Hello.
Some of you may already know that I am applying to PhD programs in Chem-bio engineering or food science for Spring 2019, but just to recap, here is my situation.
I am chem. E major with Math/Spanish minor. I currently have 3.597 GPA and GRE 161V/167Q/4.0awa, two research lab experience with very high chance of publication, a doctor shadowing experience and an unpaid(yeah not so impressive ;p) hospital internship.
I have been talking to a lot of people in many schools including my current undergrad because I want to cast a wide net. I highly prefer going to different cities for Ph.D program because I don’t want to stay in a same city for another 5-6 years. However, I also know that funding is tricky for spring, meaning I will have to pick whatever is givne to me as long as they are in my field of interest.
One of professor in my college that I talked to a few weeks ago just called me that there is currently an open spot for spring 2019 and asked me if I am still interested(and I said yes). He works on cancer stem cells. He then asked me if I am going to apply to other schools as well, which I replied with “about 5-6 schools.”
Here is the problem:If I am accepted to better Ph.D program and decide to pursue it, what is the best way to politely turn him down? I think this shouldn’t be a problem since he told me a while ago that there was another candidate waiting for his Ph.D application results, and from the look of it, that candidate seems to have decided to go for other schools. I just don’t want to sound rude to him.
Also, What is a polite way to ask him if he can wait until I get my results from other schools?
First of all, why are you applying for spring? The majority of good PhD programs don’t admit candidates for spring. If you’re doing it because you’re graduating early, I would strongly encourage you to find something else to do for a few months and attempt to enter in the Fall 2019. You’ll have a much wider range of options, and they’ll be better-quality programs overall. (It will be hard, for example, to ‘cast a wide net’ when applying for spring admissions.)
For a PhD program, you don’t want to settle for ‘whatever is given to me.’
Onto the current situation: you cannot string this professor along forever. You can talk to the professor to get an understanding of his expectations. Is he telling you that he can hold the spot open for you now, with the expectation that he will bring you on in spring 2019 for sure? Or is he telling you that you can apply with everyone else? If he is telling you that the spot is yours and all you have to do is agree, if you decide that you want to take him up on that offer it would be extremely bad form to then apply to other schools and walk away from your commitment.
If you want to wait until you hear back from other schools, you have to have a delicate conversation. Understand his expectations, and then maybe propose on a spring decision date. The fall decision deadline is April 15, which is about 5 months before you’d begin; maybe you could agree on a decision deadline in July or August (or whatever makes sense for a spring application cycle - they are so rare that I don’t know when you’d hear back) by which you have to decide whether or not you are going to take his spot in his lab. It’s very common for PhD students to have to make a decision before they have all their results back, but he may be amenable to waiting until you can at least apply.
But if you know that you don’t want to work in his lab up front, then just say no. Thank him for the offer and for his looking out for you, but tell him your research interests are taking you elsewhere.
@paul2752 - When will you graduate? Are you eligible for OPT, and if so is that a possibility? That could be a beter choice than starting a PhD program immediately.
@juillet I can’t just wait a few months then apply because I am an international student. we can’t take gap semesters.
I have talked to a couple professors and they said that indeed have fundings for Ph.D and wanted me to apply to their schools(lucky me).
@happymomof1 yes, OPT is theoretically possible but with current climate, I think it will be very very difficult.