Schools Is it so frowned upon to receive your Phd at the same university as BS

[mc0210]

Through circumstance, I believe I could finish my BS with over the 24 credits required for the "core" coursework of a PhD. This is supposed to take two additional years. While I know its important to explore your field and that means typically going to another uni for graduate school, is this a case where this does not apply? I mean, a two year advantage is pretty big. Any thoughts/advice? Just thinking about the possibilities at the moment.
Thanks!

 

[Vanadium 50]

You've started several threads already with the theme "Look at me! Look how smart I am!" It's really, really offputting. By now we all know that you started with 38 AP credits. Congratulations.

Now, to answer your questions:

1. Yes, it's bad for your education.
2. College is not a race.
3. You're a freshman and don't need to decide this for years to come.

 

[mc0210]

I know, I am sorry. Honestly, I am not trying to be in your face about how "smart" I am, I just find it difficult to explain my situation without mentioning where I stand exactly. Again, I am sorry.
I mainly ask these types of questions because I have anxiety over my future and feel that each new idea I have is the best one and so I run it by PF. The trouble with the whole college isn't a race and you'll find what interests you advice is that I can't function like that. If I could, I wouldn't be on PF running my dumb ideas by everyone. I basically need to know what I am doing and where I am going, and I know its not right, but sadly its just my condition. Youre right for the most part about not having to decide for a few years, except depending on what I want to do, the courses I take next semester could be very different. And yeah, its next semester, but it still clogs up the back of my mind and keeps me from sleeping sometimes.
I will try to post again when I have an actual idea of what is going on and have a better feel for where I am heading.
Thank you.

 

[Jorriss]

1. Yes, it's bad for your education.

I have always been told it is bad to go to the same university but is it really? Being an UG is nothing like being a graduate student so I would think it would be a totally different experience - even if at the same institution.

 

[ModusPwnd]

I have always been told it is bad to go to the same university but is it really? Being an UG is nothing like being a graduate student so I would think it would be a totally different experience - even if at the same institution.

I think it applies more for university professor jobs, and/or the post docs along the way. You have interacted with more professors, had experience maintaining in more than one department's culture and way of doing things. Also, its easier to get into your undergrad's institution. At least, it should be (heh). Some people do slide into graduate programs at their home institution because they don't get accepted to any superior schools. Whether or not you do it for that reason I think it would cross some people's minds.

For other jobs and careers outside of the university I can't imagine it having much tangible benefit (having two universities on the CV rather than one). I guess that for industry and the like other specific technical skills and technical leadership/independence play much more of a role.

 

[Mute]

I have always been told it is bad to go to the same university but is it really? Being an UG is nothing like being a graduate student so I would think it would be a totally different experience - even if at the same institution.

The cities are the same. The environment is the same. All the professors you know are the same - including the sorts of things they study. The graduate experience may be different from the undergraduate experience, but there will still be a lot of overlap. Going to a different institute allows for a greater cross-pollination of ideas and experiences. Many people would argue that's more important than finishing a Ph.D. in three years.

There are some schools that don't have strict course requirements. My course requirements were simply that I had to take two breadth courses and maintain a certain number of credits. I took a lot of courses in my first two years so that my background was well-developed at the graduate level, but presumably if one was already comfortable with all that background they need only take the breadth courses and could use the rest of their credits doing research.

For the record, I am aware of precisely one professor who did their B.Sc. and Ph.D. at the same university. I don't know what their story is, but they are by far the exception rather than the rule.

 

[Choppy]

I have always been told it is bad to go to the same university but is it really? Being an UG is nothing like being a graduate student so I would think it would be a totally different experience - even if at the same institution.

It's not one of those absolute things. Unforunately I think people get hung up on it because they confuse advantages of going elsewhere with career roadblocks. The truth is that there are advantages and disadvantages either way and what's an advantage for you may not be an advantage for someone else. In the end you really need to figure out what's best for you.

Advantages of staying:
- familiarity with faculty
- familiarity with campus
- maintaining relationships (academic and personal)
- possible continuance of undergraduate projects

Advantages of going elsewhere:
- expanding your social network
- expanding your academic network
- learning a new city
- exposure to different teaching styles
- exposure to different ideas

In my experience (having now served on several search and selection committees) it is not seen as bad when you are applying for a post-doctoral or faculty position if you happened to have gone to the same university for your BSc and PhD.

 

[jbunniii]

For the record, I am aware of precisely one professor who did their B.Sc. and Ph.D. at the same university. I don't know what their story is, but they are by far the exception rather than the rule.

The OP didn't mention what he is studying. In my experience, getting a BS and Ph.D. from the same institution is not so uncommon in engineering (I've known a number of people who did so, including faculty, some of whom are even teaching at the same university where they got all their degrees), but much less common in math and most sciences.

 

[jesse73]

You've started several threads already with the theme "Look at me! Look how smart I am!" It's really, really offputting. By now we all know that you started with 38 AP credits. Congratulations.

Now, to answer your questions:

1. Yes, it's bad for your education.
2. College is not a race.
3. You're a freshman and don't need to decide this for years to come.

I thought you were being hard on him until I looked at post history.

I wonder if a college freshman has posted here asking if they should try get tenure at Harvard or Princeton after their postdoc?

 

[SophusLies]

I definitely considered doing my PhD at the same university as my undergrad but the main problem I saw was I already took classes from many of the professors and wouldn't get a new perspective on topics. The flip side though you would get to know those professors very well and if they are world class, which some were at my undergrad, then that might be worth it.

 

[rhombusjr]

I mainly ask these types of questions because I have anxiety over my future and feel that each new idea I have is the best one and so I run it by PF.
…
I basically need to know what I am doing and where I am going…

Try using your academic/departmental advisor. The questions you're asking are what they are there for. They're much better suited to respond to your situation than us internet folk.

 

[jasonRF]

3. You're a freshman and don't need to decide this for years to come.

This a very important point, in my opinion. After a couple of more years the OP may have a better idea of exactly what they would want to study if grad school is still of interest. Then the specifics of the research groups at different institutions will play a large role in determining which institutions are most appealing.

to the OP: best of luck. I recommend you relax a little, do well in your classes, but spend your energy enjoying the college experience instead of worrying about grad school. Also, talk to your faculty advisor and other professors. Instead of taking 24 grad credits in your field, it might make more sense to take extra coursework from other departments, or find an internship/co-op, or take lighter course loads but spend a substantial amount time doing undergrad research (I vote for this one!), etc. Explore your options!

jason