need guidance..

[itz1223]

I applied for masters in a school. Advisor wants me to enroll as a phd, I have been accepted.
I want to do phd but may be in other school which i havent decided yet.

Question is shall i join as phd? Will it negatively effect my future phd application to leave a phd program and join another one? I can take masters on the way to phd and i am allowed to leave taking masters.

[math_applicant]

From what I hear from professors, in the US, it is frowned upon to leave one phd school to go to another, by both schools. They told me the reason they have a masters degree given along the way to the phd is that people who don't do well on their qualifying exams and won't be able to continue their phd can get some degree before they leave the school. Another point, which is my own opinion, is that when you leave your phd program at some point, you will need to get recommendation letters from your professors there, and they might not be very happy about you "wasting" the department's funding for a couple of years without going on to a phd. That being said, I believe if you really intend to go to a phd at a different school, it's much better to enroll as masters for now. If you like the school and, later, would like to continue your phd there, I think it will be easy for you to get in.

[itz1223]

From what I hear from professors, in the US, it is frowned upon to leave one phd school to go to another, by both schools. They told me the reason they have a masters degree given along the way to the phd is that people who don't do well on their qualifying exams and won't be able to continue their phd can get some degree before they leave the school. Another point, which is my own opinion, is that when you leave your phd program at some point, you will need to get recommendation letters from your professors there, and they might not be very happy about you "wasting" the department's funding for a couple of years without going on to a phd. That being said, I believe if you really intend to go to a phd at a different school, it's much better to enroll as masters for now. If you like the school and, later, would like to continue your phd there, I think it will be easy for you to get in.

Hey thanks for reply. Makes sense.
One thing is, that they are funding me anyway, master or phd, kind of complicated decision for me with complicated profile.
I hope advisor does not get mad at me.
Any other inputs?

[Gasquet]

Why not just tell the professor that you are not sure whether or not you actually want to do a PhD, and you applied for a MS so that you could decide. Of course this is only valid if you did not explicitly say in your statements or elsewhere that your ultimate goal is a PhD.

[math_applicant]

One thing is, that they are funding me anyway, master or phd, kind of complicated decision for me with complicated profile.
I hope advisor does not get mad at me.
Any other inputs?

as long as they fund you for the stated goal of obtaining a masters degree, it is completely fine to just leave with a masters degree, the problem only arises when you state that you want to get a phd and then drop out along the way.

[itz1223]

Why not just tell the professor that you are not sure whether or not you actually want to do a PhD, and you applied for a MS so that you could decide. Of course this is only valid if you did not explicitly say in your statements or elsewhere that your ultimate goal is a PhD.

Nah i already said in my spare statement about intention to do phd. Who would have thought this..

as long as they fund you for the stated goal of obtaining a masters degree, it is completely fine to just leave with a masters degree, the problem only arises when you state that you want to get a phd and then drop out along the way.

I don't know how would I convince.. I need strong recommendation and his recommendation will surely matter a lot in my future application..

[Legendre]

IMHO you should be clear about your intentions to your adviser.

Tell him after the MS you want to do a PhD but if it is alright to also apply elsewhere and decide.

The last thing you need is a misunderstanding that could get you bad references or even blacklisted.