Would You Rather...

[phyanth]

Go to a less prestigious school that provides biomed training where grad placements are usually low tier medical schools in anatomy depts with high salaries (80-90k annually)?

Or go to a higher ranked school in the same subfield that does not offer biomed training, but grad placement is at "better ranked" schools in anthropology depts with lower pay (50-60k annually)?

FYI: This is for physical anthropology, and I would be happy in either subfield.

[indigopierogy]

So I would think about it like this, which school, or career path would enable you to do the work you want with the least amount of stress? I know we've talked about it a little bit before, but is a "better ranked" anthro department like an R1 school or is it just a good teaching school? Or is the low-ranked med school because of the nature of the department/school being a med school ridiculously work-oriented? I know I want to be able to do the things I want to do, but also with... this might be sacrilegious to say, but the least amount of *work* possible. 

 

Here's the way I'm starting to make my decisions: 

1. Say you work with X professor. Do you feel, right now that that would completely fulfill you or are you still feeling like you're missing something?

2. Say you don't get into the more prestigious school, are you really disappointed? How does the thought of not getting into the other one make you feel?

If you're disappointed with any of the decisions you're making, choose the other one. How do you feel about it? Any better? Pretend someone took one of the options away, do you feel devastated? Maybe that was the thing you wanted all along.

 

I get the fact that this method might not be helpful for everything, but sometimes it helps me make decisions! I just try to avoid disappointment or FOMO in my decisions, and then its usually the right one in the end.