Hey Everyone!
So I'm new here but could really use some advice. I'm choosing between the University of Rochester and Dartmouth College for a PhD degree. At Rochester I'm accepted into their Microbiology, Immunology, and Virology program. At Dartmouth I'm accepted into their Molecular and Cellular Biology program, which is an interdisciplinary program where I would most likely end up choosing microbiology anyway (so the whole interdisciplinary thing doesn't necessarily matter to me).
Here's the deal: I find both of them to be pretty evenly matched in my heart. I like the professors and research going on at both places. However, the program at Dartmouth has an even more specific component to it that I'm absolutely in love with. That being said I got along better with other students at Rochester and I think I prefer the more urban/suburban environment of Rochester to the more rural/suburban environment of Dartmouth. It's also a bit more expensive to live near Dartmouth but... it's name brings about certain connotations in people's minds.
So here's my underlying question: would going to Dartmouth open more doors for me by having their name on my degree?
To me they're both pretty evenly matched and if Dartmouth was not in the country I'd be more open to immediately accept their offer but I'm just not sure how to live there.
Any opinions would be great thanks!
