Is transferring graduate programs from a top 20 school to a top

>>18706230
That's a stupid fucking question. I don't believe you're in a top 20 school or have the ability to move to a top 10 school.

>>18706230
Pick a professor. Not a school.

>>18706231
What's stupid about it? Getting professor positions can be heavily influenced by going to Stanford vs. like, UMD, is what I've been told by multiple people in the field

I don't mind taking a little extra time to assure I best my chances, if it sets me back any i.e. assuming I can't re-pass quals or something or don't transition research groups well

>>18706233

i'm in high energy theory by the way, I need all the help I can get for hopes of finding a professor spot down the road. better school helps get better postdocs too

>>18706233
check
>>18706232
You could pick the #1 ranked university and if you chose the wrong PI you're fucked. Similarly you could go to a #100 ranked university and pick the right PI and be golden. A PI's position and influence in the field is FAR more important then the schools rank. School rank only matters for your BS.

Many top universities will also have top PI's, but in general the competition for a spot in their group is terrible - and there are no guarantees in graduate school that you'll be placed with your PI of choice.

>>18706235

Hm, I guess I'll know better in a year or two on that front, my school has professors who are known in the field fairly well. Does their influence carry over into postdoc apps too? People don't talk about postdocs as much

>>18706230
how does the transfer process at the graduate level even work?

>>18706237
Also why it's a stupid question, there's no such thing.

If you 'transfer' from a grad program it essentially means you flunk out of grad school and join another grad school. Doing so will guarantee you never find an academic position in your field.

>>18706237

When you apply to PhD programs you can indicate that you're currently a student or otherwise have previous graduate school experience

after that I imagine it's just a matter of not pissing off whoever you've been working with for a good letter in the field and proving you'd be better off there. as for financial packages at your school, etc. I don't really know yet, this is all preliminary questioning

So it seems like networking is by far the best predictor of getting into a grad school.

Should I literally just email the PI's I want to work with and try to pitch myself to them

>>18706240
Yes, absolutely.

Know that even if they give you a firm commitment, university politics may place you into a different group. Especially if it's a top school, so many associate profs struggle to get students, so they pull them from the 'big' groups.