Should I compromise what research I want to do in an effort to get into a school I want?

[DJLamar]

There is one particular school which I would love to go to due to the researchers there, weather, and other things. However, the two profs that I emphasized in my research statement for that school may not be taking students this year (one definitely isn't due to already having a huge group, and the other probably isn't in my estimation since he has a group almost as big as the other). I'm pretty sure that was pretty damaging to my already fairly slim chances there.

However, there is a professor that's new there that barely has any students that I could work with. This professor, I've learned (through completely honest and legitimate means, mind you -- it was listed on a public page on the department's site), is also on the admissions committee this year. In short, I'm pretty sure he really wants students he can work with and he has the power to influence the decisions made by the committee.

Now this professor's work is actually really closely related to the research work I've already done as an undergrad, so I have an advantage there too. The problem is, I am hoping to do some fairly different work in grad school. Namely, the work I have done so far is a little too applied for my taste and I want to focus a bit more on the algorithms and theory side of my subfield (as well as applications to an area / set of problems pretty different from what I've already done). If I went to this school, ideally I would at most only be working with this guy on side projects or something here and there, or at best he would be my co-advisor with another prof. Now to make this even more risky, I think the school in question assigns advisors to students upon entry to the program.

Now there is, realistically, not much chance of my actually influencing any decisions here. However, my current research advisor has already told me that it's a good idea at this point to contact specific faculty at schools that haven't notified me of anything yet to try to influence their decision (he has told me to notify them of the offer I've already received and to describe the work I want to do and what I have done). I've actually already contacted another prof on the admissions committee at this school as well as yet another prof there (these are the two profs in my SOP), with a not to useful response from the former and no response from the latter.

Should I at least try to send this other guy an email? There's a good chance that I'm already waitlisted or rejected on the lists at this school since they already sent some acceptances out last week, and the prof may or may not be able to do anything in either case. In the best case, though, I would get into my dream school.

[DJLamar]

Reviewing this guy's page and past publications again, honestly, I would say that it wouldn't even be much of a compromise at all to what I would be doing with theory and algorithms -- it would mostly just be that the work I would do with him would be framed in different contexts and applications. Hmm. This might not even almost be a bad idea, really.

[jeanne]

It seems you've already answered your own question, but I'll add my opinion anyway.

If you're going to be spending 5 - 7 years working on this research, then you've got to love it. If you think you can, then go for it. I've had similar situations where the prof I wanted to work for is going on sabbatical for a year and so isn't accepting students for the fall. I was told that I would get put with somebody else (with somewhat related research) for the first year and then have a chance to possibly work with her the next year. She actually just contacted me today to set up a phone interview, so I'll find out more info about that. If it seems like that could really work, then I'll go for it. Otherwise, I don't think so.

[noojens]

No.

Compromise your passion and you compromise the only legitimate reason for pursuing a PhD in computer science.

[DJLamar]

Well, turns out there is no debate here anyway -- I was rejected from this school today

These ideas would have been nice 3 - 4 months ago (when writing research statements) or even two or three weeks ago before they made decisions...

[peppermint.beatnik]

Now there is, realistically, not much chance of my actually influencing any decisions here. However, my current research advisor has already told me that it's a good idea at this point to contact specific faculty at schools that haven't notified me of anything yet to try to influence their decision (he has told me to notify them of the offer I've already received and to describe the work I want to do and what I have done). I've actually already contacted another prof on the admissions committee at this school as well as yet another prof there (these are the two profs in my SOP), with a not to useful response from the former and no response from the latter.

First I have to say that I'm shocked your research advisor suggested this. I think it's a very bad idea.

However, I would have no problem compromising. Ultimately, you'll be able to do the research you want. You need the credentials first.

[JerryLandis]

I don't know how relevant this is to the specific question, but overall I'd say yes. When I re-apply to PhD programs next year, I intend to apply to work with people whose interests aren't a perfect match for mine. I'll apply with the intention of doing something a little different from my ideal topic. Despite not being horribly specific, my intended research topic is one that only a small handful of people in the US (and only people at the very top programs) seem appropriate for, so in order to widen my range of places to apply to I'll also have to widen my range of possible interests. Like Peppermint Beatnik said, without the credentials it won't be possible for me to ever do the research I'd ideally like to do. So if the only possible way to get those credentials is to work for a while on a tangentially related subject, then that's just what I'll have to do. It's not like I'm not interested in other topics within my discipline, just that there's one topic I happen to find more interesting than others.