Staying with the same prof?

[fitzerald]

Currently doing research (as a senior in college) with my dream PhD advisor/lab. She has been very impressed with my work and results so far, and there is no track record against "incestuous" acceptance of grad students by her department from the undergrad population. She is also in need of grad students... How, when, and should I let her know that I am very interested in doing my PhD with her?

[rising_star]

Conventional wisdom is that you shouldn't get your PhD from the school where you got your undergrad degree. Schedule an appointment with your current supervisor and bring this up.

[AllFiredUp]

Though you and her may have formed a torrid incestuous bond, it is best for you to cut ties now, from a professional standpoint. Broaching this in a meeting is a tar baby.

[Cornell07]

I don't know. In the liberal arts, you need a damn good reason to stay at the same institution -- say, you want nothing more than to study F. Scott Fitgerald, thus you must return to Princeton because they have the F. Scott Fitzgerald papers. Otherwise, no. You can study US-China Cold War relations or sexuality in 18th Century feminist novels almost anywhere.

In the sciences, intellectual incest seems far more allowable. At Cornell, plenty of my engineer friends stayed on with their honors thesis advisors to do a Masters. Similarly, I know a handful of my friends from high school who went to MIT ended up staying on for PhD programs.

In short, it depends on the situation.

[AllFiredUp]

Cornell, it appears that you feel incestousness is OK depending on the situation. Is this a correct characterization?

[Minnesotan]

I agree with Cornell. There are some rare situations where academic in-breeding is understandable. However, it very well could raise a red flag during the job hunt.

Not only that, but there is the (idealistic, I know) concern about how far your academic and individual horizons can expand when you've only studied at one institution. On a personal level, I would strongly suggest moving on. For the professional question, you're on your own - I really only know what I've heard on the grape vine (and that is: "'no incest, please,' says the hiring committee").

[anese]

I agree with Cornell. There are some rare situations where academic in-breeding is understandable. However, it very well could raise a red flag during the job hunt.

Not only that, but there is the (idealistic, I know) concern about how far your academic and individual horizons can expand when you've only studied at one institution. On a personal level, I would strongly suggest moving on. For the professional question, you're on your own - I really only know what I've heard on the grape vine (and that is: "'no incest, please,' says the hiring committee").

I think this is very true--I have alot of friends who did EE masters at my undergrad institution, but it is also a top 5 EE dept., especially within their speciality. They also have no intention of going on to pursue PhDs in order to teach (a BIG difference) so for them, it was just about getting more $$$ with that extra degree under their belts.