Harvard Ph.D. w/o funding? Would you go?

[gradschoolstinks]

Ok folks.

Got accepted to a Harvard School of Health DSc program, but with no funding.

How can I turn down Harvard?!

But, why would I go to a program that doesn't have confidence enough in me to fund me?

Haven't heard from my other 2 schools, but will most likely get in to one of them (less prestigious, non-Ivy) w/funding but has an excellent reputation in my field. But it's not Harvard!

What would YOU do?!

[so47]

As hard as it has to be to turn down Harvard, I would not go without funding. I just don't see the point in racking up that much debt, especially if your other options are very reputable in your field. Ivy is not everything, the people in your field will know which schools are reputable, and will probably be just as impressed as they would be with Harvard.

Another thing, I would ask if there is a possibility that they will fund you later...I know someone who came to my school for a PhD and was not offered funding since he was not a very strong applicant, but they started funding him his second semester after he showed good academic progress in his first semester. They might just be waiting to see how you do before they give you funding? Pretty crappy thing to do in my opinion, but I've seen it happen.

Honestly, the only plus I can see with Harvard is that bit of pride you would get telling family members or people at dinner parties, etc that you went to Harvard...but even my pride is not worth $200K in loans!

[origin415]

The Harvard name is only good for impressing non-academics.

What is much, much more important is the reputation in your field, which you are saying this other school has.

Regardless, funding is vital, you need to eat, after all. Unless your earning potential is going to be vastly higher with a Harvard degree (and as above, it won't be), the debt is not worth it at all.

[mudlark]

Funding is also vital to get you teaching and research experience. I'm in a vastly different field, but I've seen more than one job search take the person with more teaching experience from a smaller school over the Ivy degree holder with no experience.

[africanhistoryphd]

I'm with origin415. When I first was strategizing about which schools to apply to Harvard, Yale, etc. immediately went on the list. Why not? Worth a shot, right?

However, after even cursory research I realized that Harvard wasn't a top program in my field. Not even close. So although I would feel awesome, and my friends and family would think I was quite something if I'd applied and gotten in there (which very likely would not have happened anyway) my job prospects may not have been great in the context of people who actually knew who I was studying under and the quality of the program.

The place I think I've decided to go is not nearly as impressive as a brand, but is ranked in the top ten in my broader field and top 5 in my specialty. Plus they offered great funding. No brainer.

All that said. It's Harvard. Everyone in the world (I'm barely exaggerating) knows what that name means. Tough call.

[papercuts]

The Harvard name is only good for impressing non-academics.

Although this isn't always the case I definitely agree with the general idea. If you are going to work, Harvard name will do it for you. If Academia it helps too but it's not as much of a wow. Also getting no funding for PhD is a very very bad idea. Just calculate your total debt and how many years it will take you to pay that off and compare this loss of income to any practical advantage Harvard will give you. 200.000 dollars makes about $1660 per month without any interest in 10 years. If you think you will earn more than 6000 net after the PhD it might make sense, otherwise no.

[PaperChaser]

Although this isn't always the case I definitely agree with the general idea. If you are going to work, Harvard name will do it for you. If Academia it helps too but it's not as much of a wow. Also getting no funding for PhD is a very very bad idea. Just calculate your total debt and how many years it will take you to pay that off and compare this loss of income to any practical advantage Harvard will give you. 200.000 dollars makes about $1660 per month without any interest in 10 years. If you think you will earn more than 6000 net after the PhD it might make sense, otherwise no.

I think some of the validation that comes with an acceptance from an Ivy is that you WERE accepted. Thank them for the opportunity (or try to haggle funding), but don't take out that much debt when the economy is in the toilet and academic jobs are slashed left and right. You can get a good education at a program that will pay YOU to go. AND you can gloat about getting into Harvard! As well you should.

[peppermint.beatnik]

I couldn't imagine doing an unfunded PhD, anywhere, unless I was independently wealthy.