women in academia, what factors were most important in choosing the right grad school for you?

6 comments

1. that they would pay me

2. I (F/29 Ph.D.) do not work in academia. I apply my work in the commercial world. My advice? Follow your passion. I may have had to pay for it… as we all do. But dammit, it has been worth it.

3. Location and offering my chosen major.

4. Academical credibility and network in the field, you wanna explore.

5. I went to grad school at the same university where I got my bachelors. A lot of the factors that led to that decision had to do with location and convenience, but one of the most important things I found was that I wouldn’t have to start from scratch when it came to networking. A lot of the people that I worked with on a professional level have been with me throughout my whole academic career and have watched me grow and already knew my strengths and weaknesses.

6. Once I knew what topic(s) I was interested perusing: Location, academic credibility, publishing (which journals, authorships, how often) and salary! I am in Europe and in STEM so there was ample opportunity.