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It's that time - Where are you going?


meridionale

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  • 10 months later...

Question.

Which PhD program would you choose:

1) a program with a better reputation (i.e., higher ranking, better placement record) but with no faculty who are really jazzed or knowledgeable about your dissertation interest

or

2) a program where the faculty are all about your dissertation interest/ strong "gut" feeling connections were made but the program has little or no reputation or placement record

Keeping in mind, of course, that dissertation interests may change in the course of the program. But it's that old question, should one suffer for one's art or take the safer road with the bigger institutional name? Fully funded at both programs. Liked both programs. But made stronger connecton with the faculty at the weaker program.

Help?

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Have you made personal connections yet with the faculty at program #1? Or is this just a feeling that you get via email contact. If the program has a better reputation and you're being fully funded, and there are faculty with whom you could work, I'd say choose #1. On the other hand, it is kinda nice to be a big fish in a small pond and I'm assuming that's where you would stand in program #2. I think it depends on how unknowledgeable the faculty are about your dissertation interest. You want faculty who are going to challenge you as well as guide you. If you don't feel like you'll get that at program #1, then is it really worth it? Then again, if the school's reputation will give you an edge when the time comes for applying for jobs, then that is also something to consider.

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