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ethical considerations vs. better opportunity


armie480

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(cross-posted to Graduate Admissions)

 

Hello everybody

 

I have just received a PM asking for advice and do not know what to answer. What would you guys advise?

 

The question is:

Is it fine to apply for a better PhD, once having accepted the offer from a 'safe choice' school?

As far as I understood, we should weigh

 

  • guaranteed better supervision
  • more reputable university
  • more fascinating perspectives after the completion of a PhD

against

  • moral obligations in front of the 'safe choice' school (they would not be able to enrol another student due to the pressure of time) and personally professors who supported the application
  • poor supervision
  • (most probably) worse perspectives after the completion of the course

I really do not know what to answer.. My first reaction was to respond 'Go and Try for the Better!!! It is your future!' After all, at the moment it seems questionable s/he gets accepted to a better school, and I think it is always worth a try. But if s/he succeeds in getting in to a better school, would you not agree that such a late withdrawal would look sort of.. disgusting?

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First of all one must realize that it is not an ethical question at al. It is a simple business deal like any other where you are paying a certain amount of money in exchange for services rendered by a university OR in case of scholarships, you are rendering your services to university in exchange of money. No with that you have full right to decide which one is the best for you. If we go about our life thinking about every other ethical quastion that comes up - we wont get much done. "Should I put my feet on the ground because the ethical question is that u'll most certainly kill many living organism, howsoever small and destroy the wonder called life". Go for the better university all the way.
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I second that. I faced a similar situation and now I am heading to the better University. I feel that we sometimes give over importance to such a situation. Such things are so normal for the ppl out there.

 

When I mailed the grad secy to decline the offer, I honestly explained her the situation, how I cud better relate to the research in the other University (I dint even mention the name!). She was more than understanding and wished me good luck for my future. The question of ethics does not come up since when you accepted the previous offer you dint have this choice. Now that you have it, you shud be pragmatic about it. Ppl in US being thoroughly professional understand this.

 

The bottomline is be confident, honest and professional!!

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