Special Profile Evaluation Request

[Explorer]

Hi all,

I have been a member of this forum for very long (one way or the other). And I joined a PhD program in economics last fall and withdrew this may (both for medical reasons) and because I feel that I am more interested in Sociology than economics. After all, nobody really switches from economics to sociology for the pay. Here is my profile and I am wondering if you guys can comment on my prospects for a PhD program in Sociology.

GRE: total of 1230 AW: 4.5
Undergrad GPA: 4.0 (Economics Major, Math Minor)
grad gpa: 2.9 (only one semester)
No sociology background (but I have done a lot of reading)

Any comments, suggestions and recommendations will be more than welcome.

Thank you.

[YoungEconomist]

Take what I say with a huge grain of salt, because I really don't know much about grad school in sociology. In other words, I'm mainly speculating, and you should definitely talk to some advisors and faculty in the sociology department.

My initial reaction, is that many sociology grad schools would love having someone with an economics and math background because they would be able to bring that rigor into sociology. Also, it sends a strong signal that you'll be able to handle the statistics courses (which I assume you have to take a few).

On the other hand, it seems that sociologists and economists usually see the world very differently, so maybe grad schools will be worried about your economic background playing a role in your world view. With that said, I am under the impression that there is a school of sociology called Rational Choice (or something similar) which has been influenced by economics. So, if you're interested in one of these programs and make it clear that you want to study this specialization in your SOP, then your econ background will probably be a plus.

Not having taking any/many sociology classes will probably hurt. I imagine that they want people who've taken some classes, as opposed to just done a lot of independent study. Therefore, you may want/have to take a few courses before grad school. But then again, maybe they don't care much about this and would be willing to take you as you are.

[asianeconomist]

I know that this might sound a bit strange, but why don't you try emailing a few Sociology professors and openly discuss your interests. Probably they'll be able to guide you towards programs/topics that will be of benefit to you. And you just might also get an indirect profile evaluation.

[asquare]

A couple of things will work against you: your low grad GPA and your lack of sociology classes. You will be fighting the perception that you are changing to sociology because you couldn't make it in an econ program, frankly. And economics is fairly unique among the social sciences that graduate coursework is very distinct from undergrad coursework and students frequently enter without a research agenda.

The suggestions to talk to sociology professors -- both about your chance of admissions and about your research interests -- are good. In your case, I imagine the SOP and LORs will be particularly important in convincing the admissions committee that you are serious about studying sociology and not just treating it as a fallback option from economics. If you can get an LOR from a professor in your econ program saying that you are capable of graduate level work and have genuine research interests that are better suited to sociology than economics, that will probably help.

[Explorer]

Thank you all for your valuable advice. Asquare, you have confirmed my fear that people will see my switch to sociology as a fall back plan. My low grad GPA is attributed to a medical situation (which I can document) and the fact that as a result I joined the program halfway in the first semester. The 2.9 is my first (and last) semester gpa in the PhD program. So this is basically my WEAKNESS and I will do everything I can in the months to come to make sure that I have a convincing application this fall. That said, on the other hand, I am only thinking that this weakness will only keep me out of the top schools and if I invest sufficiently, I will be able to get in somewhere. Or am I mistaken? Or is it possible that one semester of bad grades in graduate school could discredit your "big" accomplishment as an undergraduate. After all, this is going to be a different PhD program.

[Karina 07]

Work your *** off for any good sociology professor you can find for the rest of this summer (of course, as good a prof as possible). And the fall while you apply. As everyone has said, it will all come down to references. I think your situation is unique enough that nobody's going to be able to tell you whether or not you'll get into a top X program in sociology, especially since we're all economists here, but I do know enough about socy to think you would have a hard time getting into a *really* top program. Apart from that, it's hard to say since it depends so much on your references and we don't know anything about them.

[Explorer]

If my lack of sociology background or failing to demonstrate my commitment to sociology is going to be the reason that adcoms might have doubts about me, then that can be fixed. However, the low grad gpa is a bigger concern if it is going to create problems. Just so I clarify as far as my low graduate gpa, you can view my performance as a straight B in econometrics, micro, macro and mathematical econ (math econ being where I got the B-). Is this really a disadvantage as far as going to graduate school in Sociology?

[Explorer]

Any other comments/suggestions?