Last week I was told by School A that a fellowship where I work in an office (full tuition + $7.5k stipend) might be able to come to me but it was unlikely. I also found out that I was waitlisted for School B, though I'd already sort of stopped thinking of them as an option.
Fast forward to Monday: I get an email from School B telling me I'd been accepted and offered a Teaching Assistantship - full tuition, $12k stipend. I was floored - not the program I wanted, but an amazing offer. Then, I got an offer from School A for the fellowship I previously mentioned later that same day.
Do I teach at a program I'm not that excited about and get $12,000 while earning a degree at a school I'll want to leave after the MA for a PhD elsewhere, or do I work in an office at a program I loved and get $7,500 while earning a degree that I can stay to get a PhD at the same school?
What do you all think? I'm actually struggling very much. There are other factors involved too but these are the biggest ones. I have about another week to decide. It did feel good to be able to tell other schools I would not be attending there, but I still have this very difficult choice ahead. PLUS, I still haven't heard from one school, despite my emailing them multiple times over the past few months. (It's crazy that I've gone from thinking I'd be homeless and struggling to afford a degree to having two funded degrees handed to me in under 24 hours.)
I appreciate your advice in advance!