How do you pick the safe schools?

[hahahut]

Hi! I am working on my school list. So far it has been pretty easy to pick dream schools. But when it comes to safe schools, how would I know it is safe? I understand in theory I could get some ideas by looking at the admission statistics. But not many schools actually release those data. My undergraduate degree is from New Zealand, which adds a bit more problem in placing myself. Anyone can share their safe school stragegy?

There is also the dilemma of ranking. I heard a PhD from a better graduate school was expected to get tenure at a school with lower ranking. I don't see there would be any problem if it is anyone from those top 20 schools. Ultimately a scholor's reputation is built upon her contribution to the field, not a fancy degree. But I doubt there are many cases where someone from a 50-100 school to end up at very prestigious institutes. Any thoughts where should be the right place to draw the line?

Thanks!

Edited August 15, 2010 by hahahut

[Alette]

My advice might be worthless, as I know only US schools and rankings, and I'm in English, not CS, but here it is anyway.

My professors recommended I choose schools that are in the same bracket as the school I just graduated from. First, I generalized my school (large public state school) as a way of generating a list of likely schools. Another way to do this is to look at the US News and World Report of rankings in your field and select schools that are at the level of your previous institution or below.

I would also discuss your search with your professors - they know the field, the schools, and the job market. They will know which schools have a history of accepting students from your program. These will be your "likely" or "safe" schools - although only if you're of the same academic standing as your predecessors.

Another way to select "safe" schools is to apply to one or two MA programs, where the competition is less fierce. Later on, you can reapply to PhD programs, but this time with more credentials.

There is also the dilemma of ranking. I heard a PhD from a better graduate school was expected to get tenure at a school with lower ranking. I don't see there would be any problem if it is anyone from those top 20 schools. Ultimately a scholor's reputation is built upon her contribution to the field, not a fancy degree. But I doubt there are many cases where someone from a 50-100 school to end up at very prestigious institutes. Any thoughts where should be the right place to draw the line?

Again, advice from my perspective (which may not be applicable to your situation): The job market is so brutal that even if you have a degree from an Ivy, you'll still struggle to get a job. Let me stress again that this is in the humanities, where most of us enter a PhD to be a professor. (At least, that is the only job our degree qualifies us for.) Instead, it is more important to study with someone renowned.

In the end, if you have several offers to choose from, I would make my selection based on what sort of award package they offer and what facilities/opportunities will be available to you. I would also investigate each department's page, where they often list job placements of recent graduates. (Be wary if there is no such list!)

Another hint is to contact current students. Your professors can help you with this, too, by giving you the names of their former students.

Hope this helps!

[hahahut]

Thanks for the advices, Alette!

Yes, one problem for me is that my undergraduate is in New Zealand. I don't have a very direct way to compare it to US schools. And it is far more common for people to move to UK or Australia. But I just realized I should contact my university's alumni relationship office. They might have useful information on networking with former students.

Another good news is I found some non-US Master programs that offers reliable financial support. That could be a good backup plan. CS might have a different job market. But I have made the decision to shifting from programming to academic. So this would get me to the same situation as you described.

[lifetimestudent]

I am not sure if "safe" schools really exist. It's one thing when you are applying to undergrad and you know that school X takes most everyone with your kind of grades. But on the grad school level there just aren't enough spots to say that you will *definitely* be accepted. And again, often the "safe" schools will not take an "overqualified" applicant because they are afraid that a better school will accept them and that the student will go to the better school.

My suggestion is not to apply to schools that you couldn't actually envision yourself attending. If you don't want to go there, why are you applying? That being said (and it is much easier to say that when you are already accepted!), applying only to Ivies is probably not the safest way to go about applying to grad school. Try to have a range of schools. You can usually tell based on looking at the current students and what the faculty do. The rankings are mostly useless, in my opinion.

Hope this helps.

[natsteel]

I am not sure if "safe" schools really exist. It's one thing when you are applying to undergrad and you know that school X takes most everyone with your kind of grades. But on the grad school level there just aren't enough spots to say that you will *definitely* be accepted. And again, often the "safe" schools will not take an "overqualified" applicant because they are afraid that a better school will accept them and that the student will go to the better school.

My suggestion is not to apply to schools that you couldn't actually envision yourself attending. If you don't want to go there, why are you applying? That being said (and it is much easier to say that when you are already accepted!), applying only to Ivies is probably not the safest way to go about applying to grad school. Try to have a range of schools. You can usually tell based on looking at the current students and what the faculty do. The rankings are mostly useless, in my opinion.

Hope this helps.

+1

I would agree with all of that. Very good advice.