Fully Funded PhD, Best Fit, or Masters? (Psychology PhD)

[sem]

Hi, I am yet another student seeking advice about which program to enter (Reading the other posted help a bit but I still need support).

ABOUT ME:

I am very passionate about research in Prevention & Intervention Research/ Applied Developmental Psychology. While prestige is important, I really just want to be in position to fulfill my research interests and eventually influence systemic change.

• I took the GRE once and got an English-630, Math-580, Writing 4.0, & Psychology 670.
• B.A. at well ranked liberal arts college (3.5 GPA)
• Presented my undergraduate research at a international conference
• I did the Teach for America program
• Completed my Master in Education while doing TFA (3.8 GPA)
• I applied to 15 programs several of which were top-tier (so far I've received 10 rejections/waitlists, but I knew I was shooting for the moon in some cases.)

DECISION:

1) An average ranked PhD program (like 90th) that is fully-funded (public) with a nice stipend where the professor interests align but they're research is not as super exciting to me.

2) An average ranked PhD program that is partially funded (it's private) with Professors doing very exciting things! Their research aligns to exactly my interests, but I would have to take out a lot of loans.

3) The 1/3 coverage Masters at University of Chicago working with my dream Professor! She is incredible more or less considered a "Big Whig" and has expressed a lot of interested in working with me. She was very honest with me in how competitive the program was this year and how I am an excellent candidate. I know I do lack research experience, and I am wondering if working with her in the Master can help me get to a highly ranked program that really interests me fully-funded, such as U Mich CPEP.

I have been advised that going into a PhD program with the intent of transferring is not wise, but I would hate to give up a fully funded PhD offer to accept a year masters.

What are people's thoughts on this? Is it fair to go into the PhD program and see if I want to stay there? If not then is it okay to transfer or leave after a year? I might want to get a high score on the Math GRE and network a bit, but I don't know if it would be better to jump into the PhD program with the chance that I might leave. OR is it better and more respectful to decline the offer and lose money in the Masters program with the chance to join a more fitting program.

I really don't want to take out loans, but I don't want to enter the PhD program if it is not the "perfect fit." I asked the professors at the school I got accepted to if I could really do the type of research I wanted... they are heavily recruiting me and have assured me my research interests fit, but I still am not sure why I am not really excited. (I just don't want to have a grass is greener syndrome when I have a good offer). I don't need to go to an Ivey League, but there is a stigma that I want to avoid with settling at a program that offers the most money.

I would truly appreciate any guidance! Thank you!

[digits2006]

Why does rank matter so much to you? Harvard, yale and other places might be great schools, but not that great in what you want to do. I feel like rank of the school shouldnt matter. You applied to all these schools, so they all must be good. Go with a funded PhD. You could get a masters, and then its a bad year for your programs and they accept few. You never know. It's hard to just give up a fully funded 5 years to go pay money at a masters program. But, it's all up to you.

[socialpsych]

I think it depends on your ultimate career goals. You say you want to "induce systemic change." Would that be within academia or outside? You don't have to answer that publicly, but which program is best for you will depend on the answer. For one thing, if you are planning to go on the academic job market, you may have a difficult time with a degree from a 90th-ranked program. (Is that the "stigma" you were referring to, or is that something else?) Another thing to consider is how much money you expect to make afterward. Will working with your dream advisor at Chicago increase your chances of getting in to a top program? Of course! But if you don't expect to make enough money afterward to pay it off fast, it may be too big a risk. This is especially the case if your ultimate goal is to work in a field where prestige of PhD program doesn't matter as much as in academia.

Sorry, this response probably wasn't that helpful, but it's hard to give advice without knowing the specifics of your goals.

[sem]

First of all thanks for your reply! Now, I probably need to clarify, since by saying top-tier I didn't necessarily mean Harvard & Yale... I didn't apply to either of them.

I mean ranking in the psychology fields and research I am interested in, so the "reach" schools I applied to include University of Michigan CPEP, Stanford, UC Berkeley, UCLA, NYU Steinhardt, University of Chicago... the other 9 are great schools too.

I guess I was surprised I am accepted to the program where I worry if the professors research interest will excite me as much as the other schools (not just on "name brand" but on the research). I am definitely planning on going to the PhD program I was accepted to with full funding, but I just don't want to be in it for a year and be thinking that another place would be a better fit. I want to be respectful of the offer and I don't want to be the person that isn't 100% committed entering. I just hear transferring is not really a good option, and a year from now I don't want to be a grass is greener person.

I think that is the trouble with a site like this. I am happy but there is initial doubt about the fit of the program that is fueled but post that talk about jobs after grad school and the importance of prestige for tenure track, which leaves mean uncertain.

Thanks again for your reply! Any other suggestions or people going through the same thing. If I am uncertain about the program, is it more respectful to wait and go for a program with a better fit? I have heard transferring or leaving a school is bad, and I don't want to feel trapped after acceptance. The school is good and they deserve people that are very excited about attending.

[sem]

Thank you for you advice!

I would love to be a professor that is part of a collaboration to influence change (I'll eventually post a few examples). I also could see myself working for organizations outside of academia. I just hear that where you get your PhD follows you, and I worry that I might be giving up opportunities 10 years down the road for money upfront. I hope that makes sense. I have a good sense of the intervention research I would like to do, but I don't want to limit myself from doing that research within the context of an academic institution because I didn't retake the Math GRE (580) or because I did TFA and was too busy to submit my previous research for publication or because I didn't want to wait (the master program is 1 year but I heard it is much more important what you do during that masters year).