Deciding Grad School: Same Institution for BA & PhD?

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SUMMARY

Employers in both academia and industry do not uniformly disfavor candidates who obtain both their BA and PhD from the same institution, such as UC Berkeley. The consensus among forum participants indicates that the quality of research conducted during graduate studies is more critical than the institution itself. However, there is a strong argument that attending different institutions can enhance learning opportunities and broaden perspectives. Ultimately, the decision should weigh the potential for personal growth against institutional reputation.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of academic career paths in physics and related fields.
  • Familiarity with the graduate school application process.
  • Knowledge of the reputations of institutions like UC Berkeley, Stanford, and Caltech.
  • Awareness of the importance of research quality in graduate education.
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the impact of institutional diversity on academic and industry hiring practices.
  • Explore the benefits of interdisciplinary research opportunities at different universities.
  • Investigate the graduate programs and faculty research at Stanford, Princeton, and Caltech.
  • Learn about networking strategies for graduate students to enhance career prospects.
USEFUL FOR

Undergraduate students in physics, prospective graduate students, and academic advisors considering the implications of choosing graduate programs at the same institution as their undergraduate studies.

chickenz
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Hi. I'm in condensed matter experiment, and I was wondering whether employers (in academia or industry) would look less favorably on hiring people whose BA institution and PhD institution are the same.

I've heard different answers from different people about this question. Some say that employers don't like it. Others say that where you get your degree doesn't matter, but that it's the quality of the research that you will do there that does.

So what do people here think?

To put my question into context, I'm an undergrad in physics at UC Berkeley, and I am considering returning to Berkeley for grad school. My other choices for grad school are comparable (e.g., Stanford, Princeton, Caltech, Chicago, Columbia, etc...)
 
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It doesn't matter.
 
I am more concerned with the question than the answer. The reason it's a bad idea to stay at the same place is not whether potential future employers will care, but it's because you will likely learn less than if you go somewhere else.
 

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