[What did you do during the summer right before you started your Ph.D. program?]

Hi,

Congrats! I'm starting in the fall and here are some things I'm doing:

1. Just got a job as a barista at a bookstore cafe. My current research job was only temporary since it was for a project, so I wanted a part-time job to keep the money coming in as I prepare for grad school. This is the perfect job for me since I love coffee and can learn how to make more drinks (preparing to make my own drinks during grad school to save money). 

2. Spend time reading for fun. This new job will give me a little book discount and I know that when I'm in school I don't read for fun as much as I should. I'm definitely taking advantage of this time off.

3. I made a bucket list for the city I live in, filled with things that I want to do before I move. I live in a huge city so I want to take advantage of all it has to offer before I relocate to a smaller town. I've lived here all my life (aside from undergrad) but I realized I haven't experienced a lot of things here. This also includes hanging out with my friends before I leave.

4. Obviously making tons of packing lists and things I need to do before I move. Just some housekeeping tasks like changing addresses after I find an apartment etc. Plus brushing up on some life skills while I still have people I know around to help me (i.e. successfully making crockpot meals, sewing).

[Professor vs. Program]

22 hours ago, rising_star said:

No, it's not odd. I think it's important to remember that your advisor doesn't have to be your mentor. My PhD advisor has never been my mentor. I've sought out and cultivated relationships with others for that, which has been beneficial to me both personally and professionally. I know some people want their advisor/diss chair to be their mentor and get disappointed when that doesn't work out but, I've never desired that sort of relationship with my advisor. YMMV obviously. 

Wow I've never even really thought of that before. Thanks for bringing that up! I have been using the words interchangeably but I sometimes forget there's a difference. That's comforting to think of now that I have chosen the multi-mentor model school and will have many options for advisors and mentors.

[Professor vs. Program]

On March 25, 2016 at 10:24 AM, quietq said:

I just had to make a very similar decision. I went with the program instead of the professor. The program offered me more opportunities to grow and become independent in my own right instead of following in a fantastic mentor's footsteps really closely, which I think will be important to my development in the long run. It was a really hard choice and I appreciate your dilemma! There is a case to be made for either decision, so I'll just tell you some of the things I considered and maybe that will help clarify your thinking a little.

Something to keep in mind - it can be risky to go somewhere with only one advisor in your specialization. Professors move, life situations change, your needs change, etc. I would be wary of going somewhere with only one person you could imagine yourself working with. It's nice to have a reasonable number of peers learning alongside you and other mentors to bounce ideas off of. Connecting with people at other institutions could help, but they won't be as easily accessible as someone whose office is just down the hall. A great advisor is great, but they're not going to be perfect. You will be frustrated by them or disagree with them at some point in your graduate career, and having someone else to talk to will help at the low points. The short-term 1-on-1 special attention would be really wonderful in the beginning, but are you going to feel limited a couple years into the program?

Here's another hypothetical question I thought about a lot: Are your potential advisors at School B good enough that you think you'd be happy and productive working with them? Independent of the fact that you really like the professor at School A, do you have a compelling reason not to choose School B?

Honestly, your post did give me the clarity that I needed. That last question really put things into perspective and I ended up committing to School B. I turned down School A and while it was one of the most difficult (and heartbreaking) things I had to do, I know that B is the best choice for my future. I think your advice really helped me to realize I need to step out of my comfort zone for once! Thank you so much!

[Professor vs. Program]

1 hour ago, KaffeeCafe said:

I have a similar issue. One of my schools is higher ranked in general and in my sub-field and has a lot of great research going on. But the ~2 professors that I essentially applied there hoping to work with had tons or people interested during the visitation weekends. However, at my other favorite choice, it is still a great school, just not "top ranked," there are still well known professors doing great things. Although the thought of going to the other 'bigger' schools sounds great, I'm beginning to lean toward a smaller department where I could have more of a choice (the bigger schools don't do rotations, this one does), and maybe be able to stand out more / have a closer relationship with my advisor or other professors instead of being 1 out of all of the great new incoming students in my sub-specialty. If I do great work, I can go to a top-notch post-doc. Think about where you can do the best work, not just what looks best on paper. Prestige is good, but you have to do the work to back it up. Good luck !

Yes, this right here! This is exactly how I'm feeling. It's like trying to decide between being a big fish in a small pond or a little fish in a big pond. I always did say that I was happy and did well during undergrad because of my smaller school. Thank you for bringing up the point about where you can do your best work. It's something I hadn't really thought of until now.

[Professor vs. Program]

9 hours ago, rising_star said:

Ultimately, which one will give you the best preparation for the career you want to have? Is there enough money at School B for you to live comfortably on your income? Are you absolutely certain that you don't have one single mentor at School B? I find that unlikely since ultimately you'll have a dissertation chair and because people find mentors both within and outside of their program generally speaking. 

If answering those questions doesn't help, my advice is to go with School B because it is more prestigious (assuming the funding is sufficient). 

Hi, thanks for your response and your though provoking questions!

I think I know School B will give me the best career prep since it is so specialized. The financial difference isn't too significant either, since both are in areas with low costs of living. Eventually people do tend to gravitate towards one mentor for their thesis & dissertation, but I know that generally students all gravitate towards a couple professors. The one I could see myself wanting to work with is one of the "popular" ones.

School B is better for me in the long run but School A's mentor would definitely be better for the short term adjustment. It appears I'm having a heart vs the mind issue here, which is uncharacteristic of me and my overly analytical mind. Is it odd that I'm struggling to make this decision so much, just based off of one good connection with a professor? How important is it to have a good mentor?

[Professor vs. Program]

Hi all,

I'm trying to decide on a PhD program in psychology and I would love your input. Basically I'm trying to choose between a great professor and a great program. Any insight is appreciated!

 

School A: Has a fantastic mentor with the kind of personality that makes you feel really special. His research interests match mine 100%, although I realize this often changes with time. The individual attention is fantastic and I love it. I was a first choice offered admission and I feel wanted. Offered a fellowship (so best financially) and had a great feeling of fit. Already networked with a professor at a different university who is working with a student in this lab. I have taken a gap year after graduation and this would probably be an easier transition back into school. HOWEVER, there is no specialized curriculum for my specialization aside from one class and the school isn't as big in my field, but is more well known generally. Plus, the town is pretty small. 

 

School B: Many publishing opportunities with specialized classes since the whole program is focused on my specialization. Great related coursework and could get more experience with different populations than School A. Better city plus more prestige in the field/very well known and good for long term networking. HOWEVER, you are accepted into the program not under one professor, but all of them, and therefore you have multiple mentors, which can make it seem like you may have to fight for attention at times, no hand holding here. You will still gravitate towards certain professors for research but don't have the same connection as with one single mentor. The financial package is standard but isn't as good (no fellowship), with loans seeming less optional.