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Bruce_Wayne · 2009 October 29th, 12:24 AM

First off, I'm not looking to become an academic rock star. Don't get me wrong, I'd like to publish articles but I'm just as interested in the teaching side of things. A job at a smaller college would be nice. I'm looking for a nice lifestyle. In additional to that I'm looking for some lifestyle balance during my PhD studies - a little bit of hiking at the weekends. Is this to much to ask?

Undergrad: Finance/Math - Top Honors.

Grad: Statistics - Top 10 school.

GRE: Math = 800, Verbal = 520

Research Exp: Summer Research Assistant. Summer internship at an insurance firm. One undergraduate dissertation and, presumably, one graduate dissertation by the end of my graduate degree.

Teaching Exp: First year Math.

Courses: Basic and intermediate economics. Fair bit of Finance and a lot of Math.

Letter of Recommendation: Strong references from Math Professors. Good people but no rock stars.

Interests: From a Finance angle - the emerging environmental markets. From a marketing angle - how companies portray themselves as being 'green'. I'm still on the fence about which subject area to pick. Any suggestions on where environment and sustainability issues in business best fit.

Programs under consideration: I'd like some suggestions actually. I'd rather be in a smaller town than a big city. Something near some mountains.

phdhope · 2009 October 29th, 03:54 AM

You can certainly go with your career plan. You want to find a teaching school that is not heavily research focused. I am an accountant and don't know about which schools this would be for finance and marketing.

As far as balance in a phd program, I am sure people will respond that it depends on the program and what you consider balance.

Evaluation:

I think you might want to change your LORs if possible.

Why marketing?

GRE: Wow! High Q, Low V.

PhDCPA · 2009 October 29th, 04:00 AM

You have a great profile and would be competitive at most any school - a perfect GRE and a master's in stats will make finance departments drool. My advice is to go to the best school you get into. Better schools = flexibility, and you never know when your plans might change. I don't imagine that the workload would differ greatly from school to school, and top schools often have no teaching requirements, so even if the academics are harder you will still have more free time than you would at a lower tier school.

You can always get a job at Oregon or Colorado (for example) after getting your PhD from a better school.

Bruce_Wayne · 2009 October 29th, 09:04 AM

You guys are right, I should go for the top program I can. That makes sense, goals can change, it wouldn't be the first time. I didn't think about fellowships vs. teaching assistantships, actually.

Why marketing? Well I always thought I'd do a PhD in Stats or Maths, but it occurred to me that it's not enough just to be good at it, I should be interested in it. I started looking at business this past year because of my experience in finance and I decided I might like something to do with people and how they think and react to certain situations so marketing seemed like an option.

phdhope · 2009 October 29th, 02:48 PM

Three things to note:

- Going to an ivy league (Chicago) and then teaching at Mesa Community College is not want Chicago wants. It would be an affront to their program. They want you to go to a place like Stanford and publish tons. They will certainly ask you about what you want to do post-doc, and I am sure your plan would not be a plus for your admission. That being said, Mesa Community College probably would also accept a phd student from any other school and it is unlikely that you would have to compete with a person with Wharton to get the position. I guess what I am trying to say is, I really don't think you need to apply to a top program if you know you just want to teach. (I would also disagree and say that phd programs can differ greatly from school to school)

- If you want to do marketing becuase of your listed reason you might want to research organizational behavior or industrial psychology. They seem more closely aligned to what your interest is.

NOTE: All of the schools used are for representational purposes only.

possible_phd · 2009 October 29th, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phdhope

Going to an ivy league (Chicago)

Chicago is not an Ivy League school.

Quote:

Originally Posted by phdhope

If you want to do marketing becuase of your listed reason you might want to research organizational behavior or industrial psychology. They seem more closely aligned to what your interest is.

How is that more closely aligned than marketing? That is exactly what marketing does.

MnogoSpageti · 2009 October 29th, 07:16 PM

Thanks thats useful

Bloomsbury · 2009 October 29th, 07:21 PM

If you want a good life balance during the phd, you should not go to top schools. But still, if you want to keep most of the doors open when you graduate (if you change your mind) you should not lower down your applications too much.

dusklife · 2009 October 30th, 05:20 AM

If you think the workload will be too intense and/or difficult at a top school, then it certainly isn't worth attending. Especially when your career ambitions are to work at a lower-prestige university.

It's far better to have a degree than to drop out and have nothing. Plus, it sounds like you have your mind made up, and while your ambitions are most likely different from the majority here, they're still respectable and I don't think you would have any reason to 'change your mind' later on unless for some reason you are currently unsure of yourself.

It may be emotionally satisfying to be admitted into the 'best school your profile allows,' but that doesn't mean it is going to be in alignment with your career interests.

----

All that said, I'm not exactly sure of the differences in workload between a lesser-tier and top-tier school. However, as far as I'm aware, at a top school you're going to be (1) in with brighter students (2) probably subject to a tougher dissertation defense committee (3) probably subject to more difficult math requirements, although this seems to be up your alley and (4) often in an institution where the dropout rate is very high

I can only imagine at least some of these things contributing to an increased difficulty at top schools, but take this with a grain of salt.

2009 October 29th, 12:24 AM	#1 (permalink)
Bruce_Wayne I JUST got here. Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 2	Profile Evaluation - Simpler ambitions First off, I'm not looking to become an academic rock star. Don't get me wrong, I'd like to publish articles but I'm just as interested in the teaching side of things. A job at a smaller college would be nice. I'm looking for a nice lifestyle. In additional to that I'm looking for some lifestyle balance during my PhD studies - a little bit of hiking at the weekends. Is this to much to ask? Undergrad: Finance/Math - Top Honors. Grad: Statistics - Top 10 school. GRE: Math = 800, Verbal = 520 Research Exp: Summer Research Assistant. Summer internship at an insurance firm. One undergraduate dissertation and, presumably, one graduate dissertation by the end of my graduate degree. Teaching Exp: First year Math. Courses: Basic and intermediate economics. Fair bit of Finance and a lot of Math. Letter of Recommendation: Strong references from Math Professors. Good people but no rock stars. Interests: From a Finance angle - the emerging environmental markets. From a marketing angle - how companies portray themselves as being 'green'. I'm still on the fence about which subject area to pick. Any suggestions on where environment and sustainability issues in business best fit. Programs under consideration: I'd like some suggestions actually. I'd rather be in a smaller town than a big city. Something near some mountains.

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2009 October 29th, 03:54 AM	#2 (permalink)
phdhope Eager! Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 99	You can certainly go with your career plan. You want to find a teaching school that is not heavily research focused. I am an accountant and don't know about which schools this would be for finance and marketing. As far as balance in a phd program, I am sure people will respond that it depends on the program and what you consider balance. Evaluation: I think you might want to change your LORs if possible. Why marketing? GRE: Wow! High Q, Low V.

2009 October 29th, 04:00 AM	#3 (permalink)
PhDCPA Within my grasp! Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 178	You have a great profile and would be competitive at most any school - a perfect GRE and a master's in stats will make finance departments drool. My advice is to go to the best school you get into. Better schools = flexibility, and you never know when your plans might change. I don't imagine that the workload would differ greatly from school to school, and top schools often have no teaching requirements, so even if the academics are harder you will still have more free time than you would at a lower tier school. You can always get a job at Oregon or Colorado (for example) after getting your PhD from a better school.

2009 October 29th, 09:04 AM	#4 (permalink)
Bruce_Wayne I JUST got here. Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 2	You guys are right, I should go for the top program I can. That makes sense, goals can change, it wouldn't be the first time. I didn't think about fellowships vs. teaching assistantships, actually. Why marketing? Well I always thought I'd do a PhD in Stats or Maths, but it occurred to me that it's not enough just to be good at it, I should be interested in it. I started looking at business this past year because of my experience in finance and I decided I might like something to do with people and how they think and react to certain situations so marketing seemed like an option.

2009 October 29th, 02:48 PM	#5 (permalink)
phdhope Eager! Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 99	Three things to note: - Going to an ivy league (Chicago) and then teaching at Mesa Community College is not want Chicago wants. It would be an affront to their program. They want you to go to a place like Stanford and publish tons. They will certainly ask you about what you want to do post-doc, and I am sure your plan would not be a plus for your admission. That being said, Mesa Community College probably would also accept a phd student from any other school and it is unlikely that you would have to compete with a person with Wharton to get the position. I guess what I am trying to say is, I really don't think you need to apply to a top program if you know you just want to teach. (I would also disagree and say that phd programs can differ greatly from school to school) - If you want to do marketing becuase of your listed reason you might want to research organizational behavior or industrial psychology. They seem more closely aligned to what your interest is. NOTE: All of the schools used are for representational purposes only.

2009 October 29th, 07:16 PM	#7 (permalink)
MnogoSpageti www.GenieTalks.com Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 35	Thanks thats useful

2009 October 29th, 07:21 PM	#8 (permalink)
Bloomsbury Within my grasp! Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 130	If you want a good life balance during the phd, you should not go to top schools. But still, if you want to keep most of the doors open when you graduate (if you change your mind) you should not lower down your applications too much.

2009 October 30th, 05:20 AM	#9 (permalink)
dusklife Eager! Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 50	If you think the workload will be too intense and/or difficult at a top school, then it certainly isn't worth attending. Especially when your career ambitions are to work at a lower-prestige university. It's far better to have a degree than to drop out and have nothing. Plus, it sounds like you have your mind made up, and while your ambitions are most likely different from the majority here, they're still respectable and I don't think you would have any reason to 'change your mind' later on unless for some reason you are currently unsure of yourself. It may be emotionally satisfying to be admitted into the 'best school your profile allows,' but that doesn't mean it is going to be in alignment with your career interests. ---- All that said, I'm not exactly sure of the differences in workload between a lesser-tier and top-tier school. However, as far as I'm aware, at a top school you're going to be (1) in with brighter students (2) probably subject to a tougher dissertation defense committee (3) probably subject to more difficult math requirements, although this seems to be up your alley and (4) often in an institution where the dropout rate is very high I can only imagine at least some of these things contributing to an increased difficulty at top schools, but take this with a grain of salt.

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