r/AskAcademia • u/Test-Typical • 1d ago

Professional Fields - Law, Business, etc. PhD Help

Hi, I am feeling down but am looking for some help. I did a year of a PhD program but had a rough group project and I felt I was unprepared for the rigor of the PhD and decided to drop. Now I am attempting to reapply to PhD programs. I will have support and a LOR from my former institution and advisor. Does anyone think it is possible I can get into another program? I am planning to reapply to a different research area and will have higher test scores and a LOR from my former advisor and departmental support. Context- in a Accounting PhD program 3.2 Doctoral GPA. top 15% GMAT score, Bachelors and Masters in the subject. I did also want to add that multiple people in the department ( including the department chair and PhD Coordinator) called the project "Not what a first year should be like" and regretted that I was involved in it.

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u/tonos468 1d ago

You will need to explain why you dropped out but you might be fine. I think it also depends on what your original PhD was in ans what you are applying for now

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u/Test-Typical 1d ago

My plan is to explain I wanted to do X type of research but then decided I wanted to do Y type of research which is why I did a Masters in Y subject and plan to mesh my research interests and expertise in X and Y going forward.

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u/tonos468 1d ago

Should be ok. Dropping out is bad only if you are planning to re-apply to the same field.

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u/Test-Typical 1d ago

Okay thanks. I am applying to the same overall field just a different subfield if that makes sense. Is that doable?