The "what-if" scenarios are killing me

[LateAntique]

I have most of my applications completed. I've figured out what I would do in nearly every single possible permutation of acceptances/rejections. However, one that I can't figure out is this: what if I get accepted to both Duke (for a Ph.D in Classics) and Catholic University (Ph.D Early Christian Studies). I'm not accepted into either, so this is unprofitable speculation - but I wonder if anyone else has this dilemma: what if you get accepted into what is seemingly a more 'prestigious' program, but for whatever reason you think the other program would be better for you?

One thing that's particularly attractive about CUA is its long history of dealing with the late antique and early Christianity. Also, I'm Catholic, so the Catholic culture on campus would be rocking. Likewise, I don't think it would be too bad to live in D.C. for a few years while I'm young.

On the other hand, Duke is amazing. They have tons of resources (a great papyri archive that I'd love to get into), great professors, good ties with the Religion program and with UNC's Classics program. Plus, my girlfriend is currently doing her Ph.D there (in the sciences...she's smart).

Anyone else having to consider stuff like this?

[JerryLandis]

Yeah, I thought about that for a while, but then I decided not to worry. If I manage to get into 2 PhD programs and not 0, I will have no right to complain about anything. My answer in that situation would be to ask my parents and my friends, and let them make the decision for me.

[tarski]

Heh... with the 20 I'm applying to, there's a lot of what-if stuff I'm trying not to worry about. I guess the main issue I would have would be CUNY vs. several other places. CUNY is probably one of the best places in the world for research my subfield, but I've encountered various anecdotes of grad students from there that have extremely high teaching loads for a low stipend, etc. I'd still probably end up going there as opposed to many other places.

[johndiligent]

I have most of my applications completed. I've figured out what I would do in nearly every single possible permutation of acceptances/rejections. However, one that I can't figure out is this: what if I get accepted to both Duke (for a Ph.D in Classics) and Catholic University (Ph.D Early Christian Studies). I'm not accepted into either, so this is unprofitable speculation - but I wonder if anyone else has this dilemma: what if you get accepted into what is seemingly a more 'prestigious' program, but for whatever reason you think the other program would be better for you?

One thing that's particularly attractive about CUA is its long history of dealing with the late antique and early Christianity. Also, I'm Catholic, so the Catholic culture on campus would be rocking. Likewise, I don't think it would be too bad to live in D.C. for a few years while I'm young.

On the other hand, Duke is amazing. They have tons of resources (a great papyri archive that I'd love to get into), great professors, good ties with the Religion program and with UNC's Classics program. Plus, my girlfriend is currently doing her Ph.D there (in the sciences...she's smart).

Anyone else having to consider stuff like this?

Between the two of those, isn't what you want to do afterwards really going to push you one way or the other? If you want to teach Classics, it's my understanding that you'll have a much easier time getting a Classics position with a PhD from Duke in Classics.

[LateAntique]

Between the two of those, isn't what you want to do afterwards really going to push you one way or the other? If you want to teach Classics, it's my understanding that you'll have a much easier time getting a Classics position with a PhD from Duke in Classics.

I'm a bit of a "fake Classicist". I want to learn the Classics but only because I'm ultimately interested in how they shaped the thought world of early Christians. The ECS program at CUA is a joint venture between Classics (they still call it 'Greek and Latin' there) and Theology, so it's already geared towards that kind of thinking. I just want to sit around and read these awesome texts - if it translates into a job, all the better.

[socialpsych]

I'm totally the kind of person who tries to figure out what I'd want to do in every possible permutation of outcomes. However, I have to say that my preferences changed a lot over the course of the entire process last year. Once I started getting information, it narrowed my options dramatically (in a good way, I'm glad to say) -- and once I'd visited several of the schools, I had a ton more information (even about the ones I hadn't visited), and it was not that hard to make decisions about different possibilities I previously had no idea how I'd deal with.

So, if figuring everything out right now makes you happy, go for it, but I wouldn't stress if you can't nail down all the details at this stage in the game.

[piccgeek]

I don't know how serious your relationship with your girlfriend at Duke is, but I WISH so much I was in grad school with my fiance. We're both first year grad students, and the distance is really hard--not on our relationship, that's as stable as ever, but on our student experience. We both are always talking about how much easier things would be if we were together (coping with stress, trying to relax, feeling like you ever have a life outside of school, etc.).

That said, the most important thing, of course, is what is best for your career. Socialpsych is totally right--your perception of the programs and how they fit you will probably change a lot of the course of the next few months. If both programs accept you, they will try to woo you to their side in various ways, and one offer/research opportunity/adviser/whatever might turn out to be significantly better than the other. Good luck!

[johndiligent]

I'm a bit of a "fake Classicist". I want to learn the Classics but only because I'm ultimately interested in how they shaped the thought world of early Christians. The ECS program at CUA is a joint venture between Classics (they still call it 'Greek and Latin' there) and Theology, so it's already geared towards that kind of thinking. I just want to sit around and read these awesome texts - if it translates into a job, all the better.

I like that attitude and I've tried to adopt it for my own, but the prospects of an academic job (let alone a TT job) are of concern to me. Since my BA is in Classics, I've had several RELG profs tell me to keep studying what I want to study, i.e. social identity in early Christianity, but to do it under the umbrella of Classics, since there are better job prospects in Classics than there are in Religion (which says a lot about the pitiful state of the Religion job market, since the Classics job market has been painful to watch over the past few years). Ultimately, it's Religious Studies that I'd rather teach, so I'm sticking with Religion for my MA. After a few years of observing the job market, I'll then have to decide which path I'll take for my PhD.

I admire the fact that your own edification takes precedence!

[peppermint.beatnik]

I like that attitude and I've tried to adopt it for my own, but the prospects of an academic job (let alone a TT job) are of concern to me. Since my BA is in Classics, I've had several RELG profs tell me to keep studying what I want to study, i.e. social identity in early Christianity, but to do it under the umbrella of Classics, since there are better job prospects in Classics than there are in Religion (which says a lot about the pitiful state of the Religion job market, since the Classics job market has been painful to watch over the past few years). Ultimately, it's Religious Studies that I'd rather teach, so I'm sticking with Religion for my MA. After a few years of observing the job market, I'll then have to decide which path I'll take for my PhD.

I admire the fact that your own edification takes precedence!

I have to disagree that the job market in Religious Studies is pitiful. I'm Canadian, but it's fairly good on both sides of the border. However, I am in a drastically different area of Reli Stud, so maybe that has something to with it.

Having gone through this process last year, I wouldn't worry about "what-ifs." Just do whatever you have to do to give yourself the best chance possible; hopefully the rest will fall into place.

[LateAntique]

Job markets aren't what I'm really concerned with. I'd be happy teaching high school Latin if it came to it. I just really want to put as much of that good stuff into my brain as possible.

[johndiligent]

I have to disagree that the job market in Religious Studies is pitiful. I'm Canadian, but it's fairly good on both sides of the border. However, I am in a drastically different area of Reli Stud, so maybe that has something to with it.

Having gone through this process last year, I wouldn't worry about "what-ifs." Just do whatever you have to do to give yourself the best chance possible; hopefully the rest will fall into place.

I'm Canadian, too, and from what I've seen and what I've been told by profs across Canada is that it's rough. Check out the CCSR job postings: http://www.ccsr.ca/openings2.cfm. The problem isn't the volume of postings, it's the specialisation of the postings in Religious Studies. They're not looking for any scholar who did a PhD in Religious Studies, they're looking for someone who did a PhD in Religious Studies on a certain topic.

So, taking the CCSR job postings as an example, there were 11 job postings in 2009. Most aren't permanent or TT. I don't have to tell you that there were more than 11 people who graduated with a PhD in Religious Studies last year. But the specialisations break down thus: 3 Theology, 1 Eastern Religions, 1 Judaism, 1 Catholic Studies, 2 Sociology/Modernity, 2 Ethics, 1 Western Religions.

That means depending on what your specialisation is, you had a grand total of 0 to 3 jobs in all of Canada that you could apply for in the last year. My specialisation is a socio-historical approach to early Christianity. I could probably apply for the Western Religions gig. I could make a go for some others, but probably wouldn't be apt to get them since it's not my specialisation.

So it's not a super job market, not because RS jobs aren't being created, but because RS is by its very nature a diverse discipline and you're simply not going to be eligible for most jobs that come up.

[rising_star]

I have most of my applications completed. I've figured out what I would do in nearly every single possible permutation of acceptances/rejections. However, one that I can't figure out is this: what if I get accepted to both Duke (for a Ph.D in Classics) and Catholic University (Ph.D Early Christian Studies). I'm not accepted into either, so this is unprofitable speculation - but I wonder if anyone else has this dilemma: what if you get accepted into what is seemingly a more 'prestigious' program, but for whatever reason you think the other program would be better for you?

My advice would be to visit both programs, talk to the professors and graduate students at each, then make a decision about where to go. I had the misfortune of getting into all the PhD programs I applied to, but visits helped me figure out where I didn't want to go.

[Eyetea]

I have most of my applications completed. I've figured out what I would do in nearly every single possible permutation of acceptances/rejections. However, one that I can't figure out is this: what if I get accepted to both Duke (for a Ph.D in Classics) and Catholic University (Ph.D Early Christian Studies). I'm not accepted into either, so this is unprofitable speculation - but I wonder if anyone else has this dilemma: what if you get accepted into what is seemingly a more 'prestigious' program, but for whatever reason you think the other program would be better for you?

One thing that's particularly attractive about CUA is its long history of dealing with the late antique and early Christianity. Also, I'm Catholic, so the Catholic culture on campus would be rocking. Likewise, I don't think it would be too bad to live in D.C. for a few years while I'm young.

On the other hand, Duke is amazing. They have tons of resources (a great papyri archive that I'd love to get into), great professors, good ties with the Religion program and with UNC's Classics program. Plus, my girlfriend is currently doing her Ph.D there (in the sciences...she's smart).

Anyone else having to consider stuff like this?

I've been also o the same path. I have a professor at Vanderbilt who is a perfect fit for me and my research interests. I like the program and several other opportunities to carry out interdisciplinary research. However, Purdue has a highly ranked program in my sub-Field, Analytical Chemistry. If I get in at both programs, I think I'll be pretty worried dude. Fit or better job prospects?