<p>How important are these numbers for graduate school admission?</p>
<p>3 different tiny schools of fairly equal size and chose the English Dept. for comparison:</p>
<p>School A: 4 PhDs and 9 MAs</p>
<p>School B: 5 PhDs in English, and 1 additional PhD, but the PhD is in something other than English (still listed in the English department), 1 MA.</p>
<p>School C: 6 PhDs , 1 MA.</p>
<p>Does it matter and in what ways does it matter?</p>
<p>What kind of graduate school and what kind of program?
English departments are different from say, music or film departments. In the latter, practical experience probably trumps academic credentialling, and the strength of the English department is of no relevance to graduate admission. But if a student is seeking admission into a graduate English program, then Schools B & C are better than School A. The fact that one prof has a Ph.D. in “something other than English” may not matter much as academics do sometimes switch fields, though usually into somewhat related fields.</p>
<p>marite, you validated what I was thinking. Unfortunately, my son does not know what he wants to do. I don’t want doors to close because out of high school he did not make the right choice regarding credentials of faculty. Thank you. This is really something that my son will need to consider.</p>
<p>I’m not quite clear. Are you saying these are the faculty of graduate schools, or of undergraduate schools that may impact later graduate enrollment? </p>
<p>At the undergraduate level it is difficult to judge literary quality by the degree held. My very best undergrad English profs were MAs. One was from Ireland and was a Joyce scholar, and the other a friend of many noted literary figures and critics (such as John Ciardi) who would visit campus and with whom we would have lunch or dinner. That was a magical year.</p>
<p>Undergrad that may impact grad school in the future. This my concern.</p>
<p>You can ask at each school where their grads are accepted for graduate programs.
I think Marite’s advice was based on assumption that your son is applying to graduate school now.</p>
<p>nngmm, thanks for the suggestion. I think that is what we will do.</p>