<p>I would like to apply this year (by the Dec. 2011 deadline) to PhD programs in biology. However, I would ideally like to defer admission for one year, to get more time at my job (in biotech).</p>
<p>I want to apply this year, because my husband is applying this year to biology graduate school as well, and I would rather we both see where we get in, and make the choice, so we can stay in the same city. Rather than him start school, then I would only be able to apply to schools nearby. (if it were 1-2 years I would consider being apart, but not for 5 years!)</p>
<p>Has anyone been allowed or denied a defferal for this Biology PhDs?? what does it mean for funding? which schools allow this? Is the reason of working something that is acceptable? (in a relevant industry, if that helps) </p>
<p>Not many programs will allow deferral, unfortunately. One of the people I met on the interview circuit wanted to take a year off after being admitted, and she had to pick the only program to which she was admitted that would allow her to defer. (IIRC, it was Berkeley MCB?)</p>
<p>You should probably email the coordinators of programs to which you want to apply to see what their policies are.</p>
<p>Most programs don’t allow deferrals. They are attempting to build a balanced cohort for NEXT year, not the following year. Funding changes all the time and professors may take a student one year but not the next. And if you do a deferral, you are potentially displacing two students - the one that could’ve taken your spot this year, and potentially one that would’ve been admitted the following year except that you are taking up the spot in that cohort too.</p>
<p>Most programs that DO allow deferrals do them for emergency reasons only. Wanting to work another year is usually not a good reason, because if you wanted to work another year, you should’ve just waited until that year to apply.</p>
<p>Is there any reason that your husband can’t wait one more year to apply, or that you can’t just give up your job a year earlier?</p>
<p>Thanks molliebatmit and juillet for the responses… obviously not what I want to hear, but good to know. </p>
<p>Juillet: I want to stay in this job longer as my ultimate goal is to work in the biotech industry. I want the PhD to have a senior-level job eventually. But I am still learning a LOT about how the industry works, as well as types of jobs, how to succeed, and I don’t want to cut the experience short while I still have so much to learn here. </p>
<p>(if anyone knows of any schools that ARE ok w/deferring please lead me in the right direction).</p>