Heyo! The offer I ended up taking is 4,000 less than my most lucrative offer, and that didn't include summer funding but had tons of money you could apply for, and the offer I took DOES include summer funding. So like, it works out to be way less, with significantly worse insurance. So, I did! But the program I chose is a much better fit and I obviously don't know how it will pan out but honestly feel so relieved to have made that choice. I think as long as the stipend is livable, the extra couple of thousand dollars doesn't really make that big of a difference because it's not like you're getting rich off the stipend no matter where you go. It's a few years, and especially if Buffalo will give you a professional advantage in your subfield in terms of fit etc, that might matter more to you in the long run. Good luck! PS, I live in the Pioneer Valley just down the road from UMass now, and have taken classes there, so feel free to reach out if you have any questions I might be able to help with!