Case Western Reserve vs. Alabama

[Paloma]

I've been accepted into PhD programs at both University of Alabama and Case Western Reserve University. My research is in the subfield of biocultural medical anthropology. The two schools are basically night and day.

CWRU: Private, located in major city, northern (cold), older and more prestigious program (and faculty) within my field.

Alabama: Public, located in small college town, southern (warm), newer and more vibrant program with young faculty that are consistently publishing (but don't have a "legacy").

It seems crazy to me, but Alabama seems so much more appealing. I did my MA thesis research at the natural history museum associated with Case Western, and disliked the area around the school (nothing really within walking distance except Little Italy). My potential advisor there has made no contact with me outside of sending me a letter notifying me of my acceptance and letting me know funding decisions will be made in late March. I have not yet heard about funding.

On the other hand, my potential advisor at Alabama gave me a personal phone call to let me know of my acceptance, during which he discussed my funding offer and the research projects that he was currently conducting in which I would be able to participate, if I was interested. He then got funds to fly me out for three days to meet the entire department, discussed at length the success of the program's graduates (nearly all have industry or tenure track positions within a year of graduating), and invited me to have dinner with him and his family. The department is brimming with positive energy and motivation.

My choice would be easy, if I had not been told since the beginning of my master's degree that the name of the university on your PhD matters a lot. I was even advised by one professor not to attend a program that admitted me unless it was on a list of top graduate programs in my field. CWRU is on that list. Alabama is not, probably due to the youth of the doctoral program (only 10 years old). However, I have a sinking feeling that I will be unhappy at CWRU. I know that I will be happy at Alabama. I feel very torn.

Advice?

[juilletmercredi]

First of all, don't go where you have no funding. If Alabama is funding you and Case is not, then your choice is clear - go to Alabama. Since you haven't heard back from Case about funding, I would wait until you do at least.

Second of all, you want to go where you have support and feel happy. This is both career preparation and a significant chunk of your life. To me, contact and the way a program treats you ahead of time can be a definite signal - if the advisor at Case can't even be bothered with you to try and woo you to attend, what will she be like when you attend? Of course, there are many other reasons why she may not have reached out more, but it is a bit of a yellow flag IMO. On the other hand, you have an advisor who feels strongly enough about you to work on your behalf to find funding and fly you out, plus invite you to have dinner with his family. This is more along the lines of a professor who will work his networks for you and find money to send you to conferences or get you equipment you may need.

Thirdly, you've already said that the advisor you met with has given you evidence of Alabama's success - with tangible examples of program graduates' placement. Nearly all have TT or industry positions within a year; that's an excellent track record particularly for a social science PhD program. The name of the university of your PhD doesn't matter so much as the reputation of the program from which you graduated. If the ranking list source is the NRC, those programs were last ranked in 2005 so if the program was created after that that's why it's not there. That's no indication of its quality.

So go to Alabama and be happy!

[profhopes]

You said it yourself: cold and prestigious versus warm and vibrant...  It sounds to me like your heart has already decided.  Personally, I am from an area near CWRU, and am not a fan of the environment.  (I have also visited the campus).  It is definitely an urban setting.  I had a good friend who went there for undergrad and law school.  Though my friend loves the school, she said it is not the safest of environments.  I remember her mentioning that campus safety alerts (e.g. reported violence and/or rape) occur with some frequency.

It sounds like Alabama is "courting you" (flying out for a visit, personal phone calls, an advisor who keeps in touch) versus CWRU doing standard things.  The fact that Alabama has a strong placement record of industry and TT positions may count for more than CWRU's prestige.  You may want to see if you can find data for CWRU and compare.

I echo what the previous responder said about waiting to hear about funding.

Best of luck with your decision!

[anthrostudentcyn]

Just looked up the Alabama program, it looks really good, I'm in a similar field. Honestly, it looks like Alabama's placement it pretty good, if not better than CWRU. But I've also heard really good things about CWRU's medical anthropologists, so I'd say wait it out. CWRU could be waiting for funding info and then will start to "court" you. 

[bioanth]

I might be a little biased (current undergrad student at Alabama who's probably staying for a MA), but Alabama's department is incredible. The faculty are all really wonderful and supportive, and they are definitely interested in publishing a ton with their students. The grad students I know (which at this point is most of them) all really love the department and the cohorts are all very close. If you have any questions about specific faculty members or the department or school in general, feel free to PM me!!

[GradSchoolTruther]

It seems as if Case Western doesn't even offer funding for any of its doctoral programs. 

[Paloma]

Thanks for the replies, everyone! Most of you are echoing my own thoughts, so it's good to know that I'm not too off base.

I just got off the phone with CWRU, and they are only able to offer me a half stipend right now. I was told it was likely to increase to a full stipend (which is marginally less than the offer from Alabama), but there were no promises. Both are offering funding for the same number of years. I'm going to be talking to some of the grad students to see about how they like the environment there, but the discrepancy in funding offers is making this choice much easier.