PhD at same university or elsewhere?

[tweeter]

I'm having trouble choosing between University of South Carolina (SC) and NJIT. I think I'd be a good fit a both, do similar research at both, and receive funding at both.

The problem is I already have two degrees from the same department at SC and I heard having three degrees from the same place is frowned upon.

SC isn't a huge name, but I feel it's more recognized than NJIT. I see "name brands" are a hot topic here, so I hope this doesn't turn into one of those discussions.

Currently I'm leaning towards NJIT just to vary my experience.

[runonsentence]

If you've done two degrees at SC already, I'd definitely lean towards NJIT. Two degrees at the same place can be debated (I'm doing that myself), but three is too much.

[neuropsych76]

Yeah, three degrees at one place is a bit much. Seems like both places are close to equal so i'd go to the new place (unless you absolutely love where you are and would hate to move but even then i'd still move lol).

[tweeter]

Thanks. I do like SC. I'm going to visit NJIT in two months. Maybe a tour will help me solidify my decision.

I must confess, nothing is official yet with either school. I just have an extremely strong suspicion this is how my acceptances will work out. I'm friendly with a professor at SC and said they will back me. I've had conversations with a professor at NJIT, I'm pretty sure I'll be offered there too. I'm applying elsewhere, but I don't like my chances anywhere near as much.

Now what if I only get into SC? Is it even worth the time and money? Obviously that would kill my goals in research, but I do have another career path in mind that I think I would equally enjoy . I'd hate to spend five years, only to regret my choice and have few new opportunities open up.

[CageFree]

For a PhD, they call it "intellectual inbreeding." I asked the same question and was told pretty much what you have; it will be harder to find jobs.

[runonsentence]

Most people I've talked to have said that, if they could go back and do it over, they'd get their PhD where they got their MA.

Yes--but I'd wager that few (if any) of these people have done their bachelor's (or another master's) degree at the same institution.

[runonsentence]

No, but having sat in on the hiring discussions a few times, whether they have degrees from different institutions just doesn't ever come up. If seeing three degrees from the same institution did come up, it'd almost certainly be anecdotal and then dismissed from the mind of all but the most fastidious of hiring members.

While YMMV, I'd be cautious to equate "no one brought up the fact that the candidate went to different schools as a good thing" with "no one would mind seeing two or more degrees from the same school." And again, I speak from the perspective of someone who is pursuing a PhD at the same institution where she completed an MA.

Edited to add: There are certain cons I had to weigh and carefully consider, in my own case. One was that I'd have to do more work to expand my exposure to the field and stretch my current ways of thinking, by staying in the same program and working with the same faculty. The other is that it can be easy, when one is staying at the same school, to fall into the trap of thinking that X, Y, and Z aspects of one's program (really, even what is valued in one's program or the way one has been taught to think by one's program) are indicative of the field at large. Hiring committees aside, I recommend the OP also think through these cons as well once acceptances come out.

Edited August 12, 2011 by runonsentence

[Sigaba]

Most people I've talked to have said that, if they could go back and do it over, they'd get their PhD where they got their MA. Coming into a new program with an MA is like coming into a new program with nothing, essentially. You have to get those relationships going all over again, and re-prove yourself to the faculty that you're a serious candidate that they'll want to work with come Dissertation time.

FWIW, I switched institutions and the clear, but unvoiced, message was that I had to start from square zero. IMO, this requirement worked to my benefit as the professors at school B were much more interested in the development of grad students than their counterparts at school A.

[ZeChocMoose]

Are you only selecting NJIT because you have been to SC twice? To me that wouldn't be a good enough reason to attend NJIT esp. for a terminal degree and one that is longer in length than your previous degrees.

It seems like your PhD defines (in some way) or brands who you become as an academic at least in the beginning of your career. (What I mean by that is usually you know that x professor went to Z University for his PhD. People don't tend to mention where he earned his bachelor's or master's.)

I would say it is too early to know right now. Apply and see where the chips fall. You might discover that SC offers you an amazing funding package or NJIT has more opportunities in x and you really want to learn more about x. I would lean towards which program has the better overall fit than anything else.

I too had to decide whether to attend the PhD program at my alma mater (I received my master's there). There were a lot of reasons why I chose not to, but I won't be particularly concerned about being a double or triple alumnus . I think the concern about academic inbreeding is a bit exaggerated. There are many reasons why search committees don't like candidates. I would rather attend a program that is a better overall fit for me so I can do my best work than worry about how it will look to see the same university attached to all my degrees.

[rising_star]

I agree with ZeChocMoose. Apply to more departments and see what acceptances you get.

[tweeter]

I know it's not uncommon to get a MS and PhD from the same school, except those people usually have a BS from somewhere else.

I do plan on applying to several other places besides USC and NJIT, but my application isn't strong and I know my chances aren't good. USC and NJIT are my most realistic options.