Accept... or re-apply?

[JackSlap]

I have been accepted to a funded, top-50 clinical psych PhD program. The article "a" is used purposefully there. It's just the one.

While some are telling me to accept the offer as the obvious decision, the offer came from a secondary POI that doesn't quite match up with my primary interests (i.e., work is within the same overall lab and has similar approach/leanings, but, relative to my interests, the POI focuses on completely different presenting problems within a population).

With that, I am desperate for more feedback. I had partially considered my application process this year as a dry run from the get-go since I felt that my application would be stronger with an additional year of research (my GRE scores are high and prime and ready to go). With that, I limited my apps to a handful of programs just to see what happened while being fully prepared to take another year to focus on building my experience before reapplying again next year. If I had been accepted by my primary POI at this school, I'd be good to go, but I am concerned about heading there with the offer as it stands now.

Am I crazy to think it's a better move to build more experience and go through the application process again next year with a renewed focus on my specifically targeted interests? Or should I just accept the offer if the match seems "close enough" and just get to getting on with the program so that I can knock this degree out?

I know there's no way for anyone to answer this for me, but I'm all for anonymous internet input at this point - anything to give me more thinking points.

[queller]

As a thinking point I'd definitely try to figure out how likely the odds you'd be able to get the primary POI you applied to be under on your committee for your dissertation. As just because you are not under the individual you applied to be under many others will likely be on your committee and potentially you could use it to bridge your project slightly off from what the secondary POI's research is.

This is naturally assuming that the option for the secondary POI interests you.

Good Luck.

[CarlieE]

It seems as though, according to some of the stats I've read from the CHE, that the number of applicants for grad schools are increasing every year, so you might find that if you reapply next year you still may not get into your Top Choice program or your 2nd Choice program, especially if you turn them down THIS year. If that happens, do you have a back up plan? Or will you apply for a 3rd year? I think you then have to really ask yourself what you really want. Is it All or Nothing ie. You only want to go to grad school if you get into your Top Choice? Were you in contact with your Top Choice POI? Did they give you any reason to believe that you will be more competitive to get in to Top Choice program next year?

I agree with queller in that your 2nd choice POI may not fit your research exactly, but then again, there might be benefits from this. For instance, the different approach/focus might help you see your research in new perspectives. And yes, your Top Choice POI can serve on your committee.

[3point14]

As someone who had to apply twice, my initial reaction would be to tell you to accept the offer as there's no guarantee that you'll be accepted next year. However, you sound like a pretty strong applicant, and if you really think you wouldn't be happy in this POI's lab, then that's not good for anyone involved.

[pinkrobot]

I'm not in your discipline, so take this for whatever it's worth (which may well be nothing at all):

The saying goes that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. However, in this particular situation, the saying needs a few edits: a bird in the hand is most certainly worth more than a fleeting future chance at one hypothetical bird.

Edited April 14, 2012 by pinkrobot

[JSmoove]

I feel like you're getting some bad advice in this thread. It really depends on whether or not you'd be interested in the research in the lab, even though it's not exactly what you want to do. If you'd still be interested, then go for it. But if not, then I'd say wait another year and re-apply. Taking an offer to do work you're not interested in solely out of fear that you won't get into another program is shortsighted to me. Plenty of people reapply for PhDs and things work out fine for them. Of course, it will definitely be a risk, but if you're planning to do research during the gap year then I think it might be a worthwhile risk.