New Experience v. Funding

[nackteziege]

So here's my situation:

 

School A: Well-reputed school that I didn't expect to get into, at all.  Funding is a tuition waiver and a livable 9-month stipend for the first two years (after which I would have to work with my advisor on grants, etc. but I've been assured by faculty and students that this is not really problematic); I would be working on research with a fairly new professor.  When I visited it seemed like we could get along and work together and he said he has no qualms with co-authoring with students.  I imagine I could seek summer funding opportunities through various university institutes/labs/what have you.  The program is well-respected (highly ranked for master's but no one ranks PhD programs in my field), the university is a land grant and has opportunities for me to study agricultural/rural issues which relate to my main interest, and I liked the town and campus when I visited.  The weather is relatively awful (by this I mean it's windy and winters are harsh) and I would have to make some adjustments to continue pursuing some of my hobbies.  The state regulatory environment is very different from the one I am used to in regards to my field but it would be interesting to understand how things operate under a different system.

 

School B: My home school, which certainly doesn't have a negative reputation (I'm not sure how to compare these schools reputation-wise, honestly).  I'm finishing up my Master's here and have been offered twice as much as School A through a 5-year fellowship (12 months, so the "twice" is only comparing guaranteed funding, not the potential for summer funding at School A), which means I would be completely in control of choosing when I pursue research and when I pursue teaching, and I would have a better chance of picking the courses I'd teach/projects I would undertake.  I have never taken time off school, so this would also take the financial sting off of deferring a career as I really do not have any noteworthy savings.  My current advisor is taking a job at another institution (if this weren't the case I would stay, hands down) but is adamant that we will continue working together on projects.  The fellowship would clear up time for me to do this.  Here, I foresee ultimate research work with a tenured professor whom I certainly respect and get along with, but as I've been here for two years I am concerned with the whole "go get new perspectives" thing (also, this work likely wouldn't start until next fall due to his heavy service commitments).  I should be able to get the degree more quickly here because I will have already completed two of the required PhD-level courses and can count some Master's coursework towards the PhD.  I will also be able to be involved with hiring on my current advisor's line, which could be advantageous as far as my committee goes.  I really do not like this city but I am trying to convince myself that if I lived in a nicer location than I do now I might feel differently...but I also worry that I will feel lonelier here because the familiarity will make me miss the way things are now/have been (I know that sounds really strange, but part of the reason this decision is terrifying is because I am really satisfied with the present and I am so afraid that I will never be this happy again).

 

 

I feel like it is also relevant to note that in my field many people get a Master's and PhD from the same institution, even though it is almost unheard of for someone to apply to a PhD program straight from a Bachelor's as most fields seem to do (it's even rare for someone to enter a MS program with the sole intent of pursuing a PhD).

 

 

Thanks in advance for any advice.  These next two weeks are going to kill me. 

[nackteziege]

...anyone?  Sorry to be obnoxious by bumping the thread...

[bellefast]

If it was me in that situation and if it is normal and not frowned upon to stay at the same university, then I would stay at the home. Institution. You said yourself you would stay if not for your mentor leaving. Your mentor said you'll still work together and it is fairly easy to work with people at other universities so I would choose the home school.

[zabius]

Hi nackteziege,
Sorry that you didn't receive any replies when you first posted.  

It's a difficult decision… neither school really sticks out as being the clear winner here. They both sound like good programs, but there isn't one that seems unquestionably "better" than the other, so your decision is probably going to boil down to which one you like better. That said, here's my opinion for what it's worth.

In a better economy, I would recommend School A. It sounds like a prestigious program, which means that a degree from it would probably be very useful to you when you apply for jobs after graduation. This isn't always the case, so you should check your program's website (or email/call them) to see what their job placement record is like. But usually high ranking is correlated with good job placement. In addition to that, though, it sounds like the opportunities to work on agricultural/rural issues would be really good for you.

Another reason that I like the sound of School A is the fact that it would be a new school to you. I generally advise people *not* to stay at their current institution for a second degree if they have other good options available to them. I've discussed my feelings on that in a couple of different threads ( and specifically). That said, I don't know what your field is. If it's actually the norm in your field to get your MS and PhD at the same institution, then this whole issue may not be a concern at all. I'm in a field where people sometimes stay at a single school for multiple degrees, but most people don't (my undergrad institution doesn't even let its undergrads stay for an MS or PhD... they are automatically rejected). Regardless of one's field, though, there are some universal benefits to spreading your education out over several schools. Below I'm going to quote something I wrote to someone else who was also debating staying on for a PhD at his/her master's institution. The details of your situation are different (e.g. you say your advisor is leaving, but this person was looking to stay with the same advisor), but there may be helpful nuggets of info contained in this quote nonetheless. Take this for what it's worth to you:

 

You say that you have already done research with your potential advisor for ~2 years and that you've already taken many of the courses offered by your old department. Does the department really have much more that it can offer you… enough to make another 5+ years there worth it? Chances are that you've already made a lot of connections there; staying on for the PhD probably won't open very many doors for you that aren't already opened. And, having done research there already, you've probably already learned most of the research techniques that you'd be able to pick up there (doing 5 more years of work that's "more of the same" won't really help you expand your skill set that much). Is there terribly much more that you can learn from the courses there that you haven't already?

In contrast, at a new school you'd be exposed to new perspectives (both via new courses and via research with new faculty members), as well as potentially to new techniques that may not be used by faculty at your alma mater. You'll also be able to significantly expand your professional network through all of the professors you'll meet there, as well as all of their collaborators, former students, and other contacts at different universities. That, I think, would be an enormous benefit for you (especially when you're looking for postdocs/job positions once you're close to graduating). Also, the specialized research center at the new school sounds like an amazing opportunity for you! It would probably be able to provide you with specific resources that you might not find anywhere else. That alone makes the second school sound like the ideal option, in my opinion.

It sounds like the new school has a lot to offer you in terms of learning experiences, networking, and other valuable resources for your research. A lot of what the alma mater has to offer is probably stuff that you already know or have taken advantage of. The funding packages sound similar (although there is less money at the new school, both stipends sound very livable) as do the academics (overall school ranking matters very little at the grad school level… it's the program ranking that you should emphasize). So really, the biggest difference between the two (aside from what I've already mentioned) is the level of familiarity. While that's an important factor to consider, be careful that it doesn't bias your decision more than it should.

I know that being somewhere familiar with people that you know and love can be very comforting. I, personally, have a hard time leaving my "comfort zone" and usually try not to. But in the past I've been forced to leave several times, and although it may have been rough and uncomfortable at first, I quickly adjusted. And in retrospect, leaving the comfort zone was the best thing I could have done not just for my academic career but also for my own personal growth. So, my advice would be to not confuse "familiarity" for a benefit to one program (and likewise, don't confuse a lack of familiarity for a downside). Sometimes it really is better to spread your wings and fly. Especially since you say that the new school is located in an area which is ideal for your field.

 

Anyway, all of those things make me think that School A would be the better choice, but perhaps not in this economy. The state of academic funding is terrible in this country right now, and all indications are that it's going to just get worse. I know people in labs right now who say that projects are being cut left and right because there just isn't enough money to support them anymore now that the sequester has gone into effect. There are similar stories being shared in I don't know what your field is, or how heavily it will be affected by these ridiculous federal budget cuts. But it's definitely something to consider. Current students at A may not have had much trouble supporting themselves via grants after the second year, but they didn't have to write their grant proposals during a time when research funding is being slashed by billions of dollars. You may have a lot more trouble getting a grant proposal approved two years from now than they did two or three years in the past. It's something to consider.

 

So... even though I think School A has a bit more to offer you, I'd probably choose School B if I were in your position... mostly for the financial security. If you do choose B, my one piece of advice to you would be to make sure that you don't lock yourself into research that is too familiar. Branch out-- try approaching your questions from a new angle, incorporate new techniques, and collaborate with new people if you can. This will help you get the most out of your PhD; you don't want your PhD to be more of the exact same stuff that you did as an master's student.

 

As for weather and location... these are important things to consider, but probably not deal-breakers. If you really want to go to School A, don't let the weather stop you. Get a good coat and some boots, hats, and scarves-- that's all you need to survive a harsh winter (take it from me... I did my undergrad in central NY, and now am moving to an even colder place for my PhD!). And if you want to stay at School B, do check out other neighborhoods... I'm sure that you can come to like the city if you're in the right part of it.

 

Also, don't be afraid to let your gut feelings play a role in your decision. Which school do you genuinely get better vibes from?

 

Good luck with your decision!

Edited April 7, 2013 by zabius

[nackteziege]

Thank you both.  I still haven't figured out what to do but I appreciate the insight!