Quote:
Originally posted by jubilance1922
So I have a bit of a dilemma, and I wanted to get some additional opinions...
I started my PhD program in Chemistry in the fall of 2004. This summer (05) I decided to pursue other opportunites, because I was very unhappy with my program. My advisor and I decided that I would finish up my research as a thesis masters, and I applied to my school's public policy program (studying science and technology policy), to start Spring 06.
Well, I got into the public policy program, but I'm not going to be done with my chemistry thesis in time.
So here are my options:
*Go non-thesis masters in chemistry, take 2 more classes, and be done.
*Quit chemistry altogether and just start public policy school (I'm not really rooting for that one cause I've spent too long here to leave with nothing).
*Ask to defer starting public policy until the fall, and ask my advisor if he will keep me on through the summer so I can finish my thesis.
Any advice will be greatly appreciated!
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I was in a similar situation. I started grad school the Spring of '94 in Biochemistry and my advisor was a Chem Engr who was adjunct in the Biochem department. All was going well until the summer of '95. I think he was having family issues and a pre-mid life crisis. His habits and personality changed. Whenever I approached him about my project he got real irritated and blew me off. Then, the Monday after Thanksgiving in '95 he just came up to me and said 'your project is not working.'. I was like
. After talking to others in the lab, they'd noticed a change in him too and he had approached two others in the lab with a similar comment. So, rather than be the matyr to get my PhD in his lab, I went for the non thesis MS option and graduated in the Spring of '96. I felt, and he and my committee agreed that that was the best option for me.
I started in a new grad prgram at a different school and got my PhD. The second time around was a bit better because I became 'grad school wise'. I learned all the pitfalls and mind-games that can go on in grad school.
If I were you I would go with your third option - defer and finish your Chemistry project, especially if you can get a publication or two out of it. If you have a good working relationship with your current advisor, then that should not be a problem.