Hello folks,
I'm an international Pol. Sci. student and this idea has been on my mind for awhile. I'm currently enrolled in a PhD-track program with a MA en route, however, it's my first year and If I wanted to make this move it's better to start now earlier.
My justifications for the deferral are as following:
1- I am sponsored with a very competitive scholarship that requires an admission. If I did not accept my offer (my current program), I will not be having my current competitive scholarship, If I waited for another program to admit me other than my current one and then to apply next year to my scholarship, I will never guarantee it, it could be as well impossible to obtain due to competitiveness. I was obliged to get it, with all available options whether I liked or disliked. This is why I had to pick my current school.
2- I wanted to switch because aside from not feeling that I fit the program, rather, the school itself has a very little number of international students, this, appears to me that causes several things:
A- Professors, as far as I came across are less understanding of being an international student and not a native speaker. They expect you to be just as good as your fellow native speaker mate.
B- The school is not diverse. I never thought that this would be a critical factor in the beginning, until I saw and experienced it by myself in my school, while visiting another school -I'll call it X' (Admitted to its MA program but did not enroll) which has a lot of international students and it really feels more 'welcoming'.
C- Although my school, I shall call it 'Z', is an-okay one, well-known but not an Ivy League, but has other disadvantages such as its location.
Now that I'm thinking about transferring programs, I am aiming to apply 'X' school that I was admitted to previously but to its MA Program. I would like however to apply to its PhD (MA en route). I have visited the school, literally loved everything about it, and once I'm in my current 'Z' school, I don't feel its 'home' , just like the other school that I was admitted to its MA program, but would want its MA en route to PhD program.
I'm thinking about contacting the Director of the program to explain my situation of why did I pick 'Z' school, in the beginning and justify/convince my urge to apply to their school based on my statements here.
What do you guys think?
Thanks in advance.