UCLA vs Harvard

[Ptolemy]

I've been admitted to UCLA for a PhD (in the Humanities) although funding is in question (though probable) and I am on a wait list at Harvard. Do I pass up the sure thing for a chance at the Ivy with a high yield?

[Comfect]

First of all, don't freak out too much until it gets near to April 15. Who knows, someone could tell Harvard tomorrow that they don't want to come!

Also, how big is the difference between the actual departments? I know Harvard is a big name, but UCLA has some good scholars too...

[Ptolemy]

First of all, don't freak out too much until it gets near to April 15. Who knows, someone could tell Harvard tomorrow that they don't want to come!

Also, how big is the difference between the actual departments? I know Harvard is a big name, but UCLA has some good scholars too...

You are absolutely right. Thanks for the reminder. There are many great scholars at UCLA, 2 or 3 I would like to work with, but I think Harvard might have an edge in the status of the respective departments.

[latenight]

The way you might look at it, especially as a student in the Humanities (I'm one too), is to ask yourself where you will do your best work -- that, in the end, will be just as valuable in the job market as coming from a big-name school. Harvard might help you more if you work well in a high-powered, competitive environment (I'm not sure if your department at Harvard would be like that, just guessing), while UCLA could be beneficial for a more supportive atmosphere and closer work with professors.

[jackassjim]

The way you might look at it, especially as a student in the Humanities (I'm one too), is to ask yourself where you will do your best work -- that, in the end, will be just as valuable in the job market as coming from a big-name school. Harvard might help you more if you work well in a high-powered, competitive environment (I'm not sure if your department at Harvard would be like that, just guessing), while UCLA could be beneficial for a more supportive atmosphere and closer work with professors.

UCLA is a huge school. What makes you think it would be less "factory-like"?

[latenight]

UCLA is a huge school. What makes you think it would be less "factory-like"?

just going by my department (comparative literature) at both schools, UCLA has a smaller student-faculty ratio.

and i don't know what the "feel" of the comp lit departments at UCLA and Harvard is, nor that of ptolemy's department, but it could be that the big name generates a lot of competition that may or may not be helpful in doing good work and getting the dissertation done quickly.

[Inspekt]

For admits and WL people, you should not be afraid to contact the graduate school office with these kinds of questions. They are there to help!

I think it would be beneficial to call Harvard explain your situation and ask when they release students from the waitlist. Then you have some kind of idea how long you may be waiting. I Know for law schools people can get taken from the waitlist as late as August! I'm not sure the time for PhD, but the Admissions Office at Harvard would know. In any case, you should wait until very close to April 15 to submit your deposit to UCLA.

Can you deposit at UCLA and wait it out for Harvard? If you get into Harvard and decided to enroll you can always forfeit your deposit at UCLA.

Happens all the time in Undergrad and law school - in fact we encourage students to deposit at another place if they are on our waitlist and if we select them they will forfeit their deposit to the other school in order to enroll at ours. Call UCLA and Harvard and ask!

[Ptolemy]

The way you might look at it, especially as a student in the Humanities (I'm one too), is to ask yourself where you will do your best work -- that, in the end, will be just as valuable in the job market as coming from a big-name school. Harvard might help you more if you work well in a high-powered, competitive environment (I'm not sure if your department at Harvard would be like that, just guessing), while UCLA could be beneficial for a more supportive atmosphere and closer work with professors.

You make a very good point here. Cambridge is a pretty intense place intellectually and I thrive on it to some degree. I do know some faculty and grad students in the dept. at Harvard and they are very friendly, but I am sure there are petty competitions and fights like any other department. At UCLA I certainly think I would have more contact with the profs and it is smaller dept with fewer students (which may be a bad thing), whereas there are 50 grad student at Harvard and nearly 20 faculty, but it is a very active place.