Does the university's prestige matter? [PhD admission]

[Philip Land]

Hi!

I'm currently applying for a masters program in theoretical physics, more specifically in String and Quantum Field theory.

I will apply for Oxford, Kings college, Imperial college and Perimeter Institute among other universities and institutions.

However, I also want to go to Uppsala University in Sweden, where I know I will get a place. The reason is that they offer great and very rare courses, and it's also very convenient for me in terms of accommodations etc. But this university is generally infamous.

The reason I'm applying for the more famous and prestigious universities above is that I want to have all doors open and good opportunities to take my P.h.D on a good university in UK or USA. In the end of the day, I will learn as much if not more at Uppsala University, but I'm afraid I won't be as attractive PhD candidate as if I instead went to a prestigious university.

My question is, how much does this matter when applying for my PhD? Perhaps those who pick PhD candidates aren't as flattered by the title of the previous university as I believe?

What is your experience?

P.S This is not a thread to discuss whether my choice of study is right,.

Thanks!

 

[Vanadium 50]

Infamous?

Can you elaborate?

 

[CrysPhys]

Infamous?

Can you elaborate?

The OP probably meant "not famous", rather than "infamous". Though Uppsala has a distinguished history.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Could be. But let's see what he says.

 

[Philip Land]

Could be. But let's see what he says.

Yes, not famous. Of course, people in the industry know very well about Uppsala University, but it doesn't have a prestige such as Oxford of course.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Of course, people in the industry know very well about Uppsala University,

Isn't that your answer then? Aren't they the members of future selection committees?

 

[haushofer]

In my experience, Uppsala University has a great reputation with very good researchers (some of them I know personally). Sure, it's not Oxford, Cambridge or MIT. I did my PhD in a relatively less well-known university, although my supervisor was quite famous and had a lot of good connections. I'm very happy I did my PhD there, and a lot of my supervisor's former students have good positions now. The group was quite small and everyone was very down to earth. To be honest, I don't think I would have liked the environment of these "famous universities" if I got the chance of going there (and I went there for conferences). I guess I would make the same decision for a master's program.

You can choose for a prestigious university, but if you want to become a researcher, the supervision is imho more important. And personally for me: the atmosphere. I'm one of these strange people who think a PhD should also be enjoyable and hope that people will judge me on my content, not my background.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Philip Land]

Isn't that your answer then? Aren't they the members of future selection committees?

Because it's well known perhaps don't mean they respect it as much :)

 

[Philip Land]

In my experience, Uppsala University has a great reputation with very good researchers (some of them I know personally). Sure, it's not Oxford, Cambridge or MIT. I did my PhD in a relatively less well-known university, although my supervisor was quite famous and had a lot of good connections. I'm very happy I did my PhD there, and a lot of my supervisor's former students have good positions now. The group was quite small and everyone was very down to earth. To be honest, I don't think I would have liked the environment of these "famous universities" if I got the chance of going there (and I went there for conferences). I guess I would make the same decision for a master's program.

You can choose for a prestigious university, but if you want to become a researcher, the supervision is imho more important. And personally for me: the atmosphere. I'm one of these strange people who think a PhD should also be enjoyable and hope that people will judge me on my content, not my background.

Just my 2 cents.

Thank you very much. That was very helpful :)

 

[CrysPhys]

Because it's well known perhaps don't mean they respect it as much :)

I'll phrase it this way. Assuming that the professors at Uppsala have a strong positive reputation and are well known to others in the field (physics), you should be OK as long as the position you next apply for is in the same field. If you should change fields, however, then the brand-name recognition of the school becomes a more significant factor.

 

[f95toli]

Because it's well known perhaps don't mean they respect it as much :)

This question comes up a lot.
The answer is that who your supervisor is will be way more important than the university. There are many excellent and very well-known (and well-connected) researchers working at small universities for one reason or another. I know a few people who are well-known in their field and who were offered a positions at top universities in London but decided that they wanted to live in a smaller (and way cheaper) city instead.
There are also small universities that excel in and invest heavily in very specific research areas.

I also know of some not-so-good groups at all British universities you mentioned (albeit in my area which is not related to what you want to study).

That said, my information is probably way out of date; but in your specific area I would have thought Chalmers or Stockholm University would have been a better choice among the universities in Sweden? I know that both have (or at least had) very strong string theory groups.