As you may know I have had my studies intermittently interrupted this semester with graduate school visits in an attempt to help crystallize what is a very difficult decision. After looking at the PhD programs in Political Science at both the University of Washington and the University of Wisconsin-Madison I felt like both programs were a great fit, great places to study, and a definite breath of fresh air.

But, I couldn’t attend both.

After returning from Wisconsin late Sunday I thought very intensely about what it is I want from a graduate school and what it is I expect from the next five years. I want a few things pretty clearly at the moment:

• Stability–I want to spend five years in relatively the same place and be able to really put down some roots and make some lasting connections
• Learning–I want a variety of opportunities both in and out of the classroom to learn–not just political science, but all of my other myriad of interests as well. I don’t want to be intellectually restrained.
• Research–I want a place that fits my own research interests in rural policy, rural politics, education policy, federalism, and poverty/inequality. Some of these things may comprise my dissertation someday.
• Freshness– I want some new scenery. I want to go somewhere new and dive in and see what I like and don’t like and learn from it.
• Activity– I want to go out and participate and do a variety of non-academic things. I want to find people I mesh with and who are interesting and I want to do interesting things with them. I need, sometimes, extra motivation for these things.

Both UWs would have provided me with these opportunities, but in the end I felt that the change of scenery to the Midwest and the academic tradition that Wisconsin offers would fit me better. Wisconsin’s Political Science department is great, but so is the whole institution which seems to have a real focus on academics, learning opportunities, and innovation.

So I’m a Badger now and I’m finally getting closer to the type of learning environment I have always craved.

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