Here's my 2 cents on getting a PhD from a non-top tier R1. Caveat: These are from my lived experiences. Yours may differ. We have to hustle harder to get post-docs, grants, and TT jobs than PhDs from top tier R1s. We have to prove ourselves. #academictwitter @womenalsoknow 1/6

There will be people who will look down on you for not getting a PhD from a top tier R1. They will underestimate you. Pedigree matters to some people. That's true. But pedigree isn't everything. PhD candidates from non-top tier schools get TT jobs, post-docs & grants. 2/6

More important than pedigree is your advisor. It's far more important to have an advisor that supports you, will publish w/ you, protect you, help you build your network, and show you "the way the world works" in academia. A good advisor is invaluable. 3/6

Also, having an advisor who is recognized as a genuinely good person is also important. This signals to people in the profession, in those jobs you want, that s/he "raised you right." You aren't a pompous ass. You can be cooperative and collegial. 4/6

Moreover, look for a program that has a strong placement record. There are plenty of R2 programs that have really solid records of placing their PhD candidates in TT jobs. This is a question you want to ask when researching PhD programs. 5/6

Finally, keep hustling. Build a network of allies and mentors in the profession. If you can to do a post-doc, do so. Go for those grants. Find co-authors w/ whom you can work productively & co-equally. PUBLISH YOUR FIRST BOOK WITH A UNIVERSITY PRESS. You can always move l8r 6/6