importance of reputation

[joetro]

I have a question, perhaps more so for people who are already in grad school. I have an offer, and I was really excited about most of what I saw there. There are a few schools, some I have interviews with, and others I haven't heard from yet, with maybe a little better reputations (whatever exactly this means).

I'm just wondering how important the reputation factor was in your decision. I do hope for an academic position, and I know how tough those are, even for people who've graduated from UCLA and worked with superstars. So part of me says to go to the school with the best reputation. However, my potential advisor is brand new, and I think he's be really great and very eager to publish, which would be very good for me. So of course going to the top school, but working with an advisor who isn't quite is eager, or maybe isn't as nice or isn't as compatible with me, etc., could end up not being the best situation.

Any thoughts/advice? What else did you base your decision on as far as where to go, and what ended up being the deciding factor?

Thanks.

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[joetro]

I forgot to add that it might be the case that the difference in reputation would be very slight - i.e. obviously there is a difference between say UCLA and Eastern Arizona Tech (just made that up) - but maybe not a big difference between say Indiana and Wisconsin, or UCLA and Berkeley.

 

[psychgal]

I forgot to add that it might be the case that the difference in reputation would be very slight - i.e. obviously there is a difference between say UCLA and Eastern Arizona Tech (just made that up) - but maybe not a big difference between say Indiana and Wisconsin, or UCLA and Berkeley.

Congratulations on your offer! It must be such an amazing feeling. I personally feel that if your offer is from a strong school then ranking does not matter as much as fit. It sounds like you really like this school and that you have found a good fit with your potential advisor. Now I don't know if this is "The" school for you or if you might find just as good a fit at a higher ranked school, but I do feel that comfortable fit is crucial. Basically what I am trying to say and doing a poor job is that I think it comes down to your heart and where you feel it is the best fit. Sometimes I just wish rankings could be tossed and we could just have a group of excellent schools, very good schools, good schools, etc..I have had a professor from a school I applied to mentoring me in a major way. I may not even be invited to interview with her, but she has made me realize what is really important in graduate education and she has helped me hone my focus. I personally am looking for chemistry with the program more than ranking (even though I as well want to go into academia). I want to be happy the 5 or 6 years I am attending school. Congratulations again and I hope your decision process is an easy road.

 

[LM02]

Congratulations on your offer! It must be such an amazing feeling. I personally feel that if your offer is from a strong school then ranking does not matter as much as fit. It sounds like you really like this school and that you have found a good fit with your potential advisor. Now I don't know if this is "The" school for you or if you might find just as good a fit at a higher ranked school, but I do feel that comfortable fit is crucial. Basically what I am trying to say and doing a poor job is that I think it comes down to your heart and where you feel it is the best fit. Sometimes I just wish rankings could be tossed and we could just have a group of excellent schools, very good schools, good schools, etc..I have had a professor from a school I applied to mentoring me in a major way. I may not even be invited to interview with her, but she has made me realize what is really important in graduate education and she has helped me hone my focus. I personally am looking for chemistry with the program more than ranking (even though I as well want to go into academia). I want to be happy the 5 or 6 years I am attending school. Congratulations again and I hope your decision process is an easy road.

I completely agree with psychgal. There's a nice balance to strike between reputation and fit. If there is only a slight difference between programs (however you measure it), but you feel that the lifestyle/culture/environment is preferable at one over the other, I think it's a no-brainer.

Remember, no matter where you go, there will be serious ups and downs in graduate school. I'm not going to sugar coat it and say it's smooth sailing. So if you're in an environment that has a higher quality of life for you, you'll have that in your favor.

Also, even in the "lower ranked" program, your potential mentor could potentially be more reputable or hooked in to your particular area of study. Networking is key in psychology, and your advisor's connections will be critical when it comes time to think about internship and postdoc.

As it is so early in the process, continue to go on your interviews and then reassess. You may find an even better fit along the way. The goal is to compare and contrast to see which program best matches your personal goals.

 

[SaraL124]

I think you have to decide what's more important to YOU....school ranking or quality of life/fit with your mentor.

Last year I was debating between a very highly ranked school with a mentor who pulls in millions of dollars in research funding, but it was in a tiny town in the middle of nowhere, and a less highly ranked program where the mentor was a much better fit AND it was in a great northeastern city.
I chose the second school. I think I made the perfect decision for me. I am happy in my location, the research I'm doing and my mentor is great all around. You need to choose what you value more. Personally, I don't put much stock in ranking. Temple is ranked very highly, but the professor I interviewed with there isn't well known or well published. So, you have to weigh out all the pros and cons.

 

[Forensic M.S.]

yeah it seems like a lot of really good schools are in the middle of nowhere
(like uconn lol)