<p>How likely is it for someone to stay at one school for all of undergrad and graduate school? It's seems like it would be a lot...10 years at one school. It seems to me like most people would want to go to new schools in new areas for a little variety. Am I correct?</p>
<p>I’d say many do, though it’s due to a variety of factors. I think finances can be a big constraint on where one goes to school for undergrad, but there’s a lot more freedom in that respect when choosing graduate programs. Also I think it has to do with whether or not a school has specializations in your research interests, and the odds of your undergraduate institution coincidentally being a good fit for you at the graduate level aren’t high.</p>
<p>Some people stay at the same place, but most move on. It’s generally looked down upon to go to grad school at one’s undergrad because, as a scholar, you’re supposed to be exposed to more and different ideas. The exception is when your undergrad is at the top of its field. So MIT for BS/MA/PhD is OK (and pretty common, I think), but State U. for BS/MA/PhD raises some flags.</p>
<p>What ouroboros said, pretty much. In fact, you’re pretty much encouraged to broaden your horizons by applying elsewhere. However, some people do attend the same institution for both grad and undergrad.</p>
<p>What about schools in the same city? Do you think most people would want a change in scenery after 4 years of undergrad?</p>
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In some fields, it is common (and beneficial). In others, it is highly inadvisable.</p>
<p>I can tell you that, in electrical engineering/comp sci, for instance, there are many such MIT “lifers,” students who received all their EECS degrees from one institution (and they become ultimate lifers if they then work or teach at MIT). However, as awesome as MIT is (in general, and in the biological sciences), and as much as I would have loved to stay for grad school, every single professor I talked to strongly recommended that I, as posters above have put it, broaden my horizons. Because of what we were advised, I do not know a single MIT biology undergrad accepted to MIT Biology for grad school who decided to stay. In fact, part of the motivation for students to attend grad school elsewhere is a raised bar for admission for MIT undergrads; the grad department used to not even accept its own undergrads at all.</p>
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I know I did. But some people might find a same-city institution to be the best fit for them, be restrained geographically by significant others, or both.</p>
<p>“but State U. for BS/MA/PhD raises some flags.”</p>
<p>That’s a pretty uninformed statement. It really depends on the particular university and the particular field.</p>
<p>About a 1/3 of son’s engineering class went on to grad school. About 25% of the class stayed for a 5th year to get a master of eng. Tuition remained the same as undergrad. Thus about 8% progressed to different schools for MS or phD track. Our son went to a different school for the thesis requirements. He wanted a different environment plus he had a big scholarship. No one got a scholarship to continue at their undergrad school (CMU).</p>