Thinking about leaving to go to another program

[literalturtle]

I just started my PhD program the last week of August, straight out of undergrad. I didn't get into many PhD programs, and only got two fully funded offers. The institution I'm currently at (RPI) offered me funding with only 2 weeks to make a decision. I didn't get to visit in person, but everything looked great on paper and talking via email to current students and faculty, funding was great, 80% placement rate in academia, etc etc...

Seven weeks in, I am so unhappy. The city is great, my cohort is great, I love the weather, my partner and I are dealing with the distance okay. But the program and the rest of the students in it? Not what I thought. 

I tried telling myself this is just first year grad student feelings, and while they are valid, they'll get better. I told myself I should wait out the year at minimum before making a decision. But I am so unhappy. I cry every night, I've bitten practically all the skin off of my fingers (which I do when I'm incredibly anxious). It's not difficult; I'm doing well. But I have no interest in the subject, I haven't learned anything, I don't feel challenged and passionate and interest. None of the reasons I wanted to go to graduate school are existing. And talking to current grades from every cohort above me shows that this isn't going to get better. Basically, there was false advertising about what dissertations would be supported, and my area of interest offers no support whatsoever.

Coupled with a terrible first year advisor who has absolutely tainted my experience (I shared these feelings with her and she told me it's your life, not mine, so whatever you decide to do doesn't affect me. Apparently there's no faculty you can trust (everything is an open book within the department, even if you go crying to your advisor - everyone will know). 

I shared this with my previous mentors outside of the program with greater detail (there's a lot more to this story) and they've agreed these are red flags. Perhaps I could work through them if I was at least interested in what I was doing, but I am not. At all. 

So, I'm thinking of leaving ASAP. I'm applying for jobs, and I'm looking for PhD programs again now that I know what questions to ask about the program to see if I have support so the same issue doesn't happen. I know what to look for now. I also know this is kind of my only other shot for a PhD program; there's really only a certain amount of times you can move without completing a program. I have good reasons to include in my SOP to explain my reasons. 

I am struggling now, however, how to talk to POIs at other departments. Do I preface my communication with them by explaining the predicament that I'm in? Should I wait until meeting them (either digitally via Skype or in person) or include it in that initial interest email? 

TLDR; if I am in the process of moving from one PhD program to the next, what is the best way to approach this when communicating with POIs at other institutions that I am planning on applying to?

[Sigaba]

2 hours ago, literalturtle said:

TLDR; if I am in the process of moving from one PhD program to the next, what is the best way to approach this when communicating with POIs at other institutions that I am planning on applying to?

I recommend that you change your profile on this BB so that your current institution is unknown and it's less difficult for someone who knows your field(s) to figure out the identity of your current advisor.

I suggest that you find ways that you can evaluate your current program and department more on its own terms and less on your expectations and/or the experiences of your mentors. The re-evaluation may provide a different perspective that will help you as a graduate student there or elsewhere. (Specifically, how to manage differently your expectations of faculty members.)

I urge you to consider a path in which you make a best faith effort to adjust to your current program. If things don't improve, get a master's degree where you are and "transfer." You'll have a better story to tell if you make the transition after earning a masters as opposed to withdrawing now and starting from scratch. 

In the event you decide to transition now, I recommend that you exercise great care in disclosing details of your personal life to POIs and/or the "dirty laundry" of your current program. All things being equal, there's a significant chance that professional academics will conclude that you might be a disruptive presence that they don't want to deal with.

[literalturtle]

5 minutes ago, Sigaba said:

I urge you to consider a path in which you make a best faith effort to adjust to your current program. If things don't improve, get a master's degree where you are and "transfer." You'll have a better story to tell if you make the transition after earning a masters as opposed to withdrawing now and starting from scratch. 

I partially agree, but the program has literally no support for what I want to do. It would make my life so much easier if I could just stay, but staying would be terribly, terribly unhealthy and it would backtrack most of my progress in the field I am actually interested in. The masters degree would be very unrelated. I had only chosen this program knowing that the MS would be mostly unrelated but that I would have room to break out of the confines of the MS in my dissertation, which is what would matter most. The MS has absolutely no courses related to my area of interest now; it used to at an earlier point (before I started), but my instutition is declining rapidly it seems. Again, false advertisement to me. I am concerned just sticking out for a masters will hurt me rather than help me.

Thank you for the other advice though.