transferring grad programs after getting m.a.?

[wodkae]

so i'm at a top 15 anthropology grad phd program. just started my first year, so i'm aware there is a "transitional" period. but i still want to know my options.

PROS:

-a research 1 university that's generally well-respected, although not a big name or ivy.

-well-respected faculty. in particular, my "advisor" (the one who recruited and effectively got me in, although for political reasons they're not technically my advisor YET--i've been paired with 2 "preliminary" ones--one i actually wanted to work with from the get go cuz they're apparently pretty hot in the field, while the other i never had heard of, although they're turning out to be the nicest and most available about of the bunch (ironically).

-good funding situation. from what i've heard, no grad students are ever left hanging out to dry (as i've heard some other programs do). i.e. the department will always figure out some sort of funding for you--whether it's a taship, raship, or something--until you get your ph.d. from what i hear--even at more "prestigous" programs, this kind of financial deal is hard to come by.

-retention rate/job placement: from what i hear, almost all of the grads finish with phds and get decent jobs--usually 2nd to 3rd tier universities (i.e. univ. of toronto, tulane). but from what i gather, if you want to teach "higher up" (at a well-known research 1 school like berkeley, ucla, or michigan, or what not) my school doesn't/hasn't pump/pumped out that kind of record post phd that i know of.

-i like my cohort. we've had frequent mixers and generally there isn't a major snob among them (or at least they haven't shown they're true colors yet still, generally, we all get along and it's cool.

-there are pretty good resources on campus, including one of the largest libraries in the world, lots of cutting-edge affiliated faculty, grants, workshops, and the like.

-in general, although there are certainly the share of strange-o grad students (i'm accepting that is unavoidable ANYWHERE students for the most part feel generally close-knit as it is a "university town." still, of course, it can definitely get very clicky. so not totally sure about this one actually.

CONS:

-the area is VERY remote. there isn't a "big city" for about 2-3 hours, even though there is a small but quaint downtown. given that it's a 'university town' - that means the university basically makes the town--which is nice for school spirit but also spells a generally boring grad life (minus clubs and campus-related activities), homogeneity (pretty white and semi-suburban), and specifically lower morale. indeed, most of the first grad students (and even a handful of professors) i met hinted at how much they couldn't wait to leave cuz they were tired of being in the boonies.

while i can appreciate quieter places, the thought of living here for more than 3-4 years is difficult. i like cities, good food, and better energy. it's not here unfortunately.

-grad students - i've met a handful who are cool (and i've heard that every program is a crap shoot in terms of whose cool and whos not) but there are a lot of haters here. that's the first thing i realized and it got me down. trying to hang out with more of the positive ones, but it's not easy given that this community is so small. either those students who wish they got into a "better school" or those who project their grad school angst on all the other cons (e.g. remote area, lack of diversity, lack of bigger name) of this generally okay place.

-name. on a personal note, although i went to a good undergrad, it also wasn't particularly prestigious. so that has always been a personal goal of mine. i had always had the intention of getting an m.a. somewhere (i applied to a few m.a. track programs and got into a few) and then transferring later to get my ph.d if i wanted to. as a matter of fact, most of the ph.d students here in their 3rd or 4th years got their masters at other ('lesser' ranked) schools.

currently i'm on a phd-track program. so i still have a few years to get my masters anyway. but the expectation--at least among all the faculty here--is that someone like me is here for the long haul - 6-8 years until i get my phd. but for all the reasons already mentioned, i'm seriously considering transferring if it is a POSSIBILITY. obviously, i'm a bit apprehensive for different reasons. first, loyalty. i would hate to think that more than a few profs/grad students here would be angry if i left--which is why i haven't mentioned it to many people. although the few i have mentioned it too, interestingly, have supported my idea.

i mentioned i liked my cohort. i also like my program in general. but i have also been disappointed in some ways. first, the advisor who "recruited" me--probably mostly because they ARE such a big name--is always busy and i tend to feel like a number around them--esp around her many other advisee grad students. the other preliminary advisors i've been given also don't seem particularly motivated to get to know me. i know this is very common but it's frustrating since i came to this school largely on the belief that this school would be more "tight-knit" than other places. but so far, i'm not sure about that.

morale is a big thing. as i mentioned, many people here don't seem particularly happy here - especially other students of color. so that's been challenging.

name and prestige. aside from personal reasons, i honestly wonder if not getting my phd from a better known program might help my chances in the job market more. this is a hard call since i've heard what's more important is your specific research, thesis, and your advisor.

in that regard, my program is a pretty good match, but i'm not sure yet. at the same time, if given the opportunity to get my phd somewhere else (somewhere higher ranked where i can also find a decent advisor and possible funding) after getting my masters, i wonder if it is even feasible.

so that's the deal in a nutshell.

lots of pros if i really think about it - esp the funding situation, the POTENTIAL for good mentoring from an advisor who although somewhat flaky, unavailable, is still at times extremely kind, highly regarded and politically a major ally, and a program with decent links to what i'm interested in.

cons - not a big name, though it's growing in the field. the area is not to my liking. lots of grad students i don't particularly like cuz they seem to all want out TOO. and i want more action and a bit more cultural capital in the form of a more prestigious, better ranked program wouldn't hurt either.

am i just whining too early or are some of my concerns something i should consider taking action on? is getting a phd after getting my masters here even feasible, advisable, typical?

your thoughts?

[rising_star]

So I didn't read everything in detail but here are my thoughts:

- It's too early to be making this kind of decision. The first year is the hardest. Finish this year, go into the summer, and wait until October 2010 to think about whether or not you want to stay there.

- I'm not sure what your focus is but generally there's fieldwork involved in the PhD, right? If so, you ought to be preparing for spending 9-12 months living wherever you do research, which decreases the time you have to spend in the small university town. Furthermore, you don't have to return to your university to write if you can secure a dissertation writing/completion fellowship. Just food for thought.

- Name isn't everything. My program isn't a big name but I work with some really top-notch people, which means our department's prestige is up and coming. Go to a conference and see how people react when you name your university/department. That will tell you what you need to know about its name and prestige.

- If you want your preliminary advisors to pay more attention to you, schedule meetings with them and have a plan for what you want to get out of those meetings beforehand. You can't expect them to put in the work to get to know you unless you put in that work as well. Same goes for the big name advisor.

FWIW, Yes, you can leave a program with a MA and get a PhD elsewhere. It depends on how you go about it though.