Last minute anxiety: which program?

[zblaesi]

In reference to all the "go with your heart" suggestions, I guess I'm feeling guilty about abandoning UW-M primarily because I really like Russ Shafer-Landau. I've read a number of his works, and I hold his writing style in high esteem. However, my research hasn't brought me into direct contact with any of the faculty at UT. I get the sense that if I had read more works by, say, Dancy, I would be more excited about UT. So, I guess I'm feeling the reason versus emotion effect: my heart is with Russ Shafer-Landau, but my criteria seem to point toward UT.

[wandajune]

I've looked at the records, but I don't really know how to go about weighing them.

 

How you might weigh placement records: (1) Pay attention to what kind of placements are listed (mostly tenure track? adjunct? post-doc?) and how that matches with your goals. (2) Look at the advisers for those who are getting good placements, and consider whether these are the people you might be working with.

[philosopheme]

sometimes i get excited about going to a concert for weeks on end. then that day i think maybe i want to do something else. then i do something else and i regret it. so i implimented a rule where, if i'm been excited about a concert for more than two weeks, i go to it, regardless of what pops up day-of. 9 times out of 10 i have fun and am glad i went.

[Establishment]

How you might weigh placement records: (1) Pay attention to what kind of placements are listed (mostly tenure track? adjunct? post-doc?) and how that matches with your goals. (2) Look at the advisers for those who are getting good placements, and consider whether these are the people you might be working with.

 

Yeah, (2) is probably the most important, deciding factor. Forget the general placement records and the PGR ranking. Look at potential advisers and compare their placements.

[zblaesi]

Thank you guys (and girls?) for all your input. This decision became harder and harder the closer and closer I got to the deadline. However, I spoke to David Sosa on the phone, and I think that was the final push toward reaching a decision. I've decided to attend UT-Austin!

[ianfaircloud]

Thank you guys (and girls?) for all your input. This decision became harder and harder the closer and closer I got to the deadline. However, I spoke to David Sosa on the phone, and I think that was the final push toward reaching a decision. I've decided to attend UT-Austin!

 

Good choice. Good luck to you.