keiko12

So I just got to my new graduate school X and I'm having strong regrets that I did not go to school Y. To be honest, I have been having these regrets since I made the decision, and now that I am finally here I am realizing I probably did make the wrong choice. School X has a much better reputation, more faculty, a higher stipend, research-only positions for graduate students, and is in an amazing location. School Y is smaller and lesser-known in this particular field, has a lower stipend, requires TA work, and is in an isolated coastal town. I spent the last summer working at school Y and developed a very good relationship with a PI working on a project that I found interesting, and generally connected with all of the faculty at the lab. At school X I am just beginning to work with a professor on a project related to the work I did at Y. However, this prof has a reputation among the grad students for being terrible to work with - he has kicked people out of PhDs because they were too busy doing all the busy work he gave them to actually do their own research. To make matters worse, the project he proposed to me might not even happen, so I might wind up with a project I'm not interested in. Meanwhile, if I had gone to school Y I would be doing field work right now in Tahiti. I wanted badly to go to school X because it was my dream school originally, and I felt a lot of pressure from peers to accept because of the amazing amenities and reputation. Yet, now I am here and dreading I am not going to get to do the research that really interests me. There are opportunities to rotate throughout the first year so I can work for other professors here at X, but none of the research excites me as much as the research at Y. Is it too late to call up school Y and beg for them to take me back? Will it ruin my reputation if I do change my mind?