Study in local state University without TA'ship or try again next year

[Changnoi]

Greetings Physicists,

I've been accepted to study at my state University for my Ph.D in Physics.

I reticent to accept however for two reasons;

1. They are not offering me a TA'ship immediately. This means I would have to finance at least my first year with student loans and work study.

2. I would like to study elsewhere for the sake of variation and breadth.

I have not received offers from anywhere else and though there is one University I'm still waiting to hear from, it is likely that if I do not begin my Ph.D now I will have to work for a year attempting to improve my GRE scores enough to be worth an offer.

It occurs it me however that the year might be better spent in my field rather than taking an engineering job or moving for a Physics job I don't intend to keep.

What do you think?

 

[Lavabug]

I would not do it unless you can fully support yourself with work study or a part time job. Do not get indebted for graduate studies. Maybe try to do volunteer work with the profs there if it is close to you.

If you're lucky enough to get a physics or engineering job (not trivial, as I am finding out), you should keep it and try applying for next year. It is what I am (trying) to do since I didn't get full admission anywhere yet (I am on a waitlist but its doubtful they'll take me at this stage).