HELP! Need advice about dilemma.

[psychgirl77]

I am trying to decide between two clinical psych PhD programs and I'm having a very difficult time. School A is my undergrad institution, and as such, I would not have to move to attend. I am married, and my husband has a job here that he would rather not leave, and we both LOVE the city. Both of our friends and families live here. I know many of the professors and students here and so the transition to grad school would be quite smooth. The downside is that funding is only guaranteed for 1 year. There are TAships available for the following years, but it's not guaranteed (though highly likely I would be able to attain one). Another huge downside is that I am less interested in the research that I would be doing at this school.

School B is in a smaller city, and with the economy the way it is, it may prove quite difficult for my husband to find a job there. He is not very willing to move to this city because of it's size, and he just generally does not like the city. The program has guaranteed funding for all 6 years (18,000 a year through a combination of TA, RAships, and fellowships). Also, the research match is phenomenal -- I really couldn't ask for a better fit.

At both schools my potential supervisors are quite prolific in publishing, so that is not a concern at either school. Any advice on what to do?

[Joel418]

Can I ask a few questions? First, what do you intend to do with your degree (clinical work, professorship, etc.)? Obviously, whether you want to go into private practice or teach and research at a major institution could make a big difference as to which school best serves your needs.

Regarding research matches: I study a subject in which no US professors specialize; as such, I'll be studying with someone whose specializations are related to my subject, and contact those working specifically in my subject directly (mostly in France). If your UG adviser's interests are closely-related to your subject, you might be surprised how open other professionals are to regular consultation.

Also, do you think your primary UG adviser would go to bat for you regarding funding in future years? Having a professor firmly in your corner makes a big difference (as opposed to depending on the departmental process).

Another much less appealing option that a few of my colleagues have done is living apart until the spouse/significant other can find a good job. Is that something you'd be willing to try?

Good luck with your decision

[psychgirl77]

I'm hoping to pursue a career in both research and clinical practice. My focus would be research, but I'd like to see clients on the side. Regarding funding, I actually received more funding than most (I got an extra entrance award), and there's not really anything for my UG adviser to do in terms of getting me extra funding in future years because no students are guaranteed funding after year 1.

In terms of living apart from my husband, I would be willing to do it for awhile, but not for the full 6 years. He's not particularly willing to live apart at all.

[KayOwd]

can i offer a different perspective:

if you stayed, your husband would continue to work and i imagine your combined household income would be higher than the 18K a year in a new town (considering no guaranteed job prospects for your spouse). have you calculated your moving expenses? this can amount to a few thousand dollars.

everthing else being equal, except the issue of funding, it seems the first choice is better. one year of funding is enough time to look for more lucrative sources anyway.

if you are looking for money, your department should have people there to help you find it. I would also visit http://www.cos.com and look for available graduate scholarships and training awards in your discipline.

good luck!

[fuzzylogician]

KayOwd makes a good point. Aside from that, I think that taking your spouse's wishes into account is very important. Making him move, lose his job and have to be away from his family and friends could put a strain on you marriage that you might not be able to cope with. In my opinion, option A doesn't sound like that large a compromise, compared with what you might lose.

[Joel418]

Don't misunderstand! If it were my choice, I would certainly choose the option that helped my family to be the most stable, financially and emotionally. I just wanted to put a few thoughts out there for her to consider on both sides of the issue...