<p>Dear readers,</p>
<p>I struggled for a year of graduate school at a good Phd program. They did not think I was ready for 2nd year, not so much because I had weaker grades (my GPA was well above whatever the minimum was but I had B+s, some A-s and an A) but because they felt I did not have a viable project for future fieldwork and dissertation and also because they did not think I was truly committed to it right now. My project evolved into different forms/shapes and I switched it entirely toward the end (asking my advisor first of course), which was a huge mistake now that I think of it, so they questioned what am I really committed to? What am I ready for?</p>
<p>I only took a year off after college, so my ideas were not as formulated and I didn't have as much experience as my peers who were older, many had MAs, lived where they want to do fieldwork, speak the language, etc. I didn't think it would be a problem, I thought I can still compete and "catch up" but reality hit that I was truly not ready. They brought up the fact that I did not take enough time post college and how basically they are generally nervous about taking people from undergrad to grad, but gave it a shot. </p>
<p>Needless to say, I feel a lot of anxiety, depression, and fear. I feel like I had a perfect chance, I was one of the lucky few who made it with the full funding and the stipend deal, and I messed it all up--to put it lightly. I hate myself each day for not coming up with a better project, not seizing any and all opportunity to make things work. Worst of all, I think I just messed up my academic future. </p>
<p>But to get to the point: What are my chances of actually getting into another PhD program later on, in the same field? How can I redeem myself? </p>
<p>-SH</p>
<p>What was the official reason you were dismissed? I’m not sure which field you are in, but I would suggest that you read the Graduate Handbook to determine if they had just cause to kick you out and if so, what are your options.</p>
<p>I believe it was my first year paper. We don’t take exams. Instead, we submit a paper and need to get evaluated during the first-year-review. They didn’t think my research project was good enough, basically and as much as they saw my progress it didn’t “come together.” I am in anthropology.</p>
<p>I’m sorry you had issues. I would suggest (assuming you are still passionate about anthropology) that you drop down to a MA and/or get the experience that you lacked and than go for a PhD when you know you can be successful. However, I have no idea how the anthropology field works, so my advice could be meaningless. Best of luck.</p>
<p>Thank you. Do you–or anyone else on here–know how much it can affect my chances of getting into another PhD program? Is it really bad on my record?</p>
<p>Ouch good luck with everything</p>
<p>Sent from my HTC HD2 using CC App</p>
<p>As I said before, I’m not in the field (I’m life sciences); however, I think it would depend on the official reason that they dismissed you. I don’t think it could be academic dismissal because your GPA was good. I think that if you were successful in a MA, than you could always tell your future PhD interviewers that you weren’t ready for a PhD at the time, but after XYZ experiences during your MA, that you have proven you’re ready and will be successful.</p>
<p>As many have noted, it depends a great deal on the circumstances and written reasons for your removal from the program. You apparently had good grades, and were not expelled for dishonorable reasons (such as cheating), so I should think you still have a good chance at another quality program. I would carefully examine the reasons for your departure before applying - I expect another program would want to be sure that it would not reoccur should they admit you.</p>
<p>Have a straight-up talk with your adviser. I’ve found that professors, unless asked directly, tend to evade the real issues at hand because they don’t really want to hurt anyone’s feelings. You need real answers because you want to continue with your PhD in the future and you need to say so.</p>
<p>Don’t such programs have X amount of guaranteed funding (minus gpa or academic dishonesty issues? I too am wondering what the official doc’s say.</p>
<p>There is always an out clause for “unsatisfactory performance” or “failure to make adequate progress on research” or some such, that basically allows them to give you the boot if they don’t feel you’re hacking the program, actual GPA notwithstanding.</p>
<p>^^^ Read your school’s policy handbook, it will be there.</p>
<p>For the record, you should be able to appeal the decision if you want to go down that road.</p>
<p>Rarely is an appeal successful. You’d need absurdly strong evidence of misconduct to get any committee to overturn the judgment of the professors who advised your research. Besides, even if it was successful, you’d be a pariah in the program - good luck defending your dissertation or getting any letters of recommendation for academic jobs or grants.</p>
<p>Best to move on.</p>
<p>I 100% agree with polarscribe! If you were able to win you appeal, the experience and environment would GREATLY change. It would most likely be a terrible situation.</p>
<p>thanks guys. i guess programs are different. mine expected me to know what my project is and where i am going after the 1st year–to have my original ideas, research plans, etc. figured out sufficiently enough at this rather early point. other programs are more lenient and allow students to “evolve” more later on. i have to figure out where to go from here. i kind of had this PhD plan set without a plan B. :(</p>
<p>Is it possible to you to take some time to focus your interests/strengthen your credentials and then return?</p>
<p>hi momwaitingfornew,</p>
<p>i was thinking the exact same thing. i will get in touch with the chair of the program to see if i can take a year off, strengthen my project, and return. it will be very difficult convincing them of this. who wants to work with a kicked-out student? but it’s worth a try.</p>
<p>
Win the appeal. And then leave. Don’t let any f you over without taking them down in the process.</p>
<p>What is the point of taking the time and energy to fight an appeal if you intended on leaving anyway? That’s just vindictive, not pragmatic. OP would be best off expending their energy doing things that will actually help them in the long run. Winning an appeal and then leaving is not going to “take them down.” It just makes one look unstable.</p>
<p>I was going to make the point of evolving, but it seems like your program is trying to cut its time to degree or regulate attrition (or both) by having rigid requirements for project stipulation. IMO, graduate school IS about evolving as a scholar; if you don’t have different ideas about what’s interesting and where the gaps that need to be plugged are in your field, you graduate school has failed you.</p>
<p>That aside, though, I would negotiate to see if your program would let you take 1-2 years off to do whatever it is they feel you need to do, and then give you another chance. Barring that, I’d find out if they would at least let you finish with your MA.</p>
<p>It may affect your ability to get into another program later - but it really depends on what you do with it. First, what you do to address any deficiencies they feel you have, and second, how you handle it in another round of applications.</p>