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Thanks for your advice everyone. Yes, I agree research interests can change and that I can't expect the lab to be studying exactly what I want, but I'd like to add some details. 1. There are other programs in which my research of interest is actively done. It's not even just a specific topic I'm talking about. I'm talking about the characteristic of the overall program and the nature of research (basic vs. translational). In addition, in other places, there are multiple labs that do research of my interest, and I believe those programs will be a better fit for me than the current program overall. In other places, there will be more opportunities for jobs, and there are several institutions in related fields. 2. I'm thinking of staying in the academia. I heard quitting a grad school in the beginning before I join a lab won't harm me too much, but some others say it will look very bad on me. What do you think? Would it be worse to leave now than to leave after two years? I'm also worried that my PI will not write a good recommendation letter for me. 3. I am in a long distance relationship with my significant other. We are quite serious. She cannot leave because of the type of career she's in, and I was willing to be apart for several years as long as I was happy with the research here. However, now that I feel like I'll be able to learn better in different programs and be happier with my significant other, I feel a strong urge to leave. Because this problem is also related to my relationship, I will be able to tell my PI that I want to stay closer to my significant other next year, but I'm afraid I'll come across as unprofessional. I really appreciate your advice. Thank you.

Hi everyone, I started attending a great STEM grad school this fall, and I decided to quit the program to get a job before I reapply to schools next fall. I've thought about this for the past two months, the whole time I've been here, and I'd like to hear about your advice on how to approach this issue. The first time I got here, I wasn't happy with the location. However, I decided to prioritize my research career. I went to a small school, in which research was not so active, and after spending some time in a big research university, I realized how unprepared I was when I was applying for graduate schools. I LOVED being a graduate student. I was so happy to do homework, teach students, talk about science with other students, and spend time in different labs. I also found one lab that I really liked, and I thought I was set to stay in this place. However, I was talking to a student in the lab I'm interested in the other day, and I came to a big realization. I realized I have no reason to stay in the school and that I'll be much happier somewhere else: 1) The group I'm interested in is working on a topic I'm very interested in. As you know, there are multiple aspects in one topic. The problem is, the lab's primary focus itself is not what I feel passionate about (Let's call it A). It's just that I luckily have a chance to study the aspect I'm interested in (Let's call it B ) within the topic they have been working on. I am going to be the first and only person focusing on the aspect, and even though I'm happy to take charge, I believe I will be able to learn a lot more if I join a lab that primarily focuses on B, not A. 2) I want to do translational, practical research. The lab does translational research, but my project itself is going to be probing fundamental mechanistic problems. I want to find a lab in which I can do translational research myself. 3) Now that I'm not so happy with the research, even though I love the people here, I have not much reason to stay. (I was not so happy with the location in the first place.) Having made up my mind, I haven't told anyone in the school about my plan, but I've been thinking of how to make the transition. The three possible scenarios are: 1) Contact a different school in which I interviewed but got rejected and ask them to reconsider me as an applicant. The benefit will be that if they accept me, I'll be able to start grad school ASAP. They also have a lot of labs that are very interesting to me. However, this is not exactly the top program, so I think if I'm going to change school anyway, I may as well spend one more year working as a RA and go to a top school. 2) Find a job ASAP and work there for the next 1.5 years. Then I'll be able to apply for schools next fall and start my grad school life in 2018 Fall. I'm willing to wait till then, but I'm afraid if I will be able to find a good enough job to let me get into the very top schools (like Stanford, MIT, Harvard, and UC Berkeley). It is risky. 3) Stay in the current school for the next 1.5 years and get a MS. The problem is, things will be very awkward and uncomfortable and unethical for me to stay knowing I will leave. I'll have to inform the PI next fall to get a recommendation letter, and things will not be so fun for the following year (until Fall 2018). I know the new school will not be so happy about me moving to a different school after spending time in a graduate school. 4) Honestly inform the current school of my plan to leave and look for a PI that will allow me to do a short project. I have not found a PI like that, and this is risky. The school may not like me, and my next 1.5 years may be very stressful. And here are my questions for you guys. 1) When would be a good time for me to inform the school of my decision? The earliest date to join a lab is early November, and the only lab I'll be willing to join is popular, so I won't be able to join unless I show clear sign of my interests. 2) What do you think will be a good plan to stick to, among 1-4? 3) The program in Plan 1) is a quite renowned program, I guess top 10, and I'm totally willing to wait one more year if I can get into top 5. The program is top 10 for its specific field, but it is not as comprehensively good as top 5. I'm happy to wait for one more year, but do you think it's too risky? Would getting a job in a good lab ensure me of my acceptance to top 5 programs? I'm afraid experience as a RA would not necessarily be fantastic and interesting so as to make me a very strong candidate. I have been thinking about this issue the whole time I have been in this school. I am very grateful that my time here has narrowed my interests and reassured my passion as a researcher. I just want to maximize my learning and experience as a graduate school by going to a place where I can find more exciting research. What do you think?

Thank you TakeruK and St Andrews Lynx! I appreciate your advice a lot. I understand that my explanation of the situation was unclear. I have not started my first year at the school, and I'm starting my program this coming fall. I have accepted the offer because the school has the best program for my field among the schools that have accepted me. I'm happy to spend one or two years at the location because I'm sure I will be able to learn a lot there. However, because of my family, friends, and significant other with whom I will be apart, I do not want to stay at the school for more than two years. Even though I may have to start a PhD program from scratch, I think I'll be willing because it would have been the same if I had worked at a place for two years (I was debating whether to go straight to a graduate school or get a job first). I am 80% sure I want to leave the current school. The school that I want to go to did not accept me. I think I was on the wait-list because they kept telling me to wait and told me they were accepting a few more students in April. Therefore I cannot leave the current program at this point, and I'm thinking of staying there for at least one year. If I'm certain that I want to leave around the end of the first semester, I will ask the department for advice and proceed with another round of applications. Given that I will have to reapply to other schools, my remaining question is, should I apply this coming fall or next fall (Fall of 2017)? I understand that I will need a good recommendation letter from an advisor at the current place. I'm afraid that I won't have anyone that can write a good one for me by the end of this fall. Should I stay for the whole Master's program? St Andrews Lynx said "transferring" in the first year is the most common. Did you mean students who simply went to another school that had accepted them? Or did they also apply again? Also, when would be the good time to bring up my plan of "transferring" (or starting my PhD at a different school) to my current program? TakeruK pointed out that Master's Degree is usually 2-year-long, so does it mean that I tell my advisor at the end of the first year? Or should I tell the department about my plan at the end of the first semester? I'm afraid, as TakeruK said, that my relationship with my advisor will become awkward too fast. At the same time, it is true that I want to stay ethical although even if I decide to leave, I will do my best at the current school. Thank you so much for your response. I really have no one else to ask advice for. Have a wonderful day.

Hi everyone, I am an incoming graduate student truly excited to pursue my research interests. The school I'm going to has a great STEM program, and I was very happy about my choice. However, even though the school itself has a great program, I am very unhappy about its location, and sadly, I'm considering transferring to a different graduate program. I have a few questions about grad school transfer for nonprofessional reasons. I've looked at some posts, and it seems like personal dissatisfaction with the location is a totally valid reason to transfer to a different place. If so, when will be the best time to do so? I'm happy to spend one or two years because I'm sure I will learn a lot, but I will prefer to stay as short as possible. I've read in another post that applying to other schools in the second year may be better because I will then have some time to get to know some professors. At the same time, I read that students can apply off-cycle (in the spring). The school I'm attending is quite prestigious, but I will definitely love to go to an equally prestigious or more prestigious school. Would that be too difficult? I'm sure I will be a more prepared, qualified candidate after some time in my current school. Finally, because I'm attending a STEM program, I receive stipends. If I stop the current program in the middle and receive a Master's Degree, do I still get to receive stipends? Or do I need to pay for the tuition after deciding to transfer? Thank you so much! I appreciate your help a lot! Honestly I don't know whom else to ask for advice... I'm happy to hear about any other concerns I forgot to mention!