Sociological Vision

Look at Colleges with a Critical Eye

Imagine

When he composed Sociological Imagination, C. Wright Mills (1916–1962) was not encouraging people to immerse themselves in games of wish-fulfilling fantasy.

On the contrary, Mills was arguing, forcefully, that we connect our personal concerns to seemingly remote social forces.  In his view, we can act on behalf of ourselves and others, only after conceptualizing relations and influences which cannot be observed directly.  His mid-century vision shapes our methods today.

Working in concert with us, students and parents enhance their sociological imaginations. Applying this concept to college selection, our clients develop a valuable new skill for facing many of life’s other decisions.

To hone our sociological imaginations throughout the college search, we offer three levels of service: evening conversations, half-day family workshops, and customized client packages.

The three Becker packages provide the most intensive development of sociological imagination. Here, students explore the institutional cultures of higher education for themselves, with guidance and encouragement.

Central to this exploration is the assessment of one academic discipline, as it is represented in the corresponding departments of a student's prospective colleges and universities.

Selecting the discipline to explore is the first step.  If the student has a proposed major, then we begin with that specialization.  If not, we choose a discipline that we can expect to be strong within the academic division that holds the greatest fascination for the student.

(For example, biology departments are typically larger than chemistry departments. Lacking a student passion for chemistry, it is better to evaluate biology departments, when the student preference is for the natural sciences in general.)

Next, the student compares course offerings, faculty strengths, and the undergraduate research being conducted in each of the departments. The objective is not to pick an advisor or a thesis topic.  It is to form an appreciation for the culture of the institution as a whole by focusing on one significant part:  in short, synedoche.

Through this process, it becomes possible to envision oneself as a contributing member in different institutional cultures, each with its own norms and orientations.  By imagining daily life in these diverse social contexts, the student is able to make a more informed college choice.

Departmental assessments are not extraneous to the application process.  In fact, they strengthen the content of the supplemental essays now required by many Common Application schools.  We recommend that all supplemental essay writers include an appreciation for the way in which their current academic interests are studied and taught at their prospective institutions.

Outside the pre-professional colleges, expressing an appreciation for one department does not commit a student to that field of study.  It conveys that the applicant has considered the activities which he or she may be performing, if the match goes forward.  By this gesture, the student demonstrates an intention to contribute to the intellectual vitality of a campus.

From our position of respect for C. Wright Mills, the process of college selection is an extended exercise in sociological imagination.