Advice on Picking Undergrad if my Goal is Art History PhD

[thenextredlight]

Hi! I'm so sorry if you all don't want a naive high school senior posting on here, but I haven't gotten any advice from people who know what the field looks like and have experienced it first hand. If this isn't allowed, I'm more than happy to take my questions elsewhere! 

I know it's easy to change your mind, but at the moment I am pretty certain I will be majoring in art history for my BA and going to grad school afterwards. I've gotten accepted to Barnard College at Columbia, which would be full price, and I have a full ride to my local school; those are my top two options. The quality difference in the department is huge, and I really feel like Barnard is a better fit for me (plus NYC has so many more opportunities). I could afford four years of full price, but if my grad school program isn't funded then I couldn't afford it. if I went to the local school, then that money would go to grad funding. 
 

I guess this is all to ask if you think that putting the money towards my BA is worth it, or if I should suck up my local school and save for my PhD or whatever it ends up being even if it wouldn't be great quality. I know my situation could be much worse, but thank you so much if anyone ends up giving me advice! I only have two weeks!

[Bronte1985]

It really depends on what your local school is and what opportunities you would have there. That said, if you do well at Barnard and cultivate relationships with some of your professors, you should have no trouble at all getting into a top--fully funded--program. It seems like half the PhDs I know did their undergrad at Columbia/Barnard. 

Edited April 15, 2021 by Bronte1985

[Bronte1985]

Also, as a side note, because I feel ethically obligated to say it: do make sure you explore other career paths while you're in college. There are many wonderful things about getting a PhD, but the job market is horrendous and just when you think it couldn't get any worse it gets worse. You want to make sure you fully understand the sacrifices a PhD entails and that really, really want it. You will learn and experience a lot in the next four years. It may confirm that you want a PhD--or not. All I'm saying is, keep an open mind. 

Edited April 15, 2021 by Bronte1985

[kbh2780]

Hello! Recent Barnard grad here. I can attest that the art history department is incredible, with many, many resources, opportunities, and special attention paid to you and your interests/research. Happy to chat more about the school/my experience if you'd like.

[artstor509]

Ditto to the above. You may stumble into a history class or an English class and decide that you have an entirely different passion! Currently, the field has alot of issues. I don't need to repeat them here. I have been super fortunate (and beyond lucky) to have been able to garner external fellowships during this horrible climate. But these fellowships came with many sacrifices (social, sleep wise, being single and in my 30s, etc) and often felt as if I was a pigeon fighting on the ground for breadcrumbs of money.  

 

With the above stated, I do want to make some notes regarding the current choice you have. Barnard is great. But do look at the dollar signs. Entering grad school with debt can be hard. The top PhD programs typically offer students 4-5 year funding and health insurance plans. However, alot of these packages may not be enough to live in expensive areas (look at Columbia and NYU stipends). Sometimes you may have to pay out of pocket for a publication, for conference attendance, etc. Some have already begun (thank God like my program) to make up for this by offering summer stipends, conference funds, etc. But it sometimes takes months to get reimbursed and I have gone at times several months without insurance or even pay due to administrative issues. What I am trying to say is that it is good to start grad school with some dollars in the bank for hiccups along the way. Something to consider is the fact that if you are to attend Barnard, it might be quite some time until those debts get paid off. The system is crummy but yet we are all here...:/ 

[raye237]

I made a similar decision for college five years ago - although it wasn't local, I decided to go where I got a full ride over Barnard, which was my top school out of my acceptances. I loved my college experience and my art history department turned out to be amazing. Most of all, graduating not only debt free but with a lot of money that would have gone to tuition saved has been ideal-- it allowed me to afford to study abroad for a year and then move to the UK for a top MA program without debt. Where is your local school? NYC may have a lot more opportunities but it is also likely infinitely more competitive to get those opportunities. Sometimes being a big fish in a small pond is the best way to make yourself stand out (for example, I was top in my dept at my school; may not have been that way if I went to Barnard and then may not have gotten my MA acceptance).

[thenextredlight]

On 4/15/2021 at 2:00 PM, Bronte1985 said:

It really depends on what your local school is and what opportunities you would have there. That said, if you do well at Barnard and cultivate relationships with some of your professors, you should have no trouble at all getting into a top--fully funded--program. It seems like half the PhDs I know did their undergrad at Columbia/Barnard. 

Hi! Thank you so much for offering your advice/personal experiences! My local school is College of Charleston. I’m reaaaally leaning towards Barnard now since I won’t accrue any debt (even though it does come with guilt for making my parents pay for it eeek). From my own living experiences in Charleston/interaction w department, I just don’t think I will be able to do anything else besides intern at our very small art museum (maybe do like one summer abroad if I am lucky). Plus, the entire student body terrifies me and I hate the weather, but maybe that’s just because I am focusing on the negatives.

Edited April 22, 2021 by thenextredlight

[thenextredlight]

Congrats 

On 4/17/2021 at 4:11 PM, raye237 said:

I made a similar decision for college five years ago - although it wasn't local, I decided to go where I got a full ride over Barnard, which was my top school out of my acceptances. I loved my college experience and my art history department turned out to be amazing. Most of all, graduating not only debt free but with a lot of money that would have gone to tuition saved has been ideal-- it allowed me to afford to study abroad for a year and then move to the UK for a top MA program without debt. Where is your local school? NYC may have a lot more opportunities but it is also likely infinitely more competitive to get those opportunities. Sometimes being a big fish in a small pond is the best way to make yourself stand out (for example, I was top in my dept at my school; may not have been that way if I went to Barnard and then may not have gotten my MA acceptance).

Hi! Congrats on your MA acceptance and thanks for your advice! My local school is College of Charleston. The list of cons is pretty much everything except the price in my opinion; I really don’t want to remain in South Carolina, Charleston, or even the South in general if I can help it. I’m worried that if I go local, I’ll never leave. Both of my parents are supportive of Barnard, which is luckier than most people for sure and I am so grateful, but I just keep going back to this question of whether it is worth it like you said.

Edited April 22, 2021 by thenextredlight

[raye237]

6 hours ago, thenextredlight said:

Congrats 

Hi! Congrats on your MA acceptance and thanks for your advice! My local school is College of Charleston. The list of cons is pretty much everything except the price in my opinion; I really don’t want to remain in South Carolina, Charleston, or even the South in general if I can help it. I’m worried that if I go local, I’ll never leave. Both of my parents are supportive of Barnard, which is luckier than most people for sure and I am so grateful, but I just keep going back to this question of whether it is worth it like you said.

If money is not an object, then go where you want to go