First of all, yes, I'd like to echo what has already been said about what a great and kind resource everyone on this thread has been throughout the application and decision making process. One last time, I would like to impose on all of you and ask for your advice and collective wisdom as the clock winds down and I am faced with, what is, to my mind at least, a very tough choice.
My eventual goal is to go on to get a PhD and work in an applied setting. Not having the grades to get into a top PhD program coming out of undergrad, however, I set my sights on Master's programs in the hopes of bolstering my stats and getting some applied experience before re-applying to blue chip PhDs.
My decision is between the MS at IUPUI (Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis) and an MA at George Mason.
I’m guessing that most people would say that George Mason is the obvious choice. The latest rankings of PhD programs peg GMU at 8th based on research productivity (although that ranking falls to 21st when assessed on a per capita basis), and 3rd for presence at SIOP conferences. Additionally, one of their faculty is the current President of SIOP and one of their other faculty served as President from 2007-2008. While the publication and presentation numbers are at least nominally attributed to the PhD program and not the MA, MA students share classes with PhD students for their first year and are welcome to collaborate with faculty on research—which, on the flipside, probably also boosts the school’s numbers for both publications and presentations, in that it effectively grants them a larger pool of student worker-bees to draw on. A thesis is neither required nor recommended for Master's students (including those who plan to apply to PhDs), the thought being that, the eventual goal of a thesis is to produce original work of publishable quality; a goal which can be accomplished more easily and with less red-tape by simply getting involved with faculty research teams. Not least of all, the proximity to Washington, D.C. bodes well for internship opportunities. Finally, out of the MA students who apply to PhD programs, a high percentage seem to have success applying to Mason’s PhD program, and more moderate success applying elsewhere.
Comparatively, IUPUI is a lesser known school and program. They do not offer doctoral training in I/O (as a consequence, they are omitted from most rankings of I/O programs), so the focus is on MS students. Every student is granted half tuition remission, receives an assistantship, and assisted in finding a paid internship. Only 6 students are admitted per year, which in recent years, makes for about a 7% acceptance rate. As far as I can tell, that’s as competitive as it gets at the Master’s level. Also, they have a phenomenal student/faculty ratio, with 12 students in the program at a given time for 5 full-time faculty. The faculty themselves are well-published, sharp, and extremely friendly. Unlike most Master’s programs, the focus is on research and every student is required to complete a thesis. Upon graduation, students will have completed applied projects, likely presented at conferences, and have papers published or under review. Graduates who seek a PhD are typically accepted into elite programs.
George Mason holds the advantage in prestige and reputation, but I’m not sure how much those factors matter in terms of furthering my education at the PhD level or for career opportunities down the road.
Advice or insights? I’d welcome any and all—even if they begin with: “you’re an idiot, choose ____.” Feel free to message me privately if you’d rather not publicize your opinion.
