Leavinmyheartinsf

"How much lower-ranked is the school you like better? The difference between #5 and #10 is different than the difference between #5 and #30. Also, bear in mind that while you might have less personal funding at the #5 school, there might be more resources for research support and competitive funding sources within the university." Actually, I don't necessarily like the lower ranked school better. I like it for TOTALLY opposite reasons. The top 5 was a dream school. I actually thought I had a better chance of getting into Stanford than that one. I didn't get into Stanford, but did get in to the one on the other side of the world. Anyway, I htink the quaint little southern town the the top 5 is in is much nicer than the depressed midwestern city that the lower ranked one is in. I don't know why I am fighting this. My gut tells me the top 5 is better, but the #49 (yes#49) is really trying. I just don't know that their efforts will pay off in time for me to be on the job market.

I applied to 10 schools and got into 5. Not bad for the school I come from. Here is my dilemma: I got into a top 5 school and a school ranked much lower in 2005. When I left the top 5, I was very certain that I was going there. Two weeks later, I visted the much lower ranked school and liked it more than I thought I would. I like the fact that they are working really hard to improve their department by trying to hire very established scholars. Their goal is to move way up in the rankings in the next couple of years. I think it would be a great opportunity, but I want to come back to California and they have not placed anyone in a CA university at least since 2000, and they have very few placements at research universities. They are willing to match my highest offer so I would live much better there than at said top 5. I would hate living in the town, and I would be the only member of my racial group in the department. But they offer a lot of support to their grad students. I absolutely loved the top 5, but there is a LOT less money, and it is on the opposite side of the country. I just need help sorting it all out, so if you have any insights, I would appreciate it.