2018 App Cycle

[Mopar18]

On 3/15/2018 at 7:21 PM, aaustin said:

 

 

Hey Mopar, if you don't mind me asking, what policy program(s) did you applying to? 

I'm planning on applying next cycle and my interest is correctional policy related. 

 

As a side note, does anyone actually have a list of all the current CCJ PhD programs? I know sociology programs might offer it, but I'm still stuck on JUST trying to nail down all the possible CCJ programs. 

 

Best of luck to everyone on applications!! I hope you all get funded offers! 

Hi aaustin, sorry for the late response.

With regards to PP I applied to Boise St. and Oregon St. Can't remember off the top of my head if they have faculty that has interests in corrections. 

If corrections is what you're interested in, Sam Houston would be a good choice.

[Luckyb]

The rankings making an impact on anyone’s decision?

[__Anonymous__]

2 hours ago, Luckyb said:

The rankings making an impact on anyone’s decision?

I'm happy to see that Albany is still ranked #2! I had heard rumors their ranking was going to drop. Was going to go there regardless, but I'm stoked. How about yourself?

[Luckyb]

2 hours ago, __Anonymous__ said:

I'm happy to see that Albany is still ranked #2! I had heard rumors their ranking was going to drop. Was going to go there regardless, but I'm stoked. How about yourself?

That’s great! Congratulations!

I didn’t notice any dramatic changes in the rankings looking at the schools I’m interested in.  But that may be a limited perspective.  American is down two, Irvine is up two, and Maryland stayed the same.

Were there even any shockers?

[__Anonymous__]

18 hours ago, Luckyb said:

That’s great! Congratulations!

I didn’t notice any dramatic changes in the rankings looking at the schools I’m interested in.  But that may be a limited perspective.  American is down two, Irvine is up two, and Maryland stayed the same.

Were there even any shockers?

A couple changed pretty drastically! ASU went from #12 to #5, and George Mason from #22 to #11! But those stood out to me because I applied to them

Were you accepted to the three that you mentioned? 

[Luckyb]

3 hours ago, __Anonymous__ said:

A couple changed pretty drastically! ASU went from #12 to #5, and George Mason from #22 to #11! But those stood out to me because I applied to them

Were you accepted to the three that you mentioned? 

Wow!  The ASU climb makes sense to me.  They’ve gained a great reputation since the last US News rankings.  I strongly considered applying there.

I did get those acceptances.  I’m also considering sociology programs at University of Chicago and Berkeley.

 

[CrimGrad]

On 3/20/2018 at 9:57 AM, Luckyb said:

The rankings making an impact on anyone’s decision?

Just my opinion, but I wouldn't let the US News rankings sway my decision one bit. Now I'll rant about why

For those of you that don't know, here's my understanding of how the US News ranking works (correct me if you know otherwise):

They send out a form to each school and one person in charge (Dean, Dept head) fills it out. It asks them only to rank each school on a scale of 1-5.

If you've ever taken a methods class, you'll immediately see why this is not a very good instrument!

Where the ranker graduated from: 5
Where the ranker knows people he/she went to school with: 3-5
Where the ranker knows people he/she publishes with: 3-5
Where the ranker doesn't know anybody: 1-3
Where the ranker has a beef with somebody: 1-3
Where the ranker feels recruitment competition from: 1
Where the ranker has an ideological disagreement with faculty: 1

Hopefully the last few on that list don't occur often, but I think its a bit Pollyanna to think that doesn't happen.

How well can the ranker truly know each of 32 programs?
Is the ranker indicating the quality of: being a faculty at that school? being a student at that school? the quality of research from existing faculty? the quality of teaching from existing faculty? some mixture?
How well can a ranker differentiate between programs with a single score ranging from 1-5? In particular, how well can a ranker distinguish the top 5 schools from each other? Do they all get a 5, or do they range from 5 to 1, or...?
How long does a reputation last once earned? Are these reputation scores, ranked by the field's most senior faculty (deans and dept heads), actually indicative of reputations earned many years ago?

Notice how 7 of the top 8 ranked schools are within 0.3 points of each other? It could have just as easily been reverse ordered if a handful of rankers changed their scores by 1 or 2 points. How useful is it to compare #2 SUNY (4.2) with any of the schools tied at #5 (3.9), or #9 (3.8)?

IMO, the US News ranking is useful - at best - for roughly determining the top and bottom halves by reputation. Even then, I see several schools in both the bottom half and top half that I think could be swapped.

The last time US News did these rankings was in 2009. My understanding is that is because the schools were unhappy with how poorly devised their ranking system is. I think this might be reflected in the ADPCCJ meeting minutes archived on their website.

[Jinxstar]

The faculty at my current program like to joke about how the rankings are a popularity contest when they drop, but certainly not when their alma mater rises. It's an amusing little spat they have each year.

Has everyone somewhat landed on their final decisions? I'm leaning heavily a certain direction, but it's dependent upon certain personal circumstances for me to be able to relocate. The program I am most interested in has really made me feel like they want me there. 

[__Anonymous__]

1 hour ago, Luckyb said:

Wow!  The ASU climb makes sense to me.  They’ve gained a great reputation since the last US News rankings.  I strongly considered applying there.

I did get those acceptances.  I’m also considering sociology programs at University of Chicago and Berkeley.

 

Congratulations! I don't know anyone (myself included, haha) who got accepted into Maryland. Good job!!! Sounds like you have some great options to choose from. Are you leaning toward a specific one at this point? 

[Jinxstar]

6 minutes ago, CrimGrad said:

For those of you that don't know, here's my understanding of how the US News ranking works (correct me if you know otherwise):

To address potentially bitter or biased response extremes, I know they drop the two highest and two lowest responses. In talking with my colleagues, they are well aware of at least one person in each program, and sometimes when one faculty whom they respect may leave a program (or a current colleague left a particular program), it may impact the perception of the program. If we're talking about someone like Akers going emeritus, or Jennings coming out of Florida, then leaving South Florida for a spot in a different program, Piquero leaving FSU/Florida, etc....people are likely to wonder about their motivations, or how their departure may impact a program.  It's curious to me that Louisville is low, considering how many pubs their cohorts have had, especially with Tewksbury and Higgins there. Those big names and mentor family trees leave large imprints upon how a program is perceived. 
I found myself laughing about how much I sound like I'm talking about the developmental squads for major league baseball teams during Spring Training when we bring up the rookies, haha.

[Luckyb]

52 minutes ago, __Anonymous__ said:

Congratulations! I don't know anyone (myself included, haha) who got accepted into Maryland. Good job!!! Sounds like you have some great options to choose from. Are you leaning toward a specific one at this point? 

Thank you!!! I still have to visit some schools, so it’s going to depend on how those visits go. 

[Plzacceptme]

Anyone in college park, MD this weekend for the Admitted Students Day?

[Ifanar1]

Hi all!

Long-time lurker, first time poster 

I was wondering if anyone here will be attending John Jay-CUNY come fall? I think it would be cool to connect! (If you attended the campus visit, we might have even already met!)

[R1001]

I’ve decided to enter the Criminology program at Penn State in the fall! Anyone else made their decision yet?

[__Anonymous__]

I'll be going to Albany! 

[Justiscj726]

Looking at Maryland, Northeastern, Albany, American, Delaware and Mason!