Is direct track worth it?

[pithobbit]

I am currently in a masters program at a mid-ranked R1 school. I have the option to go into the direct track program with a guarantee of funding for the degree. I have two great advisors at my current institution. One of them studies religion and the other does twentieth century women's history. I study the pro-life movement and the Catholic Church which is a pretty broad topic but I've only been in the program for a semester. I'm wondering if it is worth it to stay at my current program which I know would make it harder to get a job, but it also means that I wouldn't have to apply again. Does anyone have experience with this kind of a situation?

[Sigaba]

1 hour ago, pithobbit said:

I am currently in a masters program at a mid-ranked R1 school. I have the option to go into the direct track program with a guarantee of funding for the degree. I have two great advisors at my current institution. One of them studies religion and the other does twentieth century women's history. I study the pro-life movement and the Catholic Church which is a pretty broad topic but I've only been in the program for a semester. I'm wondering if it is worth it to stay at my current program which I know would make it harder to get a job, but it also means that I wouldn't have to apply again. Does anyone have experience with this kind of a situation?

By when do you have to make a decision?

Is the job you want to get the only one that will allow you to do the kinds of work you want to do? 

[TMP]

If you're looking for the PhD and to go into academia, I'd apply to higher ranking programs if you can find suitable faculty to work with.  Pedigree does matter unless you're doing truly amazing work with exceptional strong letters supporting it. In the meantime, get all the funding you can for your MA.

[psstein]

13 hours ago, TMP said:

 Pedigree does matter unless you're doing truly amazing work with exceptional strong letters supporting it.

Even then, pedigree matters a lot. You can be the best student in a generation at University of the Western Ozarks or Hollywood Upstairs University, but you're still going to have an incredibly uphill battle. The market is so godawful that Ivy PhDs are lucky to get jobs at R3s and PUIs in undesirable parts of the country.