Decision Science PhD, Kelley or mcCombs

[dreamplscometrue]

Hello Guys, I need some insight. Which one should I choose? The operation management/decision science PhD in Kelley, or the STATISTICS Group at Risk Analysis and Decision Making Department at McCombs? If I can graduate successfully, my first option would be to go into academia and 95% of Kelley graduates become faculty. However, I am worried that in the worst case scenario (which I hope and think will not happen), that i dont finish my phd, then I will have to go into industry, then mccombs seems to be  a better option, because it's very location in austin. Bloomington is pretty and all that, but indianna is hardly the most developed state in the country. I would appreciate any insight! THANK YOU!

Edited March 24, 2018 by dreamplscometrue

[juilletmercredi]

I would not necessarily take McCombs lower placement into academia as a sign that people cannot get into academia from there. Decision sciences is a field where there are likely many lucrative non-academic options after graduate school, and precisely because of UT-Austin's location in a thriving tech hub, many students who wish to go into industry or who are undecided may choose to attend. The real question is not how many total graduates go into academia, but how many graduates who actually wanted academic jobs got them. This is a question I would ask your potential PI and the advanced graduate students at UT, as they'll have a sense of where recent graduates ended up in the last few years.

On the other hand, 95% of Kelley grads may go into academia because Bloomington is a college town and there are fewer 'distractions', so to speak: fewer examples of PhDs leaving academia to go into well-paying jobs in the immediate area. It's easier to keep your eyes on the prize when you're in a small college town and everyone around you is an academic.

Were I you, I'd want to go to a department where I felt like I had options. But you also need to choose for fit. Which research group and which department feels like the best fit for you? Can you visit?

[dreamplscometrue]

5 hours ago, juilletmercredi said:

I would not necessarily take McCombs lower placement into academia as a sign that people cannot get into academia from there. Decision sciences is a field where there are likely many lucrative non-academic options after graduate school, and precisely because of UT-Austin's location in a thriving tech hub, many students who wish to go into industry or who are undecided may choose to attend. The real question is not how many total graduates go into academia, but how many graduates who actually wanted academic jobs got them. This is a question I would ask your potential PI and the advanced graduate students at UT, as they'll have a sense of where recent graduates ended up in the last few years.

On the other hand, 95% of Kelley grads may go into academia because Bloomington is a college town and there are fewer 'distractions', so to speak: fewer examples of PhDs leaving academia to go into well-paying jobs in the immediate area. It's easier to keep your eyes on the prize when you're in a small college town and everyone around you is an academic.

Were I you, I'd want to go to a department where I felt like I had options. But you also need to choose for fit. Which research group and which department feels like the best fit for you? Can you visit?

That actually makes sense. You are right. Yes, i am visiting both of them next week.  Thank you !!!!!!!