Decisions Problem

[urbsroma]

University #1: Where I am currently working--support is low (humanities program in flagship state university); good rapport with faculty; senior faculty in my specific field leaving will not know who will replace her before april 15th; girlfriends family from the area.

University #2: Department where girlfriend is currently enrolled (though she isnt sure if she wants to stay for the doctorate--first year); best field-specific library in the country/world; larger faculty; better support (including modest summer funding); faculty member (and chair) I want to work with is openly shopping himself on the market, second faculty member in my field rumored to be looking to leave in the next year to two.

University #3: Department with world renowned researcher in my field (less established than #2, but university as a whole more regarded); 30k/year funding package (university level fellowship); far away from girlfriend in city she is not enthused about possibly moving to in another year (LA); long move for me (currently in midwest, grew up in New England).

I was all ready to accept at University #2 until I found out yesterday about these large faculty changes. What should I do? Stay at University #1 where I know the faculty and my girlfriend is comfortable moving back to? Go to University #2 and hope that they will hire senior faculty I will work well with when i start to dissertate? Take the money and stability of University #3 and hope that my girlfriend will come to like LA (and ditto for me?)

I hate making decisions, and the continual movement of faculty at this time is making it even more difficult.

[teaganc]

I moved from the Northeast to LA and never got to like it. I tried, really tried, and I hate winter so it already had the weather going for it... but I just can't like it here. There are no trees that haven't been planted, watered, and landscaped, people are distant and superficial and terrible at driving, you can't walk anywhere, etc. I will also say that even though 30k sounds like a lot for a fellowship, expect to pay 1/2 of that on rent alone (before taxes come out of it, mind you), and expect for your car insurance and other monthly payments to rise. In other words: it's a fine amount to live on, but in LA you will be living frugally.

Another thing to consider which you don't mention is, how serious are you with your girlfriend? If you would rather be with her than be at the absolute best university for you (and I'm not judging; I would make this decision with my partner), then chose between #1 and #2. Long distance is hard, and if she doesn't want to move to LA to begin with and is just starting her program, well, you need to be aware that there is a very real chance that relationship won't survive you going to #3 if it's not serious. If this possibility is acceptable to you, go with #3. You won't have to stress (too much) about money or change in faculty and when you graduate, you can leave LA.

[rising_star]

I was all ready to accept at University #2 until I found out yesterday about these large faculty changes. What should I do? Stay at University #1 where I know the faculty and my girlfriend is comfortable moving back to? Go to University #2 and hope that they will hire senior faculty I will work well with when i start to dissertate? Take the money and stability of University #3 and hope that my girlfriend will come to like LA (and ditto for me?)

The answer is to do what you want. And to ask the faculty that are shopping themselves if they would take you with them if they got another job. In the social sciences, this is definitely done (my advisor did it when he took his current job). If the answer is yes, then there's no need to panic just yet about University #2. I think you should also think about your career goals. You didn't mention anything about job placement here but that's definitely something I would keep in mind.

[urbsroma]

Job placement-wise, that is also hard to quantify. My field is in Classics and University #2 is very highly regarded in classical archaeology and places very well in that field. I, however, specilize in classical literature, which they graduate less phd's in and therefore it is harder to read how they do at placement.