HELP. PhD plot twist -- advice needed!

[brighteyes]

Hi all, sooo, I have had a major plot twist in my graduate school journey. 

Background: I applied to 9 schools for developmental psychology for Fall 2019. I was accepted and plan to attend UNL. I made a great connection with my advisor, and have been in communication with her since something like October 2018. She's been amazing, and everything I was looking for in an advisor. I accepted the invitation, procured an assistantship, and made all the plans to uproot my life here in California and book to Nebraska. I signed a 2-year contract for an apartment and paid first month's rent, scheduled the moving pod, paid for all of my hotels through the roadtrip, and have packed the majority of my things. I plan to leave California July 26th.

Here is the plot twist. I was emailed TODAY by my advisor that she has accepted a position at another university, and is leaving next month before I get out there. Another professor in developmental has agreed to advise me this coming academic year. However, I don't know who I'll be working with now for my assistantship (I was supposed to be working for my advisor), but my advisor said that it is still there for me, and I won't lose it. She said this opportunity came out of the blue, and she didn't know it was going to happen, but that she had to take it. She said there will be a lot of opportunities for me to conduct my own research if I want, and that as soon as they know who I'm going to work with, she'll let me know. The project that I was going to work on this upcoming year is now being dismantled and won't be there for me. The entire reason I applied to this school at all was the professor and this project, which is exactly what I want to study.

What do I do? I'm trying to feel out my options, and I'm definitely feeling a bit overwhelmed. I could scramble and apply to the university she's taken a job with, but I'm not sure I can get in there, as it is a higher-ranked university. I will have the last year of my undergraduate in my transcripts now, which I didn't have when I applied last cycle. This professor was actually my #2 choice. Do I try to apply to her new school (Syracuse)? Do I try again at my #1 choice, which I got rejected from last cycle (NCSU) ? Do I try to stick it out at UNL? Do I apply for 2020 or wait until I earn my MA and apply for 2021? Help!

[higaisha]

So she didn't offer to take you to Syracuse with her? I think when it comes to faculty moving, students can be offered the choice to move with their advisor or not--I don't think they have to reapply. Maybe you missed out because of the timing (you are incoming but havent officially started)--either way this is pretty unfortunate timing/news, sorry to hear it. 

Edited June 29, 2019 by higaisha

[brighteyes]

She didn't, but I do wonder whether that has to do with it being nearly July, and the availability of a spot this late in the game. Thanks for the sympathy-- I'll take it. This situation sucks.

 

EDIT to add -- I actually emailed her and asked. She said that she would absolutely take me if it was possible, but the job is teaching track, so she actually wouldn't be advising her own grad students. So, Syracuse is out. 

Edited June 29, 2019 by brighteyes

[higaisha]

2 hours ago, brighteyes said:

She didn't, but I do wonder whether that has to do with it being nearly July, and the availability of a spot this late in the game. Thanks for the sympathy-- I'll take it. This situation sucks.

 

EDIT to add -- I actually emailed her and asked. She said that she would absolutely take me if it was possible, but the job is teaching track, so she actually wouldn't be advising her own grad students. So, Syracuse is out. 

Ah, seems like staying at UNL is worth it if there's someone else at the department you'd like to work with. Starting from scratch seems complicated, dropping out and sending yourself back a year doesn't really make sense unless you don't see yourself at UNL. Moving once you have a masters might lead one to wonder why you 'dropped out' of a phd program, but your circumstances are unique and I'm sure you can explain it well (theres people who do it, uncommon though as attrition is pretty low for phds). 

[brighteyes]

My advisor did tell me she'd be happy to write a letter explaining the situation if I wanted to reach out to programs at other schools, so that we can avoid the "why did you drop out of a PhD program" thing, so that helps. I don't really see myself working with any of the other professors at UNL. Another professor has stepped forward and said they'll take me on this first year, so at least I have an advisor.

[spider-man]

If you don't want to work with any of the other faculty at the program you were accepted to, I think you should drop it and apply elsewhere during the next round of admissions. It's a tough choice, but spending 5 years on something you hate could make you miserable. You can use the year to bolster your resume and try to improve your chances of getting into your number one program, or save up some money so that you're slightly less broke during your PhD.

[psychology_student_]

On 6/29/2019 at 12:10 PM, brighteyes said:

My advisor did tell me she'd be happy to write a letter explaining the situation if I wanted to reach out to programs at other schools, so that we can avoid the "why did you drop out of a PhD program" thing, so that helps. I don't really see myself working with any of the other professors at UNL. Another professor has stepped forward and said they'll take me on this first year, so at least I have an advisor.

i'd also say stick with UNL. Really sucks with your situation, but it doesn't absolutely suck if another professor is going to step forward and advise you. Go big red!

[lewin]

On 6/28/2019 at 10:54 PM, higaisha said:

 I think when it comes to faculty moving, students can be offered the choice to move with their advisor or not--I don't think they have to reapply. 

This would strongly depend on what the faculty member negotiated when accepting the position. To put it bluntly, it depends on whether they wanted to expend negotiating capital on it. They might have prioritized taking current students, or negotiating for lab resources, or even for salary. Without being a fly on the wall of the prof's office it's impossible to know, but OP, being an unknown at this point, might not have been a priority.

OP, I don't think it's unprofessional to ask if there's any chance you could come along as long as it's done tactfully and with understanding that it might not be within her power. She might not have even considered that you prioritize advisor over program.

 

Edited July 9, 2019 by lewin