u/Happy_Debate6896

I'm an incoming transfer student trying to decide between WashU and NYU, and honestly WashU soc is the part I know the least about. I know the department is relatively young which makes me a little uncertain.

A few things I'm wondering:

Does the department being newer actually matter? Like is there fewer resources for undergrads, or has it caught up by now?

How accessible are professors for research? I keep hearing WashU is good for undergrad-faculty relationships in general but don't know if that extends to soc specifically.

What's the vibe of the major – is it a pretty small tight-knit group or do people just take classes and bounce?

I also talked to someone who mentioned WashU soc tends to focus a lot on St. Louis-related issues, racial policy, urban stuff. Is that accurate or is it broader than that?

I'm an incoming transfer sophomore majoring in sociology, still deciding between NYU and WashU. I'd love to hear from sociology majors or anyone familiar with the department about the actual undergrad experience. Specifically:

1. Class size – How large are sociology courses, especially upper-division ones? Do you actually get time with professors or is it mostly TAs?
2. Department size – Roughly how many students major in sociology each year? Is it a tight-knit community?
3. Research opportunities – This is my biggest concern. How difficult is it to get involved in a professor's research as an undergrad? Is RA access realistic?
4. Honors thesis – How competitive is the honors program in practice? Is a 3.65 GPA the real bottleneck or are there other factors?
5. Anything else you wish you'd known before choosing NYU sociology?

My academic interest is specifically in inequality and education, so if anyone has experience with faculty in those areas I'd especially love to hear from you. Thank u so much!