Another lurker here. I hope GradCafe members will have some advice for me.
So... I got accepted to School A and School B cca. 10 days ago. School A has a rockstar professor (Professor A) in my subfield (i.e. in my subfield of a subfield). He/she would be my adviser. I talked to him/her at a conference last year and he/she encouraged me to apply.
School B has two or three faculty members who are pretty good in the broader subfield in which my particular subfield is situated. I had extensive email correspondence with one professor (Professor there, who would probably be my adviser. I visited school B and I liked it very much, especially the atmosphere in the department.
Now I don't know whose offer to accept. Before you suggest I visit School A, I have to tell you that's impossible. I won't go into details, but that's definitely impossible.
Now, the thing is that Professor A tells me School B is a good school, but can't give me the training I need to get a job in the field. Professor A also thinks School A is much better than School B. Professor A emphasized several times that going to School A would help me establish important contacts in the field, and School B not so much. Professor A also emphasized the importance of the right choice of grad school more than once. He/she believes this decision is crucial for my professional success.
Professor B didn't put any pressure on me. (Maybe because even Professor B thinks that School A is better?) Professor B said he would certainly like me to come to School B, but Professor B understands I have to decide what's best for me. Professor B also told me no decision is irrevocable.
To tell the truth, it seems to me that Professor B is more easy-going, easier to work with. (Especially since Professor A told me, "I see you really like School B, so maybe going there is a good idea. But you'll be sorry in a year or two and then it'll be too late.") Also, because it's so difficult to get a job in my subfield, I was thinking of doing some more interdisciplinary
work. School B (and Professor does that kind of work, School A not so much. But I still don't know what to do. School A was like a childhood dream... or something. I know that I have to make the decision, but I'd appreciate your thoughts on this.
P.S. The money is the same (unless I get another fellowship at School A). School B has a much better location (i.e. it isn't in a rural area).
