What happens if you hate your program and have to leave?

[Guest gradschoolbound]

So obviously, I'm not planning on this happening, but I've been having a little bit of anxiety about this. I just accepted a fully funded offer at a school that is my dream school academically, but in a location I'm worried I may be miserable in (its a Phd program so its at least a five year commitment). It was by far my best offer, and I figured that if I ended up unhappy I could always transfer. In the past few days however, I've heard from various people that transfering in graduate school is horribly looked down upon , if not impossible. So I suppose I'm wondering if I would be black listed from academia if the worst case scenario did occur and I had to drop out? Does anyone have any experience with this?

[PETRAL6]

I've heard of it being done... but yes, it seems hard and sometimes impossible to do. Even if you do, it can cause poor relationships with the place you leave and you may have to meet up with those people later. I don't know that you'd be "blacklisted, " but avoid it if you can. My advice, which is probably not what you're looking for, is go in with a positive attitude and you will probably enjoy it. Take advantage of the location whatever it is and find things you like. Plus, it's not like you'll really have a lot of time out of the library and/or lab, so just make sure those are nice I'm sure that if you are academically happy you'll get used to location. It really is better than the other way around.

[Guest Ms. Geology]

I agree with Petral6, you will probably be too busy for it to make a difference. If you are really into your program/research, just focus on that. Try to go to lots of conferences and maybe that will give you a break from the land where time stands still.

[Guest gradschoolbound]

Of course I'm going to try to keep as positive of an attitude as possible. It was my dream school afterall, until I visited the area surrounding it. The problem is that I would really like to lead a balanced life in gradschool, i.e. I don't want my life to entirely center around academics. I went to a really insanely rigorous school for undergrad, and I feel like I've spent the last four years only studying at the expense of other sorts of fulfillment and personal development. I was hoping to go to school somewhere where I could actually be part of a community, and have a rich life outside of my studies. I'm not sure if I'll be able to do that at the school I plan on attending because of the environment its in.

[Guest guest]

Gradschoolbound, I'm in the same situation as you right now...academically my program is ideal, but location/life-wise i think i might be miserable. Out of curiousity, what program/location are you referring to, if I may ask?

[Guest radclyffe]

what kind of program is it? will your research be lab-based or otherwise limited to the area the school is in?

i ask because i'm in history, and it seems like everyone leaves after they pass their quals anyway. they have to go to where the archives are, or else they just leave to get a change of scenery, be with a partner, etc. it didn't seem uncommon at all to leave the *location* without leaving the program.

[Guest gradschoolbound]

History also actually:) That's incredibly reassuring to hear. I think I could probably hold out until my quals, just not for 5 or 6 years, because of location, the presence of a significant other elsewhere, etc.

[Guest radclyffe]

it seems like the only thing that keeps history folks in town (if they want to leave) is the obligation to teach. so if you get to choose which years you teach, talk to your adviser about getting them out of the way early (some programs won't let you/discourage you from teaching the 1st year, but it probably depends). and if you are aggressive about applying for outside funding, i'm sure you can get some kind of fellowship to get you out of the last couple years of teaching.

i'm really excited about where i'm moving for my program, but since my significant other won't be moving there, i'm also thinking about my options after quals.