I am interested in quantifying social systems using the methods of networks science. I have got admission to Informatics PhD (Complex Systems) in Indiana, Northeastern Network Science PhD and Northwestern (Media, Technology and Society). In all of them I have got full funding.
I know giants like professor Barabasi and Vespignani is in Northeastern but I do not have any information on how closely a PhD student can work with such big names. The Northwestern program is very prestigious but they focus more on sociology than quantification. Then again Indiana has a very good reputation in complex system field and I liked the works of some of the Assistant Professors there. Should I go for big names, prestige or upcoming faculty with interesting research works?