Re-apply to program I left?

Graduate School
1

<p>I was in a Physics PhD program and completed the first year before taking a leave of absence to go work for a year. I really had personal issues and lost motivation for the subject in my 1st year and as a result, my grades were terrible (my undergrad gpa was close to a 4.0, but my grad school gpa was much lower than that). I no longer want to get the PhD since academia no longer interests me, but am thinking about whether it's worth continuing to get the Master's or not, so I can then try to work as an engineer. If I stick with the program, I have to re-apply and am worried my poor 1st-year grades would really hurt my application (I emailed the admissions officer at my program and she said they will accept a late application from me). </p>

<p>While I have to do a thesis in my program but I do not have to do a thesis in an MS engineering, I think it still might be better to continue in my program and leave with the MS because my program is funded, whereas getting an MS in engineering would not be funded. Plus, its too late to apply to many engineering MS programs, whereas my program will still accept my application. </p>

<p>I'm just concerned about whether my program would re-admit me and how I can write my SOP. I don't really have a good excuse for my poor 1st-year grades and leave of absence. I just lost interest and motivation and had some personal problems</p>

<p>So what do you guys think? Do I have any chance of being re-admitted? In my statement of purpose, just mention that I overcame those personal problems?</p>

2

<p>they probably won’t admit you if you plan to quit at Master’s. They would sort of have to believe that you have an experienced an epiphany and redoubled your commitment to reach high levels in research and academia in order to think you should be readmitted, and that would be a little bit of a lie on your part, wouldn’t it.
Master’s candidates are unfunded for a reason. They are aiming for a lucrative opportunity in industry, while PhD students have a long and rocky road still ahead of them upon graduation, and debt would ruin them.
Tough situation. Good luck. </p>

3

<p>I know that PhDs are typically funded and MS programs are not, but in general it is not a good idea to apply to a PhD program if you plan to leave with a master’s degree.</p>

<p>I’m not even talking about the ethical reasons or reasons to benefit the department - I am talking about reasons that specifically impact YOU.</p>

<p>-Sometimes a non-terminal MS takes longer to complete. Your professors reason that since your ultimate goal is a PhD, the timing of the in-between degrees don’t really matter. For example, it took me three years to earn my non-terminal MA in my PhD program because I had to write a thesis. I finished all the coursework requirements in the 2 years, but my adviser and I were more concerned with getting the paper in a publishable format so that I could submit it than we were with the timing for the degree; that’s why it took so long.</p>

<p>-Your professors are assuming that you are there for a PhD, so all of their career advice is going to be tailored towards that. You aren’t going to find very much support for finding jobs as a professional engineer or physicist.</p>

<p>-The program is tailored towards teaching you the skills to be a scholar in physics, not a professional. The classes will be based on theory, not skills. There will be no incentive for anyone to help you find an internship that is not a research assistantship, and if you try to find one your professors will question your motivations.</p>

<p>-You also have the added burden of having dropped out. If you return after poor grades and working for a year, you will be subject to additional scrutiny. You may find it difficult to find an adviser willing to take you on, especially if your funding comes from their grant. Eyes will be on you, and it will be far easier for them to detect that you are planning to leave after the MS.</p>

<p>You cannot write a good SOP on this if you don’t actually have a good reason for returning other than that you want to get a free MS in a field you don’t care about anymore. You can’t just say that you overcame your personal problems; the program will be interested in what those were and how you overcame them.</p>

<p>If you are already working full-time right now, there’s no rush for you to begin a program in the fall of 2014. Take the spring and summer time to prepare a list of universities with MS programs in engineering (which is what you really want to do - not physics!) and plan to launch a full application in the fall for a fall 2015 start (or even a spring 2015 start). Many MS programs in engineering offer funding, and if you could get into a PhD program you can get into a funded MS program. You will have to submit transcripts for your PhD work, so you will need to include a supplemental essay explaining your poor grades from your program (your interests changed and you realized that working as a professional is really your passion).</p>

<p>Believe me when I say it is worth it to pay a reasonable amount for the degree you actually want, and that will actually help you, than to toil in a PhD program that you don’t want to be in. There are some things that are worth the money. I’m not saying go a gazillion dollars in debt, but professional engineers make decent salaries (~$80,000 is the median) and so you can afford to repay reasonable debt. Look to your state’s public universities and, like I said, attempt to find programs that are either funded or offer partial funding/scholarships.</p>

4

<p>@juillet is absolutely correct. Don’t get a Masters just because you can. Since you have expressed a desire to work in an engineering job, then seek one out now (if you are not already in such a position). After a couple of years experience, you will have a better idea of the kind of Masters degree which will advance your career. It is likely not going to be physics. At that point, you may find a local part-time program that will allow you to keep working and that your employer might pay for.</p>