I'm not sure if anyone else shares this dilemma, but I have academic interests that are cross-disciplinary in nature and thus applied to three different departments: Political Science (theory), Inter-disciplinary programs, and English.
So far, I've been accepted to University of Minnesota's PhD in Comparative Studies in Discourse and Society (CSDS), and into Northwestern for Political Science. They are both great programs, but I'm having trouble weighing my options! As you can imagine, choosing one over the other will certainly chart my academic career in very different ways. Here's how I see it so far:
CSDS at Minnesota: Tiny and selective program, really nurturing intellectual environment, close attention from faculty, I'll get to do whatever I want and choose how to design my course of study. Lots of independence. Full funding for 5 years, but a small stipend, and possibly no financial support for summer research. It's also a lesser known program, and interdisciplinary programs are notorious for not always being able to find jobs for their graduates in mainstream college departments.
Northwestern Poli Sci: Obviously, a top 25 program with some big names in critical theory. Encourages inter-disciplinary work, and should be a good place to move between political theory and english/cultural studies/history, but ultimately I am not a traditional political scientist and will perhaps fit better into a place where students and faculties' interests are more wide-ranging and cross-disciplinary. Great funding package (much more money than Minnesota), and graduates have usually found great placements across the country and internationally.
Overall, I think my gut and my heart are pulling me towards CSDS at Minnesota, but good sense is probably telling me that Political Science at Northwestern is the safer, more recognized, and not necessarily less intellectually fulfilling route to take. I might be taking too much of a risk with a program like CSDS.
Any thoughts? Anyone having to make a similar decision?