Does it matter how much you're "wanted"?

[Xanthan]

No, not wanted in the criminal sense.

What I mean is, should you consider how eager a school is to have you in your decision? As a hypothetical, say I have two schools, A and B. Suppose they are roughly similar on fit, funding, ranking, ect. (But not so similar that you couldn't decide on those factors alone.) In other words, a close toss up. School A gets back to you less than a week after the interview, with note from the PD really trying to sell the school to you. School B sends you a short note several weeks after interviewing that you've been placed on the waitlist; a few weeks after that, offers you a spot (without so much selling of the program).

How much (if any) weight should be placed on the fact that one school seemed more interested in recruiting you?

[kaykaykay]

For me this was a decisive factor. After a year I do not regret my decision. My POI is taking as much interest in guiding me and getting me the best opportunities possible as it was promised by how they treated me during preview time.

Edited February 27, 2011 by kalapocska

[newms]

It's nice to be courted isn't it? If everything else is equal, then how much they want you could definitely be a deciding factor.

[eklavya]

It's nice to be courted isn't it? If everything else is equal, then how much they want you could definitely be a deciding factor.

indeed, this is why i am sticking with my top choice. given, this school and the prof are highly reputed. but a lot of the decision has to do with how i was treated since the first time i emailed the professors at this place inquiring about available research position, and all the interview courtesy and post-interview love exhibition. if decision is hard on you, i say you pick the one with more amiable approach.

[SimilarlyDifferent]

It looks like the school who "wanted" you not only tried selling you on the program, but also treated you with more courtesy and consideration than the other department did. Based on that, it is safe to assume that this school treats its students better in general.

There is an old saying that goes, "You can tell more about a person by the way that they treat their inferiors than how they treat their equals." There is no reason that this statement shouldn't apply to grad schools too. So the question then is, how much do you value the way students are treated in the program? To be fair, it could just be the "little things" that one program does better than the other, but do you really want to risk the next few years of your life on that gamble?

[ZeeMore21]

Considering what your project may be, I think it is nice to know that School A took the effort to make you feel welcomed. I think that it is a sign that they are truly invested in your work and will be with every step of the way in providing the support you need to create a strong project/dissertation....which means that your odds of getting a job at the end of your academic career is great.

Edited February 27, 2011 by ZeeMore21

[polarscribe]

Also, if you have professors talking about chasing down grants, offering specific project-oriented funding and discussing your abilities to contribute to their research, I would definitely call that a serious plus factor. It means the professor is interested enough in your presence in the program to invest his time in making it possible.

[natsteel]

I don't have much of a decision yet, but actually the bigger school has really been making me feel wanted. My POI first notified me of my pending acceptance three weeks ago. I then received emails from 2 different professors in the department encouraging me to accept the offer and wanting to talk with me when I come for Campus Visit Day. Also, my POI took my wife and I out to dinner (along with my mentor) and sent me info a day or two later about the various school districts in the town (I have two young boys just about school age). All in all, they've done such a fantastic job of making me feel really wanted that I had mentally committed myself to the program before hearing from any possible contenders. Of course, the fact that their standard financial package was unlikely to be exceeded by anyone else helped a bit too.