HelpSlipFranklins

So, I spoke to my undergraduate mentors/advisers and after looking into the situation and really vetting the program, I decide not to go to NYU. I'm going to stick with Ohio University and get the PhD. 1. Loans w/compounding interest. I wouldn't be able to pay until graduating with my PhD (so 6+ years before I could even START to pay off the debt). I'm not afraid of debt, but with an academic position, I wouldn't really be able to pay the loans back in a reasonable amount of time. I agree with juilletmercredi 2. If I live with parents, take out loans, get a part time job, commute, or live in the city... these things create extra stress that may distract and detract from my focus and overall ability to succeed. Just like what jonebone said... too many moving parts. 3. I spoke with the Director of the Master's Program at NYU. SHe said the program accepts 40% of approximately 500 applicants; 15% enroll which equals about 75 students. That is a lot of competition for resources (fellowships, grants, mentors' time etc...) 4. She also said there is no guarantee I would be able to do research with a faculty member of NYU. You are accepted and then you must apply to professors lab's - their resources will always be given to PhD students first and if they have any money or time left over, they accept masters students into their lab. 5. After I graduate, there is no guarantee I would be accepted into a PhD program - only the "program superstars" are competitive for PhD positions within or outside of the department and I am not sure I could be one of those - it depends on a lot of things outside of my control. 6. Yeah, the MA program isn't really prestigious, just the PhD program. It seems like I wouldn't really get personalized training - like all the MA students are running around the department like chickens with their heads cut off. 7. I'm excited about Ohio. They want me. They're paying me. My adviser has a lot of experience in the area and she publishes in top journals. She's got connections. I can be focused and do what I need to do there. I'll get personalized training, be a big fish in a small pond. And I am confident that I can do what I need to do so that I can get a good post-doc out of the program. So that is my rationale for the decision ^ Thank you to everyone for your comments and feedback. I appreciate your help. SeanDDavies, good luck buddy. I hope this thread helps you as much as it helped me. -Adam

Yea, I didn't interview either. I applied for their PhD program and got accepted to their MA. I have a phone call scheduled to talk to the graduate director tomorrow so I can get some information. Ohio is a good fit and my adviser does have some good connections, but NYU would be a much better fit. We'll see what happens after I speak with the director tomorrow

Thanks to everyone for the input. I really appreciate it. SeanDustin. Let's meet up and cry over some alcohol lol. I have never wavered back and forth so much as I have with this decision. I've been over it a hundred times and every time I talk to a different person, I am left learning in a different direction than before. I'm really conflicted. NYU could give me a second chance to get into my dream PhD program. My mother told me I could live with her in Jersey and train in every day. Actually It might be worth it to pay an extra 30k in living expenses each year lol. It's a gamble, because who knows what the PhD application field is going to look like in two years. What if I go through all of this and I can't get into a better program than OU anyway. I'm back to square one but with lots of debt and two years wasted. Then again, the debt is certainly scary but imagine the possibility of making 50k more than I would with a degree from Ohio. It would really easy to use that salary increase to pay off the debt with little interest. Could get it done in as little as 10 years. I think I should worry less about the money and more about what educational opportunity is best for me. There are definitely ways to reduce the debt and make this work. Living at home (if absolutely necessary, part time job to help with costs, loans that don't accrue interest while in school, TA and GA opportunities if available). I still really don't know what I'm going to do.

My goal is to teach with a tenure track position and do my own research. The prestige of NYU would help a lot I think. And mathcat, it isn't OSU. If it were, there wouldn't be an issue at all. It's OU. Two different schools.

I got accepted to a full paid PhD program in Psychology at Ohio University. Living expenses paid and all. I just heard from NYU that I was accepted to their masters program in psych. But that program is not at all subsidized. So I have to decide between a mediocre, but fully paid PhD (which may not offer me great job prospects) or a great MA program that would cost $110,000 from two years of living expenses and tuition (after which I would be very competitive for prestigious PhD programs and eventually very attractive in the job market) It's so much debt. But NYU so much better. OU is ranked 101 in psychology and 120something overall NYU is 30 in psych and something like 33 overall What do you think? Would love to hear your thoughts