cinderella

Yes, that pretty much sums it up :-) I know that I have much better options than a lot of people but that does not make the decision any easier, unfortunately.

Hi everyone, After agonizing about decisions for weeks now, I'm turning to you for help. I'm applying for programs in educational psychology, and got to three of them. The programs are equal in funding packages (I would be funded through research asssitantship); I like the potential advisors at all of them (as in, all are very friendly, interested in working with me; related research interests etc.), and each also has multiple faculty I could work with. Further, all of the universities can provide good opportunities for doing research that I want and I quite like their geographical areas. * University X and Y are about equal in prestige (about Top 15-30 but probably near the best in terms of my specialty). University X is a bit more well-established but the potential advisor at university Y is more powerful (and well-known) and each of his last four students got a tenure-track faculty position right after graduating. As opposed to advisor at university X, however, his research is less related to my interests. * University Z has a program that is very low ranked (below 100), and its graduate student culture is rather lacking -- many of the graduate students are not really interested in doing research, and the most productive faculty have left the university. The potential advisor I would be working with does solid, interesting research and is rather new (started as a faculty two years ago). My main problem is that I currently work in my family's business (that does business related to my research) and would probably be able to keep doing so at university Z much more than at universities X and Y. From personal as well as geographical reasons, my parents would not allow me to continue working with them if I went elsewhere than at university Z. Continuing to be a part of the business would carry large financial incentives (large house, six-figure salary etc.) which I would have to give up on (at least temporarily) if I decided for university X or Y. I am not 100% sure yet if after PhD I wish to continue in the industry or academia, and would like to keep my options open. Do you think that going to university Z would be a problem in terms of getting academic (or industry?) jobs later on simply because its program and the people I would be working with are less well-known and don't do as highly impactful research? Is it realistic to expect to be able to develop strong network with experts outside of my university, so that where I actually get my PhD matters less? And ultimately, where would you recommend me going? Thak you very much for any advice! This decision-making process has me paralyzed.