PhD program at MIT vs. PhD with current, great mentor

[aphasia8668]

A brief background: I am an MS student at a top 15 engineering school and will complete the MS in Fall 2017. When I was applying for programs in 2014, I initially was accepted with funding as part of a tacit agreement that I would complete both my MS and my PhD in my program. My advisor is great--she's an outstanding mentor, has given me a lot of guidance and a lot of research freedom, and is absolutely brilliant.

However, when I was applying to programs in 2014, I also received a phone call from a professor at the Civil Engineering Department at MIT (I've dreamt of going to MIT since I was 5) who seemed very interested in working with me, but due to some complicated funding circumstances I was not accepted into the program. Since then, I've gotten the Fulbright and the NSF GRFP, so funding will not be an issue for at least the first two years. There are a number of fascinating research projects in my field that I'd be happy to work on, but the big unknown is how that mentor relationship would compare to my current one. I've tried reaching back out to the professor I spoke with previously to get a better idea, but he hasn't responded to my emails (all two of them).

So, I guess the real question is: should I apply to MIT for Fall 2018 and just hope for the best, mentor-wise? I of course don't want to put the horse before the cart here, since I haven't been accepted, but in order to apply I obviously have to ask my current advisor to write a recommendation letter for me, and I'm concerned that I may undermine that relationship. Also, as part of the GRFP, I can't have a gap in my enrollment, and MIT does not offer spring admission for graduate students; since I finish my MS in the fall, I'll have to remain enrolled at my current school until the end of the spring.

[zling]

I don't have any experience with the PhD process so my response may not be very helpful, so take things with a pinch of salt:

You sound like you're in a good program with a wonderful mentor! Unless the research projects in your current school aren't as interesting compared to the projects at MIT, or MIT has much better job placement prospects post-PhD, there seems not to be a strong reason to leave?

When reading your post, the main point that caught my eye was the three-year gap since you last spoke with the MIT professor (in 2014), and his lack of response now. While he might have been very interested at that point in time, he could have managed to recruit someone else or changed his research focus, so I would personally be hesitant about making any plans unless he (or someone else in MIT) responds that they do have a place and think you would be a good fit.

As you pointed out, there would also be some awkwardness in your relationship with the current advisor - both in the situation where you have to remain enrolled for spring before going to MIT, and in the worst-case scenario where you're not accepted at MIT and stay on with her. Do you think she's the type to take it personally, or will it be easy maintaining a professional working relationship after that?

[DiscoTech]

On 5/6/2017 at 10:34 AM, aphasia8668 said:

A brief background: I am an MS student at a top 15 engineering school and will complete the MS in Fall 2017. When I was applying for programs in 2014, I initially was accepted with funding as part of a tacit agreement that I would complete both my MS and my PhD in my program. My advisor is great--she's an outstanding mentor, has given me a lot of guidance and a lot of research freedom, and is absolutely brilliant.

agree to stay for PhD + good mentor 

 

On 5/6/2017 at 10:34 AM, aphasia8668 said:

However, when I was applying to programs in 2014, I also received a phone call from a professor at the Civil Engineering Department at MIT (I've dreamt of going to MIT since I was 5) who seemed very interested in working with me, but due to some complicated funding circumstances I was not accepted into the program. Since then, I've gotten the Fulbright and the NSF GRFP, so funding will not be an issue for at least the first two years. There are a number of fascinating research projects in my field that I'd be happy to work on, but the big unknown is how that mentor relationship would compare to my current one. I've tried reaching back out to the professor I spoke with previously to get a better idea, but he hasn't responded to my emails (all two of them).

someone from MIT showed interest 3 years ago

 

On 5/6/2017 at 10:34 AM, aphasia8668 said:

So, I guess the real question is: should I apply to MIT for Fall 2018 and just hope for the best, mentor-wise? I of course don't want to put the horse before the cart here, since I haven't been accepted, but in order to apply I obviously have to ask my current advisor to write a recommendation letter for me, and I'm concerned that I may undermine that relationship. Also, as part of the GRFP, I can't have a gap in my enrollment, and MIT does not offer spring admission for graduate students; since I finish my MS in the fall, I'll have to remain enrolled at my current school until the end of the spring.

Should you potentially ruin a good situation because you want a different name on your diploma? Different people have different prestige needs. Figure out what yours are. 

I would recommend reaching out to people at MIT to see if you can identify a potentially good advisor (and fit) over the summer and then apply in the fall. That way, if you set you current relationship on fire, you can at least feel good about the situation you'll end up in at MIT (you know, aside from the name on the diploma thing).

 

 

 

 

[fuzzylogician]

As someone who graduated from MIT, I think it's an absolutely amazing place to get a PhD. That said, I think that mainly because I had really amazing advisors. I wouldn't give up a strong advising relationship to go to a school where someone showed interest three years ago but now no one's replying no matter how fancy the name of the institution. You're already at a top-15 school, and you have excellent external funding and a great advisor, so you'd be throwing away something that's already awesome for an unknown. Figure out more details about that unknown before you do anything rash that you'll later regret. 

[thelionking]

On 5/8/2017 at 9:39 AM, fuzzylogician said:

As someone who graduated from MIT, I think it's an absolutely amazing place to get a PhD. That said, I think that mainly because I had really amazing advisors. I wouldn't give up a strong advising relationship to go to a school where someone showed interest three years ago but now no one's replying no matter how fancy the name of the institution. You're already at a top-15 school, and you have excellent external funding and a great advisor, so you'd be throwing away something that's already awesome for an unknown. Figure out more details about that unknown before you do anything rash that you'll later regret. 

I agree with fuzzylogician. Since MIT is a childhood dream, maybe you could do a postdoc there.