1) request and secure LORs, which will require you to establish and/or re-establish connections with your undergraduate profs, and 2) research programs and their faculty to see which ones are a good fit.

Determining which programs were not only of interest to me but to which I and my research were also of interest was crucial to my success. I took a year to research schools and establish contacts with faculty at programs that were prospectively a good fit. I likewise took that time to develop relationships, correspond, and visit upon request. Even with that preparation behind me, it took all of the fall term, September through December, to complete my application; much of that time was spent polishing my writing samples and statement of purpose.

Making sure each piece of your application is as solid as you can make it can take time. Be good to yourself and the process by giving yourself the time you need to pull each piece together and make your complete application as stellar as possible. This way, if you incur some delays or resistance from profs along the way, or haven't found several schools to which you really want to apply or persons of interest with whom you'd LOVE to work, you'll have some latitude--some time to slog through and sort it all out.

If you do still plan on applying in the fall, I strongly suggest contacting prospective POIs now and also securing those LORs. These efforts will produce tangible results.

 

All my best!

 

Edited June 29, 2013 by La_Di_Da

[Defenestration a la Mode]

Thank you very much for the advice. That being said, I took some time to consider what you wrote and I still want to apply this fall, even if it's not the wisest decision. I would like to do as much as I can with the time I have, and then/when I get to a point where I feel like it's greatly affecting my chances then I'll try again next year. I know I have a couple things to figure out in the next few months, but considering I won't start until next year I feel really ready. I've had a year of transition coming out of college and want to move onto something more tangible, something I've been looking forward to. I hope that doesn't make me sound rash, because I'm sure it's wise advice, I just want to get going.

 

Thanks again.

 

Does anyone have any suggestions for my more specific questions?

[La_Di_Da]

Regarding finding a program of interest, the ASA publishes the Guide to Graduate Departments of Sociology. In addition to perusing the guide, I found a combination of a literature search, which included both books and papers relevant to my topics of interest (this helped me identify POIs as well as schools), and a general internet search particularly helpful. Once I identified potential programs, I visited each department's web page and began reading about each faculty member's area of interest and expertise, which helped me to further refine my options. I also acquainted myself with the research of the faculty I was interested in working with. This helped me get a better feel for potential fit.

 

As for the ADD, or any other extenuating circumstance that may have contributed to low scores or education breaks, some applications will provide a text field wherein you may enter that information; some will request that you upload a brief summary of the incident/situation; and others will advise you to briefly address it in your SOP. Regardless of where in your application you disclose this information, if ADD negatively affected your undergraduate performance, and you're going to highlight it as the primary cause, then I would suggest that you also disclose what measures you have taken since then to ensure that the issue is resolved and will not impede future academic performance/scholarship.
 

Personally, if the rest of your application is solid, I wouldn't write off any program. I say, shoot for the stars! If you're going to "go for it," then I think it's best to apply to and go where you really want to be, where you can see and imagine yourself doing your best work and becoming your best future self. Just my humble opinion.  

 

Edited July 2, 2013 by La_Di_Da