I'm pretty torn between two programs right now. Both have professors I'm interested in working with.
School A: A top 25 program. From my visit, I found the faculty and other students to be extremely welcoming and supportive. They are also offering a significant financial incentive (on top of a good stipend) to attend.
School B: A top 3 program with a lot of weight behind having their name on your degree. My visit felt not nearly as welcoming (I guess they don't really have to be...) and I left feeling not very enthusiastic about the program. Stipend is ok, probably barely covering the cost of living in an expensive city.
I'm leaning toward A, but I'm worried about if I'm forfeiting future job prospects by not attending a top school. How much does a school name matter? I've heard that where you do your post-doc is even more important.
