I've managed to narrow down my choices to 2 MSc programs in Psychology. One is a one-year MSc in Ontario, Canada, and the other is a two-year MSc in Illinois. After talking to faculty and students, my gut feeling is that I'd fit in better with the one-year program, although I'm not sure that would be the ideal choice considering my goal is to pursue a PhD in a top institution (I'm a career switcher from a non-research profession, hence the need for grad school-level research).
Costs and fundings of both programs are virtually identical. As of now I'm inclined to attend the one-year program, but my chief concern is that 1) I can do more research in 2 years than in 1, and 2) if I indeed attend the one-year program, I will have literally 4-5 months since matriculation to finish my PhD applications instead of a year and a half, which might entails other problems (supervisors not knowing me well enough to write convincing letters, not enough time to research potential PhD programs, etc.)
Obviously the one-year program has a lot of perks too. You get your own office as a grad student. Faculty supervisors are very helpful, personable and, from what the students have been telling me, especially competent as mentors. Their students also seem happier and extra welcoming (or at least they're really good at making their prospective students feel welcome). So on.
So, am I overthinking the one-year thing? How much should I weigh it?
