Fall 2016 - Phd Thread

[1428 Elm St]

@KnowVac Congrats on the news!!!   It's so nice to be able to breathe.... ?

I also agree with @Cedodge and @liesandfish about the preview/interview question.  @Partinrn as far as JJay goes... I was told that they cut the initial applicant pool/group down to 24 and only can offer full funding for 8.   Definitely sweating this one out.  

[CrimTheory]

Hey everyone! Going to jump in here because I am still waiting and it's driving me crazy! I only applied for one school this season (American)

I hope to hear sometime next week- but it's just a hunch (and asking every PhD student I know currently in the program- I am getting my Masters there right now)

[KnowVac]

2 hours ago, CrimTheory said:

Hey everyone! Going to jump in here because I am still waiting and it's driving me crazy! I only applied for one school this season (American)

I hope to hear sometime next week- but it's just a hunch (and asking every PhD student I know currently in the program- I am getting my Masters there right now)

Thanks for the info! I'm going nuts waiting on American too 

[knf86]

Hi all,

I'm new to the forum.  Has anyone applied to the University of Louisville?  if so, have you heard yet?!

Thanks!

[Cedodge]

1 hour ago, knm86 said:

Hi all,

I'm new to the forum.  Has anyone applied to the University of Louisville?  if so, have you heard yet?!

Thanks!

Welcome. The only other person I am aware of that applied to Louisville was @cagataykoc, but I haven't seen a post from them since November. 

[liesandfish]

25 minutes ago, Cedodge said:

Welcome. The only other person I am aware of that applied to Louisville was @cagataykoc, but I haven't seen a post from them since November. 

I know faculty at Louisville and they say decisions should be out late next week @knm86

[knf86]

1 hour ago, Cedodge said:

Welcome. The only other person I am aware of that applied to Louisville was @cagataykoc, but I haven't seen a post from them since November. 

Thanks for the replies folks.  Fish, do you know if UofL is requiring in-person interviews?  i didn't see anything on the website about interviews so wasn't sure if that was a requirement or whether the committee makes decisions based on the application materials submitted?

[knf86]

Just now, knm86 said:

Thanks for the replies folks.  Fish, do you know if UofL is requiring in-person interviews?  i didn't see anything on the website about interviews so wasn't sure if that was a requirement or whether the committee makes decisions based on the application materials submitted?

Also, I think in previous years no interview was required.  I'm wondering whether they'll switch things up for this go around.

[liesandfish]

@knm86 no interview has happened for the last four cohorts (all of them), so I would be surprised if there is one, especially an in-person one.  Hope that helps! Good luck! 

[knf86]

Thanks, fish.  You've been so helpful!  I can certainly rest easy now knowing that I won't hear anything until late next week

[liesandfish]

And a new offer has complicated things. Guess my decision isn't so firm. 

How would you all decide if both places being decided between are great fits, with faculty that want to work with you. Funding at both places, one is significantly higher than the other (10k better) but the lower funding is a more prestigious school? Thought, things to consider? 

 

[phdincrim2016]

 

8 minutes ago, liesandfish said:

And a new offer has complicated things. Guess my decision isn't so firm. 

How would you all decide if both places being decided between are great fits, with faculty that want to work with you. Funding at both places, one is significantly higher than the other (10k better) but the lower funding is a more prestigious school? Thought, things to consider? 

 

1

Congratulations on the new offer!

I would say it depends on (1) how much more prestigious is the other school? and (2) what is the difference in cost of living? If you are open to saying which two schools, it would be easier to have an opinion on it, but I totally understand if you'd rather not. 

[liesandfish]

14 minutes ago, phdincrim2016 said:

 

Congratulations on the new offer!

I would say it depends on (1) how much more prestigious is the other school? and (2) what is the difference in cost of living? If you are open to saying which two schools, it would be easier to have an opinion on it, but I totally understand if you'd rather not. 

Thanks! 

I would rather not say the exact names but we are talking a essentially unranked school (with potential) versus a top 5 school. The cost of living is about the same, 200$ difference in rent for similar housing between them. (Less finding, the slightly cheaper option). Other difference, at the less funded option, higher rank I would be a TA/RA. At the other I would have no requirement for the money. 

[phdincrim2016]

8 minutes ago, liesandfish said:

Thanks! 

I would rather not say the exact names but we are talking a essentially unranked school (with potential) versus a top 5 school. The cost of living is about the same, 200$ difference in rent for similar housing between them. (Less finding, the slightly cheaper option). Other difference, at the less funded option, higher rank I would be a TA/RA. At the other I would have no requirement for the money. 

My opinion - for what it's worth - is that you should definitely, definitely go to the top 5 school. I think the reputation difference would be huge in terms of job options, and honestly the TA/RA work can help to build your CV more than not having a work requirement. 

[I just got notice of funding from a top 5 school, too... If you want to compare notes or talk specifics, send me a message and we can do it off-board. It's probably the same one.]

[gingin6789]

Hey all! Sorry to crash the thread, but I was wondering: Those of you going to the Delaware trip on Feb 22-23, I wonder, since Soc and Crim are one department at Delaware, if we'll have the same itinerary, etc. 

If so ... I'll see you guys there! I'm very excited! looking forward to meeting those of you who will be there!

[Partinrn]

5 hours ago, phdincrim2016 said:

My opinion - for what it's worth - is that you should definitely, definitely go to the top 5 school. I think the reputation difference would be huge in terms of job options, and honestly the TA/RA work can help to build your CV more than not having a work requirement. 

[I just got notice of funding from a top 5 school, too... If you want to compare notes or talk specifics, send me a message and we can do it off-board. It's probably the same one.]

I'll have to respectfully disagree. I would (and am) choosing a less prestigious school over a better known school. Both with full funding. One school has a much smaller cohort. I'm starting to have the mindset that it's your advisor(s) that matter much more than an arbitrary school ranking.  If an advisor is well known in the field and helps students get published, great. To me that's better than having an advisor who only publishes with students, or never publishes with students. I think at our level (PhD) it's more of a "what we do" rather than where we go. More than a few well known experts in my field came from no name schools.  Just my $.02

[Cedodge]

1 hour ago, Partinrn said:

I'll have to respectfully disagree. I would (and am) choosing a less prestigious school over a better known school. Both with full funding. One school has a much smaller cohort. I'm starting to have the mindset that it's your advisor(s) that matter much more than an arbitrary school ranking.  If an advisor is well known in the field and helps students get published, great. To me that's better than having an advisor who only publishes with students, or never publishes with students. I think at our level (PhD) it's more of a "what we do" rather than where we go. More than a few well known experts in my field came from no name schools.  Just my $.02

Edited February 20, 2016 by Cedodge

[Cedodge]

Okay, please ignore the previous post, my text editor was not cooperating.

I agree with @Partinrn to a point - it is the "what" not the "where". From what it sounds like, though, the less pretigious program @liesandfish mentioned is not offering a RA/TA position in conjunction with the funding. This would worry me because RA/TA positions help develop relationships between professors and the student as well as offer valuable experience. I'd still choose the top school in this case just for the working experience. 

[liesandfish]

4 minutes ago, Cedodge said:

Okay, please ignore the previous post, my text editor was not cooperating.

I agree with @Partinrn to a point - it is the "what" not the "where". From what it sounds like, though, the less pretigious program @liesandfish mentioned is not offering a RA/TA position in conjunction with the funding. This would worry me because RA/TA positions help develop relationships between professors and the student as well as offer valuable experience. I'd still choose the top school in this case just for the working experience. 

To clarify, the other offer is a University Fellowship, therefore no TA/RA requirements BUT I made sure I contractually would be able to teach two course and do research with faculty as well as continue the study I am doing on my own. (This was made sure at both schools as I own this data set). So I definitely see the point of TA/RA but what I really mean for the this one is I have no REQUIREMENTS for it, just what I decide to take on. (Which is good and bad) 

 

**caps for emphasis not yelling! I greatly appreciate all the feedback. 

Edited February 20, 2016 by liesandfish

[phdincrim2016]

1 hour ago, Partinrn said:

I'll have to respectfully disagree. I would (and am) choosing a less prestigious school over a better known school. Both with full funding. One school has a much smaller cohort. I'm starting to have the mindset that it's your advisor(s) that matter much more than an arbitrary school ranking.  If an advisor is well known in the field and helps students get published, great. To me that's better than having an advisor who only publishes with students, or never publishes with students. I think at our level (PhD) it's more of a "what we do" rather than where we go. More than a few well known experts in my field came from no name schools.  Just my $.02

I completely agree, when it comes to working with an advisor. If the choice is between a "prestigious" school where faculty don't publish with students or there's no clear advisor, and another school with a very well known scholar who is known to publish with students, I would choose the latter. All else equal, I'd go with the higher ranked school. But I agree, the choice of advisor is probably more important. 

[Cedodge]

2 hours ago, liesandfish said:

To clarify, the other offer is a University Fellowship, therefore no TA/RA requirements BUT I made sure I contractually would be able to teach two course and do research with faculty as well as continue the study I am doing on my own. (This was made sure at both schools as I own this data set). So I definitely see the point of TA/RA but what I really mean for the this one is I have no REQUIREMENTS for it, just what I decide to take on. (Which is good and bad) 

 

**caps for emphasis not yelling! I greatly appreciate all the feedback. 

Thank you for the clarification. I can see where this is a difficult decision. Now my questions are, how much time do you need to complete your own research? Will working with the responsibilities of a TA/RA position be detrimental to that research? Will having a fellowship be a better option? Is there a particular professor that you want to work with at either location? 

 

Just more things to consider. Long story short, do what is best for your career. 

[1428 Elm St]

@liesandfish I am very happy to hear that you have such options!!  This is a wonderful "problem" to have.

Just offering my $.02..

1.  Obviously it is your personal financial situation to consider (does the extra $10K make a substantial difference and how does that weigh in with all of these other options that the thread has posted)..

2.  I definitely fall in line with @Partinrn's thinking.. I like the idea of a smaller cohort (but exactly how much smaller are we talking?  Are you sacrificing diversity by having a smaller group?  Does that matter to you?).  I also TOTALLY agree with the idea of "advisors do matter."  In my own personal experience, this is way more important than having advisors from "higher-tiered" schools [I can explain more if you would like to PM me ... as far as my personal experience].

3.  I am also in line with @phdincrim2016's thinking... I would way rather have well-known scholars (in their respective fields) help me publish as a student.

4.  As far as semester loads go... what is the trade off?   For instance I was looking at Rutgers and JJay... Rutgers was 3 classes per semester and 15 hours on campus (I believe) vs. JJay requiring 4 classes per semester and 7.5 hours on campus.  I know it may not seem like a big difference but there were negatives and positives to both ways.  Rutgers (1st semester): Theory, Policy and Stats PLUS 15 hours; (2nd semester): Theory, RM, and Stats II PLUS 15 hours.  JJay (1st semester): Stats, RM, Criminology and CJ PLUS 7.5 hours; (2nd semester): Stats II, RM II, Crim II and CJ II PLUS 7.5 hours.  So for me, I was super strong in Stats and RM (Masters)... so I think I would be able to handle JJays curriculum.  Verses if I felt as though I wasn't... I would rather Rutgers' class schedule.  

5.  Does each allow for the transfer of the same amount of Masters credits?

I don't know if any of this helps.. but I hope it does.

**BTW... the all caps are not yelling (LOL)

[hunter66]

Hello everybody!

I did not post anything here. But I am a constant lurker here although I did not join the conversation. I am still waiting and still anxious. Because I have not heard from any school yet except for USF where I got rejected, which sucked because it was the first rejection. But, they did not have the faculty working in my field of interest, comparative criminology and comp criminal justice. I kept my fingers crossed for American though. Wish me good luck!! Has anybody heard back from American or do you guys know when we should expect to hear from there?

I have bad news for everybody who applied to Louisville. Well, I go to Louisville. I heard last week from the department chair personally that they will not accept any PhD students until fall 2017. I applied to Louisville myself too. It was awful to hear that, because I really wanted to stay here. The faculty, the city, stipend and everything about here was decent. But I will have to go somewhere else  @knm86 @liesandfish

I am still waiting to hear from PennState, South Carolina, UTD, Sam Houston, American, Florida international. Has anybody heard anything from USC or Sam Houston or Pennstate?

[liesandfish]

2 minutes ago, cagataykoc said:

Hello everybody!

I did not post anything here. But I am a constant lurker here although I did not join the conversation. I am still waiting and still anxious. Because I have not heard from any school yet except for USF where I got rejected, which sucked because it was the first rejection. But, they did not have the faculty working in my field of interest, comparative criminology and comp criminal justice. I kept my fingers crossed for American though. Wish me good luck!! Has anybody heard back from American or do you guys know when we should expect to hear from there?

I have bad news for everybody who applied to Louisville. Well, I go to Louisville. I heard last week from the department chair personally that they will not accept any PhD students until fall 2017. I applied to Louisville myself too. It was awful to hear that, because I really wanted to stay here. The faculty, the city, stipend and everything about here was decent. But I will have to go somewhere else  @knm86 @liesandfish

I am still waiting to hear from PennState, South Carolina, UTD, Sam Houston, American, Florida international. Has anybody heard anything from USC or Sam Houston or Pennstate?

USC decisions have been made but not notified. That all I know about that. Penn State is notorious for being late Feb. (family member attends there) so I wouldn't be shocked to hear later. 

 

Interesting about Louisville. Yesterday a well known faculty there (male, eccentric) said next week.  

[liesandfish]

6 minutes ago, 1428 Elm St said:

@liesandfish I am very happy to hear that you have such options!!  This is a wonderful "problem" to have.

Just offering my $.02..

1.  Obviously it is your personal financial situation to consider (does the extra $10K make a substantial difference and how does that weigh in with all of these other options that the thread has posted)..

2.  I definitely fall in line with @Partinrn's thinking.. I like the idea of a smaller cohort (but exactly how much smaller are we talking?  Are you sacrificing diversity by having a smaller group?  Does that matter to you?).  I also TOTALLY agree with the idea of "advisors do matter."  In my own personal experience, this is way more important than having advisors from "higher-tiered" schools [I can explain more if you would like to PM me ... as far as my personal experience].

3.  I am also in line with @phdincrim2016's thinking... I would way rather have well-known scholars (in their respective fields) help me publish as a student.

4.  As far as semester loads go... what is the trade off?   For instance I was looking at Rutgers and JJay... Rutgers was 3 classes per semester and 15 hours on campus (I believe) vs. JJay requiring 4 classes per semester and 7.5 hours on campus.  I know it may not seem like a big difference but there were negatives and positives to both ways.  Rutgers (1st semester): Theory, Policy and Stats PLUS 15 hours; (2nd semester): Theory, RM, and Stats II PLUS 15 hours.  JJay (1st semester): Stats, RM, Criminology and CJ PLUS 7.5 hours; (2nd semester): Stats II, RM II, Crim II and CJ II PLUS 7.5 hours.  So for me, I was super strong in Stats and RM (Masters)... so I think I would be able to handle JJays curriculum.  Verses if I felt as though I wasn't... I would rather Rutgers' class schedule.  

5.  Does each allow for the transfer of the same amount of Masters credits?

I don't know if any of this helps.. but I hope it does.

**BTW... the all caps are not yelling (LOL)

Again, great point from all of you. I'm leaning smaller cohort with more money, but actually because I know faculty who has a connection and data set I want to work with. I think the fact that I have a few pubs underway and a data set helps me in the lesser ranked. And great point about transfer credits. One counts my entire masters. The other only 6 hours of it. I feel a lot better about a lower rank, knowing the particular faculty wants to work with me and accepts my masters. I really really appreciate the insight. Seriously, all of your opinions matter to me, as peers, I look forward to peers who understand all our differences make up support each other and not compete with each other. Our field has such an opportunity for growth and knowledge since it is so new (relatively) and I love how different folks can make different ideas and perspectives matter.  I mean that. I would be honored to work with any of you (anonymous) colleagues someday.