I’m thinking of transferring to a second PhD Program

[Dr. Zaus]

I am going to finish out my 3rd year in this one soon but I am considering going to another program. My scores are in the 98th percentile (GMAT 750) but I am at a school that admits people in the 50th percentile. I did this so I could be near family and because I was told I could learn about organizational behavior (management's version of industrial psychology) and because it is AACSB accredited.

Well, I’m almost done with course work and I still haven’t seen a single OB class. I know exactly what I want to study and now but I have little training in it or related fields. I appreciate my training in international business, finance/economics and strategy: but I think learning from a more prestigious institution would benefit me greatly.

I would have to start over again after becoming ABD at my present institution and that means another 4 years of school. That said: PhD programs pay you to go and the pay is good coming out of top management programs (125k+) vs this program (60kish); Another benefit of a good program is that I would have the income needed to pay back my student loans without it being half of my take home pay for longer than it takes to make tenure.

I am the first in my family to get a high-school degree, so there is a lot of pressure, but I've got my own wife and children now and I'm thinking its time to move on.

Alternatively I could publish well and hope for an 80kish position or wait until I'm done with my dissertation and then apply for a second PhD; but that would add another two years to my education.

Summary:
do i hit the re-set button on the degree so I can gain prestige, placement and training (start work in 2015) OR do i stick with what I'm doing and try to work my way up (start work 2012) OR do i finish out what I'm doing here and then apply for another program (start work 2018)?

 

[zinfamous]

do you expect some golf claps or something? I fail to see a question/seeking-of-advice in your OP.

:hmm:

 

[Brainonska511]

How many years is your program? If it's only another year or so, you're probably better off just sticking it out and finding elective/seminar classes to sit on if you want classes or talk to faculty directly that work in that area.

I just don't see the point of starting over at a new PhD program at this point.

 

[Turin39789]

You could do better with an English degree.

 

[Dr. Zaus]

question/seeking-of-advice

do i hit the re-set button on the degree so I can gain prestige, placement and training (start work in 2015) OR do i stick with what I'm doing and try to work my way up (start work 2012) OR do i finish out what I'm doing here and then apply for another program (start work 2018)?

How many years is your program? If it's only another year or so, you're probably better off just sticking it out and finding elective/seminar classes to sit on if you want classes or talk to faculty directly that work in that area.

I just don't see the point of starting over at a new PhD program at this point.

Generally 4-5 years; 2 & 1/2 of course work and 1/2 prepping for comps and 1-2 for dissertation.

I've finished 2 years of course work at this point and applying for another program would mean starting a year from now;

You could do better with an English degree.

nah, I'm dyslexic... I should be writing academic articles, not poetry.

 

[zinfamous]

nah, I'm dyslexic... I should be writing academic articles, not poetry.

what is academic about business? Literature is pretty much the classic assumption of "academic paper."

(yes, I know that business schools exist--I'm just pointing out that they don't belong in academia. )

Anyhoo, I say you invest a little time now into what will make you happiest/pay off more--whichever is most important over the long haul. It sounds like you might well have wasted your talents in a lower tier program for whatever decisions you've made, and if possible, I'd try to rectify that now before it's too late?

 

[Fritzo]

 

[Dr. Zaus]

yes, I know that business schools exist--I'm just pointing out that they don't belong in academia.

I agree! Really what I'm looking at doing is applied psychological research... unfortunately I've only gotten applied sociology and statistics.

 

[zinfamous]

..

 

[KoolAidKid]

I would probably jump ship, assuming that I could get funding at the new school. You'll make up the lost salary pretty quickly after you get your final PhD. Plus (in my opinion anyway), grad school is a nice lifestyle despite the lack of cash. And at the end of your career you will have been tenured for a few less years, but I couldn't really see myself caring about that.

EDIT: to be clear, I vote for the 2015 option.

 

[Dear Summer]

I'd jump ship

what are the schools? which school are you specifically look at?

 

[Brainonska511]

Generally 4-5 years; 2 & 1/2 of course work and 1/2 prepping for comps and 1-2 for dissertation. I've finished 2 years of course work at this point and applying for another program would mean starting a year from now;

Would you really have to start over completely? Talk to programs you are interested in to see if they would let you skip most of the classes.

 

[PhineasJWhoopee]

I tend to look at everything through the prism of an imminent economic collapse. Getting a job might not be the worst thing, if you can hold on to it during the next crisis.

 

[Hacp]

See if they would be willing to give you an MS and get the hell out. PHD in psychology? Thats the biggest scam ever.

 

[Dr. Zaus]

I'd jump ship

what are the schools? which school are you specifically look at?

I have found faculty interested in organizational behavior and either innovation or cognitive diversity at the following schools:

MSU
Cornell
Duke
Perdue
USCarolina
Emory
Washington in St. Louis
UofUtah
Carnigee Mellon
Wharton
Michigan University
Harvard

I have yet to dig through the CVs of faculty at:

Indiana University
Illinois at Urbana
Univeristy of Arizona
Pittsburgh

I have eliminated a number of schools based on a fit between my interest and faculty, I have also eliminated some schools based on prerequisite classes I don't have and don't care to take (ie advanced calc, advanced linear algebra). Don't get me wrong, math is great, but at this level it's all applied statistics, for which I have 18 hours at the graduate level.

Coming out of a little school in the middle of nowhere I feel intimidated applying to places I've actually heard of.

See if they would be willing to give you an MS and get the hell out. See if they would be willing to give you an MS and get the hell out. PHD in psychology? Thats the biggest scam ever.

It is, and it takes forever; But a PhD in organizational behavior from a school of business takes much less time and pays much better. Also, it's business and I just picked up my MBA.

Would you really have to start over completely?

If I go to a less prestigious program with a focus on my interest, it would probably only set me back a year; but if I go somewhere that is close to my score for average admitted then no... classes from a masters-granting institution with 2 doctoral programs isn't going to transfer.