Asking for a 1-year deferral for PhD program?

[redandshiny]

I was accepted to an MIT PhD program that I'm excited about going to, but currently I work a soul-sucking, absolutely exhausting finance job (think ~60-80/week) where I have been completely run to the ground. My mental and emotional health has really suffered over the past year, and the idea of going straight to school (or even only taking a 1-2 month break) is not appetizing at all. I should add that my current contract with my company stops me from leaving before mid-June (leaving about 2 months before grad school starts).

 

What are the risks/realistic problems involved with asking for a deferral of a year for the program? How likely do you think it is? I don't have any current fellowships that I would be losing, so I don't think that is a problem that I would have to worry about. Thoughts? I would probably take the year to work an easier job for a non-profit or for an environmental organization and recharge mentally.

Edited March 12, 2013 by redandshiny

[iowaguy]

Why not just take the summer off and travel to Europe, South America, Asia, the Carribbean, etc.  If you can't recharge mentally with 3 or 4 months of foreign travel I'm not sure what will recharge you...

[ak48]

I don't know about your preferences, but 2 months off for me would be more than plenty to "recharge". It's unfathomable for me, really.

 

Will your PhD program be stressful? I imagine you got into MIT's econ program, but I doubt it will be as bad as the grinding finance jobs.

[Erpnope]

I vote travel - pick somewhere and work at a hostel for room and board, perhaps... much less grinding!

[juilletmercredi]

It depends on the school and program.  A lot of programs will wonder why you applied this year if you weren't ready to begin this fall, and will balk at the idea of giving you a year off to just chill out and work some more.  Some programs don't care, and give deferrals for pretty much anything; some universities and/or programs only give deferrals for extreme emergencies.

 

I also don't see why 2 months of maybe traveling or doing nothing isn't enough to recharge you and help you get back in year.  Graduate school is, at times, soul-sucking and absolutely exhausting - so you have to be prepared to do that for 5 straight years.

[jdolphina]

I actually did the same thing for the same reason, with MIT.  I guess it depends on the department, but the department I am going into was very happy I took the time off to have more energy to start school.  Definitely worth it for me.

 

And yes, it took a full year to basically recover from my job.  It worked.  If you need it, talk to your department, and find out if they are okay with it.  Life is so much better with more energy and motivation.

[redandshiny]

I actually did the same thing for the same reason, with MIT.  I guess it depends on the department, but the department I am going into was very happy I took the time off to have more energy to start school.  Definitely worth it for me.

 

And yes, it took a full year to basically recover from my job.  It worked.  If you need it, talk to your department, and find out if they are okay with it.  Life is so much better with more energy and motivation.

jdolphina, do you mind me asking which department this was with? 

 

Thanks for the comments- I agree that 2 months sounds like a lot of time in theory, but I'm pretty sure with moving and getting my personal stuff together and wrapping up work, I will need at least 3-5 months to become a sane, normal person who isn't losing handfuls of hair again. I would definitely rather go to school inspired and motivated rather than just seeing it as a different thing that I am still scrambling to catch up with.

Edited March 13, 2013 by redandshiny

[TeaGirl]

I agree. Two months isn't much at all, especially if you've been as stressed as you say you are. Do you need a full year? Maybe you can defer for a semester?

 

There's no harm in asking them though. You can ask about deferment policy from the department secretary/graduate coordinator first to get an idea, and then talk to your PI's. Yours can't be the first time this has come up for them.

[jdolphina]

redandshiny, I just sent you a message with some more details about my department and what I did.  I know other MIT students who also deferred a year.