Too late to begin applying for PhD program in Sociology for this fall?

September 25, 2013 12:15 PM

Or should I wait until Fall 2014 to apply?

After much hand-wringing and soul-searching (not least because of all of the insightful and dire warnings offered by lovely MeFites), I've decided to apply for PhD programs in Sociology. I graduated with a BA in Sociology/Anthropology in 2011, and have been bouncing between documentary research gigs, service industry work, and a current stint doing grant writing for a community-based non-profit, so I feel like I've gotten a taste of what the working world is like, but my interests continue to point me to the direction of the academy (and potentially a life of adjunct hell, I know, but I'll take my chances.)

I have a fairly good idea of the potential themes I'd like to explore in graduate school: the intersections of race and achievements and failures labor movement in the 20th century, the deployment and limitations of entrepreneurial approaches to community empowerment espoused by African-American conservative and progressive leaders as well as public and non-profit actors, and the looming implications of accelerating technological innovation and automation for unskilled and semi-skilled work. I'm aware these topics are somewhat disparate, but all reflect my basic concerns with race, labor, and technology.

I've already taken the GREs, and three former professors have agreed to write me recommendations. I have done relatively little work, however, in doing research on prospective programs and advisors that would be aligned with my interests, which I'm aware can be a lengthy process, nor have I begun crafting a statement of purpose. In the estimation of those who have already gone through the PhD application process, I wonder if it's too late for doing a thorough job of identifying and contacting appropriate programs and advisors for the upcoming December/January deadlines, and if I would be better off waiting until next year? My heart would like to apply now, but my head suggests I should wait one more year, not least to make sure I'm 100% certain (whereas I'm currently 95% sure) about my decision to pursue graduate school.

Thanks for all of your help and advice!

posted by black_lizard to Education (14 answers total)

No program should hold it against you that you've applied previously (unless your application is just spectacularly bad, like "I want to get into sociology because the mud races are taking over America" bad). If you won't miss the application fees and the other costs (time, etc.) to take a practice run, go for it. Hell, if you decide you don't actually want to start the program, you can most likely defer it a year to make up your mind.
posted by Etrigan at 12:19 PM on September 25, 2013 [1 favorite]

Best answer: You've already taken the GRE, and have your letters lined up. You have 3-4 months, depending on the specific deadlines, to research programs and write your statement. That seems like plenty of time to me, especially if you have people in your life--like undergrad profs in the field--who can point you in the direction of specific programs to look into. Or, heck, use next week's AskMe for that. :-)
posted by not that girl at 12:30 PM on September 25, 2013 [2 favorites]

Best answer: Talk to your former professors about this, every step of the way. Ask them what schools to look at, get them to read your statement of purpose and look at your other admissions materials, etc. For a promising student this is a pleasure and something they will almost certainly expect to help with if you ask. Ask in a timely way, recognizing they are busy during the semester (ie give them at least a month to write you letters). But don't be shy - ask if they can help with advice etc.
posted by LobsterMitten at 12:32 PM on September 25, 2013 [1 favorite]

Best answer: You absolutely have enough time this application cycle. You also have momentum, which you risk losing if you delay for a year. If it doesn't work out this year, what's the worst that could happen? You'll have greater familiarity with the process and that will help you make an even stronger application next year.
posted by TungstenChef at 12:41 PM on September 25, 2013 [3 favorites]

Not too late, but you need to get cracking on the program/advisor research and contact asap.

Whether you are 100% decided to do it is another matter, but if you don't mind eating the time and application fees you can see what's out there program- and funding-wise and see if you think it's worth the financial and opportunity cost.
posted by vegartanipla at 1:21 PM on September 25, 2013

Yes, you have plenty of time. Most deadlines--in anthropology, at least--are late December through late January. And in my experience some programs don't want you to email potential advisors (to save them from being deluged by requests), so that side of things may not matter at all.
posted by col_pogo at 1:29 PM on September 25, 2013

I may be way off base, but your areas of interest and work experiences make me wonder if you might also be happy in an American Studies program, perhaps one that's closely allied with a sociology department. It's a very versatile field.
posted by carmicha at 2:30 PM on September 25, 2013

So, you probably could apply for beginning in the Spring, but my guess is most funding is probably allocated already. Is that a factor in anthropology?

(Lots of places have deadlines of december/January for applications for the fall, of course. So either way, beginning the application process now is probably a good idea!)
posted by leahwrenn at 2:35 PM on September 25, 2013

Best answer: For the record, I wrote my statement of purpose the day after Thanksgiving (sitting on a curb in a parking lot in Fresno, as you do). I'm in a subject where you can get away without having the most targeted of SOPs, so you probably shouldn't wait that long, but you've got time.

(You should check whether sociology programs require a writing sample and if so whether there's anything you have that's ready to go or could be turned into a writing sample. I feel like my best friend spent more time on her writing sample than anything, but, again, she's not in sociology and she had very few programs to choose from.)
posted by hoyland at 3:10 PM on September 25, 2013 [1 favorite]

Best answer: No funding is allocated. The dec/jan deadlines are for Fall 2014 matriculation, a full year from now. Admissions committees allocate funding by admitting phd students in March.

You have tons of time and are actually ahead of your competition on several fronts. You're fine.

But the way you pick a phd program is only partly about intellectual fit. If you can't get in to a top 10 or maybe top 20 department with full funding, you are indeed raising the risk of ending up in adjunct hell significantly. So identify the top 10 or 20 programs that at all support your interests, contact the DGS, admissions director, or whomever about making a visit, and contact key faculty members about your interest with a BRIEF statement of your research interests (what you wrote above is getting there) and a cv, and apply to most of them. It doesn't matter which you go to, the difference in outcomes is mostly about tier status. Your interests are broad enough they'll be well represented in any major university that has decent sociology. Tough field to work in unless you've got some quant skills too, to raise one consideration. You done stats?

BTW Your grantwriting skills will endear you to potential programs, so make sure you sell those. Being a professional social scientist means writing and managing grants, more so than ever.
posted by spitbull at 6:52 PM on September 25, 2013 [1 favorite]

PS FULLY read the websites of each program before making contact with potential advisers. You are one of dozens of such emails they are getting weekly right now. Stand out by writing a very tight and professional inquiry which indicates you know the program's posted information (some even advise you on how to make such contacts), and know something focused about the work of your contactee. Represent your own interests in scholarly (but not pretentiously so) language. Seek an actual conversation. I have 20 phone calls lined up for prospective grad students this fall already. If you're really competitive you'll get some sort of feedback in most cases.
posted by spitbull at 6:58 PM on September 25, 2013

One last hint, sorry to pepper the thread: when you write inquiries to potential advisers or program directors, mention near closing and in matter of fact tone (ie dont brag or name drop) that your app will be including letters from [names of your writers] if any of them are even modestly well known in the field. If I know someone is backed by a colleague I respect, it rises on the triage list as requiring a more carefully crafted response.
posted by spitbull at 7:08 PM on September 25, 2013

Response by poster: Really appreciate the feedback guys, these are all very useful tips. I'm gonna go for it! Hopefully I'll have good news to report back with next spring :-)
posted by black_lizard at 4:32 AM on September 26, 2013

No funding is allocated. The dec/jan deadlines are for Fall 2014 matriculation, a full year from now. Admissions committees allocate funding by admitting phd students in March.

Hunh? I doubt there's much funding left for applicants trying to be admitted in January, which is what I thought the OP was asking about. I know that my program's distributed all its TA lines for sure.

Of course, on rereading the original question, I'm now totally confused.

Absolutely apply now (ie this fall) for admission in Fall 2014. There's no reason at all to delay beginning the application process until Fall 2014 to begin the program in Fall 2015.
posted by leahwrenn at 11:06 PM on September 26, 2013