A tough question: Applying for a PhD while already pursuing one...

[ARJS]

Hi!

 

A friend of mine called me last night to ask a very tough question regarding his intention to apply for a PhD while he is already pursuing one. I need your input before replying him so I asked him sometime.

 

Scenario: He started his PhD a couple of years ago but is not satisfied with the behavior of his supervisor (not rude but unprofessional and unhelpful, he says) or even the facilities available at the university. He told me that his supervisor recruited him after discussing the project with him telling that the university has all the required fabrication and measurements facilities. However, when he reached he realized that he can only do simulations and nothing more. He did simulations and published few papers but this is not what he was looking for so he contacted few professors abroad in the US who gave him a positive response given his CV. His current supervisor does not support him even logistically expecting him to complete his project "somehow" because it was "his idea".

 

Problem: He did not tell the professors in the US that he is already pursuing a PhD which he actually wanted to quit for the quality of work he can perform.

 

Questions: What should he do? Should he mention the whole story in his personal statement? or should he omit this and try his luck and if offered the admission say good bye to his current university? Would mentioning this affect his PhD application?

 

Thanks.

 

[TakeruK]

I think the answer is that yes, when he contacts any professors with the intention to start a PhD program, he should tell them the full story. They will find out anyways when he applies, because schools generally ask for a list of all schools you've attended and transcripts from such schools. If he does not tell the professors when first contacting them, and then they see this information on his application, it will look suspicious and dishonest. Also, as you said, he has published papers, so it will be not very hard at all for them to find out that he is at his current graduate program.

 

The reality is that even though it is not your friend's fault that the current program is not providing the resources and support he needs, it is much harder to get into a PhD program when you are already in a PhD program. It is risky to take on a student who is willing to leave a program, because what if they also leave your program? However, this is why I think it's really important for him to tell the full story when he contacts US professors, and tell the story right away, because that is the only way he will get the professors to sympathize with him and be willing to give him a second chance at a PhD.

 

Also, if he wants a PhD in the US, then he must not complete his PhD in his current school. Even fewer schools will allow someone with a PhD to complete another PhD. However, if he is already many years into his PhD, perhaps the best path forward is to complete the PhD doing simulations and then gain a postdoc or other research position somewhere else to do other work. 

 

Finally, to answer your last question, yes he must provide the whole story in his application. Omitting the fact that he is currently in a PhD program in the application would be considered academic dishonesty and it will get him rejected and possibly result in worse consequences. Don't lie/omit required information on applications, ever!

[Herobah]

I think the answer is that yes, when he contacts any professors with the intention to start a PhD program, he should tell them the full story. They will find out anyways when he applies, because schools generally ask for a list of all schools you've attended and transcripts from such schools. If he does not tell the professors when first contacting them, and then they see this information on his application, it will look suspicious and dishonest. Also, as you said, he has published papers, so it will be not very hard at all for them to find out that he is at his current graduate program.

 

The reality is that even though it is not your friend's fault that the current program is not providing the resources and support he needs, it is much harder to get into a PhD program when you are already in a PhD program. It is risky to take on a student who is willing to leave a program, because what if they also leave your program? However, this is why I think it's really important for him to tell the full story when he contacts US professors, and tell the story right away, because that is the only way he will get the professors to sympathize with him and be willing to give him a second chance at a PhD.

 

Also, if he wants a PhD in the US, then he must not complete his PhD in his current school. Even fewer schools will allow someone with a PhD to complete another PhD. However, if he is already many years into his PhD, perhaps the best path forward is to complete the PhD doing simulations and then gain a postdoc or other research position somewhere else to do other work. 

 

Finally, to answer your last question, yes he must provide the whole story in his application. Omitting the fact that he is currently in a PhD program in the application would be considered academic dishonesty and it will get him rejected and possibly result in worse consequences. Don't lie/omit required information on applications, ever!

what about changing it to masters and apply? I have similar program as I will change my PhD to masters and as I'm done with courses I will apply for next fall at different university.

[rising_star]

Herobah, you'll still need to send your full academic transcripts (so transcripts from every institution you attended) to programs when you apply.

[TakeruK]

Changing to a Masters program is a good idea since then you at least get to leave with something after several years of work. But as rising_star said, you will still have to send transcripts and say that you attended that school etc. 

[ARJS]

TakeruK thanks for your detailed response. I too think that honesty is the best policy.

My friend's program is a pure research based with no coursework involved. In this case he cannot ask his current university to send any transcript. The only way the US program would know about his association with the current program is if someone from his current uni discloses it. In fact he has nothing to send to the US university from his current program except the papers he published. Any thoughts on this please.

[TakeruK]

Your friend should disclose his current program because honesty is a key component of academic work. If your friend cannot handle being honest about this matter, then I don't think a PhD program is the right place for your friend. Sorry to be harsh, but it is essential for all academics that we all do our duty to maintain academic integrity.

 

Also, if your friend prefers a more practical reason: someone will find out. If he leaves a gap in his CV from his Bachelors degree until now, people will ask what did he do. If they look up his papers, they will see his affiliation with the school. Will he spend the rest of his time lying about those years of his life? 

[chemtocs]

I have similar problem but I am a first year graduate student. I cannot join the group that i am interested in after I came here (funding problem). And I am considering transferring. I don't know to what extend should I talk about my current program in the application.