Frequently Asked Questions about UNC Sociology Admissions

How good do my GRE scores and GPA have to be?

The average scores for admitted students over the last four years were 635 Verbal and 725 Quantitative, and the average GPA was 3.74. Those are not requirements, but averages. Our admissions committee considers the entire student record, including the transcripts, writing sample, statement of purpose, and letters of recommendation.

How many students do you accept? What is your acceptance rate?

Over the last seven years we have had an average of 170 applicants per year, and accepted an average of 31, for an acceptance rate of 19%. Our average incoming cohort is 12.5 students.

What can I do to improve my chances of being admitted?

If your GRE scores are much lower than our averages, it may help you to retake the GRE, but we do not defer admissions decisions to wait for new scores, so it may be too late for this year. We suggest that you invest considerable time in your application. Our admissions committee takes the writing sample and statement of purpose very seriously, as these are the best first-hand evidence we have of your academic ability and sociological interests. Does your statement of purpose reflect interests that suggest you will be happy and successful in our program? Does your writing sample show the ability to think analytically, to write and reason well? Finally, who wrote your letters of recommendation, and do they have the perspective to evaluate your potential for our program?

Should I contact individual faculty members with whom I might be interested in working? Will this help my chances of admission?

A good mentoring relationship is one of the keys to success in graduate school. However, it may be hard to tell which faculty member will make the difference in your graduate career. We do recommend that you apply to schools that have multiple faculty members with whom you might work, and several areas of interest to you. We do not recommend making decisions based on program ranking alone. You are welcome to contact faculty members directly, from their contact information in the listing on the departmental web site (http://sociology.unc.edu/directory/faculty). Gauging their interest in your areas of interest may be useful as you make your own decisions. Although individual faculty members do not pick their own students, our admissions committee does consult with individual faculty as we make our decisions, and the feedback from them is one of the factors we consider.

I would like to visit before I apply. How do I do that?

We do not arrange formal visits for students who are not yet admitted. You are welcome to contact individuals with whom you might like to meet and make arrangements to meet with them. However, we are all busy and may not budget time outside the admissions season for this purpose. After admission, we invite all admitted students to visit the campus together, to meet with students and faculty before making their decisions.

Which faculty members have interests that align with mine?

Please look through the faculty directory (http://sociology.unc.edu/directory/faculty) and visit the web pages for individual faculty. Feel free to contact any of them directly to discuss your interest in the program.

I am not a sociology major. Can I still apply to your program?

Yes. In that case it is a good idea to clearly explain your interest in sociology in your statement of purpose, and highlight your interest in other ways, such as including a letter of recommendation from a sociologist, or a writing sample from a social science project.

I am interested in other departments and programs on campus. Can I work with them as a Sociology graduate student?

Yes. Sociology graduate students often take one or several courses outside of our department, and we value interdisciplinary approaches. If your interests are primarily outside the Department, however, this is not the program for you.

What do I need to do to get financial assistance for graduate study in your program?

It is our policy that all Sociology graduate students receive at least basic financial support through a teaching assistantship or other fellowship, which includes tuition remission and a stipend. This policy includes international as well as domestic students. In recent years we have guaranteed such support for at least four years, and will continue that policy as resources allow. Many students also receive support from other sources, including on- or off-campus fellowships. Most students who complete PhDs in six years or less are able to arrange financial support every year.

Whom do I contact for more information?

Basic information about the application process is on the department web site here: http://sociology.unc.edu/prosgrad. For information about the application system or process, please contact Pam Stokes at pstokes@unc.edu. For questions about Graduate School policies, see their web page at: http://gradschool.unc.edu/admissions.