1st year - reasons to drop off - problems with re-applying

[deops]

Hi grads and wanna-be grads,

Your feedback is welcome.

I started my PhD two months ago. I do it in a Dutch University so it's research only, I already have a Masters' degree. The problem is that I don't particularly like my topic and the approach that both of my supervisors are pushing me to adopt. Also, the staff at the department work on areas that I'm not interested in and I feel I do not fit. Whatever I talk about sounds like Greek to them and what they work on is mostly indifferent to me. Even more, I hate the place. It's a very conservative small town and there is literally nothing to do except work. This I wouldn't mind if I liked the topic, but I realised that it's not the topic I would fall in love with and spend another 4 years of my life doing research on. It should not be like this in the first two months of the PhD, should it?

I'm thinking of dropping this PhD (it's fully funded...) and start looking all over again. How bad would that look on my CV? I'm even concerned that my professors from the Masters' programme will be hesitant to give me good letters of recommendation once again...

What do you think?

P.S.: I know since I don't like the topic I shouldn't have accepted the offer in the first place, but it was the only offer I got (and the only application I did due to time constraints) and at that time I didn't have enough information about the research areas of the faculty and the overall focus of research in my department, which is very divergent from my research interests (the topic is on the edge of my interests).

[crazygirl2012]

I understand why you accepted the offer, and I would struggle in that kind of environment too. Is there any chance that you'll eventually be able to work with your interests? Will you get more of a choice as you gain independence in the lab?

[R.S.]

I would contact your old advisers first and see if they'd be willing to write another letter of recommendation. I am considering leaving and that was the first thing I did. You would be surprised how willing they are to help!

[mtlve]

Hi grads and wanna-be grads,

Your feedback is welcome.

I started my PhD two months ago. I do it in a Dutch University so it's research only, I already have a Masters' degree. The problem is that I don't particularly like my topic and the approach that both of my supervisors are pushing me to adopt. Also, the staff at the department work on areas that I'm not interested in and I feel I do not fit. Whatever I talk about sounds like Greek to them and what they work on is mostly indifferent to me. Even more, I hate the place. It's a very conservative small town and there is literally nothing to do except work. This I wouldn't mind if I liked the topic, but I realised that it's not the topic I would fall in love with and spend another 4 years of my life doing research on. It should not be like this in the first two months of the PhD, should it?

I'm thinking of dropping this PhD (it's fully funded...) and start looking all over again. How bad would that look on my CV? I'm even concerned that my professors from the Masters' programme will be hesitant to give me good letters of recommendation once again...

What do you think?

P.S.: I know since I don't like the topic I shouldn't have accepted the offer in the first place, but it was the only offer I got (and the only application I did due to time constraints) and at that time I didn't have enough information about the research areas of the faculty and the overall focus of research in my department, which is very divergent from my research interests (the topic is on the edge of my interests).

Former grad applying again now. It is not easy to leave programs and reapply. You may do okay if you have a solid research background and letters. You can switch topics when you graduate and you may be able to change directions depending on your mentor soon.

Regardless, you do need to decide if you can stay there for 4-5years and if you can be productive in this area. I ultimately decided no to both of these questions, so I left to reapply to graduate school

[uromastyx]

P.S.: I know since I don't like the topic I shouldn't have accepted the offer in the first place, but it was the only offer I got (and the only application I did due to time constraints)

Would you have decent chances of being accepted into another program?