Stanford or other T15 PhD. sociology program, tips or advice?

Graduate School
1

<p>So here's the deal...</p>

<p>When I was younger, I struggled through high school. I eventually managed to make up 60 credits and graduate on time, but only did the bare essentials. </p>

<p>At 23 I decided it was time to get myself back into school, and get on track. I enrolled at Portland Community College, took my first intro sociology course and from that moment I had figured out what I wanted to do. </p>

<p>Unfortunately at the time, I had done so poorly in high school that I was under the impression that my 3.2 GPA would be considered "good". I had zero hopes of transferring to a "great" school. </p>

<p>A little after finishing my "first year", as in the first year I was actually earning college level credit, I transfered to University of Hawaii. </p>

<p>I realize it is a Tier 3 school, but at the time I was just interested in the experience of living in Hawaii and assumed it would be more than adequate. </p>

<p>Well soon after arriving, my ambitions for "greater things" began to develop and I have in the last year set my sights on Berkeley and Stanford as possible hopefuls for graduate school. </p>

<p>I am finishing my Junior year at UH Manoa this semester, and with some summer school will be starting my senior year for Fall 2011. </p>

<p>My current Manoa GPA is 3.92 and I have made the honors "Deans List" for the past 3 semesters at UH. </p>

<p>My UH Manoa GPA will be 3.95 by the time I graduate, my major GPA will be a 3.89. I have gotten all A's in sociology except one methods class where I slacked a bit for the final and ended up with a B. </p>

<p>Softs include: </p>

<p>Minor: Political Science, Minor GPA 4.0
Certificate: Law and Society</p>

<p>One of 6 undergraduate sociology students to be picked to lead a freshman seminar.(essentially I teach an intro sociology course to a class of 10 freshmen, I responsible for everything from designing lecture, lecturing, leading discussion, making assignments and grading) This is done under the supervision of a tenure professor in the department whom I meet with once a week to discuss progress in the course. I am the only junior ever picked to lead this seminar. </p>

<p>I plan on doing an internship of some kind for fall and spring semester, this will be related to sociology in some way. Either working with a community organization, or a legal internship.</p>

<p>Anyway, I will have 3 excellent letters of recommendation, I have already spoke with the professors in question and they are all faculty I have worked closely with in the department. </p>

<p>I should mention, my research interests include, social stratification, social movements, globalization and ecology. </p>

<p>I have yet to take the GRE, I never took the SAT's so I want to make sure I have plenty of time to study (2-3 months) My hope is for a 1350-1400, and I am pretty comfortable with most of the material so I should do pretty well. I need some math refresher, but had no problem with any of the math at the time I learned it originally. I also plan on spending the bulk of the time working on the vocab (flashcards are on order) </p>

<p>I know this was long so..
So here is the short version</p>

<p>Major Sociology
Minor Political Science</p>

<p>Portland Community College 32 credits (3.2 GPA)
University of Hawaii Manoa 90 credits (3.95 GPA)
Major GPA 3.89
Minor GPA 4.0
Good Softs? (IMO)
Solid writing sample 13-15 pages
Good personal story? </p>

<p>Grad school choices:</p>

<p>Top picks:</p>

<p>I have specific prof's I am hoping to work with at both of these
Stanford
Berkeley</p>

<p>Other top picks I plan to apply to, in order to increase acceptance chances</p>

<p>Columbia
Harvard
Northwestern
UCLA
U Penn
NYU</p>

<p>Michigan and UW, are out, I really don't want to live in either place for 5+ years. </p>

<p>Anyway, any advice, extra curriculars etc I can do in the next year to increase my chances? </p>

<p>Thanx for reading this long drawn out post.</p>

2

<p>Your grades are great, but you need to broaden your list of schools. If all you apply to is the very tippy-top rank, you’re playing in very rarified air where admissions can pretty much be a crapshoot. Check GradCafe - lots of people are talking about going 0-for-12 or 1-for-15. Some of these programs get 400 apps for five or six slots.</p>

3

<p>Well unfortunately, I have seen the job prospects for PhD’s from less than stellar schools, and even those with great research experience can’t find tenure jobs. I won’t put myself through that honestly, just to end up adjnuct making 30k/ year. </p>

<p>If I can’t get into a T15 grad school, I have a back up plan that involves taking the LSAT and going to a strong regional law school. </p>

<p>I know that sounds a bit harsh, but thats where I am at. So what can I do to try and help my chances so that I don’t end up 0-7 ???</p>

<p>I should add, I have been considering putting University of Washington on the list as well as Yale. They both have strong stratification programs and are #17 and #20 respectively.</p>

4

<p>Does your program have an honors thesis type project available? The only thing you seem to be missing is research experience, and doing a senior capstone type paper would definitely help.</p>

5

<p>They do not have specific capstone thesis program available.</p>

<p>That said, for my methods class which I received a B, (only because of the final test. My final research paper had the highest grade in a class of 200+) Still can’t believe I let my grade slide, but anyway…</p>

<p>I actually designed and wrote my own (albeit short, 13 pages) research paper that I could refine and submit as a writing sample. Other options I have considered is talking to some of the prof’s that I am close with in the department and trying to get in on helping them with their current research. </p>

<p>If it helps, 2 of the 3 got PhD’s from top programs, UW-Madison and U-Mich. (both schools I have no interest in going to, HA)</p>

<p>The other is the professor that is supervising my freshman seminar, she got her PhD in Canada a long, long time ago. But she also has good credentials to back her up. </p>

<p>here are links</p>

<p>[Sociology</a> Department](<a href=“http://socialsciences.people.hawaii.edu/faculty/?dept=soc&faculty=kimuraa@hawaii.edu]Sociology”>http://socialsciences.people.hawaii.edu/faculty/?dept=soc&faculty=kimuraa@hawaii.edu)</p>

<p>[Sociology</a> Department](<a href=“http://socialsciences.people.hawaii.edu/faculty/?dept=soc&faculty=hs9@hawaii.edu]Sociology”>http://socialsciences.people.hawaii.edu/faculty/?dept=soc&faculty=hs9@hawaii.edu)</p>

<p>[Sociology</a> Department](<a href=“http://socialsciences.people.hawaii.edu/faculty/?dept=soc&faculty=wurtzbur@hawaii.edu]Sociology”>http://socialsciences.people.hawaii.edu/faculty/?dept=soc&faculty=wurtzbur@hawaii.edu)</p>

6

<p>This is a description of the honor thesis at Manoa:</p>

<p>[The</a> Honors Program - Upper Division Honors](<a href=“http://www.honors.hawaii.edu/programs/ud_honors.html]The”>http://www.honors.hawaii.edu/programs/ud_honors.html)</p>

<p>If you can do this, it may make a difference.</p>

7

<p>As polarscribe said, check out grad cafe. NYU got 460 applications this year, and made 9 offers. (Maybe they’ll make a couple more if some of the 9 turn it down.) Penn I think took only 5 students this year. There’s someone on there with a 3.8 undergraduate GPA from an Ivy League college, a master’s from another (and 4.0 in his grad courses), three years of post-bac research experience, multiple publications and prizes, and really high GREs, who has gone like 0-7 at precisely the schools you are talking about. Grad school admissions aren’t about stats primarily. They are to some extent about relationships, but with so many applicants for so few slots, relationships may not be enough, either. (Almost everyone applying has recommendations from faculty who came out of top programs.) Having a great research proposal, and actual research experience, is a big help. </p>

<p>Adding insanely competitive programs to increase your acceptance odds is . . . insane. You are talking about applying to departments that probably represent 8 of the top 10 in terms of numbers of applications and competitiveness. (You missed Chicago, for whatever reason, and Wisconsin gets a ton of applications because it is historically a big program.) People like cities – especially sociologists! – so applying in New York, LA, the Bay Area, Chicago, Philly, etc., guarantees ultracompetitiveness. </p>

<p>On the other hand, you are probably right that your employment prospects in academia go way down if you don’t go to a top 15 (or so) program. Law school doesn’t look like such a secure choice right now, either, but it’s a lot more secure than sociology. (And a lot more expensive, too – you have to take on more financial risk to go to law school.) Even coming out of Harvard or Princeton doesn’t guarantee you a good job in sociology. So it’s not such a terrible idea to aim for the stars and to have a backup plan. Just recognize that you probably have a lot of work to do to make yourself a good candidate for those schools, and that even if you make yourself a good candidate you could get skunked on your applications.</p>

8

<p>why not Chicago for sociology?</p>

9

<p>I will probably end up adding u Chicago to the list as well as maybe brown. Problem is, I need a program that can fully fund me. I will be 50k in debt and outside of top law can’t take on any more debt for school.</p>

<p>Sent from my Nexus One using CC App</p>

10

<p>Unfortunately a lot of it is luck of the draw in regards to fit. Ill just do the best I can between now and then. Also is it worth contacting departments? And if so, what should be my timeline before I apply to do it? One month before I apply? 3—6 ? </p>

<p>I know Stanford’s site seems to encourage people not to contact faculty beforehand. </p>

<p>Sent from my Nexus One using CC App</p>

11

<p>So here is my new list, I realize these are still all highly ranked programs, but I have outlined my reasons for that already. </p>

<p>Stanford
Berkeley
Columbia
Harvard
Northwestern
U Chicago
UCLA
U Penn
NYU
University of Washington
Yale
Brown</p>

<p>So that leaves me with 12 options, albeit all highly ranked ones. </p>

<p>When I said there was no senior capstone, I was referring to the sociology department specifically. I had looked into the honors program before, but wasn’t sure about since they don’t actually offer any “honors” classes in sociology. That being said, you all may be right about that senior capstone being just what I need.</p>

<p>Which leads me to my next question, would it be better to do the honors program and the senior capstone, or find faculty willing to let me help them with some research so that I get experience?</p>

<p>Also just wanted to add, my desire for a top program has honestly nothing to do with money. It is about job security, I would just as happily take my PhD and get a full time job at a community college making 40-60k a year. The key issue for me is actually finding a full-time teaching position once I graduate. Adjnuct is a trap most PhD’s never find their way out of, and the thought scares the hell out of me.</p>

12

<p>If it means anything to you I agree with your all-or-nothing stance. I mean, it really depends on you - if your goal is to get a PhD no matter what then getting into lower-tier programs might not matter, but if the goal is to get a tenure-track job at a university I don’t really see the point of aiming lower than the top. Even if you get into a low-ranked program, that doesn’t get you to your goal of being a professor.</p>

<p>You can do both - do the honors capstone project and work with a professor, and I recommend you do both. My senior year I was working as a research assistant with a professor while also writing my senior honors thesis. It takes time, but if you are registered for the thesis as a class it’s not any worse than taking a full load and doing research.</p>

<p>Also, for that summer internship - I don’t think a sociology program is going to care much about a legal internship, unless you are interested in sociology and law. And a community organization may be more attractive, but what you really need is a summer research program or REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates).</p>

<p>[US</a> NSF - REU - List Result](<a href=“http://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/list_result.cfm?unitid=5054]US”>REU Sites | NSF - National Science Foundation)</p>

<p>NSF funds the ones on the list, but there are tons more and some many even be at the places you want to apply to next fall. So I propose that you do a Google search of “summer research experience/program” (maybe with the additional keywords of “sociology” or “undergraduate”). Do it quickly, too, because many of the deadlines are in early to mid-March. Many will have already passed.</p>

13

<p>thank you for the added information. </p>

<p>I am going to inquire with my department to see if I can get some research experience. </p>

<p>I also sent an email requesting some info from the honors program.</p>

<p>I am also applying for peer advisor program, it won’t help me directly but</p>

<p>may be considered an ok soft, plus I can use it as work experience later if I</p>

<p>need to find a job. </p>

<p>Thanks again, this whole process is really stressful.</p>

<p>If I send out 15 apps and get 15 rejections I am going to be totally lost. </p>

<p>I am going to do as much work as I can, and then hope for the best.</p>

14

<p>What’s an “ok soft?”</p>

15

<p>soft factors that help away admission committee’s etc. </p>

<p>While peer advising will certainly not play a significant role like being a research assistant would, it may give me even the slightest little bump. Combined with research it could just be one little added factor that might help, albeit very small when weighed against everything else.</p>

16

<p>Not really.</p>

<p>Graduate admissions committees care not the slightest about extracurriculars or “soft” factors unless they’re directly related to your field of interest or your research direction.</p>

17

<p>Like I said, I don’t think it will in any way play a significant role. But from experience I have seen with peers of mine, it can give you an ever so slight bump in cases where applicants may be considered equal in all other factors.</p>

18

<p>Just a little update: </p>

<p>I was able to get everything together in time to apply for the honors program, including 3 very enthusiastic faculty members willing to write me letters by tuesday. I have also made the decision to slow down my academic plan a bit to give myself the opportunity to get into a research internship next summer. It will only set me back one semester, and I feel like it is a good conscious choice to make and will help me get into a top program once I graduate.</p>

19

<p>Just another little update…</p>

<p>I was accepted into the honors program, which will allow me to take graduate level classes and do my own independent research. </p>

<p>I also got position as an RA with one of my professors. It’s not paid, but I will get class credit for it and will be able to add it to my CV. I really appreciate everyones advice from here it means a lot and as you can tell I took it to heart and made those changes pretty quickly. </p>

<p>Oh I also got a scholarship from my department for academic excellence. $1350, pretty awesome! </p>

<p>Thanks again for all the help. Any other thoughts?</p>

<p>Also my list has become much larger.</p>

<p>I already talked to my LoR’s, they are cool with writing me 15 letters as long as I give them adequate notice. </p>

<p>Grad School list: (Sociology)</p>

<p>First choice picks:

  1. Berkeley
  2. Stanford
  3. Harvard
  4. Columbia
  5. NYU
  6. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor</p>

<p>Second choice but also top picks
6. University of Washington
7. Yale
8. Northwestern
9. U Chicago
10. U Penn
11. Brown
12. UCLA</p>

<p>Safety Schools (Sorta, I realize these are still really hard to get into):
Boston College
Boston University
UCI
CUNY
USC
UCSC
Northeastern</p>

<p>So just to sum up what profile will be after all this…</p>

<p>GPA 3.95 highest honors
RA 1 1/2 years
independent research project
Scholarship for academic excellence
Summer 2012 - Research internship (somewhere) </p>

<p>Also my prof I am RA’ing for is gonna help me sign up to present at the Pacific Sociology conference next spring.</p>