How Do You Deal With Having a Favorite School?

[mrs12]

Hi,

So, here's my problem. I've been constructing lists of grad schools for a while now, but my interests have gotten narrower and narrower and as I go to really finalize these lists I've found myself only 100% happy with one school. You clearly shouldn't just apply to one school, but I'm curious how people generally weed out and or select schools that aren't necessarily the exact thing they're looking for after they found that "perfect" fit. Many schools on my list offer interesting choices or things that could be useful, they just don't hit all the boxes I'd like them to. So how did/are you creating your final lists of schools if you have a top choice already? 

[fuzzylogician]

It's probably worth to keep in mind that your interests may shift,* so an important aspect of a good school is that it could not only support your current interests but also allow you to grow in various directions. Maybe a school isn't perfect for what you are studying right now, but if it has several researchers in close areas, it could be a great choice nonetheless. Another question has to do with resources more generally: does a school have the labs/libraries/whatever here that you need for your research? Is it generous with funding? That's another consideration. To the extent that you can find out, is the environment positive and supportive? Did you get along with your potential advisors at a given school (if you've had a chance to meet them)? Having a supportive environment is very important, I would say even more than having advisors whose interests most closely align with yours. Is the school in a city that you'd enjoy living in? Near attractions you like? In a location with weather you enjoy? I do think these considerations matter for one's life and are worth considering when compiling your list. 

Schools can sometimes be different in person than on paper. It's a good idea not to get too fixated on just one, and to keep your options open at this point in the game.

* In fact, they likely will shift, it's a natural process that happens to lots of people. Moreover, it's not a good idea to start out with very narrow interests, if for no other reason than that you'll have a hard time getting published if no one else cares about what you're doing, you'll likewise have difficulty forming a committee for your dissertation, and when you go on the job market you'll have trouble getting hired if no one is hiring for the very narrow area you've chosen to specialize in. It's somewhat of a balancing act, but you want to be part of a larger community where you can enter an existing conversation with others who care about the same things. 

[TakeruK]

I also want to add that when I was researching schools, I had a "ranking" in my mind of which programs I would like, but then when I visited the schools, these rankings did change too. Schools are pretty different in person than they are on paper. So I wouldn't get too fixated on a "perfect" fit yet, and I wouldn't put too much emphasis on how I feel about a school until I visit it.