thevphone

I think program A is a no brainer! Besides, if they accepted you that means that they think you'll do great! And I'd tryst their judgment, since the admission committee definitely know what they're doing. 
However, at the end of the day it's all about the fit: where and with whom do you see yourself working better? 

The person is not invalidating anyone's experiences by asking more questions, but by not listening to the answers.
I'm glad I stayed out of the debate since it went precisely as I had predicted. But a short version of my reply to some of the more outrageous posts above would be as follows: I don't have a penis, and don't expect to grow one any time soon (nor would I want to). Any system that inherently advantages men simply by virtue of them being men is one that I would fight against, because it inhibits my own growth and development, as well as that of my students and friends. The idea that I should "adjust" to a system that disfavors me by its very nature could only be uttered by someone blinded by their own privilege. The (wrongheaded!) belief that e.g. women aren't good decision makers or whatever other bullshit was written above is a symptom of this ailing system. Recasting the debate in terms of "evidence" (male) vs "emotion" (female) is likewise misguided. But in my experience having this kind of discussion is simply useless: it's too abstract. Young men, find a young female scholar (poc scholar, disabled scholar, etc) near you -- a fellow student, a postdoc in your lab, an assistant professor, etc -- buy her a coffee and *ask her* about her experiences. *Listen* to the experiences of women in your field. Do some reading. Develop an awareness. It's totally fine to be skeptical and ask questions, but you have to be willing to listen to the answers. Just because you don't see it doesn't mean it's not happening. 

OMG ALSO MADE IT OFF THE WAITLIST WTF IS HAPPENING

YOU GUYS. I GOT IN!!! 
I was sitting on 5 rejections and 1 waitlist (for my top choice school) with very little communication about what was happening with the adcomm. I got a phone call from my POI today and they said I was their first choice (they did not extend an offer to anyone else) and that the reason for the delay/waitlist was that they had a lot to figure out internally. I'm still waiting on the official letter with the funding offer, but I'm so excited, and relieved, and a little bit in shock. This late in the game, I had more than prepared myself for applying again next year. Holy wow.
This thread was a life-saver for me throughout the wait process; I appreciate it so much.

I got in. I dont know what just happened today

I also really appreciate this thread! I was super super down on myself after the first few rejections rolled in. I am waitlisted at two of my top 5 schools, but even if I were to get off the waitlist at MGH, I wouldn't be able to afford it. I'm still not exactly sure what I'm going to do if I don't get in anywhere. But I'm really trying to use these rejections to fuel some motivation in other areas of my life. I'm trying to build a relationship with God and leave my anxieties and fear with Him, and let Him guide me to where I'm meant to be. I'm also using this as a time to try and be a part of new experiences that I wouldn't be able to try if I had been accepted somewhere thus far. For example, my job is offering me a management position at the restaurant I work at. I want to try and expand this and work at a wine tasting room and maybe take my sommelier test over the summer.
Again, I'm trying to look at this situation as a journey that God wants me to go on. Maybe He wants me to trust in Him and the joys of life that He has provided me, rather than only devote every second of my life to school. 
Trust me, I'm so scared. I dont know exactly what I'm going to do because I gave up a lot of things this year to apply to graduate school. But changing my perspective has definitely helped me from ripping my hair out in the meantime (not kidding) 
We're all going to be okay. <3 

Me too! 

I totally agree! That's why I'm probably going to the school I had the chance to visit. Going to the one I didn't visit seems riskier

I have finally made my decision which is a HUGE relief! The only downside is that I did have my decision kind of made for me since the environment in one of the departments I was accepted at and visited is not an environment I would be happy in for 5-6 years. But that does go to show that if you have the ability to visit a department before accepting you really should since a visit can help you be aware of major red flags you might not know about unless you visit.

My two cents:
School A: Sounds like you are hesitating here because of a dearth of information. I know that uncertainty makes an option seem unappealing, but the answers to your outstanding questions may actually be good. You just don't know yet! I suggest you reach out to the POIs and their grad students to get as much more information as you can about the atmosphere of the department, the lab cultures, mentorship styles, etc. Maybe you could arrange another Skype call, long-distance tour of the lab space, etc. On a personal note, I moved from Albuquerque to Toronto when I started my undergrad. Yes, Canada is cold, and I know firsthand that the first winter can be a shock. However, you really do get used to it, and a big coat goes a long way!
School B: Possibility of a joint supervision is good, but you need to inquire about whether that is possible. Different departments can be more or less accommodating for cosupervision situations, and there's also the possibility that the two professors may not get along. Definitely something to investigate before you commit. 

Hi, I've gone to UofT for the past four years for my undergrad. Yes, the stipend is unfortunately pretty low relative to the cost of living in Toronto. However, many students supplement that stipend with additional summer TAships, NSERC/SSHRC/CIHR funding, etc. They all report that it is livable. Living in Toronto, the biggest expense is definitely housing. The caveat of that, though, is that you will certainly need to have a roommate or two, and you will probably need to consider housing outside of the downtown core. There are plenty of places on the subway line that would connect you to the campus area. 
My experience is limited to living in the downtown core within walking distance to campus. I can give you some concrete estimates of cost for that radius: If you are living with 1-3 roommates, you can find a decent place for 800-1000 CAD a month, including utilities. It is possible to find cheaper places if you're fine with basement apartments. A studio is more like 1300-1500, which would presumably be out of your budget range on the grad stipend. Daily cost of living is not so bad; there are cheap food options to be found (try groceries in Chinatown/Kensington!). The main challenge will just be finding a place to live that doesn't eat up the whole stipend.
*Note that the info provided above is under the assumption that you are referring to the St. George campus of UofT. If you're looking at the Scarborough or Missaussaga campuses, housing is cheaper and you'd probably live closer to campus.

Stanford University Symbolic Systems, Masters (F18) Rejected via E-mail on 16 Mar 2018 I 17 Mar 2018 The universities must have a competition between them on whose rejection emails are more generic. Dear (insert name),
We have chosen not to offer you admission t (insert school name). This year had a record number of talented applicants...

Choosing between schools is turning out to be the most difficult decision of my life. There are so many factors, and the worst part is, I have all the pros and cons on a list, but I don't know what I really want. I don't know what I will want 3-4 years down the line, and I don't know which is the best choice. Every single day I go through them over and over again, trying to convince myself of one school over another, and every day I end back up to square one. It's getting to the point that I'm basically thinking of doing a coin toss and going to whichever school it lands on. It's just very frustrating and difficult. Add the fact my girlfriend is trying to transition and accept I'm basically going to be gone for 4-5 years, and this entire process went from exciting prospects to the point where I just want to coin toss and be over with it. 

That's definitely a troll... Phd applications in Europe are completely different, you have to submit a research proposal in accordance with a professor there. It's just impossible to submit more than one or two applications per cycle. 

@thevphone That's awesome! And yeah please let me know when you make your final decision (I'll probably end up going to SBU unless I find any red flag during the visit)

Imposter syndrome is more common than you think. I had it for real when I began writing my dissertation. I would just stare at the blank page on the screen tryin to figure out why the heck they picked me if I cannot write. I have friends that are having job interviews and campus visits and they come with that feeling: "they think I am so great, they don't know that I'm just a regular applicant". 
Right now, the most important thing you can is develop some techniques so that it doesn't hinder your enjoying recruitment. 

Oklash,
I empathize so much with you. Please don't give up on yourself. Please don't even consider the thought of hurting yourself or worse. You deserve life! You deserve happiness. You can and will find your path. But I know that sounds so much easier than it is actually done. But please, listen to me:
I have been where you are. A few years ago, I applied to graduate school and got rejected at 6/8 programs. This crushed me. None of my top schools seemed even remotely interested. I was rejected swiftly. One acceptance was to my safety school. One acceptance was to a good program, but no funding. I was living at home. I didn't have a source of income. I was in a very bad relationship, which was ending. I didn't think the amount of loans I would have to take out to go to school and minimally survive was a good choice. I just couldn't bear the thought, and I said no. This devastated me. I felt like such a fuck up. I spent hours and hundreds of dollars to apply to these schools. It felt like such a waste.
My parents were pressuring me to move on. They didn't exactly see what this meant to me. I dreamed of going into academia. I really wanted to teach. And I felt like it would never happen for me. I felt like a crucial part of my identity was lost. They told me to get a job somewhere and move on. The only job I could find was at K-Mart. Meanwhile, my professors and advisors told me, "There's always next year. This happens. Just try again." Try again? As if this is easy? As if this is affordable? It's neither. This process can be soul-crushingly difficult. It depressed me. I spent months deeply, clinically depressed. Not many people understood what I was going through or had the bandwidth to relate to me and talk to me. I felt so alone.
But, I chose to just adapt and to go on a totally different path. It was not easy. I changed career tracks. I didn't like it. I still don't. I struggled to find work outside of retail, but eventually did. It was meager, however. Finally, I met my then boyfriend (now husband). I began to learn that life is not linear. Life often does not make sense. The path is arduous and twisted and broken and frightening, but sometimes, there is method to its absolute madness. I would have never met my husband had this all worked out the way I had hoped. I also realized that your career does not have to be the only way you find fulfillment in life. There are ways to engage in your love and research interests outside of academia. Focus on finding those things. Focus on filling your life with people who you connect to and can confide in. You need support during this process. You need friends and love. And sometimes, that is the greatest fulfillment in life.
Like you, I have a BA in English and philosophy. I felt really unemployable where I was living in the Midwest. But when I moved to a metro area, I suddenly found I was very employable, just not in anything I deeply care about, which has been okay temporarily. I have worked in an off-shoot of my field, and I have spent time building my resume with professional experience. I have saved up money to apply again to graduate school and fund some of my education, should I get in. I spent years preparing to try again. And, in that time, I focused mostly on healing myself--repairing the broken confidence, proving my commitment to myself, and polishing the skills I need. My time away from school and this process has honestly been so well spent, and I have hope it is paying off.
My advice for your situation is to consider doing those things: take a year or two or three to build your resume;  consider moving to a metropolitan area where there are more jobs, if you can afford it; stay committed to your field through independent study, research, and attempts at publication; research different programs, maybe try a completely different batch of schools; seek out professionals in your field to provide you constructive criticism on your applications; find friends and a support circle; find other hobbies and things that make you feel good; focus on your mental health by seeking medical attention, talking to a therapist or loved one, taking a break from this process, taking a vacation (or stay-cation), taking up a new hobby, trying new exercise, etc.; and finally give yourself a break.
Listen to all of us in your shoes. We are all struggling. You are NOT alone! You are NOT a failure. You should not blame yourself so much or feel so worthless. It's just NOT fair to yourself. Give yourself some credit for all of the hard work and effort you have put in. Give yourself credit for taking a risk and trying again. Look at how far you've already come. You are GREAT. Please don't forget that! <3

By request, added two more. Please bear in mind that some programs can be too specific (i.e. Arabian studies), thus not having enough data for particular university (I use 30 observations threshold). 
Biostatistics PhD https://imgur.com/a/UQ2e9
Linguistics PhD https://imgur.com/a/MauHg