(I understand the difference between Ed.D and Ph.D, and based on the programs I applied to and my future goals, either will work for my situation.)
However, I am torn between these two:
Ph.D. (UA): abt. $30,000 total; minimal funding; three-four years; state/not high in rankings; Ph.D. tends to be more respected in my work environment
Ed.D (Vanderbilt) $120,000; no funding; three years; elite school with top twenty rankings; Ed.D. not as respected
Saving $90,000 sounds great, as does getting a Ph.D. instead… but would the connections and name alone at Vandy set me up better long-term than UA? The saying goes ‘you get out what you put in’ but I have found that is not always the case. Does it really matter where the doctorate comes from in the end?
