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smllbll101

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  • Application Season
    2017 Fall

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  1. I can definitely relate to the stress that's created by feeling like you have to constantly be "on." As an introvert through and through, this is one of the most draining things that I experience in a day-to-day routine. For me, the key is to find ways to recharge throughout the day when I need it. Sometimes that means finding a quiet corner of the library, going to sit in my car for a few minutes, or even just putting in some headphones and taking a minute to let myself be "off." Sometimes you just need to recenter your energy. I don't think that you necessarily need to be "on" as often as you would in an 8-5 office job, which is one of the reasons I love academia- though that's just my experience and your field may be different. I also echo the sentiment that those in academia can tend to be more "quirky" and accepting of differences in people than those not in academia (another reason I'm drawn to it), so honestly I wouldn't worry too much about that. Take time to pause, breathe, and reassess. You'll learn to balance everything.
  2. Thank you for your post. You bring up a lot of good points. I certainly see the importance of being around while working on my dissertation, as well. My post-PhD goal is to stay in academia. School A's PhD program is relatively new and more explicitly interdisciplinary than School B's. This is one area that leaves me uncertain. However, School A's advisor is one that has already helped me publish my first article and has worked with me even as I was not a student to help me gain advantages when it came to applying to PhD programs. I already know that the faculty at School A truly cares and will be there for the long haul. That said, I feel like familiarity shouldn't be the only factor. I'll reach out to some students at School B to see if I can get a sense. Based on my research, I would be spending more than half of my stipend from School B on housing if I chose to live without a roommate (which I would prefer in my adult years). This is especially difficult to justify with the uncertainty of summer funding from School B. I've heard bits and pieces about this concept of being a visitor- would you be able to elaborate on how this works, circumstances that could lead to this, etc.? I fully intend, no matter where I go, to take advantage of opportunities like this where possible. Thank you again for your detailed response.
  3. I have a decision to make between two schools for a PhD program in a humanities field. The first school, School A, has an advisor who I've worked with extensively and am confident in his abilities, commitment, etc. We have a great working relationship and he's mentored me through virtually all of my career. He even is recently coming off of a Fulbright Scholar assignment. I was able to secure a fellowship through this school that would give funding through summers as well as fall and spring semesters. The downside is that the school is lesser-known, and thus could be perceived as lesser. They would also presumably have fewer resources due to their "ranking" and size. The city that it's located in isn't that great, but it is affordable. School B is more well known. It's not Top 10 well known but it's bigger, higher "ranked" than School A, and would likely have more resources. I base this off of my time doing my Masters where I attended a large well known school. I've been assigned two advisors who seem reputable, but I've been down the road with my Masters where the professors at larger schools don't have time for students. Is this different for a PhD student/program? Or was this a more school-specific scenario? School B is in a very popular city (read: expensive) that I would love. They're offered me an assistantship (plus healthcare, which is a pretty substantial savings) but summer funding is not guaranteed. So the funding provided by School B essentially comes out to the same amount as School A, but in a location where the cost of living is more than double. At either school, on paper, the advisors should provide me with the knowledge and background I need. Am I off base in thinking that, after the first two years of courses, I could travel while working on my dissertation? If this is the case, School A might actually provide me more opportunities simply due to the fellowship and cost of living. Is this possible? Does a "fellowship" look that much better on a CV? I'm looking for any insight, experience, opinions... much appreciated in advance!
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