Moving from one PhD program to another?

[greencoloredpencil]

I'm not sure if I'm happy with my results and I'm considering reapplying next year (I know what I can do to improve my application and my letter writers have been surprised since they seem to be confident that I'm competitive for top schools--I hope they're right). However, I do have an offer at a lower ranked department that I might be willing to take. I think I could end up enjoying the department but I'm uncertain, especially since I still have aspirations of making a stronger department. I suppose that in this situation it might be best that I just wait to reapply next cycle.

 

Anyway, I was wondering if anyone knows how common transferring from one program to another is or how difficult this sort of thing is. Is this something typically frowned upon? 

Edited March 9, 2014 by greencoloredpencil

[perpetuavix]

This is something that's been covered on Leiter's blog; I saw it (probably someone on here linked it) not all that long ago. I'm not trying to pull a LMGTFY, but I'm definitely not interested in adding to his page views right now. 

[bar_scene_gambler]

Because perpetuavix doesn't feel like finding anything for you, here's what I found:

http://leiterreports.typepad.com/blog/2010/08/transferring-phd-programs-twice.html

Not sure if there's anything on switching just once on Leiter's blog, but that gives you a little data.

[bigboybaruch]

I find it amusing that on the Missouri website they say they don't have an MA program. But on the other hand, some people get an MA and then *cough* transfer.

 

They know how the system works, they know they're going to lose some of their best students, and they don't hinder them. I commend them for that.