Timeline for How can I go back to a PhD program I left for another?
Current License: CC BY-SA 4.0
10 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
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| Jun 16, 2022 at 17:53 | comment | added | user314159 | @AdamPřenosil Pivoting into Y after a PhD in X was what I had in mind before switching to Y, i.e. before I learn what I now know about the field and my incompatibility with it. That being said, it'd still be a hypothetical path in the way I had in mind, even with what I know now, as an X-trained researcher addressing problems in Y, in an interdisciplinary manner, and because of the specifics of the fields (beyond the scope here), the "incompatibility" would be irrelevant in that case. But as I said, that's only hypothetical, and practically never leads to a meaningful career as far as I know. | |
| Jun 16, 2022 at 10:30 | comment | added | Adam Přenosil | @user314159 Besides, I don't understand your reasoning. What exactly does before Ph.D. vs. after Ph.D. have to do with anything? How would a hypothetical (you say impossible) situation where you switch from X to Y after receiving your Ph.D. in X solve the problem that you have with Y (" I actually realize I'm not "compatible" with [Y]")? It really doesn't seem like your preference for X is very clear from what you right, which is likely to make any potential supervisor wary. | |
| Jun 16, 2022 at 10:26 | comment | added | Adam Přenosil | @user314159 "I wasn't unsure when I started X" – exactly. This means that at least historically, not being unsure has not turned out to be a great predictor of whether or not you will stay in a program. I don't think you did anything particularly unethical, changes of heart happen, but all anyone else has to go on is your track record. Secondly, you still say: "if it was an option, I'd rather finish my PhD in X and only pivot into Y after PhD". Surely you see how a student who really wants to do X is preferable to one who would really like to do Y instead of X but cannot because [reasons]. | |
| Jun 15, 2022 at 18:59 | comment | added | user314159 | @BryanKrause I wasn't unsure when I started X, I thought being an interdisciplinary researcher between the two fields is possible, but of course prematurely, as an undergrad deciding on grad school. But I understand this is irrelevant, because at the end of the day, it's my lack of commitment and their wasted investment that matters to them and makes them not consider me instead of a new, presumably committed, applicant. | |
| Jun 15, 2022 at 13:32 | comment | added | Bryan Krause♦ | @user314159 When you agreed to join a program, you were making a commitment to complete that program, not to take further time to decide to go somewhere else. If you were unsure, you could have taken more time before applying. Program Y took a chance on you and believed that you were so sure you needed to make a change that they would take you on. Now, it's clear to them and X that when you make this sure commitment you aren't fully serious, because here you are going back. | |
| Jun 14, 2022 at 22:11 | comment | added | user314159 | C. The reason I think going back to X is different is that I am well familiar with the field, I always remained strongly interested in X, and as I said, if it was an option, I'd rather finish my PhD in X and only pivot into Y after PhD. This is something I also told the X department when I was deciding whether to switch. If return to X, I'd have no temptation to leave because of an interest in a new field after this experience, and I've studied X for most of my adult life, know a wide range of communities in the field, and have a very good idea what I'm getting into with all the pros and cons. | |
| Jun 14, 2022 at 22:05 | comment | added | user314159 | B. Things went wrong with Y because of my partial information. It's like thinking "Ford is a cool car" after driving a Mustang. I (subconsciously) had selective exposure to Y. I was never systematically trained in it and only read papers and interacted with researchers so like-minded that I happened to find. It turned out, this is a relatively isolated and small community, and working with the rest of the field is unavoidable while you're in it. My guess is, this was so obvious to those Y profs I sought advice from before switching, that they didn't think someone from outside might miss it. | |
| Jun 14, 2022 at 21:55 | comment | added | user314159 | But the main reason I think "this time is different", is: A. As I explained in other comments, I never lost my interest in X. In fact, I started cross-disciplinary projects between X and Y, to satisfy my interest in Y, then I realize I like asking questions in Y (while from X, I could only be in the position of helping researchers in Y with answering questions they ask). Experienced academics in both fields unanimously told me continuing cross-disciplinary would deprive me of a reliable career in either of X and Y, and switching post PhD wasn't an option, otherwise I strongly preferred that. | |
| Jun 14, 2022 at 21:47 | comment | added | user314159 | This definitely is an important step, and the main reason between a long gap between the previous time I asked the department to return and now. I understand my post doesn't reflect this, and a few other points that I realize from the answers here maybe I should have clarified, but the point was already too long. Please refer to my comments on @FLonLon's answer, point 1 for the "sudden shift" (it was not at all sudden; it took a couple of years and I was very cautious about it), and point 2 for one reason why I think if I'm back in X I'll stick around. | |
| Jun 13, 2022 at 11:43 | history | answered | Adam Přenosil | CC BY-SA 4.0 |